How it went

Overall, Mark and I had a good time.  We had a pleasant drive in the morning, listening to music and talking.  We picked up our two cute workers, Ammon and Omar.  Ammon is serious and capable and reminds me of his dad.  Omar is chatty and fearless and reminds me of his mom.  I loved spending a little time with them.  Mark used the string trimmer and Ammon mowed and I attacked overgrown bushes and Omar was my charming assistant.  He gathered up the trimmings and took them to "Mt. Crumpit to dump it."

(I designated a spot behind the house as Mt. Crumpit.)

We saw three snakes and baby birds in a nest but zero mice so I was glad about that.

Very minimal progress has happened inside the house, but I guess we should be grateful we aren't waiting for a place to live.  

As I dug and clipped in the flower beds, I felt a little like Mary Lennox in The Secret Garden.  It was exciting to find things like hens and chicks underneath everything.  I texted Olivia a picture of a plant and asked her if it was a friend or foe.  She said probably a weed.  I asked Ammon's and Omar's opinions a few times and they'd tell me things like, "Our mom has a lot of that, I don't think it's a weed."  Olivia told me the plants on the side of the garage are goldenrod and will bloom in August.

I have a lot to learn.

But I like it.  I loved working in flowerbeds my grandma planted.  

Olivia had us for lunch.  My parents were there as well as Marianne and Mason (who is doing a little work for them this week).  It was a lovely time sitting in the shade on Olivia's front porch, chatting about our elementary teachers.  My parents didn't love one of my favorite teachers because we did a lot of art projects and not as much school work.  She was one of my favorite teachers because we did a lot of art projects.

I took my crew back to work.  After a few hours, Mark and Omar were both struggling with allergies (they're both allergic to grass so it wasn't a fabulous activity for them) so I decided to call it good for the day. 

We dropped off the boys and then stopped at my parents' in hopes my dad could sharpen the clippers that were sort of a mess.  I said, "Is that fixable?"

He said, "There's nothing I can't do."

I said, "I know.  That's why I am here."

He went to his shop with the clippers and I chatted with my mom and Mark fell asleep on the living room floor.  He had had enough benadryl to knock him out cold.

My dad took me on the front porch and we rocked on the swing and he said he was going to "overstep."  He didn't though.  He gave me advice and we had a good chat.

I'm so grateful for my good parents.  They are my anchors and fix a lot more in my life than just my clippers. 

Mark and I drove home and Mark was either asleep or grouchy most of the way home.  When we neared Salt Lake, he perked up a little--I think the benadryl wore off--and we listened to a few episodes of a podcast about Watergate.  We pushed on for a late dinner at Apollo burger in Lehi (they have gluten free buns).  I assessed that we looked pretty rough rolling into there.  Mark was a little sunburned (he didn't need me to put sunscreen on for him because he could do it--why are children always a little bit like toddlers?), we were both covered in dust, our eyes were sort of bloodshot from allergies, and I had cuts and scratches all over my hands and arms. 

We made it home finally and after showering, we were both none worse for the wear.  My only regret for the day is that I didn't take before and after pictures because I want something to show for it!