A Whole New Sense of Appreciation

Allergies... flared

Asthma..... slightly flared

Lawn......... managed

Gratitude for The Lawn Fairy's gift..... greatly enhanced

Appreciation for B that he keeps our yard maintained and manicured.... IMMEASUREABLE!


Last week the rains came down and the grass came up. B is swamped at work right now and after the surprise gift from The Lawn Fairy a couple of weeks ago, I certainly didn't want to let the lawn go any longer.

So, with nice weather abounding and since I was around, I decided to get out and mow the lawn. DISCLAIMER: It has been many, many, many, many years since I mowed the lawn. I mean... MANY!

I called B to get a quick review of how the lawn mower works. Don't laugh. It's electric- ya know, to be more green - with a one-button-start option... and the last time I mowed the lawn - many, many, many, many years ago - it was with a gas-powered, string-pulling, good-luck-getting-it-started kinda mower. So, I needed a quick tutorial, but I'm a fast learner and got it rolling with no prob.

Then I mowed the lawn - just the front, and the sides - no frills (like edging or trimming the hedges. Thank goodness the lawn fairy did such a good job there). All I did was mow. It looks good. I got out there and did it. I'm proud.

But the reality check is that... it's hard work, it kicks up my allergies and asthma, and I'm not even done!

This makes me appreciate B soooooooo much more for all the hard work he regularly does to keep our yard nice. Especially since he usually mows the front, edges, trims the hedges and trees, and then moves on to the back yard, which is sometimes an even bigger job. And for me, well, the backyard may just have to be a job I pay someone else to do!

I love you, B!

The Lawn Fairy

I pulled into the driveway at 5 pm after a LOOOOOOONNNNNNNGGGGG day at work filled with:

• running the book fair,
• working on a school-wide reading event for next Tuesday,
• talking with parents on conference day,
• meeting with a teacher about a unit we are kicking off tomorrow,
• and planning for an upcoming visiting author,

when what do I see?

...my lawn nicely mowed and manicured.

Now, there are people in the world who are regularly greeted by a beautifully maintained front lawn courtesy of a great lawn service. Great idea and I would love to have that service, but right now we aren't those people.

We are the people who tend to the lawn on the weekend (and by we, I mean B!) after a week of work and other commitments. We work really hard (okay, B works really hard) on Saturday morning, or sometimes even after work in the evening, to mow and edge and water so that our lawn isn't the neighborhood sore spot.

So we (meaning B) either do it ourselves OR we have started to have one of the young men from church come and tend to our lawn for us (also usually on the weekends) so that B can work on other things.

Funny thing was that this morning when I left for work, I thought to myself... "Self, you need to call [young man from church] and see if he can come mow the lawn - especially since we had all that rain last week." To which I replied and said, "Self, I'll do that tonight after I watch the premiere of Survivor." And myself said, "Great - get 'r dun." (I didn't really have a conversation in dialogue, this is just to add to the effect of the story. Just saying. Don't think I'm crazy. Even though I might be. A little. Here and there. Anyway...

I went to work (see the looooong note above!) and then I came home.

As soon as I pulled into the driveway, I knew that someone had been to my house and had mowed, trimmed, edged the lawn and it all looked so purty that I thought, "Did B get home from work early and decide to mow the lawn?" Then I realized that no, it couldn't have been B, it was way too early for him to be here.

I was on the phone with my seester sharing my shock and awe at what I was seeing, when a light came on in my head (this one was a bright one, too!) and I realized my lawn had probably been tended to by my awesome next door neighbor.

So, needing to know the truth for myself, I went over and knocked on the door, As soon as he opened up, I knew that I was right and started to cry ('cuz I do that!) when I asked, "Did you mow my [insert cracking voice] lawn?"

Then I cried a little bit more when he said, "I just thought I'd help you guys out."

And then his sweet wife interjected, "We'll call him The Lawn Fairy!"

So, I gave him a hug, cried some more ('cuz that's what I do!), and walked back across my beautiful lawn with a heart full of thanks that we have such great neighbors and that my life was blessed today with such a generous gift.

And now as I cry again while I write this ('cuz that's what I do), I realize that there are still good, kind, charitable, thoughtful people in a world that is more often than not filled with selfishness and greed, and my heart is happier.

All because The Lawn Fairy is one heck of a guy!

How do you...

... change poor sleeping habits?

... use time wisely?

... balance life?

... stay spiritual?

... stay healthy?

... stay connected?

... put priorities in order? (and keep them there!)

... follow through?

... live righteously?

... show you care?

... unwind for real?

... live life well?


Just thought I'd ask!

A Special Edition of K's Randomness

This special edition of K's Randomness is brought you by my grammatical "friends," Simile and Metaphor!

Metaphor says:
Housecleaning is a pit of quicksand you can't avoid. No matter how many times you try to get around it, you suddenly find yourself stuck in the middle of it.

Simile replies:
Lysol/Windex/409 are like the branches you hold onto to get out of that housekeeping pit of quicksand.

Simile says:
The alarm(s) going off at 4:45 am Monday - Friday is like a pitcher of ice-cold water suddenly thrown in your face - shocking and disorienting all at once.

Metaphor replies:
Having the chance to teach an early morning religion class to a group of awesome high school youth who know who they are and what they stand for in a world that seems crazy is worth every single drop of that cold splash of reality when the 4:45 am alarm(s) sounds.

Metaphor says:
Spending time with someone you love is a perfectly baked double-chocolate brownie that has just a little crunchy covering but a perfectly soft and melty center.

Simile replies:
Saying "see ya later" to that someone you love stinks like rotten eggs.

Thanks to my "friends," Simile and Metaphor for sharing my thoughts so well tonight! The only random thing that I can express better than either Simile or Metaphor is that...

I LOVE B!

and that's not random... that's just ALWAYS!