Humping Hay Again

Yesterday’s Casa Claire chores all centered around hay.

Another day of mimicking Oliver Wendell Douglas on Green Acres.

First, I had to shift 8 compressed bales of hay from the old barn to the new barn. They are every bit as heavy as the large bales but easier to manage. However, you really need to shift two at a time – one in each hand – in order to keep your back muscles from shifting and twitching. It’s all about balance.

Then I had to move the 14 new full-sized bales from the truck to the old barn. You can either flip them on you back-

Hey . . . hay! – The Wise Novelist

Or carry them by their bands bouncing on your knees before you – which always tests the lower back muscles.

Boy, I miss the friendship and services of Tom Connelly – hopefully he’ll be back next season.

Time To Gather The Hay – The Wise Novelist

Two Tommys Making Hay While The Sun Shines – The Wise Novelist

By the time I was done my back felt every moment of the wear and tear of its almost 70 years.

But before dealing with that, I had Jason the Farrier by to give Claire and Honey their monthly mani-pedi.

Farrier Day-Mani/Pedis for the Ladies – The Wise Novelist

That meant my monthly game of catch the mules and then tying them up to the closest immovable object. Yesterday was the cemented in post at the center of the back property. Claire gave me a break and let me lead her there relatively easily. Honey made me work for it but finally relented when she realized that Claire was remaining stationary by the post. As long as she knows she’s close to Claire, Honey is okay with it.

But then I had to pitchfork some of the mule muffin floor hay into the wheelbarrow and then out to Hadrian’s Wall. Hay in and Hay out. An endless cycle of energy and waste products.

The good news is that whatever doesn’t kill you does make you stronger. I will never need a gym membership.

The bad news is that you must keep a bottle of Aleve handy because otherwise your back muscles, shoulder muscles and leg muscles revolt.

But when I finally sat my sorry ass in my lovely recliner, I appreciated it more than you will ever know.

It also felt good to have taken care of a couple of the bigger recurring monthly add on chores that comes with providing Claire and Honey with a wonderful retirement experience at their Casa Claire Holiday Camp. And given that it was The Day of The Dead, I could feel myself channeling my beast of a grandfather, Spaghetti, every time my narrowback’s back wanted to defer the work to a later time.

Spaghetti would have rather murdered us as children than see us grow up into wussies. As a matter of fact, he regularly reminded us of that particular potential inclination throughout our Bronx childhood.

Well, my fine, five readers, we all have our crosses to bear, and to the extent you are still employed, Monday will always be one of yours. But do not fret, this too shall pass. Tuesday will be here in a blink of an eye.

Claire’s Theorem of Relativity – The Wise Novelist

So, finish that final cuppa, pull up your socks and launch into your work week. Make sure you take some of the leftover Halloween candy into the office. Your co-workers will appreciate the needed sugar rush.

And no matter what else we get up to, let’s make today a great one.,