Sunday, March 16, 2008

Mud goblins

The other weekend, my builder came over with an excavating machine (ie: small crane on treads) and helped tear up the back deck (rarely used) and back car port (rarely used.)

Being a generous lad, I asked if he'd help remove some damaged fencing from my neighbor's (Ms Dee's) yard. He was glad to help, but the Earth was not. His excavator went into the ground like a knife in warm butter. Before I knew it, the machine was bogged down, sunk well below its treads, and taking a very long time to go nowhere, other than down.

Fortunately, he had an ungodly four-wheel-drive truck (ie: redneckmobile) and plenty of chain. And I pulled while he drove and the excavator popped loose of the Earth. However, now there were colossal fissures rent into Ms Dee's lawn. It looked like a Monster Truck event had taken place between our houses, and nobody had signed autographs afterward.

Being generous is one thing, being lazy and tired and not wanting to get dirty is another. So I pretty much left the lawn unattended for a week or two. But the kids and Cindy came to my rescue today. Now I could be wrong, but I think they were lured by the prospect of having fun and getting dirty more than any altruistic motivations.

Still, they filled in most of the gaping chasms and smoothed out some of the minor ruts. The yard isn't going to win any beauty contests, but it isn't going to be swallowing any unsuspecting passersby any more.



Needless to say, more of the work was done with their hands and feet than any mundane tools. And if possible, they used their faces.

Photos were taken as evidence, in case anyone reported vandalism being wrought by strange and foreign mud goblins.

Fortunately, they clean up pretty nicely once you take them home!





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