Working Smarter.. and Harder

Yesterday I woke up and decided that I was going to finish clearing the woods. I was determined that, no matter how long it took, the project was going to be finished. In retrospect, my self-imposed strict time line was not my best decision.

Thankfully I saw Mr. Bill toiling in his yard before I started working. I mentioned that I spent Sunday lopping down vines in the woods. He came over to my yard to look at my impressive vine pile. After I showed him my new loppers, he smiled and told me that he would be back.

I got to work cutting down more vines. Within minutes my back and hips were burning. After only working through a few feet, I heard Mr. Bill call my name. He was holding an odd farm tool, essentially a double sided blade on a handle.

I was instructed to stand back. He proceeded to swing the tool back and forth. Literally, within seconds he had cleared triple the amount of space that I had completed in his absence. He smirked and told me to "Work smarter not harder." Using the borrowed swing blade, I was able to clear my woods of vines, shrub trees and undergrowth. It took me another 3 hours, but I finally created the yard I had always envisioned for Robby.

Since it wasn't safe for Robby to be around a swing blade, especially when wielded by me, he went to "help" Mr. Bill for the afternoon. Together the pair dug out and planted two flower beds. He was happy, tired and covered in dirt when I picked him up.

I later learned that Robby was integral to obtaining the flowers that were transplanted. Apparently Robby was small enough to crawl under the fence separating Mr. Bill's house from his neighbor. Bill gave him a little shovel and instruction on how to dig up the blooming bulbs. Robby then slipped the snitched flora under the fence hole back to his accomplice. I was assured that permission by the neighbor was granted, but I'm not entirely convinced!

I was told that Robby was well-behaved and a good worker. The only complaint Bill offered involved Robby's choice in music. Bill wanted to sing "I've Been Working on the Railroad" as they dug and planted. It seems that my little boy was insistent on singing his favorite work song, one that he has heard numerous times as I cut wood, shovel snow or clear the woods.

I wish I could have seen Mr. Bill's face when my little bulb thief started belting out "I am Woman."