The Raking of Leaves

One thing I cannot stand while walking is a sidewalk full of leaves. 

Here are pictures of one of the sidewalks on my street. 

This always means I have to walk in the road instead of on the sidewalk. And wouldn't you know it, THAT'S when cars decide to turn on the street. So I have to slow down, stand to the side on the leaves, and let the car pass by. Irks me to no end, but whatever. 

I had to let go of the local man who takes care of my leaves and yard in general. He is getting old, and it is just too much for him. The last time he raked my leaves, he knocked on my door and took the money he charges me for doing it. 

But get this... he raked the front yard well enough, but not the back, which had the most leaves. He hid a huge pile of leaves behind my Pam (my spare little car), and blew just enough leaves where he could hide them in the backyard, thinking I would not go back there and look. 

I rarely pay my back yard much mind, but I was out sweeping the garage out (was having some work done in my crawlspace the next day. the crawlspace door is in the garage), and I just happened to look back there.

Hmmm... fooled me good. Just took my money for a half azz job. 

How do you tell me that you don't want to no longer take care of my yard without actually telling me you don't want to take care of my yard?

I guess that is how. So he's out of here. 

Some random local came pedaling by on a bike asking if he could rake my leaves. He said it would take him 4 hours and it would cost me $100-$150.

No Sir. Go away. All I see is you on a bike. I don't see a rake, a lawn mower, a blower... nothing.

I told him I was waiting on another price. I use my sister's lawncare guy now. He and his worker got my yard done in an hour flat. My yard looked like a pretty decent version of something out of Better Homes and Garden. Glory!

That is until more leaves fell the next day. The new lawn guy will be back in a couple of weeks to take care of them. 

And that is what's going on with the leaves in the pictures above, the pictures from the bottom of my street. Once leaves are raked, a whole new batch falls down. And then we have the issue of people just blowing their leaves into the street and down the street, etc. 

I get it. If I had to do it, I would probably do that, too...

Because the number of leaves feels endless. 

Endless. 

And I imagine that was how my old lawn man was feeling. It's just too much. 

So much like I have to navigate around the leaves when making my way down the road, I guess he had to also. 

And I know he probably needed the money. 

I learned a lesson from him. I need to admit to myself when I am struggling... 

But at least I need to be honest about it. 

With others and with myself.