Whistling While We Work!

As I have mentioned in previous posts, we are moving. It has been, and will continue to be, a busy time of life,

full of...

weeding out,

rearranging,

requesting

packing,

preparing

and

just

plain

hard

WORK!

Speaking of weeding and working...

During Saturday mornings and summer days of my youth, I was, in my own estimation, terribly deprived and deeply mistreated. (Grab your closest Kleenex now). You see, I was forced to....work! When other kids where spending quality time with the Smurfs and Jetsons over their bowl of Lucky Charms cereal, I was out (or in) slaving away, checking of the 'eternal' list given to me by my father early in the morning (although on Saturday mornings, I was usually treated to a heartier breakfast than most. Usually a big old hot breakfast...either eggs and sausage with homefriends...or my favorite-French Toast with bacon).

In any case, I resented that I had to work. Sometimes, I expressed that resentment, by sitting down on the mulch to pull one (of 23 billion) weed at a time...even though I knew cutting a hoe through the soil first, and then bending over to pick up larger clumps by the root was the far better way to do it. For whatever reason, in my small expression of rebellion (and stupidity), I would plunk my rear on the ground like a slow moving slug, spreading my chore time out by hours, thinking I was proving a point.

I would huff and puff and roll my eyes when dad would hand me that list, and would remind them that every other child in the world was (you'll see how limited my world view was) able to sleep in and watch TV...I was the ONLY one who did not know cartoon characters. Poor little old me.

Of course, time has that way of clarifying things, and now I am so grateful that mom and dad taught me how to WORK and I thank them both for it! My children may someday not appreciate what me (and their father) grew up learning: the values and rewards of hard work.

Thus.....

Scenes from a typical Saturday morning:

"Best Task Master"

(she actually enjoys being assigned tasks. For now)

"Best Roof-top Paint Scrapper (While Listening to iPod)"

Best Tag-Alonger to the "Man Store"

(where they had a Children's Workshop, complete with the local fire fighters and fire truck demonstrations there! Oh the look of sheer joy and pride when he walked up our front steps. Thank you, God, for Home Depot...and a SUPER dad who spends time working with his sons!)

"Best & Cutest Little Observer"

(but oh how she would have just loved to have joined her biggest brother out on the roof!)

I call this picture, "Hard working manly men eating a hearty lunch".

And on this beautiful Autumn afternoon, I leave you with a quote from a wise man I've known and loved ever since I was ushered into this world:

"Hard work never killed anyone."

-John

Happy Saturday!