Doing Grass with the Family
Grass is bad for you. Just say no.
I should know. I moved Bermuda grass sod for two hours last night. My back was already cramping up during the whole load big squares into the wheelbarrow, push wheelbarrow to receiving area, unload.
While I was sleeping I could feel the soreness creeping into my muscles, who were too tired to fight it off.
Of course, I enlisted the help of my two strapping young boys. And they were....uh...unenthusiastic. The middle one, let's call him Party Boy, wanted to go to a volleyball game. Too bad. Family needs your help. Your first loyalty is to family. (I am a bit of a Don Corleone when it comes to family!). The youngest was trying to be helpful. But, he wanted to do all of his sod work while riding his scooter. A bad idea, I finally had to tell him.
But, I did the thing I never thought I would. I yanked out one of those, "When I was A Kid" stories to illustrate how much harder my generation works than theirs. Hey, my parents did it to me when I was a kid. I could see they were just as impressed as I was when my parents would go on at length about how hard they worked, what they did without, how grateful they were for whatever they had.
I watched Party Boy as he lay on the pallet full of sod and I knew that to him my voice had turned into the voice on Charlie Brown cartoons whenever an adult talks. Wah, Wah, Wah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Yada, Yada, Yada.
I should know. I moved Bermuda grass sod for two hours last night. My back was already cramping up during the whole load big squares into the wheelbarrow, push wheelbarrow to receiving area, unload.
While I was sleeping I could feel the soreness creeping into my muscles, who were too tired to fight it off.
Of course, I enlisted the help of my two strapping young boys. And they were....uh...unenthusiastic. The middle one, let's call him Party Boy, wanted to go to a volleyball game. Too bad. Family needs your help. Your first loyalty is to family. (I am a bit of a Don Corleone when it comes to family!). The youngest was trying to be helpful. But, he wanted to do all of his sod work while riding his scooter. A bad idea, I finally had to tell him.
But, I did the thing I never thought I would. I yanked out one of those, "When I was A Kid" stories to illustrate how much harder my generation works than theirs. Hey, my parents did it to me when I was a kid. I could see they were just as impressed as I was when my parents would go on at length about how hard they worked, what they did without, how grateful they were for whatever they had.
I watched Party Boy as he lay on the pallet full of sod and I knew that to him my voice had turned into the voice on Charlie Brown cartoons whenever an adult talks. Wah, Wah, Wah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Yada, Yada, Yada.
posted by DebbieDoesLife at
6:16 AM
6 Comments:
It's inevitable isn't it? Don't we all become our parents at some point? Espcecially when the kids become teenagers. I think you can fight the urge when they're younger, but there are only a few universal ways to deal with people between the ages of 13-19 :o)
By
Anonymous, at 10/25/2006 10:08 AM
I came from a family that believes the more hours of labor you put in, the more you must love them. So I completely understand recruiting the boys for the sod. And it builds character right? RIGHT? ;)
By
Tink, at 10/25/2006 10:09 AM
I like the "Baby Blues" comic strip where the dad interrupts his conversation with his child and thinks, "Oh no…I'm turning into my parents!" Then there's a pause panel. The last panel has him saying, "Oh no! I've become one of those people who always says he's turning into his parents!"
I liked it so much I have the signed original of that strip on my wall.
By
Anonymous, at 10/25/2006 11:08 AM
Oh, I remember my parents commenting on having to milk the cows before going to school. Then walking three miles uphill in the blinding snow to get to school. All kidding aside, I think that wonderful generation tried to instill the work ethic in us and I'm not sure it took on some.
Love your blogs!!!!!!!
Janetta (nettie)
By
nettiefudgesworld, at 10/25/2006 11:42 AM
My grandmother rode a cow to school.
I personally never say stuff like that to my kids; I say instead about current events (not the starving children in China who want their dinner). Like: "how dare you complain that you only have six pairs of pants when those poor people in Africa have none!"
And I've laid sod- NO WAY WOULD I DO IT AGAIN. I'm dumping grass seeds in my backyard next week.
By
Anonymous, at 10/26/2006 10:50 AM
Don't you just hate it when the very words you swore you would never say when you grew up and became a parent, come shooting out of your mouth?
"Because I said so that's why?" "Because I am the mom in this house!" but the best line:
"I hope one day you have a daughter that is just like you and then you will understand!"
I did, three! Why are mom's always right?
By
PEACE, at 10/26/2006 6:33 PM
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