There are two ways to look at it, it seems to me. You can say I’m too old to take a chainsaw to a 80 foot white pine that is 2 feet at the base – a victim of a recent wind storm – or you could say good for you, that you can still do such things! I love that part: “Still do such things??” Like, I see you’re still walking. I see you are still driving. I see you’re still able to take nourishment, and visit the toilet now and then.

If my lower back has a vote, and I think it’s casting that vote right now, it would vote for option #1. I did manage to take a shower without collapsing or seizing up in an awkward position. That’s encouraging. I guess you could say I am pleased to be able to run our little Stihl 025 and be able to attack the occasional blow down, but this is an adult, full of sap tree.

The dialog goes like this: I did it! I limbed, sectioned and participated in splitting the entire log into stove length pieces. Oh Dear! Would you plug in my heating pad?

I guess I am voting for option #2. I am happy to be able to do some of the work around here, and I know the day looms when I just won’t be able to handle a chainsaw and maybe a few other things. When that day comes, I think I’ll be OK with it. Actually I’ll probably celebrate! Well, I guess that would depend on what the reason was that I had to lay the chainsaw down. If you know what I mean.

I just noticed that it is the customary hour for imbibing potent pain killers in the form of adult spirits, and if past history teaches me anything at all it is this: it would be foolish not to abide by that custom.