Quarter complete.

[gement]

I Finished my autumn quarter on Monday morning. I have since

• read The Fourth Bear by Jasper Fforde (probably the most self-conscious book I've ever read, but in a fun way!) and
• read Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett (another fine offering in the Tiffany Aching series, and I like what they did with Annagramma) and
• I'll be reading Casino Royale next and
• made beans and rice and have cooked real live dinner the last two nights and
• braided the tassels on my chenille throw and
• played KoL's Crimboween levels (yay, Rudolphus of Crimbo!) and
• was introduced to Guild Wars which is reminding me why I stopped playing Discworld MUD (this was after I lost six hours without noticing and gave myself a migraine from sitting too still) and
• (here's the biggie) hacked about a ton of M*****F***ING ENGLISH IVY OFF THE M*****F***ING FENCE!

It's going. All the ivy is going. I've filled the yard waste bin (pounded down) and have about that much again already piled on the cement patio. About two more loads are still up on the fence, because if I cut it off of my side without the neighbors' permission to cut down their side, it will complete its mission to pull the fence down onto the neighbors stand of bamboo. I didn't set out to be a hero. I just wanted to cut it back from obscuring the path through the back yard. And reclaim the ladder from its viny clutches. And the planting patch in the corner. And ARGH DIE DIE DIE HACK SLASH STUPID VAMPIRIC IVY IS ATTACKING THE PLUM TREE AND SPREADING INTO THE YARD DIIIIIEEEEEEEE!

I have strong feelings about ivy at this point. Bright side, and it's a big one: This is the first yard work I've managed to do since I got tendonitis. It didn't hurt. I had the good clippers, which helped, but this was a lot of lifting and yanking. I wasn't always careful with my arms, and I did three hours without breaks. I don't hurt! I got to do yard work! I never thought I'd be thrilled about this.

Comments

[gfish.livejournal.com]

I should make you a machete.

[tylik.livejournal.com]

That would be so cool.

Then you should make me a dao. (Er, well, okay, probably not. But it would be cool.)

[gement.livejournal.com]

I'd rather have a helmet. My super-advanced clippers with the two-foot handles and the gear mechanism go through tree limbs the size of a child's wrist without causing stress to my tendonitis, so I'm pretty happy with them.

[randomdreams.livejournal.com]

If you want, I can probably guide you through how to make your own helmet, hammered out of a single sheet of copper. It's labor-intensive, but not TOO horrible, and my first try worked out beautifully so it's not incredibly skills-required.

[littlemystories.livejournal.com]

That's how I feel about ivy, too. And blackberries, and morning glory. A sizable chunk of my summer was spent doing battle.

[capnexposition.livejournal.com]

We need to get together so's I can give you your christmas present.

[mrukpyr.livejournal.com]

yeah for the destruction of the ivy
I hope that you have power and weathered the storm from hell ok.
got your message - will call soon
**hugs**