Wednesday 15 November 2006

Z is a Good Girl

I know that, for the postman told me.

My Fellow Churchwarden and I had agreed to meet in the churchyard to have an autumnal clearing-up session. There is quite a long path from the gate to the church and it was bestrewn with pine needles. There are twelve lime trees along the railing beside the road and lots of suckery-type twigs grow from the bases of them and need to be cut back regularly. In addition, there were weeds growing at the edge of the path and dead lime leaves on the pavement. Also, when last we cleared the guttering, the north side of the church was still frozen hard and so it was left and now grass can be seen growing up there.

I arrived first and started raking. The Fellow joined me. "Where are you planning to put those pine needles?" "I'm taking them back home, I've brought my barrow." "Ah, that'll be why you're raking towards the gate rather than towards the church." "Yes, I thought of that." "Because, if you'd been going to put them on the church rubbish heap, you'd be better going the other way." "Yes, we are thinking As One. We are both of a practical frame of mind."

The pine needles filled the barrow and I took it home to empty. It is a very large barrow with two wheels and is beautifully balanced so can be wheeled easily even when extremely heavy. Meanwhile, the Fellow started to cut back the limes. Upon my return, I did the weeding and raked and swept the rubbish into piles. It was about now that the postman arrived and went up to the church, where there is an office for the Parish Administrator. He was gone for some time, so I suspect he was offered coffee. On his return, he gave me my own post (a small but welcome cheque) and complimented me on my goodness.

The job has been done, most beautifully. I am glad to say that the Fellow and I are equally thorough, as well as efficient, so we swept the path and the road as well as picking up the leaves, the branches and the earth that had mysteriously appeared among the leaf mould. However, we did not get the church gutters cleared. The leaf etc clearing took three hours and we had had enough.

People walking past had little chats (which were pleasant if they did not expect you to stop for more than a few seconds). Millie said "You want to watch, do you'll get arthuritis in your knees." I pointed to the kneeler (a piece of cardboard) I was using to protect those useful joints. On her return, she said "You'll ache after this."

She is right.

9 comments:

y.Wendy.y said...

Poor old Arthur if he does get caught right in your knees...hope he gets out again.

You are too good for words so I shall remove my bad self from this comment box.

Anonymous said...

What are the pine needles for though?

Z said...

I don't want Arthur in my knees and will do anything to avoid him.

I wasn't bringing the pine needles home because I wanted them, just to get rid of them. It's our job to clear the church rubbish heap once in a while too (it won't compost down as people can't be bothered to sort out the cellophane, Oasis and other stuff from the flowers they put on relatives' graves) so I was just cutting out a stage.

y.Wendy.y said...

Thank you for your lovely comment. I so envy the traditional British Christmas..it all sounds so lovely.

I need to start something traditional for the boys too..everything has become so disjointed since the divorce. Perhaps this year with my Mum here will be a good time to go back to some of my childhood ways.

Z said...

It's lovely to keep some old traditions and to make some of your own too.

xx

Girlplustwo said...

z.
you are kind to all creatures, especially the church kind...chairs, gavels, meals and needles...i am assuming they appreciate you soundly.

Z said...

Jen, there were an awful lot of spiders, bugs and worms to rescue. I think I rather annoyed them when I chucked them back through the railings.

Anonymous said...

It all was so easy to visualize. Lime leaves? You have limes in Norfolk? Obviously I misunderstand what you mean--what do you mean?
P.S. Pinot noir is an excellent temporary remedy for gardening aches and pains.

Z said...

Ah, good point. No, not the citrus limes, the linden tree.

It was pinot grigio tonight but I think you are right, red wine is more healing.

20 past 11 and I'm still working, woe.