No, I Want to Pick Up Rocks!

You will all be pleasantly (or unpleasantly, if you are not fond of me) surprised to know that I survived the day. It WAS exceptionally difficult. I drove tractor, I moved mats, and I picked crap out of the dirt that my Father-In-Law was smoothing. See, I had it easy until he came back from a “meeting.” I had helped the fine NEW Guy (FNG, though there are other definitions for FNG) with moving the mats and then come back to the Elementary. While my new companion disappeared to go get something, I waited for my father-in-law to get off the tractor. He went away and I jumped in. I began using the newest tool on the dirt. It was working well. Then my new companion came back and began picking rocks and dry turf and wood from the dirt. I was having a good time in the air-conditioned cabin, then my Father-in-law came back. I got down from the tractor and asked him if he wanted to use the tractor. My beloved Father-in-Law, generous soul that he is, said, “No, I want to pick up rocks.” He then jumped in the air-conditioned tractor and left me to help the FNG. What an FNG (fun nice guy).

I worked the rest of the day pulling rocks, wood, and sod from that dirt. Every few minute my Father-In-Law would ZOOM by in the tractor. Once he stopped. He opened the door. I thought, surely, he will tell his favorite son-in-law to go inside and have a drink and cool off. No. He said instead, “is it warm out there?” The sweat was pouring off my brow and my hat’s sweatband had dissolved. The heat was great from overhead, but it also reflected from below. It was intensely hot. I said, “Yeah.” He looked at me and gave me a grin, “Just checking.” He then closed his door and proceeded to continue tractoring in air-conditioned comfort. I don’t know what the exact temperature was, but I know that it was somewhere between “Damned Hot” and “Holy Christopher Columbus, that burns!”

I decided to NOT make dinner, and opted for pizza. Halleluiah! Pizza is a divine food.