Back in May

It's Friday, and I've been back since Wednesday.  Things are going as normal. The mowing wars continue with Joe. Lola is lost in the morning and gets up and wanders around with the grumpiest look on her face proclaiming she doesn't know where anyone is, what the ruckus is about - TV, what is going on - nothing. I think she takes the back ways to avoid where people are just so she can claim she thought she was alone.

On the other hand, once Lola gets up and set down in her chair in the living room, she's as easy to care for as can be. She's pleasant and good-natured. She's quiet and not prone to argue about much of anything. She laughs, and if you press her, will engage back with you. You have to press, but at least she does engage.

Joe, on the other hand, keeps himself apart in his den. He rarely tries to engage. He occasionally shows a sense of humor, which continues to surprise me when it emerges because he always kept it squelched around me.

I'm trying to discourage him about the mowing. He insists the 7 acres be mowed. Gas is so bloody expensive now that I'm trying to discourage that. Additionally, I'm trying to stretch the times between mowings. I don't want to let the yard stay totally unkempt, but I don't feel it affordable to keep it a continual 2.5 inches tall with gas at nearly $4.00 a gallon.

If he just had a normal front and back yard, I'd agree and mow. He argues because Jimmy across the street keeps his lovely and low.  Well...Jimmy doesn't mow his back field. Larry next door mows his front and back yard and takes the tractor to the field. Thank heavens for Larry, because the field Larry takes the tractor to is actually Dad's field - the field I try to keep Dad distracted from. I've mowed to the crest of the hill and left the rest to go to hay or whatever.

We're wondering if the neighbors on the other side have absconded because their yard is about 2 feet tall now. I think that's egging Dad on, to boot.  We had 2 go-arounds about the mowing today.  He's furious with me. I'd hold out for another day, but I think I'm going to have to give in and mow tomorrow just for my own sanity.  Sigh.  There goes $40 bucks.