Today was a great productive day. We picked up three of our ex-neighbours/friend boys and headed to the land which we reached at six a.m. We were all going to tackle the weeds. I divided half of the garden space into five equal parts. We each took a section and the competition was on. We all weeded our little hearts out, with the occasional stopping for water. Halfway through the weeding the youngest, eight years old quit and wandered off to play .He soon discovered that we had a huge wasp nest in one of our large trees. We all stopped to figure out what kind of a wasp or bee they were and how was the best way to get rid of them. Back to weeding we went because that is the task at hand. The next oldest was getting bored and I realized that he was not pulling the weeds up by the roots but cutting off the tops. I explained why we had to get the roots but by this time he was no longer interested in weeding. Marlene, Eldest Boy Edwin, and myself continued on our own patches. This was still a weeding competition even if two of the competitors dropped out. After four hours of weeding and large cleared spaces we called it a day. Everyone thought I had won the prize and Edwin came in second. First prize was an extra twenty dollars on their pay and second was an extra ten dollars. The boys knew they were getting paid to weed but had no idea what the prizes were. The two quitters wished they had tried harder. Took the boys home after stopping at the local shop for a soda. Their mom had made a local sweet, powered bun, while we were away and presented us with a container of buns, home we went, for coffee and powered buns.
Rested for a while and then it was off to do laundry. Standing in the hot sun hanging laundry as the breeze blows them back and forth is such a high for me. It takes me back to my childhood in Jamaica. Went into town to check on a new phone system that is coming into our area. Marlene and I decided that it was still not the right phone system for us. Did a bit of shopping and headed up to the land to fix our leaking tap and put up some barb wire to keep the horses from eating our fruit trees. The barbwire was put up before but the house builders took it down for a delivery but had not replaced it, so Marlene and I struggled until we had it done. Marlene and I have put our blood from cuts and pricks into this land. I should also not forget the sweat dripping from our brows watering our soil as we toil each day. I am glad we have not shed any tears onto the land. Peace, Hope, Joy, Happiness and Abundance are asked for each and every one of you. Blessings.