Memorial Day

Today is indeed, a memorial day. I have conqured the House Of Many Treasures. It's been a long task, and there is still some clean up to do, but the end is very,very near. There's been many huge undertakings this last month, but the garage has got to have been the worst. Here's where we began.

It's a huge oversized 2 car garage. Almost big enough to be a 3 car but not quite. For years, there's only been one spot to park a car, and if you didn't line up exactly right with the blue garden globe the was on the heap of boxes , you were never going to be able to get the car door open to make your escape. Thanks to my sister and brother in law, the hole was widened after 2 days of slaving, and I could begin to see how huge a job this was going to be.

Stage 2. This is where we left it after another 2 weekends of work. Everything and I do mean everything, covered in mouse droppings, mud wasp nests, dirt and spiders. Pleasant way to spend a weekend, don't you think? Everything had to be opened, inspected and repacked or trashed. Too many treasures, kept in the garage for 12 years ended up being trashed thanks to mouse damage or moisture damage.

Stage 3. It's Memorial Day. My husband and I have spent two 12 hours days and the garage is mostly done. Oh, I know it doesn't look it, but it is. Things with big yellow tags go to a family member for storage. Everything else is destined to go to a salvage place. I hope I can find one to come this week or next weekend. There's still lots of useable things for someone.

Thank goodness this House of Many Tresures is only 12 years old. I'd still be working on July 4th weekend. I wish I had a panoramic camera so you could really see the whole thing!

On a morning in May

You can't tell from this photo, but the wheels on this behemoth are taller than the Saturn I drive. This thing is huge. The first time I encountered this piece of machinery, it's side arms were partially extended and it was coming toward me on a foggy morning just after I'd moved to farm land.

I'd never seen anything like this. It startled me. It was mammothly large and shouldn't have been on the same roadway as my tiny 2 door Saturn. It gave me the sense of what I could only imagine it would feel like to be standing in a field and have a battle tank advancing on you. It made me think of those huge walking fighting machines in one of the Star Wars movies. It creeped me out that early May morning a year ago.

I went into work ranting about this monster I'd seen on the road and my new coworkers giggled patronizing at me as they explained the monster was really a crop sprayer. Silly city girl.

I really wasn't frightened, just horribly out of my element and feeling edgy. A year ago, I didn't know a lot of things I know today. There was a clue that I missed that day, that could have allayed all my uneasiness if I'd only recognized it.

Just as our vehicles prepared to pass head on, the driver gave me the classic Nebraska 1 finger wave that says "Hi, Neighbor. Have a good day!" He continues to do so, every day as we pass each other in varying combinations of Saturn and farm vehicles, both on our way to earn our daily bread.