It's Okay To Be Nice

Today's high temperature was: 69

Beautiful--sunny, nice breeze.

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When I called the office and left my message about my tree, I didn't rant or rave or make demands or act mad.  I just said that I had talked to the tree cutting guy and he said I wasn't on the list and I wondered why.

7:25 this a.m.  The phone was ringing.  I couldn't see the caller ID and almost didn't answer, but then....it might be a family emergency, so I answered.

"You gotta get out here right now!"  It was Dar.

"I....what?  I....."

"Get to your front door...right now!"

So I staggered out to the front door--in my nightie, and there stood four guys and Dar.  I took one step back into my house so the guys couldn't see through or up my nightie.

"The guys are here to cut your tree.  They have been knocking and ringing your door bell.  They almost left!  Get dressed!"

So I staggered back into my bedroom and pulled my clothes from yesterday, out of the hamper and ran back out to my front porch.

Jim--the owner of the tree cutting company said, "You wanted the Mulberry down.  Right?"

"Yes...the one we talked about last fall."

and...suddenly, chain saws were buzzing and the Tree Monkey was climbing and.............................

Dar pulls me off to the side, "Rob (park manager) called me and asked that I call you on the phone because they couldn't wake you up.  He said you are on the list to get the tree down, and they were going to do it later this summer.  He felt so bad when he got your message that he had the guys come do it now before they go back to the rest of the jobs."

 Just then, Rob pulled up in his truck and got out.  He had a big smile on his face.  I walked to the end of the driveway and just hugged him and thanked him.

"Hey...you are always so nice.  You welcomed my parents the other day.  You always have a good word for all our workers.  I just didn't want you to have to wait until the end of summer to get those branches off your roof."

By then, I had a few tears in my eyes.  I was thinking what a nice blessing God had bestowed on me.

He gave me another hug.  "I just appreciate this so much!", I said.

"I know you do."

Then Jim, standing in the background, gave me a thumbs up and a big smile.  He has done a lot of work for me over the years--taking down the big Willow tree , between Tami's house and mine--that Tami had promised to pay half of, but never has--$800.00, and Jim has trimmed up my Maple tree three times.

He and I had talked last fall about him taking down the Mulberry tree.  I told him I'd wait until spring, because, it would cost $200 and I sure didn't have the money.  Today, he was really happy for me too.

So--I guess it pays to be nice?  You don't always get taken?  You don't always end up last?

Although, Dar with her demanding way and aggressiveness, DID get that big Oak taken down yesterday, and to my way of thinking, it only needed to be trimmed not killed!

Whatever--the Mulberry is gone.  No more branches laying on and destroying my new roof.  No more purple bird doo-doo staining my white siding.  I am very happy.

 
I can't believe how much sun is coming in--really open ed up that corner and allows more sun on my front garden.  I do miss the tree, however.

Oh oh.  someone's looking in the window right at me!  He used to climb this Maple and then jump to the Mulberry and up onto my roof.  I think he is a bit angry and can't figure out how he is going to get on the roof.  He is going to need his flying "cape" to make that leap for sure.

Then, they took down the pine across the street-=-this one---photo from April.

The manager's parents are putting a double wide on this oversized lot.

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I got two old step end tables from Pearl--she bought new ones.  Merle took off the "steps" for me and I glued them together with Gorilla Glue.  I wanted to make a bench for the "kids" to sit on to be able to see out the window--instead of having to sit on the narrow, 3inch window sill.

Put it in their favorite spot in the bedroom and put a nice soft pad on top. 

But look--the kids want to lay or sit under it, instead of on top. 

I put Maggie up there and petted her and tried to explain to her how nice it was, but..... 

Silly cats!!!

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Then Tami came over, fire coming out of her ears.

She let loose with a few nasty words about them not taking down her tree and why did they take down mine?

I told her that I had talked to Rob and she is on the list.  They are doing a second cutting later this summer.

"Most of the trees they took down they felt, were in danger of large broken branches from the winters storms, coming down on people's roofs."

"Then why in h*ll did they take down yours?"

(I lied--sort of) "because I had turned in my request over a year ago (which is true) and they decided to get mine out of the way now."

She is not a happy camper--but Rob is ready for her.  All the staff knows her and that she had mild mental impairments.  So when she rants, they will know what to do.

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A lot of troubles in our world today.  Russian's shooting down (apparently mistakenly) a commercial jet and Israel going on the attack into the Gaza.  

I'm pretty mad at Sarah.  God told Abraham that his old wife Sari would have a child.  She didn't believe it so she persuaded Abraham to have sex with her handmaiden, Hagar, a Muslim.  Then when Sari had a child, she made Abraham send Hagar and their child Ishmael out into the dessert.  He was Abraham's first born son and ended up with no birth right--nothing.  The Jews and Muslim's have been killing each other ever since! 

It appears to me how easily men can be tempted by women.  Eve, Sarah, Delilah, Bathsheba, even Ruth tempted Boaz by laying at his feet so he had to marry her.  

Men are not real bright, are they?

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I talked to Pearl this evening.  Merle went to the Neurologist today.  He has to have an MRI and an EMG.  Pearl said, "I had an EMG once and it was awful!"

"I did too," I said.  "The worse medical test I ever had done.  Don't tell Merle how painful it is--okay?"

I saw him ride by on his bike and he looked great.  I watched as he peddled up the hill in the service drive.  I have to get off my bike and walk it up--he just peddled right on up.  He sure doesn't appear to have anything wrong with him!

Hope not!