Yeah, it's a hoe in my bathtub.
Let me explain.
So, this morning I'm out working on the orto.
See, Folks! I do listen to your comments. As I was saying, Earle-in-Denver shamed me into getting my hoe to the orto to get working, um I mean, I woke up today thinking, "Geez, today is the perfect day to start turning some earth in the garden!". Yeah, ok the real reason was that I was home bound 'cause the car was in the shop so I figured, what the hell.
So I'm turning soil with my hoe (let me tell you guys, it was a heck of a lot easier just watching Augusto rototill it last year). Anyway, I begin to notice that as I heave the hoe above my head to try to get all the gravitational help I can, by the time the tool hits the ground the hoe part has swung around the pole handle making the head land with an ineffectual thud on the ground. This makes for some slow going with the hoeing, I have to say. I keep at it for about 10 more blows to the ground that do jack-nothing.
Neighbor Eugenio's truck is in his parking spot. Following the scent of his Marlboro Reds with my hoe in tow, I go looking for some help.
"Ciao, Eugenio. Can I ask you something?"
"Sure"
"Whenever I use my hoe, the head ...
"turns?"
"yeah."
Long blank stare. Ok, it was probably more like 5 seconds but it felt like a couple minutes.
"You need to soak it."
He takes it from me and pounds it on the ground a few times to try to lodge the head in place on the handle (which, for the record I HAD BEEN doing...albeit I was pounding it the wrong way around and therefore loosening it...)
"yeah. You have to soak it."
You can't really tell the expression in my neighbor's voice since you are reading this but it was basically -- duh. soak it. like, who doesn't know to soak their hoe? duh.
I thanked him and walked away mumbling something about there being a lot to learn.
Another thing I learned today...when you live in the country, a bucket is a really useful thing to own.
I have a ways to go, but it's a start. And from now on with my swollen handle, hoeing will be so much more pleasurable.
You are so funny. :) Thanks for today's smile.
ReplyDeleteNow I'm going to pick up the grand kids and stuff all of them into a really tiny loaner car (I call it the blueberry - the size reference fits) from the dealer who is trying to figure out why my computer in the car gives me "I'm terribly broken" messages, ceases to give any information on the dashboard, and doesn't want to go anywhere....
You should have bought the pre-soaked hoe model, it really works much better. Actually it looks like you did a good job once you got it turned around. Don't they have bigger hoes than that in Italy, maybe it's just the camera angle, lol.
ReplyDeleteSorry to "guilt" you into that but it did give you something to do at home. Any chance to get the roto-tiller back again?
My new copy of Rosetta Stone Level 1 Italian came today and I worked it for 30 minutes. Yes sir in just 3 more weeks when we arrive in Rome I will be fluent, hah!
Hope to see you soon, EarleinDenver