Vida. Risa. Amor.

When we first moved to Arizona, one of our first projects we tackled was figuring out how to add more green and color to our backyard.  The "steal of a deal package" we bought included 3 huge trees, and 15 shrubs, (or something like that), and all I had to do was stick a flag for each item in my yard labeling where I wanted them to plant what and where.  Well, seven years later, I now wish the tree planting people would have atleast offered me just a few words of advice.  A few things they might have thought to mention could have been that mexican fan palm trees pretty much have to be trimmed just about every two weeks and then eventually you won't have a ladder tall enough to cut the palms,...the spokes on pineapple palms will pop every soccer ball you buy the kids play with, (and stab you when you trim it),...half your shrubs will die, and a mesquite tree will grow and grow and grow.  And grow.  The dum-dum that I was, I had that mesquite planted on the very edge of my yard, and it now offers zero shade to my home and half of the branches hang over onto my neighbors side of the fence.  And those branches needed cutting...from both sides of the fence.

So I found something something out about myself today that I didn't think I could still do:  I can still climb a fence.  A stone wall even. 

It all started when my neighbors dogs woke me up around 7:23 or so and that was the first time I had ever heard them bark outside.  And since I was up and annoyed with the noise, I didn't think I had seen my neighbors at all that week....they must be on vacation!  No one was home...yet someone was feeding the dogs.  I think.  Maybe?  Yes, of course I hope.  My Nancy Drew skills were kicking in.  I had no time to lose.

Of course I did the honest approach first:  I rang the door bell....no answer.  Their side gate pretty well blocked  by a second fence so the 2 little dogs would never be able to escape...and any intruder attempting to break in through there would need some serious tools.  (I am not so handy, or patient with tools, so the sneakster that I was just decided to take the "easy" route by going over the fence through my side of the yard).

Here's how I planned it:  Climb up the step ladder.  Sit on the top of the fence.  Grab the ladder while sitting on the fence and then place the ladder on the other side.  Step down to the other side.  Piece of cake.

Well.  I did not plan for when I dropped to the other side for one of my shoes to decide to get stuck on the top of the fence in mid-air, while the other was placed in rotten tomato plants on the other side.  My flexibility has major limits right now and my envisioned quiet-as-a-panther-land turned into something quite loud and pathetic.  I think I felt a few of those bricks wobbling after I let go and I'm pretty sure the dogs didn't quite know what to think of the crazy-mad woman running up and down a ladder in their backyard and hacking off branches and tossing them over the fence at hyper speed.  They looked well fed, yet confused.

"Mission Cut the Branches and Get Out" was eventually accomplished, and I figured out how to get back into my yard again okay....(even though the ladder fell on my side of the fence coming back).  Both sides of my tree were evenly trimmed.  My world made sense again. 

Sometimes it's the littlest accomplishments that can make your days exciting.  Climb a fence and you'll know.