Chainsaw Therapy

Crying, no doubt is emotionally releasing. I released a lot this weekend. I also spent a lot of time listening to headphone music on the iPod. I did nothing but sit out on the back deck, gazing out into a back yard that has been ignored for way too many weeks now. There existed little ambition to do anything about it.

However on Sunday, I made a promise to myself that I wouldn’t crack a beer until I’d dealt with a large, oak branch. It had fallen from the neighbor’s tree into our yard and has been stretched out over sprinkler heads and deadening grass for a couple of weeks now. The grass was getting ugly under it. I couldn’t let it go another day. I needed to stop being all emotional and get my head back in the game.

I needed some chainsaw therapy.

I changed into ripped, yard workin’ jeans and boots with a t-shirt that should have been thrown away after college. I ignored the mess in the garage, found the goggles and gloves, and plowed my way to the cabinet which hold all things electronic and gas powered for cutting stuff (skill saw, hedge trimmer, sawsall, chainsaw, etc.). Not to get all Tool-Time on you, but I thoroughly enjoy using my Echo CS-330T chainsaw. It is small, compact and highly efficient. I’m not going to joust with any lumberjacks or compete in any tree felling competitions, but for medium to large oak branches this thing zips through these jobs like “a hot knife through butta’”. Yes, it was a Land ’O Lakes moment on Sunday.

Chainsaw therapy achieved!

All the logs are now neatly stacked next to the fire pit, awaiting some toasted marshmallows when the kids get back. The miscellaneous, scraggily branches have been hauled to the green waste pile (to be cut even smaller next weekend). The sprinkler heads have been repaired. The yellowing grass is returning to normal.

Beer after chainsaw therapy is refreshingly good.