Yard Day at Lorie’s

“And let there be no purpose in friendship save the deepening of the spirit…For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.”

-Gibran, On Friendship

I have the good fortune of living above the most colorfully patronized coffee shop in Colville, and one of the regulars needed some help getting her yard neatened up. So on Saturday, a motley crew of lawn care novices descended upon Lorie’s house to give her a hand in tidying up the grounds. They were lured there under the promise of short hours and the rumor of free food.

Curious how what seems to be a chore, turns out to be such great fun when friends are involved. The road to Lorie’s is a little over six miles, so I decided to dust off my bike trailer and ride distance, with work clothes and assorted items in tow. The day was cloudy and cool – perfect for the planned activities. Folks showed up in a staggered procession, and Lorie handed out the wish list of duties; tree-trimming, lawn-mowing, raking, weeding and general sprucing up. After only a few hours, Lorie’s twin brother, Landon, fired up the grill and prepared a sizable and tasty feast.

The real entertainment for me came between chores and chow. Lorie has three boys that seem to be baseball fanatics, and once the front yard was dragged of tree limbs and clippings, it was transformed into a magical diamond. I was treated to playing my first whiffle-ball game in over 20 years. Tannar, Kalyssa, Tanner and I took on Chase, Ty and Kyle, and after striking-out twice, I finally remembered how to hit the ball. If I am ever a parent, I’ll remember to raise kids, not grass.

After a bit of good food, I pedaled home and cleaned up for another friend’s birthday celebration. I had made deviled eggs in the morning, so with my contribution to the pot-luck in hand, I joined the festivities. A couple hours later, the day’s activities caught up with me, and I made my way home.

A brief phone call from a friend brought the evening to a close.

Thanks everybody, that was a great day.