Leaves...

...the word of the day, & this day started out sunny, breezy and 43 degrees, so I tackled the profusion of leaves in the front and back yard. I'd raked them up once before, a couple weeks ago, but now the rest of the leaves are off the trees so I re-did it. I almost stopped after the back yard, but my 86 y.o. next door neighbor raked HER back yard and then went around to do the front, so I felt like a wimp if I didn't do the same. Tom always used the gas blower, but 1) it's a pull start and I can't pull hard enough to start it, and 2) it's too heavy for me to hold for any length of time, though it would have been a lot easier. The leaves get raked into the street, next to the curb,  and the city truck comes around a couple times a day and sucks them all up. My pile was about 8 feet long, two feet wide and about two, two and a half feet high.......no wonder my back is sore! My son-in-law came over and cleaned out all the gutters, two of which were plugged with leaves, so it needed to be done. He gave me a heart attack, as rather than standing on a ladder to clear them he climbed onto the roof and did it from above the gutters. He trims trees for a living and isn't bothered by heights, but the nurse in me kept seeing "POTENTIAL FALL--DANGER"!  Lol. Fortunately he didn't fall. He told me I should have called him and he'd have used the blower on the leaves, but I really, really hate to ask for help so I rarely do. Tom seems to have a little more energy today although his appetite is still pretty poor. I think, once he gets that sore tooth fixed, he'll be able to eat better. At least I hope so.