Me me me... and more about my special day...

I took this picture last week because... last year when the leaves fell off our little trees, they all fell at one time. Really I was sitting at my desk looking out the window and it was like a cartoon in front of me... all the leaves went pluhhhh to the ground at one time (yes, that is a real word if I want it to be).'

So I knew it was coming soon, and wanted to have a "before shot".

This year the leaves have just fallen one at a time, here and there, and while the yard was covered with leaves, there was still too many on the tree to start raking. Well if you want to do it all in one shot... like me.

Today, my Man took me to get a bite at lunch time, and to go vote (note to self to write about my voting story later)... and on my way home, for some reason, I couldn't stand the leaves in the yard one more day. So even though I have a policy not to cook or clean or rake leaves on my birthday (okay it's not a real policy, I made that up today)... anyway I found myself out raking leaves. It's really good exercise, and the weather is beautiful today, and I was going to get something accomplished on my birthday.

Sometime shortly after I figured out we actually had a rake (the previous owner left some tools in the garden shed... I have NEVER owned a rake) I realized, I wasn't sure if I knew how to rake. I couldn't remember if I had actually ever raked in my life before? See how spoiled I really am... the truth comes out! I did chop and stack my share of wood in my teenage years though... I don't want my parents reading this thinking they had gone too wrong. So do you rake in a circle and bring them to the middle, or in rows like vacuuming? Slowly, some remembrance came to me about blisters from the rake handle, and wet leaves, and the wind blowing them back over what I was raking... so I must have raked at some point, you don't just dream those things.

These leaves were really dry and light and fluffy which made for super easy raking.. they piled up super fast... it did make it difficult to get them into a bag (unlike our neighbor who blows them into the street UGGGGG!!!! I hate that deal). That must be why I don't remember raking, they were probably always too wet to rake in Seattle.

Before long, I had the job done, well until the next batch falls to the ground... I will save those for 2J's, I don't want to rob him of fond childhood memories. I broke a little sweat, got some fresh air, and you can see the semi-green grass underneath now. It's amazing, I still feel special, and I worked on my birthday... it didn't cancel it out. I won't push my luck and over do it... better go put up my feet and get ready for Cake!!