Wherein Paula Wonders What In The World She's Got Herself Into

At least I feed my itinerant workers fairly well.
The leftover roasted potatoes from dinner the night before, with more fresh garlic scapes and some goat cheese, and a few eggs, becomes frittata for breakfast, served with strong coffee and biscuits with butter and strawberries.

It's a good thing she had a hearty breakfast.  She sure as hell needed it.

Hired Hands is the name of her blog.  "Friendly Helping Hands" might be more apt, I think.

(See those daisies over Paula's head? [click for bigger photos]  Her assignment was to wipe them, and any of their cousins she saw, OUT.)

Don't ever question the female work ethic. (not that you'd DARE to on this blog, anyway, right?)

Get a load of this photo. Paula is saying, "Holy crap. When Norma says she has weeds, she IS.NOT.KIDDING."  (and we're not all done)

Want another look at the pile? 

Trust me when I say: A lot of sweat was sweated. With only a break to have some pizza and iced tea, Paula worked nonstop all the lonnnng day before she got in her car and headed northward. As for me, I was a Tom Sawyer and didn't do any of the work -- I was too busy taking pee breaks and photos of Paula.  My muscles are not really believing that, though. Did I mention there is still more to be done? (and that the wheelbarrow was filled and emptied twice the day before?)

What a wonderful, wonderful friend you are, Paula.  Thank you for coming all this way, for your companionship, and all the sweat and toil you expended. Now when I go outside, I will not want to cover my eyes and run, screaming, back inside. What remains to be done is not nearly so overwhelming.

P.S.  On Saturday evening, much wine was drunk and there was a teeny bit of knitting. Paula is working on some adorable felted chickens from a Fibertrends pattern, and I picked up a Magic 28 sock which I didn't even finish.  Did I mention the wine?  I don't know about Paula, but I had a great time. 

P.P.S.  Judging by some of the comments yesterday, I could start a real come-to-Vermont-and-I'll-cook-for-you-in-exchange-for-weed-pulling/decorating/wallpaper stripping (and who knows what else?) racket.  I was going to say "My old pal Dave really wants to strip my wallpaper," but then I realized how bad that might sound....

But hey, I'm totally game.  (We also need a new roof.  Any roofers out there?)  Be careful what you volunteer for, though.  You saw what poor Paula got herself caught up in...

Comments

[Katie B.]

Strip my wallpaper? that's a new one.. *writes it down for future reference*

[Anne]

When I started stripping the woodwork in my apartment, I had a conversation with my Dad (from my office!) about safe strippers and dangerous strippers, and what might happen if you used a serious stripper, and how much strippers cost...

Norma, I bet you'll be getting some really interesting visits from search engines on this entry...

[Stephanie]

I am so scared to get out there in my yard. It has been neglected and I think I probably have more weeds than you do....but mine are all in one area...I have......gasp......morning glories. They are freakin' taking over everywhere. They are in my rose garden....I guess I should call it a morning glory garden instead. I can make nice with most plants but these things are getting the better of me...so I have just quite trying. Oh well. I'll just enjoy the pics of your yard :o) Oh and I'm so glad that you are showing off the garlic scapes (although I always just call them garlic tops) My CSA has had them for us the last 2 weeks. YUM YUM!!!!

[Dave Daniels]

Whoa, have you not weeded all season? That's just plain scary, I tell ya.
Yeah, we'll leave the stripping to wallpaper.

[Carole]

Work like that is always fun when it's done with friends. Glad you guys had a great time and glad you got so much accomplished, too. I think I'll restrict my visits to the cooler months, though.

[margene]

Work done with friends is much lighter and certainly goes faster. Maybe I should have a house scouring party.

[marianne]

I helped roof a new shed in the backyard...cutest little shed ever...but that was a bit over 10 years ago and we know how addle brained I am...but no kidding, I wish I lived closer, I would help you with whatever.
Sounds like you two had a great weekend!

[Kirsten]

Dude. I'll be in Milford, NH next week. Is that far from you (don't answer that). I'll totally ditch the husband and kidlets for an afternoon of weeding with you.

[Kathleen]

Could we make it an along?

[Ruth]

My kids would be honked off at you if they knew to be ... your post about the weeding inspired me to shanghai their Saturday afternoon, and I had them hoeing, weeding, and planting for over three hours (well, I armed Young'un with a spray bottle filled with water and set him to "squirting the bugs", but he was working, dadgumit).

I wish I was close enough to take some of those daisies off your hands ... at this point in my (embryonic) gardening career I'm using them to fill space wherever I can.

[Mary Lou]

I weeded and hoed my butt off this weekend, and felt mild resentment that no one was traveling miles to help me. Also filled with amazement that you could summon up the energy to cook lovely meals for your 'hired hand' -- this morning I am wishing that I had taken some advil or arnica last evening. but it was satisfying to survey the back 40 newly weeded and under a layer of much.

[Roxie]

Wholey owned and operated! That's a mess of weeds. You guys did incredible work. I am so impressed.

Is Dave a safe stripper?

[Carrie]

Need any drywall done? Carpentry? DH is used to working vacations (his dad has a list ready when we go to visit, and MY dad's house is falling down around him, so it's a survival thing) and I could stand some Vermont and some home cookin' and some NORma. It wouldn't even require any work from you, as DH is used to working while I, um, "supervise".

[--Deb]

(chuckling)

[AmyP]

Where can I get a "Paula" to do stuff for me? Is there a directory?

[kmkat]

Awww, you have the BEST friends. Looks like a lovely time was had by all.(Maybe. But I bet the wine helped :-) I did a marathon weeding session like that once for my in-laws. FIL was bed-ridden with prostate cancer and MIL was nursing him at home. It was a good chance to get out of the house and feel productive, all at the same time. Oh, and did I mention it was July in Florida? Whew.

Isn't it amazing how weeds grow several feet in the length of time it takes you to run to the store for milk and bread?

[Vicki]

Aw, isn't that fantastic?

[Kristen]

Dang, girlfriend, that's a heap o'compost-to-be! It does remind me of one benefit of my container garden: next to no weeds.

[Cookie]

What a wonderful friend!

Ya know, you could offer a merit badge system and people would line up to visit for a weekend of slave-labor. ;^)

[Carol]

Not a bad meal at that! *Me holding up a sign that says "Will work for food".

[Lucia]

That reminds me of the joke about the 3 words.

Were I not still on the Diet From Hell (no tomatoes, no cheese, no potatoes, no strawberries, no chocolate, and that's just the beginning), you would be stumbling over me every time you left or entered your house.

[Kathy]

I *love* weeding. It's the one instance in life that I can rip out something I don't want and have it GONE with no repercussions and no jail time (oops, did I say that?).

[minnie]

if you can find me a way onto your roof without a ladder, i'm in. (i'm phobic about ladders)

[Sue]

Wow! You two were busy, indeed! I’m glad you made so much headway and with good company, too.

[Silvia]

Wow, for that feast (and wine - hello!) I'd fly across the lower 48 to help. Is importing labor from Canada a violation of the new labor laws though? Maybe the wine makes it kosher.

[Tracey]

Wall paper stripping. LOLZ. Your frittata looks so good...I swear I can smell it Norma.

[Asaknitter]

Ha ha "strip my wallpaper". Here's to friends like Paula!

[carma]

If we can figure out a way to get me and the ginormous cherry picker to your place in Vermont I would be most happy to assist in the re-roofing of your house. :)

Somehow I'm fairly certain I would have a MUCH better time roofing with you and yours than I did roofing with the Boy and his parents (thereby making it difficult to swear when I hit my thumb) when it was either 100 degrees or 20 degrees... Apparently we do nothing in the middle ground here in Iowa.

:)

[sandy]

Can anyone build a porch, that's what I'D like to know! ;) I'm a good cook! I don't grow my own food, but I BUY IT!
Paula is amazing. Blogging is amazing.

[Sara]

My bloglines has been on the fritz, so I have about 2 weeks of Norma to catch up on!!

I've given up on weeding- partially because the spiders are hiding in said weeds and partially because I didn't put down new mulch this year so the dandilions and clover are covering it up.