Books by the old Leather Chair

  • Snow In The Summer
  • My Bible
  • The Power of Silence
  • What Comes Next and to Like It
  • Encore Provence
  • A Year in Provence

Monday, December 1, 2008

My Truck

Have you ever had a love affair with a truck? I have!!
When I moved to the country I wanted a truck sooo bad. My son found an older truck that a professor was selling. So that was my first truck. It was really my son's but he did not drive it but several times. So it was mine. I could drive all over the fields and through the woods and not worry about banging up anything. I could haul mulch, feed, fence post, dogs and grandchildren. It stayed on the farm and I did drive it to the place where you took your trash.
But I never drove it to town.

When Jamie, my youngest left for college I began to think of leaving my isolated country home. SO the farm home was sold and the truck had a new owner. I sold the truck for $200 to the doctor who bought that home.
After a brief episode at an upscale condo on a golf course I returned to my country property. That is another story. I thought I was ready for retirement or whatever they call it. Possibly I would travel I thought looking out my windows at the golf course would seem like I was looking at my country property. How wrong I was. I was there 6 months. I guess I am happiest around nature and digging in the dirt.
Went back to my country property and built a new home 1000 feet off the road. There was an article in the paper about me moving back. Saying you could return home.
I Immediately bought myself a new Ford pickup.
Oh, I loved that truck. Now this truck I drove everywhere. I had never driven a truck for my daily errands before. I liked that I was sitting up higher then in my car. So my truck and I had a lot of fun. Did get stuck in the mud by my pond after many days of rain and had to call a neighbor to pull me out with his tractor.

The first couple of summers in this country home I think I hauled mulch for my garden weekly. Not to far from my home they would load it with a tractor and I would head home and spread the mulch with my pitchfork.
I can remember the owner of this business commenting one week of all the mulch I spread and also my daughter in Massachusetts commented on this also saying "mama you spread more mulch then anyone I know".
I really was doing more then I should for my size and getting older. But I love working outside. All the outside work and being surrounded by nature was healing and I was never happier.

One of my problems I have always worked hard at what ever I do but this continual physical work was a new older life experience for me. Like when I moved to the farmhome and kept a fire going in the fireplace many months out of the year. There is nothing like a real fire. The pleasure was worth all the work of me bringing in and burning many ricks of wood.
This home was eventually sold to another doctor and a retired professor and I built a home in the historical part of a neighboring town. This home located about 10 minutes from my country home. I hauled a number of truck loads of cuttings from my plants and once again created a garden.
By this time several injuries to myself had occurred in regards to the truck.
One time when up in the bed cleaning it out I fell over the guidewire. Also from spreading so much mulch and lifting heavy bags I tore a muscle in my right arm. Still have damage to that arm. Anyway several accidents of this type.

My son intervened. I can remember him saying "I do not think with you living in the city that you need a truck and a car and keep hauling all the things you do. You are going to hurt yourself and it may not be minor". He could use another vehicle at his business - so my son bought my much loved truck. Occassionally when something is delivered, like many bags of mulch or sealer for my terrace and walks one of his workers will arrive with my truck.
I always tell them how I miss that truck and even have asked for it back. But Jimmy smiles and says "mama you sold it".

So there is nothing wrong with my car but I am having thoughts of a truck.
When I drive to the country I have all kinds of wild thoughts. Like I could drive back in the fields and in the woods. I could pick up rocks for my flower beds and what I haul in my car (which I never thought I would do this) could be in the truck.
I have always been fussy about my car and keeping in perfectly clean. But then again my son keeps telling me " whatever you pick up just put it in the car".

So again, to anyone that follows me on One Woman's Journey, you will begin to know a little of my past, present and future, my thoughts, strong points and the weak side of me. My oldest granddaughter wrote me the other day and said "grandma I love reading your journal and I am learning some things about you that I did not know". That said it all. This writing may bring some pleasure to my other grandchildren. Especially my little ones who can only know of my much loved country homes by grandma sharing about them.

So some more thoughts of the past from this One Woman on her Journey Through This Life

9 comments:

Judy said...

Ernestine, I have to smile when I read your blog because you remind me so much of myself. I have worked hard all my life and always go at what I am doing like I am killing snakes! I think physical labor is good for a person. I read an article that said some of the oldest people in the world today still do physical labor and are in great shape. It makes me feel great both mentally and physically to dig in the dirt. I never had my own pickup truck but I had an old station wagon I felt that way about.

Debbie in CA : ) said...

This post is absolutely PRECIOUS!!! We are such kindreds! What a gift to find this today as I sit and savor the thankfulness I have for my new-found bloggy buddies. I can picture each home and truck. What a great piece of writing. Thanks so much for opening up and letting the world see such beauty and truth. A rare gift, indeed.

I love my truck TOO!! It was a grand day when my husband bought my first Silverado (Silver, of course). A couple of years later we replaced it with a crew-cab model (four kids with ever-growing legs). It's my favorite vehicle -- gardeners need dirt and stuff; nothing better than a full-sized truck for that! : D

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

Judy - your twin says thank you - I just never found a Bob. A lot of them but soon found out they were not the right one. Wonder if there is still an elderly but spry one out there with a hoe in his hand LOL. Debbie thanks for the comment. Glad we found each other.

Mim said...

Your new header picture?
Was that a tree of your's in the past?
Yes I will decorate as I feel like it... may be less this year but that is ok.
Have your health issues resolved and are you feeling better?
Mim

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

Mim, my header is a picture of my Christmas tree - one year at the old farm home. Oh my what memories of the big tree and all the family gathered.

Deborah Carr said...

What a delightful read! And a treasure trove of thoughts for your grandchildren. Glad I dropped by...

I'm thinking spunk. Pure spunk and spice...and something very nice.

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

Deborah Thank you for checking in. I am so impressed with your writing. Glad I made you smile.
See you are in the Spring of your Life.

Anonymous said...

You are such a 'superwoman' indeed. I can't believe you can still drive trucks even you already have a granddaughter. Hands down for you, ma'am! Are you planning to do a cross-country trip driving a truck? :)

Alton Tomaselli

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

Alton, Oh yes I drive a truck, walk the woods, garden and never stop. Feel no different then years ago - except - I now have the time to live my dream....