Blisters and Calluses

I’ve never been one to shy away from hard work. I can remember my parents coming home from work (2nd shift nurses) to find me scrubbing the ceiling in the kitchen. I was probably 14. Or taking a toothbrush to the bathroom tile. There is just something about the satisfaction I get from a job well done. It’s almost spiritual for me.

Today we cleaned the basement. Well, half of the basement. Since my son has moved out and vacated that space down there the chore has been looming. I’m sure everyone can imagine the mess a guy can make when he really doesn’t care. I won’t go into details. Suffice it to say, it was a big job.

I rarely get the chance to suck up cobwebs that are big enough to knit. What fun! Really! And how often do you get to mop a completely empty room? It’s cool. Wall to wall clean and fresh! I had forgotten that the walls are painted a nice white and the floor a pretty blue.

So we assembled shelves and moved bins of hobby supplies that have been cluttering up the hallway down there. I kept waiting for the, “how much fabric does one woman need?” comment, but given that there are several bins of miscellaneous computer parts, mum was the word. I also had forgotten that there are built-in cedar closets down there. Oh happy wool! I even have space left for more.

Now most people would think this was enough of a days work (before we had started, I had put the sheets in the laundry and had started the sprinkler on the lawn). It had been overcast all day, and I just couldn’t let perfect weather for weeding go by.

So out I went, grubby and nasty and hoping there were no spiders in my hair. After pulling a few weeds, I decided to remove the huge oregano plant that had taken over the herb bed near the patio. The root ball on this beast was probably 3 feet across! As I pruned and hacked and dug, I realized that here was yet another rabbit nest left empty from the spring. I was glad not to find any babies. I would have had to put the oregano project on hold! So I eventually got the whole thing taken out and was standing there with my trusty spade fork stuck in the middle, trying to decide how to dispose of it, when I realized that I had a good sized blister on both hands.

I hate wearing gloves. I usually get blisters inside them anyways. I am so un-coordinated with gloves on. Needless to say, by June or so, I have the hands of a brawny, hardworking, construction worker. Of this, I am proud. I have calluses. My nails are short and neat. My hands are very strong. I like to think that the use of my hands in this manner keeps the rest of me strong as well. Body and mind.  Therefore, I am healthy. I don’t need a gym membership or fancy equipment to keep in shape. I have my hands. Blisters and calluses included.