Two Women and a Truck

Today my friend and I spent a good chunk of the day in a truck. It was warm and we were in my uncle's red pickup with windows open and hair blowing.

After packing our load in the morning, including my friend's massive vine that she pulled off her pergola, we stopped at the drive-thru of a Tim Horton's, inquiring about the free coffee deal. It was 12:04 on my clock and although the offer ended at 12:00 noon, we sweet-talked our way to some coffee with cream, also purchasing some yummy apple fritters. The employee at the window was nice and even said, "You ladies have a nice day."

Ha! Ladies? I hardly felt like a lady. As we bumped along the road to the yard waste site with our load of brush, our hot coffees spilled a little. I had my work capris on, now newly stained with creamy coffee; I had my faded work hat crammed down over my pony tail; my dirty work gloves were on the seat between us.

It occurred to me that feeling like a lady at all was a ludicrous notion. Sometimes I see perfectly-coiffed white-haired grandmas with lips painted red, driving around in their older classic cars, looking very much like ladies. But will that ever be me? Do I ever even want to be called a lady? I imagine a day when I can no longer mow the lawn or mount the seat of a truck. It's getting more difficult every year! Maybe I will become a lady then ... in 10 or 20 years or so? It's not so hard to be a lady if you're sitting around in a chair most of the day.

After unloading our branches, we uploaded about 15 bags of wood chips, free for the taking. And then we stopped again, for diet Cokes and McDoubles, with bottom buns removed and hamburgers flipped up, per usual.

A photo from last August - I kindly cropped her buns!

Our second goal, besides stopping for refreshments 3 times, was to shovel 500 pounds (about $40) of Suwanee rock from Minnesota into pails to spread around the liner of my aunt's waterfall pond.

It was still hot and humid as we shoveled the pebbles into small pails that we could lift easily. The five gallon pails we lifted together, on the count of three. I have a photo of my friend wiping her brow as we loaded up the last few containers. She actually looks pretty good in her basic black. But it's a good thing you can't see her hot red face, or the coffee spills--definitely not lady-like!

We almost depleted the supply of stones--more stones are on order from MN.

After all this work (and still needing energy for the unloading), we once again rewarded ourselves--with a small chocolate dipped cone from the Dairy Queen drive-thru, chocolate chunks sliding off onto my dirty clothes.

On the way home I also indulged myself with a few purchases from my neighborhood gay guy's garage sale that I had passed up earlier. My friend bought those multi-colored plant watering globes. I bought 3 coffee mugs (against all my rules once again) which I couldn't resist for $.50 each and a pewter tray for my daughter.

After a long soak in a hot tub, scrubbing my toes and nails clean, applying some fragranced body lotion, and tossing all my dirty clothes into the washer--I felt more like a lady again--or at least, a woman.

As long as there is plenty of soap and hot water available, I clean up pretty well. I am guessing that having to wash up using a bowl and pitcher on my bureau would prove inadequate. And if I had to wear corsets and frocks every day--with no air-conditioning--even if I were rich, lived in a mansion and had a whole house full of servants--I wouldn't trade this dirty/clean, un-lady-like life I enjoy! I hope my friend continues to feel the same way, because we always have fun adventures together!!

I will probably never be a lady. But ... I am woman, hear me roar...or is that just my bad muffler?