I was helping out an elderly lady who has the allotment next to mine. She had a tree laden with plums but couldn't get them down on her own. She has a habit of asking me to help her then goes off to do something else, so I finished up trying to get the plums down myself. At a bit under 5 foot and not so young myself, I wondered why she never asks one of the blokes around to help. She was passing me the loppers asking me to prune the tree whilst I picked plums, then she passed me the rake to hold down the branches. I still couldn't get the branches down far enough. I got my stool steps out and balanced procariously on the sloping and uneven ground, trying to grab a few plums. There were squashed ones all over on the ground, wasps all around and the ladies dog eating plums a spitting out the stones. the lady kept asking me to get down an look up so she could show me which branches needed lopping. She had a choice of three loppers, all different lengths. The branches she chose were the thick ones and I struggled trying to cut through them. I was getting hotter and more tired. She told me she was going to distribute the plums to her neighbours but that non of them would help her to pick them. I was over balancing a bit on the stool, so hooked the rake onto a branch to get myself steady. The flaming rake fell out of the tree, hitting me on the head (the metal bit!!) I felt the blood pouring down my face. Finished up going to casualty where I had my wound glued and have a huge lump too.
Then my OH played heck with me for being a mug!!!!! ::)
Oh Heck.......... :(
Oh dear, hope ok now, I hope the other lady apologised ???
Maybe that gets you off the hook in future. ;)
Sorry to hear your good deed went belly up Cacran. I hope you have a speedy recovery and you ended up with a decent sized bag of plums.
I think "No" is a very under used word. I nearly always said "yes" when often I thought "no".
"No" with a bit of an explanation or a "meet you halfway" compromise would sometimes be the best response to: "Can you? Will you? Can I have....?"
I now feel quite confident and very determined when I choose to say "No, sorry, I........" and it's nearly always said with a smile.
I'll help when and where I can, happily share what I have for sharing but sometimes the answer just has to be "No, sorry."
I am fine, just a bit sore and waiting until it heals so that I can wash my hair.
My friend did say sorry, but it wasn't her fault that I did such a silly thing, I can be a bit careless when I want to get a job done!!!!
Yes, I have now got lots of plums.......................
Hmm...that's that job crossed off from your list in future...I doubt she dares to ask you anymore.
I hope you are not in too much pain.
Quote from: cacran on August 29, 2011, 10:02:26
I am fine, just a bit sore and waiting until it heals so that I can wash my hair.
My friend did say sorry, but it wasn't her fault that I did such a silly thing, I can be a bit careless when I want to get a job done!!!!
Yes, I have now got lots of plums.......................
It's easy to get carried away (one way or another). Over the week-end I decided the pyracantha growing on the end of the garage needed to be stopped from disappearing under the roofing felt and through the gutter.
Easy job! ::)
So I got the tall steps out (rather than the lopper on a pole) clambered up then....as I'd almost finished.... the steps vanished into the bushes I'd lent them on. ;D I side stepped onto the top of the water butt just in time having already had one foot on there. Fortunately my wife wasn't watching or that'd be something else I was being impatient over. ;D
Another prickly mess I almost got myself into. ;)
That sounds like one of my tricks....lol!
you were lucky
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-14725367 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-14725367)
Oh Bugloss that's awful- can you put a warning on your post for anyone like me who cannot bear anything to do with eyes :o
Adenroller-could have had an early bath :o
Quote from: Bugloss2009 on August 31, 2011, 11:54:18
you were lucky
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-14725367 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-14725367)
After reading this I think next year the prunning will be nearer ground level... a saw through a few centimetres up from the base.
Yuck!! :o
Oh dear sounds painful here is a large cyber hug from us :) xx