Trees, Wind and Time

Daylight Savings Costs Me

Ok, the big evergreen tree filled up only part of the driveway and since I have two driveways, it really didn't matter.

I called the tree removal service I've used before and left a message. Within a half hour, the guy showed up, looked at the tree and gave me an estimate of $495 to clean it up and grind the stump down. I said OK and he said he'd be back tomorrow morning.

About 15-20 minutes later, another truck pulled in the drive and it was another tree guy. He offered to do the same job for $300. Well, it would have been really foolish for me to not take his offer which left me very uncomfortably calling Tree guy #1 to tell him our deal was off.

I suppose if I'd been lucky, Tree guy #3 would have dropped by, but he didn't because by then, Tree guy #2 had already started cutting up the tree. I paid him $100 for today's work and will give him the rest tomorrow for chipping and removing the debris. It is kind of sad to see the tree missing as it's been there forever. But, as it turned out, the trunk had been pretty well devoured by some kind of bugs, so I guess its life was over anyhow.

Unhappily, I have two big maple trees on their last years as well. If they go, I lose a lot of my shade. It's hard to replace them because they were so huge that there really isn't room to plant a new tree near where they were because the leftover roots are in the way. Don't know how long you have to wait before you can replant in the same area.

Suffice it to say, it looks as if I have a future ahead with Tree guys.

The wind was horrible last night, so there are trees down all over and the reason Tree guys 1 & 2 were out and about on a Sunday was that they were working on calls. I think there was another potential tree guy earlier on as another truck kind of slowed down to take a look at my tree, but I guess he decided he didn't want to do the work. Tree guys are certainly enterprising fellows.

I found Minky's border terrier article on line and below is the important stuff:

This from the Evening Chronicle of March 3, 2008
Meet my terrific trio

"BORDER terriers are cheeky little scamps with a big heart," says Nicola Anderson, of Lemington, Newcastle, who is making her second trip to Crufts this year. "I'm not really expecting to win anything. Just being able to attend is enough," the 35-year-old says.

"I'm not what you'd call a heavy shower. I'm a bit nervous about it all. I got into breeding by accident, really. A breeder of a stud dog we had who liked one of the pups had said, 'Why don't you give it a go?' and here we are." Nicola currently has three dogs, and has taken them to a string of recent local shows, where her pets have excelled.

Her husband Paul,44 races pigeons and Nicola also owns a horse so between us at weekends we're pretty tied up" says Nicola a care worker at Percy Hedley School in Forest Hall.

Terriers are often known to be aggressive, but Nicola says the opposite and that she was attracted to border terriers for their pleaseant nature. "I know terriers have areputation for being a bit snappy, but these are different. My niece is two and they are just great with her.

"They can be lively and they like to scamper around like any other terrier, but they have a gentle side as well."

I hope Nicola had a grand time and looked gorgeous in her new suit!

Did I ride today? Not yet, and maybe not at all. The wind is still making a bold statement.