April 29 – “Chain saw on a stick”

We woke up to a surprise yesterday.  It was cold.  Well, not really cold, but certainly unseasonably chill for Galveston Island.  The temperature on my Weatherbug app read 67 when I turned my computer on.  That is not the end-of-April feel one expects on a tropical island. 

Of course it turned out to be quite nice for us.  Nathan agreed to bring over his newest little toy … the chain saw on a stick.  Still sounds like a treat you’d buy at a county fair.  Fascinating invention, you know.  Smaller version of a chain saw with the ability to be attached securely to the end of a long pole.  It revolutionizes tree trimming, that’s for sure.  He was able to get his oak trees under control in a ridiculously short period of time, so I asked him to come help us out with the palm branches that were hanging across the telephone and cable TV lines in our back yard.  Fortunately, they hadn’t yet reached the power lines.  I think it might be time for the demise of said tree.  They just don’t seem to hold the same allure for me when they get bigger than a two-story house.  Chris wants to hold on to it for its shade value, though, and I certainly agree with that.  So, trim it. 

The little chain saw cut through the branches like a hot knife through butter, and before you know it the back yard was a pile of green and brown.  The cables were free of obstruction.  And our back yard was … brighter.  Much less shade, that’s for sure.  We moved on to the front to trim the bottom rung off of the sycamore trees.  That was my plea.  It is quite annoying to smack your head on a low-hanging branch when mowing the grass.  I suppose it’ll make it a bit more difficult for grandkids to reach the lowest branch when they want to climb it, but who doesn’t love a challenge?

We piled the mass of branches into two areas on the street, just in time for the arrival of the trash pick up.  The workers saw us standing near the last sycamore, reaching down to pick up the final few branches.  They asked if we were finished, and we assured them we were.  One of the hollered out, “Well, it looks like you’re not finished.  We can’t pick any of it up unless you’re finished.”  And with that they drove off.  They wouldn’t even pick up the second pile over on the opposite side of the house.  I guess that would be because the ladder was still in the front yard?  Very strange policy, if you ask me.  After they drove away I went inside and called the city to arrange for a special pickup.  They have to return today now.  Doesn’t matter to me at all, and I guess they need to make sure they have something to do when they come to work each day.  I don’t begrudge them that.  It just makes the system come across as grossly inefficient.  Sigh, I just wish we could have done all this the week of Palm Sunday.  Boy, could I have been creative with a pile of palm branches …

Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things.”

Father, thank you for Nathan and his willingness to help us out.  Thank you for the creativity of the guy who came up with the chain saw on a stick.  And watch over those guys who will be picking up the branches today.  Keep them safe and healthy.  Amen.