Down the Drain
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The famous drain across from my house which I've mentioned raking out fifty times on my blog already, is surrounded by a sea of fallen leaves.
Periodically the wind tosses these leaves to n fro, back on the drain, onto the narrow road, in my yard.
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If I don't rake it before heavy rains, a huge, deep puddle floods the road n my driveway, making it's way to the previously shifted foundation of my house.
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Have you ever tried to rake the forest?
It's a lesson of persistance n futility.
I'm reminded of an old folk-song, "The House-wife's Lament," which I learned from the guy who taught me guitar finger-picking techniques as a teen-ager...
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chorus:
"Oh Life is a toil n love is a trouble,
Beauties they fade n riches they flee.
Pleasures they dwindle, n prices they double,
N nothing is what I could wish it to be.
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Verse 1:
There's too much worriment goes to a bonnet,
There's too much ironing goes to a shirt.
There's nothing that lasts for the time ya waste on it.
Nothing that lasts but the trouble n dirt! ..."
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Well, the tune goes on to decribe horrible messes ("...the wall-paper rots n the candle-sticks Rust...") n at the end of the verses, the poor maid is trying to sweep waves back into the ocean! Then
"... She lays down her broom n her apron she folded.
She lays down n dies n is buried in dirt!...
(chorus)
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So much energy, down the drain!
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It reminds me of all the stuff I've been through n how far it was to get here, but ending up right back to the original struggle (having to rake the umpteenth time) of how to pay for everything without getting paid enough to cover it.
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Here we are at the Holiday shopping season, n I'm present-challenged now that the truck repairs n rent have funding priority. Normally when I have no spare money I have more time, but not this season. No money, and no time. So how to do what I'd like is out the window. It'd be nice to hit big in the lottery about now, then I could save so much energy n stress!
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Sleep, maybe at the end of the week- I hope...
Gotta keep trying anyhow!
posted by Snaggle Tooth @ 4:45 AM
6 comments
6 Comments:
ah, yes. that supid drain. i remember once digging out the drain in the middle of a downpour b/c it took like 3 minutes for the water to get into the driveway. it was so bad.. i think it was during my senior year when it rained the entire month of june.. nonstop! so it had to be done. and the worst part is that if you dont' clear the drain the water will sit there forever. i'm not sure which is worse.. digging out the drain in a complete downpour/nor'easter/hurricane and getting soaked to the bone in a matter of seconds, or digging out the snow drain (from snow plow piles) in the middle of winter when all the snow is melting, knowing that if it doesn't get drained you'll wake up to a ginormous sheet of ice, that isn't going anywhere and the fear of all the speed demons crashing into something.... like the house!
Hi. I don't really have alot of great insight, but our house does the same thing as raking the forest, first it's one light buld then one by one they all go out in a row, a never ending cycle. :)
I feel exactly the same way whenever I clean house. Why is it they just can't stay clean for more than five minutes???? Or better yet.... clean themselves?
I don't have a drain problem, and can't imagine having to go out to clear one in a downpour. What a hassle for you. And the town does nothing about this problem?
Loving the Housewifes Lament, and will have that in mind next time I have a little cleaning party.
MB, the road is cracking too. that water is mucho heavy! I've gone wading in the torrents so many times I can't count... 20 years of free drain service- wait til they get my bill!
SkyBl2U, I've been buying those new curly-tube flourescent bulbs that seem to last a longer time n cost less electric juice- don't remember the last one that blew- it's been over a year! Are ya sure the ghosts aren't popping them? (Ask them to stop)
Ellen, I remember the Jetsons had a self-cleaning house... n Rosie the maid-robot.
The landlord always says to call the town, but they don't come at the drop of the hat, n don't work week-ends. By the time they do anything, the damage is already done. Last winter, the puddle got to the front cement stairs, which cracked n now have a hole which keeps needing patching.
I need a place to live, so I do it because no one else ever does! (Since MB moved).
That song is a classic- n you'd like the tune, also I bet!
That's a lot of leaves! My pool needs that kind of maintenance around this time of year, although the leaves are pretty much all fallen by now. Still, a breezy day will coax the die-hards out of the trees for one last dunk in the pool...
Mike
Mike, ya, it's tough having to clean the pool everytime ya wanna go for a swim! Now we need a new "Pool-Netter's Lament!"
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