One of the things I am ‘famous’ for is the rapid pace I prefer to walk at. I’ve never considered myself an athlete and don’t do power walks. I seldom break into a run, but I do walk fast to get where I want to be, simply to get there in the shortest time possible. Each day, I set a lofty to-do list that I know I can’t possibly achieve. But that doesn’t stop me from trying my very best. While I understand that most tasks I work at will take as long as they take to accomplish, getting from one place to the other is something that can be easily rushed. It has become a habit through the years, and when I walk alongside someone, I have to force myself to slow down to a pace that they are comfortable with. Yesterday, I bumped into someone I hadn’t seen in about a decade. As we talked, we also walked, and I thought I had slowed to a leisurely pace to match his, but it quickly became obvious to us both I hadn’t. He asked me if I had slowed down in any way. I’m happy to report that the answer was no.
Little helper
Henry is always eager to help around the shop. Although he’s only five years old, he’s been around long enough to know the difference between being kept busy and doing meaningful work. As we prepared the driveway at the Hazelnut Inn there was plenty for Henry to do. He has his own Henry-sized shovel and wheelbarrow to move the gravel. Raking and helping build the sidewalk forms are also tasks he can assist with. When it came time to tamp the gravel into place Henry was first in line to steer the heavy packing machine. Watching Henry work so diligently this afternoon reminded me of when his father was young and helped me at every turn. Peter was my constant companion as I worked and often my dad was there as well. Projects sometimes took a little longer when young Peter was on hand but having him there and helping was well worth the effort. It is a family tradition.
Getting into our work
Today, was the day we planted nine new fruit trees in the backyard. Henry, of course, desperately wanted to help. He helped me dig the holes on our little backhoe for a few minutes but quickly decided he wanted to be more hands-on. That meant he wanted to get inside the hole and finish digging with his hands. It turns out he is also an expert at spreading the bone meal and placing the trees and then packing the soil around them as well. Manning the water hose is definitely a favourite job as well. Working with Henry may not have made the job a whole lot faster but it DEFINITELY made it FUN!
