That's the view I see every morning when I begin the walk to school... well, sometimes there are more trash cans, sometimes fewer...
and by "every morning" I mean of course the mornings that I can't come up with a REALLY good excuse. Past good excuses have included hair not being done in time, needing to bring along a science project, knee pain, and just not wanting to do it.
That hill has been the bane of my existence. seriously. If you can't tell from the picture the next door neighbor's house is a full story higher than my house. The next house up has its basement at the same level as my roof. I would try and impress you by telling you about the steep "grade" of the hill... but I don't know what the percentage is, and wouldn't really understand it even if someone told me the number... let's just say it's so unbelievably steep that I'm sucking air by the time I get 3 houses up the street! That's where I meet my neighbor S who never laughs at me for needing a break so close to home. The rest of the walk (about 2 miles total) is reasonably flat and doesn't bother me...
So today is the LAST Day of School - the LAST time I have to tackle this hill and I happily wheeze and turn purple knowing that from this day forward walking up the hill will be a "personal fitness choice" and not a "get the kids to school so push the stroller faster" - unfortunately as soon as I get to the middle of the hill (3 houses away) and I'm feeling the burn... I see the trash truck at the top of the hill... It NEVER comes this early.
I turn around slowly saying a short and well intentioned prayer of "please please PLEASE let ManOfTheHouse have remembered to put out the trash cans this morning"...
not all prayers are answered.
So, I sprint down the hill, grab the cans and put them on the curb - then proceed to trudge BACK up the hill... calves burning, lungs burning, feeling like it's WAY past time to put our house on the market and buy something on a flat boring street.
I made it - I didn't die... but I wasn't so sure...
The worst part?
When I came home - the trash man hadn't made it to my house yet.
15 comments:
I had a heart attack just looking at that picture.
Just because you're not home schooling doesn't mean you can't teach your kids anything. Send them out with the instructions here: http://www.bikesatwork.com/hauling-cargo-by-bike/how-to-measure-grade.html
to figure out the grade of your street.
And look on the bright side, school is over just in time for the real heat. I suppose I shouldn't remind you about it all starting back up again in the Fall?
ahhh... but Nic, you see - my kids won't go to the neighborhood school next year because our boundaries are so strange - even though there are TWO schools within walking distance, my kids will be catching a bus (which picks up at the top of that photo) every morning!
I'll think about getting the kids to calculate the grade... maybe the first time they come to me with "mom, I'm bored, what can I doooooooo"
Hope you have a super weekend!
♥ HUGS ♥
Ah, nuts! I hate it when stuff like that happens!
Try walking up it in heels and then the next time will feel easy peasy. Ok maybe not. Hooray for no more trips up the hill (or at least significantly reduced ones).
hee hee hee
Way to build up the tension. I loved this post.
Nothing is worse than missing a garbage truck.
Just sing 'Climb Every Mountain' while trudging and I'm sure you won't even feel the burn.
OH - and to celebrate my first day without this lovely walk - M.O.T.H. signed us up for a 2 mile ranger-guided hike this morning...
it was beautiful, but...
OH T... that is SO sad. That is TOTALLy my luck!!! Hey, I kinda wish I had that hill, then I wouldn't feel so bad eating another bowl of cereal!
This makes me thankful that I just send my kid out on a bus.
Wow, first the garbage cans, then the 2 mile hike - M.O.T.H. needs to be flogged!!
Yay for summer!!
... isn't that what cars are FOR?
Okay....So I have never walked your hill, but when I visit, I didn't think the hill was that steep. Are you laying down to take the picture? HEE HEE. JK LOL
Good thought, you will have tighter buns then the lady 3 house up:D
You can't move, you have all that glorious organization and shelves everywhere. Are you crazy? And moving is a fate worse than death don't you know. Just drive your kids to school. It will be much easier.
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