This Day In The Life of a Quilter

I was sitting here quietly, in my home, when I heard a loud crack! Gunfire? Thunder? I glanced out my front window just in time to see half of my Bradford Pear tree, topple - almost - to the ground. The section that fell was as big as a 'big' tree, and it was still hanging on to the trunk of the main tree. I looked at it for a moment and decided that I, alone, being the competent 'Chic' that I am, could take my trusty hand saw, priss out front, and saw the mammoth mess into 'Chic size pieces, and get it to the curb in time for the Monday morning pick-up.
As is usual, first impressions may not give you the actual scope and depth of a situation. Once I actually got up close and took a look at the mess, I realized I and my trusty hand saw might be a bit over-matched. The only thing that was holding the section to the trunk was the bark and the limbs that had hit the ground first. The top of this section was also caught up in the branches of my neighbors Bradford Pear. All in all, really a mess.
I began to saw all the little limbs that stuck out around the perimeter, working my way into the bigger limbs toward the center. My thought was to whittle away at everything up to about four inches thick, beyond that, I wasn't sure I could manage. Besides, I really didn't want the main trunk to dislodge, as I could see in my mind's eye, me - squashed and bloodied - pinned beneath the part still hanging by its bark.
I worked very hard for at least an hour, the cool breeze that I thought I had felt when I began this task, seemed to have disappeared. I didn't have a dry thread left on my body and I am sure my 'Croc's' sloshed when I took a step. I sawed, gathered limbs, carried them to the curb, went back and sawed some more. This had really turned into a 'Mighty Chic' sort of affair.
I was working my way towards the hart of the broken mass, when - and this really did scare me - while sawing a two inch limb, I felt movement. The piece of bark that had held the trunk had turned loose and the whole mass started rolling towards me. My feet were tangled in the branches that were smashed into the ground, but believe me, this 'Mighty Chic' moved.
I guess, because I had moved most of the top weight, it wasn't balanced anymore, so it just rolled over. The heavy end was still against the tree, but now, the branches that held it up off the ground, were up in the air. Suddenly, I realized I was totally dehydrated, soaking wet, hot as a fire-cracker and really tired of sawing.
I made an executive decision. The rest of the mess could wait until Saturday. I needed a shower, my locks needed shampooing, and my dear friend Adele needed to come see me.
I wouldn't want you to think that I'm a quitter, but I started Friday morning with a plan that really didn't include sawing up a tree.
At this particular time in my life, tomorrow really is another day, and I don't see the need to kill myself on things that 'pop' up out of nowhere and demand my attention. Anyway, when EC sees what's left of that poor tree, I afraid we'll have to saw down the last remaining three limbs. It does look pretty pitiful. Of course, that will entail the chainsaw, gasoline, smoke and EC being in charge. On the whole, I really did enjoy all the 'Mighty Chic' stuff that I did, making little pieces of a big mess. It is pleasant quiet work, albeit, sweaty work, but I did what I could manage without a lot of confusion, or major disaster.
I must run, I need an ice creme freezer, I want to make homemade boiled custard with strawberries, and a 'made from scratch' chocolate cake with chocolate icing. Sounds really good, tomorrow afternoon my Church is having an "Ice Creme Social" and I need to make a showing.
We'll talk later,
Oh, and I really should finish what I started, that tree is calling-------
Carol Ann