Mum's front garden is surrounded by lush thick hedges. They give her garden wonderful privacy and they are a joy to look out at when they have been nicely trimmed. Dad used to cut their hedges and the hedges of the ladies who live either side. These were all done with the most wonderful military precision and although the road slopes a little, Dad's hedges were always as straight as a dye. Dad would spend quite a lot of time out with the electric hedge trimmer, and would wield it with such gay abandon that slicing through the cord was a regular occurence and there was even a near miss with the tips of his fingers once!! He would always tuck in stray bits of branches he saw sticking out, and God help any passing child who pulled on the hedge as he / she went past!! In short, the hedges were Dad's pride and joy.
After Dad died Mum had a local chap who 'does gardens' to cut the hedges. Now he always made a very nice job, but last time charged Mum £40 (and cut through the hedge cutter's cord)!! We both felt that this was so outrageous that I've girded my loins (so to speak) and got to grips with the vicious electric hedge cutter.
These were the hedges this morning.
Somewhat shaggy and wild, and a total disgrace as far as Dad would have been concerned.
This was the result after half an hour's wielding of the hedge cutter - something that Dad would have been vaguely pleased with.
I must say that although I find the hedge cutter rather heavy and cumbersome, there is something amazingly satisfying about seeing these before and after pictures. And even more satisfying is knowing it didn't cost Mum anything more than the price of the electricity used.
Your dad wouldn've been proud of them - he sounds like my dad did - my mam had the same level of fanaticism (is that a word?) about net curtains... I am like it with books although I put thqat down to working for years in libraries. I personally love getting my hands dirty with tools and I am quite dangerous with a hadge trimmer (someone mentioned Texas chain saw massacre..?)
Take care and have fun with your mum x
Posted by: Claire | 10/23/2007 at 01:23 PM
I love my hedge trimmer. I find that once I get started I just don't want to stop and wander round looking for something to cut!
You did a good job.
Posted by: Samantha | 10/24/2007 at 09:45 AM
I love my hedge trimmer. I find that once I get started I just don't want to stop and wander round looking for something to cut!
You did a good job.
Posted by: Samantha | 10/24/2007 at 09:45 AM
Ooh Elizabeth, I winced at the thought of your Dad's near misses! Well done you for tackling the job, your Dad would have been proud. Just goes to show what we can do when we give it a go, £40 is a rip off!
Gill x
Posted by: Gill | 10/27/2007 at 12:01 AM