We don't have a hammock, but the point is, if I wanted to sleep while Nick our lawn guy cuts the grass, I could.
When Terry and I bought our first home in 1992, I was by default in charge of lawn maintenance, snow removal and leaf clean-up. These traditionally masculine roles fit me well, and I took some pride in keeping a relatively well-maintained lawn and a clear winter driveway.
Fast forward to 2025, and my how things have changed.
I now have a guy (Nick) who mulches my flower beds in the early spring, cuts my grass all summer, and removes my leaves in the fall.
I have another guy (Jeff) who plows my driveway in the winter, leaving only some light shoveling to do around the entryways to our home.
It's not that I can't physically do these things anymore. I can. It's a combination of not wanting to do them and having the discretionary income to pay someone else to do them.
It helps a lot that Nick is very good at what he does, and that Jeff is thorough and reliable whenever winter storms smack us in the face. If they did their jobs poorly, I might rethink my decision to outsource all of this work.
As it is, though, I'm fortunate to have access to skilled, responsible help that makes my life a lot easier.
Not that I really need life to be that much easier. mind you. I'm ridiculously blessed, and I'm of a socioeconomic demographic that benefits inordinately from the system.
You don't have to be wealthy to have it as good as I do. Just lucky.
Still, I'm waiting for the day when my manly pride gets the better of me and I tell Nick, "You know what? I don't need you anymore. I'm going to go back to cutting the grass and raking up the leaves myself. Thanks for your service."
When that happens, I give it one, maybe two lawn mowings before I'm on the phone asking whether he can work me back into his schedule.
I hope I continue to realize how good I have it.
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