Moving Wood

I lived with my family just outside of Alexandria, VA which was just outside of Washington, DC about 4-6 miles respectively in a community that, at the time my parents purchased our home, our community was considered out in the country.  And, before we moved in 1962, there were wooded areas on both sides of our community a little larger than the community in which we lived.  Plenty of space to go hiking and camping, build caves and tree houses and just do stuff that boys like to do at that age before high school.

I remember well the time I finally got caught breaking the law and while my parents talked the neighbors out of pressing any charges, and my mother took me to the Church to beg forgiveness, my Dad had other plans to teach me a lesson...  his punishment was HARD WORK...  and so, a mountain of chores was placed upon me to complete each day.

It was in the summer months when all this happened, so one of my tasks was the mow the lawn everyday.  If I needed more gas, I had to buy the gas out of my allowance or from earning money by mowing other people's lawns.  This was only done Monday through Saturday.

But...  the task I remember most was the MOVING WOOD task...  as I referred to it later.  My Dad purchased a cord of wood that was stacked on one side of the house.  My task was to move that cord of wood to the other side of the house, stack it perfectly, measure and record the dimensions of the re-stacked wood.   Then...   move it back to where it was originally, stack it properly, measure and record...  Then...  I had to do this again...   and again...  and again...  until I had completed 4 moves...

It took about 1-2 hours to mow the lawn and it took about 4-5 hours to move the wood...  So, I was at this pretty much all day long.  I had a wheel barrow to help move the wood.  I could not do these chores at my leisure...   I was up everyday at 7:00 am and had to start work by 8:00 am.  I would finish the wood around noon or 1:00 pm, eat lunch, and then mow the lawn...  so, I was finished around 3:00 pm and could usually do what I wanted or mow the lawns of the neighbors with whom I had contracts.  

This was done everyday as well except not on Sundays.

Later in life, when I was faced with a stupid or redundant or meaningless task, I just kept telling myself I was MOVING WOOD...  and thanked my Dad for teaching me this lesson of coping with stupid or punishing tasks.