Walnuts

I have accepted the fact that I am getting old. I turned 40 this year and things I used to do without much thought have required more effort. Things that didn't used to bother me required a good dose of ibuprofen to survive. Last night we went up to the rental house to mow. We have 2 big walnut trees in the yard and this week they did the big nut dump, so we had to pick up walnuts before we could mow. We started with having the 2 big boys mowing while Zach and I worked under one tree and Mike worked under the other one picking up the nuts. Wow, there were a ton of them. And the leaves that had started falling were not helping. We picked up a bunch, feeling under the leaves as we went. Then Mike came to get a rake. Great idea. I raked lightly, which moved the leaves, without picking up the nuts, and uncovered way more than I thought could possibly be left. The big boys mowed what they could and then started helping with nuts so they could continue. Zach was a little nut collecting machine!! He matched me bucket for bucket, everytime I was ready to dump my 5 gallon pail into the trash can, he was ready to dump too. We all picked up about 4 1/2 trash cans full of nuts and left them in the barn until we can come back for them with a trailer tonight and take them to an Amish place in our neighborhood who husks walnuts. (We figure the squirrel who is living in the barn is going to think he died and went to heaven - his winter supply right there, without any work!) They also buy nuts people collect and bring to them. We are hoping for enough money out of them to pay for a nice dinner for a family of 5. Last night there was a line in front of me when I got out the bottle of ibuprofen, everyone except Zach already aching. This morning, another line after everyone stiffened up over night. I think I actually feel a little better than the teenagers did this morning......