they let me use sharp tools

On Saturday, SHO and I went to refurbish trails in a local park. This involved large hand tools, which we all know I cannot be trusted to handle, but somehow I survived with only one minor toe smashing that did not even leave a bruise.

I generally only cause serious damage to myself, fortunately, not to those around me. This is the only reason I would ever even consider putting myself in the vicinity of a large hand tool. I don't mind hurting myself, but if others were at risk, I would have to reconsider.

We have used enough hiking trails that it was probably time for us to put in some work on them, anyway, and I never miss a chance to work on some physical labor project with others.

What? I'm actually serious. I loved building houses down in Mississippi when I was in high school. I am the only person who gets excited to show up at 8 in the morning to help people move (the donuts are only an extra bonus). I actually miss the work projects that I did in high school and college. It's partly about doing hard work that has visible results, and partly about the camaraderie of working with a group.

We got to work with the following tools:

1. Mattock (Code Name: You Only Thought I Was a Pickaxe).
2. McLeod (Code Name: I Scorn Mere Rakes).
3. Some super heavy tamper thing to tamp down the trail. This one, of course, was the one I dropped on my toe. My hiking boots saved me, though.
   

I am, in fact, excited about the tools. My life has apparently been just that boring lately.

It was cloudy all morning while we were working outside, and then just as we left the mountain, the sun came out, of course. Oh, Cloudy State of Happiness. Why do you want to kill me with your gloomy winters? Your little glimpses of sun just tantalize me and make me remember why it's so amazing to live in the tropics.

PS. I made Valentine's Day cupcakes to bring to work, and I ate myself sick on the frosting. Will I never learn?

I guess not.