The return of sweat

This landscaping project has introduced a concept long missing from my life: perspiration.

And bear in mind that I have had only the smallest amount of physical input into this. The lion's share of the work has been done by the landscaper and her sons.

Nonetheless, the landscaping has altered my daily life. I'm wearing bandanas wrapped around my head a large percentage of the time. My collection of Hawaiian and resort-style shirts has been largely put aside for daily wear of white, moisture-wicking, spun polyester golf shirts and T-shirts. I go through two or three of those daily, plus old cotton shorts.

I think I mentioned previously I am on a powerful antibiotic for this tick bite. The antibiotic increases my sensitivity to sunlight, so I'm also wearing sunblock most of the time — the first sunblock I've used in probably ten years.

I wish I had the energy my landscaper has. She's close to my age, so that's not the issue. She isn't overweight like I am, and that certainly has something to do with it.

But even when I was a teenager and thin as a rail, I had a tough time dealing with heat and humidity. I got tired easily, and I was always the first in my school class or among my friends to become exhausted during activities. I also got bored quickly, and even now, it's difficult for me to stick to MNRT's (mind-numbing repetitive tasks) for more than a few minutes at a time.

I was a big kid — not fat but just physically large — so my family hoped I would aspire to the highest level of American achievement, that of the ath-uh-lete. Instead, I hated sports. I didn't enjoy participating, and watching bored the hell out of me. My classmates made fun of me; my folks, especially my father, were somewhat shamed and disappointed.

It didn't occur to me until a couple of years ago that there might have been some physical or medical reason why I tired so easily. But it's water under the bridge now.

But all this weed-pulling and edging and hoeing and rock-moving? I can't stay with it. I'm good for maybe twenty minutes, then I have to go do something else. The landscaper, meanwhile, has been out in the heat working on this for hours almost every morning for about three weeks now.

My friend Soartstar did a similar project in her backyard all by herself. I would never have been able to do this myself.