When the Bough Brakes

So the other day started with a series of "Stops and Starts". One incident after another and I just had the feeling they weren't finished. And low and behold I was correct. And this was a strange one.

I received a call from the City of Canyon saying my neighbor called to report the wind had blown DOWN the tree in my front yard and  the tree was laying in the street. My question was ...."What are you telling me I have to do now?" And the answer ....."Nothing...the city employees will clean up the tree.They will place cones around the part left in the street after they move the fallen tree closer to my yard. But being it isFriday afternoon ,the employees will return Monday to clear away the tree."

Easy- peasy no worries to me except I am now missing the symmetrical look to my front yard with the downed tree. I was still in a tizzy over the whole event and unaware of all to come. I was suspicious that it would not be as simple as the phone call was implying. I've lived in the Texas panhandle since 1967( with a few glorious years in Austin,but that is another story) and have experienced many windy days. Days with much stronger "Blowing Down" force than was in the winds that afternoon.  Anyway back to the story.

As I feared within five to ten minutes from the first call I received a second call. The short version......" the tree is mostly in your yard and BY LAW we cannot come into your yard." My question ......."SO you are telling me I now have to find someone to PAY to remove the fallen tree?"......answer..."Yes mam,you do. Sorry."

                                           OMG!!!!!! Thank You Very Much!!!

No-no not finished. I was not home, but within ten minutes my daughter was at my house and someone drove up wanting payment to remove the dead, blown down, and very troublesome tree. Very suspect as to the timing of the arrival of the voluntary- tree -cleaner- upper- person, we started to barter over the phone on an agreeable price on tree removal. He mentioned a number ..I countered with another number...he offered another set of digits....I mentioned I had friends with chainsaws......a slight pause....I hooked him. CASH... was the word of the day and with that simple word a price was decide upon.The tizzy was fading as the tree was being sacrificed to the firewood pile.Then he uttered other words......carpenter ants....oh! NO... another tizzy was brewing.

The act of Nature --blowing winds-- has produced a chain reaction of events that now include calls to an arborist and an exterminator.

I'm guessing the Sparkle to this story is that the falling tree did fall away from my house. Not into my house. Into the street. Not on anyone. Nor any vehicles. My thanks go to Mother Nature for her aim. My advice is to always try to find the Bling to any situation. It's the Sparkles that make these times easier.