I'm a lumberjack and I'm okay

That's 'I'm okay', muttered in a tone of considerable relief, with an edge of quiver to it.

Today (and a little bit of yesterday, if we're honest) was mostly taken up with a job that has been awaiting our attention for well over a year.

If you were around when we created a new shed for ourselves in the garden (well, where else?) you will have seen photos in which a certain tree appeared.  It looked quite pretty, but it was a self-seeded sycamore tree, in the narrow alleyway behind our neighbour's garden.  Here it is looking quite attractive to the left of our new shed, when we put the garden to bed last autumn.

The problem with this tree was its leaves choked everyone's garden each autumn, and more importantly it was devilishly close to the house behind our garden and its roots were likely to cause damage. It needed to be removed before it got even bigger and was a complete nightmare to fell.  Mr U-t-B had suggested to the neighbours that he would cut it down a few years back, but at that point, with small children who often played in the garden, they liked the shade that it afforded.  But then the leaves choked their pond and their fish died, so they verbally signed its execution warrant.

Yesterday Mr U-t-B decided that the tree was for the chop, filled as he was with new vigour after recovering from a) bronchitis or b) flu or c) a bad allergic reaction (we're not sure which - the doctor thought it was c) but given the fact that Miss U-t-B and I both succumbed (though not so badly, as we're made of sterner stuff!) we think it was b)!  This was not a decision that best pleased me at the time, as ! was still feeling the effects of whatever lurgy we have been battling, and even mildly strenous effort was not on my 'To Do' list...

However, the decision had been made, the lopers, pruning saw and chainsaw were at the ready and Mr U-t-B was ready for the off!  With no-one else around, it was down to me to assist, and so my adventure in lumberjacking began!

Cue the song I have been quietly humming all day long...

In spite of having previously demonstrated to my husband my prowess with all manner of beefy tools

 (see this post, in which I built myself a workroom whilst Mr U-t-B lay in bed with a slipped disc)

{Oh, and by the way, you get to see David Essex in his prime if you click on that link too!}

I was relegated to the job of hanging on to the strap to guide all the lopped off bits into our garden or the alleyway.  It was my responsibility to ensure no cars, garden fences, sheds, play equipment, small children or pets were squashed during the felling of the tree, and believe me when I say that this was a responsibility that hung heavily on me!  All that nervous energy, coupled perhaps with the fresh air and sunshine, does seem to have chased the lurgy away, so at least that was a benefit...

Just picture me standing bravely in the alleyway pulling a great orange strap lashed onto those top branches to make sure it fell in exactly the spot 

Mr U-t-B had decided upon...

I have to say, I turned out to be quite a pro! (Actually it may have been Mr U-t-B's skill in the cutting department...)  By 4 o'clock, the tree was no more...

It was an ex tree...

Cue another bit of Monty Python, for your entertainment...

So the tree is gone, and we both have shiny red cheeks from all the unexpected sun and a newly topped up log pile to boot!