MAN dad drove me today, that couldn't possibly have been his normal work tempo. Don't get me wrong - the day was perfection, but I barely managed to crawl home, I was so tired... We cleared out some of the fast-growing shrubbery and burnt two out of six small piles of vine branches from last season, joined by the energy workers who came to clear out the growth under power lines. Having me for the day, dad made sure I did a dozen things, up until the point I could hardly move anymore. My original work duty was to control the fire of the little pyres, since the terrain is fairly dry and it is a no-brainer in zero wind. However, if the wind suddenly starts to pick up, I have to keep the fire low and keep cleaning the zone around it. I love to do it, it's one of my favourite spring tasks. Dad trusts me, even though I doubt we've ever had a burning without me causing damage to either myself, our clothes, the dogs, the wires or work gear in general. I suppose that's half fun of it :D

Of course the brush we worked with was acacia, meaning that from head to toe I am perforated, regardless of outfit. I even sat on one of the 3cm thorns, for fuck'ssakes... And dad, who takes blood thinners, he comes out of these looking like someone dragged him around Troy. 

I still smell like smoke, after a nap and a shower (not in that order). The dog smells like smoke, sun and stolen cookies.