Why I wear a mask when working in my yard.

[LuckyCharms]

I've been blowing leaves in my front and side yard for about the last 3 hours.

A guy who was walking across the street had a mask pulled down over his neck.
He smiled and waved at me and approached me. I've probably met this guy before, but today, I had no idea who he was, but I knew I was in for a conversation.

As he approached I asked him to pull his mask up.

Oh yeah, yeah, I'm sorry, I always forget! He says "You should get "Contractor X" over here to do that! I said..it's not his field! But if you see him, tell him I said hello.

So we started shooting the shit. He kept taking his mask off as he became more animated and I would signal him to pull it up. Oh yeah, yeah, sorry! We started in the front yard, I stayed 20 feet away from him, and every time he dropped his mask, I stepped back. By the time we finished talking, we were in the back yard.

Anyway, it turns out we have the exact same ailments, and take the exact same medicines. When talking about our ills, he started to say something like "that fucking...". He stopped himself and said "I better not talk politics".

At the end of a pleasant conversation I said "Didja vote yet"?

No no, gonna do that next week.

He says "Did you vote"?

Oh ya I did.

You vote for Trump or the other guy?

I said "I'll give ya a hint...it wasn't fucking trump".

Oh jesus he said, finally. I work up here at (he named the business) and everyone I work with is for trump! I keep tellin' them! You know what he wants to do to Social Security? I explain to them what the payroll taxes are for, and that trump wants to cut them. I try to tell them that will kill their Social Security because they won't take the money out of the general fund to replace it! I'm a veteran. Did you hear what that fucker said about the vets! Hear what he called us? Did you hear he blamed the Gold Star families about him catching the virus? Every time I tell them about trump, they say "he didn't say that" or "that's bullshit". They ask me if I'm watchin' CNN too much, and I tell them I don't have to watch CNN! I just listen to what the asshole says! The shit comes right out of his own mouth! Then he says.."I can't say what I'm thinking about him"

I said "That's ok, I'll say it for you".

So this is just some anecdotal material. The Democratic Party is out there. Just because we don't fly huge flags from our trucks and threaten people...we're still out there.

I told him I'd walk up the street and go visit him after the pandemic calms down. Then I said don't forget to vote!

[Doodley]

1. Yay! What a great conversation. I hope you'll be friends.

[LuckyCharms]

2. As I sit here thinking about it...

I think he's the same guy who came over while walking a few years ago when I was out front talking to my electrician. He knew the electrician...that's the "Contractor X" in my OP. The guy I spoke with today is 7 years older than me, but looks my age or younger. I will certainly visit this guy when conditions permit...really nice fella.

[ihas2stinkyfeet]

3. i live on a busy street w a lot of foot traffic.

i was threatened w a ticket for my 'weeds'.
told the alderman's office that until the city does something about the maskholes, i will not be risking my life to comply w an antiquated ordinance.
i wish they would give me a ticket. i will beat them in court and get the damn thing overturned.

[LuckyCharms]

4. I don't blame you.

I'm in a fairly rural area. There are no homes across the street, just green space, so there are occasionally people walking their dogs there, etc. If I lived on a busier street, I probably wouldn't even leave my house.

How tall are the weeds?

[ihas2stinkyfeet]

5. the only ones over 4' are the prairie primrose.

i did top those out for the seeds. 4' is the law.

but they tried to tell me it was 10". they dont even know the law. i dont think i have anything in my garden less than 10". at least not this time of year.
personally, i love those plants. they arent weeds. they are the native prairie that was here before ppl. beautiful blooms and grasses. i let them know that, too.

baffoons. new baby alderwoman. i know who called them, too. the 3rd rate narco who has been harassing me all summer. these days i am getting a lot of trash dropped out there. never used to happen. several beer cans that are his brand out there right now. including the one he launched at my head.
got fruit pinched, too. also never happened. had to pick pears and peaches green after i came out one day and saw that i had been hit.

i used to like ppl. esp my neighbors. not any more.

[LuckyCharms]

8. My neighbor has a garden with all kinds of things in it...

I'm not a plant person, so I couldn't say what he has, but some of the stuff is 5-6 feet tall. The Town does not bother him about it.

However, if your grass gets over 12", you get a letter. Then, if you don't cut it, they come and cut it for you, and then charge you out the ass for cutting it.

[ihas2stinkyfeet]

9. stupid. in a drought like this year, the only way to keep it from going brown is to leave it.

when i had grass i always let it go to seed in the spring. nothing was over 1', so i never got shit for that.
but all the lawns on the block were 2"s of brown all august this year. so attractive.

[LuckyCharms]

12. Haven't mowed mine in well over a month...

I'm done mowing for the year. The healthy spots are getting long, but the rest is all burned up...I'll leave it for Spring.

[Sogo]

17. Someone throwing beer cans at your head is assault.

I'd call the cops on him....

[ihas2stinkyfeet]

18. yeah. i did.

there was a squad in the alley at the time. have no doubt that he is on that body cam sayin- imma kill that bitch.
but yeah. cpd thinks i am a drunk crazy lady.
cant get a white shirt to save my soul.

[panader0]

6. Mine are about six feet and lookin' goood.

[ihas2stinkyfeet]

7. i love mine. goldenrod is about 6', but that isnt near the public way.

velvet leaf, prairie primrose, lovely grasses, sunflowers.
only 2 things i pull unless they are crowding something i planted- tree saplings and clingons, stuff that stick to your clothes.
otherwise mother nature gets any inch i am not making productive use of.
and when they are in the way, i cut them and feed them to my chickens.

[malaise]

10. You Lucky Charm you

[LuckyCharms]

11. .

[GulfCoast66]

13. It feels good. Happened to me yesterday.

Went to a spicy hot fried chicken joint with good outdoor dining. Saw an older couple, I guess in their 70s. White couple and he was a big guy. Stereotypical trump supporters. Walking by to go in and order I noticed his ball cap said simply No. 46. When I went to my table after ordering in finally saw the Biden name on the back of the cap! Complemented his hat and he said we’ve got to get that SOB out. As they were leaving his wife said make sure your vote! Told her I would crawl over broken glass on hot lava to vote. They got a laugh out of that

[ProfessorGAC]

14. K&R! (nt)

[cwydro]

15. No way I could do that. I sweat like a horse.

Planting pansies and laying mulch today, sweating like crazy and it’s actually coolish for these parts.

I’m safe inside my fence, but when working outside along the fence line (planting flowers), people do stop and talk. The only ones that get too close are the kids who love to come and pester me for some reason lol. I think I’ve cured them of getting too close, but I’m sure glad I have the fence. Adults have never gotten in my space, but I’d back up if they did.

Not sure where you live, but I’m in the south. People think southerners are always all so friendly they’d be in your face, but that’s really not the case. People here seem to respect personal space, and they certainly respect property.

I know you’ve posted about this issue before, and I hate it for you. That would drive me nuts.

[Lars39]

16. My husband was on the lawnmower and got cornered by a neighbor.

That neighbor and his wife do weekend and after school care for grandkids. I have never seen any of them with a mask on. Yeah, I had quite a few things to say about it.

[llmart]

19. I live in a community where most of the people are seniors.

A lot of them are in their 80's and a lot of the people in here have health problems. Most of our yards are rather small. When I work in my front yard a few of them have stopped to talk while they're walking around the neighborhood. Most of them do not follow social distancing guidelines ever. There have been two who came right up to me and I asked them to step back. They didn't seem offended. I just don't understand the older people who have health problems who don't even follow the guidelines while I, who am extremely healthy and fit am very careful not to get near anyone.

[Hekate]

21. They may be hard of hearing, at their age

[Hugin]

28. Definitely, a problem communicating with the aged.

It's not only volume, I've found, but, I'm guessing many have gradually adapted to lip reading and a mask obscures that, too.

[JudyM]

20. Also I've found it dramatically minimizes mosquitos!

After all these years, who knew?

[former9thward]

22. What does anything in the OP have to do with why you wear a mask in the yard?

Covid is not spread outside in that situation. It is spread mainly indoors, in areas with large numbers of people, and poor ventilation. Follow the science. No one, not even Fauci, tells you to wear a mask in the situation you describe.

[LuckyCharms]

23. You mean like it wasn't spread in the Rose Garden?

Is that what you mean?

[former9thward]

24. When you are in your yard are you in a sitution like the Rose Garden?

With 200 people in a small space? Is that what you mean?

[LuckyCharms]

29. Here's something that might make this all go easier.

How about this? I wear a mask whenever the fuck I want to wear a mask, and you don't fucking worry about it.

Would that help you out at all?

If not, let me know, because I have a few more suggestions that might help you out.

[Hugin]

25. Hey, LC. I've taken to wearing a mask to do routine tasks, too.

Almost as often as I wear safety goggles or glasses.

It really has little to do with COVID other than before now, I didn't have masks readily available.

I have allergies and yard work had gradually become beyond me. Now, however, it's like I've found new wings. I can do it again!

Around the inside of the house cleaning and dusting. No more runny noses and sneezing. I live in a very dry area and I've found wearing a mask occasionally helps keep my sinuses moisturized.

Another, thing I've discovered is I had always avoided going to the grocery on Wednesdays. (Senior's day) I enjoy being around the seniors. But, because, of the over use of perfumes by some of them it would almost knock me down. While, wearing one of the standard light blue masks I can't smell any of it.

[LAS14]

26. Keep these stories coming, DUers!!!

My little bit: We see way fewer Trump/Pence signs here in in western Maine than in 2016 and Biden signs when we never saw ANY Dem signs in 2016.

[LAS14]

27. Yeah, consistent mask wearing outside can be a good thing because..

... of the people who approach you from behind and because of forgetting about it when someone approaches.