I went out to mow the lawn Wednesday evening and, when I came back into the house, I noticed that my throat was a little scratchy. Thinking little of it, I went on about my normal routine.

That included setting out my tomato cages, a portion of which finally found their way to the correct place. I waited until some of the plants were too big to fit inside the cages, but I think everything is going to work out in the long run. I’ve picked a many a tomato off a tangled vine on the ground. It’s not ideal, but it works.

I also got out the tiller with the new and improved belt system and chopped up most of the weeds in between the rows, including making a little extra space above the corn and below the potatoes. It is easier to keep a little strip tilled under than it is to keep the grass trimmed that close to the plants.

I noticed that the ‘flea beetles’ were back after all the rain washed my poison away, munching happily on my tomatoes and potatoes. They were fewer in number, but there nonetheless. I guess I better get to work with the dust soon, but I was afraid to do it while both were just getting blooms. I don’t want to kill my bees.

Anyway, I had a few needs of my own to get taken care of that evening. Since it was pay day, I opted to spend a small portion of my hard-earned cash purchasing a new string trimmer. I was going to buy another brand, but convenience was more valuable to me at the time, considering that I had some weeds that were getting waist high in a few out-of-the way places.

By the time I got home, my throat was a little more sore and scratchy, so I decided to mix up some lemon, hot tea and honey to make myself a drink before bed. By the time my head hit the pillow, I was pretty well asleep.

Anyway, the next morning I awoke as the sun started peering into my bedroom window. As I yawned, I notice that my throat was more sore still. I then tried to speak, but found myself unable.

Laryngitis in the early summer? That’s a first for me. Laryngitis is one of the most aggravating ailments I’ve ever had. Adding to that aggravation was the fact that I was at that very time attempting to negotiate the sale of my property.

The neighbor finally agreed to buy it, although for a price somewhat lower than I had hoped for. Since that’s the last piece of the old home place that was owned by any of us, I suppose it’s all gone now. I must quantify that the land I owned was on the fringe of the old farm, not the old home itself or anything. That was gone long before I had a say in such things.

The important part is getting one more set of keys off the ring that I drag around behind me like a ball and chain. I also intend to shed a few more keys in the future; I just don’t know how long it might be before that can happen. I spent the better part of an evening trying to figure out which ones of my creditors would get paid and which ones would have to wait. Given that I owe more than twice what the sale is bringing in, there is little danger of me ending up with any cash in hand.

Then again, with my penchant for relieving myself of funds in the most sudden manner, I find the best investment is often the most obvious. I was talking to someone who works at a bank a while back I was told that a certificate of deposit is a good way to invest small amounts of money. “I have an investment that pays a sure-fire 6.35 percent annually with almost no risk of loss and no minimum investment,” I said. Of course, with rates like they are now, that got attention in a big way.

“The loan on my house,” I replied. “Would you like to invest?” Suddenly, the interest in investment was gone, but never the interest on the loan — we are talking about banks here.

Anyway, it was such a relief to finally sell the property and not have to worry about what I was going to do with it. The electric bill, mowing expense and generally worry about the place also had been on my mind a few times. Now I’ll have to find something else to worry about. By the following night, I had developed a low-grade fever to go along with the sore throat, but no other symptoms to speak of. Since I checked my head for fever with my own hand, I’d say the results were far from scientific.

Even so, I toughed it out and put up the split-rail fence around the driveway Friday on my day off. The posts and rails had been laying there by the house for so long that I forgot what the house looked like without them.

Almost every hole I tried to dig seemed to be filled to capacity with rocks, roots and hard soil. Since I once built fence to pay the bills one summer, that was no surprise. Easy digs are harder to find than difficult ones in these mountains. With my big breaker bar and tamper on the job, they were only temporary hold-ups. The big blisters on both of my hands were just as temporary.

I can’t hardly stand to work in gloves. But when you let your hands go soft working on a computer instead of a farm, wearing gloves makes more sense. I had to make a quick run to the hardware store to pickup a few bags of concrete, which I used to seal in the posts.

I was lucky to have a friend come over to help me through most of the project, a fact that I’ll try hard to remember when he calls for help. By Sunday, my voice was returning to normal and my hands were feeling some better. With little to complain about, I decided to spend a restful evening with my family. They woke me up just in time to go home.

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