Vanaprastha Weightlifting Club

by | Dec 29, 2014 | Family, Nature | 0 comments |

“Grunt it up, you old lady!”

“I’ll show you, you old man!”

VanaprasthaWeightliftingClubWelcome to the Vanaprastha Weightlifting Club, membership two hearty, humorous souls. (Thank you to our son Alex for giving us these wonderful t-shirts!)

Keith and I are gut-centered types. In terms of the Enneagram, he’s an Eight with a head-centered seven wing, and I’m a One with a heart-centered two wing. The combination creates an interesting partnership.

When butting up against one another, a common occurrence for personalities like ours, Keith defaults to confrontation, and I return with direct hits. Feedback for improvement, solicited or not, flies between the two of us whether we’re cooking, editing each other’s writing or woodcutting.


DownedTreeThe night before Christmas Eve, two trees downed in high winds. Over the weekend, Keith and I cut up the tree that partially blocked the driveway and winched down the 8-foot stump of the other. The remainder of that tree had snapped off and fallen into the woods below the lower woodpile, pictured here.

After two hours, I wanted to keep going, but Keith declared stop. “I don’t think we have enough gas for the chain saw. Also, it will take at least another hour to finish, and I’m tired. We might be able do it, but I’d be worthless tomorrow,” Keith said using his head. “Let’s pack up. Leave the chain saw, log roller, strap and rope, eye and ear covers and our gloves in the truck.”

My heart went out to him. “We can pick up some Ethanol-free gas tomorrow at that station on the way home from church and cut the rest of that tree next week. It’ll be our weightlifting workout. Remember to shake the sawdust out of your clothes. Put them on the washing machine, and I’ll throw them in with the laundry on Monday.”

“Good plan, you old lady.”

“I love you, you old man.”

 

Are you gut, heart or head-centered? Follow the Enneagram link then leave a comment here.

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