On another gloriously sunny Sunday, Aaron, of A.P. Maintenance, worked as usual according to Covid -19 practice. He kept his distance, accepted no refreshments, worked to Jackie’s hand-written list; and I paid him on line.
As is my wont, I popped out for a few chats to keep him company – normally this would have been with cups of tea and biscuits – in the circumstances I did this slightly more often than usual –
but we self-distanced.
Naturally a game of Where’s Aaron? ensued. I present a few rounds in increasing degrees of difficulty:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9. A Gold Star if you get this one.
This evening we dined on Jackie’s spicy chicken curry; turmeric flavoured mushroom rice; vegetable samosas, and fresh salad, with which she drank Hoegaarden and I drank Valréas Cotes du Rhone Villages 2016.
I trust Aaron doesn’t mind being the focus of your blog today. At least this is proof that he was on the job!
He knew what I was going to do and was quite happy to oblige. Actually he has gained some local work from blog readers. 🙂 He also has an album of all the prints I have given him of his photos on the job. He’ll get these as well. Thanks very much, Anne.
Isn’t that wonderful that Aaron has gotten work from your blog readers!
It is very satisfying
It’s great that Aaron continues to offer his services to his regular clients. Here in Los Angeles County, “tree maintenance, landscapers, gardeners” are listed among the essential businesses/services.
On Saturday, as is my usual practice, I spent the afternoon outdoors working in our shared garden plots. One neighbor greeted me from his doorway. Another neighbor who is a healthcare worker, wearing a face mask, chatted with me on her return home from the recommended six-foot distance. Another neighbor gave me two clippings from one of his plants. He wasn’t wearing a face mask, but I was sure to put mine on. I find it suffocating to keep it on for long periods of time, so I keep it around my neck. Another neighbor, passing by on his way to the mailbox, greeted me with a smile and commented, “The garden is looking great.”
How great that what brings me peace and joy can brighten the lives of others! Just like your amazing garden does for me. May you and Jackie stay safe and well <3
Thank you so much, Rosaliene. You, too.
So I found Aaron, with increasing difficulty as you suggested. In the last one I can only guess that is him in the red/black top bending over, behind the open door of his truck? It is a counter-intuitive guess as he isn’t wearing that colour anywhere else ……. That or he isn’t there at all?
Nope! Look again, Pauline. 🙂
I’ve failed!! 🙂 I’ll have to get my specs on and have another look……
Thanks a lot, Pauline. I’m so pleased you worked it out together
I loved this! Where’s Waldo was always a favorite of mine. I did find Aaron in the last shot, but it wasn’t easy! Thanks for brightening my day, Derrick!
Ah – ah-ha!! Yes, found that bit of him sticking out – wow, so hard! Needed my specs and a slow and steady trawl through inch by inch 😀 Thanks Jill!
🙂
❤️
Thanks very much Jill. I’m so pleased you and Pauline got it together.
Ahh, good for you that your’e able to hire someone to do the heavy work. I often wondered how Jackie did it all!
Thanks very much, Cindy
Oh, what a good sport Aaron is! He still comes back, so I guess he doesn’t mind your sharing him with all of us. That last one was wonderful. I had to biggify and still had to put on my reading glasses, but I found him!
Well spotted, Jodie. Aaron happily enters into the spirit of it. Thanks very much.
Yes, I know he’s a great sport. : )
What a great sport, in these interesting times. I have some landscapers in my yard, and wanted to respect the physical distancing so left them with a cooler of beverages, and a basket of snacks saying help yourself.
We would have done that with Aaron, but he now comes equipped. He enjoys the photographic bonus – I always give him prints 🙂 Thanks very much, msw.
I haven’t checked any of the other comments but I reckon he’s in the truck with his boot poking out. And I couldn’t find Nugget.
HA! “And I couldn’t find Nugget!” Ha! You made me snort-laugh! 😀
Correct. Nugget doesn’t hang around for his close-up at the moment 🙂 Thanks a lot, John.
Lovely social” shots of your visit-and garden, as ever.
PS Re: “Corvid” usage in the first sentence….I believe that a corvid is a member of the passerine family, such as a crow, magpie, jay, etc….:)
No doubt you meant Covid-19.
Happy Sunday!–it is quite sunny in OR. and a lovely temp for a long walk.
You are quite right, Cynthia. Thanks very much. I’m off to amend now.
🙂 we can always blame those corvids for the virulent bug ….but it wouldn’t help us a bit, sadly… stay healthy.
🙂
How nice to have a willing subject….and good that it has brought him business.
Thanks a lot, Tootlepedal
HA! “Where’s Aaron?” This was such fun! His green shirt was good camouflage! 😉 😀 His white shirt made it easier! 🙂
Aaron needs a silly bright hat like Waldo wears! 😉
Sending Aaron virtual (((HUGS))) for being a great sport and for doing such great work!
(((HUGS))) and <3 to you and Jackie!!! 🙂
PS…think I saw his boot in the last photo…butt not his booty! 😉 😛
Thanks very much, Carolyn. Well spotted. 🙂 XX
I don’t think he likes his photo taken. 🙂
🙂 Thanks very much, Chrissy.
I’d guess he’s in the truck in that last one 😂😂 just too funny! Glad you are keeping yourself entertained
Thanks very much, Lisa. It seemed time for a game 🙂
I thought it was easy until I reached the last one. I am not getting the Gold Star today, Derrick.
It was really difficult. Boot at the bottom of the door. Thanks very much, Dolly.
You are very welcome, Derrick.
He’s well camouflaged. Your garden is brilliant
Thank you very much, Gary.
He’s hiding pretty well, just like Nugget 🤪 In fact so well, that in the last one I’m not able to find him 🤪🤪
Thanks very much, Ribana. It was very difficult. Boot sticking out. 🙂
Either getting in the truck or getting out of the truck in the last picture.
Yes, Ian. Sitting in it for a break. Well spotted. Cheers.
As a former gardener, I didn’t need to look at the last photo (though I did). Reason; when, for whatever reason, tea and sandwiches are not offered by the client, they can reliably be found in one’s work vehicle.
🙂 Nice one, Oglach. Thanks very much.
I spotted a leg and a boot in that last picture. So agree with Emu.
Yep. Well done, Lisa.
I think I see his face reflected in the side view mirror in the last photo.
Like Uma’s, that was a good spot that I hadn’t seen because I was focussed on his boot. Thanks very much Sylvia.
I suspect Aaron can be seen through the rear view mirror of the truck in No 9.
A good spot, Uma – I hadn’t seen that because I was focussed on his boot. Thanks very much.
The boot is untraceable in a mobile!
Ah! Sorry.
I found him in the truck on bigify in #9. Hard to spot! 🙂
That was a tough one, Lavinia. Well spotted.
Curry! Samosas!!! I have a curry frozen that I made two weeks ago but those samosas sound gooood..
Thanks a lot, Judy. Our curry and samosas had been frozen for a while. The samosas actually were from Tesco.
And Tesco is….?
One of our leading supermarkets – sorry you had to ask.
If I had said Costco you might have asked the same question..
🙂
Loved tracking Aaron. Stay safe and healthy
Thanks very much, Muntazir. You too.
I don’t know what happened to our promised sunshine but it didn’t happen here until the end of the afternoon. Lots of wind though.
I love your photographs and I found your faithful gardener via his leg and boot.
Well spotted, Sue. We haven’t had our rain yet. Thanks very much.
A young gardener who works for one of my friends is still working through this pandemic but insists only in the gardens of customers who promise to stay inside and whose gardens he can reach without going through a house or having any face to face contact with his customers. He phones them all the night before for his instructions, they pay him on line and he takes his own refreshments. He waves through the window and everyone is happy with this arrangement. Apparently he gets quite irritated if a customer breaks the agreement!
Good for him, Jenny. Thanks very much – good to see you on here
I claim my Gold Star. Aaron is behind the wooden fence on the right.
Crafty, John. But look for the boot. 🙂 Thanks a lot.
He certainly does a good job!
He does, indeed. And works at a steady, fast, rate. Thanks a lot, Andrew.
Aaron sure is a great guy, you’re lucky to have him! You almost got me with the Where’s Aaron? pics – and I want my gold star!!
Pick one out of the sky tonight, GP. Thanks very much.
I had to bigify two of the photos, but I got 100% for the challenge.
Well done, Liz. Accept a virtual Gold Star. Thanks very much.
Thanks! 😀
I spend so much time at work with my head stuck in the trunk of my car that I suspected he might be inside in the last photo. So it was! It was a fun series, Derrick.
I’m pleased it was fun, Linda. Thanks very much.
I like how you made this into a game of “Where’s Aaron?” I definitely had to bigify to find him in some of the shots. 😀 I think landscaping is considered “essential” in some areas, but not in others here (since each state has different restrictions).
Thank you very much, Merril. It seemed time for a game 🙂
Domestic beauty is one of our best weapons. See the beauty.
Thank you very much, Micheline
Couldn’t find him that last picture,even though I enlarged it. Tricksy! How you must miss having tea and biscuits with Aaron. At least he can still come over and work in the garden. That’s something, anyway.
It is a real boon – a friendship, too. His boot hangs out of the doorway. It was really tough, Laurie. Thanks very much.
I know I’m supposed be focusing on finding Aaron, but all I can focus on right now is how much I could go for some chicken curry… 🙂
Priorities, Julie 🙂 Thanks very much.
I can see a foot…
Very well spotted, Lindsey. You win a virtual Gold Star.
I looked and looked but couldn’t find him anywhere so I surmised he’d tucked himself away in his truck – read the comments – looked again and there he was. 🙂
Thanks a lot for persevering, Widders. Well spotted.
I failed today – scanned the cab and decided that he must be in a high-vis jacket through the window. Even after being given the answer I struggled to spot the black boot against the black tyre in the deep shadows. Pah!
It was very tough, Quercus. Thanks very much.
I think you are slipping back into Mordred mode. Very cryptic photo, that last one. 🙂
To tell you the truth, through the lens the boot looked clearer.
No excuses – I failed where others succeeded. 🙂
You are so useless 🙂
Julia often says so too. 🙂