Monday, June 10, 2013

A.P.D.: The One-Trip Pony Edition

No, that is not a typo. I know the common phrase is "one-trick pony."  Just to clear that up right off. Now, on to the topic at hand . . .

We have a fairly large front porch. There's a hammock there, and a rocking chair, and a very nice view. There is also, unfortunately, an ever-changing collection of junk that accumulates there. It's mostly stuff that A. takes out of his car when he parks in his accustomed spot directly in front of the porch. The porch is the closest covered spot to dump stuff when he has to clear his car out.

Which is why we've had two bags of salt (for melting the ice on the steps), a huge roll of plastic tubing (for a water heating system that never quite materialized), and four bags of mortar mix (to finish the stone chicken coop that A. started in the fall) sitting there for months. Until I got sick of looking at them and decided to get rid of them.

There were actually many, many more things on the porch, but for this topic, those are the relevant ones. Because they are heavy. They are things I can't easily carry myself in my arms, so I had to use the wheelbarrow to transport them.

The roll of tubing wasn't too heavy, just kind of awkward because of its size. The bags of salt were 40 pounds each, so no big deal to put both of them in the wheelbarrow and  move them around the house to the shed.

But the bags of mortar mix . . . HOLY HELL. The bags themselves are pretty small, but that's only because the mortar itself is so damn heavy. I mean, we're basically talking powdered rock. You wouldn't want to try to carry a big bag of it, that's for sure. Even these small bags were 60 pounds each. And there were four of them.

I carried them one by one down the porch steps and dumped them in the waiting wheelbarrow. Then I tipped the handles of the wheelbarrow up and commenced wheeling.

JESUS.

I realized immediately that I had overloaded the wheelbarrow. But did I stop and take out a couple of bags, reducing my load to a more-sane 120 pounds? No, I did not. Even though I had to rest halfway to the shed and I was a little afraid the wheelbarrow might just buckle before I got there, I did not make two trips.

Because I am a one-trip pony.

If I can possibly do what needs to be done in only one trip, I will do it. Even if it means carrying fifty pounds of groceries looped on my arm, leaving my skin with red marks where the bag handles have cut into me. Even if it means wheezing like an asthmatic because I'm carrying two full laundry baskets stacked together up the stairs.

Even if it means 240 pounds in a wheelbarrow that I'm pretty sure has a 200-pound maximum capacity.

One trip. Always.

I realize there are many people who are not like this. Who will take multiple trips to save themselves some pain and hassle.

So there's the question, poppets: Do you take multiple trips to accomplish a task? Or do you grimly power through just the one trip?

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness. Throughout my youth and early adulthood, I was definitely a one trip kinda' gal. My aging body has shown me the folly of my ways. Actually, it has shown me more than once because I am truly a slow learner. Sigh Timberdawn

Anonymous said...

Obviously we are blood. Just like you, I'd rather hurt once then spread the pain into many trips...
-moi

Lindsey at NW Backyard Veggies said...

One tripper, right here. I have been known to come from car to house with 3 bags of groceries, a computer bag, my purse, my lunch basket and gallon of milk dangling from a finger.

I always overload the left side - so I look like a crazy, cantilevered delivery person, with, like, a random bottle of milk in my right hand.

ps - I've actually buckled a wheelbarrow before. But full disclosure, the thing was a piece of shit to begin with.

Anonymous said...

If I were smart, I'd make multiple trips up the steps with the groceries. But nooooo. Now that the bags are too much for one trip, I plop them up. You know--move 2 bags up 2 steps and plop; move the other 2 bags up 2 steps and plop. Move the first 2, plop; move the second 2; plop. The cat watches and laughs at me.

Drew @ Willpower Is For Fat People said...

I've busted at least one wheelbarrow.

Anonymous said...

One trip, always, if it's even remotely feasible. Why walk the same route more than once if it's not necessary? I'm all about efficiency of motion...

Sister’s Sailor said...

I get called a Sherpa in the airport....

mil said...

I can't believe you shifted that mortar. But you have my UNDYING thanks!

Rose said...

One trip or else! I now know that I can carry 75 lbs of feed on one shoulder and 50 lbs of feed in my other hand all the way to the barn! I also know that this particular combination results in shoulder pain for 3 days. At least I didn't have to make two trips....

CC said...

Once and done!

Karla at A Season On The Mountain said...

I try with all my might to be a one-trip pony! But tired hips force me to think twice. Now I just chant over and over "Slow and steady wins the race". It doesn't help.