"I'm a Lumberjack, and I'm O.K."

O.K.

I'm gonna cut right to the Country Music chase.

Sorry, folks, no casual witty preamble this time round.

We're clearing out a bunch of cedars that are growing like weeds back in our forest, and I've got to go play lumberjack.

Well, really, I'm not a full-fledged lumberjack. I don't wield any tree cutting implements... I am responsible for picking stuff up and dragging it to the "to-be-burned" pile....and fetching snacks.

I guess that makes me a Lumberjack Assistant.

A Sous Lumberjack, so to speak.

Although, now that I actually think about it, I am really a key player in this operation...my main job is pointing at the specific trees that I want My Guy to cut down and to also explain why other trees and branches should remain.

I guess that kinda makes me Head Lumberjack.

If I wore a hard hat, it would be white.

I'm Upper Management.

Upper Forestry Management.

CFO...Chief Forestry Officer.

Damn....so much for cutting to the Country Music Chase. I can't help but write casual witty preambles....it's in my blood.

:D

So, without further ado....or casual witty preambles...here's:

"squirrel_e_girl & The Girl's Country Tune of the Week"

Last year, I wrote a post about how I fell back in love with country music. In that post, I referenced 3 songs that were guaranteed to make me cry.

One of those songs has a much stronger effect on me than the other two. I can come into the song late and only catch the last verse and it wrecks me. I can challenge myself to NOT cry and attempt to freeze my heart and I still end up all teary-eyed and verklempt.

The song is one of the best examples of cheesily blatant emotional manipulation I've ever encountered.

Last week, we were driving home from my super yummy birthday dinner and the song in question came on the radio.

Me- “Uh oh”

My Guy - “‘Uh oh’ what??"

Me - "......"

My Guy- "Oooooh...right. Uh oh.”

The Girl and The Boy (in unison)- “What?”

Me- “Wait for it.”

And The Boy went back to ignoring any and all things country and The Girl settled in for a good listen.

First verse finished...

The Girl- “Oh...dumb boy. They should just take the girl. If it was me, I'd say ‘No way! I'm going too’.”

Me - “Wait for it.”

Second verse ended...

The Girl - “Awwwwww...that's so sweet.”

Me - “Wait for it.”

Third and final verse finished...I turned around to look at The Girl through my tear-filled eyes...

Me - “hmmm?”

The Girl - sniffle sniffle sniffle “THAT'S SO SAD!!!” sniffle sniffle sniffle

In the meantime, we’d pulled into the driveway and had been waiting in the car for the "Big Finish".

The song ended and My Guy, The Girl and I dragged ourselves, sad and near-sobbing, out of the car and into the house.

The Boy followed us in, shaking his head.

The Boy - “You guys are weird.”

And if by “weird”, he meant “Super Sensitive but Super Awesome!!!” ....

He’s totally right.

Thanks, Dude!!

O.K.

Here is our this week’s pick:

“Don't Take The Squirrel” by Tim McGraw

p.s. I didn't even end up going out to play CFO...I am actually writing this sitting on a bench in a horse paddock.

To Explain:

The Girl asked me to take her to the barn for a last minute riding lesson with “her” new horse. She and her Nana are part-boarding a horse while his owner heads out to the East Coast to university.

Lucky Girl.

Beyond Generous Nana.

And I get to live out my childhood “I would kill for a horse” fantasies vicariously through her...without her having to kill anyone.

His name is Lincoln.

He is beautiful.

We are in love.

He is my new boyfriend.

Oh yeah.

:D

**************************

As an added bonus:

And, here is a (very poor quality...or is it artsy and ethereal?) picture of The Girl and My New Boyfriend, Lincoln: