How To Get A Man To Work In The Garden

This was actually easier than I thought, though I had some unexpected help:

I should mention in advance that I saw two main problems that yearned for a solution:

a) The leaves that were everywhere (we have quite a lot of trees here, now all almost bare, most of them maple and beech trees, plus some apple and cherry trees and a prominent oak), and

 b) The withered aconite that needed a good cutting. And no, it really didn't look like this anymore. It was a rather sad view..

Problem was, I had to work all day and nowadays, it gets dark pretty early, around 4:30 in the afternoon. This was the only day we had without rain this week, and we're supposed to get the first snow this weekend.

Things really needed to get done.

My Mom, creative as she can be if she only wants to, came up with an idea: Why don't you guys attach the snow shovel to the riding mower and drag the leaves into piles? She mentioned this to my father-in-law, and what happened?

THIS:

Father-in-law loves using the riding mower, and I can see why. It's kind of Zen moving around in circles. Some people doodle, others take a bath or do yoga. Father-in-law mowes the lawn.

Am I the only one who thinks: "Can't Buy Me Love was so unrealistic!"? 

But I don't want to sound ungrateful. I'm really glad that he has both the time and the patience to do it. And the garden looks so much better now!

As for the aconite: My significant other has a penchant for knives though I don't think he has many opportunities to use them. But here I found him one... What can I say? He acted like he had to clear his way through the jungle with a machete. And took some pain relievers for his back afterwards.

Had I just know earlier... but I guess I'll remember this principle from now on:

Make it fun and it will get done!