An OxyMoron

Yes, I am the Oxymoron..... A City-Farm girl ...Who'd a thunk it??
I worked the weekend but had Monday and Tuesday off. I may have been off from my regular job but I did indeed work.... and I mean "work".
Chuck absolutely loves farming. Having his own construction business has allowed him to take off and help some of his friends plant and harvest. I think 'helping out' finally got to him because last year he started up Tobacco farming again. His dad farmed tobacco when he was growing up and farms some now, more like a hobby. So it's fair to say that Chuck has farming experience.... me, on the other hand..... not so much. The only thing I wanted to know growing up was who was going to take me to the beach.
Last year was my first taste of an actual farming life. I helped set the tobacco (but only for a few hours), and I learned how to strip the tobacco later that fall. I also rode down with Chuck one day when he delivered the tobacco and saw the whole "checking-in" process. I believe we sold our tobacco to Phillip Morris
This year I worked my butt off... well, not really cuz it's still there ... Monday we started at 8am. It was cool and the clouds were out but by noon the clouds were gone and the sun was blazing. We had three teenage boys come help. They were on the setter and Josh and Caleb took turns being the fourth person to set. I walked behind the setter fixing any plants that were messed up and planting in any spots that got missed. There was a lot of walking, then squat to plant.... walking, then bend to fix a plant.... walking and bending, walking and squatting...
After noon, the mixture of hot sun and all the bending and standing, I really started to get a headache. I know I sit all day in the a/c but I really do enjoy physical work, I just can't take the sun.... I've always been that way. The dizziness started so I headed for the house to cool off.
Tuesday was more of the same. One of our good teenage setters had to work at his other job so he suggested we get his two younger brothers to help. Well, they were alright, I guess. This was their first time doing this and I really don't think the one boy wanted to be there.
Anyway, as the day progressed the kids took turns on the setter. We had moved over to the second field and it was getting hot. I was getting another headache and close to my breaking point. On the setter was one of the older teenagers, Caleb and the two new boys. The other teenager and I were walking behind fixing the plants. Well, they weren't doing a very good job. I'll just put it this way.... It would have been quicker and more efficient if we had just ditched the tractor and manually set the plants. We basically crawled along in the dirt replanting the entire row. I was NOT a happy camper.
Chuck came back up from the house with another batch of plants. I stood up and walked to the end of the field.... steaming from both the heat and my anger ... he asked if I was Ok then said I could take a break if I wanted to. I opened my mouth to utter one of the several smart alec comments flooding my brain, but I decided to bite my tongue. I took a breath and simply replied, "I'm going to the house!"