Fall Life Lessons - New England Style - the wood stacking edition

Stacking wood is a chore. A chore for the entire family. As big of a beating as it might be I love it. It makes me feel like fall. It makes me feel like we are preparing for winter and it is something that we always do together. It can also be great exercise and a little tough on your back.

The Stacking Crew:

The Daddy - Generally a happy, methodical stacker. (This is dependent on the temperature outside, what sports are on the television, and how whiny the children are.) He enjoys quiet, repetitive, physical work with his family and tends to work in a slow and steady manner.

The Mommy - Typically a hysterical stacker. Meaning - the Mommy recognizes that the window of cooperative and free slave labor is generally short so she stacks like a crazy person generally moving into the high pitched "come on guys- just a little more - we can do this!!!" tone of voice by minute 30 or so.

The 10 year old oldest female stacker - This stacker is generally highly motivated by the promise of a possible itunes song purchase so this can be a very valuable stacking force. When motivated - a ten year old is a stacking machine. When not motivated or feeling emotional for any reason this stacker is virtually useless.

The 8 year old middle child female stacker - This is by far the worst stacker.This stacker will actually be from here on referred to as "the chatter". The chatter will more than likely wind up moving 5, possibly 6, pieces of wood during the entire stacking session. The chatter is almost always in a good mood, will generally have to go to the bathroom 5 times, and is often good comic relief.

The 6 year old baby of the family male stacker - while small can actually be a powerful stacker. This stacker is motivated by one thing and one thing only - hanging out with the Daddy. Stacking wood with Daddy is the coolest thing ever. (This is once again contingent on the weather, sports on the television, and how whinny other stackers are. This can also be contingent on hunger.) A splinter in the finger is a day ending calamity for this stacker and something that should be avoided at all costs.