Timber!

Charlie has a new toy in the garage that he likes to play with on the weekends. It is a chainsaw. He has cut up a lot of trees in the woods for firewood and cut down some smaller size trees. The boys like to help and yell "timber". But one time it was "timber, oh crap dad" "did you mean to do that" "you better get it off the road". Good thing there were no cars coming down the highway.
So he has been wanting to cut down this sweetgum tree on the edge of the woods because it is the only one that could really damage the house if it fell since it leans towards the house and those dang things all over the yard, hurt when you step on them. It is a VERY LARGE triple-trunked tree. He told me the other day he thought he could do it himself and being the honest wife I said "Every tree that you have cut down has went in the complete opposite direction you wanted it to go, but if you think you can than ~okay.  His dad, that weekend he was here, had told Charlie what he needed to do differently and to do it correctly, as Boyd has cut down plenty of trees and I think I have been there to help a couple times (supervise or hold their beer). I just figured this tree would more than likely be here for a long time...
Funny how things happen.
A guy rang the doorbell this afternoon asking if I needed any trees cut down or cleared out of the woods. At first, I was little skeptical but thought what the heck and  I asked him what he thought it would cost to cut down that sweetgum tree. He gave me a price at which I laughed and said no thanks... They had been working down the road with a crew of 8 guys and they were just in the area. A couple minutes later the boys came running into the kitchen again and said someone's here again. It was the whole crew and their boss. He said we'll do it for you right now today for a great deal since I got the guys. I still wasn't sure and said that's not a great deal, so of course I told him I had to call my husband to see if he was even interested.
Of course Charlie was able to get a great deal after a lot of back and forth and I am positive it was a lot cheaper than a hospital bill or a new roof and I think those guys each pocketed some extra money. I honestly think they were just driving around asking people to cut down trees even with the Big Al's Tree Service shirts.
I wish I had taken some pictures to post here. The boys sat on the side of the porch watching so intensly eating their pushups. One guy climbed up to the top of the tree and Braedyn asked what is that diaper thing (it was a harness), he hooked the rope and came down, then they had 7 guys on the rope pulling on it way out in the woods. When they finally got it loose and it came crashing down, Braedyn said "Are they dead?" He was worried because they didn't emerge out of the woods for quite awhile. They must have quick reflexes, it was a BIG tree! After about 1/2 hr, they were done and now Charlie will have fun cutting it up in pieces to enjoy by the fire all summer!