It's the way things are right now.

Dave and George stayed until 11 last night. Working hard the whole time.

Dave is out there now working hard again, almost done. I guess. That's what he says anyway. But I have prevailed upon him to leave a stump for sitting. He told me today, "We bit off more than we could chew." 

Duh. I knew that.

Then he said, "But there came a point when it was going to be either the tree or me, and I wasn't going to be defeated by a tree."

Later I came out and brought him a diet 7up. I said, "I hope you won't be offended by what I'm going to say." 
He got a look on his face that indicated he might be hurt and said, "What's that?"
I said, "Next time I need a tree cut I won't mention it to anyone in the ward."
He laughed--not offended--and said, "Next time you need a tree cut, I'm going to hide."

Well, we chuckled, but I kind of thought his comment indicated he thought I wanted him/ward members/high priests to do it. I'm not offended, but I do protest that I DID NOT. I had already hired the guy to come and do it, but when I got home from Utah, it was begun by Dave, George, and the bishop. I thought, "Okay." But it wasn't okay. Not really. It was simply too big a tree, too big a job.

They work hard, but they didn't have the proper equipment or any safety equipment, and what would have taken the guy I hired a day and a half has taken them a month. And, truly, I haven't been impatient as much as I have been worried about them the whole time.

Does that sound like I don't appreciate what they have done? I hope not, because I do. I just think it could have been so much simpler.  And easier on Dave.

And besides, how do I possibly thank them? 

P.S. It's done.
Here's what Dave said as he prepared to leave. "I think this is the last tree I'll do, but it's done and I'm alive and so there." 
I said, "You know I was happy to pay someone to do it."
He said, "We did it as a service project. Anyone who knows what service means will understand that."
I said, "Thank you, Dave." Again.
And here's what I say about Dave. He knows how to work. He is thorough and tenacious, and he finishes what he starts.