My family and I bought the house in Riverside back in February. The move marked the beginning of a chapter that included a new career and a new city. It's been 10 months and with this column, I've kept you up to date with my assimilation into a new life.
So far, it is probably my favorite era of mine. Yes, even better than my college years. I no longer have to rely on delicious—and sometimes dangerous—Taco Bell because my wallet had more business cards than cash. I have enough money and time to make my own bean and cheese burritos, thank you very much.
But there has been a change that I did not see coming but I am fully embracing: A handyman. Did you know that when you buy a house, you're in charge of fixing anything you break AND you have to pay for it? What a concept.
As soon as we moved in, I let it be known I was going to be in charge of maintaining the grass. If teenage Anthony would hear himself say that, he wouldn't believe it. As a kid, my dad put me in charge of helping him cut the yard at their house. It was a chore I hated, dreaded, and most importantly, didn't think it was a skill I would need to be a famous writer.
I was wrong.
The other day, my day job asked me to sign in on my day off because they needed me to write something for them. My response was: "Sure, right after I finish my yard work."
Shhhh, if you're quiet enough, you can probably hear young Anthony laughing at adult Anthony as he rides his scooter to Blockbuster to rent a movie.
I am fully committed to my yard. During the first month after we moved, the grass in the back needed a cut. In what I thought was a smart move, I used the lawn mower to take off a substantial amount, thinking it would buy me a few weeks.
A few days later, the grass was dead. The back yard went from looking like a green oasis, to a Joe Dirt. It was a lesson I will save to pass to my children in the future. I can already see how that conversation would go:
"When you buy a house and you need to cut the yard, don't kill it!"
"Dad, we don't have to worry about that. Our gardner knows what he's doing!"
Gahhhhhhh, I guess this is why my parents moved to the U.S.
It took some time, but two months ago, I put my boots on, grabbed what I think is a shovel and I started to flip the dirt. It was time to finally fix my mistake. My wife did her research and bought a bag of grass seeds. Based on a few videos and some knowledge passed on from my dad, I started to plant a new batch of grass.
And lo and behold, I guess I have a green thumb.
Unfortunately, now I need to cut it. This time, not too short.
Anthony was born and raised in Pomona. After a decade in education, he now writes for Southern California News Group, LA Times, and LA Taco. He recently moved to Riverside with his wife Evelyn.
