Maximum Joy for a Minimum Investment




Big Max is currently 40 inches in circumference
 

Around these parts I like to use something called the "Work to Fun" ratio as a yardstick for spending our family's precious free time. Let me give a random example.

A man buys a boat for several thousand dollars, and then spends several hundred more for insurance and licensing. The boat needs some work before it can be "enjoyed," and it is located four hours away. The man's wife (who uses a bathroom that hasn't been remodeled since 1938) works on weekends selling real estate and cannot get away often. She has begun receiving bills for the boat's storage, however.
 
The maiden voyage of this craft on a 108 degree day resulted in a lost ski tube, whining offspring, and a van which ran out of gas on the launch ramp. The Work on a scale of 1-10 was a 10, and the resultant Fun was a 2. You do the math: 10/2=5. Anytime that ratio exceeds 1, it's not worth it for me. For the sake of balance, the man claims he did all the work and that the ratio is a subjective measure. Point taken.

Back to Big Max. After throwing several seeds in a raised bed during June, there is now a pumpkin the size of a VW in my yard. Note the weeds--I've been busy. This is Missouri, and the drought continues. We can only wonder how big Max would be if it had rained! Big Max Pumpkins have a Work to Fun ratio of just 10% and are highly recommended.