View from the North 40: How can I help you? Or not

To be fair, my husband and I both knew it was just a courtesy when I offered to run to town with him to help find and fill out some paperwork because I’m about as attentive and effective at paperwork as the average 5-year-old asked to clean his bedroom.

I stayed home to tackle something that suited my skill set: Clearing out a good-sized grove of dead chokecherry trees and saplings. Nothing like a good ol’ mindless physical task to give you time to reflect on your personal history of helpfulness.

Like the time I was helping a friend who was remodeling her old farm house, and I was giv...