I was married to Darren. My family was planning a gathering and wanted to have it at my house since I am most centrally located. I was very hesitant about this, partially because most of them never want to come here and partially because it meant I would need to take the time to clean my house. I really didn't feel like I had the time to do that right now. Jody S is there and we're talking about it with some of the others who are on the phone. Mother is one of the people on the phone. They say something about bringing cleaning supplies with them for me to use after they all leave. I finally agreed. Darren and I are each doing separate things but talking while we are doing whatever it is. He asks me if Chris A and Edith A will be coming, that he hopes they will. I say that I don't know that they will because they aren't often able to participate in family gatherings unless it is a special event like a wedding. He says something about it not being that far of a drive from TH. I tell him that they don't live in TH. I don't like the tone I use when I say this to him. It's the kind of tone that when people use it on me makes me feel like they think I'm an idiot. I tell him they live in Mount Vernon. He doesn't know where that is and I try as best I can to explain to him. I go outside and am walking around the house looking at the flowerbeds on each side of the house. I'm starting to pull the few straggler weeds that I spot because I went the beds to look nice when the family comes. I'm standing looking at the various plants in the front flowerbed and realize that I don't remember what they all are because most of them aren't blooming yet. I decide that I'll just have to get out my flowerbed plan because I know when Mother comes she will ask me what they are. I bend down to pull a weed from the front flower bed and a thick, long root comes up with it. It comes out fairly easily. I was surprised by this root but also surprised that it came up so easily. I spot another and pull it up and the same thing happens. It's another of these thick, long roots. I turn and look at the front yard and realize that the entire yard is riddle with these roots lying just beneath the surface of the grass. You can tell where they all are because they push the lawn up just a bit wherever they are. The pattern they create reminds me of varicose veins. Darren comes out and I tell him that I don't like the idea of my family seeing the yard look like this, that I think we should pull them all up. I realize that it will disturb the grass and it still won't look as good as a healthy lawn, but I think it will look better than these roots. I think this looks disgusting, diseased. He doesn't seem to want to pull them up. I don't know if it's because he thinks it will just be impossible, too hard, or he simply just doesn't want to. I pull one up to show him how easily they come up and toss it to the side. It requires hardly any effort at all. I pull another one up and it comes up just as easily. I realize that Darren just isn't going to help. I stand there looking at the huge front lawn and debating whether or not to attempt to pull them all up by myself before the family gathering.