Doing the 'Heavy Looking On'

This stone wall panther has perfected the art of 'heavy looking on', adorably evil, ain't he?

Once upon a time I worked on an estate. I ran around and gardened, farmed and got into all sorts of trouble. Invariably whenever something was broken or a new strategy was required the hands would gather round in the barn and discuss what ought to be done. My first year there pretty much ended up being the last year for Old Harold, who'd spent the bulk of his life living on the estate and working for the Big House. He was sweet, funny and had the sort of dry humor I adored that seems pretty much to have vanished... Anyway, he used an expression I find myself using more and more as the years trip by and that is by giving minimal opinion and offering no physical labor Harold would choose to do the 'heavy looking on'. I loved that. So for me these last few cold, frozen, snow covered days find me frequently and choicelessly doing the 'heavy looking on' as well.