Of course, it very nearly killed me, so it's kinda one of those good news-bad news things.
Anyway, got up and got out at about 9 Saturday morning and dragged out the lawnmower, hoping with all my being that it would crank. AND IT DID! Hooray.
Then there was the grass cutting.
When I borrowed my father-in-law's mower last week, I didn't lower it down to the height I usually cut. This neatened up the grass very nicely, and left it pretty and green. But tall. This weekend, I went ahead and cut it all down to the height I usually do, leaving it stubbly and brown. And leaving me THOROUGHLY EXHAUSTED. So to speak.
Due to the height, and the continual need to empty the grass catcher with every half lap of the yard, it took THREE HOURS to cut the whole thing--nearly two hours longer than usual. I can say with pride that the Briggs and Stratton four stroke reliably pumped out several hundred pounds of combustion by-products with nary a bobble, and cranked on the first pull every single time. I suppose the problem beforehand had been one of it being so completely flooded that it required a whole week for the fuel in the carburetor to evaporate.
ANYway, such a long time breathing in the rich effluent of carbon monoxide tends to clear the mind and allow one to think deep thoughts about world events. I am now convinced more than ever that there would be far less hatred and bloodshed in this world if we could just get people to put down their guns and come cut my grass instead. Yardwork in the blazing sun tends to damp down any feelings of vengeance. Well, unless you run over a bed of fire ants.
After completing my arduous task, completed by mowing only a six inch wide swath on each pass to keep the mower from bogging down, I came inside and cleaned up to get ready for the AFTERNOON FUN!
School supply shopping!
Posted by Terry Oglesby at August 7, 2006 11:22 AM