I spent much of the day mowing the lawn. Richard used to mow two acres. I have cut it down to one, and I’m not keeping up. First it wouldn’t start, the lawnmower that is. Jon, my son, had used it for a while just to see if it would work, and it did. He mowed under my clothes line so I could walk out there in the morning without getting wet up to my knees. He mowed a trail to the chicken house, the cabin and the car too. (I have really heavy dew in the mornings.)
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I called Jon and told him it wouldn’t start. He came over the next day, 30 miles each way, and discovered I had not lifted the blade when I tried to start it. I thought I had. I pushed that lever as far up as it would go. . . but you have to press down first. Oh Shit.
So now it has been working like a champ. I discovered mowing in reverse, my favorite, I can go back over a spot several times in tight places. My mower’s turning radius is pretty big. I make a lot of circles and tear drop shapes, wide sweeping turns. They are beautiful to see, except for the shaggy spots I miss. I was chugging along pretty well but the mower was getting hard to steer. Finally, I looked down. My tire wasn’t just flat, it was coming off. I stared at it for a minute, but the Corgis decided it was time to play. They were glad for the peace and quiet. So what if the whole lawn isn’t mowed. So what if there are wide strips of un-mowed grass in the middle of the mowed parts. I live fifteen stinking miles from town. My curb appeal will not hurt anyone else’s property values. You can’t even see my place from the gravel road. I have more important things to worry about. . . like I pulled a tick off my head, and it’s head is still in my head. There’s a bump. I hope I don’t get Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. The problem is a long way from my heart. . . although it’s pretty close to my brain. So far, I feel fine. If I don’t show up for class, somebody check. . . . “they” say if you die in your house, the dogs will stand by you but the cat will eat you. My cat’s been on a diet for two weeks.
June 3, 2017
by Diane Johnson