My Afternoon Thots

Occasionally there is a time and a place for an extra thot, or two. Today seems like one of those days. Today I am barely able to move anything but my mind without too much pain, but on the whole that is better than having the mind, or heart in pain. Believe me, I know.
Today is simple enough. It is another segment in the continuing episodes of Lawn Mowing! That should come with a drum roll and trumpets, use your imagination.

I came up here with a environmentally sound manual (is that the right word?) lawn mower, one you push and it cuts the grass. If it only did that, everything would be fine, but it only cuts certain kinds of grass. If the grass is too tall, or too coarse, it only cuts some of it and then only if I go over it three or four times. The lawn mower is light, but it is like cutting the yard several times in one day each time I use it.

I decided to use my son's power mower. He was concerned that I would not be able to start it. No problem there, push in that funny button three times, pull the rip cord and Voila! It starts better than most lawn mowers I've had to start. The problem is its size. I don't remember what the normal lawn mower engine is, but this one is 5.5 which is enough power to drag me around the yard behind it. It is too heavy not to use that lever that makes it go. I can barely get it up and down the little inclines and over the potholes without some kind of help, but oh the help I get. One touch of that forward lever and off we go, helter skelter across the yard, over any poor shrub not big enough to have woody stems and bouncing across the potholes that grab at my ankles and toes.

I finally worked out a delicate system of touch and quickly letting go, using just enough power to help me negotiate the parts I couldn't push it over and I wore leather gloves today because last time my hands were so badly bruised I could barely move them. Still the rest of me aches and hurts in unbelievable ways. It might be time to do some negotiating with the guys upstairs. I babysit for free all the time (which I already do) and they mow my yard once a week. It is a small yard and I hate having to rely on someone else to do something I like done a certain way, but this may be one of those times it is necessary.