Monday, May 25, 2009

My New Wheels :)

I have been begging asking Matt to get a riding lawn mower. We have a LOT of grass to mow around here...not just around the yard, but by the pond, around the chicken house, and by the barn. Of course, Jacob always mows the yard and he really doesn't like it when anybody else does it. :) Apparently, he doesn't like the way we mow. :) (He always takes his time and does such a good job.) But that's ok...I don't like mowing with a push mower. And we've never ever had a riding lawn mower. But I have always wanted one.

So, Matt being the kind husband he is, finally got a riding lawn mower for me last week. Granted, it's not a new one. No where close to being new, in fact. But that's ok. It's a rider and it mows. :) I was so excited!! Meet my new $100 ride...

Now that I've given it a whirl...or two...and "mowed" the yard (let's see, I think Matt actually used the word "butchered")...I'm wondering why I really wanted one. :) Do they require a driver's license to drive these things? I thought I could just hop on it, put it in gear, lower the blade, and go-o-o-o-o! Within the first 20 minutes, I had chipped a good-sized chunk of concrete off the concrete pad at the bottom of the back steps (don't ask)...pushed over one of our year old pear trees (I heard it crack, but it isn't wilting yet so I'm assuming it'll live)...threw the belt off the transmission (or it was something like that I heard Matt mutter while looking under the mower)...and covered the cabbage plants in grass. :) Matt wasn't happy about the concrete or the cabbage...I didn't actuallly "confess" what I did to the pear tree until the next day...I looked out the window first thing the next morning to see if it was dead. When I saw it was still standing, I, as casually as I could, mentioned the little "accident". And Jacob was not happy that I had "butchered" the yard. Personally, I didn't think the yard looked that bad. Sure, I had missed a swipe or two here and there, but it didn't look awful!

To appease the angry mob, I promised I would not mow the yard again. I am confined now to just mowing around the barn and possibly around the chicken house (at least the chickens don't mind what the grass looks like).

After supper tonight, I told Matt I thought I'd go mow around the barn. It went smooth this time, honest. Looks nice and neat. Pleased with my efforts, I head towards the chicken house. I'm mowing happily along...cut grass flowing out the side of the mower. Life is good. The grass seems a little thick here and there, the mower seems to bog down just a bit, but it's still moving forward (albeit a bit sluggish). I see Jacob running toward me waving his arms...I see his mouth moving but can't hear what he's saying....looks like he might be saying, "You're chugging it down...grass is too thick. STOP!" Yep, that's what he's saying allright...I hear that last word "STOP" as the blades start making a loud racket and the mower shuts down. Gray smoke boiling from the blades and the engine.

My mowing days are over. I'm through. Jacob took my keys.

6 comments:

Sandra said...

That is TOO funny Lori! I too thought a riding mower would be good. But after mowing 2 weeks and leaving behing spots that weren't cut and going to the chiropractor who told me riding lawn mowers are terrible for you back, I too gave them up!

Lady Farmer said...

That is hilarious! But I can't relate...I am the one who mows around here ~ about 3 acres! I love my old John Deere rider. I paid abouta $600 for her several years ago and she was old then! I really need a new one but don't have the money. Can't retire the old girl just yet. But I have had my eye one a shiney 48 inch new fangled one. Then it should only take me about 4 hours of mowing instead of the 8 it takes now! :~O
Blessings!

Barbara said...

That is too funny, I know the delima indeed, and now I leave the mowing to my dear hubby, he is the real farmer in our family.

Jennifer said...

How funny! It's been a few years since I've had to mow the grass.

About the jar . . . mama bought a bath scrunchy, a bottle of lotion, two sticks of lip gloss, miniture Hersheys and Three Musketeers, some rubber bands for her hair, and a picture holder in the middle. The picture/note holder looked like a huge paper clip! I wish I would have remembered to take a picture of it all because it was really cute! Gina has more on her sight.

Domestically Inclined said...

Oh Lori, I am so sorry! All those dreams of a riding lawn mower down the drain. I feel your pain. I've been asking honey for a 4 wheeler and he keeps telling me "I don't think so" maybe I should just learn my lesson through you.

Keeper of the Home said...

Oh my goodness! That is hilarious!!!

~Mrs. M