Pride-Swallowing-Grass-Mowing Summer

Do you want the good news first, or the bad?

The good news is two-fold. MY LAWN MOWER IS FIXED! SUNSHINE IS RETURNING TO THIS NECK OF THE WOODS BY MONDAY!

The bad news? My lawn mower's fixed and sunshine is returning to this neck of the woods by Monday!

The news isn't really bad, bad. It is just bad in terms of the work that has to be done now. I won't even have the excuse of rain to stay off the mower. I suppose I could say I have to stay indoors because of my sun sensitivity, but that won't work since I always mow in a long sleeved, turtle neck shirt, long pants, boots, gloves, ear protectors, and large hat. I make quite a fashion statement, really I do.

With the grass as tall as it is, I will have to remove the tube that shoots the grass from the blades into the bags on the back of the mower. If I don't, it will continually clog up. I really don't like to stop, turn off the mower, pull all the clumped up grass out of the tube and throw it down, start the mower again, head off, and re-engage the blades only to repeat in five minute. I really don't like that.

Even less fun is trying to unhook the grass-tube, grass-shoot thingy, or whatever you call it. Cauter pins (or however you spell them) hold it to the mower deck. It takes a lot of finger strength to remove them. I would like to believe I still have the strength of a twenty, thirty, or forty year old. Even a fifty, sixty year old, but I don't. Them there's the facts. So, I will have to swallow my pride and ask for help when the mower is returned.

I will have to swallow it again when the grass is much shorter and I want the grass-shoot thingy back on so I can catch the clippings. Aaaand I will have to swallow it yet another time when I have to put gas in the tank. It is extremely difficult to lift and hold a five gallon can of gas as high as necessary to get gas into the tank.

(Note to self--never, and I repeat, never again fill a 5 gallon can all the way to the top. I thought you had learned that lesson last year!) 

 Actually, I am partially joking about this whole process and not wanting to mow.

There is something exhilarating about chugging around the yard to the drone of the engine and whir of the blades. The sight of my yard being domesticated brings a smile to my face. Pretty soon, the salmon berries and huckleberries will be ripening and providing an occasional taste of juicy goodness as I mow the perimeter. By late summer/early fall there will be blackberries to gather while I'm emptying the clippings into the corner of my "back 40". I also love seeing the garter snakes in my yard. All summer long I remain alert for those sleek, silent, slug hunters. I certainly don't want to run them  down. And, of course, there is the blissful warmth of the sun, and nostril-tingling aroma of freshly cut grass. (Excuse me a moment while wipe my brow, sneeze and blow my nose. I think I'll also have a glass of iced tea while I'm at it.)

A tall, cool glass of tea will be just the thing to not only increase my fluid levels, but to also wash down all the pride I swallowed previously. I wonder how many calories pride has. Well, as I figure it, since scripture often uses pride, arrogance, and haughtiness together, it must puff me up and swell my head. Therefore it is best to get it out of my system. So I will swallow it. Besides, it must provide soul-enriching nutrients for spiritual growth. That's how I figure it, anyway. I also figure I should be quite well nourished by summer's end.

Gearing up for pride-swallowing-grass-mowing summer,
Jan