Let's Mow

It was time for a riding mower. Back when we bought our house one of the most common questions after people saw our yard was, your buying a riding mower, right? No, not right away. It was partly due to finances at the time but we also didn't mind using the self propelled push mower. It was good exercise. I once strapped Ted's GPS that he uses for running to my wrist at the beginning of a mow. The result? 3 miles of walking at least 2 and a half hours of your time. The neighbors (we were the only ones without a riding mower) marveled at our perseverance. Our neighbor Mike declared that he needed take to his recliner with a cold beer just watching us mow.

Over the past summer, we grew tired of the pushing. After Katherine was born you could no longer have one person out there mowing while the other did the weed whacking and trimming, not with a toddler around. And after mowing you were so pooped, you didn't feel like doing anything else in the yard. We usually divvied up the task, one mowed the front yard, the other mowed the backyard. Something had to give.

Enter our brand new Craftsman riding lawn mower. It was delivered last week. Ted got the honors of the first mow with it. It took him an hour, INCLUDING getting out the push mower to do the small (but steep) hill in the front of our yard. Phew! I'm sure I'll get my turn tonight and I must admit I'm a bit nervous. I'm sure it will take a few passes to get used to it. Katherine is quite interested in it as well, although for safety's sake we've decided not to let her sit on it or take rides with one of us, especially right now as we're getting the hang of it. She refers to it as "Daddy's mower" and tells him every time she walks by "Daddy, that's your lawnmower!"

Tomorrow is my day off and I've made the executive decision that I need a day for me. I can't remember the last time Katherine has been to a full week of preschool and since its supposed to rain, she'll have much more fun with her friends than cooped up in the house. I figured I can get the whole house cleaned within a couple of hours in the morning and then I have the rest of the day to do as I please (reading, shopping, scrapbooking??). Sometimes you just have to take time for yourself. As they say around here...If Momma ain't happy, ain't NOBODY happy!