Sunday, July 26, 2009

Income

We have just rented our townhouse. Yes, that means that we can eat again... because the extra money that the townhouse brings in puts food on the table. It certainly isn't my paycheck that does that. Or Rick's.

Our new renters were all set to meet with us this past Friday. They'd seen the townhouse and truly wanted it even though part of the fence fell down (and the homeowner's association wrote us up for that) and the backyard grass was knee high (got written up for that, too.)

So, to have the house ready for the new renters, I paid to have the fence repaired but I had to get in there and clean the place (fridge, stove, toilets, etc.) and mow the lawn. I have never mown a lawn in my life. Ever. That was my brother's job growing up. I did the dishes, he mowed the lawn. And neither of us did either job particularly well.

So off I went to mow a lawn. A knee high, grassy lawn. A scary, knee high lawn.

I got into the garage and found the lawnmower. And before I hauled it out into that scary backyard, I decided to make sure I could operate it.



Cute huh? I think it's the latest model.



It's a gas mower. I think. At least there was one of these near it that led me to believe that gas would make this thing go.




That IS a gas container, isn't it?

Plus, there was this cute little picture on the mower. That was a big clue.




Or is that an oil can?

The mower had one of these thingys, too. So I pulled on it. I pulled and pulled and pulled. It didn't move much though.




I kept trying because, after all, I watch "I Love Lucy" and I've seen Ethel do it. And if Ethel can do it, surely I can do it. Surely.

I did notice some signs on the mower. These signs kinda scared me.




Keep hands and feet away? How did they expect me to operate it? If I didn't use my hand, I never could've gotten that string thing to pull. Oh wait, it didn't pull. Maybe I should've used my feet. Or not. The sign was pretty specific.



The mower makers put this sign on the mower as well. I guess they don't want you to dance while mowing. Party poopers.

Here's a close up of how not to dance.








And this guy is mowing downhill. He shouldn't do that. And since our little lawn slopes downhill, I shouldn't do it either.

That's when I put the mower away and went home. So what if the grass gets up to my waist. Or shoulders. If you can't have any fun while mowing, it's just not worth doing.
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1 comment:

Katie said...

This was one of the most hysterical things I've read. Cam looked at me like I was crazy, belly laughing while I read the commentary with the photos. You ARE Ethel Mertz!