“Me and My Lawnmower”

My lawnmower and I have seen, as the “wise” folks used to say, many a day.  Beautiful and crisp 8 am spring mornings,  cool and calm 10 o’clock fall brunches, chilly winter afternoons for quickies and picture-perfect hot summer evenings.  I regret not wearing a step counter to see just how many miles we walked together.  But, since I did not accurately count my steps, and I tend to embellish a little, I’ll guesstimate that we covered hundreds (?😏) of miles…..And all it needed was a little gas, a little oil and a gentle push to get the job done. 

We’ve been together for years.  Hangin’ out in the garage when no one else dared to touch it. It was good company even though I longed for different, more leisurely wheeled companions to spend time with.  It never left me and always did what I asked.  Until this year…….

My lawnmower no longer runs.  It’ll start, but shuts off shortly thereafter.  But hey, don’t feel sorry for us.  We had a good run.  No need to offer suggestions or solutions as to how to “fix it”.  You see, my lawn mower KNOWS me.  It LOVES me.  It CARES about me.  It knew I wasn’t walking as fast as I used to.  It knew that I labored a little more when going uphill. It could sense that we were spending waaaay too much time together in the lawn. 

So, it broke up with me.  I was pissed off the first day I realized it.  Then it hit me.  My lawn mower let me go gracefully.  It did what I NEVER had the courage to do.

For the last couple of years I’ll admit that I flirted with newer, younger and prettier high maintenance models.  I did.  However, at my age and my budget I just wasn’t ready to see if “the grass was greener on the other side”. Pun intended.  I couldn’t let it go.

Now I have no choice.  My lawn mower set me free. Gave me its blessing.  I have to move on.  My lawn mower “knew my heart”.  And so it is.  I’m a free lawn owner looking for a new lawn care companion.  Do I go for a sleek, slim and trim self-propelled model? Or go all out and get a mature, stable smooth riding mower?  Man its good to have choices.  I just wonder how my wife is gonna feel about this…….