Mowing Lessons

I am not a fan of yard work.  Anyone who knows me in real life knows that I don't do yard work.  My husband has seen me mow the yard a total of three times in all the years we've been married.  The third time was yesterday.  When I told him I was going out to mow, he looked at me rather like I'd grown another head.  But the yard needed work, the temperature was really nice for July, and it was overcast.  I didn't think he would be able to beat the rain that was coming, so I decided I'd give it a shot.  After all, it's just walking in a few circles around the yard, right?  How hard can that be? 

I started writing my blog post in my head about 10 minutes after I started mowing.

Really, though, it started before I even went outside.  When I told my kids to behave because I was going outside to mow the grass, my son said, "Wow, Mom, I didn't know you had mowing lessons."  Ouch.  But in honor of his observation, here is my version of mowing lessons.

1) Fuel - Be sure you have spare fuel on hand.  I was pretty disappointed to find out that we didn't have any, but I was too excited about getting started to go and get more.  I figured that if I finished the front yard, I'd just stop there.  After all, it looked like rain was coming, so I didn't have time to spare.  And also?  I could close the gate and the taller grass in the backyard wouldn't show.  Great idea, right?  Until I ran out of gas in the middle of the front yard.  Phooey!  There wasn't anyone who could run to the gas station for me (hubby was working from home, so he couldn't just jump in the car and do it for me), so off I went.  I hope he will forgive me for ever being annoyed that he asked me to go get gas for the mower while he was mowing the yard.  Now I get it.

2) Hat - Wear one.  Headsweats caps are not just for running.  I wish I had worn mine.  I didn't think I'd need it because the sun wasn't out.  Also, I honestly didn't think I'd get all that hot since the weather was cool for July.  I have never had so much sweat in my eyes.  Also - I just might wear my running clothes next time.  Wicking fabric is good.  Cotton is not.

3) Method - I've heard you should not mow your grass in the same pattern every time.  No need to worry about that!  I am quite sure I looked as amateurish as I felt.  I had to go back for missed spots, and still left a few (tiny) bits of taller grass.  And I don't think my hubby will ever mow in as patchwork a fashion as I did. 

4) Mower - Especially in the thicker parts of the grass, it would have been kinder (to my mower) to mow half-widths on each pass.  My mower let me know this by protesting at one point - and turning off.  I could not believe I was out of gas again - then I realized I wasn't.  At least I was able to restart it without getting my husband to come outside and do it (again)!  Also, our mower didn't particularly seem to like going uphill, at least at the pace I was walking.  When I'm running, I don't like hills, either, so I decided to change my method  in the middle of the backyard and go across the incline.  (Oh, yes I did - see #3.)

5) Corners - As far as push mowers go, self-propelled is your friend, but it still doesn't make turning corners any easier.  I openly confess to having not a lot of upper body strength.  I can still pick up my kids (and can still carry my youngest), which I thought was decent strength, but I felt like I was working hard to turn corners and work around obstacles (swing set, raised garden beds, mailbox, trees).

After I learned all of this with the mower, I looked at the yard and felt pretty good about what I had accomplished.  But it still looked unfinished.  So I decided I'd do the weed eating.  And I had to get my husband to start it for me (wimpy upper body strength - embarrassing).  And then he had to remind me to wear eye protection (thanks, honey!).  And then I busted the strap that was supposed to help me carry it around the yard (sorry, honey!).  But I still did the weed eating.  And I wondered how long my work would last if I scalped the edges of the yard because weed eating was not as fun as I thought it would be.  Probably because I busted the strap.  And also because my arms were already tired from pushing and maneuvering the mower.  But - the yard looked even better when I was done!

So then I decided to crank up the blower and clean off the driveway and the front walkway and around the air conditioning units.  And I had to ask my hubby to come out and crank it for me.  (Are you sensing a pattern?)  I'm chalking that up to having tired arms - you know, from maneuvering the mower and then carrying the weed eater with the busted strap around the yard.

And when I was done, I wasn't sure I'd be able to lift my arms to wash my hair.

But the yard looked nice, I was proud of the job I'd done, and I had so much more appreciation for the yard work my husband has been doing for so many years.  It wasn't perfect, but I still enjoyed the sense of accomplishment.  Don't tell anyone, but I might just mow the yard again sometime.

A Host of Helpful Hints (updated)

All Natural Homemade Cleaners - I'm working on the switch to natural and homemade cleaners, and this post is full of great recipes

The 6 Most Valuable Grocery Products Known to Man - a gigantic list of tips and tricks, with links to even more tips, such as...


75 Extraordinary Uses for Baking Soda - I can confirm numbers 8, 10, 20, and 66, and want to try out number 17, 32,and 70.

Quick Clean-Up - a minute-based plan to clean your home

How to Make Natural Cleaners Work Better -  this is the one I found after I published these links.  Read through the comments for a way to use up 'scraps' of bar soap - clever!

8 Things You Really Want to Know

I've been tagged! Jane Anne from Gravity of Motion tagged me a few days ago for this fun blog meme. We've had company at our house for a few days, so it took me just a little while to sit down and complete the meme. I'm glad to be back to the blog and give things a whirl - here goes!

8 things I look forward to:

• girls night dinners
• sit-on-the-porch weather
• Sunday lunch with friends
• trying a new recipe
• grocery store/Costco trips (weird, I know)
• Fun Day Mondays (summer outings with some other families from our church)
• co-op Saturdays
• completing my whole-house reorganization project

8 things I did yesterday:

• served two sit-down meals
• baked a birthday cake
• washed a LOT of dishes
• bought new sneakers for Miss M
• gave Miss M Benadryl for an apparent exposure to peanuts of some sort
• was thankful for the opportunity to visit with my family
• forgot to start the dishwasher after dinner
• fell asleep early (10pm)

8 things I wish I could do:

• have 'unload the dishwasher with a twitch of my nose' as my superpower
• run a marathon
• live closer to all of our parents - or have all of them live closer to us
• remodel my kitchen to have more counter space
• handle a knife like a real chef
• catch up on all of my scrapbooking projects (and there are many)
• be a better housekeeper
• be more organized

8 shows I watch:

• Bones
• Burn Notice
• Royal Pains (hysterical. really. in an over-the-top, are-people-really-like-this? kind of way)
• NCIS
• In Plain Sight
• Tori and Dean (I know - I don't like reality tv - but it's definitely a guilty pleasure)
• Grey's Anatomy
• Private Practice

*those last two I could give or take, but they are still set to record on the DVR. I don't usually watch the reruns....

8 5 busy bloggers I tag:

• H at Beyond the Belly (she's busy moving right now, but I hope she'll get to it when things settle down!)
• Patrice at Williams Family Blog (she's busy right now, too....)
• Georgia at Living on Campus... (she's expecting baby #2, so she's a little busy....)
• Shannon at Blonde Ambition (she's just started a new job with a longer commute, so she's a little busy, too)
• Susannah at Get the Big Idea (she's got three kids, and school is out for the summer - what do you bet she's busy, as well?)

Ladies, I'd love to read your 8, but you won't hurt my feelings if this doesn't make it to the top of your to-do list!

Jane Anne also asked what I was doing this time last year. Hmm... Let's take a look back thorough the blog and see.... Aha! Mister J and I were painting this (it's hiding behind behind the paper chain). I was also getting ready for a trip to California and Miss M's 2nd birthday party. I'll follow her lead and ask - what were you doing this time last year?

Happy To Do Chores

I've tried to become a lot more conscious of how I spend money (thanks, Dave!), focusing on needs and really examining the wants. A few weeks back, though, I was browsing through the dollar store - really, how much trouble can you get into at the dollar store?!? I was looking for a basket that would work in my bathroom cabinet, but ended up finding something else that I liked. That I couldn't not buy. Suddenly, my original purpose wasn't important anymore, and I needed the something else that I found.

I'm glad I let my impulse take over - this time.

I found child-sized laundry baskets, and picked out one for each of my kids. When I fold our clean laundry, I put Miss M's items into one basket, Mister J's into the other basket. And then I tell them to come and pick up their baskets and put them away. Sounds simple enough, doesn't it? Before they had baskets, getting them to carry a pile of laundry and put it away was like pulling teeth. Mister J would complain about dropping things, and Miss M would ignore my request completely. The baskets make it easier for them to carry everything, but also fun and special.

Mister J's basket matches his quilt.

She's putting that away all by herself. I had to hurry to get these pictures!

She's proud of that empty basket!

And after they put away their laundry? They bring the baskets back to the laundry room.

So... about that $2 impulse buy? This time, it works for me!

For more great ideas, check out the Works For Me Wednesday links at We are THAT Family!