EEEHAW! I Have Mowed

A couple of weeks ago my son-in-law gave me a quick lesson on driving the lawn mower. We have had rain the last few days so that the lawn ALMOST needs to be cut. I need to tell you that big noisy machines like tractors, snow blowers, and roto tillers really, really scare me.

I waited for today's company to leave (Heather, Beth and her son, John, daughter Nikki with grandgirls Meredith and Elizabeth). No way was anyone going to see me make a fool of myself.

OK, says I. I can do this. I read the manual in the house (see, it's on the tractor in the picture) and wrote some directions on a big sticky note. With the manual and my notes on my lap I started it and actually backed it out of the garage. Back to the manual for going forward. EEEHAW! I'm cruising, sitting on the manual, and having a great time when I realize that I'm not cutting grass. Manual reading again. I'm moving AND cutting and then I figure out that everytime that I go backwards, the blades stop cutting. I'll figure that out tomorrow 'cause I'm feeling pretty powerful and special right now.

Barn Boots

I can finally walk past these boots without welling up, getting snotty nosed, and feeling that heavy thud in my chest. They wait in the garage next to my Muck Boots. Family and neighbors would silently chuckle when we saw Smitty in his cut offs and these boots making his way to the barn, making repairs, or hauling manure.
I sort of understand the symbolism here and am reminded of Kennedy's funeral. We old timers remember the feisty black horse in the procession - the empty saddle with the boots hung backwards. It's sort of like that.......
I hope that this doesn't sound too maudlin but writing is so theraputic for me that I can now probably put them in the trash.