Not Really My Day

Today was rodeo day which is a big deal since it's really the only big event that happens in Opheim.  I wasn't sure M and J would take the day off to go, but they did.  I was determined to finish (start?) the mowing at my Mom's since R hasn't had time and I needed to get my mower back home.  I started mowing my yard with my old push mower that M finally got running but it died again.  My yard looks kind of funny right now.

And there I was when the mower died....

 

 

 

So, anyway, I decided that I had to mow today so the plan was to get up early and mow before going to the rodeo.  First, we didn't get up as early as we should have and M didn't get my breakfast ready fast enough (Sunday is pancake day).  Then I had to find a gas jug in Richland and fill it up before I headed to Mom's.  When I got there I discovered that the gas jug had fallen over and leaked gas all over the box of my pickup--yuck!  Then I had to get the mower off the trailer.  I had watched R load and unload it and knew it wasn't easy because the ramps are barely wide enough for the mower.  I started it up and made an attempt to back it off but panicked and decided I would just put it in neutral and push it off.  Easier said that done since then I had no steering.  I did manage to get it off, but it wasn't pretty.

Then I had to fill it with gas.  I wish someone would show me that it IS possible to pour gas out of those jugs without spilling it everywhere.  I can't manage to do it.

Finally, ready to mow--after I go wash some gas off my hands.  The grass was too tall and too thick so I had to go slow and plugged up the mower a couple of times, but the first yard was fairly uneventful.  Then I got outside of the yard where there was a barbed wire gate propped up against the fence.  I knew it was there but thought I was past it so moved in to cut closer to the fence and caught the gate.  A person can't shut down fast enough when that happens!  I went to the house to look for pliers so I could start cutting wire.  My mom had heard the noise and figured I had trouble.  I started trying to cut wire but the pliers weren't very effective.  I called M to tell him that I might need his help and all he said was "I guess we'll miss the parade."  Uh, big deal.  My brother happened to call Mom to see if she needed a ride to town, and she told him I had trouble.  He told her that I could call him if I needed help.  Didn't take long for me to dial that number and tell him I needed wire cutters.  He was there in a flash with wire cutters in hand.  We lifted up the mower and propped it up and proceeded to get the wire out without too much trouble.  He was my hero for the day.  I called M and told him not to worry about me, he could go to his damn parade!  He will, however, have to rebuild that gate although it's not used much so maybe not.

So, I mowed and mowed and mowed and almost caught another gate.  The way my day was going I was surprised that I saw it in time.  I finally finished about 2:00, an hour late for the rodeo.  M said he would come out and help me load the mower and pull the trailer home.  I knew how that would go if he was in the beer garden all afternoon so I decided to try to load it myself.  I got it loaded with no problem, hooked up the trailer and off I went to the rodeo.

M got tied up in the beer garden visiting with one of our neighbors who just always talks a line of crap.  I always ask M why he listens to his BS.  I've heard it said that you know he's lying when his lips are moving.  It started to cloud up and there were a few spits of rain so I decided I'd better get out of there in case it rained enough that I couldn't get home with the mower and trailer.  Good excuse for me to get out of there anyway.  My sister is coming to stay on Wednesday so I want to get my house and yard work done before then.

Now it's time for a shower and a margarita!