graphx spwilcen
This is the “day after,”1 I know. “Day of,” after a quick read of newsfeeds and the WPers I do my best not to miss, being outside and busy with premature spring chores made sense.
WPers were slightly below par.2
Never bought into “full moon,” blood moon,” “harvest moon,” moon through an open car window, or other nonsense about the moon causing humans’ lunatic behavior. Odd that even sane people want to find “reasons” for upticks in crime, divorce, and egg prices. “Moon anything” and the solar eclipse are ready-made for blame.
This “solar biggie” no exception.
Newsfeeds impressed with stories of nutbags out and about. Worse, media originators gave these silt-for-brains exposure. Some feeds never bothered putting articles in the daily comics or beneath daily horoscope science.
No need to spend much effort looking for lunacy.
There are voters3 in the US who believe Sleepy Joe has been good for the country and it is in the country’s best interests to nearly elect him again. There are also those who believe Clown Donald would be good for the country, putting it back on the “right” track.
Delusional. Both major US political parties once again will ask voters to make a least-worse choice.
Elsewhere. Declared states of emergency. All manner of idiocy.
On the northern edge of totality, I didn’t expect to see much here. Didn’t care to. Spooky shadow effects. Animals stock still. Meh. Saw the last one. Interesting natural lunar phenomenon. More interesting natural human lunacy evidenced. Then. More now.
I accomplished a good deal yesterday.
Until.
Flashed the shed door opening. Took longer than I expected. General yard policing. After pulling the blade from the mower, sharpening and replacing it, cleaning the undercarriage, checking oil, yaddda yadda, fired-up Little Red. First crank. Like a charm. At the end of the back yard, noticed liquid on the deck.
Oil. Throwing oil. Big time. No idea what seven lawn mower years is in man years. I consider Little Red did well. Repair? Not a chance Parts alone cost more than a new mower.4 Repair shop out of the question, same parts plus markup, plus labor.
The front yard awaits. It’s off to comparison shop nearby BBTSs, Farm Supply, and Ranch Discounters. I must find a new machine.
Blame it on the eclipse.
—
1 The solar eclipse
2 more than usual poemetric chaff, more “buy-my-latest” pleas, and more foreign site diversions
3 Citizens and otherwise, living and otherwise.
4 Push mower. If I were a young man, I’d buy a manual reel mower. I’m not a young man, so fossil fuel it is.
Ramblings 
Perhaps raising cows, sheep or goats would be less expensive than a new mower. They could graze and you could benefit from fresh meats, milk, and wool. You could resort to a robotic mower and let it do the yard chores while you write or attend to higher priority honey-dues. Lastly, you could hire a lawn service that will save you time and money over the long-haul – no upfront investment in a mower, no blade sharpening, no mower cleanings, no bags to empty or collect, no gas or oil purchases or storage, no tune-ups, and free time to do other things.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You have, I understand, never raised cattle or sheep, each with unique challenges. Good idea, but I’ve not the acreage to support commercial enterprise, not really sufficeint to gentleman-farmer-ing. RoboMower? Erm, battery replacement [I’m in it for the long haul] and rolling brownouts; which is why fine US territories like California sees its citzenry rebelling against anti-fossil mandates. RoboMower likely would come with Win13, and we needn’t discuss the problems therein plus annual payment to Willie Gatetman. Lawn service. Economics. Lime application (they want to do it every years and it is NOT needed every year; they charge $200. Not bad. Dolomitic lime is $3/40#, takes about five bags to do the yard handsomely. 5×3=$15 v $200; oh yes, I see the economy. Yard service $70-$100 per cutting. Last year, 28 cuttings. You do the math, it scares me.
I was shocked at BBTS. [Descriptive post follows tomorrow.]
Good suggestions, but Imma stick with grunt and strain while I’m still able.
LikeLike
Funny, that. I just spent 2/3 the price of my mower to get it repaired. But it’s a good mower. If I was looking now I’d seek out one of those robots.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dunno how large your lawn [garden you call it there?] but here RobbyRoboMower could not cut it without Lunar Rover configurations. Now we’re talking price. See ya on the flip, Bumper.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah, smaller here most probably. Maybe 20ftx15 front, back kinda doglegs atound the house at maybe 12ft wide. Back is secure but front isn’t – that’d be my problem with leaving anything unaccompanied.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah, I see. In the mean time, you can derive satisfaction every time you complete a trim.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’d buy electric if I had to replace, but I’m not throwing my petrol mower away for the sake of it. In any case, it uses maybe a gallon of gas per year, plus I don’t drive a car, so I think there are bigger fish to fry.
On atomic, atomic heats watch into steam which drives turbines. I bet there’s a limit to the efficiency there.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow! A man who still removes his own lawn mower blade and sharpens it himself! Impressive, Espy!
LikeLiked by 1 person
“We didn’t know we was poor” Boomers know no other way. Dinged-around enough with upkeep to know where I can and more importantly, where I cannot. Have a good’n, BalladMaster,
LikeLiked by 1 person
You too!
LikeLiked by 1 person