The Mindless Destruction of a Slug's Day Spa

Boy, boy, boy. Was I out of sorts this weekend! It all started yesterday morning, when I bounded out of bed to mow my lawn. I started by picking up the branches/sticks from my yard, while waiting for another neighbor to start mowing. (I hate to be the first one in the surrounding area to start a lawnmower.) Soon enough, while it was still cool, I heard the familiar hum of another mower. So, I pulled out the old Lawn Boy and started it up after adding a bit of gas to the tank. I was gleeful when I started in on my first try! (That NEVER happens!) However, my glee turned to frustration when the motor sputtered and died. So, I attempted to start it again... fearful that I would flood the engine with gasoline. Time and time again I had the same problem. Finally, the definition of insanity came to mind... "repeating the same action, expecting a different result." So, I called my dad and asked for some fatherly advice, which included 1) priming the engine a couple of extra times after it starts and 2) blowing into the gas tank to dislodge anything that might be disrupting the flow of gasoline. After neither of those things worked, I tried to call a couple of friends, but no one had any other advice. So, I decided to just suck it up and buy a new lawn mower.

The trip to Lowe's was pretty uneventful. I picked out a new Troy Bilt mower, with the help of my friend, Matthew, who also assisted me in getting it back to my house and properly assembled. That was all fine and dandy, but by the time all was said and done, it was too late to mow. I was pretty much depressed for the rest of the day. I just feel like I have a hard enough time keeping the lawn mowed, but there are so many other things that need to be done... planting grass seed, killing weeds, trimming bushes, planting things, etc. Plus, I'd like to get some mulch for my flower beds. Ugh. There's just no keeping up, and definitely no getting ahead! How depressing... to have a house and not be able to do with it what I'd like. :(

Anyway, a nap would have been a good idea, but for some reason I didn't get that done. Oh, right... I had to get to the store and make some shortbread (for strawberry shortcake) to take over to my friends' (Jim and Babs') house. So, by the time I did that and showered and got ready, it was approaching time to go. And then it was past time to go. I couldn't figure out what to wear, and I took the shortcake out of the oven too early, and I was generally depressed from the day as a whole. Point is, I was running really late, but I didn't even really care (which is completely and totally uncharacteristic of me... especially given the fact that I had been looking forward to this cookout all week long). When I finally got in the car and headed on my way, I just felt on the verge of tears. Then I WAS crying. I was debating my options.... 1) call and tell them I wasn't coming, 2) drop off the food and go back home, or 3) walk in puffy-eyed, apologize profusely and get over it. The first two seemed the most logical, but they'd just raise (valid) questions about my sanity and emotional stability. So, I decided on option #3... suck it up and just hope my friends could overlook my shortcomings. That they did. Jim answered the door and asked if I was okay and made a comment about me being "bleary-eyed." I simply explained that I had been out of sorts all day. Matt made a nice excuse for me, "yeah, she's had a rough day" and told about the lawnmower bit. Point is, I was just out of sorts... lawn, clothing, shortbread and any and everything else that bubbled to the surface as a result. But, friends are a wonderful gift. It didn't take long for my eyes to dry and for the laughter to flow freely. They're all so enjoyable to be around, so it's difficult to be sad around them. The evening was grand... other than the storms that rolled in. My electricity was out when I got home and didn't come back on until about 4 AM.

Today was a better day for the most part. Church was fine. It took us three tries to find a restaurant after church, because the first two we tried had been without electricity all morning. I got back home and had no choice but to mow my lawn. (It was getting incredibly shaggy!) So, no problems starting the mower. Yeah!!!!! But, it was very warm, and I grew tired very rapidly. And... my new mower mulches and bags the clippings... which is great, but it I got so much dirtier that unusual. Granted, that could be because half or more of my yard is dirt! But, I was choking and hacking throughout the process. (I guess I need those little face cover things that look ridiculous.) Anyway... it was difficult work... and the new mower is much heavier than my old mower... and I had to stop and empty the clippings (which was also a very dirty business). I have really decided that I was not made to mow lawns. I think I also may have overestimated my ability to take care of a house and yard all by myself. I can't help but think of the previous owner, Martha. Just after closing, she made some comment to me about how overwhelming it was to have a house. She only made it 16 months. I'm at 12...

Anyway, I did take Matt's advice and trimmed up the lower extremities of my crepe myrtle. (I'm just realizing now that I got the three in front but didn't trim the one on the side of my house... figures.) Well, see... I was wondering recently where slugs go during the day. The answer to my question was waiting at the base of my crepe myrtle! Fortunately, I didn't find a whole herd (pack, school, clump... whatever) of them... just one lonely slug. I'm sure he thought he had a good thing going, though.