When a Chore Becomes an Adventure

I have a confession.

I never mowed a single lawn until I turned 40.

As a kid, it was my brother's job (if my dad didn't just do it).

Now my mother, she judged how well she felt by how much lawn she could mow.

Several months into her chemo treatments--this was a good day.

For a host of reasons, I managed to avoid lawn-mowing duty when I started adulting.  My husband did it, I hired someone to do it, my retired mother-in-law did it.  Lucky me!

But our current house has a fair bit of lawn, and the budget no longer supports frivolities like paid lawn-care, so we maturely cashed in the tax return for a fancy pants mower.

There's Jon on the new mower, and this is just a wee bit of the lawn. (And Kevin!)

We also got a push mower, for the harder-to-reach areas.  That's what I used to start my lawn mowing duties.  No photos--nothing pretty about me pushing a lawn mower.  I felt pretty good about it, and like maybe my mom would be proud of me.  But I can't say it brought me the same joy it brought her.  Maybe with time...but probably not!

The push mower didn't really float my boat, but I knew I needed to pitch in and help with the lawn care--it's a lot of work--but, well...

In the interest of full disclosure, I was terrified of the riding mower.

I was afraid to mow the lawn on it. I kid you not.

Finally on Saturday I decided I'd better woman-up and give it a go.  In the moments on the driveway while Jon explained to me what this lever did and that button released, I felt my heart race.  It all seemed so impossibly complex.

This is ridiculous, of course.  I am not one to shy away from technology, but lawn mowers have freaked me out since forever.  Give me a big truck and I'll gladly drive it across the country, but a riding mower, with those whirring blades underneath, um, no.

Still, in the spirit of new adventures, I finally gave it a go.

And you know what?

Google Photos!  You crack me up!

I liked it.

Where have you been all my life, riding lawn mower?