Day 2173

 Wake up time didn't mean anything today because we "gained" an hour due to daylight saving time ending.  Anyway the clock said about 9 when breakfast was finished and I went out to mow the lawn.

I got the mower out, put the battery in it, and gassed it up.  It started right up.  Before I started mowing I took it to the garage and aired up the tires.  The front tires were half empty and the back were about 25% down.

I started with the trailer section, then did the pump section, then did the driveway and outside the gate, then did the car port area.  Some parts were slow going because of the height of the grass. In some places it was at least 3 feet high.  I could tell that the blades were dull, too.

I started to do the section above the house.  The grass was very thick and high.  I got about 3/4 of the way around the perimeter and hit one of the edging rocks HARD.  It hit hard enough to jar the drive belt off the blades.

I took the mower back to the garage.  That's when I noticed that one of the bolts that hold on the belt guard was missing.  I looked through all of mine and couldn't find one that matched.  That was the end of mowing.  I jacked up the mower and sharpened the blades instead.  They were really dull.  I also straightened a bent end on one of them.  It was actually good this happened.  The nuts holding the blades on were both hand tightened.  They're now tightened to spec - 80 ft-lb.

I went in for lunch and a little rest.  When i came back out I mounted the two new number signs on the gate.  This should have been a 15 minute job.  Cheap Chinese screws that kept breaking turned it into an hour of frustration.

I finally got the numbers installed.  I checked later when it got dark.  They both work and they look really good.

I got out the string trimmer and started trimming.  I trimmed all of the areas that I mowed today.  I also trimmed the section above the house, the area where the swimming pool was, and the area in front of the front door.  I also cleared around the front sewer outlets.  That's most of the trimming that needs to be done.  It will also make mowing tomorrow a lot easier.  I'll have to go get a bolt first though.

It was after 5 when I got done.  I was hot, dirty, and sweaty.  I went in an took a shower.  After that I surfed while Ellen fixed dinner - spaghetti.  It was really good.  By then I was so stiff and sore I could barely stand and move.  I tried to watch some football,, but it was too boring.  I ended up watching Roadkill instead.

I went to bed early, or late, depending on how you look at it.