by Veronica Writer

Created on: May 26, 2008

Last year my marriage ended and in my haste to get the heck out f that house, I rented a wonderful little cottage in the country. It was perfect in everyway. I just couldn't believe I was so lucky, to find the perfect place so quickly. When the owner told me I would be responsible for the yard, I said "no problem". I loved the idea of working in the yard .In the middle of cold, snowy winter, gardening sounded wonderful. I didn't notice how huge the yard was until the first time I realized it needed to be mowed. I called to get some prices on having the lawn mowed by a service and found that I was easily looking at spending at least $100 a month. I couldn't do it. I bought an inexpensive mower and resigned myself to dedicating a day to figuring out this chore. What I learned, is that mowing a lawn is hard, but not too hard.

Nine Reasons to Mow the Lawn Yourself.

1. Lawn Mowing is peaceful.
2. Lawn mowing is time alone. Nobody will come near you, nobody can talk to you.
You won't be able to her the phone ring or the kids fighting. If you have a man around,you should still mow the lawn; make him do the dishes and the laundry.
3. Lawn mowing is a great workout. It's really no different that slapping weights around your ankles and taking a walk.
4. Lawn mowing gets you outside on a nice day.
5. Operating machinery is powerful. Makes you feel you can do anything.
6. Lawn mowing gives you a sense of accomplishment. Row by row you can see the results quickly
7. Great ideas come when mowing the lawn. You can think.
8. You really see where you live when you mow the lawn. You see every nook and cranny of your home from the outside.
9. Mow the lawn yourself because you can.

Ten Tips for Mowing
1. Get into the Zen of mowing; think of it kind of like going to the spa.
2. Wear sunscreen, consider a hat and sunglasses and bug spray if you have a big buggy area to mow.
3. Bring a water bottle out with you so you won't be tempted to quit and come back in for one.
4. Plan it out, do it in sections. You don't have to do it all at once.
5. Make sure somebody else is doing the housework.
6. Remind yourself that this is your workout for the day, not a chore.
7. Bring your I POD or CD player if you like that, I prefer the solitude.
8. The little button on the mower that says to push it 3 times to prime, before you start it up, usually needs a few more pumps, like eleven more pumps some times.
9. Starting the lawn mower is hard the first couple of times. Pulling on that cord is hard but you'll get the hang of it. Don't give up. Let it sit for a few minutes if you get frustrated. Lawn mowers are like computers. If you just let them sit for a while, they usually start up and work fine.
10. Be careful not to run over anything that could bend the blade. Scout out the lawn so you know where big stumps or sewer caps are hidden. If you do run over something, don't worry about it, you can change the blade no problem. I did. It's just a trip to Home Depot for the blade.

This is year two for me. I just mowed the lawn for the second time this year. I realize I've learned a lot and gotten in shape mowing this big lawn. But the thrill is gone. Next house will be by the beach; no grass, just pebbles and shells.
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