What a day.
I went outside to mow the lawn. The grass and weeds grow faster than I can cut it even without rain. (I should say weeds only since grass is hard to find) It's annoying because I started in time this year which is half of March.
The youngest mowed a piece yesterday which helped since I was fighting the higher weeds by swinging a grass trimmer.
If it comes to grass... Those parts where it grows faster and is higher are a different species, the kind the farmers use to dry and make hay out of. It doesn't look as fine as the one I sowed but it is easier to mow.
The knives of each one of the mowers I bought are blunt after I used them once or twice but it's not worth investing in new knives. As long as it cuts it's fine with me.
I admit we use the tiny mower for what it isn't meant for but to be honest, it works fine and it does a great job. It's as good as the more expensive ones who are as quickly broke as this little one designed for gardens with grass of only 2-4 m2. My lawn is bigger so after spending high amounts on mowers and grass trimmers I go for what is cheap and does the trick as well. I always buy new since new (no matter if it's cheap or expensive) comes with a warranty which is at least one year if not two or three. Within this period repairments are for free and in the end, I throw them away. Throwing away in the way we take the parts we can use or let someone take it.
I learned my lesson and these days I always go to the same shop in the city if it comes to mowers, grass trimmers and heathers. The good thing about this store is they give good service. Good service as in "if we can not repair it or are too busy you can take a new one or we give you your money back".
Receiving money back was a good option a few times.
Once I bought a grass trimmer on gasoline. It was a struggle to start it, very heavy, smelled plus kind of dangerous. A part of the knife hit a stone and broke off and the piece of the knife ended in my leg. Nevertheless, I struggled on and during the winter months it was just laying around in the guesthouse. Months later, after the winter, I needed it again. The second time I intended to use it it was broken. So I took the dirty devil to the store to repair just before the one year warranty ended. They couldn't fix it or perhaps thought it wasn't worth the effort and called me. Instead of giving me the old machine back, they offered to give me my money back, the full amount.
I was so happy with their offer because the smell of gasoline, the noise and the hard time it gave me to start gave me nightmares.
Instead of a new one, I bought an electric trimmer.
True I bought more trimmers I can count during the past eight years but at first, I mowed the entire 500 m2 with it and soon we had two so my children could give a hand too which my eight-year-old did. The lawnmower arrived a few years later and as it was broke (could take up to 6 weeks) I bought a second one. It was good to have two machines because two of us could mow at the same time. By now we have only one, a small one. It was at that time the only lawnmower available within my budget. It was broke before the year was over and repaired. At that time it had the same issue, a smoking engine, as today and just like all those times before I thought right before it happened " It's not perfect, partly broke but it works. I hope I can use it this summer too."
Next, the engine made a strange sound and starts smoking and the mower gave up on me.
While I am writing this I am suddenly aware of the fact I didn't feel as annoyed as all those times before. The sky turned grey, my back hurts and I have a budget for a new one. So it's good even if I have to drive 90 kilometres (I let the child drive good practical exercise).
The little thing did its best and the price I paid was less than what I paid the crazy neighbour for mowing only 30% of my lawn which took that neighbour three days, with a smelling gasoline machine which was broke several times. Next to that, it did cost me an awful lot of time to keep the neighbour company and hearing "the latest news" (gossips) from neighbours and strangers who gathered in front of my gate.
So today my gardening adventure came to an end. Tomorrow I'll see how to keep myself busy again. If I cannot mow I can always clean the guesthouse.
April 26, 2021
The key to life is to remain calm at all times and have faith, because storms pass. Kind regards