Sent: Sat, Jul 16, 2016 at 3:14 PM

Recipients: Daughter, Son, Daughter-in-Law

Email Body:

Its official.  I’m totally on board with the fact that I’m a goof.  I’ve been in denial for a while.  Today convinced me.

I am really trying to spruce up the yard and landscaping.  In small doses, I’ve been working on reclaiming the edging around the landscaping rocks that have been totally overgrown and rocks everywhere in the yard.  I work on it in the evenings when its cooler and then blow off the rocks.

Today, I started mowing earlier because TWC said it would be cloudy until 2 and a bit cooler.

Storms came through last week that did a number on my forest.  Plus, its molting season for the sycamore trees – shedding bark like crazy.  So, there was a large quantity of tree leaves, whole limbs and sticks in the front yard and side forests.

I took advantage of the cloud cover and focused on the front yard. While doing the front east side – I decided to SKIP the east forest because it looks like a tornado went through there.  I got the yard cart loaded up with the weed eater and blower and hooked up the extra cart and took off to tackle the west forest.   The weed eating is hard work, so I only got a few trees.

Then I blew out the garage….feeling good about my organization of duties for today when BAM! – walked straight into the garage door that was only partially opened.

I wear a special white hat when I mow.  It has a large bill and a scarf in the back that keeps my neck from getting sunburned.  I wear ear protectors that play music, so I’m kind of in my own world.

So…the large bill of the hat kept me from seeing that I was walking straight into the garage door.  i have to admit, it still hurts.  Obviously, I was walking fast.

So, I was starting to lose confidence.

I decided to return to mowing and finish the west forest.

I got 75% done when the mower started acting funny – the left front wheel was just spinning in the air.  I kept checking the chains that hold the mowing deck to see if they were messed up.  I finally decided to drive over to the driveway to see whats up.  The main back tire is totally flat.

So, I couldn’t use the mower to blow the grass off the driveway.  And, of course, its not only grass this week, because all my trees decided to shed so much of themselves in the storm.

I got the blower and started at the bottom of the driveway.  That battery ran out after about 3 sections.  I walked up and got the new battery and made it to the top of the driveway.  I wanted to rake up the huge pile of debris, but my leaf rake if NO WHERE to be found.  Its not in the garage, and I can’t find it in the barn.  Of course, I didn’t turn on the light in the barn, but that’s only because the switch is poorly located.

I even weed wacked the driveway up to the barn until all the string was gone.

So, I’m giving up for today.  The flat tire really deflated me.  Get it?

So…I have decided to embrace the fact that I’m a total goof.

 I can’t stop working outside.  Lord knows I need the exercise and I love my property.

And, you guys have to be tired of hearing from me about all the stupid stuff.  Or, you’re having those secret conversations about how “Mom needs to be put in a home”.

I will say that the mulching blades are the way to go – cuts my mowing down, which is obviously a good thing, as that lessens the opportunity of me doing serious harm to myself and the equipment.

From today’s listening, I have determined I am NOT superman and I’m NOT America’s sweetheart.  I still don’t understand the number of Budweiser commercials and I don’t understand why you would want to eat cake by the ocean – so much sand.

I do love you guys – thanks for listening.

Love,

Your life-challenged Mom