It’s Saturday evening and I’m bushed, pooped, tuckered out, tired, and about a dozen other descriptive words. I mowed the grass. I actually started last night thinking I’d get the front yard done before the thunderstorms hit. About half-way through, the storms came over the mountain starting with hail. I wasn’t wearing a hat (didn’t need one as the clouds were blocking the sun) and I got clobbered pretty good before I could get the mower and me back into the garage. Several more storms followed but everything died down around 10 p.m.

So this morning I went out to finish the job. I got started around 9:30 and finished about 2 p.m. I did take a short break in the middle to eat lunch. This is the second mowing this year. Nina and I mowed the yard a week ago. We took turns … I made two swipes and then she made two swipes. We are definitely Out Of Shape (except, as I remind everyone: round is a shape). Today I was on my own. Meanwhile the grass had grown with a vengeance. Even with the mower set to it’s highest setting, it was very slow slogging through all the grass. My feet hurt. My legs hurt. I’ve gotten sunburned (even though I was wearing a hat). I’m sitting here at the computer and wondering if I have enough energy and strength to get up out of my chair in the next two or three hours. I will get up, however, as the hot tub is turned on and my aching, tired body is going into the tub.

Today was also free trash day at the Bannock County Landfill. So, when the yard was finished Nina and I loaded up a bunch of stuff in the back of the Tracker and headed for the landfill. On the way I saw my Home Teaching Companion Tom working in someone else’s yard. I pulled over and asked him if he wanted to do our yard. “I’ll pay you really well!!” I told him. Yup. He wants the job. As a matter of fact, he has the job. Tom is fifteen and is a fine young man. He’s an Eagle Scout and plays tennis on the high school tennis team. He rides a unicycle — not one of those weenie ones. He rides the kind that you need a ladder to get up on. He’s just an awesome young man and I really enjoy being around him. I’ll finish up the deal with him tomorrow so he can come and mow sometime next week. It may need mowing a couple of times a week right now, anyhow. He doesn’t have a mower so he’ll use our machine and, if need be, I’ll go buy a better one that at least is self propelled. I’ve mowed the grass for the last time this summer.

What summer Saturday is complete without a trip to Home Depot? I needed a gasoline-powered grass trimmer. I’ve got one that runs off electricity, but that’s very difficult to get out to the far reaches of the yard. Nina would also like some flower boxes on the back deck so we looked at those as well. I bought the weed-whacker and will assemble it on Monday. We’ve had dinner and there’s a nice, cool breeze coming through the house, and I’m going to sit here for at least another hour….