We bought this house four years ago. The owner offered us a great deal on a riding lawn-mower. I looked at my husband with watery eyes. “I want this mower.” That’s how it came into our lives. I do not have a car, but I have a lawn tractor. There are many different steps to take in order to start it. At last, I did!

I did not know how to use it and it startled me when it jerked into a gallop right from the starting gate. I cut the grass at lightning speed. It had a mind of its own. I tried to make nice straight lines and my lines were willy nilly. I even had trouble keeping it off the street. Neighbors were watching. If you have ever ridden a horse at a trot you know that you are going to bounce in the seat. I was bouncing on the tractor’s seat. My teeth rattled. I went over the rock border of our landscape edge and hit the only viable tree on our property. That stopped the lawnmower in its tracks. The lawnmower escaped injury, but I didn’t. I had bitten my lip so hard it was bleeding.

The next week I was back on the riding mower. I had nicer lines on the straight ways. I had cut the lawn, and I was proud of myself until I hit the neighbor’s fence. I looked wildly around. I turned off the mower and inspected the fence. There was no damage. I put the mower into neutral and pushed it back away from the fence. Believe me, it is easier to cut the lawn with scissors than it is to cut it with a lawn tractor. The following week I was very careful. I stayed away from the landscape edging and the tree and the neighbor’s fence. However, we live on a large and untamed field. I rode the tractor straight into that field about twenty feet. Once again I had to put the mover into neutral to back it out of the field. People were sitting on their back decks drinking cocktails with umbrellas in them. They applauded. The next week I cut the grass more easily and tried to cut along the edge of the house. I went too close and ripped off the left front tire of the lawnmower. I called out to my husband. He moved the lawn tractor into the garage. I went with him to a place called Tractor Supply. It is a store for tractor tires and lots of other things. I was enamored with the baby chicks and ducks. Once again I looked at my husband and he shook his head “No”. He is using the lawn tractor now. I use the blower to rid offensive grass clippings from the driveway and sidewalks. I can’t wait until next season. I will try, try again.