FYI-This post has nothing to do with sewing or quilting, crafting or anything creative.

Yesterday I tried to get my lawn mower started all day long - off and on. At the end of the day a friend of mine came over, diddled with some thing-a-ma-gig and started it with one pull. When he left I went in to put on my lawn mowing shoes and when I came back out and tried to start it . . . NO LUCK. Ugggh. I then had supper and tried again. NOPE.

This morning I walked down to the coffee shop and had coffee with my mother and her friends and when I walked home I found I had locked myself out of my house. Ugggh again! I didn't have my cell phone. I didn't have the keys to my car. And so I just sat down. . .

Later, after walking around my house a number of times and trying the doors over and over. I decided I could remove the screen from the bedroom window and climb through. Now mind you that the bottom of the window is higher than the top of my head. Yes, I have a ladder but it's in the basement. So, I pull the old rotting garden table over to the window. Remove the window box with flowers. Climb up on the garden chair then the table and then using one of my new red tomato cages I rotate the six clips that hold the screen in place, and then remove the screen. NOW, how do I get my 53 year old butt up and through the window. This would have been an easy maneuver 20 maybe 30 years ago, but now??? I turned my back to the house, put my hands on the bottom of the window sill and about the third try I managed to get up high enough. I grabbed the headboard of the bed through the open window and pulled myself up. Then promptly banged my head on the bottom edge of the raised window. Dear God, I hope none of the neighbors were watching. Now all I needed to do was push my bed far enough away from the window so I could get in. And I did it. (Photo below, yup that's the old mower and the window I heaved my big ol butt through)
OK, New number ONE priority. Go to ACE hardware and make a spare key.

While at ACE waiting for the key to be made I take a peak at the lawn mowers. (logical right?) I talked to the 'helpful hardware man' and tell him my problem with my lawnmower. He shows me a shiny new black (sports car looking model) for around $150.00 and assures me I can start it on my own. He even has me pull the cord so he can evaluate the strength and speed of my arm. NO PROBLEM he reassures me. So I take home my shiny new mower and my shiny new house key.

Back home, 1st thing, try the new key. NOPE it doesn't work. Line it up with the old key and see that it's too short. Oh, well. I will take it back later. Now for the lawn. Unload the mower from the Element fill it with gas, push the primer button three times as per the instructions. Pull, nothing. Pull, nothing. PULL again nothing. Then I think maybe I should push the red primer button a few more times since it's brand new and has never had gasoline in it before. Push it 5 TIMES and PULL, PULL, PULL, PULL, PULL. NOTHING!!!!

Load the mower and the key back in the Element and head back to ACE. To make this very long story short(er). The helpful hardware man made me a new key. Then came out to the parking lot and pulled and pulled pushed the red primer button a few more times and 'three times a charm' it started for him on the third pull.

I took them both home, (the key and the mower, NOT the HARDWARE MAN) the key works beautifully and so does my shiny new back sports model lawn mower!

Just one of those days I guess!


Jamie

Oh, and I do realize that I just explained to everyone exactly how to break into my place. What I didn't mention is my two dogs a male Airedale & female Rottweiler inside and the fact that I live next door to a cop, plus I am only two blocks from the police station.