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Praetorium Honoris

Friday, May 22, 2026

The Mowing ...

Grass? What grass?
OAFS Photo
A brief pause in the tale of 1870 is in order. Thursday required a trip to the dermatologist, regularly scheduled visit, nothing ominous to report. Upon my return the lawn needed tending to. After a two week absence it was starting to look like jungle.

My next door neighbor knocked the front yard down for me at one point in my absence, so as not to arouse the ire of the neighborhood busybodies, so that wasn't too bad. So naturally I did that first. Curb appeal dontcha know? Weed whacking was a dire need, so I did that as well.

Friday will see the cutting of the back lawn, or the Serengeti as I'm starting to think of it. The idea of a herd of wildebeest back there is somewhat appealing, I mean they would knock down the grass, but you do know that they crap everywhere, right? And they'd drain that koi pond in nothing flat.

So, I do it manually. I am giving serious thought to finding someone else to do it, you know, for cash money. As Danny Glover might have put it ...



So yeah, there is that. This way I can go somewhere for a week or three and not worry about the gorram grass. Costs money, but I have that. I guess it all depends on how much. It can get pricy around these parts. (Maryland, on the gripping hand, is dirt cheap for that sort of thing. Or perhaps Tuttle just knows people, he's lived there for over fourteen years.)

In other news, the lilacs are in bloom. I have a fondness for those, my Mom had a whole line of them along the southern boundary of the ancestral manse, right outside my window, growing up. Love that fragrance.

OAFS Photo
Back soon with my fictional tale of the Franco-Prussian War, but more lawn cutting is in the offing.

Yay ...



32 comments:

  1. I’ve been trying for ages to get my dear wife to agree to get some sheep to keep the jungle in order. Also for the lambs to accompany the new potatoes.

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    Replies
    1. There you go, an old school solution!

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    2. Anybody watch "Fletcher's Farm", on Prime?
      D4, Fuzz

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    3. No, I'll have to check it out.

      Delete
  2. Yah, having someone else cut while you're gone means you can pick up and GO! when you feel like it. Course the flip side is a little less fresh air and exercise for you then. But then that's what walking is for eh Sarge?

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  3. Get a robot mower, some models don't need perimeter wires and you can set them up to mow around flower beds etc. If my garden setup was different I'd have one.
    Retired

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    Replies
    1. A robot mower might be easier in the long run than moving into a condo down by the grandkids.

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    2. Retired - I have looked at that possibility.

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    3. Rob - Moving isn't really an option. Yet ...

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  4. I’m lucky. Mrs J enjoys mowing the grass. Being the kind man I am (stop snickering, Sarge!), I allowed her to take that job over. Just lucky I guess.
    juvat

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  5. I forced to admit that one of the advantages of our apartment interlude is that there no grass to mow. It has been a nice break.

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    Replies
    1. I remember my apartment days, while I didn't have to mow the lawn, my wife had zero opportunity to exercise her green thumb.

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    2. That's what I miss the most in Condo life - just a little dirt to fool around with.
      Fuzz

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    3. Being able to garden is my wife's passion.

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    4. Fuzz, I would likely (if I am being honest) be fine with a postage stamp-sized back yard with a little grass and raised beds.

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  6. "Professional" yard folks don't want to do "now and then" mowing, they want a full time commitment, so yeah, that's a regular expense and sometimes the home owner can look out at the hired hands and think about all that money being turned into noise and a nice lawn. But, a yard service provides immense flexibility for travel, and the home looks the same if you are there or gone for a few days or weeks at a time. That's a big plus from a security perspective.

    Back when teenagers were actually willing to work cutting yards and the like, it was common to hire the work out on a full time or occasional basis and they were glad for the money and developed a work ethic. Today, most seem to have their fat butts glued to the couch while they fiddle with their phones. If you can find a kid willing to work, that might be a great option, but that species may be extinct.

    Your yard is BEAUTIFUL with your current groundskeepers, but I am not sure that hired help would produce equally fine results. But, we have been pleased with our yard people for probably close to 20 years now. Got rid of the mower to free up space in the storage shed years ago.
    JB

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    Replies
    1. What do kids do for money these days?

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    2. It was helpful, as I recall, to have a beautiful, teen-aged daughter.
      Fuzz

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    3. Well, at one point in time ...

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  7. I'm pretty sure i saw a large snake, coiled up and ready to strike, on the far left in the grass and bench picture. I have had nothing to drink yet today, except a morning something to go with breakfast. A modest Sancerre, French, it's a breakfast wine.
    Fuzz, D4

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  8. The connection between unhappy dermatologist reports and mowing are known and solid. Plus, well, grass, ick, nice to look at but...

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  9. Back a couple of years ago, when I was younger and feeling energetic, I had a walk-behind mower, and, coincidentally a fitness watch which counted my steps. Had the watch on one day when I was mowing the lawn--both front and back. Now, mind you, the lot I live on is just a schooch under an acre. 7,000 miles!!! Took 4 hours!! Sometime shortly after that, I re-did the budget after talking with the fellow a couple of doors up about who did his lawn and then called the same guy. Does a great job. Whether I am here or not. Even in the middle of August when it is wicked hot and wicked humid. I just have to write the check once a month. Has been very worth it, especially when I was wicked sick last spring and not able to get off the couch for more than a few minutes.
    This year, I actually have time to work in my veggie garden, as well as my front flower beds.
    Definitely worth every cent! Of which I am widely known to be tight-fisted with. Most likely due to my Yankee New England roots. :)

    Suz

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    Replies
    1. Okay, lemme try that again. It was 7 miles, not 7 thousand...jeesh...

      Suz

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    2. Suz #1 - Four hours, that's a BIG lawn!

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    3. Suz #2 - But not that big, I had hoped 7,000 miles was a typo ...

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