Just Finished Mowing the Front Yard

I know. You could care less. However, have you not heard the saying, Laziness is the mother of invention? I know. Not accurate. Same thing only different.

I look at these kids with these R/C cars running them up and down the street at breakneck speeds while the kid operating the $40 toy car stands in one place.

I look at it and I shake my head. Why can’t I do that with my lawn mower? I mean, all that is missing is the R/C, right. Then I can sit under my porch on an elevated seat in the shade. Without even working up a small sweat, I can watch as my modern day mower makes short work of shortening my grass.

My first consideration is my doctor. He wants to make sure I get some good exercise once a week. [Now that is almost an oxymoron. How can exercise be good?]

On the other hand, it might be a conspiracy of the lawyers. It’s something of a disorganized thing. The word might already be spread that the lawyers will all be ready to jump on that lawsuit after the first accident. It ought to be worth a few thousand, even if the manufacturer is not at fault. I mean, the manufacturer will need a well-paid lawyer to explain why the machine is not at fault whilst the other is paid big bucks to prove it is.

So, while laziness might encourage invention, it provides no competition to the discouragement of the legal system.

It does cause me a little curiosity of how much more advanced civilization would be without the legal anchor we must drag behind us.

Do you suppose I could mount my own R/C on a mower. Sitting on my porch in the shade with a Diet Coke while the mower gets the exercise my doctor insist I have would be good, right?

Now I ask you, who else do you know who can write a humorous, interesting post about mowing lawns? This while arguing that our society has too many laws and lawyers.

Replaced Electric Mower Blade

I can’t remember for sure but I bought my 60 volt Greenworks mower about 4 or 5 years ago. I have been putting off replacing the blade because I just knew it would be beyond my abilities. I even considered having it done.

Besides all this, I didn’t have a wrench the right size. (see Wrenches, Wrenches and Wrenches in which I explained that, regardless of my dozens of wrenches, I never have the right size.) I spent a few hours checking the internet in hopes of getting some help.

First, much of the info was contradictory. Second, it was not specific to my mower. Finally, it seemed to suggest a confirmation that it would be too much for an old man.

As for the wrench thing, I resolved that problem by buying a large Cresent adjustable wrench for $8. I’m sure it would be better to use the right size wrench, but the adjustable wrench worked well.

The procedure took right about 15 minutes. If I did it again today, it would take 4, maybe 5 minutes. Indeed, I was surprised how easy it was.

I must truly give Greenworks acalaides for this mower. Other than the blade, it has performed as well as day 1 for me. Even the blade, which has had a lot of abuse was not bad for a 4 year old blade. It still cut, just a little unevenly.

Now that I know how, I will replace the blade every year and I suggest others do the same. If nothing else, it is likely better to cut the grass rather than tear it.

As my aside, I do find it odd that many mower repair shops are too busy to repair mowers, especially in the spring. I guess in a strange way it does make sense. It is why we should get our mowers fixed in the autumn.