Things NOT to do when you are out-of-doors!?!?

Things NOT to do when you are out-of-doors!?!?

Such a w-o-n-d-e-r-f-u-l day it was... (and it is really, really friggin' scary to think that it is not even over with yet)!

ANSWER: What are thunderstorms and fires?
QUESTION? Name two things that leave me completely unsettled, unnerved and disquieted...

A nice storm last night;- if ever any storms can be called 'nice' in the first place. But good timing as I had planted a zillion flower seeds yesterday. Besides, storms at night seem to bring in the next morning quiet and calm. As was the case this morning--- Out early to let the puppies out- a quick pee/poo for them, and back inside they went back to sleep. Thinking I could do this fast, I let them out before I had gotten dressed- No biggie, or so I thought... until a car went by and beeped their horn at me. DO NOT go out to 'pee-poo' puppies while you still have your jammies on- You WILL get caught!

Back inside, humiliated, CaseyAnne had come down about 8, having terrible pain once again- She took two pain pills and went back upstairs to sleep. I try not to disturb these few hours of being pain-free for her, so outside I went. (Yes, I got dressed first)!   With the ground and the lawns still wet from last night, my shoes were soaked even before I could let the pups out- And the dogs were soaked very completely by the time they returned to the kennel- (Milly's problem; not mine)!

Keeping in mind my fear of fire, but seeing how very calm the breeze was, I thought it would be a perfect day to get my pile of wood and yard wastes burned.... Of course, given the fact that it had stormed, the pile was quite uncooperative at first... (Damp thing)... I think I may have used every single newspaper in the house to get it going- DO NOT try to burn wet piles of branches if you want to get it over and done with in the same day!

I tried to cut up a few of the larger branches and such to make them more burnable. (10 hours later, it is still going)... A good thing- but have been babysitting my little fire all day- In the meantime, remembering the raspberry branches, I went to go get them... No gloves- (8 hours later, the slivers from those briars are STILL in this lions paw)... DO NOT pick up old raspberry branches without gloves on).

My pile started out about 10 X 8 X 5- maybe bigger? It had burnt down significantly by about 12:30- Thinking it would behoove me to trim the grasses where this pile had been for months, I hopped on the mower. Trimming too closely to a hot spot, and having no shield on my deck; I found out that embers (arrogantly, maliciously and embarrassingly) can really burn your butt, (along with many other necessary anatomical parts)- I also learned that my little rider cannot outrun embers flying around at the speed of light! (All these hours later, I am still embarassed)! DO NOT trim the nearby grasses while the fire still burns!

Filling the mower with gas, I decided to get the west yard cut- I think my neighbors usually have a Memorial Day party, and I so wanted it to be looking nice as their friends and family traveled down their driveway... I cut the little orchard too, west of the barngrade. Almost finished mowing, the mower shuts down on me. Just shuts itself off- no warning- and absolutely NO further cooperation from it either. I looked down, watching, as my blades slowly quit turning...

Being not as ignorant as most, I do know enough to check the gas- Aha, there was still more than half a tank- So I sit, turn the key, and try to restart... It only winds real good- like it is not getting any gas, or spark... As I look at the uncut strip on the lawn, I feel overcome by the need to cuss- (Which I had no problem doing- loudly even). Giving up, and getting down from the mower, I then feel overcome by the need to kick the tires... DO NOT kick tires, or anything else for that matter, while you are barefoot.

I suppose I will be changing the spark plug, buying a new shield- and putting new blades on too- (For some odd, strange reason, they do not mulch rocks no matter how big, or small those rocks may be)... DO NOT trim too close to trees that have roots growing out of the ground. DO NOT mow mulch around these same trees, as the mulch may contain little rocks, and other projectiles that fly up and shoot at various exposed body parts.

Oh yeah, and DO NOT push a rider over gravel and back to the garage while you are barefoot- Obtaining traction hurts.

Hope you all have a safe weekend...  At this rate, I'll probably be in a coma by the time it's over!

   Just kidding...   

   ...er- I hope...    

Anne

PS No, I am NOT blonde......... I just have days that I can develop a certain sense of compassion for all of you who are the brunt of blonde jokes...

Originally posted to my Y!360, Thursday May 25, 2006 - 06:52pm (CDT)