The Lawnmower Conundrum

If the title of this post sounds a little like a Robert Ludlum thriller filled with spying and international intrigue, well, that's exactly how the never ending saga of buying an appropriate lawnmower for the new place feels to me right now ! How, you may ask, is it possible to ramp up a mundane event this much ? Well children, if you'll follow me I'll show you.



Dateline: Early March

Place: Home Depot, Spring Hill, TN

Time: 7 pm



Enroute home from the new farm one night, I stopped at Home Depot to browse their riding lawnmower selection so I could get a feel for how much a new (cheap) lawn tractor might cost (WAY, WAY too much for the cheap, shoddy pieces of crap on display !!). I perused everything in stock, made notes, and then went to Lowes to do the same thing. Later that night, I began scouring the internet and local buy-sell papers for lawn tractors, comparing the sales prices with those I'd racked up while at HD and Lowes. What I'm hoping to do is find an older but gently used heavy duty mower for roughly the same price as the new POS mowers at HD and Lowes. There's no hurry....it's at least two weeks until grass cutting time.



Dateline: Mid March

Place: Home at my computer on Craigslist

Time: 10 pm.



Despite a thorough nightly perusal of all relevant Craigslist listings and local buy sell papers, I have gotten exactly nowhere with my lawnmower search. Apparently nobody in greater Nashville is selling anything at a price that I'm willing to pay. The grass is now 4-6 inches tall and the lawn service has already been out to cut our grass at home. Still, I decide to give it another week.



Dateline: March 20

Place: Home at my computer

Time: 7:45 am



It's been hot the past few days...80 or more degrees with lots of soil moisture available and the grass is now 10 inches tall. I *have* to do something pretty soon or else hook up the bush hog, one or the other.



Shazam ! An old F910 commercial John Deere mower for sale locally at a *very* attractive price, listed on Craigslist late last night. Despite the fact that it's early on Sunday morning, I call anyway. The fellow is enroute to church (good sign) with his family at the time but he humours me re: the mower and says the price is negotiable. I tell him I won't quibble over the price if he'll hold it for me until tomorrow morning so I can come look at it ( I was fully booked on Sunday). I also promise if it runs and cuts I will take it ! I was *dancing* around the kitchen table I was so excited about this ! About 5 pm, I see that there is a message on my phone. With deep foreboding, I look at the number...it's my lawnmower man and he's SOLD the F910 to someone else about an hour ago. Instant deep despair. Melissa patted me on the head and said that all things happen for a reason. This didn't make me feel any better.



Dateline: Monday, March 21

Place: Home at my computer

Time: 7 am



There is an F910 John Deere with the same ad and the same phone number listed on Craigslist this morning. The only thing that's different is that the price has gone up. A lot. I call and the same fellow I talked to yesterday pretends he's never heard of me and says I must have the wrong number. I hang up the phone and come in the house, dejected yet again.



I've found two more mowers I'm going to call about forthwith, otherwise I'm off to Home Depot to buy a piece of crap ! Wish me luck !