a man and his mower

nate has a thing about the grass.... or he has a thing for the grass....
sometimes it's hard to tell.

last summer we had to get a new mower.
so---- i picked out the old fashioned reel mower.

1. it was cheaper
2. it took up WAY less space
3. it didn't use any gas
4. i could mow barefoot while my children played in the yard and no one was in danger of getting a flying stick to the eye
5. we didn't have to do that annoying lawnmowing conversation of "what??" --- me yelling--- "i can't hear you, what??"--- me yelling "turn off the mower so you can hear me!!!" "what? i can't hear you i'm mowing the lawn. " -- whatever. 

i felt like that was a pretty good pros list. so i actually won and we got it. but i actually didn't win because deep down in his heart of hearts the boy wanted a gas guzzling, blades whirling, i mow because i can manmower.

so i had to hear about it-- all the time. he said it was for the grass... i thought it was probably for his ego. every yard sale i was kept up to date on the latest rock bottom prices of our neighbors used lawnmowers. i wasn't budging. i would not be swayed. then hearing the plight of her forlorn, environmentally responsible, mired in regret brother my sister in law gave him her old mower.
foiled by family loyalties-- drats!

and then a strange thing happened...
the grass actually started looking thicker. greener. happier. shoot.

he was right i was wrong... and don't think he didn't make me say that out loud. while he was in africa i was in charge of mowing the lawn. i even had to fill it up with gas. now, 2 weeks later, the manmower is dead. something about oil and leaking... i don't know. i have been getting sideways eyes from the manmower's daddy wondering if i had ill intentions with his baby. i promise i did not... but it would be a lie to say a part of me isn't happy to hear the clickety, clickety snip of my mower instead of the deafening roar of his. 

BUT the truth is... he is the one who loves to mow. i like to mow...he loves to mow. i've said it before... he has a thing about the grass. ari and i are really more into the flowers and garden. that daddy likes his grass. so he should like his mower. he has put enough good lawnmowing karma out there i am sure his perfect lawnmower match will find him again. a man and his mower... i may never understand.