Picture Sunday

Hello, end of weekenders, and welcome to another happy round of Picture Sunday.

To all you who've been reading about the Great Water Debacle of 08, I may be on the verge of telling you our long national nightmare is now over. Wednesday, I had plumbers at my house. New plumbers. And they supposedly fixed my pipe, gave me a new frost-free outside spigot, and replaced the very old pressure-reducing valve on my line (there's something the old plumber was right about - I had one, it was just some 15 years old) before they went on their way. I hear no water running inside or outside of the Poderosa, and I'm waiting for one last meter reading from the town yoo-hoos.

If the meter is not running, you'll be the first to hear about it. If not, you won't hear about it at all, because I will have indeed checked myself into The Home for the Really Really Fruity.

I had the afternoon off on Thursday, and decided to mow my yard with my newly-repaired (by me) lawn mower. Pay attention to the "by me." Because you know this isn't going to be a good story. Yes, after sailing along in the back yard I swung around to the side of the house, and - you guessed it. The cog in the blade height thingie again stripped, and I was left with a lopsided blade height thingie. I tried again to fix it.

Let's just say that it didn't work very well. In fact, let's just say that my lawn mower died. And in fact, let's just say that I killed it. Yes, I was just a little too angry in working with the cog, and I broke it right in half. So there's no way it would stay in any spoke in any cog. Because, you see, it's broken.

And I felt surprisingly not so bad about it. Mainly because this season I've come to hate that lawn mower so much I feel its death was justifiable homicide. It was a cheap piece of machinery. I knew that when I bought it. I mean, that's why I bought it, let's be honest.

The only thing I felt bad about, finishing up my yard with a lopsided blade height thingie that was cutting one side of my mowing row too close, was that I am a big fat miserable failure as a Mowing Girl. And so I walked, back and forth, back and forth, trying to make a decision. Did I buy a new mower? A new cheap piece of crap I know how to use, if not repair? Did I buy a new mower of a more powerful type, that I know neither how to start, maintain, or use? Or did I just admit defeat, throw my hands in the air, give up, and find a Mowing Boy (or girl)?

I pondered it most of the day Friday, and decided I'd take the plunge and buy a better mower. Everyone seems to be able to mow and pull those cords and start them up, so why can't I? (Don't answer that.) I got some helpful buying hints from The Ziffel, husband of my friend, workmate, and mother figure San, and Mr M said he'd go with me and help me pick one out.

And so Saturday, I headed off to B'burg with clothes, green tea, clarinet, music, iPod, Sherman, and state income tax refund in tow, and Saturday evening Mr M, the DeepFatFriar, and I went lawn mower shopping.

And heeeeeeere's my new mower.




















Yes, I know I have to take it out of the box to use it. It's just that it rained very hard this afternoon, and I had to get it out of the back of podmobile2 because I couldn't see out the back window - and while the back hatch lock is still working - and so I slid it out of the car and walked it into my house. Hopefully I can get it all set up tomorrow.

To be honest, there's not much I can tell you about it except it has a motor, a bagger, and it's red. Good enough for me.

Rain today aside, the weather has really taken a turn down this way. It's been very hot. And on hot days like this, who doesn't want a nice, refreshing, cool beverage? Well, that's a dumb question - everyone wants one! And that's where our recipe du jour comes in. From the "Refreshing Drinks" file at cardland, please say hello to Shermanade.

























Nothing says, "Ahhhhhh, that was refreshing" like a little bit of Sherman in a glass. Just make up your favorite cool beverage (it's iced tea for us), put a healthy helping of Sherman in a pitcher, and pour the beverage over it. Not only will you get the taste of Sherman in your drink, but you'll get to see his smiling face from the pitcher.

(Oh, don't be silly. Of course I didn't pour iced tea over Sherman. Thanks to Mr M for his wizardry in the Paint Shop Pro department.)

Happy week.

Betland's Olympic Update:
* Speaking of our boy Sherman, I invite you to head over the to the Comfy Chair Cinema and view our latest offering, "Sherman's Footlight Parade." I don't think you'll be disappointed.