05 May Wed 2010
Am I losing it?
Today was one of those days when you wake up, know that you've got at least a million things to do, and the weather is cooperating. I started out by grabbing the weedeater and the mixed gas can, which had only about 1/2 cup in it, and I headed for the blackberry patch. For some reason, the distance between the three rows of thornless blackberries I have ended up being less than 5 feet, which is how wide the mower is that I pull behind my tractor. Trying to squeeze as many plants in as I could, I guess.
Anyway, this is the first time the weedeater has been started this year and I did empty the tank last year and run all the fuel out of the carburetor like a good girl, but when I primed, flipped switches, and pulled the rope, nothing happened----over and over-----you know the sound. Not even a hit.
Well, being the non-mechanically-oriented person that I am, I immediately started looking for stuff I thought could be wrong. I took one cover off and there was a filter, so I put that back on. The other cover took a really weird looking screwdriver to open it, so I abandoned that option. Then I saw a really obvious looking rubber plug thingee on the front of the cover and I started picking at that with my pocket knife and voila'---it came off and there was the spark plug. Well, it looked like a spark plug but I didn't have the appropriate socket to remove it, so I blessed it, put the rubber thingee back on, pulled the rope, and it started! I don't know why, but I did a happy dance.
While weedeating (before I had to stop and go to the local store to buy more gas) I saw a really big toad flop out on it's back right in front of me. I felt so bad that I had injured the little guy (this is where I thought I might be losing it). I stopped the weedeater, stooped down and flipped it over. The toad was still breathing and I kind of nudged it and it kind of moved, so I felt better and thought maybe I had just addled it. I noticed on the next pass nearby that it was gone so I felt better about the whole situation.
Anyway, the thought crossed my mind to kiss it to see if I would get my handsome prince, but I wasn't sure if it was of the "princitonian" type so I didn't want to chance getting a wart on my lip for nothing :)