First, as an apology and explanation to all of my neighbors, no, I’m not really “that guy” — the redneck who never mows his lawn. While it’s true that I had not mown my lawn yet this year (until Saturday), and the weeds were high enough to hide a Buick, and property values in the neighborhood plunged 12% because of my yard, it was not entirely my fault. Despite my best efforts to prep my lawnmower for hibernation last fall (running all the gas out of it, etc.), when I went to crank it several weeks go it just wouldn’t start. I changed the oil, changed the air filter, changed the spark plug, and still couldn’t get it to stay running for more than a couple of seconds.
After much self-diagnosis, and many discussions with various folks who at least appeared to know what they were talking about, I determined (hoped) that the carburetor needed to be cleaned or replaced. As it turns out, carburetor cleaner is about $30 at the local auto parts store, whereas a new carburetor is about $15 online. The catch is, of course, that I would have to actually take off the old carburetor and replace it with the new.
Now, as an Air Force brat, I grew up all over the country/world, doing some pretty amazing things and learning all sorts of stuff. But mechanics — auto or small engine — was not that stuff. I have friends who have probably been rebuilding 8-cylinder combustion engines from the time they were 12. That’s not me. I can barely spell carber . . . carub . . . carburetor, much less replace one. But I took a step of faith and figured that, with the help of YouTube University, I could give it a shot. All I had to lose was $15. So I ordered one on Amazon.
Of course, the YouTube video(s) never show the exact engine you need to work on, but I managed to find one that was close, so Saturday morning I ventured into the unknown. Probably took me about an hour to switch the carb out, but what a suh-weeeeeet sound when I cranked the lawnmower and it ran like a champ. I suspect it sounded even better to my neighbors as I was mowing my weeds yard.
Don’t you love that feeling of accomplishment when you try something new and it actually works?!
Then, after (streaming) Sunday school and church on Sunday morning, my close friend and brother Kevin took me on a 2 1/2 hour motorcycle ride through the local highways and byways of Birmingham and surrounding areas. (Don’t worry — we drove at least 6 feet apart!) Saw the tunnel where John Henry raced a rock drilling machine (yes, there’s an actual tunnel! although there is some dispute as to where that tunnel actually is), took some pictures of some beautiful scenery, and ended it with a beer at Kevin’s house (we sat 6 feet apart). Kevin taught me some of the finer points of motorcycle riding — I’m still very much a novice — and I had the most fun on the bike since I got it.
Then, of course, Bible study with some of my closest and dearest friends. Can’t wait to quit “social distancing” from them.
All in all, a fantastic weekend.
