The Bigger the Better

When asked about my job, I frequently inform folks that I'm a "Lawn Care Specialist." In other words, I mow, weedwhack, and do whatever else it takes to keep lawns looking good for those who would rather shell out $10 an hour to me than do it themselves. There are a surprising number of benefits to doing lawn care. These include the fact that you can listen to your mp3 player for hours on end while taking a beautiful and leisurely walk. This also means you get to listen to deafening engines for hours on end in a hundred ten degree weather, while shoving fifty pounds of scrap metal through somebody's woods.

There is one constant though in lawn care: "the bigger the engine the better." Here is the second most absolute law of lawn care: "The smaller the engine is, the more often it breaks." For example, take a pick up truck: You have a Dodge pick up truck to drive around your mower, weed whacker, gas cans, and other odd stuff. If it breaks down more than every three months, than you'll never buy a Dodge again. On the other hand take a weed whacker: You got a Weed Whacker brand, with all the bells and whistles. However it must take at least ten pulls per start, break down twice per hour, and leak gas, before you even consider that you might want to buy a STIHL instead. So my plan is that when I'm rich I'll buy a push mower with a V8 sitting on top, which might keep repairs down to once a month (not to mention keeping the neighbors from stealing it).

And by the way, the Most Absolute Law of Lawn Care is that every engine involved can and will break at every opportunity.