Something for the Weekend: Introducing 'The Beast'


A couple of weeks ago and completely out of the blue NAH and I had one of those milestone kind of conversations:

NAH: There's a petrol mower for sale at B&Q for under a hundred quid
Me: @!#% a petrol mower?
NAH: Yes, for under a hundred quid
Me: But we've got the push pull mower!
NAH: This one will cut the grass
Me: So does the push pull and it doesn't use any fuel
NAH (in a small voice): I'm not getting any younger dear...

Flashback to the last time the allotment was mown: our understanding is mowing is the sole help I get from NAH. We bought the push pull mower second hand and from time to time he'd sigh and go a-mowing, with very ill grace. Often on his own too - best to keep a safe distance. But last time we'd gone together as I was behind in my other tasks, as usual. After a while the reassuring gentle whirring of the mower slowed and then stopped. NAH was nowhere to be seen. I stormed up the plot where I found him slumped in the car looking rather grey around the gills and my temper turned to concern. After a barrage of tests the diagnosis is NAH has high cholesterol and a touch of the Tony Blairs about him. It's not life threatening, but enough of a warning that lifestyles have to change and we need to look after ourselves a bit better.

So The Beast took up residence in our garage last weekend. Whilst I'd prefer not to have a petrol guzzling mower on environmental and noise grounds (plus a completely irrational fear that the house will catch fire if we keep fuel on the premises), I do prefer (and love) having my husband around for a whole lot longer. And guess what? Now there's a power tool involved, NAH mowed the allotment last weekend without me having to ask him :)

Comments

  1. vuejardin25 April 2009 at 13:37

    Nice beast, it is better than manual lawn mower.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Aunt Debbi/kurts mom25 April 2009 at 15:39

    We have a push pull mower as well, but I had to break down and buy and electric machine or the lawn would never get mowed.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Victoria Summerley25 April 2009 at 15:44

    Oh, bless him! Craig was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation a few years ago and it is amazing how these things concentrate the mind. That's how we ended up getting married after years of living together.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Joanne25 April 2009 at 17:21

    Men and their toys. I am sure it will pay dividends to get the grass cut regularly and I hope he soon feels much better.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Elizabeth Musgrave25 April 2009 at 22:53

    I hate mowing and would do whatever it takes to get someone else to do it. There goes any pretence I had to environmental credentials.
    Much better to keep your husband in good fettle than the grass! Mine is a lover of power tools too.

    ReplyDelete
  6. VP26 April 2009 at 09:02

    Vuejardin - it's certainly easier to use!

    Deb - we can't use electric mowers at the allotment as there's no power supply, hence the petrol powered one

    Victoria - NAH had atrial fibrillation 10 years ago. We had to cancel our planned windsurfing holiday to Greece as the Doctor said he couldn't guarantee all would be well there. We went to North Wales instead, where he collapsed at Tywyn station one day in front of a coachload of pensioners from Newcastle, much to their entertainment. Ironically, NAH now volunteers there from time to time.

    Joanne - NAH's an engineer, so toys are most important ;) Thanks for your good wishes

    Elizabethm - that's my view exactly

    ReplyDelete
  7. Flighty26 April 2009 at 09:21

    I think that the reason that I'm not keen on lawns is that I used to hand mow my parents' which was always one of my least favourite chores.
    Thankfully on the plot I only have to trim a short edge of grass with the hand shears. xx

    ReplyDelete
  8. Gail26 April 2009 at 14:21

    VP, I've gotten the best workout pushing the reel mower in the little grassy area! It takes 20 minutes to mow on gail power and 5 when Mr I mows it with the gas beast!

    gail

    ReplyDelete
  9. emmat26 April 2009 at 19:32

    i cut the grass on my allotment with a pair of edging shears! I like the noise it makes, swish, swish, and i won't kill any animals that way. (witness recent Cleve West post!)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Susan English Mason26 April 2009 at 21:22

    It sounds like the power mower is just what the doctor ordered.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Nutty Gnome27 April 2009 at 14:33

    Poor old NAH - hope he's feeling a bit better now. Mind you, now he's got a new toy there'll be no stopping him!

    Himself does our mowing - it's one of the very few things that is designated as 'man's work' in our house, and he does it mostly without moaning! If it were left to me to do we've have a prairie!

    ReplyDelete
  12. VP28 April 2009 at 08:22

    Flighty - I have a lot more grass than that around my plot and the agreement says you have to look after it!

    Gail - yes they do give a good workout ;)

    Emmat - I do the edges (lots of them) with shears, plus all the bits that NAH's missed!

    Pouty Lips - welcome! Sadly you're right.

    Nutty Gnome - he's a lot better thanks. We have a similar agreement here, not only re the allotment, but the garden as well. I see that Himself's been a lot more handy with your garden changes!

    ReplyDelete

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