We picked up another lawn customer this past week.  It’s a very large apartment complex.  It took us a little over 3 days to cut and trim the entire place.  I cut grass with my pushmower as well as the small rider the first day.  (even apt. complexes have hills down here) The second and third day, I was doing edging with an Echo SRM 230 string trimmer.  The first day I used the trimmer from 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM.  The second day I used the trimmer from 9:00 AM until 6:45 PM.  I didn’t take a lunch break and only stopped long enough to drink some water  while I was cutting the first day.  The second day it was much hotter so we did take an hour lunch break.

I love this Echo trimmer.  It’s light weight and easy to use.  It has a nice big trimmer head so I don’t have to keep loading the string so often.  I’ve never done trimming.  I’ve always left that job up to my husband.  Since there is so much trimming with this complex, I knew I was going to have to learn.  

By the end of the second day, I was scooting right along with my trimmer.  I’ve claimed that trimmer as mine.  Using this trimmer has helped my shoulders as well as my upper arms.  I’m looking forward to the next job so I can do the trimming.                                                                                                 I tried using my husband’s  trimmer but it just didn’t work for me since I’m left handed.  The guard on the bottom of the shaft was on the wrong side for me.  I had no protection from flying rocks and debris.  I tried holding it with my right hand but it just felt too uncomfortable.

It’s been raining off and on all morning so the grass cutting is I’m getting a break.  This has given me a chance to make up a large cucumber salad.  I’ve used fresh cucumbers, onions and tomatoes from our garden.  I add fat free half and half, cider vinegar, and a little sugar to balance the taste.  Top it with a little salt and pepper and let it marinate for a couple of hours.  This makes for a nice low calorie healthy salad.  I don’t put much tomato in the bowl because it makes it too watery.  It’s better to just add the tomato to you individual bowl a few minutes before you are going to eat it.  

You can also keep adding cucumbers to the dressing.  When it begins to taste bland, it’s time to make a new batch of the dressing.  (Although it’s not necesary, I usually peel the skin off my cucumbers.)

I’m off to visit

My husbands hard work is paying off in the garden.  We are finally getting vegetables we can eat.  This morning I decided to whip up this healthy dish before we head out to cut grass.  I have cooked up freshly diced green peppers, onions, garlic, celery (not from the garden), and baby portabella mushrooms.  I added a little sea salt and some fresh ground pepper.   It smelled so good while it was cooking, I had to taste it.  Yum!!  It’s great!!

In another pan, I cooked up some fresh broccoli from the garden and plan on added it to my healthy concoction.  I plan on dishing this over jasmine rice (it’s my favorite).  I don’t know the calorie content of this recipe but it has to be very low.  What a bonus, low calories and good tasting.  That is such a winning combination.

It’s still be real hot here.  My husband and I are still busy cutting grass.  We just picked up another new customer on Thursday.  It’s great because they live across the street from one of our regular customers.  It makes it nice when you can knock off a couple of lawns without having to drive any distance.  It seems we get most of our customers by referral.  Our customers are happy with our prices and our work. 

I’ve been drinking plenty of water in this heat.  The good news is I’m down two more pounds.  My husband just finished fixing my push mower ( fuel line was clogged) so it’s time for us to hit the dusty trail.

Hoping everyone has a great weekend!!  (We’re going to the weekly Saturday night auction tonight.)

 My little riding lawnmower is broken down.  As you can see, my husband has it totally taken apart.  All this for a darn $2.34 part.  The steering went out on it two weeks ago while  I was cutting a lawn.  Actually, what happened is the darn thing, it quit turning to the right.  All it would do is make a clicking noise when I turned the steering wheel.   Needless to say, finishing that lawn by only being able to turn left was tricky.  I was proud of myself though.  I was able to finish the job.

My husband had me  ordered the two parts he thought it needed but neglected to order this little $2.00 piece.  So here we are…..waiting again for that little piece to come in so he can reassemble my mower. 

I’ve been having to use my pushmower on yards I usually use my rider.  I’m afraid to use my husband’s lawnmower.  It’s a zero turn commercial Ferris and it goes so much faster than mine.  I can still remember when I was afraid to learn how to use the other riding mower.  I finally attempted it when I had a 3 acre yard to work in.  I figured I would have plenty of space to turn around.  I’ve finally graduated up to smaller and tighter areas. 

I’ve been getting a lot more exercise using my push mower.  I don’t like the self-propelled type so it’s all “pushing.”  Anyone that has spent much time in Tennessee knows it’s hard to find a flat yard.  I’m up and down hills and gullies most of the time.  I know that is burning off more calories than sailing across a flat piece of ground.  I’m losing my weight slowly this time and hopefully will be able to KEEP it off.

I enjoy being outside.  Cutting grass for me is more fun than working in my flower garden.  I hate pulling weeds and hoeing.  The past few weeks it’s been very hot.  There have been several heat related deaths in our area.  To combat this hot and humid weather, I’m drinking plenty of water, taking plenty of breaks in my airconditioned vehicle, and trying to remember to use sunscreen.  I only had one day I quit around noon.  The combination of the heat and humidity just took my breath away.  I started having cold chills so I knew I had been at it too long. 

I’ve got to go meet my husband at the church and cut the grass on the playground. 

Have a safe and happy 4th!!