OK, after reading all the posts again; I can not help but tell on myself
one more time.
Remember at the end of one of my stories I got rid of the old riding lawn mower? Well, I figured the problem was that it was
old and did not have enough controls to properly be able to operate it with me losing my legs, etc. Yes, I know you see it coming, I bought a new fancy, easy to control, with my "limited abilities", riding lawn mower around January of 2007. :-D At the time I could still transfer from the wheelchair to the seat and use my cane to move my legs.
I used the cane to work the brake and forward gas pedal and all the rest were pretty much hand controls. I thought now I can get back to being a man; doing manly things, GRRRRRR!. Go cut the grass. So I manage after about 15 minutes and considerable pain to get on the "Little Red Devil", so named for it's nature. Of course I had to be sure my wife was gone.
The front yard was a breeze. Wow how nice it looked when I finished cutting it like only I could do, no one else knows how to cut grass right. :twisted: I went to the dreaded back yard with it's 40 degree banking and managed to get it cut, almost flipping the mower 5 times in the process. But I was proud I did it, no matter what my wife had said about I better never get on that thing again. After that my wife or grandson would cut the grass.
Then this year............the grass was so high, wife was gone, no one home, just had to try to see if I can do this again. It's a man thing see, a crazy man thing.:?:
Now it takes me about 30 minutes to get on the mower that is parked in the garage. I have figured it out you see. I have this 8 foot long piece of Velcro and I can Velcro myself to the lawn mower to keep my legs from falling off on the hill out back. So here I am all tied to the mower with my trusty side kick CANE Mutiny, on top of Ole Red Devil, here we go.
I go slow speed and I am able to cut the front yard. Some of my neighbors are looking at me like what a nut job. HUH?
Then on to the back yard. I get on the 40 degree hill, using the cane to try to use the brake, holding the seat to keep from falling off with one hand, suddenly realize
I need a third hand to turn the wheel, the other is trying to use the brake. I grab the wheel fast to turn, mower heads downhill like a
nitro fueled dragster, goes up on 2 wheels, I grab the seat even harder with one hand,
try to brake but can't find it, I'm headed for the shed and THE FLOWER BED,
OH NO, I HAVE TO TURN THE WHEEL JUST A LITTLE TO MISS IT, It must have been about that time the
rocket assist motors kicked in on the mower,.................................I'm actually hearing
someone screaming and suddenly realize it is me.
Knees are Velcroed together, behind is trying to pucker and grab the seat to hold on, cane is gone, flowers are gone, wall is hit, AL is going to be DEAD when wife comes home. The wheels are digging a hole trying to still go forward. What do you do?
Turned the key off.
Isn't life fun? When will I ever learn?
NEVER. That is what being a man is all about at least to me. it is the nature of the beast.
My grandson now is in charge of the LITTLE RED DEMON.