House Updates

So, we have gone without a lawn tractor for just about 3 weeks. When it first failed we called the number on the sticker on the tractor....

after multiple attempts to reach by phone and by e-mail we kinda gave up on it for a bit. We had the wedding that second weekend (apr25)and then last friday (May1) D and I both took off to re-coop from the long week and all. We decided to make a roadtrip over to the Tractor repair place. Hmm....first, hard to find, second, not particularly friendly people, third not particularly helpful people. We told them our problem, said we had been trying to call with no response, and got a "Well, the service guys are back-logged 3-4 weeks. We can go ahead and schedule a pick-up for this up-coming Monday for x dollars and an estimate on what the problem will be is x dollars." huh? I think my jaw dropped. They were asking for 200 dollars before they even knew anything! So we scheduled the pick-up but decided to leave our options open.

So, while looking for the above place we happened by a more Mom and Pop style repair place. Can you guess where we stopped next? For half the initial cost (pick-up, delivery, and estimate) with the estimate portion going towards whatever the problem was (no money wasted here) and a guesstimate at a week to repair with a pick-up on Monday as well.

Hmmm, who do you think we went with? Now, cancelling the service with the first place...that was a headache in of itself getting confrimation of multiple messages left! Sigh, onward we trudge

So, we are supposed to be getting our tractor back today, Yea!! but our grass is like 3 feet high from all the rain and intermitten sun, oie. D went out last night and push mowed parts that were outside the fence line...

Can you tell how tall the grass is? The poor push mower got hung a couple times on the long grass but wow does it look so much better shorn short :) To do what equates to 1/8 of our lawn took over 1/2 hour. Can you imagine doing the whole lawn this way? Yup, me neither, that's part of the reason we were so suprised by the first repair companies estimate. You wants us to go 3-4 WEEKS! after not returning are inquires for 2 weeks? and want to charge HOW much?

Needless to say they will NOT be getting our business in the future and I plan to tell our neighbors about our experience too.

Now for some cute pics :)
Here's James, and another shot of the freakishly long grass:

This is the yucky red vine that kills bushes/trees (reason we had to cut down 2 pine trees last year) sprouting up by our lone pine tree left. Need some serious weed killer cause I am NOT losing any more trees!

James' play area getting over-grown by clover. I was hesitant to let James over here yesterday in shorts cause I know all kinds of critters hide in the clover....but we checked him over good afterward and he even took a good hot shower with Dad.
Ok vines growing up by the side of the house with pretty purple flowers.
The "I still have no idea what" getting taller and taller. Yes Ashby, I still plan to bring you a spring to find out for me what it is. It has just been a crazy week!

Another view of the crazy tall grass that is in serious need of mowing :)

A cute purple flower out where the green houses used to be

More Pansies :)

No idea but it smells lovely. My MIL has these in her yard too...might be a weed but it sure is pretty!