A Normal Weekend
This past weekend was the first of the year that was a “normal” at-home spring weekend. Chores included weed-wacking, lawn mowing, flower bed maintenance, and enjoying the blooming flowers. The city turned on our irrigation water and Pam dragged the hose out to water part of the lawn.
The purple lilacs bloomed; you can smell their fragrance on the air. The cherry tree blossoms are almost done, but the white lilac is just beginning to flower. Late tulips are blooming but the early variety, which we enjoyed upon our return from the Midwest, are done for the year in the Mary Lynn Garden.
All pretty routine — so nice to be outdoors without a jacket and enjoy the 70 degree weather and partly sunny skies. Just to note, though, that areas higher and to the east of us, including Aspen and Denver, are going to get snow early this week. Winter still rules the high country.
Repairs
In my last post I noted the John Deere lawn tractor had died. I ordered repair parts which fixed the problem; the LX176 is now functioning. However, truth-in-advertising appears to have taken a shot as the part I ordered was not a direct replacement for the part that failed, a component of the electronic ignition system.
The original unit, left, has a wider terminal on it than the replacement, right. I had to build an adapter wire to go between the replacement unit and the tractor’s wiring harness. This worked and the tractor is running. I sent the vendor a note about this modification but suspect I won’t hear back from them or if I do it will be something like “Well, it is a universal fit and some modifications are to be expected.”
I can’t complain much; the replacement was about $19.00 with shipping where the John Deere part is around $70.00. At least the tractor is running again!
Medical update
My left arm is improving after the fall in Georgia – around 80 percent good. Still can’t pick up a tea mug with my left hand and lift it to my mouth to drink, but am getting back a bit more range of motion each day.
Pam continues to have problems with her right wrist and arm after a fall a few months back. Both of us are occasionally frustrated by not being able to do simple things that we should be quite capable of doing, such as unscrewing a bottle cap with our affected arm. Things are improving, though a bit slower than we would like.
Conclusion
It was my first week back at work after a three-week vacation; I had a lot of work to catch up on. I was looking forward to the weekend and was pleased when the John Deere came back to life. The yard looks good and I’m enjoying the lilac blossoms and decent weather. The animals also enjoy the outdoor time. A good weekend!
Pam’s Two Cents Worth
It’s great to let the dogs outside without any concern about the temperature (not to mention no winter doggie coats to put on and take off). The indoor/outdoor cats are enjoying better temps too, while strictly indoor cats are finding pools of sunlight for their ever-lengthening naps.
My cat population is now into the “double digit ages” and at times I feel I’m running the Aging Cats Rest Home. A vet visit this past week involved two of my elder cats, one on maintenance for gingivitis plus a swelling sweat gland that needs to be lanced frequently, the other just diagnosed with diabetes and cataracts. A third cat (not visiting the vet this week) was diagnosed in December with a heart condition.
While at the vet I was delighted to cross paths with another vet patron who was bringing in purebred coal black Lab puppies for their first shots. Eight pups, six weeks of age, and my request to hold one was granted. Enjoyed the puppy smell and looking into those bright Lab eyes. An excellent antidote to aging cats.
Happy Trails.
