[Colorado] Light Snow Falling

The sky is heavily overcast and I have light snow falling. I got the great juniper hedge trimming exercise finished up just in time. :-)

[Household] Hedge Trimming Completed, Borrowed Pickup Truck Returned

I finished the great juniper hedge trimming exercise. I washed, vacuumed, topped-off, and returned my kind neighbor's loaner pickup truck (with a 12-pack of Fat Tire beer).

7 very full pickup truck loads of blue juniper hedge clippings went to the Loveland Recycling Center to be transformed into mulch and compost.

[Household] Sun Shining, Juniper Hedge Trimming Resumes

The sun is shining brightly. The temperature is in the low 40s F. Hedge trimming has resumed. The new Black and Decker 22" electric hedge trimmer works wonderfully. I expect to take at least one more pickup truck load of clippings to the recycling center today, maybe two.

[Household] Rain Delaying Hedge Trimming Efforts

Still raining. This is most unfair. I had hoped to be done today. :-(

[Household] Snow Interfering With Juniper Hedge Trimming

The drizzling rain has just begun to convert to very wet snow. This moisture is significantly interfering with the remaining hedge trimming I had hoped to finish today.

[Household] Juniper Trimming Adventure Continues

Thus far I have taken five pickup loads of Juniper trimmings to the Loveland Recycling Center. I have at least one more load on the ground. I still have more trimming to do, though I am nearly done. I have light rain falling now, so I can't get out to use my new electric hedge trimmer to finish off the last of the detailed work.

[Household] New Electric Grass Trimmer: Stihl FSE 60

I am the proud owner of a new electric (corded) grass trimmer, a Stihl FSE 60. It actually cuts long grass much better than my deceased Husqvarna 2-stroke gasoline-powered grass trimmer did.

[Household] New Electric Lawn Mower: B&D MM875

I am the proud owner of a new Black & Decker MM875 19-inch corded electric lawn mower. This is a bag-or-mulch mower. I am running it in mulching mode. I took it out for a test drive (I mowed my lawn). It has adequate power to get the job done. Cord management is a new skill I will soon master.

No gas fumes. This is a plus. Now I have to contemplate ceasing to store any gasoline in my garage other than that which is in the gas tanks of my motor vehicles. Hmmm.

No starter cord to pull. This is another plus.

I can shut it off, move something, and then just flip the switch and the mower is running. This is very different than my deceased 4-stroke Toro lawn mower, which simply would not restart if it were already hot.

[Household] My 2-Stroke Husky String Trimmer Died

I guess this is the year for catastrophic failures of gasoline-powered grass cutting instruments. I think I am going to go corded electric. I am busily reading reviews and evaluations now.

[Household] Lawn Mower Adventure Continues

I took my non-functional lawn mower in for repairs.  6 days.  Fingers crossed.  My lawn is already well past needing to have been mowed. 

 

[Household] Lawn Mower Adventure Begins

Went out to fire up the trusty Toro GTS-2 lawnmower.  Pulled the cord.  The engine turned but did not fire or catch.

 

Put new gas in the tank.  Pulled the cord.  The engine turned but did not fire or catch.

 

Replaced the air filter.  Pulled the cord.  The engine turned but did not fire or catch.

 

Off to the gas station to get some newer new gas.  Put newer new gas in the tank.  Pulled the cord.  The engine turned but did not fire or catch.

 

Pulled out the spark plug and cleaned it.  Replaced it.  Pulled the cord.  The engine turned but did not fire or catch.

 

Off to the hardware store to buy a new spark plug.  Installed it.  Pulled the cord.  The engine turned but did not fire or catch.

 

Off to a different gas station to get different new gas (just in case).  Poured out the old gas, put in the new gas.  Pulled the cord.  The engine turned but did not fire or catch.

 

Tomorrow I’ll try replacing the oil (which I had replaced late last fall).  I doubt that will make any difference, but I may as well be complete. 

 

Tomorrow I’ll need to find a local small engine repair shop.  Google time.  Whatever is wrong is beyond my modest diagnosis and repair skills.

'Twas the night before the night before Christmas, and all through the house

there actually was a mouse stirring. I assume it came in during the great snowblowing sessions. Off to the hardware store for spring traps and sticky traps, and off to the grocery store for chunky peanut butter to bait the spring traps.