The Ides of Spring:

12 years ago

About 2 months ago, a man asked if i take old lawn tractors, so i told him i do, and followed him home, where we loaded up a running JD lawn tractor. FREE!
'Bout a week later, a friend got me a nice Troy-bilt that had gotten flooded out in a creek. Runs and drives! FREE!
Then came a Craftsman lawn tractor-FREE! Runs and drives!
Bought, for $50, a Scotts lawn tractor. Had set outside too long-never got it to run. Came with a snow plow, and a grass catcher! Parting it out.
Another man gave me his old tractor, a Cub Cadet, a late model, but suffering from a case of deep neglect. Didn't run.
Hauled the neighbors lawn tractor about 20 miles, to his friends house, for its yearly tune-up. He doesn't ask me to do the work, so i haul it for him. (Some people) Brought it home for him. 2 weeks later, he bought a new C-man lawn tractor, and gave me the old one!
A friend asked me to come get his fairly new lawn tractor. He was trying to pull something, using a braided blue rope. The rope broke, and wrapped itself around the cooling fan of the tranny, and cut the belt. Had to take off the deck. Some new kind of clips made that a task! Finally managed it.
Another friend called, said gas was running out of the carb, so i dragged it home, and did an all over repair of fuel system.
After all that, i still have to find out why the starter gear won't engage, on my Snapper RER. Been sitting since last fall. And 300 feet away, in old shed, a fur piece from the tools in new garage. Somebody asked me if i had any free time---No, and no, and no!
Wife has been sick, sort of went goofy, lost ability to walk, not cooking or shopping--all that went to a guy who can't boil water without burning it! (Wife's sickness is from smoking cigs since she was 18 YOA!) She always said they weren't bothering her! But, they are now! On oxygen day and night. Has to be moved around in a wheel chair. But, i ain't giving up on her! She's at home. Tried those nursing homes, but can't afford them. Kids are both working, away from local area, so its up to me! I'm 89 yoa!
So, if you are a cigarrette smoker, remember what ya read here! By: Rusty Jones

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Comments (9)

mownie
12 years ago
Sorry to hear about Ruth. I feel the same as you about tobacco.
Hoping for the best for both of you.
grass1950
12 years ago
Sorry to hear it. Dad's 89 too (served with the Blue Devils). Mom is loosing her vision (neither is a smoker tho) so Dad does all the cooking now. Mom's still active even after falling last year and breaking her back. It's tough on my Dad (both of them really.) Chin up, and best to you both.
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krnuttle
12 years ago
May I inject some negativity. If you have an older parent please keep an eye on them. My two brothers and I were taking care of my parents. Someone was out there every couple of days. We thought the bruising on Mom's arms were just old age. But after we put Dad in the nursing home the Bruises disappeared. Too late we realized that Dad had been falling a lot and when Mom helped him up he held her arms causing the bruising.

Don't listen to what they tell you about how they are doing look for the little things.
grass1950
12 years ago
Rusty!!!
Just got home from the hospital. Mom fell and broke her hip and will undergo surgery tomorrow morning. Dad's exhausted and beat to hell. Got to thinking of you. Are you OK? Please update.
rustyj14
Original Author
12 years ago
To All: Stop worrying, folks. I'm only 88 years of age! This sickness of ruth's is something new to us. We've been fairly healthy all along, but the smoking finally caught up to her. I never smoked, at all! I'm just glad we could bring her home. She can't hardly walk, and things are getting worse, but i can still get work done on the machines.She'll probably have to go back into a nursing/old folks place in the near future, but i'm hanging on as long as possible.
Strange thing, tho--my Grand-daughter and her father still smoke the filthy tobacco, so----?t least, i won't have to take care of them--i'll have my own cloud to float on!
Cheers!
only problem, if ya need any advice, or help on lawn tractors or mowers--you'll be on yer own! RJ
mownie
12 years ago
Nah, you'll take some Yuengling and your computer with you and...........that is your plan, ain't it?
Y'all just keep a hangin' in there my friend.
grass1950
12 years ago
Got to hand it to you World War 2 vets. If you are complaining, you are a year older than you really are, and if you are argueing that you can handle anything thrown at you, you get a year younger.
Glad to see you are still kicking Rusty.
rcbe
12 years ago
yeah.... look at them and now look at us - we may not want to read what the historian will write down the road.
rustyj14
Original Author
12 years ago
Got the creek tractor done and running, and sitting out front with a sale sign on it. Polished it well, painted the deck, cleaned everything, and mowed the lawn today with it.
Tomorrow, i start on the freebie from the neighbor. It is a Craftsman, with a Honda engine. Large back tires, don't have the numbers, but it is red. Needs a lot of TLC. I don't think the P.O. ever washed it, or cleaned it.
Today, the local parks and recreation guy brought in a push mower, said it doesn't run, which is typical of most of their light equipment. ("What--me check the oil??? That's somebody else's job, not mine! I was hired to cut grass, not do maintenance of the equipment!!") It acted like a sheared fly key, so i took it apart, but key is fine. Put back together, and will check further tomorrow.
Thanks, folks, for the good wishes. I am managing to fix meals, and keep the old girl from complaining too much. Meals on Wheels delivers sandwiches, desserts, fruit, etc. And milk, too.
I went to grocery store. bought salad dressing instead of Mayo. Got heck for that, but it tastes the same to me. Got fish for supper. We ain't starving. So, i'll keep on keeping on! Rusty