The "Bop"

The abundance of rain in recent weeks has taken our lawn into overdrive.  After six weeks or so of no rain, the grass dry, spiky and uncomfortable to walk upon, there's been several weeks frequent, heavy rain, and smothering humidity.  The lawn has leaped into action, requiring a trim every two days to be kept under control.  

Not that there is time around here to mow so frequently.  But I try.  It is time to think, to talk to God, to appreciate the beauty around me.

A few nights ago, the Toro and I were rolling across the lawn, me racing with the encroaching dew, and it trying to keep its throat clear of juicy grass blades, when DS#1 drove up.

"Is this all you do?  Ride the mower?"

Hah.  Not quite.

He was borrowing his dad the Trucker's pickup truck to haul away the remnants of his deck.  But while he was here, I had a question.

"My new weed whacker.  How do I advance the string?  It is so short, and hardly cuts.  And if I unscrew the head, everything tangles."

DS#1 answered with a question.  "Do you bop it?"  What in the world did he mean?

He explained.

"When Grandpa taught me to use the weed whacker, he told me to "bop" it on the ground a few times while it is running.  That advances the string."

So he "bopped" it on the ground a few times, and the string lengthened.  And with a grin and a wave, he was on his way.

El Toro and I finished the mowing at high speed, having dispensed the with the bagger.  Then the weedwhacker was pressed into service once again.

Wow.  

A text was sent off to DS#1 after the job was done.

"Oh. My. Word.  NOW I has a weed whacker.  Just got done.  I been massacring light bugs, beheading flowers; got welts all over me, and even nailed weeds on the other side of the fence!  Thanks for telling me about the 'bop!' "

Sometime the answer is very simple.  When it's explained to you, that is.

The lawn and its edges are tidy now, for a few days at least.