Again this morning was yet another Saturday where I was early at the office cutting the grass behind my building with my reel mower which I’m “reelingly” starting to fall in like with, and also doing the trimming out with my hand scythe. There’ve been a handful of people this summer commenting on my reel mower, and most saying they’d never seen one before. Today I was all the more surprised when a man who was not the youngest hollered after me while I was doing the trimming with my hand scythe, “I’ve never seen one of those before!” All I could say was, “It’s another tool out of our past that most people never use.” He kept on walking while I continued cutting. Every time someone makes a comment of curiosity regarding my tools from by-gone days, I think to myself, “What would people do if suddenly there was no gas available to propel all the engines big and small which we’ve all grow too accustomed? I found myself today really getting the hang of my reel mower to where I felt like I was 15 years old again mowing my grandmother’s yard. She was always surprised how quickly I could get her lawn looking handsome again. The main reason I don’t like using gas fired lawn equipment at my office is firstly, I refuse to have flammables in my office store room, and secondly, I really don’t like all the noise they make while running. The noise echoes from alley to building. I’m sure the apartment tenants next door wouldn’t like hearing a noisy mower grinding away at 7:30 in the morning. So there you have it. I’m kind enough not to disturb sleeping neighbors while getting a little extra exercise in the process.
My public open house at 15 N. Ohio was a success to where there were visitors nearly the entire two hours. Again, I was captivated by the amount of sunlight entering the home. I would think any of our citizenry who’re aware of the problems they have with sun deprivation, would take a closer look at this light-filled home located in a popular east-side location of our City. Be sure to tell friends and relatives about it before it’s sold to someone else needing more light.
Earlier today I had a bit of an intense conversation with one of my past customers regarding legacy. Since he’s an exceptionally intelligent person, we both pretty much cut to the core of the problems surrounding legacies. Here in the State of Iowa, relatives except spouses have absolutely no right to an inheritance of a deceased blood relative unless they’ve been named in the decedent’s will. It becomes a gift—not a right. On the flip side, I’ve often heard aging people speaking about legacies they’re planning to leave their children and grandchildren. I’ve never been impressed when hearing such talk because that’s all I can think of is, “What other good have you done for humanity?” For people to think leaving their relatives money will galvanize perpetual memories is nothing more than absurd. I could think of a hundred other ways to create memories of a decedent that would live generations beyond that last shovel of dirt at grave sites. My customer and I were certainly on the same page and fully in agreement. He did go on to say that from his experience, monetary inheritances have torn more families apart than it’s helped to keep them bound together.
I saw a woman walking down the sidewalk today wearing a black t-shirt and written on it was, “I’m Only Talking to My Dog Today!” In a more delightful way, I would have to say she was having a smiling dog day.
