Shop Mondays

I had a multiple tool disappointment today.

After a long morning of shop work, I took a break for lunch and then did some paperwork, paid the bills, did a bunch of Internet stuff and took care of some e-mail correspondence. With the day now mostly shot, I headed back down to the shop to tidy up a bit and put some tools away.

With that done I still had some time to kill but not enough time to really get anything done, so I thought I’d dig out the lawnmower. Spring is here in the mid-Ohio valley and I’d need to use it soon, so I moved some shop stuff around and wheeled it into its “summer” position in the shop. And as long as I was at it, I figured I’d go ahead and set my mind up for the tune-up I’d need to give it.

I checked the tank and it was just as I had left it last fall – nearly, but not all the way, empty. I pumped the red-squishy-primer-button-thing (sorry for the technical jargon), held down the handle-that-keeps-it-running-thing (again, sorry), grabbed the start cord and gave it a good yank.

Thankfully, not much happened. I was in no hurry to mow lawns, so this pleased me. Plus, I’ve always wanted to tear a lawn mower apart. I pumped the RSPBT a couple more times, held down the HTKIRT and pulled the cord. It coughed once, a second time, then roared to glorious life.

Must have been a fluke. I let up on the HTKIRT and listened to it die. Grabbed the cord, held down the HTKIRT and pulled. This time it came to thunderous life without the coughing.

So, let’s tally.

1) My lawnmower is in perfect shape.
2) It appears ready to rock and roll.
3) I don’t get to tear it apart and tinker with it, and thus piddle around before mowing the lawn.
4) Since number 3 above isn’t necessary, I don’t get to go out and buy a new piddle-around-lawnmower-tool (PALT).
5) Said lawnmower, being in its summer position, is now in my way and preventing me from using my real tools.

That looks like five tool disappointments in one.

I hate shop Mondays.

Till next time,

A.J.