Nov 6, 2015 3 min read

On a sunny afternoon in November, I cut my grass for the final time of 2015. It was an unusual event. I don’t believe I’ve ever written the words “sunny” and “November” in the same sentence before, but the most remarkable moment came when I found myself enjoying the chore. You may find yourself asking, “Who is this weirdo who likes mowing the lawn?” I’m glad you asked. I am that weirdo!

The enjoyment came in a lot of little ways. I could smell the flowers, and I delighted in seeing all the crimson and amber leaves on the path before me. I don’t like to rake, but I use the lawn bag and boom … two birds, one stone. You just have to empty the bag a million times, but it gets the job done.

There was a twinge of nostalgia to that afternoon. Summer was over, but I was outside in the sunshine. I felt the warmth on my cheeks and sweat on my brow. To be honest, it was a really sweaty brow by the end of it. I’d even sweat through my T-shirt. It’s a little gross, but hey, I was in the moment.

I’ll skip over the part when the lawnmower backfired and I thought I had been shot. I jumped about three feet in the air at the loud bang! The mower spewed out a few noxious fumes and then behaved normally. I may have to replace a spark plug or some such thing. I’ve decided to wait until early spring. Going to Lowe’s or Home Depot definitely would have spoiled my mood.

I practically skipped along as I mowed. That might be why some of the rows were uneven. I was going to soak up my moments in the sunshine. I find I don’t like to go outside much after the temperature dips below 50. I knew that pretty soon, I’d be out shoveling snow instead of cutting grass.

I much prefer mowing the lawn to shoveling snow for several reasons. I get to mow the lawn when I want. I do it on my time and my terms. The snow is more demanding. You have to get out there and do it right away or suffer the consequences. You have to operate on its timetable. One time I didn’t get at it right away and cement froze over. My driveway could have been mistaken for a skating rink. Except … my driveway slopes. It was a slippery slalom of death.

Side note: I come and go through the garage all winter, mostly because I don’t want to trample snow and mud through the living room. I always clear the walkway, even though the only person who uses it is the mail carrier. I don’t know why I make it so convenient for the man (or woman) who brings me bills, but I do. If it were up to me, I would erect an obstacle course, especially on the day the cable bill is due. I pay a lot of money for channels I never watch.

But I digress, like I do. It’s important to find joy in menial tasks. We spend so much time doing those routine things, we might as well find pleasure in them. I’m determined not to grumble on the first snowfall. However, I am reserving the right to complain by the 15th.