Spring is offically a few weeks away, but with our trees blooming and budding and the weeds and grass growing, it’s hard not to consider ourselves already into spring. . . at least here in East Texas.

I made a trip to Lowe’s today to buy a new blade for the push mower. My lawn is full of weeds, white flowers and dandelions that need to be cut.

Back in November when I was cutting grass for my last mow of the season, I hit a steel post on my lawn edging and bent my mower blade. I didn’t know a small stake could bend the blade with such force. It bent at such an angle that I couldn’t roll the mower, I had to drag it to the backyard. So today, I bought a new blade.

It’s always with a little trepidation and a brave face that I tackle a job that I’ve never had to do before. Changing a blade on a mower was new for me. I thought if I had to I’d call in one of my friends’ husbands to help.

I carried the toolbox outside so I’d be able to find the correct socket wrench size. With just two tries, I found the correct size and with a lot of muscle I was able to get the bolt to loosen. After that it was a piece of cake to change it out. A job that I had put off a few weeks was completed without too much effort. Good for me!

“Good for me” is a phrase I’ve told myself many times after completing firsts. The ‘firsts’ are the hardest for widows or divorced people who are setting out as singles instead of one of a pair.

Like a single bookend holding up a stack of books. As long as there is a place for the books to stand straight up against on one end, than a single bookend does the job. I’ve been blessed with many straight ends.

After installing the new blade, I checked the gasoline, pumped the primer, then pulled the string to start the motor. Nothing. Three more pulls and still no sound except the neighbors’ dogs barking at my effort. As most people do when things won’t start, I jiggled the wires and pressed buttons. With a heave, I pulled the string once again and like music to my ear, I heard the roaring of a lawn mower. Sweet sound!

I made a few runs through the yard to simply have the joy of seeing cut grass. An appointment calls, so the rest of the yard will have to wait until I can make it back home.

There’s satisfication cutting grass that makes me feel like I accomplished something. This week starts with me off work for spring break. Hoping for lovely weather as the promise of spring beckons.