Unutterably Silly So what are you doing RIGHT NOW?

[Sparrow]

Originally Posted by HappyMartin

The quote I like about cricket is from India. "Cricket, an Indian game, accidentally discovered by the English"

Excellent!

[LazyScot]

Originally Posted by Patricia

I wish that you could have ours. It has been the wettest summer here for a long time. I want to mow the lawn. But every time I even think about it, it rains.

Could you think about mowing my lawn instead? That way I've an excuse not to?

[zelda_pinwheel]

i don't have a lawn, but please don't anybody think about mowing it anyway.

[RickyMaveety]

I've got a huge lawn, it needs to be mowed ... and my mower is in the shop. Which means ... either today or tomorrow I've got to walk over to the Moon's house, borrow their mower, mow the lawn and then take the mower back.

The problem?? Well, when I mow my lawn, it's usually an all day project. It's so damn hot out that I mow a section .... take about a half an hour break ... then go out and do another section ... take a half hour break ... and on like that until it's done. There are about eight sections to mow in all, with each one taking anywhere from twenty minutes to a half an hour. In good weather (which is usually two or three times a year) I can do it all at once ... but it is hell on earth to try it in the horrible heat.

And .... I would think it rude to borrow their mower for longer than the time it actually takes to get out there and do the job from start to end. So ... ick.

[nekokami]

Originally Posted by RWood

I understand that they now have chocolate make-up. At least that's what the college freshman next door said she was wearing.

I don't wear makeup at all, so that's no help.

I'm probably one of the only North Americans who's better at cricket than baseball, but I'm pretty poor at either.

Ricky, have you considered adding a couple of sheep to your menagerie? Then you could skip the lawnmowing altogether. Or maybe goats. They'd help deal with the pesky animal control inspectors, as well.

[Sparrow]

Originally Posted by RickyMaveety

...when I mow my lawn, it's usually an all day project. It's so damn hot out that I mow a section .... take about a half an hour break ... then go out and do another section ... take a half hour break ... and on like that until it's done. There are about eight sections to mow in all, with each one taking anywhere from twenty minutes to a half an hour. In good weather (which is usually two or three times a year) I can do it all at once ... but it is hell on earth to try it in the horrible heat.

Thought about a robotic mower?
They seem to be catching on at the moment (similar principle to robotic vacuum cleaners).

Oops, just read Neko's reply - like that idea better

[zelda_pinwheel]

i covet the robotic vacuum cleaner.

[pshrynk]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

i covet the robotic vacuum cleaner.

No you don't. They have a ridiculously small chamber and are, in fact robotic sweepers which have no vacuum at all. They tend to choke and die on cat hair.

[Patricia]

I wonder what the cats would make of it. Perhaps they'd sit on top and get free rides. Or they might be frightened.

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by pshrynk

No you don't. They have a ridiculously small chamber and are, in fact robotic sweepers which have no vacuum at all. They tend to choke and die on cat hair.

yes i DO !!!!! although apparently not the current model. do you mean roomba, or trilobite ? don't you think it could handle just *one* day's worth of cat hair ?? if i set it to run everyday it should at least keep things under control, right ?? right ?????? (don't kill the dream !!)

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by Patricia

I wonder what the cats would make of it. Perhaps they'd sit on top and get free rides. Or they might be frightened.

well knowing mine i would say the black one (bast) would stare at it full of mistrust but not be intimidated, and the bug would disappear instantly not to be seen until it had gone away. unless it's *reeeeeeally* quiet. but she's terrified of my current vacuum.

[Sparrow]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

if i set it to run everyday it should at least keep things under control, right ?? right ?????? (don't kill the dream !!)

Yes, that's quite right - the idea is to use it every day (rather than twice a year ) so it never has too much to do.

Dream on Zelda!

[Patricia]

Yes, mine never liked the vacuum. But my mother once had a cat who would sit quietly and let us vacuum him with the brush attachment. So she could catch the fuzz before it got on the carpet. (She was excessively tidy, my mother.)

[RickyMaveety]

Originally Posted by nekokami

I don't wear makeup at all, so that's no help.

I'm probably one of the only North Americans who's better at cricket than baseball, but I'm pretty poor at either.

Ricky, have you considered adding a couple of sheep to your menagerie? Then you could skip the lawnmowing altogether. Or maybe goats. They'd help deal with the pesky animal control inspectors, as well.

That's what my sister is doing on her land. Goats. Here, they are specifically against the law. Stupid "City" of Horseshoe Bay.

Originally Posted by Sparrow

Thought about a robotic mower?
They seem to be catching on at the moment (similar principle to robotic vacuum cleaners).

Oops, just read Neko's reply - like that idea better

Not certain how well that would work in my yard. Lots of trees, some areas of brush I still need to clear, and a very uneven terrain. I would also worry what would happen if an animal (a deer or one of the dogs ... mine or a neighbor's) knocked it over and got injured by the blades or something. That would be a nightmare.

I have looked into a riding brush mower ... but those run about $5,000 to $7,000, and I'm not sure I'm willing to put that sort of money into a mower. That, and I'd actually have to clean out at least some portion of one of the garages in order to store it. I shudder every time I even think about cleaning out one of the garages. I've got three houses worth of furniture stacked up in the one I call the "Carriage House." I recently gave some of it away to one of the Moon's daughters (she was delighted) ... I just can't bring myself to dump the stuff ... some of it is fairly valuable, and some is old family stuff (I mean "old" .... like a couple of hundred years old) ... so I feel kind of obligated to hold on to it. Erk.

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by Sparrow

Yes, that's quite right - the idea is to use it every day (rather than twice a year ) so it never has too much to do.

Dream on Zelda!

sparrow, you're my hero !

(still actively coveting a robot vacuum...)

Originally Posted by Patricia

Yes, mine never liked the vacuum. But my mother once had a cat who would sit quietly and let us vacuum him with the brush attachment. So she could catch the fuzz before it got on the carpet. (She was excessively tidy, my mother.)

wow, that is one zen cat. i WISH i could do that to mine. even bast, while not excessively intimidated, prefers to stay on the opposite side of the room. she won't move until i get quite close, but when she does move she moves all the way over. and the bug, as i've mentioned, has actually developed faster-than-light travel specifically for such critical situations as me dragging the vacuum out.

i've seriously contemplated getting permanent laser hair-removal done on both of them and making them sweaters for the wintertime because they really produce unreasonable amounts of fur (which i then have to vacuum up, and remove from every single article of clothing before going out...), it's like their only raison d'être is to be fur-producing machines. i think it's part of the feline plot for world domination. the only problem is that i've *seen* those hairless cats (i have a friend who has some) and they look like some kind of alien reptile. brrrr. seriously, it's enough to give you nightmares. so a robo-vacuum might be the next best thing.