Mowing and other sundry chores

With Chuck gone for nine days during the height of the lushness of late spring (grading AP calc by day and playing golf by night--I am here to report that he got his first eagle in many a year last night), the tasks are never done. Like the lawn mowing. And of course days of rain have not helped. There was a break on Saturday with enough sun that I thought the front yard might have dried out enough and (not having been able to recruit a high school student to do this for me), I attempted the task (with my 89 year old feet). A kindly neighbor, to whom we speak probably once a year, came over and pulled the starter cord for me when he saw me struggling. I got about a third done when the heavens opened up and the rain came down in buckets. I reluctantly stopped, even though I had already achieved drowned rat status. A couple hours later, with more sun, I even got the blasted machine to start and I began taking swipes across the front yard when it just stopped. No reason that I could discern. This time when I pulled the cord, it somehow got caught on some internal part and wouldn't go in or out. Mowing done for the duration with a very odd looking yard....The next day after church I had two h.s. graduation parties at which to put in an appearance (one for children of dear friends and the other for a church member's daughter's boyfriend...) and a baby shower/potluck at our house for a young couple in our TLC group. The latter was super, even though we were mostly indoors with more threatened showers and 60 degrees. Not good weather for a cute two month old :) Our pastor took one look at the lawn, heard the sob story, and said he would bring his mower over today. True to his word and to his servant heart, that's what he did, and now the lawn looks the best it has (with its holes mostly filled in with adolescent grass at this point) in a couple of years. Thanks, Regis. You and Penny are such a blessing!

Now all I have to do before the wedding arrivals is supervise the (old) carpet cleaning, recruit student help to move the furniture back in the newly carpeted family room, finish the mulching!!! and try to get some writing done. And tend the pots of flowers that will decorate Julie's pre-wedding party Saturday evenning and plan out what I am going to say when I am asked to say something publicly that night (not at the reception.) Everyone with the last name of Hampton converges on Friday around supper time and the Steiners will arrive on Saturday.