I was doing good outside for awhile.
The weeds and grass in our one-acre yard had gotten tall while the lawnmower was away being repaired. With a new carburetor and some general maintenance, the lawnmower was working nicely getting things under control. I got about half the yard done early in the week and saved the other half for today. Then I ran over a rock. It’s hardly a surprise since we have rocks everywhere, but this wasn’t good. One of the blades is bent, I suppose, or something like that. It won’t mow. The bad news is that half the yard is half done. The good news is that I got to come inside and get on with other things a half hour earlier than expected. I guess the mower is going back to the shop.
Everyday, I come to believe the following statement more strongly: Every item we own saps energy and resources from us.
And we’ll be getting rid of a big item this week. David’s car didn’t get us home Sunday evening. We had to go back to my mother’s place at about 30 miles per hour. Then, we took her car home, got my car and returned her car. By the time we finished this process is was no longer Sunday night but Monday morning. After $70 for towing and a few minutes of diagnosis on Thursday, our mechanic determined that the car needs a new — well, it hardly matters. It needs $850 of work, and the car is too old and too unreliable for that, so we have the task of disposing of it this week.
I repeat: Every item we own saps energy and resources from us — a good lesson. Once that car is gone from our lives, we’ll never have to spend money, time or energy on it again. And we’ll hardly miss it, I’m sure. We rarely go out separately. Usually, if one of us is going out alone, the other doesn’t want to go anywhere. Plus, you can rent a car several times for $850. We may get a second car again eventually, but I’m giving that prospect second thoughts. Our time, resources and energy are better directed elsewhere, I think.
I can’t report much progress on decluttering the inside the house, and I don’t expect much on that in the coming week, but this project is never far from mind. Little things are getting done everyday. A distraction-free home is closer to a reality everyday, even considering this week’s mechanical setbacks.
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