Up A Tree

The fellow we found to take down the big oak tree got a late start, but made good progress yesterday.  The tree should be down today.
Because he got started so late - his helper was unavailable until after noon - he was up in the treetop cutting limbs until it was too dark to see him up there.  Scared Honey, but apparently he could see better up there.

$$$ Update

A couple of the problems I mentioned yesterday are on the way to being solved.  
We found someone to take down the big tree in the back yard, and he helped me get the starter out of the mower.
I was able to determine that the starter needs a rebuild - bushings are worn and. although it spins on the bench, it binds up when on the mower.  I called the dealer, and after three trips to the garage for serial numbers, he said a replacement starter would cost $235 plus tax, and he would have to order it.  I found the same starter on line for $134, and ordered it.

Watching the $ Fly

Everything had been rocking along pretty well here at the old Boggy Thicket, but over the last few weeks, I have found several new ways to spend money...

• the 5th wheel has some minor damage that may end up costing major bucks
• Honey got an estimate to replace the sheet metal on our barn
• I'm going to have to take the zero-turn mower in for service

And, just this morning I noticed that one of our huge oak trees is dying.  I showed Honey when she came in from her walk, and she says I can't go outside anymore.

Winning!

It was a great weekend for Houston sports fans.  

It got started when the U of H clobbered Tulsa on Thursday, then the underdog Longhorns beat Oklahoma in the Red River Showdown in Dallas for the first time since 2015.   

The Astros beat Cleveland twice to take a two to zip  lead in their post-season  series.

The Rockets beat the Spurs in San Antonio Sunday.

The Texans defeated the Cowboys last night in overtime.

Not exactly sports, but the Republicans beat the Democrats at their own game, and Judge Kavanaugh was sworn in as an Associate Justice of the U S Supreme Court.

I'm not one to gloat, but if there was ever a time, this weekend would be it.

Can't Get There From Here

When our next-door neighbors moved to Ohio, Ernest Graff gave me his lawn mower!  
It's a Lexmark Lazer-Z zero turn mower that makes the work of mowing the two acres we call yard a breeze.  It cuts the whole thing in less than half the time of my old riding mower, and the ride is so much smoother that I don't feel beat up when I'm done.
That is, when I can get the darn thing started.  
There is a problem with the starter, or the starter solenoid or associated wiring that has gotten progressively worse, and I can't seem to do anything about it. Believe me, I've tried, but the components I need to check and/or replace are so buried within the innards of the beast that I can't get a wrench on them.  
I've always prided myself on being able to do my own maintenance on cars, lawn mowers, etc. but this time I may have to admit defeat and take it in for service

"Annual" Physical

I went  in for my annual physical yesterday.

The good news is that everything checked OK.

The not-so-good news is that my "annual" has now grown to 14 months.  

My physical used to be scheduled on or around my birthday - August 9th - but Medicare rules will not approve the procedure until at least one year and a day have passed since the previous exam.  The doctor's office has been scheduling me for the first available date after that year and a day for so long that we have blown through August and September and are now into October.  At this rate, it won't be that many years until I have my "annual" exam around Christmas.

Best Laid Grass

I mentioned in several posts this summer about the three pallets of grass we had installed after we put in the pergola.  

I'm sad to say it didn't make it.

I really don't know why.  The grass farm was having mechanical problems with their harvester, and I suspect the grass was cut too shallow - not enough root - but I don't know that for sure. Very hot dry weather followed by days of rain probably didn't help much either.

Whatever the reason, it didn't take long for the grass to show signs that it wasn't thriving as it should have.  We followed the advice of the grass farm, and when that didn't seem to be enough, I went to Randy Lemmon's Garden Line website and followed his advice.  We watered religiously, treated the area with Medina Soil Activator, and even treated once with a root stimulator.

The grass didn't just die, in many areas it decomposed, leaving patches of brown glop where there should be healthy St. Augustine.  The only live grass visible is a few areas of Bermuda which shouldn't have been in the St. Augustine to begin with.

I could have posted a picture, but it's just too ugly.