Well, I pulled the cord on my lawnmower and broke it yet again.  I’ve mentioned  problems with my lawnmower in the past.  I’ve always been able to fix it at a fair price, but now it’s breaking down more frequently. 

The engine is smoking slightly, the deck is rusting, the seals are leaking, the wheels are shot (bearings lost a long time ago).  I’m really thinging about buying a new lawnmower… but next year!

Why next year?

Because it’s a challenge, but with a twist!  If a repair cost more than $20.00 then from this point on, I’m scrapping this lawnmower and going to buy a new one!

Why I’m not scrapping it now is because I’ve learned too much from the lawnmower to do that!  I’ve fixed (or had it fixed) numerous times, I’ve taken the mower apart and thought through my problems.  I’ve see all of my neighbors experience problems with theirs, with the end result having them buying new ones.  I get a strange sense of pride just because mine is still being used, while theirs is in a landfill somewhere (probably leaking oil).  I’m also proud because it’s the green thing to do!

So I’ll tinker with my lawnmower one more year…  It’s hard to get rid of “Mean Green“, since I’ve leaned a lot about fixing things through him.  While he has been a source of frustration, he’s also been a confidence builder.  In our “buy and throw it away” world, rarely do we get opportunities to get your hands dirty and learn about things we don’t know.

I could choose to break down and buy a new one, but I think “Mean Green” has one more year left! 

I wonder if anyone else have a tool or vehicle that they are having a hard time parting with?

-MR