Ridin' Machines

The caption for this post on Facebook yesterday:  Not sure what's going on here, but Ben got a new mower and he's having fun trying to figure it out. 

So far he's knocked down the neighbors bird house and now seems to be mowing the sand??

A few of the comments:  

Robin Hanson I think he should be wearing a helmet.

Karen Marie Legg Too funny! Boys and their toys!

Robin Hanson FYI: Bonner General Immediate Care:400 Schweitzer Plaza Drive, Suite 1 Ponderay, Idaho 83852 Phone: (208) 263-0649.

Kimberly Harned Walby Garrick Walby... Check out ben's new mower!

18 hrs · Like

Lisa Clark Omg I'm dying:)!!!Go Ben:)

17 hrs · Like · 1

Rhonda Tate He did say he thought he was gonna need a winch to get him out of there...

13 hrs · Like · 2

Marianne Love I got one of those last year. They're a blast!

13 hrs · Like · 1

Rhonda Tate Oh yes, Marianne Love, you were part of the sales pitch...She hated it at first, then she loved it!

Debi Terracciano this is the funniest picture ever!!!!

7 hrs · Like

Jacki Crossingham The man and his plan!!!! Bwahahaha!

7 hrs · Like

And how about the REST of the story???  First, let's talk Finan McDonald.  He was a big, tall Scotsman who accompanied explorer David Thompson to this general area in the early 1800s. Finan helped set up the Spokane House, which was an early trading post and probably helped with some other area "stores" associated with Thompson.

Special Note:  Due to my "cut and paste" method of transferring information from Facebook, my blogger program won't let me get rid of the bullets, so we'll just deal with them this morning.

Anyway, during their travels in the region, I'm pretty sure Finan McDonald walked the shores of Lake Pend Oreille and probably along the river.  

I'm not sure exactly where Ben Tate, the lawnmower man in the photo above lives, but I'm guessing he lives on one of those shorelines.  

I am sure that Ben owns a clothing store in Sandpoint, named for Finan McDonald, since according to the website, McDonald was an early store owner,the name seemed like a perfect fit.   http://finanmcdonald.com/about-us.html

You can buy fine clothing, foot gear and other accessories at the store on First and Main.  So, that probably makes Ben happy, but I'm thinking nothing has made him happier than his new zero-turn mower which looks like the same brand as mine.  

It didn't take me too long to get converted to the zero-turn concept, and I've actually been known to play in the yard, pretending I'm at a carnival driving one of those bumper cars.  At first, when I wiped out three bricks around one of my gardens and almost ran over my limping lawn mower guru Tony, I wasn't playing.  

But once I got the hang of it, I thought my new lawnmower was pretty fun.  Yesterday, Tony http://www.husqvarna.com/us/dealers/pac-west-parts-llc/featured-products/ did come out and get it good to go for another year.  

This time he did not have to give me instructions on how to get the machine moving in forward and reverse OR maybe he feared that giving me instructions was too dangerous for his physical well-being.  

Tony knows, from years of experience fixing my equipment, that I tend to take mowers where no other mowers owned by sane people dare to go.  I think he kinda likes that cuz my adventures often lead to enhanced job security.

I don't know if Ben bought his mower from Tony, but I'm bettin' if he did and if Tony ever sees the photo above, he knows it's gonna be a good year in the repair business. 

I do wonder, though, why Ben is out there "mowing?" the sand----possibly he's reliving the adventures of Finan McDonald in a different time and with a different mode of travel. 

Whatever the case, Ben has earned a place in my heart.   I can't wait to get down to Finan McDonald-----or possibly Bonner General Health Urgent Care----and talk mowers with Ben.  

For now, I have the rest of my own lawn to mow and maybe even the ditches north and south of my driveway.  Amazing what ya can do with a zero-gravity machine and how great they are for the local fix-it industry. 

Happy Friday and happy mowing!  Let's hear it for Finan McDonald---er---Ben Tate!

P.S. I definitely see possibilities for a new and improved lawnmower drill team in this year's Fourth of July Parade.  Ben, are ya game?