One reason Mrs. Kraft is a bad ass

This beauty here is Jean Kraft.

She lived on our farm into her early 90's until she fell and broke her hip and had to be moved to assisted living in Seaside.

She lived alone at the farm when Johnny that big stud of a man leaning up against the tractor went to be with The Lord in 1994.

Oh, and she is also a bad ass.

Here's why.

When we bought the farm from her we also got to keep quite a few of her things including this mower

She pushed mowed our yard that is approximately the size of gigantic and very steep well into her 80's

In addition to the yard she also push mowed our driveway that is really long

Now, I have mowed this yard and driveway many many times.

On a riding mower!

Early this week I wanted to push mow some areas that the riding mower just can't get to.

I had never started the push mower before, but let's be honest how hard can it be.

Well, it was harder than I thought because I was doing it WRONG!

The Farmer was out tedding the hay field so I was on my own.

There are bars and levers and I didn't know what was what.

After trying what felt like a million pulls of the cord I gave up and hoped on the rider.

When The Farmer came home I informed him what a piece of junk the push mower was because I couldn't get it started. 

He informed me that it was not a piece of junk and that
"if Mrs. Kraft can start it you should be able to"

Oh..

I didn't know it was Mrs. Krafts mower.

So tonight I planned to conquer the mower and start that thing on the first pull!

And, I did.

I make my way down the driveway doing quite nicely getting as close as possible to the fence posts.

then..

Sputter sputter dead.

The mower was out of gas and I was at the end of the driveway.

I make my way to the barn for a gas can, thinking 

"that stupid mower I should just leave it there and get the rider! NO! If Mrs. Kraft can do it I can too"

Fill up the gas tank give the cord a pull and I'm on my way again.

I get the driveway done and the small grassy area by the stable and thought I should just move onto the yard!

NO NO NO 

I should NOT have.

I started our pretty strong around the trees and the fence line making a big circle of the yard making sure that all the trees and flower beds were nicely mowed around.

Now, you must be very very careful going down the hill because the mower will want to take off like it is in a NASCAR race and will drag you behind not caring if you fall or not.

You must push very very hard going UP the yard because the mower suddenly becomes the weight of a large tank.

As I am making my way around the yard The Farmer comes out from finishing his dinner and says
"What are you doing? Why don't you get the rider? Oh, are you trying to prove that if Mrs. Kraft can do it you can too?!"

To which I replied

"No, well, maybe I NEED TO GET BACK TO WORK!"

I started the mower at 5:30 and I didn't finish until almost 8:00

I also ran out of gas AGAIN.

At some point during the mowing I thought I really should just get the rider, but talked myself out of it.

The closer I got to getting done the more I wanted to quit and just leave that piece of crap in the yard until I had enough diesel to BURN IT!

Light it on fire and not even care!

When I pushed that mower over the last blades of bright green grass I felt like Rocky Balbo at the end of a winning fight!

I wanted to jump up and down with my fists in the air!

Until I had to push the mower up to the carport.

That is when I noticed my feet felt like I had walked of shards of glass that had been dipped in hot lava. 

My feet had been sliding back and forth in my shoes as I made my way up and down the yard about a hundred times making them a little raw.

My legs were shaking like I had just run a marathon and my hands were vibrating like I had run a jack hammer all day long.

I was sweating in places I didn't know you could sweat from.
I am not sure If I should wash or throw my tow strap of a bra and the rest of my clothes that are sweat covered.

As soon as I came inside I stepped into a nice hot shower so I could wash all those grossness right down the drain.

The scalding hot water never felt so good.

It was glorious except the feeling of hot glass shards on my feet.

I know, I know some of you are thinking I am just a sissy lala.

I assure you I am not.

But, if you still think I am 

I offer up this challenge to you.

Come mow our yard and driveway.

I will make sure the gas tank is full and the can is out for refilling.

It will need to be done again in 2-3 days and then in 2-3 after that and again after that.

You get the picture.

Our yard needs to be mowed a lot!

From now on I will be doing it on the rider and I have plans for The Farmer to bring home and excavator and dig up some of the yard so there is less to mow!

*hint hint Farmer

My only one explanation for why Mrs. Kraft could mow this yard

It is because she is truly a

Bad. Ass.

There is no question about it.

Blessed is me...