Saturday, October 11, 2008

Pocket Knives

I took my yearly trip to a pumpkin patch last week. It had been something that my husband (Pete) and grandson Cain did every year. We would go through the patch a gather pumpkins and gourds to spruce up the front porch and house for the fall season. Since Pete is not with me anymore and I didn't have my grandson with me I thought I would venture off on my own. Pete has this collection of pocket knives and he of course always carried one in his pocket, it was his go to tool of choice. I thought perhaps I best get a pocket knife out and bring it with so that I could cut the stems from the vines. I found one and opened it up, it looked just right for stem cutting, well the blade locks in place and for the life of me I could not get it to close. So I proceeded to open five more thinking I could close them. They are still open! I grabbed the garden clippers instead, which worked just fine. A bit of advice, have your husband show how to close a pocket knife! Other things I found out I can't do! My sons and I can't get either of the lawn mowers started. I tried to pull the cord, but I am to short or the cord seems to long, it's a humorous sight, I'm sure! I am not saying nice things to the mower. The blower, that is impossible to start! If I did start it , when the gas runs out, what the heck is the oil /gas recipe that you mix up for the thing. My hubby always blew the leaves and then chopped them up with the mower. I have two huge maples, two huge ash trees, and a magnolia tree. This just stinks, way to many leaves for me. You know the lawn is colorful with the fall colors of the leaves spread across the green grass. At lest that is a positive spin on all the leaves. I really thought I knew how to do anything or at least figure it out! When I was a single parent and my kids were little, I got a real Christmas tree and the trunk was to fat for the tree stand. I didn't have a saw, but I did have an electric knife! The tree fit into the stand, mission accomplished, but of course I ruined the knife!

9 comments:

Janell said...

What an adventure you're having. I have no doubt you will solve all the issues you are facing. Keep your sense of humor.

I hope you got the pocket knife closed. If not, look down at the bottom of the blade - there is a little mechanism that you push to the side to get the blade to close. I got befuddled by that once, too, on a pocket knife Randy bought for me.

Jim said...

Hi Marla, this would be funny if things were resolved. Since they aren't I will try a little encouragement.
The knife, if it doesn't open with Janell's help, then look on the back, on the opposite side of where the blade came out.
You may see a piece of blade width steel ('rib') sticking out just a little bit.
If there is one, push that 'rib' in and trying closing the blade while holding the 'rib' in.
BE CAREFUL NOT TO CUT YOURSELF!!

The mowers are harder, very likely the gas has evaporated in the fuel lines, jets, and/or carburetor and will need cleaning out. I have never done that, you have to take some things apart.
Just be careful that some unscrupulous 'repairman' doesn't try to talk you out of it for salvage because it is 'broken beyond repair.' Someone tried that on me, I kept my non-running mower.

Two-cycle engines (opposite of four-cycle engines) need oil mixed in with the gasoline. Your instruction book or the Internet will tell you the ratio. Those engines don't have oil pumps and so get lubricated when the mixture circulates through the engine parts. Outboard boat motors, some motor scooters and mowers, leaf blowers, and chain saws use two-cycle engines.

I enjoy your reading your blog. I call it a nice running type journal written on the light side.

Hope the engines get to running. :-)
..

Marla said...

Janell- thanks for the advice on the pocket knife.

Jim- Thanks for your advice. Sure wish you were my neighbor!

Rachel said...

Hi Marla! Thanks for visiting my blog. I see you are a Nebraska person! I was out at Cliff Morrows this year for Blogstock and it was great meeting so many nice folks! I came away with the impression that those Nebraska folks were mighty nice people....at least all the ones I met!

So sorry about your dear husband. That is so sad.

I see Jim answered your questions pretty much! I mix one gallon of gas with one little package of that 3 cycle (I think it is) oil and give it a shake and it works fine in my weed whacker and leaf blower.

The leaves are falling big time here. I hate raking leaves. I usually wait until they all fall and do it only once!

It was interesting reading about your boxer dog! That would have been scary at first and I would have wanted him to go too!

Loved your slideshow. You have a lovely family!

Jamie Dawn said...

I read your previous post, and I'm so sorry about the loss of your husband. I'm sure you are experiencing a great deal of grief and sadness. Even though you know he is heaven, it is still very hard and I'm sure you miss his greatly.

I have never owned a pocket knife, and I would not know how to close one either.
Visiting a pumpkin patch would be fun. I should buy some pumpkins and gourds and decorate my front porch.

Thanks for visiting my blog.
I've gotten to know Janell (and I met her at Blogstock), and she is a really dear person.

Sue said...

I found the link to your blog on Janell's OSM. Welcome to the blogesphere.
Sorry about the loss of your husband. My spouse is a truck driver so I have to do for myself a lot.
My last mower had a little rubber ball on it that you had to pump a few times to prime it. It would then start with a couple of pulls.
I hate the blower and the week wacker, they are so hard to start.

When I went to country school it seems like all the boys carried pocket knives. Now it would be confiscated at the door if they had one in their pocket.

Marla said...

Sue
Thanks for stopping by. I figure over time I will learn how to do all the things that I never learned from my husband. I go to Norfolk with my job quite a bit for meetings!

Scarlet said...

Congrats to you, Marla! You were the first to guess my favorite movie necklace...the one Julia Roberts wore to the opera in Pretty Woman. Please stop by my blog and click on "View my complete profile" so you can e-mail me your shipping address...I have a white cross coming in the mail to me with your name on it. :)

PS - I loved your first post and this one made me smile. You have an awesome spirit! :)

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