Tag: summer yard work

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Mowing at Dawn: How I Outsmarted the Heat and (Hopefully) Didn’t Annoy the Neighbors

Written Jul 17, 2025

Hello Dear Readers,

This morning, I did the unthinkable—I woke up an hour and a half before my alarm. Normally, that’s just a cue for my body to roll over and say, “Nice try.” But today? I actually stayed up. Why? Because the Tennessee sun had plans to scorch anything that dared move after 10 a.m.—and I had a date with a lawnmower.

I had a long to-do list of outdoor chores, and mowing the lawn was at the top. Doing it before the heat kicked in seemed like a genius move—until I remembered the potential wrath of sleepy neighbors. But here’s the twist: we own an electric mower. Whisper-quiet compared to the gas-powered roaring dinosaurs most people use. It’s practically the ninja of lawn care equipment.

By the time I tiptoed out with the mower, my wife had already checked off her own morning triumphs. She wakes up nearly two hours before I do (yes, voluntarily). She had exercised, completed her German lesson, and probably solved a few global crises before I even found my socks.

She once told me—back when I was recovering from my brain stroke—that the key to keeping up with life isn’t speed, it’s consistency. And that’s been our mantra ever since. I never used to be a morning person. I never used to have a schedule, either. But when life body-checks you, you either lie there… or you get up. Preferably early, before the sun decides to cook you.

Since then, I’ve gradually taken over more of the chores she used to shoulder alone. My wife has always juggled a full-time job and the never-ending circus act known as housework. Between trimming back Nashville’s botanical ambitions (Virginia creeper, anyone?) and trying to squeeze in a little reading or piano practice, she never really had much downtime.

She did worry a bit about whether the mower would wake the neighborhood. But honestly, it purrs more than it growls. Our block is so quiet, even her early-morning piano practice barely escapes the walls. And let’s be real—if someone’s running a 5K before sunrise, my little lawn session probably doesn’t register as noise pollution.

Turns out, she was right: people here are early risers. Fit, sun-loving, health-conscious neighbors who believe in happiness via cardio. No pitchforks or noise complaints yet—so I’ll take that as a win. And if I bump into anyone later today or tomorrow, I’ll do the neighborly thing and apologize just in case I mowed too close to their dreams.

And now? It’s not even noon, and I’ve already tackled my main task for the day. The lawn is trimmed, my conscience is clear, and the AC is calling my name. Morning chores: conquered. Productivity: unlocked. Neighbors: hopefully still friendly.

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Low Energy, High Commitment: A Lazy Day Done Right

Written May 27, 2025

Hello Dear Readers,

Some days you wake up ready to conquer mountains. Other days, you’re lucky if you can conquer getting out of bed. Today, I woke up with the energy level of a potato. Not even a baked one—just raw and slightly sprouting. But alas, adulthood doesn’t come with a snooze button for responsibility.

It’s summer, which means the yard doesn’t politely tend itself. As a certified grown-up with chronic kidney disease (yay me), outdoor chores hit a little differently. For one, I fatigue faster than a phone battery at 2% running Google Maps. And two, thanks to dietary restrictions, I can’t exactly refuel with a protein-packed feast. Recovery is more “zen monk” than “Olympic athlete.”

Truth be told, I’ve probably been pushing too hard lately, and my body threw up the white flag this morning. Still, I’ve learned a sneaky little trick over the years: sometimes, when I feel like doing absolutely nothing, doing something physical actually kickstarts my energy. It’s like reverse psychology for the body—move first, motivation later.

My wife is a big fan of this method. She’s got low blood pressure and isn’t exactly a morning person (understatement). But she swears by the “just get up and do it” approach. Apparently, once she starts moving, she gains energy like Mario collecting power-ups. So, inspired by her, I shuffled outside to tackle the lawn.

Now, I wasn’t about to go full landscaper mode—my right knee is staging a protest, and there were off-and-on rain showers making things feel extra dramatic. But I mowed enough grass to earn my Adulting Badge for the day. Oddly, the grass hadn’t grown much despite warm weather and plenty of rain. Maybe the lawn is in solidarity with me. Lazy blades unite.

Planking was next on the list, and let me tell you, convincing myself to do it was like trying to sell a gym membership to a cat. But eventually, I managed. Was it graceful? No. Was it done? Absolutely.

Even after all that effort, my energy never quite caught up. Meanwhile, my wife zipped around the house like a caffeinated squirrel. She only slows down once—right after waking up. Then she goes full throttle until bedtime, like some kind of adorable Energizer Bunny. I, on the other hand, operate in slow-mo with commercial breaks.

Still, despite the sluggishness and aching knee, I didn’t skip any of my responsibilities. I scaled a few tasks down (because I’m not a masochist), but everything got done. Not bad for a guy running on fumes.

Hopefully, tomorrow will bring more energy and a less rebellious knee. As for running? We’ll let morning-me figure that out. He’s usually more optimistic.