We decided to get rid of the basement couch because it was too big for the space in the new house. That particular couch had been through a lot of living and was not the sort of furniture that one hands off to someone else to use. It was mostly broken (although the dogs still liked it) and was stained, including a prominent fried chicken stain from that time the dogs and cats conspired to knock the dinner chicken off the counter and hide the chicken in random spots around the house. Turns out that couch (like any couch) can hide a bit of fried chicken. 

I was contemplating moving the three heavy pieces out of the basement, when Travis came up with a genius idea. “Why don’t we use the cart that attaches to the riding mower and haul it around the outside of the house in that?” He mused. By the time I had the mower and cart around back, Travis was organizing the three pieces of the couch. I shut the mower off and hopped off to help move piece one into the cart. We struggled to maneuver it through the basement door (okay, I struggled…Travis patiently waited for me to pull my weight). We got it all set, I hopped back on, and…..click, click, click. The engine didn’t turn over even a little. Why, oh why did I shut it off? So now we have a three piece couch to move AND a really heavy zero turn mower. Hmmmm!

As it turned out, the cart was still useful without the mower. Of course, the neighbors (who already think we are crazy) were out on their back deck enjoying the sunset with a beverage. They watched as we manually heaved and hauled the three pieces of the couch individually in the mower cart up the hill on their property (we already have an agreement in place to use their side of the tree line) and dumped it in our garage until trash day. If they missed any part of one haul, they could see the reenactment on the next piece of couch. Pushing and trying to turn the cart was hard work…it was heavy. After the couch was tucked away, we stopped by to visit with them so they could laugh at us without all the distance between us. Then they offered their golf cart. Nice. We actually thought about using the cart to move the mower, but were afraid of damaging their cart. They thoroughly enjoyed their sunset with a sideshow. 

Since we were pretty beat moving the couch, we decided to leave the mower overnight and see if the starter magically worked the next day…but it didn’t. So, the following day, the neighbors got to watch Travis, Tayden, and I pack mule the ridiculously heavy mower up the hill and around our house using a couple ropes that the boys used to pull and steer, while I pushed from the back. There was significant yelling of instructions (although I’m pretty sure none of us have ever done anything like that before, so not sure who was the expert) and swearing. I’m sure we were a sight. But the mower made it around and is back in the garage with cardboard under it for the oil leak it has always had. Travis took the starter off, but decided to order the solenoid first, since it could be that and a solenoid is cheap and the starter is not as cheap. Now if the grass in our significant yard would just stop growing until we have time to fix things…and if the couch could magically move itself down the giant front drive for trash day. Moving that couch down the front drive could be another show for the neighbors. What ever did they do before we moved in?