Lawn Mowing Frenzy

I did something I haven't done in probably 45 years on Saturday. I mowed our lawn, both front and back. Victor, our regular mower, took the 4th of July off, which was Wednesday, our regular cutting day. I kept thinking that he would come and do his job, but by Saturday it was apparent that he was AWOL. So.....I journeyed to our neighbors, the Ryan's, and there borrowed an 'ancient' cutting device that Pat had purchased from his wife Cheryl's grandparents. I would venture to guess the unit was at least 40 years old. To say it was temperamental would be an understatement. However, with the aid of cell phone communication, Pat got me through the priming and I was able to get the 'beast' up and running.




It took all of 15 minutes to do the entire job and brought back memories of cutting lawns on Oak Street when I was about 10 years old. Here are some pictures of the houses and lawns I would have cut when but a lad.

145 Oak Street

This was my best friends Courtenay Cox's house. I didn't cut his lawn, but we did joint ventures together.

132-134 Oak Street

I would have cut this lawn, back and front, many times as this is the duplex my mom and Grand mom Ima owned during the mid 50's through the late 60's.

131 Oak Street

This was the House of Barnes. I probably helped cut this lawn when Michael Barnes, the son, moved out of the house. He was about the same age as my two half brothers Dan and Glen.

130 Oak Street

This was the House of Henry, next door to our duplex. I would have cut this lawn also as the son Don was older than I. Of course all these pictures are of the houses as they appear in recent years, but the flavor is still there. Actually, Pauline Barnes, Marge Henry, and Neece formed a neighborhood coffee group in the 50's and remained steadfast friends until there respective deaths, Pauline passing away last year. They would rotate 'coffee' get togethers at their houses and would do so once a week, usually in the afternoon.

Here are the Oak Street Mom's in 1979. From left to right Florence Emory, Marge Henry, Pauline Barnes and Bernice Shipley (Neece). They were all great women in their own right.