We Are Handy

So our riding lawn mower has been having a tough time cutting the grass lately. Hubs suggested we change the blades-have them sharpened and then the problem would be solved. DD and I thought we could do this-she's my gardener you know- so we googled how to change lawn mower blades on YouTube and referred to the owners manual-yes, I have it! So the guy in the video did it in like, 15 minutes. We figured we're good to go. Gee I'm glad we had the manual other wise how would we know that one side of the mower deck is help on with a rusty bent old cotter key and the other side is held on with a shiny easy-to-remove snap clip? Hang on I gotta go get the pliers. This is definitely a 2 person job! OK we're good to go, we got the deck off-even though the guy in the video obviously didn't have to dink around with the spring that connects the PTO cable! Look there it is-all gently flipped over and ready for removal.

 Wait-I don't have a socket wrench big enough for that bolt.....Hey DD run up to Stewart's and borrow a bigger socket. I sweep up grass while she's gone.

 Ok now to get that bolt off-c'mon muscles!!!....wait we need a cheater bar-good thing I have a handy dandy fence post- we never would have gotten those bolts off! They were really tight! The guy in the video obviously had his bolts loosened up for him-he probably didn't have to use a fence post for a cheater bar.....

 Anyways, look one blade on one to go! So far so good-no bloodshed, no injuries-just a lot of dirt... and grass stains. OK re assemble again-lucky I have more cotter keys-that still burns my butt-why the heck would some manufacturer do that!!!????

TA-DA!! Off to mow the lawn! Oh it works great! We are awesome!! OK so the guy in the video did it in about 15 minutes and it took us a little more than an hour, but we are HANDY!!