Summer is the time for vacations, and it is in this spirit that I am taking a vacation from the usual article found in this column to vent my spleen about something that just happened to me and my lawn mower.
You may not believe this but I trim, weed-whack and mow my own lawn which is about 2.5 acres. This is getting to be a bigger and bigger job each year as I mature. I enjoy it mostly because it is a relatively mindless physical activity, which ends up being very productive.
Several weeks ago it was very hot and I only had one day to mow the lawn. I did the trimming and whacking, but when I went to start up my lawn tractor huge plumes of white smoke poured out of the exhaust and filled the garage. It looked like my garage was on fire. I called the repair shop and they came and got the tractor. It needed a new carburetor. I asked why a relatively new tractor needed a new carburetor and was told that the gas we use contains ethanol and this additive ruins the carburetor. I need to put another additive in the gas to counteract the ethanol.
Here is my grip. Why wasn’t I told this some years ago to prevent this from happening? Why do I need an additive to counteract another additive? Does anyone out there see my point?
I really need my vacation!
