Training Log Archive: Mess Engineer

Trip to mower shop to test battery on way home (as I had disconnected and put in back of car in the morning).

They confirmed it was dead and past its used by date being around 4 years old.

I was very happy to hear this as it meant there was probably nothing else wrong with mower as next option was to have to stay home Tuesday for them to drive out and pick it up (they only do this one day a week) and they said there is a 2 week work backlog at the moment.

I have never had an unresolvable issue with the ride on to date so I wasn't looking forward to the rigmarole or cost.
Mower shop didn't have correct battery in stock so went up the road to battery shop in the industrial estate to get one.

Upon arriving home 25 minutes of cursing trying to get battery refitted into the inconceivably small and unnecessarily complicated space they designed it to fit into. After about 4 attempts to start mower back in action and running smoothly!

On battery it says should be charged every month. I don't own a charger and the battery is so painful to disconnect that means use the ride-on in winter even if just to cruise around the yard rather than leaving it idle for 7 months.

5:30 pm - 6:05 pm
Mowing front yard on both sides, nature strip out the front, around perimeter of house and the "dog" yard (which no longer has a dog).
Basically all the untidy looking semi long areas - could have left for another 2 weeks easily.

P.S. Never used the mower in almost darkness before. Quite a few occasional sparks seen coming out the side chute which I assume was from the odd piece of gravel being rocketed out the side.

C • Using it in winter 1

4:40 pm - 5:25 pm
Whippersnipping around house, spoon drains and other long patches that have accumulated over winter.

Spent 10 minutes trying to get the ride on lawn mower to start for the first time in over 7 months (according to log I haven't started it since 20th February!). Battery doesn't appear flat but it won't start. Will get the Maintenance Manual out but may need to get a technician out to sort it. Grass only needs a touch up so it can easily wait another week or more.

5:35 pm - 6:00 pm
Raking up 2 1/2 poly trailers of leaves as an alternative activity to mowing.

4:45 pm - 5:50 pm
Last done 03/02/2016 so just over 3 months ago.
5 1/2 grocery bags full.

Ran out of daylight to continue other chores - try again tomorrow.

6:20 am - 8:55 am
Raking leaves, filling poly trailer, dumping in pile by downhill fence, and burning off.

9:00 am - 10:35 am
As above

10:37 am - 11:22 am
As above

Break for lunch

11:52 am - 2:10 pm
Raking leaves, filling poly trailer and burning off.

Break for drink and rest

2:40 pm - 3:50 pm
Raking leaves, filling poly trailer and burning off.

Break as pouring with rain so leaves all soaked and fire almost extinguished

4:32 pm - 4:59 pm
Whipper snipping the area opposite the garage - it began pouring but I finished anyway and then quit for the day.

Exhausted, not used to this labour anymore and still trying to kick this cold, so early night to bed.

Sticks continued

Still recovering from sickness so really didn't want to do this!

3:20 pm - 5:40 pm Continued fallen stick collection.
5:40 pm - 6:00 pm Raking leaves for burning tomorrow.

Off to Dinner at favourite restaurant at Medowie.

Another two wheelbarrows of sticks and burn off

Earliest I have been home in ages (as I attended physio at East Maitland) so started picking up sticks in preparation for mowing season. Fire Pit so full I can't reach the top to pile more on so will have a burn off tonight to allow more cleanup on weekend.