So I’m 46 years old. I own my own business. I’m an elected official. I have lots of life experience and some really interesting stories as well. So there are times when I feel that I have things under control for the most part. It’s times like these when I get myself in trouble. And when I look back to see where I might have gone wrong, it’s often when I have chosen to ignore parental advice, guidance or even just those gentle nudges that try to steer me down the right path. This time it involved the lawn mower. Side note., this is not the first time I’ve had issues with a lawn mower.

So it all Started yesterday when I mowed a few of our properties around town and planned to finish the day mowing our new house for the first time. On the way home I was talking to Dad about getting my lawn mowed and looking good. “Did you take one of the fuel cans?” He asked. “No, I was going to pick one up to have it.” I said. “Remember it’s diesel. Are you sure you don’t want to grab one?” “Yeah I want to get going before it rains.” I said. “It won’t take that long to go grab it at the house but well okay.” He said. “Well okay” that’s what he always says when we don’t agree on some minor course of action. He was pretty adamant that I should go use one of his gas cans but I wanted to get started and he knew it.

So I got home and realized how little fuel I had so jumped in the car and headed to the local farm supply store for my very own diesel can. $45 later I felt the twinge of buyers remorse, knowing that I could have grabbed a can just down the road. But I was saving time not money so I headed to the gas station. And you know what? The one closest to my house doesn’t sell diesel. And the one next closest to my house doesn’t sell diesel either. I had to go all the way across town to get diesel. It would have been faster, cheaper and much easier to go grab a can from my Dad. Cost me $60 and over an hour. I did get the mowing finished but the last 30 minutes in a light rain. It wasn’t too bad though because the rain cut some of the diesel smell off me. If you are want to know how to spill diesel fuel all over your hands and the side of a lawn mower, just use a new “safety pouring system on a gas can. Whoever designed this must not have understood the assignment because they leak and spill gas. But you know who knew that diesel fuel is not sold at all stations, gas cans are expensive and that new cans will make a mess? My dad. But I didn’t listen.

Mowing in rain. -1 smells like diesel -1 $60 -1. So that makes the score 3-0 parents leading Cole.

Continuing today mowing was a priority. The folks were going to Wichita so I had planned to mow their grass with our shared Grasshopper mower. But as they always seem to do, things didn’t go according to plan. So after dropping off the mower at the folks I went back to work. But I decided to take the mower keys so my mother wouldn’t jump on the mower and do it herself. Seemed like a good idea at the time. But I got a text message a short while later.

Nolan and I arrived a short time later. As we parked the trailer I heard him say “here she comes dad, and she doesn’t look happy.” I chuckled to myself and turned around. I saw her walking towards us. I have seen this walk before. I have seen this look before. It was at this moment I knew that I had screwed up.

I’m 6’2” about 200 lbs. My 5’4” mother had me hiding in the truck. I tried to explain why I took the keys. How I wanted to mow their grass as just doing something nice for them. Not because they needed me too. She was not having it. I had thrown off her schedule of events for the afternoon and she was fired up. Once she figured out that I didn’t take the keys out of carelessness she softened a bit. But she did let me know that she wants her lawn mowed her way and she will do it. Then we went inside for a snack .

Mom was taking dinner to a neighbor after an injury, so I now understood her schedule. “I made brownies and you can have some but you get the ugly ones and I’m not even sorry that your’s are ugly.” I ate those ugly brownies and they were good. But I learned my lesson. She also can’t stay mad at me for long.

Retired superintendent Vs County Commissioner. She had her son and grandson running scared. 2 pts. She also got her way regarding the mower and her ear phones. 2 more points. I got brownies even though they were ugly 1 point. 4-1

Final score 7-1 parents win in a blow out but in reality, it’s a win for me even when I don’t listen.

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