June 2025 Island Trip – Day 8

Finishing up in the garden with what the push mower could do was a nice milestone. That mower is put away for this trip.

The line trimmer refused to start. I RTFM’d (Read the fucking manual), made sure I had the choke set correctly, addressed the spark plug to no avail, asked my DH to give it a go, and then gave up. I got the smaller line trimmer out and Could Not get its rewound line cartridge engaged. Once again I referred to the the manual, which instructed one to refer to the ‘page’ of step by step instructions that are on a separate page, not included in the manual. 😡 My frustration was growing… I have installed rewound line for this trimmer before… I will ask the Google… 😏.

Next was to head to the Island’s amazing donation/retail place, a few miles down the road. They accepted the 12’ ladder that hates me, and piece of Hardy Backer that’s used as a backing for tiling. I paid them $8 to take the old window from the pump room of my hands. The price was worth it not to take it out of the truck again. I found a flamingo pink folding chair for $8 to go with our exterior Airstream folding chairs. Last night we brought up our plastic Adirondack chairs up from the fire pit. They’re badly oxidized, being way more than a decade old, and when my DH sat down in one of them, it cracked up the back, but held it together for the evening 😏. They are toast.

I took the recalcitrant line trimmer to the shop where we have bought all such equipment for decades. Cecile asked me, “What can we do for you?” I whined, “Make is start.” After sharing all the symptoms, we took it outside, and with me holding the throttle, it started it right up. The engine was flooded… He said, “I think you’re gold. Would you like to leave it for a tech to go over it?” I replied that I’d take it home, and that it probably just needed a ride in the truck to see its friend! Once home it fired right up. I ran out of gas and line at the same time! I’ll continue on Monday.

This weekend is about touring the Island Artists’ Open Studios.

In other news, I texted a friend asking about two plumbing conundrums that I am too chicken to deal with. Is this something he can handle?? YES! He has a plumber on staff now and will stop in Monday. I am elated, and will keep this in strict confidence! A plumbing license is Gold on you staff here.

After a well deserved shower, I sat in Stella facing her open door and marveled in the silence. Silence. It’s something that we don’t get to experience often. It was soothing, relaxing. Then two ravens started talking politics, for a good hour 😂 🐦‍⬛.