Sometimes things just happen - you can't predict what or when or why - it just happens! This has been the case with my lawnmower. I bought a Troy Bilt riding mower for the farm sometime last year from Fred and it's been under the shelter at the farm all this time. I have kept it chained to a large post but nobody has been around until the Sunday before Memorial Day. I have a camera (like a deer camera hooked up to my phone) in the barn and a couple of other places just in case some two-legged animal happens to come around. But I had left the lawnmower unlocked and with the key in it waiting for someone to replace the belt (and that's a story we won't talk about). But, long story short, a two-legged person came along and took the lawnmower. The deputy sheriff came and I filed an incident report knowing I would never see that lawnmower again.
But lo and behold, someone wanted a "get out of jail card" and returned my lawnmower to the Sheriff's Department. And they say miracles don't happen! Anyhow Fred and I went yesterday and picked up the lawnmower. The only thing missing was the key but Fred had a universal key so that was okay.
We took the lawnmower home and it was running so life was good. But after Fred left I realized it wasn't cutting so he came back and checked - something was broke underneath so he took it home to repair.
Well one of my neighbors came by to see the house (everybody wants to see what I've done) and she mentioned there was a Troy Bilt lawnmower in the road and was it mine? Well, of course not, Fred took my mower earlier so no it couldn't be mine. Nice visit with her and then I went on home. About half way home I got a call from the Sheriff's Dept - "ma'am was your Troy Bilt lawnmower recently stolen?" Well, yes but I picked it up today. "It seems there's a lawnmower at your neighbor's and we're sure it's yours since it still has the id tag on it." Okay, I'll go back and check but Fred took the lawnmower so I'm sure there's some kind of mistake.
So sure enough it was my lawnmower - Fred forgot to tie the lawnmower to the trailer and when he turned at the end of the path, the lawnmower just slid right off. He said he didn't know it was gone till he got to Clayton (about 10 miles away). In all his years of business, this was a first!
Fred came back, got the lawnmower and tied it down and I finally went home.
So today he called - he had made the repairs. I met him at the farm and "The Runaway Lawnmower" is now under the shelter locked and hopefully will be there when I go back.
And yes, they know who took the lawnmower and a warrant has been issued and hopefully they will find this guy and he will spend a few days/months/years in prison. But I've been advised or clearly told not to talk about any of this mess so all I can say is I don't know anything!
But I'm sure glad to have my lawnmower back.
