Lawn Mowers and Baby Clothes

Last night Roy and I went to Sears and bought a lawn mower. One of those mowers with four wheels and a seat. We've never owned a riding lawn mower before. In recent summers past, Jace and I work the push mowers while Roy wields the weed eater. Sometimes, that's been disastrous--Roy and the weedeater--as he has tumbled down the large hill in front of our house, weedeater in tow. It's done a number on his legs before, but thankfully, that's about as bad as it got.

Anyway, Roy is tired, and so we ventured out and bought a certified riding lawn mower. In typical Roy-fashion, he has spent the past several weeks researching which ones are best. I've stayed out of this loop as my knowledge of lawn mowers is pretty much bottom of the barrel, and frankly, I'd like it to stay that way. And so, he has scoured the Internet, discussed the different options available with me (can't say that my listening skills during those conversations were on point), and swung by Lowes and Home Depot 3.57 million times to talk to the employees there about their riders (look at me saying riders instead of riding lawn mowers as though I actually know the lingo). He asked them when and if they are going on sale, which ones would be the most effective on hilly property, did they believe that John Deere were, in fact, the preferred brand, and on and on it goes. He threw in questions about the engines and transmissions and very boring other things but I couldn't conjure those up if I had to. Yeah. That's how boring those questions were.

Anyway, that has been my life for the past several weeks. Seriously. Not even kidding.

But on Monday, Roy said, "I've figured out which lawn mower I'm going to get and it's on sale at Sears."

And so, poor Lowes and Home Depot lost out on our business, and last night after gymnastics, Roy and I headed over to Sears to seal the deal. I hung around just long enough to know that the salesman was going to honor the deal on the Internet and here's why: Roy would simply nod and say okay. If the salesman said, "Nope. Can't do that", Roy would whip out his checkbook and seal the deal. No argument. He hates anything that has to do with dickering about money and would just rather pay a little extra if it meant peace.

Not I said the fly.

I have no problem going head to head about those issues--making an absolute fool of myself for the purpose of saving a dollar. Everybody in my family runs, hiding their heads in shame, when I go on a financial rampage. Usually, I will admit, this occurs on the phone with voices rather than faces. I find it much easier to give them a piece of my mind when I don't have to look at them. But thankfully for all involved this particular salesman was accommodating, and even with a smile, and so I headed off into the glorious sunset known as the mall.

I didn't get very far.

Just downstairs was a sale on baby clothes. Recently, there was a baby shower for one of my friends at work--Keenan--and I missed it. And so, I stopped and purused these tiny little ruffly outfits and jammies and socks and itty bitty shoes. Oh my word! I picked out one, then two, then put one back, picked out another, put the other back, picked out yet another, and the cycle continued...until I finally settled on two absolutely precious outfits with mix and match pieces. I envisioned that my three adorables used to fit into such tiny things, and got lost in the moment, remembering. And then I headed back upstairs, taking the escalator by twos as I was hoping that Roy hadn't quite finished with the purchase and I could throw them in at the last second.

As I walked up, these two outfits in tow, Roy looked at me, surprise on his face. And then, as he was surrounded by several salesmen and loves a good laugh, he said, "Is there something you need to tell me?"

With promises of delivery on Monday, we left Sears proud owners of a new riding lawn mower, two super cute baby outfits, and two tools thats usefulness escapes me. Roy started to explain to me what they do, but just as he got started with the whole I just threw away two identical tools that my dad gave me and so ... I looked up at the wall--the same wall that I had purused earlier that displayed a variety of baby clothes: spring-y jumpers with bursting flowers and smiling giraffes and vibrant colors.

How adorable....why didn't I look at those more closely? Those might be cuter than what I purchased...

Because, you see, that is the difference between Roy and me. Roy researches and looks and ponders and asks questions and takes his time...and then makes a confident decision.

I, on the other hand, rush in with gusto, swoop down on whatever catches my fancy, purchase it, and then wonder about it later.

But that's okay. Keenan's little girl will look adorable in these little outfits. I hope he takes a picture and shows her to me, all dressed up in her frilly best, or all comfy cozy in her snuggly jammies--as I couldn't decide which I preferred so I got them both.

So for now, we are the proud owners of a riding lawn mower. We don't have it in our hands quite yet but it's coming. Roy has figured out exactly where to park it, and now he will begin the process of looking for the perfect cover--as it must be covered from the elements and there is no room in the garage. And this fall? Well, this fall we will purchase a bagger for it so that he can bag up the leaves as he has dreamed about such a contraption since moving here. And so, the lawn mower saga shall continue for awhile...but at least, for now, we will not be talking to the Home Depot and Lowes salesmen for awhile...

...at least not about lawn mowers.