Even Mowing the Lawn is Going "Retro"

Every time I am proved right about something, I just have to write about, as it serves to purposes to people that might enjoy what I have to say. One it will be entertaining, and two, it will most likely be informative as well.

My most shining example of this is the resurgence of "Chuck Taylor All-Star" Converse shoes that now come in so many different colors and styles that the ones I grew up with, the standard canvas hi-tops, are at most an afterthought, but it doesn't matter as when I was laughed at twenty year ago for still wearing my then hard to find Chuck Taylors, I told everyone they would be back, and boy are they ever!

Which brings me to the latest example of which I am "crowing" about, and that is the growing trend and return to use of the "manual, human powered" lawnmowers that I grew up with. You know, the ones that had those shiny revolving blades that made that very cool "swishing" sound as they efficiently gave the blades of grass their weekly grooming. Surely you remember the deluxe models that also came with the detachable grass catcher that kept you from having to rake up all the loose clippings, don't you? Ah, those were the days all right.

Anyhow, our previous home had a very small yard that I was able to mow in maybe 30 minutes, front and back. So, because of my frugal nature I resisted investing in a new lawnmower at this residence, and sought the least expensive and in most cases least reliable castoffs of friends and neighbors to get this task accomplished. The final straw was when my family used to stand on the side porch, when it was still funny, and count the number of pulls it would take to fire up the mower, and later they would stand inside the house where it was safer from language I was not proud of, as it was beginning to lose its humor as the number of pulls took longer and longer.