The Mower Doesn't Run But I Do.

I checked the mower last night to see if I could find a clue as to its failure. The engine is smothered in oil. Not a good sign. The spark plug was crusted with burnt oil, and the air filter is drenched in it. I cleaned them both, but again couldn't get the machine to crank. When Travis came over last night, I asked him about it, and he immediately called up his dad. He said the valves were opened when the mower was turned on its side (I had to clean out the blade region), but if I remove the plug and yank the starter chord, this should move the excess oil away from the engine. I'll try that tonight. If it doesn't work, I've got the number of a local repair guy.

Because my evening was now open (and Your Sis was at school until 10 p.m.), I had time to run. I ran a little Saturday, just around the neighborhood to acclimate my knees to pavement shock. I have two months to prepare for the Halloween 5K, a run that features a bitch of a hill. Luckily, my neighborhood is a series of hills piled upon each other, and I can practice near the house. But yesterday I wanted to know if I could run anything close to 5K. I went to the gym, climbed aboard the treadmill, and launched myself with the new iPod in hand and ear. I did pretty well, at least 2 miles before my towel accidentally activated the emergency exit and killed my groove. That's not a bad distance for my first longish run in some time. If I can get myself used to road running, I think I can do this. I discovered that I could reduce my leg pain by running faster on the treadmill, a feat aided by a mix of Queen, Radiohead, and Nine Inch Nails. I've also been advised to get better running shoes by folks online.

Picture of the Day
Crazy Arnold head from a Japanese ad



In the News
Scientists at SUNY claim to have discovered a memory molecule in the brain.

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Told ya the guy who confessed to killing JonBenet was a whacko.