He's Busting things up again!!

Some of my more popular posts have been about the misfortunes that have befallen me when I have
endeavored to "fix" something around my home, this is just another example of how I always seem
to make a simple task into a (usually painful) exercise of frustration.

It all started when my trusty ride-on mower developed excessively heavy steering, my ever alert
brain analyzed the problem and aided by the sight of a front tyre running completely flat deduced
that this was the cause of said heavy steering.
No problem thinks I, (do you already sense that this story is not going to end well?) I'll raise the
mower.. put some blocks under it.. remove the wheel.. fix the problem.. and replace the wheel..
Too easy.... bloody hell where can I put a jack under this thing?? OK I only want one wheel off the
ground... I'll lift it up myself.. AH here's a nice comfortable spot to lift from... Bloody Hell this
thing is really HEAVY...
OK just put your back into it and LIFT..... OOPPS that snapping noise sounded kind of expensive,
There's that analytical mind at work again, who ever would have thought that a great company
like John Deere would have made that front section out of plastic??

It may not be easily seen that the section below the bonnet (hood) is broken in the four places
that it bolts to the chassis, but you can take my word for it.... IT IS, John Deere, who by the way
have slipped down a rung or two in my estimation of their engineering excellence, refer to this
broken piece as the bumper bar.... What the hell are you gonna "bump" with a lump of plastic??

A trip to the local John Deere dealership brought forth the somewhat surprising fact that they
had in stock a replacement part this and the statement that it wasn't such an unusual request
that I had made, this part gets broken quite often!!!!!
It was when I told them my story about how I had broken mine that the fact that they usually
get broken in a collision with a tree or a fence post rather than torn off with bare hands came
to light.

It was when I went to pay for the new part that my admiration for John Deere was restored,
without a single blush they chared me $68.40 for my replacement plastic bumper bar, for a part
that in their own words, breaks pretty often, that's a nice little earner and shows that the US
spirit of free???? enterprise is still working.
The parting words I heard were.... "Better not have any weet-bix for breakfast tomorrow."

To some overseas readers that reference to "Weet-Bix" might not make much sense
but in my country "Weet-Bix" is recognized as the breakfast food of champions and
many of our sporting legends are judged on how many "Weet-Bix" they do for breckie.
The great "Thorpedo" Ian Thorpe claimed that he did 14 every morning.... no wonder
he was a great swimmer.... its all about floatation!!!!

Now I know there will be some dismay that I have only told the tale of breaking my
mower... not fixing it.... there are 4 bolts to bolt it back to the chassis and 2 more
which attach the bonnet (hood) to it... even I can fit 6 bolts.... if not... there will be
a follow up post, but don't hold your breath!!!!!!

I am taking this opportunity to say farewell to the many friends that I have made
around the world by the medium of this wonderful thing we call blogging, it is with
a heavy heart that I say this, I have enjoyed the wonderful friendship that has come
to me from everywhere I look, but sadly maintaining "HoltiesHouse" has become
something of a burden rather than the joy it was when I started to blog in 2005.
Just a few stats to finish off with this is the 775th post since I began on April 4
(nearly became an April fools day thing) 2005.
Unbelievably there have been just slightly less than 9000 occasions when one of
you have taken the time and trouble to make a comment on something I've written.
A quick glance at my sidebar blogroll will show that I am not alone in my decision
to quit blogging.... At least for now, who knows what might happen in the future?
there are many names there that have been a part of my life for most of the 3
years who are also posting far less often than in the past, so perhaps for some of us
blogging has a finite life time?

Please feel free to use my email address should you wish to stay in contact, or just
to say G'Day and if ever you are in my neighborhood please call and say G'Day in
person.

To my newest group of friends, "The Fun Monday Gang" thanks for the memories
and if someone wants to take over the "Fun Monday Registry" I will gladly forward
all the names and details to you.

Perhaps for the last time from the throne room.