American Restoration

 I wonder if you've seen that new show
on the History Channel where the guy
and his crew take old things like
appliances and such and fix them up
like brand new.
 That's one TV show I couldn't do.
 My abilities to 'fix' or 'restore' things
are not only limited. They are generally
non existant!
I just cut the grass at our lake front
camper two weeks ago.
 The old mower, which had been parked
outside under a tarp throughout the
winter fired up with just one pull of
the cord and it's year old gasoline
kept it running long enough for me
to mow two lawns and disturb about
two hundred gnats!
 But that was two weeks ago.
 The same mower, now rested for 14
days, refused to start when my buddy
and I returned to tackle another
inch growth of grass.
 After some ten minutes the mower
finally sprang to life.
 But after just a few passes it died
again. This time, as we attempted to
restart it, the pull-cord broke.
 I have a few talents.
 None of them have anything to do with
mechanics!
 I have always believed that one of
the reasons I was placed on earth was
to provide a living wage for plumbers,
electricians, and auto mechanics.
 It was therefore with some
trepidation that I heard my friend
suggest we disassemble the
top of the mower to restring what was
left of starting cord.
 When I was a kid I played around with
a tape recorder.
 My buddy, on the other hand, fooled
around with machines like lawnmowers.
 He skillfully removed the top providing
a view of what looked like either a
broken Slinky or a large watch spring.
 I acted the physician's assistant
holding this or that while he
tightened the spring and reinstalled
the reel-like apparatus on which the
now shortened pull rope is wound.
 That's the best I can describe it
because I still don't understand how
the blasted thing works!
 But it did.
 Of course there is still another
problem having to deal with the choke.
 That's the part that determines how
much air the motor gets.
 When we got the mower restarted it
sped up for about 4 seconds then
nearly stalled for the next 8.
 Like I said I'm not mechanic.
 But my timing has always been good.
 I moved he mower forward during its
4 seconds of speed then held it
motionless while it slowed down for
8.
 When I slowly moved onto the
adjoining lawn which belongs to my
pastor the mower suddenly sped up
to a steady dependable speed!
 Somebody up there likes him!
 There's been some talk about
installing new parts on the old
mower.
 It should now be obvious to you
that my buddy or some repairman
will have to handle that.
 Meanwhile I'll either try to
perfect my timing or pray a lot
more next time that grass needs a
trimming!
 Hope all your NEWS is good!