Toro: Taming a Bull
I heard it was likely to snow last Saturday. So, after my chiropractor appointment, I dutifully and belatedly worked on priming my snowblower for the season. Does anyone really do this before thanksgiving every year? Perhaps the more Obsessive-Compulsive among us are thinking smug thoughts at this point. Likely we can all guess how this will turn out.
The snowblower, a six-year-old Toro 6hp model that cost too much, started pissing fuel out the bottom after filling up with fresh gasoline/oil mix. Happily, I now have a company pickup in which to toss the hemorrhaging machine and drive the six miles to the repair shop. In years past I had to prevail upon our octogenarian neighbors for a ride in their minivan, not an option this time with the damned thing still leaking.
In the shop, predictably crowded, I hear snatches of conversations: “…Should bring it in for maintenance every two years…” and (on a thousand-dollar, four-stoke Honda model) “…Has a release valve for emptying gas lines for summer storage…” Upon my turn at the counter, the guy, managing to look both frazzled and bored, smiled and told me he would rebuild the carburetor, reseat the fuel line, and that should take care of my problem for about $100, maybe $120. I recall spending five times as much for the Toro when new.
Here’s the kicker: “Three weeks. You should be getting a call when its finished.” Since last weekend, it has snowed three times. Thursday, we got over six inches, last night just a fresh powdering of half-an-inch or so. As my driveway is 170 feet long, and I try also to maintain another long driveway of my afore-mentioned 80-year-old neighbors, I’ve been working my back too much this week. My chiropractor will soon be contemplating a new x-ray machine in my honor. After the three weeks are up, and I get my newly rebuild Toro back from the shop, the snow should taper off for the rest of the season. Murphy’s Law, damn him to hell, will prevail.
So if any of you are reading this from within the Chicago area, rest assured: we won’t be getting much snow after the first of the year.