A Job Done

The Marewa Croquet Club has six of the best lawns in New Zealand looked after completely by its own Members under the watchful eyes of Frank Wharton and Noel Charteris. Until now I, like most of the Members I suspect, have taken for granted the quality of the lawns and the fact that they are always there and in tournament condition even for our Club games. Having joined the group of volunteers charged with the responsibility for mowing them (the band of Moas) I suddenly have a new perspective on that which I have so far been accepting as the norm.

Today was my first mow. Now I am not of a nervous disposition but as I started up the mower which certainly qualifies as a big boy's toy capable of wreaking terrible havoc in the wrong hands, a sudden fear came over me. What if.....?

As you sit at the wheel and look down the massive expanse of lawn the enormity of the task strikes.

Having managed after the first run to forget to lift the blades before I stopped the mower (which can have serious consequences for the lawn) I began to wonder if this was really more than I was cut (sorry) out for. But after about five lengths of the area I started to feel more confident.

By the end of the afternoon I was beginning to enjoy it.

Postscript: This morning when I looked at the results it became obvious where I had missed a few wee strips where I'd not quite overlapped. Oh dear.