Related to Jimmy McLeod Much?

This is proof that Bennett is a descendant of Jimmy McLeod.

Although it isn't a Snapper, so I guess it could be questioned.

If you don't know my dad, then you don't know about his (verging on ridiculous) passion for lawnmowers. He has always, as long as I can remember, bought old run-down lawnmowers, fixed them up, and sold them at the local flea market. He'll take a part from this one, an engine from that one, and a seat from this thing to make a shiny new lawnmower. Meaning.... that he has a lawnmower graveyard in the backyard. That's for another day. I don't want to get Mama all worked up. :)

Going to the flea market with Daddy on Saturdays is one of my fondest childhood memories. We'd take a cooler full of cokes, juice, water, etc., a couple oatmeal cream pies and sugar wafers and set up in the gravel off of Hwy 78.

The sugar wafers may have been reserved for the times that I went with him to bush hog people's fields. He had a little compartment on his tractor that I kept them in. I used to love to go all these places with him. And now that I think about it, I feel like it was always me, rather than Jeff and Greg doing all this stuff with him. Maybe they went with him the times that I didn't, but I don't recall that.

I also used to spend hours out in the garage with him, helping him "fix" his lawnmowers. I had my own little toolbox (a tiny, orange box that had a couple mini screwdrivers in it). I would take those screwdrivers and scrape the dried up grass off the underside of the lawnmowers' decks when he had them turned up on end. I'm sure this was so, super helpful.

I do remember Jeff and Greg being out in the garage with us often. Maybe the reason I know that is because of the story Mama loves to tell about the time all three of us were out there with him and it started pouring rain. We were stuck - or maybe I should say he was stuck out there with us while she got to enjoy a nice, quiet, kid-less house a few minutes longer.

So, it makes me a little sad that my parents are going to be selling that house and garage before too long. So many memories were made there that Bennett isn't going to get to make for himself. But, no worries, because if I know my dad at all, I know he will have his new and improved garage built right next to their new house asap. He wouldn't be able to function without a place to "tinker" with his lawnmowers.

So I guess Bennett will have the new and improved version of my memories with my daddy.