A new cap for my gas line trimmer arrived; the backup neoprene gasket I made last week will live in the greenhouse as a spare, but the old cap and the new one both have a cork gasket, most resistant to the destructive properties of gasoline. The trimmer probably cost $125/$150, and while it is easiest to simply buy a new one, I prefer to repair and replace parts as long as it will run, keeping the materials out of the trash stream. And if I donate it someone else is simply going to do the same thing.

Years ago I sold a trimmer at a garage sale, I couldn't get it to work for a while. A guy puttered and worked on it and before he left he had it running. I honored the sale, and vowed that I wouldn't do that again. I have a guy who fixes this kind of stuff for a reasonable amount, so I go there first. My mower still runs, but is harder and harder to use, so it *may* get replaced in order to have a machine that I don't have to struggle with so much. Or not. The effect of the slow onset of PMR was that I gained weight, and that has been hard on my knees. Now that I've been off of the steroids for a few months and the stress of an awful employer has subsided, it's spring and I need to pick myself up and lose the weight. When that happens I think my strength will be back to the usual level and the mower might be less of a problem.