I bought a greavely 260z in 2004, I still have the mower and can say I get the same cut as I did when it was new! ( LOL) That is not bragging, it has left a streak on the left side since it was new, it has been to three dealers, two here in IL. and one in MO., they have changed the deck, blade spindles, pulleys, about everything you can, it still cuts the same, Gravely has sent me a letter telling me as far as they are concerned it is fixed, I get sick everytime I use this mower, they told me not to worry when it was new, that they could fix it, but still have not and have stopped trying, oh they even told me it was the motor being weak, so I paid to have it overhauled last year, still have the same streak, I have talked to everyone from the Pres. to district reps. very unhappy about the way they lead me on till they just said goodbye!

Shusby: With all the work and replacement components go a few bucks further and do what I recommend numerous other do. 1st never use starting fluid via the carb venturi , if required only through the spark plug hole and only a short blast. Ether based starting fluids may dry and damage carb seals o-rings and gaskets and diaphrams within the carb. Use only carb cleaners for carburator starting spray use. Also drain out your old fuel by draining from the fuel line , do not tip over the mower to drain , you may drain crankcase oil into the breather housing and into the carb . Once drained add some carb cleaner & dry gas combination in case you have moisture within the fuel system. Let the new fuel and fuel treatment sit for about 30 minutes minimum. Then try the starting sequence via Carb cleaner sprayed within the carb venturi (throat) . Once started (may take a few tries) keep engine running until it will idle . This has been successful 90 % of the time . If not the carb jets will require removal and carb spray and compressed air may be needed to further remove dirt , debris within the carb circuits. Good Luck and let us know how you make out . I always try the KISS approach when gas starvation is indicated . Rather than throwing Time and $$$ at engine and component tear downs and Parts replacements that are not warranted.

What's "FWB" - "Free Wheeling Broads" "/Boys"? I also find it distressing to hear a stream of what we considered foul language coming out of the mouths of many young people ... as part of their routine ... and I must confess that it troubles me more when it comes out of the females' mouths. I learned at home (from Dad - Mom was sick from when I was about 6, and Grandma was old and "sexless" ... and Dad talked around the subject, mainly) and I accepted ... that, as someone here said, "It takes two to tango", that pregnancies don't happen all by themselves (at least, they didn't in those days) ... and even now, teens don't get pregnant all alone (not being interested in the "in vitro" game). I learned that, while guys were inclined to try to get all that they could ... that if one was responsible for pregnancy, that he bore equal responsibility with the girl. Probably/usually more. That there was the risk of some rather nasty diseases, as well. We used to say that a pregnancy, if the girl chose to keep the child, which was unusual in earlier generations, it would pretty well ruin whatever hopes she might have had for a career ... but such wasn't so for the guys ... who seldom felt a responsibility to provide for the child. I remember Dad saying that, in discussion with a female friend when he was young, she'd said that the girls had to not only deny the persistent guy ... they had to deny their own feelings,as well. Not very fair, that. Shouldn't responsibility be shared? Possibly, after the child was born, when it was a week old, she should have taken it to the guy's house, saying that it was his turn to look after it for a week. I remember my wife telling how disappointed? disgusted? her Mom, who'd initiated divorce and was nearing retirement was that a substantial number of the men that she'd dated aimed at going to bed, if not on a first date, often shortly afterward. Maybe it's related to the length of time that movies show a scene on the screen ... if more than a few seconds for each, many modern folks feel that it's too slow ... and boring. When they get old ... and life slows down some ... do you think that modern people'll find life so unutterably boring ... ... that suicide may seem an interesting alternative? Good wishes for keeping your life in focus ... and perspective ... treating yourself and others with respect .. and encouraging the kids to follow similar patterns ... when you have the opportunity. ole joyful P.S. Many seem to feel that people, like machines, exist to serve them, if they can make it happen, and that while they are doing such explotation and after, they owe little more duty of fair treatment to the person than to the machine. Which we've pretty well seen exemplified in the way in which corporations treat their staff ... and suppliers ... and, often, clients - though if they treat them too badly, they may lose their opportunity to serve that client in future. o j

The only male relatives I have are my husband (almost 70), my brother....who is in his 80's and my nephew, who is in his 50's and married. (Oh, and I have a son-in-law, who is around 40 years old). I don't expect any of them to have a sexual attraction towards Carol Christmas. I mean, we may be kind of "out there"...I am a possum rehabber and that is kind of strange, but making anyone feel sexually uncomfortable would be the fartherest thing from any of our minds....of that, I am sure. I think my nephew would like to have some family. His mother and siblings are all dead. She is likely, his full sister. I would caution him (and will caution him) if this proceeds, to go very slowly and let her take the lead on this. She may never want anything to do with any of us, and that is understandable. She might well resent any intrusion in her life....and I understand that completely. My life is very quiet. I would not be open to a bunch of drama, myself. I will see if I can find an adoption group to join. If for no other reason than to get feedback on what they think about this. If I go to any meetings, I will take my nephew. I'd invite my brother along, but he is getting kind of feeble. The very last thing I want to do is cause anyone any discomfort or make them feel uneasy. Just because she is a blood relative, does not mean that her life experiences haven't made her entirely different from any of us and she may have nothing in common with us, and no interest in us whatsoever. I am not at all a pushy person. I don't want my "idle curiosity" to be a source of trauma or pain or the slightest bit of problem for anyone. I would like to give her some info on family health issues....which really aren't many....we are all very healthy....and I can give her pictures of her birth mother. I can fill in any gaps she may have, but I would want her to know that she is under no obligation to include me (or us) in any part of her family. When I was growing up, my grandmother (father's mother) lived next door to us. My mother never got along with her mother in law, and from what I understand, the worst insult anyone could say in our family was "you are just like Grandma Stout"....who really was known to be a rather mean old lady. I remember when I was about 9 years old, going over there to play with a couple of cousins and when it was time to eat lunch, she made me go home. When I came back, after lunch, I had left my stick horse there, and my grandmother had thrown it on her burn pile and was setting it on fire. I tried to pull it out of the fire and she hit me with her cane. Anyway, I really looked up to one of my cousins....mainly because I loved horses and she knew a lot about horses....although neither of us had a horse. Anyway, I was not allowed to play with her, and the last time I saw her was in 1957, at my grandmother's funeral. I found her on Facebook and I very reluctantly sent her a friend request and message. I was afraid she would want nothing to do with me, because our families didn't get along. However, I was pleasantly surprised...and we have become good friends and we often joke about how shocked our folks would be that we have become good friends.