the old Suburban lawn tractor

I shared this picture in my blog Thursday, of Cliff mowing the yard in coveralls, stocking cap, and gloves. It's been cold here, folks.

Cliff and I had a conversation about that garden tractor the other day. He recently disguised it as a John Deere, just for the heck of it. He gave as his reason for this travesty the fact that you can't get decals for old Sears Suburban lawn tractors.

It had already been painted the wrong color by my late brother-in-law, but at least it was a Sears color. Now it's just a nondescript phony, masquerading as a John Deere.

My dad bought the Sears Suburban new in 1967 or '68. I know this because in the picture below, my son looks to be about a year old. And he'll be forty next month. (Oh yeah, and the date is on the edge of the picture.)

It's hard to believe that something that old is still mowing our yard.

I think the reason I hate to see it painted the wrong color is that it summons up so many memories and ties with the past, and with people who have passed on. And I want it to look just like it did when I was young enough to be having babies.