"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

Well, it had once been a chicken coop, and was then a very cheap
shed with a corrugated iron roof standing on a few loose bricks.
That was something like 20 years before we moved in. I tore it
apart with my bare hands, but my wife used gloves.

You did ask ....

Around the first week of employment within certain industrial landscape firm
the boss handed over to me, control a large grass cutter he had been using.
It was very powerful, being 12 horse power or more and with the seat
attachment removed. It had a sliding cutting mechanism more in keeping with
a petrol driven hedge cutters. I can't remember it's name.
I asked for information on how to operate it. He showed me how to start
it... but it was already on. The problem, he then had to concede was how to
get the darn thing to stop.
He the related a story of how the first time he ever used it was at an
agricultural college. Coincidentally at their open day. A variety of
somebodies were looking on as he laboured. Suddenly the machine went a tad
berserk and all he could do was trot along behind it... as it made it's way
to a chicken coop. Then straight through and out the other side. Feathers
all a flying and everything. He was not asked to return.
Then he wished me luck with it and left.

Patrick