Mowing the Lawn!!!

So Paul is out of town and we are going up to Idaho this weekend, so I offered to mow the lawn so he didn't have to worry about it. Paul took me outside on Sunday and told me exactly what to do and what pattern I should follow. He showed me how to empty the bag and take the garbage bag out of the trash can. I was ready to do some damage! So I go out to start mowing the lawn. I'm thinking to myself, "this isn't too bad". Then about 5 minutes later, I am EXHAUSTED. I am seeing spots and keep thinking I'm going to pass out. But I keep pressing on. Finally, I finish the front yard. I drag myself inside to get a drink and call Paul to give him a progress report. I honestly feel like I just ran a 5K and won. I can't breathe and Paul keeps asking me if I've passed out. I keep asking him if I'm a wussy and why is it so difficult for me to do and then he asks me the million dollar question........"Are you using the self propel lever?" I say, Of course I am, but as I go outside to finish up the side of the front yard, I realize there is a little black lever I haven't noticed before. I mowed the whole frickin front yard without using the self propel lever!!!!!! It was like I was back in 1993 mowing my grandma's lawn in Ririe. That mower was self-propelled. I must like to punish myself. But I must say, the lawn doesn't look too bad. If you don't look too close, you won't see all the patches that I missed. Paul, please don't ever go out of town again, so I don't have to mow the lawn! :-)