Turkey Coop and Yard Work

We had finally had a small window of dry weather yesterday and when Ron got home from work we started staining the turkey coop.  We picked up a sprayer at an auction and thought this was the answer to the the hard work.  Well for us we just couldn't get it to work smoothly and gave up trying to use it after doing just one side.  Ron had about as much stain on him as he had on the coop.  We both worked on it and then got to a point where he was doing it by himself.
I decided to start the yard work and got out the rider and worked on the front yard.  Our front yard has a slope towards our lane and when one of the neighbors was coming home I slowed down to let them down the lane. I noticed that the mower's brakes didn't seem to work real well but just blew it off.   On the other side of our lane is a strip of land that is the right-of-way then a ditch.  The village did some work on the ditch last week and added some huge white rock to keep the lane from washing into the ditch.  When I was mowing by the ditch I put on the brake and it did not work at all and down over the rocks and into the bottom of the ditch and the mower started up the other side and then the back wheels got stuck into the mud and water.  By the time the mower stopped I thought for sure I was going to loose it.  It scared me half to death.  Ron was out back working on the coop and knew nothing of what had just happened.  I called him and he came out to see if I was OK.  We then had to get the truck, chain and pull the mower out.  I just wanted to get it done before someone came by and saw the predicament.   Well that didn't happen.  A couple of young girls from the end of the lane came by in their truck and offered to help.  Ron thanked them and said we've done this before and thanks anyway.  Total embarrassment.  I was so happy that when we got the mower out and Ron drove it he said you are right the brakes are not working.
Let's see, front ditch last year; garbage truck came by and helped me and Ian get it out.  Side ditch earlier this year; Ron came home from work on his lunch break to get me out.  Then last night front ditch again.   When I think about it I have gone in the front ditch every year.  Sometimes I've gone down backwards when I got to close when backing up and sometimes I've gone down front first.  The only difference is sometimes you can see what your headed for and sometimes you don't.