1993 was the only year the 10201 had a choke-start Walbro carb on it with NO primer button on top. This has absolutely nothing to do with your problem, just wanted to tell it. I had a 10201 since '94, recently sold it, but as I remember it seemed to make the same noise as yours - very noisy deck. Have you ever replaced the blade? Have you gone over all bolts and screws, including the ones under the muffler baffle? The fasteners on these tend to come out. While you're looking at the muffler plate, check the exhaust ports and clean as required (annual maintenance). Replace the muffler baffle and/or cover as needed. I've seen the muffler cover bolts back out until the blade starts hitting them which makes a loud 'clacking' sound and ruins the lower crank bearing and the muffler plate. 'All fasteners' includes the ones up on the engine, too. The tank shroud is attached with a 'shroud base' which comes loose. The handle will rattle at the mounting points, probably aggravated by the 'buzz' frequency of the engine. With the engine off, squeeze the engine-control bail back to the handle and let go to see how much off a 'clunk' you get as the brake shoe pushes the flywheel up - this indicates excessive wear in the lower bearing. The bearing will not usually make noise when the engine is running, though. Let us know if any of this helps. Even if the lower bearing is shot and you don't want to sink any more money in it, it can be 'parted-out' for considerable money. Somebody will buy the short block even with knowledege of condition, since it's not that hard to put a bearing and new seals in. The deck and all the other parts will probably sell on ebay, especially the working ignition module.

Boy Lady, I know exactly what you're going through. Our pool was poured the day before Charley hit. It was a year before it was finally finished. We couldn't open our sliders because our cats being fools would have rushed out to the wide open lanai. The pool people felt they could drive anywhere on our side yard. They couldn't get workers, cement, pavers blah, blah blah. The five huge trees in my garden were knocked down and that's where I had my orchids hung temporarily so I had no place for them and a lot of them died while I tried to figure out a shady place away from construction and near a source of water. Renovation is the pits but there is an end in sight BUT the loss of plants that your parents planted ---that would really hurt. I'm sure your garden will look fine and if not, you'll have to invite us back next year and/or post pictures here when you are pleased with it.

I was thinking about that 165gallon pond... You might want to make it above grade for two reasons - having an edge to sit on thankfully while trailing your fingers; and not having to hack through a bazillion tree roots to install it. You may need to think about either a leaf net or a cover for autumn when the leaves come down in bulk. I have a pool cover of wire netting over mine - to keep out the swamp hens and hedgehogs - and it also catches most of the trees' leaves as well. I agree about the chain link fence - and it does seem to have attractive uprights. However - can you easily get behind it to weed? Or are you going to pay the 'fibro price' for pulling and tugging in an awkward position? Thinking of bee-friendly plants for dappled light - forget-me-not (Myosotis)is great in spring (and an oh dear! if your dog has a long coat but they are easily combed out), Dicentra, Heuchera, Hosta, Clematis - which could do well in one of the lower trees, Prunella. And the simpler forms of Dahlia are much-visited, as are Buddleias. My old dog was always fond of shady 'scrapes' under shrubs or ornamental grasses. Or the middle of the Iris innominata...:-( The wooden decking was popular, too. If you find your tree roots rapidly colonising any garden beds you make you may have to either make raised beds with a barrier layer and above ground drainage points - or move to container growing. They might be why your yard has hungry sandy soil and weeds. The tree looks a bit like a birch of some kind. (Secondary guess would be a flowering cherry.)

That is a sad sight:(. Agave attenuatas are so beautiful and imho one of the nicest Agave species out there:). What likely happened is like you said. The days have been hot and the roots haven't had any water. I don't think there's much you can do. Don't do anything extra, just put them back on their normal schedule. You're just going to have to wait till those leaves die off. I'm sure they will be fine and beautiful in no time:).