Break from mowing
Well, I was mowing the lawn. But I turned it off to put some more gas in and now it doesn’t want to start. Give it a break I guess… I’ve already picked up all of Ty’s rocks - I imagine that he’ll put them back for me. Strange dog, but he fits in just fine here.
Yesterday, when I headed to Red Lodge for plumbing parts - I thought that I’d take Lucky along. She’s my riding buddy - very quiet & attentive. Ty is a lunatic, never shuts up - so he doesn’t get to go. I had the pickup door open (yes, our dogs ride inside) and was about to put on her collar when I noticed that she looked wet on her side. So I wiped it with my hand and discovered fresh horse manure. Thanks, Luck… So she got washed and she didn’t go for the ride.
I did pickup a rider just before Bearcreek. Yes, I know all about hitchhikers. How do you think I got here? Yes, I know… that was over 20 years ago - and it wasn’t any smarter then. Anyhow, he was very pleasant and headed to the Bluegrass Festival in Red Lodge. He was from Cody & originally from Orange County (New York, not California or Florida).
In the hardware store (which will remain unnamed to protect the innocent & the clueless) I explained the plumbing situation. Clerk One called Clerk Two. Didn’t matter, I came up with my usual solution. Which was to buy all kinds of parts, hope for the best and bring the rest back later. When you have to travel as far as we do for parts - what am I saying - for everything - you try to be well stocked.
Just before I turned on our lane, I noticed brake lights on the vehicles ahead of me. The cause of this was a little red car with Utah plates that made a sudden turn. It stopped, and I could see the two little ladies with the big atlas. I pulled ahead of her and parked.
“Are you lost?”
“Yes, we just came into Billings and we were headed to Lovell, and somehow we ended up on Highway 212, and Red Lodge and it was very pretty, but how do you find the road to Lovell?” Now there’s a run on sentence that I can appreciate! So I asked how much gas they had - full tank - okay - and sent them on their way.
Speaking of gas, I’ll go see if the mower will start…
August 29th, 2004 at 9:02 pm
We had a dog like that years ago. He carried rocks around all the time, chewing on them until he had very short teeth! He was some sort of a border collie mix but we were sure he was a rock hound!
The parts situation is the same for all of us. We don’t have to go so far for plumbing stuff but the nearest tractor-equipment parts are at least 90 miles away and often they have to order the stuff. Over the years, we have learned to stock a lot of the more regular parts in our own shop. Ties up some money but now and then saves a LOT of time. Sometimes it is hard to tell what matters most, time or money. bonnie
August 30th, 2004 at 6:45 am
From Linn:
You have such interesting days living on a ranch/farm. A whole different life than us city folks.
Your dog tales are funny. We lost our dog about a month ago. She was 12, and had been on pain pills for hip dsyplasia for months, when the pills stopped helping as much, she couldn’t get up the 3 back steps into the house. The vet xrayed and discovered advanced bone cancer in the back leg, and it was decided to spare her a miserable end. She carried tennis balls wherever she went, and I buried them in a hole that she dug. Strange how they become part of your life, and when they are gone you cherish the horse manure moments, and the rocks they carried around.
August 30th, 2004 at 8:14 am
Hi Bonnie! Ty’s an Aussie/Border Collie cross - and definitely a rockhound… Isn’t it delightful to drive all that way to pickup that part you’ve ordered to find that it’s not the right part. Well, yeah - it could be worse - you take it home and then find it’s the wrong part… as the air turns blue…
Hi Linn! So sorry to hear about your girl. It’s heart wrenching when we have to make those decisions. Our pets really do share their lives with us. No person is ever as happy to see you as they are.
August 30th, 2004 at 1:28 pm
re: the mower - I find that when equipment is being stubborn, threatening it works well; particularly when the threat is to let small children play with it
August 31st, 2004 at 9:10 am
Unless it’s a computer, David. They don’t take well to being sworn at and they, I think, prefer small children because they know what they’re doing.
And darn it, Kalamity, did the mower start? Did the drip quit dripping? Don’t keep us in suspenders.
August 31st, 2004 at 3:21 pm
Chuck - it’s a Deere (a walk behind model), and I’m persistent, so I did get the job done. As for the sink, well there is a bucket under it. I’m liking your plumber’s putty idea, though…
August 31st, 2004 at 5:40 pm
I can fully appreciate your feelings re Lucky rolling in manure. My HoHo was forever rolling in poop. I have yet to figure out why they think this is so pleasing! Glad to hear you got the mower running. How I miss country living!