Beyond

I hope I never lose my sense of wonder. If that makes me naive, then so be it.

Tuesday 12 February 2008

stuck

First: medieval immersion is so far (all of one day) a big success with the kids. The feudal system was covered yesterday, and shopping for fabric for tunics and kirtles for the girls.

Last night a meeting with some of the sound & tech guys from church was planned, so when we got home I started supper, left R in charge, and headed out to plow the badly-drifted driveway. This would be fine if the drifting hadn't also blocked the tractor's route to the driveway. After almost getting stuck going forward, executing a 46-point turn to get the blower facing the drift and starting to get some of it out of the way, I realized that the tractor wheel was spinning inside the chain. Uh oh.

Our tractor wheels are what are called 'turf tires' - that is, not the big knobby agricultural ones. Turf tires don't chew up the ground when you drive, so we can use them to mow our lawn. Because of that they need chains in the winter. Big, 60- pound chains that must be wrapped around each huge tire and then fastened in place. So as I watched it spinning inside the chain, I figured a move-forward-and-try-to-fix-it might be in order. Good idea, had not the entire chain fallen off when I next moved forward. And it didn't even have the courtesy to fall on the outside of the wheel, but instead sat smugly around the axle. Under the tractor I went, trying to find the junction point and undo the chain, which needed bare hands to finally get it undone. Oh yeah, and it's about -23C while all this is happening.

After all that, the chicken curry, basmati rice and warm naan were a welcome supper!

I did get it back to the barn, D shuttled the guys in from the road in the truck, and the meeting was great. Tonight is, of course, putting the chain back on. Brr.

1 comment:

3livingstones said...

So glad you write about the trials of getting the driveway cleared. It makes me feel good that I'm able to get mine done with my trusty shovel and some elbow grease. You remind me that it could always be worse!