S O U N D   O F F

April 18, 2011
Subject: A Dirty Job
Before Paddock
Big Ford After
Wednesday, Chuck hooked up the trailer, loaded "Wolf," and headed for New Mexico.
He's become a professional "trail rider."
The week before, he busied himself hauling tons of dirt into the barn yard and paddock, "to fill those holes you wanted filled Roni!" he justified; further instructing, "All you have to do..."
The truth of the deal? He just loves playing with his life-sized Tonka Toys!
OK. OK. I confess though. After 6 years of grading the paddock, I managed to drop the dirt level next to the concrete slab... about a foot.
Also, there were big holes behind the shop, making the simple task of pulling weeds treacherous.
Specially if you're old, like me, and never practiced the fine art of hanging onto the "straight up and down" side of a slippery dirt cliff.
Last summer, my calls "help, help" were for not, as my attempt to pull that last damn wild carrot weed darn near threw me into the seep ditch.
"NEVER AGAIN CHUCK!" I hollered!
"NEVER AGAIN will I put myself into that position! What if I'd slid all the way in, and the swift irrigation flow carried me down stream, through the woods pasture and dumped me into the Platte River where I'd go over the dam and end up back in Nebraska where I started!"
"You get something in there now!" I ordered The Chuckster.
So Chuck "Played, and played, and played...and Boy did I have FUN!" for a week.
His toys were scattered all over the farm.
Dump truck here, Backhoe there, Small loader over yonder, Big front loader in-my-yard!.
I couldn't back the car out the garage without hitting a cone that let us know, "There's a BIG fork there!"
Barbie Tractor tried digging in, but it was simply too big a job.
She kept over-heating, then finally dug in her little tires, coughed and apologized, "I can't Roni. Get Big Fordie. He can do it."
Chuck put a grader blade on Big Fordie and left farm, saying, "All you have to do is......"
Men always do that.
Don't they.
Men think we women are, "All you have to do is...." people, whereas THEY are, "Come! Look what I did! I did a BIG job today! It was HARD and took ALL day!
But I have one more thing little thing to do. With your help it'll only take a minute, because "All you have to do is...while I ....."
Then it's always something that involves going at least 50 miles with a flat bed, a few chains, baling string and a tarp.
Farm boys don't have a concept of time. So their requests generally begin around dusk, and you don't get home until temperature's dropped at least 20 degrees, you're frozen, dinner's burnt, and you're too dang tired to eat anyway.
You just want a Bud Lime Lite while catching Glenn Beck's midnight show.
So yesterday, I hoped on Big Fordie and started on the barnyard pile.
In the foreground of the "Before" picture, you'll see the deposit "Wolf" left before loading for New Mexico.
The Paddock picture...well I tried to level that dirt, but, Fordie's tire (see front right) was going flat, and he just couldn't make the sharp turns required without crashing into the barn.
Besides, that blade is that, "Chuck! I thought I told you I won't use that blade because it drifts!" and makes 12 inch drops off concrete slabs.
So - I quit with the barnyard (as you'll see in the "After" picture).
I'll wait for Barbie to get re-tuned. For she, with her cooperative blade and pleasant demeanor, does "finishing work" the way every woman does "finishing work." Perfectly. :-)
Stay tuned.
There's a MOUNTAIN of dirt in a swill in the woods pasture Barbie, Fordie and I have to smooth out next.
That's OK. After all, "All we have to do is..."
   

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