Baymule’s Farm

[SPedigrees]

The tractor saga…….
Before my son left on Sunday, he hooked up the bush hog on my tractor. He showed me a small square plug on the side of the gear box and a bigger bolt on top. He said take out the side plug, take off the top plug and fill with 90 weight gear oil until it runs out the side.

Ok, I got this! Carson and I went to Lufkin on Monday and got a quart bottle of 90 weight gear oil. When we got home, it was time to feed bottle lambs, then the dogs and sheep.

Tuesday was go get feed day, trying to beat the coming storm, barely made it. Then winds up to 80 MPH, hard rains and 2 trees across the driveway. No tractor work Tuesday. No power either.

Wednesday! I worked sheep through the chute, wormed the girls that are on a 5 day treatment and they didn’t get it Tuesday. LOL

Then I turned my attention to the gear box. Soaked both plugs with PB Blaster. Tried all kinds of wrenches, finally found a fit and got the plugs out. Filled with gear oil and put plugs back in. Now, grease it! I looked and looked for a grease gun. I have 2, but they are somewhere safe, cause I sure can’t find them. Come on Carson! Let’s go to Lowe’s! It’s only 30 miles away.

Carson made lots of new friends at Lowe’s. I got a shiny new blue grease gun. Came home, time to do feeding and get ready for church.

Thursday! I did morning chores. Got a brief rain shower, the sun came out. I got my new grease gun out of the box and read instructions on how to put it together. It ain’t rocket science but I’m no genius either. I got it together.

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I got the grease tube. Hmm…. Read the instructions. Which end goes where?

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Got to pull the plunger thing out. I did. I poked a wood stake ( the same one I beat the rattlesnake’s head to mush with) down the tube, then measured it next to the grease tube. Nope, I gotta pull more of that plunger thing out. I measured it with the snake beating stake again. Nope, still haven’t pulled it far enough. This was gonna require some serious pulling. I braced with my feet and pulled.

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Measured with snake bashing stake, measured against grease tube, I did it! I put treasure in and screwed top on. Then i happily started greasing the tractor.

Until…….

I put the hose coupling on a grease fitting and could not get it back off. I pulled, I pulled some more. I got vise grips

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I tried an assortment of tools, to no avail. For over an hour I walked from tractor to shed, rummaging around like a frantic rat, trying to find the magic tool that could get down in that tight spot and break loose the coupling. Failure after failure, putting up tools, trying something else.

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I found it! Eureka!

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I pried the coupling off the grease fitting!

There’s just no room to get hold of anything down in there

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I put tools away. I started mowing around the house, then down the driveway.

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I mowed both sides and around the entrance. Then I mowed down the middle. Before I got done, it was raining. I parked tractor and ran for the house.

I fixed an early supper, rain stopped. I went outside and fed animals, barely finishing before the rains returned. It’s started back to storming, wind blowing rain sideways again. I was watching the news for the weather report. Oh goodie! Another storm blowing in the morning at 5 or 6 AM. How lucky can one get!!!!!

Power went off. Just freakin fantastic. Y’all have no idea of the fun I’m having here. I got a glass of wine and watched it rain with my trusty friend, the Tac light. LOL

Power came back on about an hour later. That was a nice surprise.

This morning. Woke up to rain. Pouring rain. Thankfully no 80 MPH winds. Supposed to be out of here by noon. No feeding this morning. I’ll go out when rain stops and dump water out of feed troughs, feed bottle babies, feed all the animals.

This is not going to help the unfortunate people whose homes flooded just weeks ago. Rain is falling over the watersheds of both the Trinity and San Jancinto Rivers.

My sister met with the man and real estate agent yesterday, that she is buying the house from. She thinks she may be able to move in 2-3 weeks. They discussed her renting the house for those weeks before they close. Moving can’t come fast enough.

It’s still raining.

I am not going to complain. My home is dry, not flooded. I am Blessed. I am not going to complain. I sure would like to pitch a hissy fit and have a total meltdown, but I’m gonna suck it up and count my blessings.

At least I got to mow a little yesterday.

My road is flooded again.

Your tractor saga sounds all too familiar. It seems any construction project around here has me running "like a frantic rat" in search of other tools and things I know I have but can't find. Glad you were able mow.

 

[baymule]

Where to start? Friday! Friday afternoon the San Jancinto River Authority opened the gates on Lake Conroe dam. The river quickly went out of its banks and spread into the park across the street from my sister’s house. She made phone calls, galvanized into action. Her son, daughter in law, grandson and friends all sprang into action. She has spent weeks cleaning and packing things she salvaged from the flood. All those boxes were under threat of being flooded again and all her hard work for nothing.

The owner of the house she is buying let her have the keys. In 2 hours, all the downstairs boxes were loaded and a bed for her to sleep in. She spent Friday night in her new house.

Saturday, yesterday, every one gathered, her son brought a U-Haul and she is now moved. I went and helped. In addition to the U-Haul, her contractor and dear friend brought his truck and trailer and loaded outside stuff. I packed her pot plants in my car and then made a load of all her hang up clothes.
She is moved. Most went in the garage because she wants new carpet in the bedroom and whole house painted. There is still some things in the old house, but can be dealt with.

The water had gone down some by Saturday morning but was still in the park. It won’t be long before sister never worries about the San Jancinto River again.

 

[baymule]

I got measurements on the garage, it’s 24’ 3” square. Posts are 4”x6”x8’ they sit on the concrete slab. 3 trusses, son says no problem to take down. He says put hay spear on tractor FEL, put long pipe with hook welded on it for chain, chain onto truss, detach it, lift and put on trailer. He’s a calm, methodical git’er done kind of guy.

Pictures of the garage

It has a covered deck. Treated 2x6’s! They are 11’9” and the deck is 24’ long. 2 roll up doors

I got pictures of the garage.

I got measurements on the portable building my sister is giving to my son. It’s 14’ wide and 28’ long. It has a little porch on it. The flood floated it off the blocks and shoved it up against a pecan tree. It has paneling and insulation that will need to be stripped out. But at least all the stuff that was in it was taken out and gone.

Son can use his tractor to pull building up to driveway so mover can get to it. The wood fence will be gone. Friends of my sister will take it down. We can back a trailer to the garage and pile the metal on it, take it to my place, go back for lumber.

 

[Marie2020]

I got measurements on the garage, it’s 24’ 3” square. Posts are 4”x6”x8’ they sit on the concrete slab. 3 trusses, son says no problem to take down. He says put hay spear on tractor FEL, put long pipe with hook welded on it for chain, chain onto truss, detach it, lift and put on trailer. He’s a calm, methodical git’er done kind of guy.

Pictures of the garage

It has a covered deck. Treated 2x6’s! They are 11’9” and the deck is 24’ long. 2 roll up doors

I got pictures of the garage.

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I got measurements on the portable building my sister is giving to my son. It’s 14’ wide and 28’ long. It has a little porch on it. The flood floated it off the blocks and shoved it up against a pecan tree. It has paneling and insulation that will need to be stripped out. But at least all the stuff that was in it was taken out and gone.

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Son can use his tractor to pull building up to driveway so mover can get to it. The wood fence will be gone. Friends of my sister will take it down. We can back a trailer to the garage and pile the metal on it, take it to my place, go back for lumber.

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Great work

It's good seeing you busying around.
How's the knee holding up?

 

[baymule]

Great work

It's good seeing you busying around.
How's the knee holding up?

That knee never gives me a moment of trouble. Knee replacement surgery was life changing.

 

[digitS']

footings
foundation walls
anchor rods
?

 

[Rhodie Ranch]

OMYGOSH OHMYGOSH ditto ditto ditto.

This is absolutely the bestest thing ever (besides BJ). OHMYGOSH!!!

 

[baymule]

footings
foundation walls
anchor rods
?

The posts are anchored on a slab with L brackets.

I’m not building it back the same way. I’ll use the materials to build a 3 sided barn.

 

[Marie2020]

That knee never gives me a moment of trouble. Knee replacement surgery was life changing.

That's excellent to know

 

[Marie2020]

@baymule and anyone

please don't think I'm going to do this again, but I'm trying to find an answer. I've opened a thread and usually people don't look into my threads. It's in "Everything Else Gardening", Weed Recognition ".

It looks like comfrey, but I am really not sure. I can make feed out of it if it is.