Tractoring Along

Thursday, September 14, 2023

Yesterday, my friend Mike Holmes showed up during his one-day pause between hunting trips and repaired my tractors. With them again running properly, I took off. I mowed the weeds growing alongside the roadway on the little lawn tractor. On my bigger machine, I tidied areas of the property by digging lava rocks and leveling pathways.

Always, this place needs work. Doing all that’s needed requires discipline. Usually, I must force myself to get going, but doing the work can be fun once in motion. Take the tractor, for example. I enjoy operating it to tackle the bigger challenges. My place isn’t a farm that needs lots of tractoring, so my machine often sits for long spells between startups. Regardless, it usually cranks up and goes right away.

Except when it doesn’t. And then, I call on Mike. He’s an experienced mechanic, now retired, with livestock and his own large property east of town. His professional work of repairing machinery acquainted us years ago. He still does repairs for me–if he’s not busy, planning for, or simply away on fishing and hunting trips.

Mike’s wife, Debbie, was my co-worker at Wilco. An expert at retail selling, she taught me about merchandising and remains a good friend. She works part-time at Lowe’s, and periodically, I go there to find her, and we catch up.

Speaking of Wilco, I must pay a visit to its associate manager, Donna. She gave me my first retail break by hiring and training me to be a cashier. After leaving Wilco, I disappeared from the store. Donna and I are FB friends, but not in closer touch, and soon I hope to fix that.

Today, my tractors are waiting, and I have plans for them.

Dear Friends: I might horseback ride today or tomorrow; it’s perfect weather. Diana