Thursday, June 30, 2011

6-29-2011 darn problems

Yesterday had to have bit like on e those the day that was. 1st off it was close to 3:00 PM before we got the 1850 Schultz Oliver with cab mechanical animal starting as it should on it’s own. Keep in mind the batteries were 2003 models. First off there was the cleaning of all the terminals on two six volt batteries. The top battery has just managed to be under he cab’s windshield cross member. Not to bad for post cleanings. A second battery is mounted down low on the theoretic tractor frame under the deck (eeh) but making it worse we’ve built a an easier egress/digress set of three steps (replacing a once upon a time single step) for us old crippled up phart’s use. The second battery was a lot of fun tipping the bat-case out for post cleaning without it slipping and dropping. Argh! All the cells good but low on water, the battery water replenished there was no easy way to jump start that diesel engine. It was just as I had predicted the previous evening we needed new batteries. So Bro’s was off and running for new batteries from a Flint wholesaler. They’d not be easy to acquire from a guess by gosh loco retailer.
Battery changing tool on a whole new set of issues. The top battery behind the dash weren’t going to come out until we’d removed the light switch, the cigarette lighter (unneeded anyway) and disconnecting some throttle linkage. The second battery way down under was another mater. After I had cleared the terminals, tipping it down, unable to hold it, it got away from me. With a thump the battery box battery included hit the ground.
Reversal the process the top battery was relative easy the light switch and throttle linkage an easy re-installation. The lower battery was something else to even come close to moving/mounting that battery anywhere close to its mount. Luckily I happened to have two of those black plastic molasses livestock feeding tubs aboard the Ugly truck. Stacking them upside down with a tool box between them the were near high enough once I had wrestled the loaded battery case through the steps, including my arms to preliminarily park the whole thing on the upturned tub bottom. From there it took both of us, Shane and I, to wrestle that case gingerly upon its mounts. There I held it as Shane scramble to Ugly for a couple boards, a med-length 1”x4” and a 4‘ long “2x4”. These boards in turn appropriately used both had played their parts. First battery installation the posts bolting doing them on the edge the 1“x3“ was handy. Bolting the battery box to the frame (gear case) beautifully held it for the box bolts. I’’ add the boards were used on the inside edge the to step for a fulcrum. It followed two big “Whew’s.” 1st the batteries trickily installed, 2nd-ly the Ollie engine immediately started up as it should have could.
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Between 2:00 and 3:00 PM’s we broke for a leisurely lunch. The it was nuts! Real nuts, just what I needed, I started experiencing some restless leg syndrome. Good gosh, just what I needed know if this continued or luckily quit I saw muscle spasms coming later. I got into my Valium supply to ward off any projected discomfort. It isn’t easy trying to rationally, even easy, to find such a pill and a glass of water enveloped during those first moments and then hanging in there until the delayed action the pill kicks in.
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It was about 3:00 PM Shane riding shotgun to learn the workings one the hay balers we took it to my out back. What a night mare. Near as I can figure two things had gone wrong. Not the baler. Half the problems were operator related, My trying to feed to much hay into the baler’s hay pick up. That problem solved the next fields regardless my ground modified speeds I experiences plug after plug after plug. I could only find to things wrong each involving the other. The hay had become to, what to, dry at 13.2% moisture content plus so dried it had become silky like feeling making it to slippery for the baler to move it cleanly about inside the baler, thus more plugs. Myself about losing it I quit the hay baling at about 8:00 PM before I totally lost in disgust and did something stupid. I’m not immune.
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Then I forgot to take my rattlers (stupid). I was hungry and wanted food now when I walked in my door. Before I could wait out the two hours to take my rattlers I was fast asleep The sweat little kitten keeping me company. Good gosh almighty I’m back into my pill rattler routine throwing half a coumadin dose to hopefully sneak in a bit of catching up the meds.
This was it, my day, quite honestly, I was exhausted; batteries, restless leg, baler plugs as I hadn’t had this season, and forgotten rattlers. Counting my blessing Frieda was good and all the Ladies were where they were supposed to be. I slept like a log.
“Rainbows.”

1 comment:

Paula said...

Glad all your ladies including Frieda were all in line so you could sleep well.