Sunny Sunday

The day started later than usual due to the late night previous. I woke up briefly at five to check the sunrise on the deck and could feel the faint hint of a headache so I guzzled some water and went back to sleep when I woke up at eight I could hear a din of voices in the kitchen. I rolled up as everyone was dishing up some perogies. I got to bat cleanup and empty the pan. After some short preparations I jumped in the truck with the Big T. I had my boots, glasses and gloves, it was time to work. The rest of family went to punch their Triangle Hill cards. We went to the Farm and he started off the morning by showing me how he had burned the old loader tractor. Some dust and debris was mixed with leaking and oil and after several hours of running the auger it ignited. He says it’s cause he turned it off hot rather than letting it cook first. He has stress and regrets about it.

We did a few small jobs that took much longer than expected as we had to waste time hunting for the correct tools. We opened up the auger and gave it a very good clean, not something we did as I was growing up. I got to show the Big T how to run their rental tractor they are using until the fire tractor gets repaired. We vacuumed and swept it clean and fixed a few things. Then we tidied up some messes in the barn that have apparently been going for awhile. After much searching for tools we replaced the rear view mirror on the Corvette to make it a bit safe. Slowly but surely it’s becoming more frequently used. There was another toy that the Big at was keen to show off.

When I was a teen he had a dream that I would ride his motorcycle he got when he was sixteen and laying cement tile. He rode it to work rain or shine. We found some parts but could never make it work, we brought it to a specialty shop in the Bay, a 90 minute drive away and spent $400 and $700 each on it. The guy did nothing for nearly a year then was going out of business so we went and took it back. Very bad deal. We brought it to a local guy and he got it running with a few hundred of our money, I got to ride it to the end of the field and back. And it never started after that. It went to my Dad’s cousin, the Big Bobber and eventually some stole the fuel tank. Had to get another one. Then a proper fuel cap. This happened over the course of fifteen years or so. In the past two years the Big T solved a few more small issues then got the engine tuned up and it it runs again! The 1974 Honda 175XL is operational. He rode it home from the Farm with his terrible helmet looking like Toad from Mario Kart. He’s pretty happy about it.

For some reason we had to do some family photos and we strangely decided to include the bike. I think it’s hilarious. I threw on a different shirt that wasn’t covered in dust. I guess there was a red theme that some got the memo for. We got the whole family and then just the immediate family. Then some individual shots. I was in my sock feet the whole time, we had some laughs. During this break in the action we had some hot dogs and KD, but not actually, it was Annie’s white cheddar. A nice quick meal topped with some of the ever-present chips.

After lunch we set about cleaning down the combine and sweeping out the shed. The T was fooling around for awhile whilst I swept my little heart out. The heat and the exertion got me sweating. I was listening to a podcast to keep me going. Later the Big T took the combine down to the Farm and he drove himself back. I’d finished my hard fought sweeping by then and was taking five in the shade when he rolled up. I got a video and snagged this still from there. So now the bike and the Corvette are at the house.

He drove the header to the Farm and I took the farm truck with the tools down. The plan was to park the combine to use down there and clean up the trucks before removing the fuel tank so another could use it for moving her kayak. Expect when we got down there something else played out.

I got there first and rolled up some air hoses and extension cords. I went to see what the T was up to and saw he was in the neighbours field putting the header on as if he was going to try something. Next I knew he was pulling into the acre and a half plot field. He told me to bring the header cart and then go get a wagon. Uh, what? We had promised to be home at three to start the rotisserie for the chicken. I followed orders but found that Jacko didn’t park the other tractor and wagons properly. I had to move them out of the way to get my wagon. Then I tried to roll the header cart uphill into a better spot and that nearly killed me. It’s heavier than it looks and I’m much weaker than I was. He got the plot done in under an hour and we put the wagon in the garage awkwardly before taking the cart and combine back home. That seemed foolish. And we never did the job for Mother we’d set out to do. Then add the fact that we were over an hour late. She was livid. We got the chicken on then Big T and BIL went for a ride in the Corvette after a brief disagreement with STL Sister. My BIL even got to drive it. I stayed back and got the BBQ tuned to 400°F exactly. We cooked it for 15-20 minutes longer than we should have but it was magnificent chicken.

The chicken was just part of the meal though. There were potatoes they dug out of the garden that day and some green beans they picked for dinner. The stuffing was from a box but it was a pretty amazing feast. It was also the first meal we had sitting at the table together. It was funny how we all sat in our traditional spots we had growing up. Nobody mentioned it, just happened and wasn’t remarked upon at the time. Some things don’t change I guess.

I retired to my room not long after dinner, also just like the old days. I think there was another car ride after dinner but I was busy Musing. Later Big T, STL Sister and my BIL came down to play pool and listen to the new AC/DC album. My Sudbury sister and Mother went to bed early. The Irish Gal drove home after lunch and had made it safely. She hasn’t been driving for a long time so it was a big success for her. Glad she made it back safe. I didn’t really get up and do anything after that, I was sawing logs shortly after ten.