On The Mudline

Holiday Contributed To Tractor Repair Delay

Delays on Top of Delays

    Earlier in the year, while running the land plane over the field in front of the house, I found out that my son was right in cautioning me about putting the tractor in a hard pull.  As I “first filled” a low place the clutch slipped.  I adapted my driving to that particular strain and finished the field.  

    Two weeks before Memorial Day, they took the tractor apart – it must be taken apart in the middle – to replace the clutch. They had me go by Delta Tractor and order the necessary parts.  Those parts were scheduled to arrive on Thursday.  They did not.  

    Mr. McCulllar had a tracer put on the shipment.  During the Memorial Day weekend those parts were somewhere in one of six truckloads of packages.  No one knew which truck they were in.  My “mail carrier” son remarked, “Next time use U.S. Postal.”

    On Tuesday, I picked up the parts in mid-morning. That afternoon Shipp also stopped by Delta Tractor, and then grandson, Parker, stopped by later in the day.  Tommy, (Mr. McCullar) told Parker that he had a family reunion with my family that day – with all of the stops made looking for those parts.          Before they went to bed that night the boys had the tractor  running, but they found out the next day that something was wrong.  At about 6 p.m., after running his mail route, they had it in operation again and today he is spraying beans using that tractor.  

Other Things Go Awry

    Although not closely involved in the above, other than being a “step and fetch it,” it definitely was on my mind.  I was in the process of getting the large sprayer in operation to finish the spraying of the net wire fence another grandson is installing.      

    Just before  ordering another pump (another week of delay) Shipp told me that Delta Tractor kept them in stock.  As I picked up the pump I realized that an additional hose fitting would be needed and bought that fitting from Delta Tractor.

   Nannette and I went to Oxford and made two or three stops.  That fitting was in my change pocket all that time.  

Have any of you ever experienced a “senior moment?” One of our friends refers to these as “brain crunches.”  After changing into work clothes and proceeding to (I thought) work on the sprayer – that  fitting was nowhere to be found.  

    Nannette accompanied  me back to Delta Tractor (didn’t want to get lost).  That fitting was installed and I finished the spraying today-hopefully, if you pass this way, you will see grass along the fence line turning brown-provided  the mixture was right.  

Found

    Oh yes, as I picked up my change etc. yesterday morning, my little finger knocked something from under a collection dish there on my dresser-I’ll bet that you can guess-it was white like the dish-the lost plastic elbow.

    This was the scheduled day for the Camp Ground reunion.  We missed all of you.   

    Things have gone great today-both tractors running and I’ve been busy with the lawn mower and spray rig most of the day.  Do have a good week.  

    You can reach me most of the time at 662-563-9879, 23541 Highway 6, Batesville, MS 38606 or  wsissell@bellsouth.net..