The Scout

Don't Worry!  He hasn't been run over, he's working on it!

LB brought this jewel home a few years ago.  This is an International Scout.  He has wanted one of these ever since I have known him.

I'm not exactly sure what it is about this vehicle that makes it so appealing.  Maybe it's because I'm a female and I don't have testosterone running through my blood.  But LB loves this vehicle and has had several offers to sell it, although he has turned them all down.

Now, don't get me wrong, if it was all fixed up and had a new paint job, It probably wouldn't be too shabby; especially since you can take the top off and drive it like a convertible.

The other day, LB and I went to the farm to get it and bring it to our new house.  Before we could move it LB crawled underneath it and took a piece out of it. 

Now, I'm no genius, but I figure,that when car companies build cars, they don't just put parts under the vehicles for decoration.  Those are usually pretty important parts.    But, that's just me.

LB has assured me that it doesn't need this particular item. See below:

(It looked like a pretty important piece to me!?)

He says it will drive just fine without it.

 

But what do I know?  I thought you needed seats too!

Well, we got 'er started.

But we needed a little help to get her up the hill and out of the pasture. 

Then, the crazy haired dog and I followed him home!

Ah, the crazy life I live!

Amy

Boys And Their Toys!: Sand Blasting

Sand Blasting

The boys discovered a new toy today.  LB and the Mechanic decided to rent a sand blaster.  They have been servicing all their machinery this winter and decided that their wheat truck and cattle feeder needed new paint.  So, in order to repaint the truck, they had to remove all the old paint first.  And just like with the track hoe why not do it themselves.  How hard could it be?  They are pretty good hands at running all types of equipment; and this piece of equipment seems especially fun!

First, you have to put the sand into the blast pot.

Next, put on protective clothing.

This protects your eyes, ears, nose and mouth from being filled with sand.  And your skin from being torn by flying bits of sand.

Finally, turn on the biggest air compressor you can find.

(big box thing on the right)

Now you should be ready to hurtle sand as fast as you can at anything that needs to be striped of paint.  Make sure you keep arms and legs away from the stream of sand if you would like to keep wearing your skin.

NOTE:  Do not stand down wind from someone who is sandblasting!

This picture is not out of focus, that is a haze of sand.

We are less than 5 minutes in and you can see that there is not much green paint left!

In less than 30 minutes LB sand blasted the whole cattle feeder. 

Now we're ready for paint!

After watcing these last 2 experiences with rented machinery, it makes me worry about what would happen if they got their hands on a bulldozer!

Your Farm Friend

Amy

Boys And Their Toys!

During our moving mania LB's brother, the Mechanic, has also been working on a move.  He is moving a house to the farm, which LB and I hope to do some day.  He has been working on leveling off the spot where the house is going, and getting the footings dug. 

This is going to be the view from his house!

Being the farm boy that he is, he decided not to hire the job done, but to embark upon this adventure himself, and rent a track hoe.  How hard could it be.  We use big machinery all the time.  He measured it out, marked it off, and began digging.  About midway through, LB and I arrived.  We had decided to stop by on one of our many trips to the storage building. 

I was impressed!  He actually knew what he was doing.  He was scooping out the dirt and making perfect straight lined trenches.  He was even making a neat and organized pile of the left over dirt.

As LB and I were leaving, he looked over at me and said.  "I wish we weren't moving today.  I'd love to go and play with that Track hoe!"  That's when it donned on me.  The Mechanic digging those holes with the track hoe, was just like something he would have done as a boy with a tonka toy.  He was doing what boys do best - gettin' good and dirty and makin' a mess.

Lesson learned:  Boys never grow up.  The only thing that changes is the size of the toys.