After the storm on the weekend, we had some pleasant weather at the beginning of the week. Every night there was a little snow. It has really built up as now it is "plow" time. I have my plow on the tractor. The tractor is plugged in and we are ready to go. Now it has turned cold! It was -28 C one morning. That's cold enough I don't want to start the tractor. It's cold enough to freeze the proverbial balls off a brass monkey.
Now before the editor takes that saying out of my column, there is a history behind it. Back in the 1800s when war ships were sailing the Atlantic, they kept their cannon balls lined up on a brass rack or brass monkey. They were handy to the cannon if they needed to start fighting. If it got really cold outside the brass would contract allowing the cannon balls to fall off. That is the basis for the expression "cold enough to freeze the balls off the brass monkey." So there, now you know how the saying originated if you didn't know before.
In this cold weather, I have no urge to go out there and try to get things running. In the past, when I had to go, I have spent time lying under a truck or tractor with a tiger torch and a stove pipe trying to get things warm and running. I could still do it, but now I say I don't have to do it and I ain't doin' it.
Sometimes it would take most of the day to get a truck running. I don't have cattle anymore so that seems to have taken the urgency away to have equipment running in the winter. When I had a caterpillar I had this policy of not starting my Cat if the weather was more than -20 C. It was a good plan and saved me from having to change seals and heavy repairs in the winter. My first Cats were D7s and they had a little starting motor. If you could get the starting motors running you could warm the Cat up and get your Cat running. When you ran a Cat, you would get some heat from the Cat's radiator and fan but it heated only the front of your body. In cold weather your back would get so cold you could hardly walk when you were done for the day.
I got a cab put on the D8 before I bought it. It was much nicer. I had a heater in the cab and I was quite comfortable. I had glow plugs that heated the cylinders in the motor that aided in starting. I sold my Cat at my auction sale and I still have a picture in my mind of some old farts sticking their hand under the track to feel the rollers to see if they were worn out. I had the urge at that time to go over there and kick them in the sack, but I didn't do it. I wanted to but I didn't do it. I knew they weren't buyers, just criticizers. I miss my Cat!
On the farm, I have a dryer at the elevator. We have a bin that the grain goes into from the dryer. To get the grain to the bin I used a farm auger. Son Mike built pipe stands so the auger was high enough to reach the top of the bin. We put an electric motor on it. This system worked OK, but once the wind blew this auger over and it fell on the ground. Now I don't remember having any big wind lately but my auger is laying across the driveway into the elevator. I never looked close enough to see if it was bent or broken but I am sure it didn't do my auger any good. I will have to get the frontend loader tractor running to lift it up. The tractor is 200 feet from a plug-in. Until this cold weather quits everything can stay where it is and there will be a better day come along some time.
When I get the flopped auger picked up, I would like to start cleaning seed. The grain is all in my elevator but I need my truck running to put the cleaned grain into. The truck is parked about 300 feet from a plug-in. A little lack of planning on my part, I would say. When the weather is nice it's easy to be complacent, eh?
In political news, the Rob Ford thing seems to have died down. The RCMP are still investigating the senators. After some heated questioning in Parliament, Stephen Harper is off to the Grey Cup game. He has been doing what politicians do best, shaking hands and kissing babies. I hope as a Calgarian he has forgiven the Saskatchewan Roughfiders for their handling of the Stampeders. Seven turnovers! Ouch! Ouch!
My brother lives in Calgary. Saturday the Oilers put a beating on the Flames, Sunday the Roughriders beat the Stampeders. He is a big fan of both teams. I was scared to phone him. This weekend the Roughriders play the Hamilton Tiger Cats for the Grey Cup. I will be watching from the comfort of my easy chair in my living room. Go Riders Go!
Joke of the week (this one is for all you avid hunters out there): A hunter's prayer: "Today I pray a deer shall fall, nice enough to hang on my wall. Should I return without firing a shot, another day in paradise is what I've got!" Thanks Randy K.
