Back at work

Off to the agricultural engineers this morning to pick up the spare parts that had been delivered overnight. What incredible service but I guess nowadays farmers need such service too when they have machines costing £100,000 and not earning their money. For my 1965 tractor, it is less of an issue but I will happily take the benefit.

I was a bit surprised the co-owner of the workshop insisted on the phone that I dismantled part of the mechanism on the mower and bring it with me as he wanted to make sure the pulley wheel and two bearings were mounted correctly. After 17 odd years of experience with my incompetence in such mechanical matters, they are aware that I will probably get it wrong despite there only being a one in a million chance and that any 2-year-old farmers child could do it blindfolded with one hand tied behind their backs!

They are simply a wonderful, helpful, friendly bunch at Frick & Aurbacher, all of them from the two bosses to the youngest apprentice. Sometimes visits to them can be painful (cost of spare parts) but one knows they only do what has to be done.

Back home fitting the bit on the mower was a piece of cake as they had taken all the guessing out of the equation. The new part was indeed a different design to the original 90s part and indeed I may have got it wrong.

I didn't actually start mowing until late afternoon (long tree shadows) as it was so hot. However lots of rain forecast for the weekend and if it was up to me I would have the horses back on the field on Monday. They love short sweet grass. Angie took the photo no doubt as evidence when the scorched earth appears and her animals die of starvation.

I jumped in the pool afterwards. With the water at only 84.2°F 29°C, it's a tad cool but I took the risk. I survived the shock. "Weichei" in German - soft-boiled egg. Yes, I admit to it and being a "Warmduscher" - warm showerer! Unlike Angie, none of that Scandinavian throwing oneself into a frozen lake after a sauna for me.

Just for the record - the International Space Station (ISS) passed over us at 11:05 pm 23:05. I photographed it and it is shown as an Extra. Don't get too excited about seeing it. I think it's currently under the command of a young German astronaut similar in "hero status" to the UKs Tim Peeke who was busy this week accompanying Mrs May's visit to UK Space Control and no doubt finding her really fantastic announcement that the UK is to turn over most of it's western coast countryside to building rocket launching sites, just as ridiculous as Brexit.No doubt it is a preemptive move to get Boris off her jugular and show that Brexit means docking off Europe in all matters including leaving the European Space Agency which is made up entirely of EU countries plus the affiliated EFTA Norway and Switzerland. Sounds like a great plan and I suspect we can look forward to Wimpey Homes building the first housing modules on Mars very soon.

Just a warning though to would be Captain Jacob W. Reech-Mug - Space has no Frontiers!!  

Another extra photo from the agricultural engineers seen today and belonging to one of the workshop staff. Thursday is MOT day so I guess it needed it renewed. A model 840 built between 1979 and 1986, this one from 1982: It is almost as good as mine but the owner wasn't prepared to swap even though it has a lot less Horsepower than mine! This model 840 has 38HP, mine (1965) close to 60HP but my engine is not original.