Farmer Theo

Farmer Theo is our next door neighbour in a southerly direction about 1.5km as the crow flies, 2km across farm tracks or 5km by road. Until recently we had never met him (we have only lived here 11 years) but last year Angie mentioned to her friend Corinna that there was a house empty about 500m from the farmyard. Keep it short, Corinna managed to rent the house & over time got to know Theo. When we were looking for some old hay a few weeks ago, Corinna asked Theo & he was able to help. Two weeks ago we collected a bale & today I collected another two. Theo is a very kind & thoughtful guy and said he would pop over with his old tractor to help heave the bales on to pallets (I don't have any long forks for my front loader). On the 1st occasion he said we should drive with the trailer over the tracks from his farm to our place, Theo leading the way. He was much faster and the car/trailer had to be washed afterwards! Today, given the floods I kept to the road.
As with most farmers from this part of the world, they use their 60's & 70's tractors for all the mundane work and hide away the best machinery for the prestige work. Theo came in his old Deutz, leaving the brand new New Holland in the shed. However it did the job very well. Angie & I could have done it by hand but Theo would have none of it.
Thank you Theo, especially from the horses who now have something more than just ash leaves & branches to chew on.

(Anybody remember Fawlty Towers? In the same vain....don't mention the sun has arrived today & the thermometer is creeping up towards 20°C. Please, please don't say it out loud for fear it may be embarrased & disappear again).