Combining cars and classical music. Now that's a mashup!
I planned to post last night but got a message at 4:30 from Marta asking if I'd be willing to come help them load hay. I was there by 5:30 and worked until 8:30. An immediate shower, a PB&J, and bed by 10:00.
Turns out it's called "bucking" hay, but she was right to call it "loading." I'd never heard the term "bucking" before and would not have known what it meant. I also hadn't done it before, so check that one off my bucket list.
Bucking hay is going into a field where it's been baled and loading those bales onto...in this case a flatbed trailer being pulled behind a big diesel pickup truck. When the trailer is fully loaded (in this case that's three bales high with a partial fourth, or one ton of hay) you ride back to the barn where you unload the trailer and stack the bales...five or six high.
It started out with Marta driving the truck and Levy and I walking along on either side loading the bales. We did about three loads like that and Nolan, David & Marta's son, finished baling and came to help. A third person made it go much faster!
Frankly, I was feeling pretty proud of myself - a 68-year old man throwing bales of hay onto a trailer and then onto a stack in the barn. Then I realized we'd been joined by Emily, their 100 lb. daughter who gave birth three months ago. OK, I'm impressed. And humbled.
We did 7 trips - 7 tons - and then it was getting dark. They have another 2 or 3 loads to do and it would have been proper for me to offer to come back this afternoon to help. Nope. Body can't do it. Yikes!
OK, it's now late afternoon and I've had a major nap. Yes, my muscles are still sore. My arms are OK but my legs and back are letting me know I did real work. I suppose that's good because it means I was using the big(ger) muscles. Better ergonomics.
Dolly show no signs of imminent birth but that could change at any time. I told them I wouldn't be in tomorrow but if she looks like this in the morning I may go in, be home by noon, and hope she has it before I go in Tuesday morning.
If I do stay home tomorrow I'll be busy doing chores while I wait. And there are lots of chores. I can also work more on my Brazil prep.
Right now it's time to walk Buddy and feed critters. Beyond that I'm making no plans or promises. My body won't let me.
1 comment:
A couple of my brothers bucked bales one summer when they were teenagers.....I know it's hard, hard work.
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