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Men and Machines

Men are amazing --- by that I mean they can do anything --- and fix anything.  Now I can only talk about my hubby --- because it is him who has the privilege of "fixing up" after me --- but I know as sure as I'm writing this --- that there are hundreds of other husbands that can do miracle's out there. Hey --- some of you girls may be handy with those wrenches and such --- but sad to say -- I'm not one of them. 

My farmer hubby has a "tool box" that fills the whole machine shed and more.  I mean there are wrenches -- drills -- pliers -- screwdrivers -- hammers -- socket wrenches -- power saws -- you name it -- from one end of the shed to the other.  Some even extend a bit to the outside.  Believe me when I tell you -- I am not to touch it!!  By that he means -- don't organize it!!  He knows where everything it --- just the way it is.

So I just gladly "fall over a pile of something" when I go to get a extension cord -- or push real hard on the walk in door to move the tool box --- so I can stick my arm in to remove a block and get inside.  I really do this all gladly because I really couldn't live one day without him and his "tool box".  They have been my "life saver" very often!!

Here is a example --- Just last evening I decided I was going to push mow our ditch.  I wanted to have a little exercise and besides the ditch is to steep for the riding mower.  We have a good old dependable mower.  She is old as the hills but I do love her!!  She has those big back wheels --- so she will go anywhere.  She is also "woman friendly"  You just have to push about five times on that little "black thing" on the side --pull her rope about seven pulls --- and there she goes --- slick as a whistle. 

Well -- out I go to the machine shed where she is stored --- push her over to the gas tanks -- fill her up.  I bend down to pump the little "black thing" five times --- stand back up-- feet spread apart --- and give her rope a good pull.  As fast as a wink her rope snaps and I am left holding the handle and the rope was --- somewhere --- hid in that little piece of black metal on top of what they call the motor.

Oh great --- wonderful --- no grass mowing --- plus I was sure --- this was the end of my faithful old mower!!  How could anyone ever fix this business???  I mean --- how could you ever get another rope hooked to this handle ---  there is no hole in it --- just a old piece of tattered rope hanging out of it!!  You couldn't tie the rope to that piece --- its to short.  Besides --- where IS the rope?  It just plum disappeared.  I just knew there was only one place for my faithful friend --- the back 40 among the weeds and the memories.

My husbands was laying back under his planter -- putting some little plastic thing -- somewhere -- to keep the seed down in the "seed trench." He was hard at work but I pushed my "friend" over to him.

I cleared my throat real load and said " I was pulling on this to start it and the rope kind of broke and disappeared."  " I'm sure its a goner."

Hubby rolls out from under the planter -- gets up slowly -- pulls on his cap -- looks at my  big problem -- smiles and says  "Let's see what we can do." 

"But the rope is gone " I say.

"Well its not all gone -- there's a piece hanging there on your handle" he says with a grin.

"Yeah --- for what that's worth" I say with a laugh

He looks at it --- scratches his head --- straightens his cap --- steps into the shed --- and gets his handy dandy socket set and a drill of sorts.  Now I was going to watch this whole thing --- cause I was amazed that he could fix this!!!

He fits a socket to a bolt -- right size -- hooks it to the hand drill -- turned it on and out came four bolts.  Off comes the top "thing.

"Where is the rope?" I ask

"In that " he says -- pointing to another little round contraption setting on top.  After a few more bolts removed he was holding the "little round contraption" that was suppose to hold the rope.

I go over and get my face right down to it "I see no rope -- only a little round piece of metal"  But he has faith and knows it is in there. 

"See this little hole --- that is where it will come out of"

"Ok -- but you need to see the rope --- right?"

He just shakes his head -- trying not to laugh -- goes to the tool box -- still holding that part -- picks up a screwdriver --- starts to push tools around in the tool box -- and comes up with a long thng with a hook on it. He takes it -- and the part -- over to the door where there is better light -- starts fishing around in that hole --- and -- I couldn't believe my eyes -- out comes the rope!!!  Amazing --- wow!!! Now to hook it to the handle.

Did you know handles come apart?  I had no idea.  Yep -- you just take that screwdriver -- unscrew something -- push on something else and -- wow -- there are two pieces!!  That makes it so simple -- you just pull out that old piece of rope -- push the new one in -- put the pieces back together -- put the screws back and --wow -- you have a rope running up to where it is suppose to be!!!

I'll tell you --- I was a happy camper -- in less that 30 minutes --- that old mower -- that I thought was gone forever -- was purring like a kitten as I mowed the ditch --- singing at the top of my voice.  As for hubby -- he pushes back his cap --- ambles back over to the planter -- looks at it for a minute -- sets down and crawls back under and got to work.  Don't you just love them hubbies!!!  Smile


 

Comments

  1. Thanks for the laugh today! Our husbands have their own organizational methods and always seem to pull off a fix-it job with ease! :)

    ReplyDelete

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