Trego's Mountain Ear

"Serving North Lincoln County"

Tag: family

  • The Old Man and The Boy

    I’ve been reading the collection of essays that compose Robert Ruark’s book The Old Man and the Boy. The tales are from a century past – but Ruark makes a case that having the old man around is good for the boy. I recall my own grandfather, who died when I was five – but whose positive regard for me has been a big part of the good things that have happened, the successes and challenges of my entire life. Any failures, any rough spots, were eased by the memory of an old man who treated me as the most worthwhile person of his life. Yes, I was heartbroken when he died. At five, I didn’t get the experiences Ruark did – his grandfather lasted until he was 15 – but like Captain Ned Adkins and Robert Ruark, Gust Fahlgren has been a pleasant memory away for my last 70 years.

    Remi got me thinking of these things with his first complete sentence to me: “I need a goat.” He was right – and I have enjoyed watching the two little Nigerian Dwarf does I purchased for him. The goats, as former 4-H animals, just regard me as the supplier of hay. Remi, on the other hand (or hoof, as the observing species may have) is their kid, whose pockets need to be sniffed and examined until he learns to always have treats for them. The old man is a significant part of the boy growing up.

    But I am a demographer who will soon turn 76. Unlike Captain Ned, I have actuarial table that can provide some idea of how much time I have for Remi and Nathaniel – for the next 10 years and 4 months, we will be living the story of the old man and the boys. My grandfather died before my brother could develop memories of him – he wasn’t yet two – and couldn’t make the memories that have left me with a feeling of unconditional support all my life.

    Captain Ned left Ruark with memories of fishing, hunting, building and making repairs, developing competencies. I’m planning for the next 10 years. The pond offers a place where, with a slow hull, two little boys can learn to sail, as well as row. My little bailer, turning out 30 pound round bales, will provide a task where small boys can help with haying. I’m not certain that I will have the time to provide the training in pistol marksmanship – but I will have the time to teach the self discipline of a single shot 22 at official targets and measured ranges. Possibly the beginnings of gun repair on the simple break in the middle single barrel shotguns. I don’t believe I will have the years left to teach the more complex pump and lever actions.

    The sawmill will provide a source for the lumber little boys need for their projects. As we continue to thin the forest, they will have an opportunity to make their own firewood business – Remi already insists on hauling the wood blocks to the pickup, and loves watching the hydraulic splitter. The firewood from thinning will teach valuable life lessons – using something that would be useless without your work, deferred gratification, and conservation in the real world. I need to get the skid-steer back online – it offers a power that is much easier to learn than the tractor.

    I heard a country song on the radio, where the singer sang about what he would be doing for his next thirty years. I don’t have a next thirty years – but I can be with those two little boys for their next seventy years, like my grandfather was for me. Come to think of it, Captain Ned got Robert Ruark a goat.

  • The Storage Building

    Yes – we have built a storage building across the street from the Pub and the Post Office. Yes, we will have storage units for rent. Probably the most important thing is that we will be filling several with our own stuff. You see, stuff takes up space – and that stuff has been in the way of remodeling the old service station. When I returned to Trego, it was a place to put stuff that I didn’t need immediately. Ten years later, I’m looking at stuff that hasn’t been needed in a decade.

    One of the boxes that is destined for the storage buildings contains is labeled ‘Barbies’. Right now I’m looking at a toddler whose main interest is wheels. After Bruce Todd gave him a ride in his dump truck, he plays wih tractors and trucks, in that order. His little brother is almost crawling – along with mechanical noises. Barbie is headed for the storage building, until another little McCurry comes along that is more interested in dolls than rolling stock. There are a couple boxes of photo albums and such. All good stuff, all temporarily stored in the way of getting things done.

    Today, it would be called a meme – but the slogan “He who dies with the most toys wins.” came along before the internet.

    So what’s going on in the old service station? The first effort was the roof – originally of corrugated metal, it needed to be replaced before anything could be done inside. Then there needed to be a plan – Dad’s remodeling has effectively removed the shop (though most of my old Austin Healey is still there – and parts have been scattered throughout it and other buildings. Again, stuff that gets in the way of remodeling.) Phase 1 is pretty simple – increasing insulation and getting a heat pump added so we can work inside in the winter. Then remodeling the store area, and moving the old logging camp cook shack away from the south side. After all, it too has became storage.

    So Sam has already promised four of the storage units. I figure I’ll be using at least two. There are 20 units in the building. I’m sure that there is enough stuff in Trego to fill the ones I can’t.

  • Fixing The Jennie May

    A Montana ranchette needs about 30 horsepower of tractor. Now I have a soft spot for Massey Ferguson – and have a 59 hp model 40b – but Mrs. Ferguson doesn’t get through the trees well. Her job is to provide the weight and mobility for a small backhoe – and the loader does have enough strength to move some fairly large logs. Still, it’s time to pull her down and get a couple cylinders repacked. I can afford to sideline her because Jennie May is back on line.

    As I shopped used tractors – specifically in the 30 horsepower range – I kept looking at (in order of cost) John Deere, Kubota, and Chinese tractors. Jennie May is Chinese – technically a Jinma 284. Built in 2005, she showed 29 hours on the clock when I bought her – and a little ignorance is a dangerous thing. I didn’t know that on 50 hours, you’re supposed to retorque the head gasket. On 229 hours, I blew the head gasket. Fortunately I found a dealership with parts, and our friend Larry not only understands diesel engines, but has been teaching me how to repair them. Monday afternoon, Larry said it was time, I hit the starter, and Jennie Mae is back in business. We’ll be moving some more gravel to the east and west ends of the new storage building.

    So how should I describe the Jennie May? She looked like this one when she was new, but 20 years of being parked outside has the paint a bit faded.

    She has a 1.5 liter 3 cylinder diesel – and is about the same size as one of the old grey ford 9N tractors – but with four wheel drive, twelve speeds forward, and a live PTO. Fortunately, I can get parts from Keno tractors in Oregon, and there’s an owners group online with recommendations on how to keep a Jinma running.

    There are better tractors – but I have a small place and Jennie May does what we need.

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