Little badges - I've got a brand new combine harvester!

Hi

The virtual kettles on..... So while I let it boil i just have this to say

Ah, the smell of a tractor, the wind in your hair, the thrashing blades of a combine harvester by your side!

I was very lucky when I was growing up, as our parents best friends were farmers. They were not always farmers but when Uncle Nev's dad died he inherited his dad's farm. Oh yes, and he was not actually my uncle, but for some reason we always called them uncle Nev and auntie Eileen.

We lived on the edge of town. Walk one way and you went to town, walk the other way and you were out in the countryside. I preferred the countryside to the town. We seemed to be over the farm helping a lot. Especially during the summer months and Lambing time.

For us a kids it was great because they had kids our age and slightly older. And while the parents worked and helped out we would be playing around the farm and the yard. Chasing rats in the grain barn, staying clear of the temperamental but gorgeous sheep dog (the dog was nev's dad's and went a little funny when his owner died).

As well as being beautiful and idylic a bit like Darling buds of may, It could be a dangerous.....very dangerous place. I managed to fall in the sheep dip, luckily while no sheep were in it, I almost got trampled by the cows (wow, they are very big when you get up close to them), I almost sank into the grain in the grain hut without any trace, I was cornered by the biggest rat I have ever seen in my life, and I fell off a haystack. Happy times!

Whereas kids at school would have there favourite cars, Lambourghinis, ferraris etc, I was a big fan of the old John deer green tractor, and the brand new combine harvester, which dwarfed their old combine harvester.

We often helped or hindered with the Combining, stacking the bails of hay, sheep dipping. I remeber onec I was riding in the cab of the new combine with Uncle Nev and my dad. He jumped up out of the seat and asked me to hold the wheel for him, he took one look at my dad and they both darted out of the cab leaving me driving the monster. Nev just kept smiling at me and shouting point it towards the gate!!!! I have never been so scared and thrilled in my life except for the Hulk ride in florida.

The best experience for me was lambing. We got a call at 3am one morning, and dad whipped us up into our clothes and we drove over. The lambing was just starting and we got to watch as 3 or 4 sheep were lambing. They were so matter of fact about everything, and I learn't loads, but the scariest was when they had a difficult birth, and had to winch the lamb out by the legs. Thankfully all survived and within minutes were up and about.

If you ever get the chance to witness it, I urge you to do it.

Living in the city now, I really miss those days, and although they are viewed through rose tinted glasses I hope the memories never fade.

Thanks to my parents for being brave enough to let us explore and to Nev and Eileen for giving us a great childhood.

Well, I can hear the kettle has just finished boiling so

Milk and sugar?

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