October 31, 2012

View of the day-Today's road trip took us 3 miles from Dyersville to the movie site for "Field of Dreams".

It was another laid back day as we got a late breakfast in Dyersville, then did a bit of toy shopping.  The toy show does not officially start until Friday, but there are some places that are set up early, and Al figured there were bargains to be found. 

We started out in the TOMY store, filling up the back seat of the truck with cases of toys, then toured town looking for garage sales...we found only two, but there are sure to be more by the weekend.  We came out empty-handed from the garage sales, even though there was still some room left in the truck...no bargains yet.

Next we took a tour through the Plaza Antique Mall which was next to the toy museum.  This place is two floors of consigned...stuff...dolls, games, antique dishes and furniture...and of course, farm toys.  You can see the shelves at the top of the picture with all the toys on them and on the bottom, just past the cars are glass cabinets, all filled with treasures from various consignors.  This took a loooong time to go through and the only thing we came out with, were two programs for the weekend.  The first trip through most of these places is just a "scouting" tour...the real buying will start on the weekend...if the stuff is still on the shelves.

We took a coffee break at McDonald's...Marilyn managed to get the seniors rate on her beverage...there are some perks to "getting up there".  Now it was time to check out the items going up for auction on Thursday night.

The viewing was in a hall that was in the town park...the place where we had inquired about parking the camper and got no reply...so we were surprised to see five or six campers parked here and there on the grass behind the building.  Oh, well, we have big power, sewer and water...at least after the sun thaws out the hose...where we are now and they only have 110 power in the park. We're OK with that.

We strolled along the tables of toys that would be up for auction...Al said most of them looked better online, but is never one to miss out on a bargain...should there be one on Thursday.  Once that was done, it was time to head back to the camper and get the latest batch of boxes put away.

Tomorrow we will get to check some of the other places that will be opening up for the show, then Roger and Ken will show up from Canada and Al will get to take them on a tour of all the places he has been.

Marilyn will figure out a schedule for all the craft shows going on in the area this weekend.  Originally, Roger was coming down with his wife, Linda, so Marilyn would have had a travelling partner, but Linda decided to stay home, since Roger told her there was nothing to do in Dyersville.

And she fell for it...

October 30, 2012

View of the day-We managed to find another combine looking for a grain cart on our three state road trip today.

Today's list had finding a place to fill a propane tank at the top of the list.  After searching online, we found a place in Cascade, 10 miles south of Farley, where we were camped.  The road down was scenic and we got to see a lot due to the fact that it was really curvy and rough, so the going was slow...but we had nothing else on the agenda, so we enjoyed the view.

We got our propane tank filled, then took yet another scenic route, this time to Dubuque to check things out over there.  Marilyn had been checking online and had discovered the riverboat cruises ran until the end of October, so we were hoping to fit one in...until we saw the website had a notice up that October 28 was the final one for the season.  So much for that plan.

We crossed the bridge and went down to the lookout point to see the river, from the shore, at least.  Al found his bench by the lookout and sat there until it got too chilly...the sun was shining but the wind was howling out of the north, so it made short work of any enjoyable water watching.

We decided to cross back to Dubuque on the bridge to the north of us and since we were now in the state of Illinois, the 10 mile trip around to the other bridge would take us through Wisconsin before crossing back into Iowa...hence the reference to the three state tour that we took today.  While we were crossing back across the bridge, Al noticed that there was a barge being moved down the river that he wanted to watch, so we looped back around to the lookout where we had been to check out its progress...this time the jacket came out.

We watched as the barge lined up to go through the pass where the train bridge had swiveled out of the way.  It took some time, but finally it came through, but then had to rearrange aim to make it under the main bridge, while the train tressle turned back to position.  It was really quite interesting for us flatlanders to watch the procedure...it must be like someone from the mountains watching a field being combined...simply, mesmerizing.

Al stood down on the dock and was impressed by how close the barge front got as the tug pivoted at the back to line up We watched as it passed under the second bridge, then crossed back to Dubuque to find the Applebees so we could have supper before going back to the camper.

Back at the camper, we got the propane tank hooked back up, then fired up the furnace and called it a night. 

This "professional tourist" thing is something Marilyn could get used to...

October 29, 2012

View of the day-The Wapsipinicon Mill in Independence, Iowa this morning...we didn't do a tour, however.

We got up to a frozen hose...and the hydrant handle was frozen open, too.  It got down to 23ºF during the night and the water never had a chance...good thing we had gotten the tank filled when we stopped in Sac City, so the holding tank was full for showers.

Back to Sunday.  We left Wakonda and started for Dyersville, we weren't sure where we would be spending the night...apparently there isn't a real good place to find RV parks.  Marilyn spent most of the drive trying to find a campground online, finally after dark, we found one in Independence and it was by asking someone at the local gas station.

This morning after closing up the camper, we drove around town and managed to find a restaurant that served real eggs.  After breakfast we hooked up and started for...well...someplace to park the camper for the week.  We knew there would be no place in Dyersville...we parked in the Pamida parking lot the last time we had the camper...so we had to find something that wasn't to far from the action.

Before we had to find our new camping spot, we had to make a side trip to Lamont and Bossen Implements, where Al had to pick up about 14 cases of farm toys.  We were there for the better part of an hour as Al and Katey went through the list of things that Al had purchased and was there to pick up...Marilyn made sure there was plenty of room to pack them under the camper, then we were on our way again.

Marilyn had found a campground at Earlville, which was 9 miles west of Dyersville, so we pulled in and found a spot to park.  The campground was quite scenic...big trees with a pond nearby.  The thing about "scenic" is that it usually means uneven ground...there was not one site that had a flat spot...so we tried to find the best one of the bunch.

We got the camper parked, blocked the tires so it wouldn't roll down the hill into the pond, then used the "auto level" feature to get it set just right...we didn't know the front jacks could go that far out.  It looked pretty precarious and we were a bit nervous about staying there, so we went on a road trip to see what else we could find.  Apparently we weren't the worst off...there was a motor home that had the front wheels about 6 inches off the ground, so it would be level.

Al remembered seeing a campground east of Dyersville on the way to Dubuque, so we drove out to see if he was remembering correctly.  He was.  It was only 6 miles from Dyersville, in Farley, so we pulled in to see if it was still open and we could park for the week...it was a bit pricey at $30 a night, but at least it was flat, with cement pads and a good road in and out.

We figured we should check Dyersville, so Marilyn went into the city hall and got a couple of phone numbers for possible places to try.  One was the town park...no one answered the phone and we couldn't see any posts in the obvious places, so we were pretty sure that one was out.

The second place was 4 miles north of town in a county park.  It was kind of narrow, winding roads, up and down little valleys...and narrow bridges...not really meant for a big camper.  So that one was out and it was settled...Farley would be our home for the week. 

Now we had to go back to Earlville to get the camper off the cliff it was parked on.  It didn't take long to hook up and make the move, so we were set up in the new campground just as the sun was setting.  We went in to Dyersville to have supper at Pizza Hut, then came back to the camper to call it a night.

So if any blog readers are harvesting near the Dyersville area, email us (kunthzharvesting@gmail.com) so we can check out the corn harvest close up...

October 27, 2012

View of the day-Well...yesterday...something we didn't come home with.  A calendar from Lipton, SK, just north of Fort Qu'Appelle...where Al's toy show buddy, Roger, is from.

We have been pretty laid back here in Wakonda, outside of the regular trips to get water...two five gallon jugs at a time.  We never did get the tank on the camper filled...that portable water pump that we left at home would have made short work of the jugs.  We are getting good shoulder work done  using that hand pump to transfer the water from the jugs to the camper.

We went to the auction last night and came away with a few brochures...Al wanted the JD 7020 4WD and the Case 1200 4WD, because they were the tractors that his dad had owned back in his youth. And being a Versatile collector, he had to get the playing cards...too bad they were the 5 of spades short.  He likely wouldn't use them for playing anyway.

This morning, we were up early to get ready for the big day of sales.  Al was rechecking his "need it/got it" list and making a note of the lot numbers, so we could take off during the long stretches.  We were hoping to get eggs in at the local coffee shop, but had to wait for a break in the action since we got to the hall in time to browse through the toys one last time before they started selling.

Once we did get a break, we went across the street and had a fine feed of eggs and an omelet.  This was the last day for the restaurant according to the sign, they were moving away and would be closing down.  Too bad, the eggs were delicious.

Marilyn got to take a couple of breaks...to go get water, of course.  It was cold enough out that it wasn't a pleasant job pumping it into the camper, but it had to be done...Al would get the next shift.  After going back to the auction and helping Al carry out his purchases, we grabbed another couple of jugs of water, then went back to the camper.

It was still pretty early, so Al managed a nap in between watching the college football on TV and Marilyn worked on the computer and watched a little TV, too.  We decided to take a road trip into Yankton...about 25 miles away...to have supper at the Pizza Ranch.  It had started to rain just as we were leaving the camper and it rained all the way there...and back.

Let's hope we don't have the white stuff for the next leg of our trip tomorrow...

October 25, 2012

View of the day-A chilly wake up in Wakonda, SD...good thing the furnace is fixed.

Wow...one day missed, leads to one week missed, then almost a month...time to catch up.

We finally got everything put away for the winter, just as the weather warmed up for a while.  Al was getting his toy show wares ready for the first show of the season in Regina...Marilyn was working, so he enlisted his farm toy buddy, Roger, to help him out.  He stayed in Regina on Friday night, so he could take in another Rams football game, but drove home the 100 miles on Saturday so he could make the Terriers hockey game.  On the Sunday of the show, he brought another toy enthusiast from Yorkton...Mike, who seems to always be around at packing up time...a REALLY big help.  Al was pleased with how the show turned out...and now has the "Toy Show bug".

We had been happy to get the camper furnace fixed a while back, but when we went to use it...it was still doing the same thing...or not doing what it was supposed to, which was start a second time.  Back to D&R Auto, to get it looked at again.  This time Dennis, the tech, spent over four hours chasing down the list of possibilities that it wouldn't start running a second time...he finally discovered a small piece of styrofoam had lodged behind the sail switch and that was sending the signal that the unit was overloaded. Once that was removed and everything was reassembled...BINGO...we finally had heat.  Consistently.

It was a $500 bill this time, but since we had contacted Heartland RV last year before the warranty ran out, they honored the repair and are sending a cheque out to cover the costs. That was a big relief.

With the camper fixed, it was time to plan our road trip to Dyersville, IA for the National Farm Toy Show.  This year, we figured we would make an easy tour down and take the camper, so we could stop where ever we felt like. There were a couple of memorabilia/Farm Toy auctions that were being held in Wakonda, SD, but they were going to be the weekend before Dyersville, so we penciled them in on our tour.

Al had found a tractor that he wanted to check out in Alexandria, Minnesota, so we added another side trip to have a look at it.  It was a 1997 CaseIH 8920 with front wheel assist.  This is also a Magnum tractor, like the 7220 that Al had originally had his heart set on, but it was the next series newer...a plus for us.

So our trip started on Monday, October 22.  Right after Marilyn got off work at 4:30pm we hooked the camper up and headed for Carlyle for the night, so we could hit the border first thing in the morning.  We woke up to a skiff of snow on the ground...we were happy to get away from that. We stopped in Kenmare to visit with Pete at Gooseneck Implements, then stopped to pick up our mail from Mike at Jamestown...and to hit the Chinese Buffet with him for supper.

We kept rolling after supper and made it to Alexandria, where we found a campground with all the amenities and parked for the night.  This is where we discovered that we had left the remote controls for the TV's at home...and we had 65 over-the-air channels.  Marilyn really didn't feel like standing by the TV being the remote, but we were tired anyway, so TV watching was passed on.

In the morning, we drove north of town to Millerville, to take a look at some tractors we had found in a magazine...nothing we liked, so we went back to the camper, got it hooked up, then headed south to Glenwood.

After Al went through the tractor with a fine tooth comb, we finally decided that we had finally found the tractor that we wanted.  Now to figure out how to get it home. Jason, from Red Horizon Equipment, was very helpful, saying he could get it as far as Minot, ND for us...but we didn't know of anyplace to unload it, so we opted for Pingree.  Our second option was with Glen, from White's Ag in Yorkton, who had sprayers brought up past Alexandria and could pick it up as part of one of the loads.  That would be the best, since it would come all the way to Yorkton and we wouldn't have to pull the General out of retirement.  No final decision yet.

After leaving Alexandria, we drove back into South Dakota to get to Wakonda and get parked for a few days.  Now, here, there is no formal campground, so we are "boondocking".  We have power, but no water or sewer, other that what we have onboard, so we have to conserve...there isn't even a hydrant in the town park we are in.

So we made Wakonda on Wednesday and the first auction is Friday at 4pm, so we have some time to relax.  Not a chance...we made a road trip today to Chamberlain so Al could pick up a few tractors that he had seen when we were there this past summer.  Just a 300 mile round trip to add to the jaunt.

We stopped in Mitchell on the way back for a snack and to check out the new designs on the Corn Palace.  This year they were putting the finishing touches on what looked like a school activity theme...band, cheer leading, wrestling, hockey...all in grains and grasses.  There had been concerns earlier in the year, that there wouldn't be enough harvested to create a new theme.  Thank goodness that didn't happen.

While near a Walmart, Marilyn decided to pick up a couple of 5 gallon water cubes to fill with water for the camper.  She figured that we could top off the tank with a couple of jugs rather than hook up the trailer and find a water spigot somewhere.  We looked for a tap in every town we went through on the way back, but had no luck...then we remembered seeing a hose on the back of the gas station in Wakonda.  It was closed when we got to town, so we decided to help ourselves at the time and beg for forgiveness tomorrow, which was fine...until we got caught.  The lady working in the bar part of the gas station wasn't too pleased with us...hopefully we can fix that up tomorrow.

Back at the camper, we filled the tank with the jugs, then hunkered in for the night.  Marilyn picked up a $5 universal remote and got it working with the TV, so she wouldn't have to hang around the channel buttons all night.  While Al couldn't get the football game, he was able to watch a little baseball, so he got his fix.

Tomorrow, we only travel down to the auction hall...

October 8, 2012

View of the day- Everything is parked in the "shop" for the winter.  It would be nice to have something with at roof.

Al spent most of the day taking the radio and cameras off the grain cart and tractor, then he cleaned out the cab of the tractor. It's now ready for a new home...should someone decide to buy it.  He spent the rest of the day getting the shop trailer organized and putting more stuff away in the garage.

Marilyn worked on the usual things...emptying tubs...and managed to get 10 emptied.  The biggest task was mounting the TV from the living room in the bedroom and finding something to build a shelf for the receiver, DVD and streaming player to sit on.  The TV still had the braces on it from when we used it in the old Golden Falcon camper, so it was just a matter of getting the bracket mounted on the wall and finding a way to hide the cords.

Al finished his work in time to watch the CFL and NFL games...he is pretty impressed with the new TV, so it might be tough to get him to share.  After about 5 hours of football, Marilyn commandeered the remote so she could catch up on some of her shows on the DVR and relax after getting most of her work done.

Tomorrow the real work starts...she is back at Staples...

October 7, 2012

View of the day-Courtesy of the Harvest For Kids...to awesome not to share.  Not sure how the swathing was done, or what the back story is, but we're sure to find out and share it when we do.

Another early morning as we were up to get ready for a road trip to visit with Marilyn's family in Moose Jaw for Thanksgiving dinner.  Marilyn had originally been told it would be served at 2pm, so there wasn't any rush...then  around 9am she re-read the email and discovered it was 12-1pm.  Time to drop the hammer.

We drove the 180 miles and were there in plenty of time to line up to the feed bunk...it was the first time Marilyn can remember not being the first in line for one of these functions.  No worries, there was plenty of food to go around the 28 people that were there...and it's been a long time since we have seen a "kids table"...a new generation is coming up.

After we had dinner and a great visit with everyone, we stopped at Marilyn's mom and dad's for a visit and a "care package"...best cabbage rolls in the country...and there is always a pan full to take home.

We stopped in Regina to grab a coffee, the drove straight through to Yorkton and on to the farm.  Al got right into his recliner and started watching the NFL game.  Marilyn figured 7pm was too early to go to sleep, so she vowed to get at least one tub of camper stuff emptied before relaxing at the computer.

She found one with a big bowl and the pizza cooker in it...it was "technically" one tub emptied...

October 6, 2012

View of the day-Al's collection...or a small part of it...now has a new home.

Al was up early for a road trip to Regina, about two hours SW of Yorkton, for an auction sale that had a CaseIH 7120 Magnum tractor he was interested in.  

Marilyn was up early to get started with the rest of the unpacking and to make room in the office for some rearranging of furniture.  Brenda was coming out to help with some of the heavy lifting of the big clumsy stuff...like the display case full of Versatile tractors.  by the time Brenda showed up, Marilyn had the the room pretty much stripped...what a shame it couldn't have stayed that way.

After taking all the toys out of the show case and getting it moved over, we moved the fancy JD gas pump showcase in.  Al hadn't decided what he wanted to put in the cabinet...it really wasn't big enough to put the 4WD tractors in...so Marilyn decided to take his "every tractor he had ever owned and driven on the family farm" collection off the top of the china cabinet and put them in it.  They were just the right size.

Al had pretty much wasted his time going to the auction.  He found out before he had gone out, that the tractor he was looking at had been on the auction a month or so ago and when he asked the auctioneer, he was told it was tied up with some legal issues, but he "assured" Al it was going to be sold today...so he stuck around.  It was in pretty rough shape...one of the PTO shafts was broken off, one of the front wheel seals was leaking...but he thought if he got it cheap enough, he could get those things fixed.  But it would have to be real cheap.

When the auction was over and the tractor hadn't come up, he asked what the deal was and they told him they had gotten a call from a lawyer telling them it couldn't be sold.  Al got to blow off a "little" steam...he was somewhat upset, to say the least.  He came home empty-handed.

Marilyn continued tackling the tubs of stuff left to put away, until it was time to watch her Saturday Night Live.  That lasted until Al came home from the Terrier hockey game and decided he needed to watch the NFL game.  That's what DVR's are for, so she passed the remote and vacated the recliner.

Today was the day the world record harvest was broken.  Two quarter sections (320 acres) of oats combined by 249 combines in seven minutes! Check out Harvest For Kids tomorrow for pictures...must have been quite a sight.

Road trip to have Thanksgiving dinner with Marilyn's kin in Moose Jaw tomorrow...

October 5, 2012

View of the day-The 2390 is up for sale and Al is now searching for his dream ride...at least in the cart department. A CaseIH 7220 Magnum. Let the auction sale circuit begin.

It was a day of driving back and forth into town.  We started by going in to get the camper, once we got it hooked up, we went back out to the farm to get it parked.  They were able to fix the furnace...a blower circuit board...for only $380.  After finding out they were an authorized Suburban repair, they filled out a warranty form and sent it in, so if it is accepted, we will be reimbursed.  Which would be nice.

After we got it parked, Al went back into town with the big Dodge to get the oil changed and do a few errands.  Marilyn tried to get some more cleaning done, the went into town with the little Dodge and deck trailer to pick up the new sofa and love seat...and free 51" plasma TV that was thrown in the deal.  We got everything strapped down, then went back out to the farm to get it moved in.

With all that done, Al got all the cardboard boxes broken down so he could take them into town to put in the recycle bins...and have coffee with one of his toy buddies.  He made sure to get everything put away from our cleaning spree so he could finally get the trucks into the garage.


Tonight is looking to be -10ºC...the water will be really hard...

October 4, 2012

View of the day-A regular occurrence here on the flat land...those sunsets are beautiful.

It was another early morning for us, this time it was for a road trip to Saskatoon for a meeting...and a side trip to Princess Auto.  We went through town to grab a coffee and snack for the road and then we were on the road.

Uneventful trip to Saskatoon, then we hit the city.  We though we would take the "bypass"...which is now basically right in the city.  We hate driving in the city and especially in this one, which seems to have rush hour traffic all the time...going in both directions.  

We finally got out to the north end of the city, then made a pit stop at Princess Auto to pick up a few things.  We didn't have a lot of time to spare, so it wasn't what Marilyn likes to refer to as a "thorough" shopping trip.  That requires a trip down all the aisles to see what treasures they hold.  We got what we came for, then we were off to the John Deere dealer to visit with Murray, the parts man, and another of Al's farm toy buddies.  Al had to pick up a gold JD 4440 that Murray had put away for him...and that was the only toy for this trip.

When we were finished with that visit, we had to drive down town for our next meeting...just as the technical school was getting out.  More traffic to contend with.  This meeting was with Jody Lamp and Melody Dobson, who are working with The Great American Wheat Harvest documentary.  

We had a good visit with them, finding out about the documentary and all the work that is going into it.  We also discussed the various funding possibilities and their tie in with this year's Harvest for Kids, which will be taking place north of Saskatoon, October 6.

After our meeting, we started back for Yorkton through the rush hour traffic, which was not as bad as we anticipated...at least leaving town.  Highway 16 really needs to be twinned, there is a lot of traffic pretty much all the way, which makes night driving a real treat.

We got the call that the camper is fixed and they need us to pick it up as soon as possible...it's taking up way too much room in their small compound.  But at least they got it done right away and now we can get it parked out of the way until we take our road trip at the end of the month.

But it might need to be winterized first...it's cold out there...

October 3, 2012

View of the day-Finally got everything lined up...all scales present and accounted for...1/1, 1/4(the M88), 1/8(pedal combine), 1/16, 1/32, 1/64.

Another day of washing and rearranging.  Brenda was out again and this time she was put to work washing the General...engine, frame and all. Marilyn was busy scrubbing out the camper, so Al had to run the soapy brush for Brenda...he wasn't so particular on any streaks that were left.  His comment was "it's a lot cleaner than it has been all year"...and because it was his rig, Marilyn didn't push it.

In between brush detail and moving equipment around, Al found time to change the oil and filter on the combine, and the coolant filter.  The reminder had been going off for the last few days of combining, so it was time...and we start fresh next year.

Marilyn got the inside of the camper shined up, then it was time to work on the outside.  This time she ran the soapy brush while Brenda worked the pressure washer.  Since Brenda had some time off before the camper was ready to wash, she gave all the pickups a splash...the Freightliner was the only thing that didn't get a swish.

During this latest break, Al was trying to get the M88 mini combine running, since it had been sitting all summer.  He had mentioned at one time that it would look kind of neat to have all the scales lined up, so Marilyn "suggested" that we do it now, since we had the time and everything was handy.  So we did...and took a few pictures before putting everything back where it belonged.  Al figures we have to take the little combine in for the CaseIH uptime checkup to get the throttle and the steering looked at...not sure if they can pencil it in, though.

With the camper now ready to take into town, we got it hooked up and moved out of the way so Al could bring the neighbours flat deck trailer over to haul out our old sofa, loveseat and glider chair.  They are going out to the auction to make room for the new ones that will be making the scene on Friday.


Marilyn took the trailer to the RV shop while Al was at the auction yard, then we met Brenda for supper.  After that, it was back home to do some more unpacking and cleaning...yay.

Road trip to Saskatoon tomorrow...

October 2, 2012

View of the day-Al gets to work, lining things up and getting the pressure washer ready for it's day of cleaning. Notice the state of the combine.

For some unknown reason we were up at 6:30am...didn't have to be, just couldn't sleep.  Must be the "old age" thing...next thing you know, we will be standing in line at MacDonald's for coffee before they open in the morning.

Marilyn got busy emptying the tubs that she had brought in from the camper...all 12 of them...only to recycle them back out to the camper to fill up again.  Al got all the equipment organized so we could get it all washed and ready for "storage".  Marilyn went back to the camper to continue on with her work.

Brenda came out and had "volunteered" to help us get things cleaned up, so Marilyn gave her instructions on what to clean on the header, then left her with a full tank of fuel and the burner turned on for hot water.  

After she finished the header, Marilyn moved it over to the neighbour's yard, then got Brenda working on the tractor and cart.  Once she had got all the heavy crud off with the hot water, Marilyn came over with the soapy brush and did some polishing on the tractor and cart.  The tractor is going on the selling block, so it has to get spiffed up.


While we were doing the cleaning, Al was moving the combine and tractor/cart trailer out to Danny's farm.  They have spent the last few winters out there and we were lucky enough to book them in for another year.

The last thing we had to clean today was the biggest...the combine.  Al said at the rate we were going, we would never get it cleaned before sundown.  He doesn't know us very well, then.  Brenda was Marilyn's manager at Staples for the five years she has worked there and there were many a cleaning blitz that went on in the store into the wee hours of the morning as we got everything into tip-top shape.  Yes sir, when it comes to cleaning, there is no such thing as "too much".

While Brenda did all the washing, Marilyn was back filling tubs in the camper...and carrying them out...four steps down the camper, four steps up to the house, then down the hall...34 more trips.  Finally the camper was empty and now it just needs to be cleaned, then hooked up to the Dodge to go into town tomorrow for the furnace repair. 

After Brenda got the hopper and engine compartment clean, Marilyn came over with her trusted soapy brush and we got the outside sparkling clean...and we still had 20 minutes to spare before sundown.

Brenda was done for the day...wet and tired...there were likely a few new muscles making their presence known, but at least we had the big stuff looked after.  

Marilyn and Al went into town to pick up a parcel that had been brought up from Minot...more about that JCPenny story another day. We stopped for some fuel...that pressure washer went through three tanks of it...then we grabbed a snack, before taking Al out to the auction yard to get the General and bring it home.  It's work is not quite done yet...it will be taking our old sofa and love seat out to Yorkton Auction tomorrow...then it should be done.

Now to get these tubs unloaded...

October 1, 2012

View of the day-The Canadian geese are everywhere these days.  These ones were just down the road from our place...and not too worried about passing traffic.

We were up really early this morning.  We told Brenda AIS was 8am...at her place in town.  We picked her up, then went for eggs before heading out for Balcarres.

We got out to the field, got the header hooked up to the big Dodge, the shop trailer hooked up to the little Dodge, then waited while the General aired up before forging out.

After passing through the yard on the way to pick up the shop trailer, Marilyn just had to take a picture of this grain truck that had been moved out of the shed.  The whole idea behind having something shedded is to protect it from the elements...apparently the pigeons need the protection, too.  Marilyn is pretty sure it would take a couple of pails of hot, soapy water to get these windows even passable.

We made another stop on the highway to check the chains and make sure everything was secure before taking off for Yorkton.  Brenda was driving the little Dodge behind Marilyn and Al was behind her, so the stop helped to go through all the "code" words used on the radio, just in case someone was listening in.

We all took the scenic route through Melville this time, but Al took another short cut just before we got to Yorkton.  Marilyn and Brenda carried on to the farm and got the straight header unhooked, then went out to the auction barn to help Al get the combine unloaded.  Once that was accomplished, we got the empty cart trailer hooked up behind the General so Al could move it out to its winter spot out near Saltcoats.

We went into town for lunch, then went back out to the rigs so Marilyn could drive the combine, Al in the tractor/cart and Brenda followed with the Dodge.  We got that stuff out to the farm, then gave Brenda a ride back home...her day was done for us.  We did a bit of shopping...Marilyn found her new couch and love seat...Al is happy he doesn't have to do any more shopping for that.  Marilyn stopped in at Staples and it looks like she will be back at work there next Monday...no rest.

We went back out to the farm and Al finished blowing out the engine compartment on the combine, while Marilyn buckled down to get the camper unloaded.  She was really happy that she got all those $5 rubbermaid tubs this spring...they are making the move slightly less painful.

The yard is in chaos, but the camper will be cleaned and ready for a road trip at the end of October, but first it has an appointment at the RV place in town to get the furnace looked at on Thursday...we were lucky to get it in so quick.

Brenda offered to help wash things up tomorrow...she doesn't know what she is in for...