Big Changes.

 Monday 1st September 2025.

There was a strange feeling to the farm this morning. I think we had all got used to watching for Steve and Nigel showing up for work, it was like they had been here forever, and now they weren't. I've spent sixteen years of my life in Coventry and another one in Scotland plus seven months here and during that seven months I've felt my life, disrupted I guess, by the changing seasons more than I ever did in the previous seventeen years all put together. In Coventry I hardly ever noticed the seasons change other than for such as Christmas or Halloween, stuff like that. Here though it seems like not only my life changes, and not just for a long weekend or whatever, but seemingly forever. I know it will all come around again, as long as I'm still here. But just in little more than a couple of weeks life, the look and feeling of everything has completely changed. I went a ride on the bicycle after dinner and even that has changed. The countryside was buzzing, the air was warm and seemingly the day went on forever. Tonight it was wet, there was nothing happening and it was virtually dark by the time I free wheeled in to the yard.

There now follows the second part of the back entry that I started yesterday.

Lost Sock - The Conclusion.

I sat on the edge of the couch, just staring at it. Trying to work out how could this be? It sat there looking back for all the world like the missing sock. All folded neatly as is if it were still in grandfathers sock draw where it should have been. I might be a lazy bitch who cuts corners and takes other people for fools, thinking they won't notice if I don't move the furniture to vacuum under them and such like. But I like to think that I'm not that stupid as to not realise that I'd walked right in to a trap. Worst still, one of HIS traps. In fact as I sat there it was slowly dawning on me that I had been in the trap for weeks and hadn't even realised. He had ridiculed and taunted many times. Sitting here I felt sick to the core.

I'm trying to think what to do. What can I do? I can put the couch back like I just vacuumed around it again. But now I knew what secret it was hiding, I'm not a person who can live with such knowledge and be unaffected by it. I can just put the sock back in his draw and say nothing. I can take it and hide it somewhere else. There is only one conclusion that I can rightly think of that makes sense to me. That is to just present it to him and absorb the consequences, after all, it's what I've become good at over the past year. I've decided that the best time to do this is at dinner tonight, at least there will be people around to either quell or witness his spitting fury.

I don't know, but I suspected that by the time he arrived down to dinner he knew the sock had been discovered. In fact I'm sure he was busting a gut to check every time I vacuumed the room, that's the sort of person he is.

I waited for everyone to get there and then I took a deep breath and stood up to face grandfather, "I'd like to make an apology to my grandfather before we start if I may."

He told me to sit down and shut up!

I was about to comply when Miss Oliver said, "No, please carry on, such traits are to be encouraged if necessary and sincere."
I got back to my feet and turned once again to face grandfather who was doing his best to ignore the situation by just staring down at the table. He had a strange look about him. I expected him to be angry and gloating but if I didn't know him better I would have said that he was the one getting beaten down upon and not me.

I took the sock out of my pocket and put it on the table in front of him, "I'm sorry grandfather, I found this under the couch when cleaning. I realise that if I'd been doing my job properly I would have found it sooner. please forgive my slack attitude, I promise to try harder in the future, although I do find that couch very hard to move by myself."

"It took you long enough!" is all he said and whipped the sock away to the pocket of his jacket.

"I think this sounds to me like a full evaluation in to what has happened and how it has been resolved. We will incorporate it in to your improvement curriculum at some point. Now you can sit down and resume." Was Miss Oliver's response to this.

As I sat I noticed Cindy hiding a smile with her hand, Ivan was just staring at me with a blank pained expression, like I was the weirdest thing he had ever laid eyes on and had no idea what to make of me.

I expected some kind of retribution or at least a smart comment from grandfather when we were next alone but there was never another word said by him about the lost sock.

My Choice.

 After looking over some of the tourist information items in our room, dad asked at breakfast what I would like to do. I told him that I truly wasn't bothered. He insisted that I choose with it being my birthday treat. I hesitated trying to think and make up my mind. The truth is that I would have been happy to visit the local sewage works had we gone as a family.

He took the opportunity during my brief hesitation to name a few of the attractions we had looked at and talked about. Then one he mentioned, Chatsworth House and gardens, I remembered mum had shown a keen interest in. But I thought that dad wouldn't be very interested in going there. I sort of thought myself in to having the deciding vote on the matter. I thought that after all her harvest hardships mum deserved a nice day out so I said that a visit to Chatsworth would be nice.

So that is where we spent most of today. Touring the inside of the house during the morning before having a bit of lunch in the old stables restaurant. This afternoon was spent walking round the grounds which were massive. Mum got very inspired so I think William is in for a hard time of it next time he comes. Even dad seemed to enjoy certain aspects of it.

Posh Frock

 I'm kicking myself up the bum tonight. I'm getting changed to go down to dinner and I thought how it would be nice seen as how it's a special occasion with mum and dad, that it would have been nice and special to wear the nice red dress they bought me for my adoption party. My only saving grace is that I didn't have much time to think about anything being whisked off my feet like I was.

I can't help but think that instead of telling me to mentor his favourite son, dad should do it himself. Especially with regard to the whisking off of feet business. I'm sure it would be far more effective to tell Charlotte, or whoever it is today, "Get some things together, I'm whisking you off for a luxury weekend in the Peak District, we're leaving in an hour!" Rather than, "Will you teach me to ride your horse Charlotte." 

But it did seem to work with her, so what do I know. I know which I prefer though, even if it does mean I forget half the things I need.

Swept Off My Feet.

 Saturday 23rd August 2025.

A few weeks ago mum and dad asked if there was anything special that I would like for my birthday. I really couldn't think of anything. Dad suggested maybe a little car of my own to run about in, or some jewellery perhaps. I don't go far and I have the use of mum's car or the pickup truck so I wasn't bothered about a car, it would be a waste of money. Jewelry doesn't interest me unless it has some kind of sentimental value to me. I really couldn't think that there was anything I wanted. So I told them that I already had the best of all I ever wanted and that was a proper mum and dad. So if they wanted to give me something for my birthday then the best thing they could possibly give me was their time.

So I got up this morning expecting to be asked to go and help out at the stables only to be told that I didn't have to. I will have to stop second guessing what I'm doing in a morning and just wait and see! At breakfast Eric came in with dad, which he never does on a weekend. He had brought me a card, some chocolates, a Massey Ferguson T shit and cap.

After breakfast mum passed me an envelope with a card in it and a sheet of paper telling of a hotel booking for three people staying two nights in a nice hotel in Derbyshire. I was then told to go and get a bag packed as we were leaving after we got breakfast cleared away. Talk about sweeping a girl off her feet!

I gave them both a big hug and thanked them more than once. 

"Well it beats me why all you want for your birthday is two old buggers like us but if it makes you happy then that's fine." Said dad when I gave him a big thank you hug.

I assured them both that this was the best birthday present I've ever had and all I could wish for. Just being with them together is always so special to me.

I quickly got ready while they cleared away the breakfast things. We left at just after eleven and arrived at a small town called Bakewell at just after one. So not to much of a journey. It gave us time to have some lunch and then this afternoon look around the town. It's a really nice place with a river running through it. A nice river too, not like the one near us. We sat on a seat by the river and eat ice cream and watched the ducks. I couldn't make my mind up which flavour to choose so dad bought me one of each! Not at the same time though or one might have melted before I got chance to eat it. One was mint flavour and the other rum and raisin.

We then went to find our hotel which is just out of Bakewell at a place called Rowsley. Which is just a small village, which also has a river running through it, but not the same river as the one at Bakewell apparently. It might be worth me making a note of that incase we get a sudden snow storm!! I'd hate to make the same mistake twice and follow the wrong river.

We are going down for a meal later. I will leave it here for today though as I'm not sure if I will be able to post it later.

Nigella.

 I lay in bed this morning thinking that I knew what I was to be doing today. I assumed that I would be needing to give the baler a good clean and make it ready to be put away for the Winter. So with that in mind I thought there was no rush to be going outside and decided to help mum with breakfast.

At just after nine thirty Eric and dad came in, "She's here." Eric said to dad over his shoulder.

"What's up, have you been having a lie in this morning?" He questioned me.

"I've been helping mum get breakfast."

"Have you retired from farming now then?" Chipped in dad.

They both had big grins on their faces and were obviously pulling my leg.

I threw the T-towel at Eric, turned on my heel and stormed off out of the kitchen with my best pouting face on, faintly slamming the door behind me as I went.

I soon returned with an equally big smile on my face. Of course they all knew what I was doing. 

Eric called me Nigella and says I that I haven't got to to talk to anyone now and sit sulking on my tractor for two days. I told him that was no problem as I had been highly trained in silent treatment over the past couple of years.

Dad told me not to bother with the baler just yet as there was still time for it to be used again. Instead he wanted me to go and pick up a set of points for the cultivator tines as it needed new ones.

So that is what I did after breakfast. Mum decided to come with me as she wanted to go to town. I suspect she wanted to pay the guys in the farm store another visit. Or was worried that they might sell me one of those fancy fleece jackets that attract farm boys! By the time we had got everything we needed it was lunch time so we called in at a garden center on the way home and had some lunch. I had fish and chips, mum had a baked potato with tuna and salad. I'd missed doing this sort of thing with mum, I really enjoyed it. Mum ended up buying some plants that she liked. She too commented on it being like old times, this reminded me how I had been neglecting my relationship with her. Not that I could help it of course.

This afternoon Eric and I fitting the new points to the cultivator which was quite fun. I enjoy doing things like that. What was it grandfather said, "She can't even dress herself properly let alone be of any use fixing plumbing." Or something like that. Maybe I could have surprised him had he not gone off and left me.

I Want To Start Again.

 Thursday 21st August 2025.

Nigel and I have been working up at Uncle Ken's today. I thought I would be after getting finished with our straw baling yesterday. I don't know if dad had forgotten that I promised to let Nigel have a go on the baler but I had to remind him this morning over breakfast. He pulled a bit of a face as though it was a problem, so I also had to remind him that it was his suggestion that I sort the Nigel problem out.

"You can't ask her to do something then complain when she does it." Said mum sticking up for me.

Dad did agree before saying he didn't mind, he just wanted him moving bales with Steve.

It's recycling week this week so Eric and I had to do the bin carry on, which he managed to win on account of him putting this huge stone on top of my bin as he managed to get out of the door before me. By the time I rolled it off Eric was half way down the path.

I found Nigel sitting on his tractor waiting to see what to do. When I told him to bring his lunch and anything else he might need, as he was coming baling with me, he couldn't get off his tractor fast enough. And just as I did a few weeks back he leapt off the wrong way. Of course I stopped him and made him get back on and do it properly. He started to say something and I think thought better of it, as he did as he was told.

I drove to Ken's place, it was my place to do so. I owned everything about this project, he was simply there to do as he was told when I tell him. To be fair to him he was happy with that.

As usual there was some hanging about waiting for Ken to put in an appearance. To be honest he was there, it's just that he was supervising Kimbely who was doing something with some sheep in the race. I kept well out of the way, but on spotting Kimbely Nigel suddenly developed an interest in sheep. So much so I was beginning to think I was going to be doing the baling by myself, because even when Ken came to me Nigel didn't! I had to call him in the end. It seems that Kimberly is a nice girl according to Nigel!! I reminded him that he thought the same thing about Charlotte the other day when he asked her out. He grinned and pointed out that Kimberly is a farmer thought. I didn't bother asking what different that made.

When in the field I showed him how set the baler up for working. I did the outside rounds with him just watching and me telling him things.

"I don't know why I'm having to tell you this stuff, I thought you were an expert?"

"I have done loads of baling but not with a baler like this." He said.

I took that to mean that the one he used was a different brand. It turns out though to be what we call a conventional baler, or small baler. It's the sort of baler that makes the size of bales you can handle manually. Which explains how he was able to make so many more bales that I was able to in a day. There's probably fifteen or more of his bales to just one of mine. Honestly, if I wasn't supposed to be his mentor for the day I would have strangled him.

After I did the outside rounds I set him off doing the up and down rows. I was quite pleased actually because before jumping in to the driving seat he removed his boots. I thought it was cool that he had taken account and was respecting my workspace.

He did alright and I could tell he was enjoying himself because when Ken had finished with Kimberly he came to fetch Nigel who expressed a lack of interest in going. I explained to him that it was out of my hands as it was what dad wanted. So it was that he had to go helping Ken to move the bales from the field back to the yard.

I was sort of pleased as this was to be my last day on the baler. Finishing off the way I'd spent most of my first harvest was the best way to finish. I was quite sad when I shut down the baler for the last time. I'm sure most people would be thinking, thank goodness for that. I enjoyed every minute of it though, and would be quite happy to start all over again tomorrow.

Dreams

 I had a terrible nights sleep last night. There was a time in my life when I had bad dreams and nightmares every night guaranteed, but for quite some time now as soon as my head has hit the pillow I'm asleep. Sometimes I will listen to music as I go to sleep and when I do I often don't hear much past one or two tracks and the next thing is the alarm going off with nothing in between as sleep happens that quickly. As I say, there was a time when I would have dreams every night after and after everyone it would take that long to get back to sleep again I would just give up and go and play a game on my computer or something.

Anyway for the first time in months I had a dream. I can even remember it in some detail. It started with me outside in a place I didn't know, and in the dark with I think a light aircraft or a drone flying around. I either knew, or assumed that it was the authorities looking for me. If I knew the reason why, I no longer recall the reason. So I was hiding behind walls and anything really to shield me from view. Next thing I'm running and end up in a workshop type place. An old American style pickup truck to my right and in front was a work bench and in front of that was two, what looked to be teenage gang members. I feel there were more, but I could only see two. I was looking through this gap in the bench and it was sort of weird because I knew they would see me through the gap if they looked my way, but for some reason I wouldn't duck down out of sight. Instead I knelt there looking at their faces wondering what will happen if they see me. Which I felt sure they would, but for whatever reason I couldn't bring myself to hide properly to conceal myself. I remember thinking the the best place to hide was to lay on my back under the pickup truck until they either drove off in it or left the place. I remember it driving off over the top, missing me by inches. But that could have been me just running the idea through my mind because it seemed that the over riding debate with in me was whether to hide and risk being discovered, or was it just best to give myself up, which may be better received by them, therefore giving me a better overall outcome. So for that reason I don't think the hiding under the truck actually happened. I had a feeling the gang weren't nice people and that my presence there would not be welcome. I think I was perhaps thinking they may help me escape whoever was looking for me with the aircraft. Anyway I woke up at that point. Sometimes after a dream I know I've had one but retain absolutely no detail from it. This one I remembered, I think all of the dream, but if not I remember most of the detail from that which I can recall.

I had several more dreams last night, in fact the whole night seemed to consist of them, just like the old days. I only remember the first one though. So this morning I have woken up feeling completely destroyed. I feel more tired than I did yesterday morning after the late night working.  I'm now worried that those dream times are returning.

I was supposed to be going baling today, but just as I was about to set off it came a light shower, so it had to be postponed. Instead I went back indoors and helped mum with some housework, it felt like old times.

By lunch time it had brightened up a little, so me and dad went and had a look at the straw to see if it would be alright to bale. It seemed that the rain had burnt off so dad said to go and bale up one of the fields and then to come back home as there was no point in working to late now. So today has been a bit of a mixed bag, what with one thing and another. 

Dad and Nigel brought the combine back to the farm and got it cleaned down and ready to put away when the new tyre gets fitted.

Mum was telling me that she had been talking to Leah in the afternoon and it seems that Norman has been knocked off his bicycle. Apparently someone opened their car door as Noman was passing and he hit it knocking him off. He had to make a trip to the hospital but is said to be alright apart from some bumps and bruises.

Confessions Of The Cake Baker.

 Dad told me last night, or rather, this morning, to turn my alarm off as there was no need to rush to get up. Everyone had been given the day off so there was reason why I shouldn't have one too. Anyway he need not have bothered as I still work up naturally at seven fifteen, which is only fifteen minutes after my alarm would have gone off anyway. However I did stay in bed for another half hour. There was a time when I could stay in bed doing nothing for several hours at a time. I was rarely up before ten on a weekend or holidays but it seems that now I am either asleep or wanting to get up, I can't just lie there. I think that maybe the difference now is that I have more to get up for. Even though I wasn't going to be doing anything on the farm today, there was breakfast to make and lay the table for. Dad was out seeing to the cattle so I could go and see how he was getting on. 

As it was I messaged dad, then took a shower, by which time there was a reply to my message when I returned to my room. "I'm doing fine my dear, nearly done so stay where you are. Love dad xx."

So with that I went and helped mum by letting her know that dad wouldn't be long, and laying the table for breakfast. While I was waiting for dad to arrive I had a quick scan through the Farmers Weekly. Whereupon I couldn't help drooling over the picture of a Massey Ferguson 8s!!

After breakfast mum and I went to church, everyone was so pleased to see me. Some of them expressed concerns that I was never to return. Moss being one of those, which I think must have had something to do with him seeing fit to come clean over being the one to be making me the cake every week. He even started showing me pictures of all the amazing wedding cakes he has made for people over the years, even offering to make mine when the time comes! On hearing that mum decided that it was time to leave, or maybe she was leaving anyway!

Victoria sponge cakes made for me by Moss.

Dad was waiting for us when we got back as he was treating me and mum to dinner out at a pub. It was a  nice enough day to sit and eat outdoors which I've come to enjoy doing. There was a time when I hardly ever went outdoors unless I was forced to go to the shops or something. I would never have dreamt of eating outdoors. 

On the way home we called in at a  village fete that was local to the pub we had visited. It was quite pleasant although a lot of it was finished by the time we arrived.

This evening has been spent sitting on the sofa snuggled up to dad watching a TV program called 'Ridley'. We must have both dozed off as I woke up at one point with a wet knee where dad had gone and spilt what was left of his whiskey on it. He blamed me for going to sleep on the job. I usually manage to catch it before it spills anywhere. Mum says he should just pour the stuff straight down the drain and have done with it, save spilling it all over the place and messing a glass up. Mum never says anything like that without cracking me up. Poor dad he gets no sympathy.

The Last Day Of Cutting.

 Saturday 16th August 2025.

Today started good. I was on the grain game again. Nigel took dad over to Cuckoostone Farm where the combine spent the night. I stayed and helped mum clear away the breakfast things as there was no rush for me to get going as Nigel would have the job covered for a while. They needed to get the combine checked over and get some cutting done before I needed to be there. This is to be our last day of cutting for this harvest, which to be honest I was feeling a little sad about. It will be nice to get back to shorter days and more time with mum. But on the other hand I've really enjoyed the busyness of it all.

Everything was going to plan and we expected to be finished in time to bring the combine home with us. Then when dad was checking something on the combine after just having lunch he noticed that one of the rear tyres was misshaped. My untrained eyes had to look close to see it but he was in no doubt. He said there was nothing he could do and so pressed on with the job. He only got halfway back up the field when there was this huge bang. Nigel told me the tyre just blew. We went down the field and sure enough the tyre was flat and had a big slit in it.

Dad called several contacts and while there were people willing to come out and fit a new one they didn't have a new tyre to fit. Welcome to the UK in 2025! Eventually he found a machinery dealer who had a combine in their yard with a wheel that would fit our combine. So it was decided that dad would take off the wheel of our combine while I drove Nigel over to the dealers to pick up the one that they were loaning us. So we first had to drive back to the farm to pick up tools dad needed to remove the wheel from our combine. We then drove to the dealers who had kept their promise and had the wheel off ready for us to load on to our trailer and take to dad who soon had it fitted on our combine. I then took the truck and trailer, which now had the dodgy wheel on it, back to the farm where I picked up my tractor and went back to the field.

We lost so much time that I actually picked up the tea and took it back to the field with me. We only end up getting one load of grain off all afternoon. Dad gave us a choice during tea time to either stop at a reasonable time and return on Sunday to finish off, or press on until it was done which probably wouldn't be until midnight. Me and Nigel agreed to stay and get finished today, as did Eric and Steve when Nigel got to the farm and put it to them also. Yes, Nigel is now talking to everyone!

It was sort of funny, because when returning to the farm to get the pickup and trailer we went on my tractor and during the journey Nigel asked if this was the promised ride on my tractor.

"No of course not, unless you want it to be."

I reminded him at this point that he had yet to tell me one way or the other if he wanted to have a go on the baler with me. I'm keen to let him know that he is coming for a trip with me rather than him getting to do the job as he pleases.

"Yes for sure I do, I thought that was obvious."

I noticed a tone to that - did you? I nearly said that I didn't like his attitude, but it brought back certain memories of a road I never want to go down. So I tried to present it to him in what I hoped to be a more positive way.

"It might be obvious to you, but it may or may not be to others so it's important that you still communicate your feelings and wishes to avoid confusion and so missing out and leading to disappointment." I told him.

Anyway we got on well with the cutting, although it was way to late to bring the combine home. We did get it finished, and after a bit of supper I got to my bed at ten to one which wasn't to bad considering how a lot of people will still be up clubbin' and what have you way later than that.

Fire That Eric

 I woke up this morning with Nigel on my mind. I know, not good is it! We can't think like that anymore though can we. I have a bit of an idea about something but the trouble is I've sort of jumped in to the middle of the solution so there are gaps at either end, particularly the first end. Meaning I that I'm not sure yet on how to get to where I am, also I'm not sure whether I'm going to end up where I want to ideally be at the end. Laid in bed for five or so minutes I decided that the first step to any progress was to find out if he was actually talking to me. We needed to be talking or nothing is ever going to happen.

So it was with this thought in mind that I got up and dressed. I passed mum in the passage between the rooms and gave her a good morning hug before going out to get the baler and tractor ready. My original thought was to just swap the baler for the trailer that I would be using today. But then I thought it best to have the baler ready to go as I would be needing it again some time soon. So I got that, and my tractor ready to go before taking it off and putting on the trailer I was to be using. I checked inside because I knew the last time it was used was on a wet day, the boys had been using it for manure carting. Dad had said they cleaned it out but it didn't hurt to check. The last thing I wanted was to pull up along side the combine only to find it covered in cow manure. It was all clear though. I checked the brakes, lights and tyre's for cuts and correct pressures. All was good. So I went in the house and spend time with mum while helping her with breakfast. I could see Nigel's car in the yard but couldn't see him anywhere. At least he was here so I had all day to see him.

After breakfast dad set off with the combine towing the header trailer with Nigel in front with a grain trailer acting as an escort to warn oncoming traffic of a wide vehicle approaching. I'm not sure if that it a legal requirement or just something we do for safety reasons. I followed along behind after having a word with Eric and Steve about the current situation with Nigel. Who apparently is only conversing with them in shrugs and nods when forced to do so. Eric had a few choice words to say on the matter but said he would try and behave himself in order to help me.

I caught up with Nigel when in the field. As dad was only just starting after attaching the header there was a time when Nigel and I would be redundant for a while until the tank on the combine needed emptying. So I chose this time to make my approach to Nigel who was just sitting there on his tractor. It was a 3-2-1 moment to get myself moving. On approaching his tractor I made a gesture to him indicating that I wished to get on with him. He opened the door, so I climbed up into the cab and closed the door behind me.

"I take it I don't need to remove my shoes?"

Looking round the cab was still a mess, "I don't suppose we can have this cab tidied up a bit can we, my dad will most likely want to use this tractor soon."

My request was greeted with a shrug of the shoulders and silence.

I sat for a minute in my own silence thinking.

"It doesn't have to be this way you know. No one has anything against you personally, just your attitude."

Still nothing, he sat there fiddling with the computer screen.

I sat for a while thinking some more. I'd had an idea in my head, but I didn't want to implement it until I got something from him, as I didn't want it to appear as something I was offering to get him out of his sulk. I was at a loss now, I even got to wondering what grandfather would do. But then I thought, what ever it was it would most likely make things worse. Then I remembered one of Miss Oliver's Etiquette & Self Improvement lessons, the basis of which is, that if you pick a subject that you know someone has a passion for, you can sit back and hardly have to say a word, as they will do all the talking for you. I think it was intended more for social occasions rather than a suborn boy trying to prove a point. 

I thought it was worth a try though, so asked, "So, how do you think this tractor compares to the New Holland that we had before?"

After looking at me and seeing that it was a serious question and not just a trick to get him talking, he started to open up and was still talking about tractors when the beacon lit up to say that the combine  needed to be emptied.

I thought that this was as good a time as any to implement my master plan. Especially as I wasn't sure when I would get him alone again, and also were already discussing tractors, therefore it wouldn't come across as me trying some kind of bribing tactic to get in with him again,

"Have you never driven a Massey Ferguson then?"

"I have, but it was an old one and very beat up." He replied.

"When we get finished cutting I can take you out on mine to have a go with the baler if you want?"

He looked at me quickly before turning back to keep an eye on the grain loading in to the trailer. It turns out he isn't as green as he is cabbage looking.

"What are you after?" He said with a certain amount of reservation in his voice.

Apparently the giveaway was that he finds me weird when I'm being nice!!! Seen as how he was on to me I thought it best to be honest.

"Nothing you need worry about anyway. I'm your boss and I'm here because you have a problem and it's my job to sort it out".

"Well you can fire that Eric to start with!"

"Ha ha - I'm not going to do that am I? Anymore than I would fire you for treating a new tractor like a garbage truck. I've had a word with Eric and Steve and they've promised not to joke around with you anymore. Now it's up to you to have a bit of respect for their feelings also, and that's the end of it."

We had now arrived back at my tractor, so as I was leaving I quickly added, "So all you have to do now is decided if you want to carry on be being miserable or move on and make your mind up if you want to come with me for a day baling. Just let me know some time."

With that I was gone.

I saw him again at tea time but there were others around so we didn't speak one to one again.

That evening I told dad what I'd done, as he would be needing to let him off work for a day to come with me.

"I knew my faith in you would be rewarded. Not easy for you I'm sure but you did really well my dear. Just make sure he's there to learn and not to play though. You must make him do it as you want him to do it and not like he wants to. He needs making clear of that before he even sets foot on the tractor."

I promised that I would. I really appreciate the trust he is placing in me.

Of course this is all said not knowing if he wants to come with me. But I'm assuming he will.

I've Got To Be More Responsible.

 Thursday 14th August 2025

When I got in last night mum was in the kitchen just getting the drinks ready for supper. I went over and gave her a hug and a kiss.

"Dad wants a word, he's in the study."

"What about?"

She hesitate just a little, "He'll explain, just pop through and have a word with him. Don't be long mind."

I didn't like the sound of this. It reminded me of the time I had to go and see the headmaster for cheating on my homework. I ended up with detention that time. The door was open so it was okay just to walk in. Dad was sitting at his desk and was facing towards the window and the darkness of the night beyond. 

"Mum say's you want to see me."

"I always want to see you my dear, sit down a minute will you."

I chose a place on the couch just behind him whereupon he turned the chair round to face me. He leaned forward in his chair, his forearms resting on his thighs so that his face was roughly the level of mine.

"What's been going off with young Nigel then?"

Of course I knew to what he was referring, and wasn't going to treat dad like a fool.

"It was nothing, he had a go at me so I had a go back at him. You know what he's like."

I didn't mention Eric or Steve's contribution.

"I'm going to be straight with you Katie, he's come to me complaining that all three of you were getting on at him. He's pretty upset about it."

"That's hardly fair dad, and he did start it. We just had a bit of a laugh that's all. It was nothing."

"I realise it's not easy for you Katie, and I'm certainly not getting on at you now. But you are have to adopt a different position to the others. When I'm not round you have to be the one to avert problems when you see them arising, not add to it. I rely on you for that."

"Honest dad, it was nothing, There was no problem - except he couldn't get backed in the shed because of Mr Booths car parked in the way."

"I know what you're saying, and of course I know you well enough by now to know that you meant no mallice. Unfortunately Nigel doesn't see it like that, so as soon as you can I want you to take it upon yourself to sort this out for me."

I thought now that he was asking me to apologise and I didn't like that idea as it was nothing that I needed to be sorry about as far as I could see. Eric should have bought Nigel a dummy when he bought him the nappies is my view point on the matter.

"Oh come on dad, I'm not apologising to him." I never question my dad or mum if I can help it but I didn't feel this was right.

"I'm not asking that of you. Just do what you are brilliant at and sort him and the situation out. Take him under your wing a bit if you have to. Look at what you did for young Peter that time."

"Peter was different, he liked me, Nigel hates me."

"Well, at least that's a start, you've identified the problem. It needs doing though dear because if he walks you're going to end up doing his work as I won't be able to get a replacement at this late stage. I'm not getting on at you, and it's certainly not a punishment in any way. Look on it was a lesson in management that will add to your experience for the future."

Seen as he put it like that I sort of got a bit enthused about the proposal. I wasn't sure how, or even if I was going to achieve anything the way Nigel is. I guess the incentive is that I don't want to end up doing his work. But more importantly to my mind is the lesson aspect of it. Dad is right, I should have bossed the situation more at the time, that's my roll that I took on when they took me on as their own. There are things that I could have done that would have avoided the whole debacle. Instead I was to busy enjoying putting one over on him.

"Okay, I'll see what I can do." I promised.

"Good girl, you're sure a treasure, and so mature for your age." 

He came and sat beside me and we had a nice cuddle and a chat about how I'd got on and said that I needed to take the baler off in the morning and put the other trailer on my tractor. Apparently Eric and Steve cleaned it out for me the other day so it just needs attaching to my tractor, so not to much to do before breakfast.

"I might have bloomin' well known! Come on and get your suppers." Said mum from he doorway as she interrupted our snuggles.

The Wrong Line Of Approach.

 Wednesday 13th August 2025.

I got back from my excursion with Mr Booth just in time for lunch, and just as Nigel returned to work after his appointment. I was in two minds to let him tip the load as I could see him stood with Eric and Steve. Knowing what Nigel's like felt under pressure reversing the load in to the shed with him watching. But then I thought he would also have plenty to say if I just left him to do it. Every load I'd done that morning went okay for me, so I just thought to take my time and do it as I had been doing and it would hopefully be fine. The only thing was Mr Booth had taken up some of the ground I really needed for a straight forward reverse. It was definitely awkward but as I swung in to get a good line with the shed door I positioned the tractor a couple of yards further to my right than usual. This gave me the room to swing the front end of the tractor to the left in order to straighten the trailer as it went through the shed door. I took my time and actually managed to get backed up in one go without having to shunt, reposition or hit anything, I was pleased with myself. 

But when I got out to hand over to Nigel he said, "I thought I was going to have to cancel my Christmas holidays."

He had obviously been chirping away to the others as I was reversing in as I could tell Ernest knew what he meant, but I wasn't sure, although I could tell he was being sarcastic about something. 

"What are you going on about now?"

"The way you backed that in I thought I was going to be here until Christmas before you got here!"

"Ha ha, you're such a funny man." I told him.

I'm going to get my lunch before I crack a rib from laughing!"

I wasn't amused but wasn't going to show it to him.

After lunch and before setting off with the baler, I took the lunch bag out for Nigel to take to the field for himself, dad and Mr Booth who was still riding the combine with dad - poor dad! I'm surprised he hadn't wrestle it off dad by this point to be honest. Anyway I gave the bag to Eric as Nigel hadn't returned at this point. I said that when they gave Nigel the bag they, Eric and Steve, had to go to mum at the house as their lunch was there. This is how it worked, although I hardly ever saw this as I wasn't there. I am always in the field at lunch time. 

Then just as I was leaving Nigel came back with his first load and as usual he was driving like his head was on fire. I stood back and waited in doorway of the shed as I wanted to avoid the dust that he kicked up. Then when I saw him position himself as we had been doing before Mr Booth dumped his car, I was curious to see how well he got backed in from that angle. Also I was going to do like him and stand there looking for something to go wrong which didn't take long because he was at the completely wrong angle right from the start, he wasn't taking account of the car being parked there which didn't allow for him to straighten the trailer up to get it through the shed door as he needed to.. 

I shouted to him, "We need it in this shed, not that one". Meaning he was heading for the shed next door.

"Piss of!" I could just hear his reply above the sound of the tractor.

With lots of revs and dramatic amounts of steering wheel action he lined up again in exactly the same position as the first time. I was loving this as in my mind I'd already done a better job than him as I did it first time. What's more I knew he would know this and it would be bothering him as everything seems to be a competition when it comes to me. I'm not sure why.

The next excuse after he failed for the second time was that the car was in the way. The true is he wasn't taking his time or thinking it through.

"You're rushing it to much, take your time and think about it. You need to start a bit more to the right". He ignored my advice.

Then apparently the person who built the shed was a muppet for not making the doors wide enough! I didn't bother to tell him that they were plenty wide enough for me.

At this point Eric showed him what I had told him just a minute ago. He didn't seem to be capable of figuring out that if it didn't work the first time it wasn't going to work two more times either. I still can't figure out what he was thinking. 

After the shed excuse, Steve, who never says much got in on the act and asked, "Would you like us to move the shed over a bit for you?!" Nigel just gave him a death stare.

Eventually, after doing as Eric told him, he did make it in to the shed and in the right position. 

But then Eric, after a wink at me and Steve shouted, "What have you brought this in here for?"

Nigel looked at him with confusion written across his face and said, "What?"

'This sheds for Wheat." Shouted Eric.

"It is Wheat." Replied Nigel still looking confused.

Then Eric creased us up big time, "Oh, sorry, I thought you were full of bull shit excuses!"

Well it was so funny me and Steve couldn't help but spontaneously burst out laughing. Not just from surprise and what he said, but the look on Nigel's face and the way he reacted. He slammed the back window shut that hard it's a wonder it didn't break the glass. He tipped his load and apparently never spoke to either of them again all day. Thankfully I didn't see him again, I guess I would have got the same treatment though.

Mr Booth's Passenger - Again.

 Wednesday 13th August 2025.

This morning I had to go carting grain as Nigel had to have the morning off to attend an appointment for a shoulder problem. As it was only going to be for a few hours it wasn't worth swapping my tractor from the baler to the grain cart so I used the new demo tractor that Nigel had been using since it's arrival last Friday. Also I was aware of the fact that had he returned when I was away from the place he may have got some fancy idea of putting his tractor on to the baler had I been using mine to cart grain.I most certainly didn't want that. You wouldn't think anyone would do that but there was no doubting in my mind that Nigel would. So I left my tractor on the baler and locked it up.

I sort of wish I'd gone to the trouble of swapping tractors to be honest as it turns out Nigel isn't very house proud. It was like climbing in to the rear of a rubbish collection truck. I realise it's different for me as my tractor is mine where as Nigel has no interest in his other than to use it for work. Even so, I've decided to make a point of telling him to get it tidied up and to look after it better, after all, the point of him being here is to get experience and learn. I guess it will lead to more trouble. Maybe I should just leave it.

Anyway, once I'd kicked all the cans and bottles in to one corner out of the way I was able to get going and everything went fine once I'd got used to it being a different make of tractor to mine. Mid morning, just after dumping my second load in to the grain shed, Mr Booth showed up in his usual cloud of dust. 

He bails out of his car just as I'm about to get on the tractor and go back to the field, I was thinking I had to get going so didn't want to hang around talking to him. 

"What's this then?" He shouts. As I make to climb the steps to the cab.

He never just talks! He's taking huge strides towards me, arms flailing everywhere in his usual over exuberant manner. Even the simplest of things are played out in a crazy wild way. It's hard to read his intentions as he has these teeth that make it look like he is continually smiling. I always feel like I'm about to get embroiled in a punch up when talking to him. He gets right in your face and to make sure he has your attention he is pulling on your sleeve with one hand while the other is waving around. The only good thing about it is that he's not an octopus.

"What's what?" I ask when eventually I get chance to respond.

"What you got a Case for?"

Is it any good?"

Then before I can reply to either question he's pushed past me and is climbing in to the cab. Eric appears at this point and I can see what he's thinking! I thought his eyes were going to pop out the way they were rolling around in their sockets.

"Where're we going then?" He shouted through the door at me. I didn't like the sound of this 'we' business.

I'd hardly finished my reply and he was ordering me to get in.

"Hurry up, you'll need to shape yourself or we'll be holding the job up."

If he'd left me be I would have been half way back to the field by now, so technically speaking, it was he who was holding the job up.

He'd put the buddy seat down and was whacking it with his hand. I took this as clear indication that I'd been demoted to passenger, which wasn't a very pleasing thought as I still had vivid memories of the last time I was Mr Booths passenger. At least this time we wouldn't be doing sixty and banging the bottom out of the vehicle as before. It didn't stop him trying though!

What with him and Nigel I really am beginning to think I'm a slow coach. In the run to the field I think we tested ever boundary that is possible to be tested on a tractor. We're driving down the lane, he's first on the grass verge at one side of the road,  then the other, thankfully we have no hedges or anything down our lanes. It was all because he was playing around on the computer screen instead of stopping to operate it properly. I got a little confused when he gleefully shouted that he had set up his own personal user profile. Why would he need to? To his credit though, I have to confess that he worked it out which I find impressive considering we were traveling full pelt down the road - well, except for when we were on the grass verge! I'm not impressed by the bruise he gave me on my arm when he punch it out of shear excitement at his achievement.

"I like this, I like this ALOT!!" He kept on saying. I'm glad someone was enjoying the experience.

I don't think he was still for a minute during the whole journey. He was turning this way and that, pressing every button there was to be pressed not seemingly to have a clue what each one did. He tested out the  suspension on the roughest part of the track and commented on how smooth it felt. This was okay for him as he was sitting in a nice comfy air suspended seat. Mine was just a hard thing bolted directly to the frame of the tractor.

I couldn't get off quick enough once we had arrived and stopped in the field. I wanted to get off while I had the chance, before he decided to start off again. I'd no need to worry as he followed me and went running down the field waving and shouting in hot pursuit of dad in the combine harvester. It was all pointless as I could see the orange beacon flashing on the combine which indicates that the tank needs emptying. So I also set off in hot pursuit, but on the tractor, and after I'd adjusted the seat that Mr Booth had managed to alter in ever possible way. I over took Mr Booth who was flagging at this point, even his arms seemed to have calmed down a little. I thought to offer him a lift - but not for long! Instead I got on the radio to warn dad that he had a visitor trying to flag him down. Dad can never see anything half the time as he is always consumed by a cloud of dust, plus he's having to pay close attention to what he's doing.

Good Luck Charlotte.

 Wednesday 13th July 2025.

Now that I have got the John Luckyman series finished I will catch up on what has been happening since.

On Sunday I was back up at Uncle Ken's place. I'd hardly been there a couple of minutes and came to me asking how I went on the previous day. He seemed to find it all very amusing, except for the of course when the subject of the accident came up. They seem to think that he had cleared the main blockage and was kicking the last remains into the baler when he lost his footing in a tramline rut causing his foot to go further towards the baler than he intended and so dragged him in. As Lou said, luckily he got stuck somehow and so it just took his leg in pulling it off at the knee joint. I get the shivers just thinking about it.

At one point when I was baling Kimberly came and rode round with me for a while on the tractor. She isn't in to the machinery side of things. She is more like Eric is and prefers looking after the animals. She has been doing most of the work recently but her dad is having his operation in a couple of weeks so after that she is hoping he will feel more like doing a bit more and so give her a break. 

On Monday I had my friend Charlotte come with me for the day. I went and fetched her after I got the tractor and baler ready and she had breakfast with us. She eats like a sparrow so when I say she had breakfast with us, she basically just nibbled at a slice of toast. Eric had a little joke with me about it later, saying that I should take her with me to pay Lou and family a visit some time. It was a fun thought but I'm thinking that I might end up in just as much trouble as Charlotte.

I'd forgotten all about the Chocolate Chip Cookies they gave me until Eric brought up the subject, so after breakfast I asked mum where she had put them so once located I gave Eric a couple to try. We both agreed later that they were awesome cookies, Eric saying that I am going to have to sacrifice myself in order to get more. I suggested that it was his turn this time.

I hadn't seen Nigel since the altercation on Saturday but it wasn't long after he spotted Charlotte and when we were having lunch, that he was soon over chatting away. The trouble is she seemed to be lapping up the attention. I tried to tell her after he had gone what he's like but she won't have it, saying how he seems nice enough sort of person. I've told her so I can't say more than that. I'm not sure when it happened but sometime during the day they agreed to go out on a date when harvest has finished. I guess the nappies must have done the job otherwise I'm sure he wouldn't have bothered waiting and just gone anyway whether he was needed for the harvest or not. With a bit of luck she will take him to photo club and save her bothering me with it. After today's interesting little development I'm going to wish her good luck with that one!

Baling For Mr Luckyman - Part 7.

 

Once at Uncle Ken's I parked up and was on my way round to the house when I bumped in to Carole coming to meet me.

On the way home she suddenly asked, "How are you getting on at old Georges?"

It's strange thinking of him as George now,

I felt that it was a strange thing to ask, but assumed it was just her way of making conversation.

"It's great, I love it." I replied.

"You've really landed on your feet there haven't you." she said before going on to enlighten me as to what her line of thinking was, "When they pop their clogs you'll be able to sell up and go to live a lavish lifestyle on the French Riviera."

Carole is always joking and light hearted in life, but I couldn't help feeling some kind of under current going on. I thought it came across as if I was some gold digger or something. I'm not sure mum or dad would have liked to have heard it that's for sure.

"No way! For one thing I'm going to make sure they live as long as I do and besides, why would I want to move from where I am, I love it there."

"That's good then." Was all she said.

After that the conversation went a bit flat, unlike my stomach.

On walking in, mum came and gave me a big hug and asked how everything went. I told her they were all naughty for not telling me about Mr Luckyman. She explained that they didn't want me fretting and having my own accident because I was preoccupied thinking about what had happened to him. I can understand that so have forgiven them. 

I'd forgot to mention to dad that I'd eaten, so when I got home mum had got me some dinner. So I eat a bit just to make it so that mum hadn't wasted her time. I told her all about the Reeves hospitality and we both agreed that it was nice of them to look after me like they did. I agreed. They have funny ways but they are nice people so that's all that matters really.

The day was a funny day, I still can't say if I enjoyed it or disliked it. I think perhaps it was a balanced day. A day of extremes, some worry and upset balanced by lots of kindness and funny moments. As someone said, a day I won't be forgetting in a hurry. I think the day will improve with ageing.

Baling For Mr Luckyman - Part 6.

 I dropped Lou off right over the fence from his garden so that he didn't need to walk far. I say that literally. If dad thought my dismount from the tractor needed a telling off, I think Lou deserved a gold medal in acrobatics with regard to his. After rolling around on the ground for a few seconds he picked himself up, dusted himself down and confirmed that there was no harm done. He then hopped over his garden fence, which gave a wobble in protest, and I set to baling up the three fields that needed doing. The only interruptions from then on where the seemingly endless cups of tea that Lou's wife Alice and daughter Margret kept on bringing across the field every hour or so. It got to a point that I was so far away that they must have had to set off back again straight away with their next offering. I also got to wondering if all the effort they were putting in was actually some way of making sure there didn't turn out to be a Miss Luckygirl. 

At lunch time, both Alice and Margret came across together, one with tea and the other with two massive ham sandwiches made with homemade bread. They could have adopted me for more of those! It was easy to see who was responsible for Lou being such a big guy.

I was done by four thirty and drove over to Lou's place to close up the baler and say that I was leaving. The announcement was greeted with the longest faces of disappointment that I have ever seen before. So much so that I couldn't bring myself to leave before taking the offer of the specially prepared dinner that they said took them a good part of the afternoon making for me. We had what they called a potato pie, which was vegetables and chucks of meat in gravy with a most lovely pastry topping. Alice put a great heap on a plate, which I assumed was for Lou, but instead she passed it to me. I thought I'd done well when I just managed to squeeze the last piece in to my mouth. Now my stomach knows how my tractor felt when Lou and I squeezed in to the cab on my arrival. My celebrations were to be short lived however because no sooner was the table cleared and out from the streaming oven comes this huge Rhubarb Crumble, alongside which was placed a large jug of custard. All of this was home made, it was easy to see, and the flavour of which absolutely telling the truth of this fact. I requested a small portion just to be polite, as I was already bursting at the seams. She looked at me with surprise but agreed to my desire verbally while physically piling up my bowl, before pouring on so much custard that it was spilling over the side by the time it was handed to me. Again, it was absolutely lovely. By the time I'd forced the last bit inside me and absolutely flatly refused some homemade chocolate chip cookies to finish, of which they handed me six the size of small dinner plates! It was getting on for twenty to eight. Thankfully they relented when I said that I need to get going as people would be starting to worry about me. Margret brought me a bag in which to bring the cookies home. Before leaving they insisted I pop in and have dinner with them whenever I'm at Uncle Ken's. I'm hoping that by the time I feel the need to eat again so much time will have passed that the invitation will be long forgotten.

I phoned dad on leaving who said to park up at Ken's and that Carole would run me home. Because I had to leave my tractor at Uncle ken's over night, I didn't have so far to travel back with the tractor and baler. I didn't meet anything down the narrow lanes either which was good.

Baling For Mr Luckyman - Part 5.

 

Saturday 9th August 2025.

Part Five.

"I didn't mean anything by what I said, I just dread the thought of another accident, that's all." He said, referring I think to his previous comment about me being able to drive the tractor.

Of course this last statement begged a question, and because I never asked it, he went on.

"Worst day of my life it was."

Even I could no longer resist. So as I was now in the field and traveling in the direction indicated by his pointing finger I decided to ask, "Oh, did you have an accident, what happened?"

"No not me, didn't Ken tell you?"

"Don't think so, what happened?" My interest peeking in the red zone at this point.

"My mate John - - - - - who owns this place got his leg took off in the baler!!"

I went cold, and suddenly everything fell in to place. Doing some baling for a guy who had an accident, I never thought to ask what the accident was, assuming out of a lack of real interest, he like hurt his back or something, and more to the point, no one told me. That's the reason for all the doubts, this morning when I was leaving.

"OMG, you're joking, what happened? How?" My baler suddenly becoming a monster on my back, about to gobble up one of my limbs. Thankfully they only usually attack when provoked by careless people.

"John's a lucky man!" Stated Lou with some satisfaction in his voice.

What a fantastic piece of luck, I was thinking to myself, as I waited to be enlightened. Lou went on to say how the guy got a blockage in the pick up reel and for some bazaar reason thought the best way to clear it was to use his right foot - while the baler was still running. This is where the guy gets lucky, because instead of being dragged in to the baler and swallowed whole, and so becoming bedding for the cattle shed, it pulled his leg off at the knee instead. I guess that was lucky in some weird sort of way! But that's not the end of his good fortune. Because not only does this man get lucky once. Seems to me like he has all the luck! The next bit of luck comes as he was laid out bleeding to death on the ground. His phone in the tractor, his only hope is to shout for help, which given his location he was very lucky that Lou, who was sitting in his garden, probably eating a huge ham sandwich, heard him. It seems that Lou detected something wasn't right on account of someone shouting HELP!! So ran over to investigate. If you believe the 'running' part of that statement you have either a better imagination than I or you didn't read the earlier part of the story.

Running or not, it seems that Lou is the hero of the story. Applying baler twine tightly around what was left of the leg while avoiding blood spurting in his face, and at the same time calling for the ambulance who arrived just in time to save the poor man. So well done Lou! Living proof, just about, that hero's come in all shapes and sizes.

I feel that he let himself down a bit though by telling me before I started rather than when I got finished.  It gave me a very strange feeling. Especially when I got to where the row of straw stopped and there was evidence of a carry on amongst the straw rows. Thankfully there was no blood, you know what I'm like about that sort of thing. I'm not sure what happened to the leg either, I suppose it ended up in the guys evil baler. I never came across it anyway, even though it was hard not to keep an eye out for it!

Baling For Mr Luckyman - Part 4.

 I got off the tractor and waited at the entrance to the field for him to approach me. He was a big man with a round face and an even bigger rounded body. He was probably fifty to sixty years of age, dressed in bib and brace overalls, which for all the world looked like they needed some young girl to take them and their owner on a visit to the farm shop! Although I think that on this occasion we might be struggling to make much of an improvement. On his upper body he wore a check shirt with sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Topping it all off on his head was a flat cap.

We greeted each other.

"Hello." I said.

"Hello. Phew! It's warm." He announced all out of breath. He was even more massive now viewed close up.

"Have you come to bale the straw?" He asked.

I think it was either the baler on the tractor, or the fact that ten minutes earlier I had called him for assistance on where I was to bale, that gave the game away.

"Yes if you're Mr Reeves,"

He confirms that he is and goes on to give me permission to call him Lou.

"I'm Katie."

"Ken's girl, yeh?"

"His niece." I corrected him. I wasn't getting drawn in to any technicalities over the validity of that claim, so quickly asked where it was he wanted me to bale.

"Yes, I'll show you round. Can we go on the tractor though as I'm fair jiggered walking across the field in this heat."

I'd no objection to driving him round on the tractor, I was just concerned as to whether he was up to climbing in to the cab, and would there be any room for me in there if he did manage it. Anyway we squeezed in, I was virtually sitting on the right side armrest though, and we even got the door closed. So there you go Nigel, my cab is bigger than yours, even if I don't know what to do with it half the time.

"Do you know how to drive this then?" He said, looking round.

I looked at him, he wasn't joking!

"I think if I've managed to get here down these lanes there is a good chance that I can drive it around an open field." I said with the amount of sarcasm that I thought the question deserved.

"Aye, that's true. Was it you driving for Ken the other day?"

"Yes, but I was driving for myself." Honestly my mood was not good today, and he wasn't making it any better.

"Right. Well done. It's an extremely big machine and you're very young."

I didn't bother to comment on him being a big man or his apparent age.

I think he interpreted my silence as being put out by his statement, but in reality I was now concentrating on maneuvering my seemingly big machine through the gateway from an extremely narrow lane, without reversing in to any cars that might be approaching from behind and at the same time avoiding the gate posts.

Dad's words about not being rushed in to anything came to my mind. So I took my time and even with me being afflicted by my limited age problem, limited room in the cab, limited view out of the cab and limited room outside of it, I managed to get the big machine safely in to the field.

Baling For Mr Luckyman - Part 3.

 

The narrow lanes to Mr Luckyman's

Of course I was well annoyed at myself all day over the altercation with Nigel. Mostly because it showed I still had some of my old family in me, and worse still, I let it escape and affect others. I thought I was past all that as I haven't seen it since I nearly lost Charlotte over it.

Because of my unplanned exit from the yard I needed to stop down the road as I hadn't implemented my satnav. I had been given a location to drive to and a phone number of a Mr Reeves who I needed to call when I got there. Mr Reeves isn't the farmer who I'm doing the baling for, Mr Reeves is just organising the baling while the farmer recovers from whatever is wrong with him so at least the straw is baled while still in good order.

I had instructions to not call in at Ken's and to go straight to the destination. I don't know why they had to say that as I wouldn't have done that anyway. I drove past Ken's lane end and carried on my way.

The lanes around there are probably the same width as our lane, the tractor and baler literally fill the road. But around that area the roads are lined with hedges and banking, where around us it is open countryside. So I'm going this way and that way wherever the satnav takes me. I can't see around bends in the road, which I am filling because of all the trees and hedges, It's like driving down a narrow tunnel except with no roof. Then there is this car coming the other way. Luckily I was going real slow on account of meeting something. The trouble started when the guy couldn't reverse. There was no way I was going backwards that's for sure. Unfortunately he couldn't even drive his car backwards in a straight line. He zigzagged in reverse down the road for what seemed like ages before finding somewhere wide enough for us to pass. Then it took him three attempts to pull in to the gap, and even then he could have got further over. I ended up squeezing past with my left side so close to a hedge that I was worried I was going to rip the mirror off and it looked in my other mirror like I was maybe a couple of inches off his door mirror with the baler. I couldn't physically get off to check the gap as I couldn't even open my door which was in the hedge. Talk about getting a sweat on. After passing the car, the temptation was to put my foot down to get off that road as soon as possible, but who was to say there wasn't another car just around the corner, all of which were completely blind even to me sitting high up as I was. I was sure pleased when I reached the point where the satnav had taken me. 

Now to call the meeting with Mr Reeves. It was like being in a spy movie or similar. I've parked off the road across the gateway as I didn't want to drive in to the field until I had it confirmed that it was the right one. So I'm sat there waiting. To my right, across the narrow lane is a woodland which looks to be impenetrable to me. The whole area is very woody and green, except for the wheat field to my left. In front of me is the narrow lane dropping down a hill before disappearing around a bend to the left about 300 yards in front of me. This is where I'm expecting a car to appear shortly. To my left, through the bottom half of the left side door is the open gateway. Either side of this gate opening is a tall hedge, taller in fact than the tractor so that my only view of the open wheat field is through the top half of the left side door. It's through this part of the side door that I notice a man waddling across the field in my direction. I recognised him straight away as the guy who Uncle Ken brought in to the field the other day.

Baling For Mr Luckyman - Part 2.

 Walking to my tractor I spotted someone sitting in the seat. Thankfully I had the keys with me, I always remove them when working on the baler so no one can inadvertently start up the tractor when I'm working on the baler. It turned out to be Nigel. This didn't improve my mood one bit.

"What do you think you're doing?" I asked him, in a sharp manner. Too aggressive I now feel.

"I'm just looking." Was his reply.

"Well you needn't bother, just get off, I need to get going."

"And look at yer, friggin' boots all over my carpet." I said in exasperation.

This is not what I needed this morning.

"They're clean, anyway don't worry, I'm going. You wouldn't catch me driving this piece of shit anyway even if it was the only tractor on the farm!"

He then proceeds to give me a list of things that were so much better about HIS tractor. Well that was it, Katie was annoyed!

"In case he haven't noticed you don't have a tractor here on this farm, you just get to drive one of ours when my dad says you can, and besides which, dad lets you use the one with all the driver aids on it because he knows I can drive a tractor without them."

With that I got on the tractor and drove off - he wasn't smiling today as I drove past, he didn't even look at me.

Baling For Mr Luckyman - Part 1.

 Saturday 9th August 2025.

Part One.

I'm thinking that Nigel thinks I shouldn't be out working in the fields, I reckon he hates how I get to do the baling. He keeps on bragging about how many bales he can do in the day compared to me. That's one reason why I got annoyed this morning when I caught him on my tractor, you can just tell when someone is getting big idea's can't you.

Also I was apprehensive going doing work for someone else who I wasn't familiar with. I wasn't like ready to commit suicide over it or anything, but it was worrying me. Mostly with regard to finding the place. It's not like when driving a car, I can't just do a three point turn if I go the wrong way. Then as I was leaving everyone was telling me to be careful what I'm doing like I was suddenly useless or something.

"Just take your time Katie, don't go feeling rushed in to anything." Said dad.

"I won't." Replied I trying to think what I might be in danger of getting rushed in to. Lambing season is well past. I definitely was detecting some kind of under current though. 

"Yeh, Just carry on like you have been, remember what you've been taught." Chimed in Eric.

 "Flippin' heck! What's up with you all this morning?" I asked feeling well worried now.

"There's nothing wrong, we just don't want any accidents or anything, that's all." Said mum.

I put it down to going somewhere new, and they were having the same feelings as me about it.

There then followed a round of, have you got this, have you remembered that, and did you check the other! I was sort of glad when the door closed behind me, also a little sad that I had to depart in such an exasperating way.

Assumption Confirmation.

 Friday 8th August 2025.

We have found out today that the person who came in the field the other day with Uncle Ken is not actually the one who wants the baling doing. He was enquiring for a farmer nieghbour of his who has had an accident and is unable to do it himself. He was going to organise a contractor to go in and do it, but when telling Ken and Carole of the accident Ken decided to volunteer my services. It's typical Ken, as those that have got to know him will appreciate. Dad didn't agree to it straight off as he wasn't happy with the way Ken went and roped me in. However dad is not one to turn his back on someone in trouble when asked to help. So today I am at home and then for the weekend I will be working away again. Firstly baling for the accident man and then catching up for Uncle Ken. So definitely rockin' and rollin' for the next few days.

Me, Eric and Nigel had a bit of a laugh this morning. They brought me a pallet of twine round with the telehandler. Nigel driving and Eric walking. Eric crept up behind and gave my platted pony tail a little tug, as he often does. It's just fun and I don't mind as he doesn't hurt me at all. But when he pulled it I spun round half expecting one of his rib grabs. I don't think Nigel has caught on yet as to what my relationship with Eric is, and so decided to be my knight in shining armour.

"You can do him for that, harassment in the work place!"

Instinct alone told me that he just went in the wrong place with that remark. He didn't have enough humour in his voice as he said it.

So before Eric got chance to respond, I quickly stepped in. Walking up to Nigel I asked, even though I heard him quite clearly the first time, "What did you say?" Not in a confrontational way, just calmly.

"Him, he shouldn't do that, it's sexual harassment!" He said, while glancing towards Eric. If he was joking he wasn't convincing me of that.

I was then very bad, although it was just said in fun really, trying to lighten the mood. No malice intended in the slightest, "You mean like trying to get a peak up the leg of a girls shorts every time she gets in and out of her tractor!"

I though he was going to bust a blood vessel, his face went like a beetroot. I did feel sorry, honest.

"I guess, in a way." He said quietly half under his breath, before sloping off behind the baler with a couple of spools of twine.

Of course Eric as mildly amused by it all, "It looks like you hit the nail on the head there."

I think we all learned a lesson, as there was no back chat from Nigel and Eric knew better than to say anything to him. Me, I didn't learn anything new, I just had my assumptions confirmed. 

To his credit Nigel soon got over his dilemma and surprisingly after loading all the boxes on his side of the baler came round and asked me to show him again how I like the spools joining together. Which I was more than pleased to show him. 

So, if that's not progress, I don't know what is.

Such A Creep.

 Wednesday 6th August 2025.

Today I have been back up at Uncle Ken's. Before setting off I got Nigeled!

"I hear you're having another day off today.". He said.

"It's hardly a day off." I replied, trying to get my things on the tractor so as to make my escape.

"I bet you have a right time over there with your dad not around!"

"I work the same there as I do here I can assure you of that." I informed him.

"What, you mean like slow!" He said with a grin on his face.

I could easily have taken offence at that last remark, but I thought no, set an example Katie, don't react like he would, or thoughts to that effect.

"Piss off!" I said as I climbed the steps and shut the door behind me so I couldn't hear him anymore.

I think he liked it actually as he was grinning as drove past and gave him the middle finger just for good measure.

I got to Uncle Ken's to find them just having a drink, so they made me a coffee before Ken set off in his car with me tagging along behind him. I did actually know where I was going as it happened but he wanted to got to the field anyway just to check I got going okay.

At one point he stopped me as he needed to call in at this new foreign shop, so I was cursing under my breath somewhat as I wanted to get going so as not to be late and end up having to leave my tractor thee again like last time. Anyway he redeemed himself by buying me an Iced Coffee drink to try. I'd not had anything like it before but it was actually very nice.

Nigel's comment was maybe, or maybe not a bit of fun, maybe a bit of both, who knows with him. Anyway such comments aren't good as they undermine you if you let them. I was thinking for ages whether I was to slow. I am steady deliberately, I know that. In the end I thought that dad has watched me working from his combine and never said anything about me going to slow. So I just carried on at my normal pace.

I didn't get everything baled that he had ready but there wasn't enough to make another full day of it, so dad told me to just come home as I have plenty here to be getting on with.

A guy came in the field with Ken at one point during the afternoon. They just came and went without bothering me. I've since found out from dad that the guy has been asking Ken if I could go over and bale up his straw for him. Dad hasn't decided yet, I think he's worried about giving me any more to do. So we will see.

I got back in the yard here at just after nine. Thankfully Carole had fed me a big bowl of strew which was very nice, not to mention welcome. Mum said again that she is going to get me a bed for my tractor then I needn't bother coming home!

"But mum, if I didn't come home I wouldn't ever get to see you which are my favourite parts of the day!"

She laughed and told me not be such a creep!