Thursday 2nd October 2025
I’ve had quite a different sort of day today. It began over breakfast when Dad said that we had two loads of grain going out and asked if I’d like to have a go at loading them up. At first I wasn’t sure. Part of me would have rather stuck with the cultivator, which I know and enjoy, but then I thought that since I’d never done it before, maybe it was time to learn. So, with a little hesitation but also a bit of curiosity, I agreed.
It helped that the trucker wasn’t some complete stranger. Dad and Eric know Kev well, so when he rolled into the yard just before eleven, everything was relaxed and good-natured. Even so, my nerves were jangling. Don’t ask me why—I just get that way with new things.
Dad had already disappeared off, but Eric stayed close by for the first bit, making sure I was getting the hang of it. Kev was brilliant too, calling out helpful advice. For instance, from inside the loader you can’t really tell how full the trailer is, so Kev was my eyes on the ground, while Eric had already given me a rough number of buckets to aim for in each section. To my relief, it all worked out exactly right.
When I was done, I was all set to head back to the house to see Mum, but as I asked Kev what time he’d be back for the second load, he surprised me by inviting me to ride along to the mill with him. Just for the experience, he said. Well, I rather liked the sound of that. Mum gave her blessing—though not without tossing in a warning about “no funny business”! I wasn’t entirely sure what she meant, but I let it pass saying, "Don't worry mum, I'm not feeling in a funny mood today."
Climbing up into the truck cab was like stepping into another world. The first thing I noticed was how limited the view was compared with my tractor. I’m used to seeing almost everything around me—360 degrees, up and down—but in the truck, my field of vision was halved at best, with so much depending on the mirrors. From where I was sat, I could only see maybe ten or twenty yards ahead. Kev, being taller, probably had a clearer view, but still—it gave me a new respect for the skill involved. Not that he seemed to struggle; he drove with an easy confidence.
The trip turned out to be great fun. Kev kept up a steady stream of explanations about the truck and what he was watching for on the road, which made the whole ride feel like a lesson as well as an adventure. And then he treated me to dinner—nothing fancy, just a Coke and a burger from a roadside stall—but it felt like the perfect finishing touch. He joked that he knew how to spoil a girl, and I laughed.
By the time we got back, it was time to load him up again, and then I waved him off with thanks before heading straight into the summer house for afternoon tea with Mum. After the rattle of the truck and the roar of the road, the quiet clink of teacups in the soft light felt especially comforting—like settling back into the heart of home after a small adventure.
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