Hard Frost, Names and Oil Change

This time of year it is hard to remember that there was a hard frost about a week ago - hard enough for me to make ghost tracks on leaving the house in the morning.

It was gorgeous weather yesterday - perfect fall football weather for the University of Maine's homecoming game, and the team won!  We didn't go, but listened to part of the game on the radio.   I particularly like the band.

A hard frost should push me along to take care of chores that will be much less pleasant in colder weather, like trimming hooves or catching and worming someone.   But, I want to slow down and enjoy things when it is this pretty.

I was reading someone else's farm blog yesterday.   The writer referred to family members by obviously descriptive, made-up names like Farmer Man, Tall Kid, or something....probably to protect their privacy.  My family members don't want their names used either.   So, I mentioned this to my spouse, with examples, and asked what he'd like to be called.   He said "George" (not his name).    I said "that isn't the concept".   He said "George".

So, George and I were just out changing the oil and oil filters on the two tractors, and a few other things.   I hadn't changed the oil and filters before on the tractors, so wanted to learn.   I've changed the oil on a push mower, and held various funnels for various persons at various times but....I tend to handle food more, and George tends to handle machinery more, in general.

At this point, if you have been changing oil since you were 2 1/2 years old, stop reading.

Undertaking a new learning experience like this always seems to accentuate the differences between one and one's spouse.  I am very toxics-averse.   George eats toxics for breakfast.   Although we use organic practices on the farm, machinery requires lots of toxic stuff, like diesel and gas.  

My first victim is in the picture below.  I had just started the Agco Allis as George instructed, to warm up the engine so the oil would flow.   I also moved the tractor a bit out of the garage so we could breath.   I moved it back onto the cement floor before we changed the oil.

I unscrewed the oil plug over a funnel, that plugged into the top of a container for used oil, that was over an old kitty litter pan (our secondary containment system), which sat on a cement floor.

The funnel I used was too small for the large flow, so the funnel quickly overflowed and  I found myself half way up to my elbows in about a gallon and a half of pouring, dirty, used, oil.    Without commenting, George deftly swept in and rescued the oil plug and very small copper washer that goes with it, before I dropped them into the murky depths of the oily goo rapidly filling up the pan.

George:  "Oh, that happened to me too".

Me:   "And you didn't think to warn me?"

George:  "Why?"

He wasn't setting me up; it just didn't occur to him.   What is a little oil between oneself and one's tractor?

We have a refrain that we use on occasion, and it goes both ways...."who did you marry?"

End of process picture below.   I'd been planing to take some "during" photos, but the oil bath was not conducive.   The picture is of the pan that is for any last drips.  The pan is under the oil plug/filter, and on top of a garbage bag just in case of, I don't know, an earthquake.  It makes me feel better.

So...now I want to find a bigger pan for secondary containment because this one almost wasn't big enough....and a bigger funnel.   And, the pan doesn't fit under the John Deere so we need something better over there....doesn't have to be fancy....large, old baking pan?

Addendum

George read this post and commented that (1) we don't need a new pan and (2) "George" is for George Costanza.