New year, new tractor

 I've changed tractors.  I traded up by downsizing.  I sold the IH 424, 40 HP diesel with front end loader.

It was just too huge.  It scared me to drive it or use it since it was probably capable of knocking over my house if I turned too wide or didn't push the clutch in fast enough.  It also had 800 pound rear wheels - that's the weight of each wheel!  What the heck do you do if you get a flat???  I should have known it was too big, but how could more power be bad?  Well, when the rear wheels require a path that's over seven feet wide, that's too big.

The new tractor is way more reasonable.  It's a 4 wheel drive Massey Ferguson 1010.  It has less than 400 operating hours on it and looks like it's brand new.  It came with a front end loader, a 5' finish mower and a post hole digger.  It has a 3 cylinder, 16 HP diesel engine which is just adorable when compared to the monstrous engine in the IH.

The paint hasn't even been worn off the bucket.

It was for sale about a mile from here by a guy who is moving to North Carolina.  I bought it and drove it home - now that's convenient.  Even the CFO and Homestead Manager is pleased.  She didn't like it when I confessed that I was afraid of the IH. 

Bring on the spring!  It's time to start gardening!

Stevens' laws

Years ago my father instructed me in some of the laws the he recognized as valuable for a young man starting off in life.  I remember some, I've forgotten others and I've added my own to the list.  What follow are the current list of Stevens' laws (as compiled by yours truly) with explanations as necessary.

Stevens' laws

1. Never live west of work.  If you do you'll be driving into the sun in the morning and in the evening for several weeks out of the year.
2. You never have your own kids.  The kids always seem to have traits and interests of others in the family, you can always see more of somebody else in them.
3. If it's worth doing it's worth overdoing.  Why spend time almost doing something right when you can completely overdesign it with just a little more effort.
4. If it's not worth doing it's not worth doing right.  It's amazing how much time can be saved when frivolous tasks are done with a minimum of effort.
5. Every former homeowner is an idiot.  ...and someday you will be a former homeowner to someone.  No matter what you do, sometimes there is a shortcut to be taken, or the original reason for something is gone and what's left makes no sense.
6. Inside every project is an ever bigger project just waiting to get out.  No matter how much planning and research you do, the job will get bigger once you open it up and get a good look at it.  Sometimes it's because of Laws 3 or 5, but it's worst when it's due to law 4.  (This law was shamelessly lifted from Jan Slater).