I was stoked, steamed actually, to attend the Emerald City Steampunk Expo. I'd been looking forward to it for weeks. Unfortunately, work and money did not favor my idea of fun.
So, when I went home, I had a chip on my shoulder. I was greeted at the door by my kids and my beagle, which was heartwarming, sure, but I was really gruff with the missus. I was exceptionally grumpy, so I did what I always used to do when I was a difficult teen: I set something on fire.
It needed done because the trash pickup didn't happen this week. We had 120 gallons of trash and another 100 gal. to come this week with no where to go--so it was worthwhile on that practical note.
Even more, added value, I was soon to discover, was that the contagion of fire-tending was more amusing to my kids than a trip to Disneyland. The four of us had a blast burning trash for hours. Even papa joined in. I was able to teach the boys about how fire spreads, how it can be suffocated, how a can of pop, never opened, will open itself when it gets hot enough to blow.
No, not environmentally friendly. No, not something I'd do every day or suggest in particular to anyone else...but for me and my house, at that moment, it was practical, affordable, educational, and...almost fun.
Then, the next day I was trying (again) to get my old Farmall tractor started. I've now invested about 5 hours in the effort, and I'm getting angry. The boys all three spent time on the tractor and pickup, treating them like a jungle gym. They'd come and go, visit with me, ask a few questions, then go play on hay bales (today, a ship crossing to Narnia). They'd stop by once in a while to ask me what this lever did or why that thingy shot sparks. They were impatient, not understanding why daddy couldn't just fire it up and give them a hay rack ride. Neither could I. I found myself getting gruff, curt, and, okay, likely downright rude. I've skinned knuckles. I've spent too much time on something that should be so damn easy. I'm just about to the tool throwing, foot stamping part of my version of mechanics when I hear a high squealing giggle.
I leave the pickup 'jump-cabled' to the tractor to charge the battery a bit (I know, not effective) and I follow the laughter.
My boys are in the pig pen.
You'd think it was the big birthday party game extravaganza all over again, just by the noise and commotion. The two boys were running from the two little pigs, then alternately chasing the pigs. Carson, in a moment of bravery, straddled one pig in hope of riding it, but he was bucked off. All of us were laughing like we'd not laughed in weeks (and we laugh a lot). I laughed like a chain smoker. I laughed like I was stoned. I laughed 'til I cried, coughed, ultimately got hiccups from laughing!
Of course, you had to be there, to see the abject terror on the kids' faces when being pursued. You had to be there to see one of them squealing and squirming when he fell and the pigs nuzzled all over him, tickling him. You had to be there to see that 1-second pig ride that will never make it to a rodeo.
And I was there.
And I had fun.
And that's the moral of this story. Whether it's burning trash or watching a pig rodeo, fun is to be had. I had fun because I was there to share those priceless, silly, seemingly-insignificant moments with my boys.
No, I didn't get to go to the Expo, or a movie, or even on a date with my wife. I don't have money to even rent a movie right now, but that's okay. We watch old VHS Disney movies in the basement. We wrestle during the boring scenes and break for snacks now and again.
In ways, we don't have much, but in ways that matter, we've got it all.
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4 comments:
What is your tractor doing? My son is pretty good at working on those old tractors. Maybe he can give a clue as to what is wrong. What are its symptoms Dr?
Oh, and the fun times sound like book material.
It's largely just down to the battery now--I'm too cheap to replace it and I'm struggling to make it work. The belt on the cobbled-together alternator was VERY hard to replace, but I managed that. Just takes time.
DS resells old tractor parts. I know they can be expensive. I take it that it ran before the battery woes. DS once replaced the clutch in a Farmall and then ten minutes later the magneto died. Not kidding.
Good luck on the tractor. They are handy to have around. Lived for 25 years without one and now that DS has a couple they certainly do take the work out of many jobs. Especially if they have a loader.
Have a good one
I hope the battery fixes it. Tractors are handy things to have around, especially if they have a loader. Never had one till DS got into them. Now I would hate to be without one. DS resells old tractor parts, matter of fact he is parting out a Farmall of some sort right now. Old parts can be expensive. Good luck on the tractor.
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