Late evening, yesterday. I got off from the parts store at five, then I went to the farm shop. My plan the entire week was one day, any day, I would bring the little International truck to a local shop to have an oil leak checked out and to have an annual inspection done. Before I could drive the truck, I purchased a single trip permit to make it legal to drive, but more importantly, I needed to weld some mud flap hangers for the rear mud flaps.

The previous day I had intended to bring the truck back to Abilene, but I had failed to get to the county tax collectors to do the permit. I almost decided to roll the dice and take the truck anyhow, without the permit or the rear mud flaps. I got to doing the math if I got stopped, $111 for expired registration, $111 for expired annual inspection, $141 for equipment violation (mud flaps), and I decided while my luck has been good lately, I had better not tempt the spirits that be! I left the farm shop in my pickup, hit U.S. Hwy 84 and before I got to Roscoe I met a D.O.T. Officer.

Whew!

I had made plans with Trc to pick me up and drive me from the shop to the house. As is usual, Trc was busy with one of the girls after school activities. Yesterday it was Kat and softball. Although I had to wait a while, Trc got me to the house. It turned out the ball game was late starting because their umpire was called to another game.

My day yesterday was pretty good. Especially at the parts store. Traffic was steady, sales were good.

The only glitch was a phone call I got shortly before my lunch hour. It was Jason's truck driver Kenny.

"Can you come to the farm shop?", he asked.

I told him it would be a short while before I could take my lunch and I could come then.

"I have a situation I need your help with", he said.

I made further inquiry and he continued.

"I was loading pieces of a wrecked trailer to haul off for scrap when a piece hung as I backed the truck under it. Before I realized it, the forklift was leaning, going on its side. I don't know how to get it set back up", he said.

This forklift has had a hard life. It was a refurbished machine fifteen years ago when it was purchased to handle the little gin at the former seasonal work. It had made the transition from St. Lawrence to Coyonosa, to the farm, but not without being thrown off a trailer while in transit. Insurance had actually totaled the machine out but we purchased it back, and Hag and the farm help rebuilt it. It was more than adequate for the needs on the farm.

I was in new territory. Thankfully, I have never had a machine turned over during the seasonal work.

When I arrived, it was evident Kenny had been trying to get the forklift righted. If he had been successful, I don't know if anyone would ever know about the incident. But he wasn't. After studying the situation, I decided we needed another forklift. I offered to drive him to town to pick up one of the JBK Manufacturing's big machines, but he told me he would have to take the forklift back. I told him I was going to run a couple of errands and pickup some items and I would meet him back there in an hour. During the time away, I put together a plan in my mind.

When I returned, Kenny and I went over the possibilities. I explained to him how the big counter weight on the rear of the forklift mounts and is secured, and also how it is more than half the weight of the machine. I told him I thought it was paramount that the way we chained to the machine, one chain had to be over the top of the counter weight where it would induce the machine to roll toward being up right. We decided on another location for the front chain.

Kenny took the forklift and helped get the process started, then I slowly backed away on the farm tractor I had hooked the chains to, and the forklift slowly righted.

I told Kenny to let it sit, just in case oil had seeped around the rings and on top of the pistons. The last thing we needed was to save the forklift and break the engine.

Luckily, by days end, the forklift was running as if nothing had happened.

Everyone needs to catch a break like that once in a while!

Well, have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU for YOUR blessings, big and small!