YOU SCRATCH MY BACK,ILL.......

[escavader]

Just a little story about friends with tractors.In 1990 i made friends with an older couple whom were neighbors with my inlaws,who all live about 40 miles from my home..My wife and i were making plans to build an extensive addition to our home.Even though HARRY,and i just met,he wanted to help,and he came with my father in law each day to help He even took a week off from his job to help..What a friend he has become.I help him on his construction projects,our homes,we each have helped each other build nice camps,there has never been any end to lending a hand to each other.Its hard to figure out how a guy in his 70s and me in my 40s are such good friends.If we are not building we are riding atvs with the family.Hes like a dad,thats why we call him HARRY DAD.
His little old two cylinder case tractor has done so much for me.From spreading gravel for a new round turn drive,to grating an elevated back lawn,too a swimming pool pad,the little case and my friend have been a life saver.He told me of how he bought it in the early 70s,and of how handy and how nice it was to own it.Well he convinced me a year or so ago,and i bought my BX-23.
So any way, Harry and his wife,now retired for 5 years or so,go south for winters,to avoid the cold and heavy snow of the mountanous area they live in up here in MAINE.They usually return in mid APRIL after most of the snow in their driveway is gone.
Well i get a call from him on wednesday night.His grandson is very ill,and in intensive care at a local hospital.He asks' Would you be available to hire to go and clean out my drive way'[ They live along side the road,and there was 3and a half feet of frozen snow bank,in front of their home,as well as a foot,in the rest with an ice skating rink base]I replyed " of course i will,ill have it done before the weekend for you" He then says" I wont let you do it un less i can pay you.Can you believe it !!!PAY ME !!!! I JUST ABOUT IMAGINE!!!!! I told him that we would square up when he got home[i lied to avoid an arguement]
Well i took a vacation day friday,in the remenents of the snow storm,loaded up and went up and did it.Hes got about a twenty foot banking now 8 feet high,off to the side,plenty of room for the large RV,and his cars.I was so happy to finally,do some tractor favor for him after all hes done for me.I dont consider it payback,friends dont pay each other back,or worry about it,they only help each other.I would love to see the expression on his face when he sees all that snow stacked up,and a bonus... I plowed his back drive out,so he could get too his truck,and his little case tractor. The reason im telling you this is that the feeling i have tonite for this old man,and to be able to do this deed ,is more payment that money ever could.So HARRY ,when you read this ....PAID IN FULL MY FRIEND!!!!
ALAN

 

[Jstpssng]

You actually have SNOW there? I was working down around Mt Blue last week, even on the high ground I didn't want my snowshoes. That storm Thursday night was a real PITA though, after having October weather all winter I really didn't want to deal with it. (Nor did a lot of other people... the sirens were going past my motel room in Farmington all night long.)

Doesn't it feel great when you can actually give something back for a change? Sometimes (Most of the time?) it's easier to give than to recieve; when I help someone out I always tell them that I don't keep score, (I don't... unless YOU'RE helping ME), yet it took me a long time to realise that the best form of appreciation sometimes is an honest "Thank You."

On a similar note you may have a tough time turning down money from your friend without hurting his feelings, despite all the times he's done the same for you.

 

[RonR]

Well Done!

 

[escavader]

JSTPASSING,
If you were working aroung Mt blue,you were right near my camp.Its on mt blue pond ,i was up there in the late afternoon ,cutting wood.Ankle deep at the most,but the banks were two feet. If you stayed in FARMINGTON,you were about 3 miles from my home.Give me a yell when your in town,and we can do lunch and talk tractors!!Harrys home is up in MADRID.,they had some big bankings,from not being plowed all winter,and a couple of storms in the last week,left a foot in behind them.I had to keep my foot on the differential lock,it was glare ice underneath it all
ALAN

 

[MossRoad]

Very nice story. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif It reminded me of when my wife and I got married.

We bought a house from a relative's estate and there was a little old couple that lived in the house next to us. The first day I was there they immediately invited us over to talk. He found out I liked to fish and so did he. We hit it off right away. Over the next 11 years, I'd snowblow his sidewalk, drive and alley in the winter and when I came home from work in the summers my lawn would be mowed. There'd be a case of fruit on our back doorstep, and by the time my wife could make some of it into a pie, she'd take it over to them and they'd have a pie already waiting for us. Ben and I went fishing a few times and once in a while my wife and I would go for rides with them on the weekends and just drive around in the country and stop at parks and talk. Old Ben passed away suddenly after we knew him about 8 years. My wife came home as they were wheeling him out to the ambulance. She comforted Irene until her daughter arrived. After a couple months, Irene moved in with her daughter and sold the house to her grandson and his wife. We would see Irene occasionally and she lived another 5 years or so and fought a courageous battle with cancer. I still miss them to this day.

I recommend to anyone with elderly neighbors to strike up a conversation with them, find some common interest and listen to their stories. Gain some wisdom from them and just enjoy their company. Someday you will be old, some young kids will move in next to you and you'll know how they feel. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Jstpssng]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( If you stayed in FARMINGTON,you were about 3 miles from my home. )</font>
My brother is out on the Lucy Knowlton road. I was going to go see him Thursday night but the way the roads were I didn't go anywhere.
We're Rangeley bound later on this week, hopefully the weather will cooperate. (I'll be a passenger... my truck is going in for repairs after numbing a turkey last week.)

 

[billbill1]

When the payment arguement starts, what I found works is tell them OK you pay me the same amount that you would charge me for doing the same for me. They know that they wouldn't charge you a dime. Also, tell them that it would take away the good feeling that you got for doing something for someone that means as much as they mean to you.

 

[scott_vt]

Goodman Alan,
My neighbor up the road from me is the same kind of guy! He lets me keep my Massey in his barn and helps me out all the time. The last time I was there I was driving the Massey down to my property to cut up a downed tree along my south hedgerow, well I never made it, the tractor died between my place and his. I had some water in the fuel, spelled ice /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif He helped me get the tractor back to the barn. Today he calls me to let me know that I managed to get air in the lines /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif but between himself and my other neighbor, who is a sheep farmer they got the old girl up and running /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Its good to have friends like that /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Job well done on your part!

scotty

 

[AB4D]

[I recommend to anyone with elderly neighbors to strike up a conversation with them, find some common interest and listen to their stories. Gain some wisdom from them and just enjoy their company.]

Good Advice,

I moved to the country last year and met Ralph, my neighbor down the road, (83 year old widower). He's been fighting the usual ailments of old age, so he dosen't like to spend much time at home alone, therefore, he stays up at his girlfriend's house most of the time. However, when he is home, I always enjoy visiting his place and talking to him. He has lived in my area most of his life and talking to him is like opening a rare history book and farming book full of facts and knowledge. If I have any questions concerning land care, Ralph usually has the answer. Many people just don't realize the value of knowledge that our elderly citizens have obtained through their life experiences. When you can rely on the elderly to teach younger folks, both age groups win, because the younger folks get valuable information, and the elderly get to feel the pride that comes from still being able to give a helpful hand.

Jim

 

[escavader]

Nice storys guys.
JSTPASSING,
Iwould say your brother lives close.Ask him if he knows where the old ARCHER FARM is in north chesterville.Im right next door.You confused me with the road name.There is the LUCY KNOWLES[part of rt 156] road and the KNOWLTON CORNER road.Both are close.Ive lived in the area all my life,i probably know him,or know his face.We aint got much snow here do we.When you were referring to MT BLUE you must have been talking about the HIGH SCHOOL not the mountains.Watch the roads from PHILLIPS to MADRID they are terrible rough.When you go up rt 4 and go through the village HARRYS IS THE 3RD on the right on the river,youll see the snow bankings,and the rv in the yard.
ALAN