What I didn't realize was that the force of the water also eroded a large hole in the side of the yard. I proceeded to drive the tractor directly into the hole. The left front wheel went in with a thud and it was apparent I wasn't getting out until a certain weight-lifting son got home. He lifted the tractor out and we discovered that the wheel was bent. That meant I needed to put in a call to one of my peeps. If you look at my peep list on the sidebar, you'll see that R. F. Houtz is my tractor guy. "R" stands for Rob, I don't know what the "F" stands for. Here he is in his office.
'Out in the country we call this the "sit a spell" style of doing business.
They remodeled the showroom, pulling down the paneling and painting the walls in Cub Cadet blue and white. It's OK, I guess. He's brought back in some of his stuff, I see there's deer head on the wall but I miss the lamps and the mood lighting!
R.F. sent his crew out to pick up the tractor. It was back in no time and I'm back in the saddle. His fast service was indispensable in keeping me out of the business of making hay (dry grass).
Have you developed relationship with local business people that allow you to add them to your list of "Trusty Peeps"? Do you have peeps who help you grease the wheels of living day-to-day? Maybe you have a housekeeper....I could only wish I had someone like that.
So, let me know and make me green with envy over your wonderful peeps!
NOTE: I've got a terrific addition to my Peeps list that I will announce tomorrow. This entailed negotiations and everything!!
24 comments:
Glad to see your back in business!!!
Man, a garden tractor wreck...glad your peep fixed it so promptly.
We move so often now that I don't have many peeps anymore...but there are a slew of them back home. My parents are blessed with a long list of peeps that keep them and the ranch humming. Some of my favorites are their butcher, the jeweler and guys at the auction yard. Good people and good friends :)
I'm jealous. I have no peeps.
I mow a one acre lot, so I feel your pain with a wounded tractor! When mine is out of commission I feel lost!
I love your peeps and your stories. And right now I need one of your peeps because we found a leak in a pipe in our basment and fortunately it didn't ruin any carpet. It is in my husband's work area...or my-paint-something- and-dry-it-there area. Although instead of calling a plumber, I am sitting her reading about calling a plumber!
From one farmer's wife to another, just had to say 'hey' :) I mow about 3 acres so I totally can relate. We very often have to do the whole lawn sweeping thing, but then again I have a huge compost bin where we dump all the precious cargo to be converted into black gold for my gardens and flower beds.
Wow, that was great service! Around here, the only one I can depend on like that is my hubby. People can be notoriously slow at doing the easiest of tasks. (I need a rolling eye smiley to insert here!)
They say confession is good for the soul so here goes. I have a housekeeper. She comes every other week and cleans the bathrooms, vacuums, mops, dusts. She knows where my key is and comes even if I'm not here - that's how much I trust her and how much I'm willing not to miss my turn. When I was working I had her every week but since I'm retired I can keep up between times. There, I've confessed. Blessings, marlene
WE had a handyman who did great work - until it came to enlarging the closet door openings - he messed up really bad - hired a sub-contractor without my approval - made the openings 2" too short for the purchased doors (they were sitting right there for heaven's sake), got plaster all over the carpet and overcharged me - he is soooo fired.
We have a new contractor - he fixed the doors (wheww) so they fit, stained them and installed them, plus fixed a leak in the bathtub surround that was making one wall wet in the den and tightened up the grandson's swingset -all at a great price. I'll use him again.
We've tried to get a good housekeeper - seems you have to have a huge house and have it cleaned at least once, preferrably twice a week around here - and we just don't qualify. So I'm still doing the big stuff, but some day I'll find me one - a good one like I had when we lived in CA.
Good peeps is hard to find - and so valuable.
My reliable "helper peeps" are also my reliable "friend peeps"--is that an OK term? My close friends are always there to bail me out of all sorts of jams---from needing help in throwing a rehearsal dinner, to being my rocks of support during very hard times in my life, to bringing joy and laughter to me, AND recently to being the subject matter of a few blogs! Aside from my friends, my reliable "paid peeps" include an amazing car mechanic, a wonderful builder, a tremendous vet, and some awesome medical personnel. Looking forward to your latest Peep Addition!
Unfortunately I don't live in a place where reliable peeps are to be found. I envy you that. Though I have a housekeeper.
When I was a kid, I used to have to share mowing the lawn with my brother. First 2-1/2 acres, then 2 acres, then 3 acres. I would run the tractor into more places, get it stuck, damaged, whatever. My dad finally decided it was worth his time and money to not have me mow anymore! (My brother was mad!)
Leonardi's appliances out of Aurora. They have the best service dept ever. I can't tell you how many times I have called them and they are over within 2 hrs. Ask for Dan, he's the best. And this is not a paid advertisement.
Suzanne,
I am so glad you stopped by over at BellaDella. I just discovered your wonderful blog a few days ago. You are definitely right about the flatbed. The cart was bad enough yesterday! Check back tomorrow to see all the great stuff I got! Hope you have a wonderful afternoon.
Hugs,
Kim
BellaDella
Do you do it all, Suzanne? I mean really, it certainly does appear that way. Yes, I have peeps. I married the best one, but there are others. :D Speaking of which, I need to call and get an appointment for a wheel balance and front-end alignment. Thanks for the reminder.
(Oh, if you should win my giveaway, I have the perfect something for a gal buried in aprons.)
Oh, do I ever have peeps! It takes some, to earn my Peeplage, but, once you do, you will be forever my peeps. (Like you, even when you write about sewing;).
To name a few...
~Dave is my car dude
~Angel is my carpet dude
~Hortencia is my one hour a month house helper with her posse of two other girls who are The Other Hortencia and Phillipa
~ Mr.Schwanke is my beekeeper and purveyor of fine local honey
~ The Hertels are my farmers
~ And I had kids with the milkman. heehee. He never rings twice though. He lives here.
You lost me after "two acres of mowing...".
I don't know whether to be jealous of the land or in awe that you do the mowing. In either case - WOW! You're amazing!
I like the first verson of the office much better. It looks comfy and relaxing. Not all things 'modern' are better!!
Suzanne; glad to hear that your troubles are over. And that you are back in the saddle again. I know what you mean about the hay, our yard in one spot is like that and I have to rake it before my little baby dogie goes out to play. I would like to think I have some great peeps to count on. Have a great week.
Hugs;
Alaura
Hi Suzanne...no I don't have any peeps....I think I need to work on that.
Popping in to say Hello....
Hugs,
Robin
Oh, absolutely. Smitty, the owner of Thirkelville Lumber, is our go-to guy for most things. When we pulled down the wagon-wheel wall sconces from the panelled family room, it was Smitty who taught Mr. Thirkell to just use a couple paint-stirrers to patch the hole (instead of the wall-patch kit the guy at Lowes wanted to sell him). Smitty has stones, pipes, canning supplies, seeds, sand, and at least one of *everything "somewhere in the back." Smitty displays the Ten Commandments (carved in stone) outside the front door, always has lollipops for kids, and hopefully will live forever. :)
Last winter I found someone local to sand our driveway after the oil truck got stuck trying to make a delivery. Since we've moved to a rural area, it has been important to find local people to help; we lived in a city for 28 years and were always able to rely on neighbors.
I have a peep in our small town. His name is Ron and he runs a incredibly small hardware store in located on our old fashioned town square. While renovating a very old house, I would take him all matters of weird screws, fuses, hinges, etc...and that guy would go in "the back" and find an exact replacement. It was a miracle. I still use his store to this day.
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