Hugh McKay

Where is Hugh ? On vacation? Been awful quiet the past few day's. Cheers, Murray

Hugh, have you taken a vacation back to Nova Scotia?
I was going to be in the London, ON area for next couple days, Wed. Aug. 5,6, leaving the 7th.

Hoping Hugh and his good wife would have time for a coffee with me and my wife.

Hugh, if you can make a coffe somewhere at your choice, send me an email at [email protected].

JimB

Murray: Wasn't much of a vacation. You know how we Maritimers say "there is no fool like an old fool." Back about two weeks ago, my good friend, and sometimes employer, Tony asked me if I would row crop cultivate 35 acres of cabbage with my 140. Bear in mind he offered me damn good money. I had also just bought a pickup load of cultivator shanks and blades. I say blades as these things are angled knives that run about 1" under the surface. Course I was just dieing to try those out. I set these up front and rear for two 34" rows, widened the little tractor out to 68" wheel tread. I spent more time getting ready than it took to cultivate the cabbage. The cabbage was also 100 KM from home.

Well it rained 2" every second day since until Fri. Finally yesterday morning it was dry enough. Southern ON was calling for rain again tonight, so it had to be done quick, those damn lamb's quarters weren't taking a vacation. You guessed it 11 hours in seat of 140 yesterday, 10 hours today. The 140 may be as good as it ever was, but this old carcass sure ain't. Good part it's over and all done. Bad part the lamb's quarters got such a head start in all that rain, it isn't all going to die with one pass. You guessed it, I'll be back there next week. Been 4 years since I spent 10 hours in a tractor seat two days in a row, and that was a 350 hp air conditioned Deere. 140 does not have all those comforts.

Jim: No better place for a coffee than right here at 2668 Katesville Drive, just west of Strathroy off the Melbourne Rd. We have two 70' rows of Gladioli and one of Sweet Peas. I'm sure Mrs. Brownlee will leave with a bouquet.

Jim,

This is fair warning: You will have the time of your life if you stop to see Hugh and Marj.

We stopped to see them last fall enroute on a trip to eastern Canada, and had a wonderful time looking at his old iron and their big garden. Then to top it off Marj makes excellent coffee and a snack (I can't think of what it was called) that was delicious.

They are what us midwesterners call people like that "the salt of the earth".

This year we're going west following the Missouri River and it's too bad Hugh and Marj are not on our way again.

Hey Hugh: You should arrange to host some sort of get-together next Sept. at St. Thomas for the plowing matches. We'll listen to your stories of your Musquodoboit days. I'll be there.

LA in WI

Oops, I forgot to add that Murray and Carol are another fine couple to visit with in Nova Scotia. He's got a Ferguson that is a dandy. They made us feel like old friends.
LA in WI

I have a whole slew of the same shanks you are speaking of. We used them for many years cultivating tomatoes and sugar beets... Mine have seen better days...

Lowell: Jim B and his good wife found us. We talked about many of the same tractor things you and I did. What we didn't get into unlike you and I, were topics about the local clergy, catching us red handed drinking beer in the 1950s. Don't think Jim is enough younger not to remember those days.

Hugh and Marj, we had a great time visting you.
Wish we had more time, we could have discussed drinking beer and not getting caught by the OPP in the 1960s. Better becareful what I say on here or I will be getting a visit from the OPP just like the people that posted the video on Utube of a 7 year old driving a car in the rain.

Thanks again for the coffee and snacks
Jim and Clara

Jim: It was a pleasure, I'll send an e mail.

Lowell: Marg. advises if your invitation brings forth more than 50 guests, she'll be placing an apron and chef's hat on you, persenting you with barbecue tools and necessary other equipment. Personally I think it is one hell of an idea. Should we reserve the Strathroy Motor Inn? With the amount of tractor talk expected, I suppose we could sit out under the trees all night. Hell I could even host you if you bring motor homes.

Hugh, I didn't mean you had to host a get-together at your place, I meant in the St. Thomas area. I admit your place would be neat but putting cooking tools in my hands is very detrimental to anyone's health. My cooking lessons came from that famous slogan "When it's smoking it's cooking, when it's burning it's done".

Other readers: The International Plowing matches will be held Sept 21-25, 2010 near St. Thomas, about 2 hrs east of Detroit. Website is www.ipm2010.com.

Hugh, how about we arrange for a bunch of us to stay at a local St. Thomas motel? I plan to spend at least 2 days there watching how they plow "seriously". Judging by the size of this event, I think we need to reserve a block of rooms someplace by December...maybe earlier?

while there, I want to learn more about Jumbo the elephant colliding with a Grand Trunk locomotive.

Lowell

Lowell: You did give me quite a opportunity to hit you hard on your cooking ability. Not that I have any room to brag, I do boil water decently, providing I don't watch it boil.

It wouldn't surprise me if your already too late on St Thomas. St Thomas doesn't have a lot of facilities. I think London would be a better bet. We're talking St Thomas roughly 35,000 pop and London well over 400,000. I haven't cheched the exact location but it could be as close to London as St Thomas. Back in 2002 Glencoe some 20 miles out of London, hosted the match. At that time most folks stayed in London.

Even if you come to Strathroy, your still only 30 min from the plowing match. Strathroy Motor Hotel is an excellent facility and will be less expensive than London. I am open to a sizable outdoor cookout here some evening, and no, Marg. won't give you the cooking tools.