Today has been one thing after another. First, our sheep ran off. Then we found the tractor with a flat tyre, and later it broke down completely. To top it off, there was an accident with our truck while it was towing the tractor. My morning started with strimming the paddock to clear out dock leaves since the tractor topper still isn't working. Charlie filled the truck with junk to take to the Hawick refuse tip. When we got back to Woodburn, we discovered the tractor tyre was flat again.
As usual, I followed Charlie in the truck until we left Woodburn. Then I parked and waited for him to catch up about halfway to Craik.
We brought both air pumps because we weren’t sure how long the tyre would stay inflated. The tractor had been running so well that it almost felt like someone had sabotaged us.
What are you up to, Léonie? I'm just waiting for my boyfriend to show up with his tractor.
I went on to Craik before Charlie had a chance to pass by.
I waited forty-five minutes, but Charlie never showed up. When I headed back, I found his tractor overheated about a mile from the Craik. This was the third bad thing to happen today, leaving me disappointed.
When I turned over the tractor’s transmission, it made a terrible noise. I just hoped the engine wouldn’t stop. We had removed the oil filter to check whether oil was circulating through the engine.
We went back to Woodburn Farmhouse to get a chain so we could tow the tractor.
I had a bad feeling about this from the beginning, and I was right. During the trip, the tractor rear-ended the truck, wrecking the rear door and shattering the window.
This was our fourth stroke of bad luck today, so much for bad luck only coming in threes. We really need a new car now. While we were at Craik, we got word that our missing sheep had been found at Craikhope outdoor centre. At least there was some good news.
Sheep always come running when they hear the crinkle of a plastic feed bag. Charlie herded them past our truck, circled around, and climbed in. We used the truck to guide the sheep back to their grazing fields.
Charlie didn’t like using the truck to herd the sheep, so she asked us to drive ahead and park it sideways to help guide them through the field gate. After about twenty-five minutes, the sheep showed up and walked into the field without much trouble.
Charlie and our friend fixed the gap in the fence where the sheep got out. While I waited, I noticed the midges aren’t as bad now as they were a month ago.
As we drove back to the farmhouse, we saw a rainbow over our paddock. The day had been awkward, but we decided not to let bad luck bring us down.