Wednesday, October 12, 2011

The rearing iron horse

When I wrote RATS BATS AND VATS - and made a small elderly vineyard tractor a 'hero' (dying a noble death too) I really didn't mean to inspire my friend Peter. He has a very elderly tractor called the foine wee beastie in its honor - and every fitting for it known to man and several not seen in polite society very often. Nym would be proud of him. It has a set of forks too, which have been invaluable in emptying his container... well, except that would be too boring, no? So he's added an obstacle course (of very useful 'things' - honestly the guy even gives me a run for my money as a junk collector. He had some very neat little gear boxes he's brought with him from dejunking their factory... They are neat... but... I asked him what he was going to DO with them on Flinders. He said he didn't know, but they were too good to throw away... I suggested they'd work as long-line anchors. He was not amused. I thought they might get used for braining brainless authors) and a steep slope... and some VERY heavy cabinets full of tools and stuff. We wheeled the cabinets onto the pallets and then moved them with the forks... until the uphill, and the 'foine wee beastie' was up on its back wheels (no, it's not going to flip. The forks and load are behind. But they're likely to slide off, if you go forward. And then there were the tall cabinet toppling sideways (arrested by some rock-climbing knots. I ended up belaying it to keep it upright.) Anyway with only minor disaster (a drawer that opened at an angle and showered the countryside in screws)we succeed. And we found the missing Olive oil. The tin suffered a goodly dent...Another few millimeters of pressure and it would have added 4 liters of oil to our adventures, and trust me, they needed no extra help!

Anyway I made 3rd night leftovers with the rest of the turkey - meatballs with chili, garlic, ginger, x-o sauce, and egg, breadcrumbs and part-cooked fine chopped onion - fried and the briefly sauteed in some coconut milk. Very good. Worth getting to leftover stakes for!

3 comments:

  1. Now that is something that sounds like it ought to have been photographed and uploaded to some site like http://thereifixedit.failblog.org/

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  2. I agree with Francis, and wish it taken further.

    You often describe a meal. Being an avid fan of cooking shows, and a bush pygmy by upbringing and the Boy Scouts, I would love to see a photo of the meals you so elegantly describe.

    I would never be able to eat them, they so often include ingredients which lead to me being unconscious on the floor, but a photo would enable my vicarious pleasure.

    Dave Freer, multitalented cook, hunter gatherer beyond peer, who writes stories so he can purchase better fishing gear. :-)

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  3. Ian - I'd need a headcam, permanently on. Most of the things I end up describing have no free hands. Much of my food is designed to look ordinary and be special - not much to photograph.

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