A very interesting evening after a very interesting day. While most people spent the day with family and friends the day for me was spent with a Cat 130G motorgrader plowing snow. It was fun but the gearbox that causes the blade to rotate did not allow the blade to rotate and so…research.

Just spent a couple hours researching the circle drive housing and how to remove/replace/kick/scream/ and swear more than I  normally do…very satisfying.

If anyone ever reads the crap I write (and if you’re reading this then it means you’re reading this, or else having a really bad drug reaction to whatever drug you’re taking) you’ll start to notice I have a really fucked up imagination.

“Yeah, I noticed that turd breath. Not only a fucked up imagination but damn Robin, do you have balls or are you a just a little crybaby bitch?”

Hey parasite.

“Yeah?”

Merry Christmas.

“Oh go fuck yourself.” The parasite had binged on sweets, cheese, potato chips, monkey brains, and even partook of some tinned beef that was still in storage at the bottom of the sea in the ship, Titanic. So soon he/she/it was asleep and snoring.

Anyway, after hours of learning about a circle drive housing unit I have formulated some idea’s for tomorrows course of action 1. Use the weed burner to heat the bulky gear box as I feel water has/had formed in the gear oil with chunks breaking free and jamming the  screw gear and bull gear. Heat will melt any ice and if the theory is correct everything will work. But, being really, really familiar with Murphy’s Law it probably is mechanical so. 2. Test the hydraulic motor by removing it from the gearbox and seeing if the spindle turns. This would be the second best option as motors are easy to change. But again, Murphy’s Law so 3. Drain oil from gear box and inspect gears for broken metal pieces causing jam which then means either removing small pieces of metal or replacing the whole 367 pound piece of crap…

Of course #4 means: Light machine on fire after driving it off cliff and sing Christmas carols while roasting hot dogs. (what a wonderful dream)

It was a good day and if I get lucky it will snow like crazy tonight and I get to plow again tomorrow. I must say it is very soothing to watch the pristine white snow glide off the edge of the blade as it slices through the snow. Actually inspiring for a poem.

***

A Clean Slate

 

Clean Pristine

With silence falls

flakes frozen

white in day, black in night

and free.

 

Even and all with random breeze to still

level across what is what has been

covering everything.

 

So small in size with so many

until

mountains, prairie, life covered by such so serene.

 

Children slide and slip, melting frost to fall from brow, from mitten, upon smiling lip

Deer leap from hole to hole, white to replace brown, they disappear into scenery

Birds puff next to clumps of snow hanging on a wire, seemingly at peace.

 

Slicing through a road the edge of visible steel divides the world in two

With furling wave curling over, side to pile high, leaving visible a smooth trail

Then silence once more as the sounds of the machine fade.

Children go inside to warmth, deer bedded down for the

night, and birds still puffed, sleep.

 

Still falling with silence still

flakes frozen

white in day, black in night

and free…