He's into the 2nd cut of the year ... so full-on down at the
farm - dawn til dusk ... but daughter is moving back from Victoria to work (as
part of her Uni course - heavy machinery!) ...
 |
| Walking down to get post ... we're above the Trans Canada Highway |
... not a problem you'd think - but has acquired a free
upright piano, which needs to be brought 'up island' ... please: Mum and Dad
help!
 |
| Scratching heads time! |
Her friends, who were her 'moving-in movers' - refused to
help second time around - and we could see why!
She roped in three friends, a father and a brother ... mother drove, I
went along for the ride (and of course experience and knowledge for a post ...)
 |
| Ready to go ... |
Have farm, have cows mainly, chickens lots, turkeys some, have
trailers various and horses (for carriage riding) - so far three, ... two foals
shortly on their way ... two dogs and a new puppy ...
 |
| 3rd day at home ... |
... Rex Murphy (9 weeks now), has had some experiences since
he arrived Thursday 7th June ... had a reconnaissance LandRover Meet visit, next
day went to the two-day LandRover Meet - 50+ people up at the other
grandparent's house ...
 |
| Not 'THE landrover - that is yellow' - this is a special one ... don't ask me more! |
... with son (his owner) he's been to school (in a LandRover!)
- geology, free periods 2, a hike - not sure what happened there, but suspect
he simply didn't go ... having an afternoon nap instead ...
... day before his school visit - he joined in with the
piano removers ... and off we all went to Victoria ... daughter and friends in
car, mother and the rest in a flat bed with an empty horse trailer awaiting the piano!
Right - back to the piano movers ... it was heavy! They man-handled it into the trailer ... not
easily - but it was done ... we saw a raccoon, a deer in the locality ... the
puppy was pretty good - eating anything that was around: attempted to discourage.
Heave-ho ... now it was late for the farmer, the kids, the
working kids, who'd been roped in, the puppy - who coped, mother who encourages
all ... me I just watched in contented amusement.
 |
| As it was in the 1950s - now it has some two lane bits and dual carriageway - it's a rotten road to drive up and down to Victoria - but obviously when there aren't crashes saves lots of time |
We toddled back up the Malahat (a monstrous 'pile' of
granite - not high 1,100 feet [325m]) ... that has been 'chiselled' away so that the Trans Canada Highway
could be cut through it ...
 |
| From the top overlooking Saanich Inlet |
... fish and chips was closed ... so on to the local pizza
place - people needed feeding ... or a glass of wine/beer/cider! ... puppy had
access to some water ...
 |
| Camping out at the Meet |
... but the funniest thing was as we got up to go ... and
puppy was untied, he stepped a few feet onto the tarmac and widdled, and
widdled, and widdled ... we all stood about laughing - brilliant puppy is all I
can say: he's star! He's also going to be one big dog ...
 |
| This is in England - windrows of hand-scythed hay |
Tis Father's Day - happy days to all and sundry - we have
the most glorious clear blue sky ... this farming father is out there on a
machine turning his cut grass to dry off before baling ... and I feel like
being outside for a change ...
 |
| Father volunteered! |
Have daughter, who has heavy piano, have horse trailer, have
co-erced family and friends! ... and one puppy to amuse - got piano home, now on
a pallet - to be moved more easily in future!!
(There's a baby grand in the house ... for the musicians to use - mother
and daughter, certainly).
 |
| About 50 at the LandRover meet ... it was cold - thankfully this weekend we have wonderful weather |
Have a fun weekend - mind you mine is just starting ... some
of you are almost into Sunday ... happy days to one and all ...
Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories
51 comments:
Hopefully if I tick the email follow up comments to me - I'll get your comments into gmail and know that you've kindly been commenting ... test run = this is ... Have wonderful weekends and thanks in advance for reading and commenting.
LOL! I remember helping to move an upright piano ... into storage in an old fort. Down stairs and along narrow corridors. Yes, they are heavy to move!
I see you're trying to work around Blogger's sudden absence of email comment notifications. Hope it works.
Definitely in to Sunday here.
Smiled my way through this busy, hardworking post. And would have smiled even more at the emptying of the bucket bladder.
Are these friends of yours? Sounds like a busy time was had by all.
You brought to mind that Gerald Durrell story about the family's time in Corfu, when he got two puppies. Which he prompted named, "Widdle and Puke"
Babies will be babies. :-)
@ Ian - this was cumbersome (or looked it - as I didn't lift a finger!). I have done some moving things in my time ... but not a piano.
Blogger - yes if one comments first and ticks the send emails to me box ... then the comments come 'tumbling' in! = four so far!
@ EC - I thought I hit Sunday as it gets to 4.00pm here; the bucket bladder was a long haul ... poor lad - mind you - he's grown in five days ... can bounce down the stairs now ... front feet one at a time, back feet jump down to follow - and they're steep stairs.
@ Sue - yes these are my cousins, I'm up with the farmer's mother making sure she is ok at 90 - it's needed. Long story though ...
@ Jz - you're right babies will be babies ... but he waited - three hours probably ... one down to Victoria, one while we fiddled and faffed and pulled and pushed!, and then one back to the pizza feeding stop ... he even waited while we ate!
Brilliant names ... Widdle and Puke - babies/puppies ... you are right ...
Thanks so much - glad you're enjoying this farming Father's Day post - cheers Hilary
Piano moving... Eeek. Sounds like quite the trip.
Oh, so that's how to fix the Blogger email snafu... If only I didn't schedule my posts to when I'm asleep...
Hari om
What a delightful interlude... for the voyeurs!!!
...and not necessary to self-comment, just tick the notify me/email me box...unless your having the 'pop out' version makes this different?
YAM xx
It made for an amusing afternoon for you while they wrangled that piano!
Might have been amusing for Hilary, but I bet the participants weren't laughing much. Love the puppy.
Oh my - is that piano at its final resting place now? Those are a bear to move, for sure.
Lovely post. Cute pup!
Quite a Father's Day weekend for you. Moving a piano requires more reward than pizza and beer, that's for sure. My weekend has been quiet. I chatted with my father. Ray's off camping with youngest son. All good. Cheers to you and family
Oh there is so much to say about this post, Hilary. 1) moving the piano reminds me of moving a massive desk we have installed in my office. I don't know how we'll ever get it out. Weighs a ton--had to remove the door frames, too. 2) piano removers--clever that. But who wouldn't go through all that trouble for a piano 3) friends who wouldn't help a second time? Yeah, I understand that 4) puppy!! Darling 5) love Land Rovers. We had one for the kids because they're so darn sturdy 6) wonderful post!
@ Liz - it was a fun trip ... all I can say I was glad the Malahat didn't have a crash on it! Yes and Yam below mentions you don't even need to leave a comment ... so I'll try that on my next post. Perhaps re-schedule? You'll work something out ...
@ Yam - yes it was fun .. thanks for the note re just ticking the box - it'll work I'm sure, even in this mode ...
@ Alex - it was evening after the workers finished their work and we hoped the Highway would be clear ...
@ Jo - they seemed to be ok with it ... and had supper - at that age, they do and absorb and move on; for brother and father - it's part of their life ... as too daughter with the heavy handling course!
@ Lynn - no, the piano is being stored til she moves and wants it taken to the new flat (as I say - apartment/house as you're likely to say) - but it's on a pallet now so easier to move around ... thanks re the pup - boy has he grown in less than a week!!
@ Joanne - it was a Monday ... start of a working week - poor farmer Dad was working out what fields he needed to cut and get dry ... as the weather didn't look too hopeful at the start of the week - we didn't have much rain ... and the weekend has turned really hot ... Well they're kids ...and all the adults wanted was something to eat, drink and bed!
@ Jacqui - thanks so much ... no wonder you're so organised with your 'massive desk' - hopefully you're not moving for a while?! Perhaps it'll stay - time will tell. 2) Friends usually help, don't they ... not sure if three of them played! 3) Certainly first lot stayed away ... 4) that Puppy is going to be enormous!! I hope he remembers his lap and carrying days ... as he'll be working the floor area in future!! 5) LandRovers are the thing here ... especially for the son - the family love rattling around in them - up and down the mountains looking at old mining areas etc ...
6) - thank you ... made a fun one to write up ...
Cheers to you all - happy end of Father's Day weekend ... going to be another stunning day here - so nice to have the decent weather at last!! All the best and thanks for your comments - Hilary
Ha ha, you could probably make a sitcom out of this!
What a cute puppy.
It sounds like a lot of effort but at least the piano was moved.
Those fields of hay remind me of being in the hayfield as a child. Wonderful smell :)
Piano moving is guaranteed to test the nerves - well done everyone involved. Have a great weekend Hilary.
It sounds as if it was all good-humoured fun, Hilary, and bless that puppy. What a little trooper! Lovely post of life on the farm. Can we have more like this? :)
Too late to say they make a special dolly to move pianos. Had to hand carry one up 3 flights of stairs to hear a seminar with Jackson Brown, but was a lot younger.Left my last upright with the house. LOL
@ Anabel - over the years I've a few of these ...and I know I could elaborate ... extended family life ...
@ Diane - that puppy is cute now ... but shortly will be one hefty young dog - he's a delight: landed with his bum in the butter, me thinks! I think it was a lot of effort - but thank goodness they managed ... it was got in, so had to be got out ...
@ Fil - yes I know I meant to mention the baled hay smell as I walk down the drive ... very laundrymatty (that's not good spelling - oh well!) ... fresh though, not false fortunately. Glad it brought back happy childhood memories for you ...
I bet you've done lots of that sort of moving over the years ... they did do well - not sure if they'll offer to help again!
@ Val - it was all very good humoured - which made it more pleasurable. That puppy is going to be on big puppy soon - huge feet and growing apace!! Should see him bouncing down steep stairs ... front legs one in front of the other, the back two are jumped down ... fun to watch!
Life at the farm - I probably could do more ... but it's not easy to get there - I have to get in a car to drive over the road ...it's the Highway between us ... so I'm up here and occasionally catch up ... well a few days each week. I'm sure there'll be more farm days now the sunny weather has turned up - at last!
@ Steve - have farming Dad with heavy lifting stuff and horse trailer ... grab friends and brother ... with mother (who has the horses) to tow and drive ... and it's done! I'm sure there are ... but no cost was involved this way ... and Mum and Dad paid for supper! Crumbs ... three flights of stairs - now that's some heaving! Can quite understand leaving the upright behind ...
Cheers to you all - BBQ coming up, but the weather is getting hazy ... and happy rest of Father's Day - Hilary
Finding people to be free movers can be easy or hard mostly hard for me although it was May 88 when we last moved, although our girls have moved a few times
Nice story. Wow. That is a really curvy road!
Girl you are always so crazy busy. Hope this comment gets to you. That dog is precious. sandie
@ Jo-Anne ... well if you're at Uni - you should be able to get people help ... yes proper moving is another story - I've done rather more of it in recent life than I thought possible ...
@ Mary - it was a fun evening! That road in its early days 1950s must have been hairy scary!!
@ Sandie - yes ... cute dog - he's a delight ... he'll wilt today as it so hot. I enjoy having lots to do ... and yes thank you for the comment and your advice re getting them thru to email ...
Cheers to you all ... it be HOT now!! Off to a BBQ and a relaxing evening ... take care and have good weeks - Hilary
Moving a piano--no fun at all, but that last shot looks like a lot of fun.
When I was a kid I visited a farm once, and was intrigued, but these days not so much. I agree - there's just too much work to be done. Heaven knows I'd be a disaster trying to move a heavy piano!(lol) Hugs...RO
I have moved one piano in my life; I don’t ever intend to do it again.
@ Holly - that was a 'mighty cold' evening!! We were all shivering. But it was fun being there ... piano moving - well that's that here ...
@ RO - they love their life ... and it's good to be busy - I wish I was nearer: i.e. we didn't have the Trans Canada Highway running between us ... a few kilometres drive ... still it's interesting to be around ...
@ David - I suspect that's what many of us have done ... one piano is enough ..
Thanks for coming by - take care and here we have HOT weather ... cheers Hilary
Hilary: This was a very interesting read. Thank you for sharing your very busy times with us.
Rex Murphy certainly has the adorable thing going on. I'm glad we got to be mere witnesses to the piano move with you, rather than being on the pushing end. I remember one third-floor walk up when I was young and broke and relying on friends as movers that made me swear there would be no more heavy furniture in my future. Keeping the piano on a pallet is a brilliant idea, but I hope it's found its forever home now.
I really enjoyed this post- but now I see how to get comments back to my email. Yeah! It is a start. It has been a bit of a pain not having comments going to my email. Thanks for sharing the tip! :)
I cannot even begin to imagine moving a piano!
~Jess
Sounds like a busy, but enjoyable day.
Pianos are not easy to move! I always hire piano movers for mine.
What a busy weekend. My sister-in-law had to bring her piano to my house and that move was a chore.
Rex is adorable!
Well, certainly sounds like you're enjoying the outdoor life and are very busy. What a great puppy. I have personal experience of moving a piano, so I know it's a herculean task!
The best we ever did was to move an organ, sure that was equally as difficult. I do enjoy your posts. Take care Diane
I doubt anybody could ever rope me into moving a piano. I'd be in spectator's seat too. I've been enjoying some outdoor air myself - but this week in Arizona its just too hot!
Oh that's quite a big move and a lot of huzzle and buzzle, with the piano and all. The puppy is absolutely adorable.
Oh no. I'm so far behind in commenting, I hadn't realised I wasn't getting email notifications. I need those. I can't function without them.
Sounds like such a fun weekend! And puppy is adorable :-)
HI Hilary! I loved this post - just lovely the way you included everyone and everything and that Puppy must have some bladder! The piano reminded me of my son's very heavy, pool table that was carted up and down the garden from house to barn to shed to someone else's house, over the years. The look on the boy/men's faces when it was mentioned was a picture! :-) Have fun! X
@ Cecilia - glad you enjoyed the little story line ...
@ Deborah - Rex Murphy is pretty special. Thanks ... it was a fun evening out ... just glad I was on the sidelines, but was able to go along and listen to the bantering boys moving. The piano is ready to move when daughter has a new home ... after that transition between Uni and work life ...
@ Jess - oh that's good ... just knew I had to put the word out once I'd spotted Sandie's solution ... thanks to her. I have to say I'd have had movers ... but I guess if you're part of the farming fraternity - then there are other options!
@ Patsy - it was a good evening ...
@ Sherry - I bet you know all about moving pianos ... if this was valuable - then they'd have got movers in ... it was a freebie, and had had a few things done to it - different wood etc!
@ Chrys - this was just a Monday evening. I can quite believe moving any piano would be a chore ...
@ Nick - there's certainly lots going on. The puppy is fun to see ... I have not moved a piano - but can believe it'd be a herculean task ...
@ Diane - thanks so much ... I'd have thought an organ was worse than a piano ...
@ Donna - in the good old days I'd have done my bit - but now I can be on the sidelines ... I bet Arizona is ultra warm ... it's been hot up here ...
@ Marja - it was lots of huzzle and buzzle (love the words!) ... and yes the little soul is a delight to see around as his legs grow!!
@ Deniz - yes ... well am glad you'll have picked up how to get the email notifications in for your new posts ... it was fun, while the puppy amuses all of us ...
@ Debbie - it was full on for a few hours. Yes that puppy's bladder was very large. Pool tables too are extremely heavy ... and can believe you all had the same story as this one, when your son needed his table moving on and off over the years ...
Thanks so much to you all - lovely to see ... and to know you appreciated the 'run of the moving-men farmers' evening extra run ... cheers Hilary
That was quite an adventure, Hilary. Piano, puppy that is already trained at 9 weeks! I'd say this was a successful moving large furniture day.
You always have such grand adventures, Hilary! It's fun to see and hear about them. Hope spring has treated you well. On to summer next! Take care! :)
I hate packing, but I love moving...I've not been asked to help anyone else move, but I'm sure it would be fun.
Enjoy the rest of your week,
Andrea
Sounds like a wonderful time....well minus lifting the piano:)
@ Lee - it was a fun evening and made a change; yes that puppy is pretty amazing ... and thankfully all successfully finished up ...
@ Karen - it's lovely having outings which are a little different - so glad you enjoy reading about them. I'm glad summer has arrived - it's been chilly .. but great to see the seasons change ...
@ Andrea - me too ... I loathe packing and have done rather more than I need to do in recent years. It's a chore - much better done by you ... as you know what you're doing - I'd hate to pack for someone else!
@ Sandra - well not nearly as nice as your London visit! Brilliant daughter you've got ... so talented - it was wonderful to see. Thankfully I didn't have to do anything with the piano!!
Thanks everyone - lovely to hear from you all - cheers Hilary
That must have been quite an effort, Hilary. A day to remember, I am sure.
Hi Pradeep - it was a fun time for me ... just watching as life went along ... and good to be part of family life - cheers Hilary
Oh, I was sure I'd left a comment, but it hasn't appeared. I enjoyed the post and it brought back some heavy-lifting piano memories for me too.
Sounds like a good tip with a victorious ending. Glad the piano got to its new home safe and sound. The pup is a darling!
@ Juliet - funny things happen when blogging ... I sometimes too think I've left a comment - then find there isn't one - must have gone to do other things - not lift a piano though! Glad you enjoyed the post ... we all have 'heavy lifting' moments in our lives ...
@ Rosey - the trip was fun and relatively easily accomplished. I hope the piano in due course will have a home - at the moment it's a dry barn. But the owner loves playing ... and that pup is a-growing!
Cheers and enjoy your weekends ... Hilary
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