Miscellaneous musings

This is one of those weeks that has no particular event to report or theme that holds it together. We do have a couple of items to cover, though, so will get into a list of miscellaneous happenings that have occured since my last post.

Tractor update:

I changed the transmission and gear oil in the tractor. What a mess! The transmission, rear axle, and hydraulic lift share a common source of oil. I knew the stuff in there had been contaminated over the years and needed to be changed. When I drained it – draining required removing 4 different drain plugs – the stuff that came out didn’t look much like gear oil. It was yellowish in color and had an unpleasant odor. (Some people think any gear oil has an unpleasant odor. They would be wrong.) 🙂 When moisture gets into oil it reacts with the oil’s phosphor and turns the oil a shade of yellow. Microbes start degrading the oil, giving it a particular odor.

Old oil – looks bad, smells worse

The oil capacity is rated at about 5 gallons; only 2 gallons drained out. This seems to be another example of little or no maintenance done over the years on this poor old 8N.

While the oil was draining I pulled the PTO (power take off) shaft out of the back of the tractor and replaced it’s oil seal. The old seal had been leaking as evidenced by the buildup of greasy dirt around the end of the shaft. Since the oil needed to be drained to accomplish this repair it was an opportune time to get this work done. One more task done, one that (I hope) will result in fewer oil leaks on my parking pad.

I put new gaskets on the drain plugs and reinstalled them, then put in the new gear oil. After starting the tractor I worked the lift a few times, up and down, and all seems to be OK. I suspect I will replace the oil again in a few months after I work the tractor for a while. Any old stuff left in the nooks and crannies will get mixed up with the fresh oil and should be drained out in the next change. The oil costs about $50.00 plus a few bucks for the gaskets, not a huge investment to make sure the hydraulic lift and gears get the lubrication they need. Getting the gear oil changed is another task to be marked off the list of needed repairs and maintenance.

Fresh oil comes in 2-gallon jugs

Next task: Reinstall the air cleaner system. The tractor has been sucking in unfiltered air for some years, I suspect! The air cleaner, which is known as an oil-bath filter, was sitting in Mom’s garage when I brought the tractor to Colorado so I have the parts, but there is a junction at the hood that appears to be damaged and will need work.

Sanderling driveway update: No movement. The contractor wrote that 2 more storms and a strong wind had come through this past week and dumped even more snow on the lot. He will keep us posted.

The cats were jealous that I posted dog photos in my last post and wanted equal time. Here is a recent cat photo:

London (left) and Antonio

I had my motorcycle out for the first ride of the season before the last snow fall. Not much of a ride – 26 miles – but it was nice to get up on 2 wheels again. I checked my log and found I had ridden 8,420 miles last year. This included a long trip to Ohio, not in the works for this year, but I do hope to make it to California. A CA rally is tentatively scheduled for mid-July.

We had the rear struts replaced on the Subaru. $614.00. Not fun, but has to be done as we expect to be pulling the trailer to and from the Sanderling lot more this year than we did last year. Next up is purchasing a new set of tires. We are still running on the factory original rubber after more than 85,000 miles, and it is about time for a new set.

Days are getting longer and most of the recent snow has melted. Forecast is to hit 50 degrees this weekend, close to our normal of 48, and we are ready for it.

Pam bought a roller caddy to help haul her briefcase + purse + lunch bag + misc. to and from work. Because she works at home 2 days a week, Pam brings home a lot of material. Rather than trying to carry all of this stuff in her hands, sister Becky suggested Pam investigate wheels.   Pam decided to try this L. L. Bean roller caddy.

Pam’s caddy rolls nicely

Caddy has many storage pockets.

We’ll see if this arrangement prevents Pam from taking another header into the ice, as she did on Valentines Day…or will she just skewer herself with the roller caddy next time?

I must be getting old. I will soon apply to start getting funds from my Wisconsin Employee Trust Fund retirement account. It won’t be a lot – $600.00 per month before taxes – but it will come in every month for as long as I live. Just got the application packet in the mail…oh my. Much reading to do before I submit the paperwork. Pam, as my “designated survivor,” would continue to get these funds should I “go” first. Plan is to put these funds in a (457) Roth IRA available to me as part of my current benefits package. Roth plans require after-tax contributions but no taxes are paid on the funds, or their earnings, when you start withdrawing them (mandatory requirement) at the age of 70 and a half. We hope the account will earn big (tax-free) bucks in the next 10 years, but we have to get everything set up and that will take a couple months.  (The Wisconsin Employee Trust Fund folks sent me the large envelope with “RET” stamped on the front, gives me some hope I may actually “RET.”)

That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!