Made the rounds last night to different properties and dumpsters in the old truck. Seems anyone and everyone thinks it is ok to dump their junk for free alongside a dumpster. Than the city sends us a citation so now we have to spend time and money to haul it away. Doesn't seem right but we do what we gotta do.
I got to thinking about all the trucks we have had over the years. We don't go for new or fancy or expensive. Practical, affordable is our middle name. And besides, we never had to worry about it getting all scratched up or dented.
The first one we purchased was from a farmer way down in Dysart. He had the Ford parked out in the middle of his dairy pasture with hay piled high for the cows. I think we paid a hundred bucks for it. Big ol stick shift right up out of the floor. In time we could see the road below us around that stick shifter. And oh to find the gears! Around and around one had to work that stick to get it in first second or third. Reverse was pretty easy. My poor father in law had too many bad experiences with this truck. Brakes failing, flat tires etc.
Eventually we sold the thing to the guy who worked the scale at the landfill.
Next one we had was an old brown Ford again. This one was cool. It came with a topper. Cool for the kids because they loved to ride in the back all hidden away. This is the one we used for mowing. Loaded up four mowers in the back and five of us up front. My son would sit on my lap and the girls would squeeze in between me and my husband. Three on the tree. Eventually we took the topper off because it was hard to load it up with 'stuff' from the properties. We sold that one to a junkman that made his way around town. I refused to drive it any more because it was getting so sensitive. I would 'lose' the gear. My husband was the only one confident enough to attempt it.
Next one was a Chevy. And we paid 1500 for it. That's a lot of money! Husband bought it from a co-worker. It is the one we still have today. It is an automatic so the kids could drive it around on their own to mow lawns. When my son got his license and there was no junk car to hand down to him to use, the truck was next on the list. He decided to pimp it up by taking the dash cover off and plans to replace it with a new one. Well, like many of his ideas..this one did not go very far. He never put the cover back on so we drive it around today with all the 'guts' exposed.
Ya have to pump the heck out of the gas before you turn the key. And when you do get it running, you have to really ride that gas pedal. Reve it up so to speak. Have to do that a few times before it will stay running. In the winter it takes that and a prayer or two and some other colorful language to get it started. The gas tank cover hangs open on one hinge, the tail gate needs to be opened with a big ol screwdriver, there is no radio or AC. In all the years we have had this honey, we have had the oil changed twice and had one major tune up done to it. It has hauled furniture when the kids moved in and out and back in and out again. I cant count the number of trips it made to the dump. I have loaded more dirt sand and stone on it for my yard not to mention mowers and lawn equipment. She aint pretty but she has been around a long time.
Maybe our next one will be a shiny one
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