Tractors, Tractors Everywhere.

So I get home last night with a nearly grumpy 1 year old. She always wants to stay outside and play as soon as we get home. Lately, I have had to help with dinner more, and I like to get out of my nice work clothes before we run amok outside. But last night, I was out of fight and Grandpa was in his shop attempting to change a belt on his lawn tractor, so we ventured that way for a visit.

A frustrated grandfather greeted us. He had been working to change the belt for a total of over two hours. He decided to take a break and visit and give Maddie a tractor ride on the bigger Ford tractor. He started it and the sound spooked her a little with the echo inside the shed, so I held her until Grandpa got situated.

He hopped on the tractor, put it in gear and started to back up. And kept backing up. And kept backing up. Into his year old John Deere Lawn mower. It slides off the ramps and skids through the gravel to a sideways position where my dad has to finally cut the engine to get the tractor to stop. Hmm. That's not good. I am far away from the tractor and this point clenching my daughter with my hand over my mouth. When he cut the engine, she pulls my hand down like, "Don't do that, Mommy."

He starts the tractor again. Still in reverse the clutch won't engage. This time, the tractor's headed up the side of the lawn tractor. The Huge back wheel of the tractor is 2 feet off the ground and rising. I yell,

"Stop, Dad!" Really beginning to worry.

"I Can't!" is his reply. I was seeing visions of upsidedown tractors flashing in my head. Once again, he cuts the engine. My heart slows down to normal.

One more time he persists, and the tractor (clutch and all) are doing fine. He went forward and backwards two or three times. No major damage to the John Deere (surprisingly enough), and no tractor rides for my daughter for awhile. That was scary. And if Madeline had been on board, it could have been worse. But all is well now. Nothing is parked behind the Ford tractor though.