A day in the life: Oooopppps!

Well, who knew that just cleaning up the paddock would result in the tractor crashing into the dam? I am just very glad that no-one was hurt.

Husband had been using the harrow to 'sweep' the fallen bark and leaves after some windy days. I was between the trees, raking up what he couldn't get to. He had jumped off the tractor to fix up the harrows when he called my name and I watched the tractor take off down the hill, miss every (bloody) tree, and crash into the dam! It was like slow-motion. All I could think of was a certain expletive which I think I uttered also in slow motion!!

Missing trees on both sides, the tractor went through the middle!

Thankfully husband had been out of the way and resisted his urge to 'save' the tractor! The tractor plowed between huge trees (which would have stopped it and we would have just had to whinge about a dented tractor), off the slope, got air and landed on it's side in the dam. We had to quickly stop the oil and diesel from flooding out and polluting own house water supply (not to mention kill the platypus) via buckets and some old towels.

A crane was called in...

2y.o assessing the damage

Then we had to call the crane company (thankfully 24hr service) and had the crane man come out and assess the situation. He said he could lift it out, so took off to return with his rigger and the crane. He returned and 2yo and I watched as they stabilised the crane and lifted the tractor out.

We were very lucky that only a few of the driving rods were bent and the front wheel had snapped off the axel at the weld point. Husband thinks he will have it up and running very soon hmmmmmm! Apparently husband had applied the hand-brake, but as the motor was running, the tractor was not in gear. On a very slight slope, once the harrows had been disconnected, the weight shifted to the front of the tractor and it took off, very slowly and then full speed into the dam!