One of Cliff's current projects (as told by Cliff)

This entry is for tractor aficionados.  I realize most of my blog readers are ladies who won't know what in sam hill this entry is about, but we'll get back to normal programming after this.  Take it away, Cliff!

  

After years of using the Old D-17 I used to have, I couldn't make myself quit grabbing the wrong remote lever (old age crap).  So I had to invest in two Pioneer couplings in order to use the left side (closest to my leg on the levers when I'm on the tractor).  I could have moved the right-side ones over, but I wanted the couplers on both sides.  

My wife forced me to buy this tractor, and I absolutely love it.  I picked up a cord of wood yesterday with the three-point hitch.  The front-end was loaded with weights, but the front end still raised in the air.  I drove it with the brakes.

Those are heavy-duty Ford industrial lift arms that came with the tractor when I bought it.  Sweet deal.  They are adjustable, so you can hook everything up.

OK, Donna here:  Cliff sold our original D-17 in 2006 to buy a Gold Wing motorcycle.  Last spring after a serious illness, he decided to sell the bike.  I wheedled him to ask around and see if the guy who ended up with our D-17 years ago still had it so we could buy it back.  That man wasn't about to part with it.  

Then I saw this ad on Craigslist.  The guy threw in a bunch of extras for the money:  Weights, tool box, hydraulic top link, and more.  Cliff feels he got a good buy; he says he wouldn't take less than $5,500 for it, but he is only going to sell that tractor over my cold, dead body.  While I'm making rules, here's another one:  He's going to paint it.