Day 116 - Broken Tractor, Shop Location, Utilities, Murphy's law!

We've had a Murphy's Law kind of week. It's simple stuff, but it has been frustrating. These are the weeks when I'm glad I'm documenting everything. In a few years, it will be great to look back on this week and remember the details.

I got the left curl cylinder fixed on the tractor. That was $75 for straightening out the ram and installing a new seal inside, plus four thirty-minute drives in my truck. The tractor was down for 2 full work days for the cylinder repair.

The following day, the power steering started to leak hydraulic fluid. After realizing it was an o ring behind a jam nut, I tried to remove the fitting, only to find out that there was an interference with the cylinder ram. It looked like the fitting was bent, so I went ahead and forced it out, which chewed up the end where the hose connects. Ugh! I fixed the end the best I could, installed a new o ring, and installed the fitting back into the power steering. It worked! No leak....until shortly later when both connections started spraying fluid. I think the fitting itself must have a crack I cannot detect. On Monday I'll contact the dealer and determine the next step. Hopefully, this is covered under warranty.

I had an Ooopsie! moment again. My wife put our backpack leaf blower down near the front right of my truck tire. I didn't notice it, so I backed up, turned right, drove forward, and heard CRUNCH! Oh, man! The truck won that fight. As my 5-year-old daughter said to her mom, "Dad has his license. He should have looked where he was going."

The shop pad location has been marked and will hopefully be started next week.

I should also be able to get the ball rolling on having the electrical installed and the water meter set sometime this week. I was told each will have about a 2-week lead time. I'm having the electricity run underground by the electric company and the water meter installed by the water company. I will trench and run the waterline myself.

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