Shearing at the Hedges

Max Hedges · #1 15-09-09, 13:03

I never realised procurement of Blitz parts could be so painful.

My fingers have that many splinters in them we are planning to play jack straws with them at the end of this week when they are extracted. (Yes some of them are that big!) There is a comforting type of numbness that seems to surrounds your body when everything hurts/throbs/swells/aches evenly.

Nevertheless I feel like the cowboy in the 'Far Side' cartoons lying next to wagon with 28 arrows in him, talking to his buddy after driving off 2000 Indians. 'Yeah Lem sure I hurt...but yunnow, its a good kindah hurt!'.

All the Merino ewes are done the wethers are not quite finished and we're about halfway!! Still got the hoggets, crossbreds and rams to do.

Clevo has made a significant contribution as well. Today he beat the snot out of two Kelpies who had a crack at him while he was tied up. This would not have been so bad except one dog he bit is our only paddock dog & his owner is very handy at pressing wool bales, skirting, picking up fleeces, drenching, vaccinating, yard work, moving sheep, counting out & has four wheel motorbike that is desperately needed as well. He is now at home looking after the injured aforementioned dog.

Hopefully we get through the next couple of days without further incident so I'm still able to go blitz hunting with Max at the end of the week.
Written by Ganmain Tony

Max Hedges · #2 16-09-09, 14:01

Wethers are finished. The bloody hoggets had more prickles than an Echidna in their fleeces and even more than the wethers. Rams are done. 1/2 the hoggets done, still the cross breds to go.

My legs look like Ive been at the bottom of every single ruck and maul in a rugby match after drenching the the wethers.

Trying to move shorn sheep from paddock to paddock was made difficult by a prick of an old ewe who decided she had to lead every bloody animal to the other three corners of the paddock before reluctantly going through the gate in the fourth corner.

Clevo was in another knuckle. A rematch with the first Kelpie who obviously didnt see (or was to thick to realise) the damage done to his mate the previous day. Luckily no premanent damage done.....

Please bring on the Blitz hunting soon......

Max Hedges · #3 17-09-09, 13:30

Final day, thank heavens!!!

And of course the busiest. Shearers are now in the swing and the fleeces were flying !!!! Two out of the three shearers did over 170 sheep each today!!! & the thrid bloke was not far behind with 143. I was on penning up & thought I'd have time to help on the floor (bit of chat, skirt a few fleeces, grab a broom bit more chat etc etc) ............how wrong I was.

The bloody cross bred ewes (most about one week away from lambing) looked like small container ships & obviously were not in the mood to be shifted anywhere in a hurry!!! Even if it was for a hairdo and a little 'freshen up' before the expectant arrival. Just about everyone had to be moved by hand.
So not suprisingly I was penning up from begining of second run to the end of the day. I may have been hallucinating but I swear the second my back was turned 8 sheep I'd penned up turned into 2 sheep. I had to check the shutes to make sure the shearers werent just throwing the ewes out.

Closing to the end of the day, the Rams now look like a squad of Centurion Tanks and have a similar expression on their face to boot. They dont want to go through the pens & I sure as hell dont want to make them. Every dog has deserted me & pretending theyve been called away on some desperately urgent mission (as if anything else could be more important than the sheep in the blasted shed FOR SHEARING!!) a quick negotiating session with the Rams and everything proceeds without incident as it should. Mind you they took their built up aggression out on each other once they were back out in the yards.

Speaking of Dogs, Clevo called in sick today & decided he should spread out on the rear seat of one of the cars outside the shed. A untroubled day interrupted by a wee break at smoko, a brief stretch and swim in the Dam at lunch, follow by a de-stress & relax in the long dog pen in the afternoon.

Some pictures enclosed of shearing Enjoy!

Maybe blitzing tomorrow!
Ganmain Tony

Howard · #4 17-09-09, 14:29

Good Heavens! Tony looks like he's lost 10 kilo already!
Work the bugger, Max!
Sorry, not enough time for smart comments.... Maybe on the week end!
Hope you are having fun GT!

Max Hedges · #5 18-09-09, 15:07

Not a blitz in sight.....maybe some work on ''Tickets'' today but this did not eventuate.
I suppose it makes sense when youve been eating Australias best lamb (which comes from Willow Vale, Yass, NSW of course) that at some stage you may be required to replenish stocks. Believe me..... its not as if you can simply pick them off a tree!!!
No photos of todays harvest as Im not sure if MLUers are prepared to witness the ritual that follows shearing. Three specimens are now hanging in the cool room minus a few bits here & there.
Clevo had probably the breakfast that most dogs only dream of. Nice fresh stomach fat of Hogget followed by fresh heart for main course. Boy! is this dog mistreated or what !!!
Moved wethers this arvo back down to the other farm & then chased them around four paddocks. Youve got to love Australian fences that look as though they may collapse if the top strand of wire has pollen from the nearby lupins crop land on it!!!
Blitzing appearing on the horizon.....maybe tomorrow....perhaps.
GT

Keith Webb · #6 18-09-09, 22:25

Yet another nicely crafted report Tony... do you know you can log in as yourself, (even on Max's computer) so you don't need to continue to confuse us with this Max identity crisis? Just log Max out first.

Let's hope the Blitz gathering materialises for you today. Sounds like you've earned it.

Max Hedges · #7 19-09-09, 14:04

A day of Oh Wells.....

Sorry to MLUers who thought this was Max & not me. Oh well! like I was at shearing, Im committed now so there's no going back. Max is enjoying noching up some free posts as well. Its also due to his encouragement that this is going on!!

That bloody dog of mine (Clevo) beat the %$#@ out of Ollie today Max's little white Jack Russell Terrier. He was put into solitary confinement for the rest of the day after getting a very large blundstone in the backside. He is also aware that his testicles are seriously at stake after this little episode...Oh well!

Just watched my footy team save their worst performance of the year for me to watch the whole way through uninterrupted. The mighty St George Dragons looked like goanna's after eating cane toads...pathetic!..Oh well!!!

Finally did some blitzing...found that elusive handbrake bracket and some other niggling missing items. Started to reconstruct a Timber spare wheel carrier based of an original from Ian Styles. Found the metal frames were not wide enough and had to cut them & extend them.... Oh well.

Now Emma has gone to bed & taken her camera... cant send any pic's tonight. Oh well!!!

Until tommorrow Pax Vobiscum.

GT

Keith Webb · #8 19-09-09, 14:45

I don't think anyone was fooled Tony - just thought it may be easier to log in as yourself...

Sounds like you're having a great time there as is Clevo apart from his small indiscretion today.

As for sport Belinda's team Collingwood (Aussie rules) were in the same position as your lot. The only compensation was seeing Eddie looking like he'd eaten several cane toads.

Tony Smith · #9 19-09-09, 17:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Max Hedges

A day of Oh Wells.....

Sorry to MLUers who thought this was Max & not me. Oh well! like I was at shearing, Im committed now so there's no going back. Max is enjoying noching up some free posts as well. Its also due to his encouragement that this is going on!!

GT

Had me stumped! I thought Emma would have to teach Max all she know's about rounding up and shearing sheep - Again!

Ganmain Tony · #10 20-09-09, 13:22

Now this is shear (pun intended) heaven!!

After a fantastic dinner of beef stroganoff cooked by the ever dependable Emma Hedges. Max & I thought we'd drop a line whilst waiting for the apple pie to cook.

Have had a fantastic day with the successsful construction of a timber 20inch spare wheel carrier & tool box.

Special thanks to Robert Farmer for his high energy input after lunch and Emma for her help and photo's....not to mention the fantastic dinner. The mushrooms incidentally were fresh from the paddock.

Enclosed are some pictures - I must especially mention Max showing effort beyond the call of duty. Pulling apart his own cattleyards for a piece of spotted gum perfectly suited to the floor of the spare wheel box. A priceless moment in the annals of blitz restoration!!!

Incidentally Clevo is still in solitary confinement...Ollie is taking his antibiotic tablets and wont go outside unless Kathy is with him. The vet says his pride is hurt more than he is. Emma said at least he was beaten up by a dog this time. Last time was by a cat! '
Nevertheless - Clevo should keep his legs crossed for the time being.

Keith Webb · #11 20-09-09, 13:33

I love the all in situation where, placing their natural anti-Ford prejudice aside Ashley and Robert pitched in to help get the FGT going.

Bet that carrier is heavy! Hope you were making plans for when I make one for my F60L.

I hope Clevo has learned his lesson... picking on poor little Ollie like that!

Max Hedges · #12 20-09-09, 23:29

It's the real Max here. For all Tony's good work I will reward him today and take him to the War Memorial in Canberra this morning.

Our trip we were going to do to look at Bitzes has been called off, as the fella has changed his mind.

So it looks like some of the parts Tony needs we will have to look further into my sheds.

Max

Keith Webb · #13 21-09-09, 00:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Max Hedges

It's the real Max here. For all Tony's good work I will reward him today and take him to the War Memorial in Canberra this morning.

Our trip we were going to do to look at Bitzes has been called off, as the fella has changed his mind.

So it looks like some of the parts Tony needs we will have to look further into my sheds.

Max

Make sure you take him to watch the 'Over the Front'. Absolutely spellbinding and outstanding as is the WW2 show. There is of course a Canadian C60L on display in ANZAC Hall - General Moreshead's caravan. Unfortunately the Cab 12, F15A and FGT aren't accessible as they are in deep storage at Mitchell.

Ganmain Tony · #14 21-09-09, 14:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith Webb

Make sure you take him to watch the 'Over the Front'. Absolutely spellbinding and outstanding as is the WW2 show. There is of course a Canadian C60L on display in ANZAC Hall - General Moreshead's caravan. Unfortunately the Cab 12, F15A and FGT aren't accessible as they are in deep storage at Mitchell.

Wow! Excellent suggestions Keith. Did not move from that section all morning & went back there in the arvo. Very moving tributes especially to the RFC who were basically flying early Dennis trucks with wings....the SE5 & RE8 looked very primative compared to the Albatross. G for George looked fanastic as did the Mosquito, Spitfire, Kittyhawk & Mustang.

I was stunned at seeing the German Albatross in the flesh (or Balsa wood with canvas & dope to be precise) It looked like a deadly machine to go up against. Apparently the average lifespan of an Allied pilot in 1916-17 was eleven days!!!!

The tradition continued in WW2. After seeing the Me 262 in the flesh all I can say is that we were darn lucky the Jerries didnt put it into production prior to the battle of Britain. Even the panel fitment is like a modern aircraft!!!

Max came with me in the arvo & we enjoyed ourselves immeasureably.

Morseheads truck looked placial in the back, beautiful timber work (very similar to the spare wheel carrier currently being made at "'Hedges Bodyworks") loved the sink & plumbing!!!

Keith Webb · #15 21-09-09, 22:21

I think the WW1 show is about as good as it gets... short of having been there at the time. Peter Jackson has done an amazing job. Looking forward to seeing his Dam Busters!

Also possibly the best things about the German WW2 aircraft (at least the 109 and 262) is they are in their original paint. You certainly won't see that everywhere. The same for the Spitfire although it is in a later war training scheme it is genuine, not repainted.

But it makes you cry when you think of the aircraft they did have but which were scrapped in the 50s. You could have been looking at a Betty, Beaufort (Scotty's Homin' Pigeon - a 100 mission aircraft) and a genuine 455 squadron Hampden. There was also (as I heard last week from it's pilot) the nose section of 199 squadron Short Stirling B-Beer which for whatever reason did not arrive in Australia after being saved from the scrappers at the end of the war.

Still we have to be thankful for what is there, as well as what is in store at Mitchell including the other Beaufort, Hudson, and also some amazing German missiles.

zemsi · #16 22-09-09, 12:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith Webb

I think the WW1 show is about as good as it gets... short of having been there at the time. Peter Jackson has done an amazing job.

.... yeah, this short movie is really brilliant! I watched it 2 or 3 times when I was over there. However the most impressed and meaningfully presentation was in 2005 by an actress. She was standing behind G-for-George portraying a wireless operator who was in contact with the Lancaster Bombers during an air raid. Her performance got me goosebumps, her voice, her feelings, everything was "real". She was talking about the Aussie spirit and "the fine young Aussie men who will never return".

Dam Busters: When will it be released in the cinemas? Or is it a documentary?

Greetings
Chris

Ganmain Tony · #17 22-09-09, 15:14

Very productive day (for Blitzes) today. Attended the Yass Vintage car club meeting last night met some very nice people including one of the retired local mechanics who just so happens to have a very good brake flaring tool & is a very helpful bloke.

So Max & I decided to make the most of the opportunity & get some brake lines made by Bob.

We measured up Max's two wheel drive F15 and measured mine from an old chassis up the back (gee... what are the odds of Max having an old chassis up the back ???)"

Pictures are of an old Chev C60L. It was this layout on the front diff that I saw in manual & threw me into confusion with my own truck. Thought I'd take some snaps for everyones reference... hopefully someone finds them useful.

Ganmain Tony · #18 22-09-09, 15:22

Went a bit mad with the Camera, but what the heck!!!

Also managed to attatched the shelf to the spare wheel carrier and unbolt some more bits both for Max & myself.

More pics of Brake lines one of an old ford. Interestingly, all the brass blocks off the Chev are identical to the Ford ones. Make life easier for Max putting together his F15.

Walk in the door late today to find another fabulous dinner cooked by Kathy & on the table. Crikey! what a life!!!

Ganmain Tony · #19 23-09-09, 01:41

Had high hopes of getting Max's brake lines in today but the bloody weather is just awful.

Its not that its 13 degrees (Im sure you Canuck's are saying 'What a bunch of wimps"). Its the fact the wind is gale force with some of the trees only just staying in the ground, and the wind is coming from a westerly direction blowing the rain straight into the shed!!!

I let Clevo out for a leak this morning... he took one step out the door, stopped turned around & looked at me as if to say "'Youre kidding arent you???"'. Fastest dog leak Ive ever seen then occured with dog racing back up the stairs, into the house and back on his bed.

May do a reconnaisance trip to Cowra today to look for parts instead. Just to note we did do another hour & a bit on the timber box depite getting rained on. All the timber work is done and Max has started welding on the spare wheel retaining components.

hrpearce · #20 23-09-09, 09:42

It's great weather for indor work, you timed your shearing well Max. There are a lot of wet sheep mustered close to sheds up here and not many white ones out yet.
Vicki and I have to go back to Canberra on 22nd. October I'll try to get away early to say G'day in person and get directions to Ashley's it's about time I visited there as well.
Tony are your legs back to normal yet in bad years chainsaw chaps make drenching much more bearable. Happy CMPing

Rusty · #21 23-09-09, 12:48

Tony Clevo should come round and meet Harry The Dirty Dog (thats his official name according to the boy). His the same make as clevo and hates every other basterd too, they are great dogs they are just not too social out of family circles.

If you are at Maxs for a bit longer and you need a break from hard work I am headin down the coast for a spot of fishing on Sunday for a few days. Wisper in Maxes ear to borrow a tinny and stick it on top of the camper and come along PS I will also be old truck huntin on the way.