A Strong Back: The Adventures of Tom Mc Sherry

[Mr Zog]

I see you made it to Walmart again   

That label on the water is a dead giveaway 

Did you get some ice packs to freeze and put in your cooler? They are about $1 each at Walmart... they really help to keep your water and other drinks (Gatorade) cold. 

And remember that if you have an address where mail is delivered, you can literally buy ANYTHING online and have it shipped to you within a couple of days... 

[Tom van Brits]

I see you made it to Walmart again   

That label on the water is a dead giveaway 

Did you get some ice packs to freeze and put in your cooler? They are about $1 each at Walmart... they really help to keep your water and other drinks (Gatorade) cold. 

And remember that if you have an address where mail is delivered, you can literally buy ANYTHING online and have it shipped to you within a couple of days... 

Thanks Gary

Yes Walmart is an amazing shopping experience 
I have walked through the fishing department but decided rather not to start looking at the variety of stuff since there may be no time for fishing.
Maybe at a later stage on another day off once we move back to Kansas Minneapolis but for now up here ar Cimarron it's not going to happen.
One of the smartest things wrt road traffic ....no wait there are 2; You are allowed to turn right on a red traffic light just yielding to pedestrians and vehicles and then even smarter, there is a two way left turn lane!!
I never knew this even excits but man that works lekker!!

I am still overwhelmed by my experience so far. How can one not love America?

We have met so many South Africans today in Walmart, and all of them are farming here. One guy and his wife, she is just cutting and baling lucerne. Many have been working here on and off for up to 10 years!

Some got married here, most are still living in SA. Most farms are using either Mexican and German (it is local German people, they are very conservative and religious - make their own clothes and so on) on the farms and then some use South Africans and some again to less extent. Our boss only hires Suith Africans and some of the guys here are working for him for uptown 7 seasons. However; our seasons are much shorter than most other since he focuses on chopping. Very interesting.

My son Chris is currently in North Dakota and still fixing drain elevators and whatever else the boss tasks him with. He wants to do another season to save enough money to study PC programming.

So far so good! 

[Tom van Brits]

I love the look of this old barn, and while inside I discovered it's home to some owls but they did not appreciate the intruder!

[Tom van Brits]

 

[Ri]

Nice photo's, but those of the outside of the barn are stunning!!

The sky even looks foreign, with those slight smears of cloud.

Nice! You found a pussycat! Cute one too

[Splash]

What a great adventure. Thanks for the pictures.

[Tom van Brits]

Tomorrow I need to drive to Dodge City to do social security.
Once I got that I can open a bank account. We get paid bimonthly and not by cheque like most other places but rather a bank deposit which saves us the trouble of having to go to a bank.

So far I have worked 4 days avg 13hrs a day. My soft hands are taking a beating and that will change soon 
Happyness.

I took a crappy cellphone picture of a dairy through the trucks window. That kennels are actually for young calves and they will become milk producing cows.
Weighbridges at elevators (silos) is now part of my day job!
Off to bed and you guys in SA are getting ready for work!

[Tom van Brits]

This morning Zandre and me left for Dodge City to do our coicial security.
Can't recall how far away but recon about 20 miles out. We got ther at 10 to 8 only to see on the door they open at 09H00.
So we sat outside and just looked at all the vehicles which stuns me.
This may sound negative and then stone me for being a hypocrite but I am between 2 minds. 
I can't help to think what these people's carbon footprint must be but sure a lot bigger than the avg South African.
For many years already I don't own a car, just a bike which ships fuel at 30km to the liter.
Here every 'Tom, Dick and Harry' (pun intended    ) ride a V8, 1 person in the vehicle and leave it to idle while shopping so that the aircon can keep the car cool....we also did it the other da..twice  with all our valuables inside.

Point I want to make, fuel is cheap here and I love the burbling sound of a V8. I love the tons of torque and I think I am actually (just a little  ) a gearhead.

 Look at the White Chev Silverado which is my current lift back in the afternoon from the farm to the ranch.
The black GMC is our foreman's vehicle. He is also a South African and been working here for 7 or 10 years.
We have the use of a V8 F250 Ford for our shopping needs or other tasks.
Very lekker vehicles.

Then I learned something today. I had to go buy bracing rods and dump trash in the bins in town and stopped at some sort of a garage cafe. It was warm and I was drenched in sweat, been working hard cleaning trucks with high pressure air and water and grease and servicing. So I walked in there and scanned the cool drink fridge for cheap coldrink when a girl realised I am trying to find something cheap and pointed me into the soda fountain direction. You take a cup and choose any popular flavour. Then you gooi in ice, top up with coldrink and is allowed to drink as much as you feel like (it is bottomless when you are in the shop) and then fill again, put up the lid and straw and pay 69 cents.
So much cheaper than the normal bottled soft drinks and obviously next time I'll buy my bread and whatever else I need from them as well.
My first encounter with a local girl, she probably felt sorry for the 'vuil oom' 

[Mr Zog]

Ah! You have discovered the soda fountain   


Circle K, 7-11, Kangaroo, all of the gas stations have them. And mostly if you just want some ice for your cool bag you can get it free too.

Bar One is the energy snack in SA, but it's not available in the US, the next best thing is a candy bar called :Milky Way", get some from Walmart in the big bag for those days you need some extra vooma 

Coffee is also available at most gas station convenience stores. And MUCH cheaper than places like Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, etc. McDonalds has a special on at the moment, ANY size soda, or any size hot coffee for $1.

And at the gas stations you also get hotdogs. They are on a machine with rollers where they cook. The Circle K's here have them at 2 for $2, and the buns, and all the toppings are free. Lekker snack if you are hungry. Sometimes they are called "death dogs" because if they have been turning for too long you get the same symptoms as a "garage pie" on a Monday morning   

[Tom van Brits]

Ah! You have discovered the soda fountain   


Circle K, 7-11, Kangaroo, all of the gas stations have them. And mostly if you just want some ice for your cool bag you can get it free too.

Bar One is the energy snack in SA, but it's not available in the US, the next best thing is a candy bar called :Milky Way", get some from Walmart in the big bag for those days you need some extra vooma 

Coffee is also available at most gas station convenience stores. And MUCH cheaper than places like Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, etc. McDonalds has a special on at the moment, ANY size soda, or any size hot coffee for $1.

And at the gas stations you also get hotdogs. They are on a machine with rollers where they cook. The Circle K's here have them at 2 for $2, and the buns, and all the toppings are free. Lekker snack if you are hungry. Sometimes they are called "death dogs" because if they have been turning for too long you get the same symptoms as a "garage pie" on a Monday morning   

Thanks for the tips on the specials Gary, that is what I need now. I can't get money before I open a bank account here and can't open the bank account before I get my social security card.
They will post it, and said it will take 2 weeks. We get bimonthly pay and tonight was the end of the pay period. I have managed 58.5 hrs in 5 days. Today was no work due to rain and I studied. Tomorrow I'll be out hauling loads and should make 12+ hrs.

I had my second 5km run today in the States as well and can see on my time that I am clamitising now. It is still very warm though!! Think Karoo warm, 3 days so far over a 100 farenheit but life is good. I am so tired at night that I literally sleep walk to the bathroom, and when the train hoot (it needs to hoot 7 x at every railroad crossing) I just turn around and sleep on 

The boss baught us some meat for a braai and lekker cookies which I last had in Iraq in 2006. The best cookies in the world, I will have to bring some home Des. 

[Oubones]

Glad you are happy and settling in!
The time before you get your first payment sorted is always difficult!
Good on you for the running!
I am carefull of my back so started riding the stationary bike for some excersize.
I am very chaffed as my pulse rate after my first session was 101 and yesterday was 76!

[Tom van Brits]

Glad you are happy and settling in!
The time before you get your first payment sorted is always difficult!
Good on you for the running!
I am carefull of my back so started riding the stationary bike for some excersize.
I am very chaffed as my pulse rate after my first session was 101 and yesterday was 76!

Thanks Oubones

Nothing wrong with the exercise bike, just keep going!! Exercise has changed my life and the way I feel about myself and therefore I'll always try to encourage people to do some sort of exercise, even hiking....anything that gives one a workout of sort.

Today it rained again, and I thought no!! Its ok but if we don't work we don't get pay!
Luckily there was some work to do on trucks in the workshop. Here the boss will not ask you if you can do a job, it was just a matter of; Tom, get the new airpipe for number 14 and fit it.....'yes sir'. So mission successfully completed and I clocked just over 5 hrs for the day.
I hope the land will be dry enough tomorrow to haul manure again, then we can work 12 to 13 hrs again.
I also changed a truck tire today with hand tools. It is easier than fixing a flat on a tube bike tire but its pok heavy!!
I used to be quite strong physically for years but must say I wrestled a bit with the levers 
All good in the States!!

[Pilchie]

Watch your iorn levels with the heat and hard work. Glad its all going well - all the best and well done on getting some running in too.

[Tom van Brits]

Watch your iorn levels with the heat and hard work. Glad its all going well - all the best and well done on getting some running in too.

Will do Pilchie! 
I am actually very healthy except for a natural anemia which has cost me a short contract early the year so I am taking care of that.
My hands are actually sore and burning a bit, I became soft on the island  but I trust it will get into shape soon.

[Rodlau]

Hi Tom.  You sure as hell haven't  lost your photography skill.  Very lekker.

[Tom van Brits]

Hi Tom.  You sure as hell haven't  lost your photography skill.  Very lekker.

Thank you Rodlau! 

Herewith a silage chopper image I have taken just before sunset today:

[Tom van Brits]

Some big machines!

[Tom van Brits]

And some 'goggas' - not the right lens, I had a 16mm WA lens fitted to the camera but thought to share it anyway.
For some weird reason I love insects and think they are wonderful creatures.
Snakes.... not that much  and I have already seen one the other day just before the rain but luckily from the safety of my Peterbuilt's seat!

[Tom van Brits]

No work no pay  Yes that's the way it works, and sometimes you can't wait to get a bit of time off.
Well yesterday we drove out to the dairy farm to start hauling manure and the loader was absent. Phoned and confirmed it's out of service for repairs and will be back Monday. So we loose out on 2 x 13hr working days.
The boss phoned and said we can do some groundwork at his motel, and we sweat it out for 5 hrs in the heat.
Better than nothing, and good exercise 

Today we went to town; Garden City to get a few things from wallmart. I needed another cap and a watch and coldrink for the week for the cooler box. 50usd later out of there and we also decided to walk through the zoo. It's free and rather interesting,  but unfortunately I did not had the correct lens for the fujifilm camera. I am browsing for a good secondhand one on the net here and see I got options for around 200usd for a 55/200mm compared to 600+ new.
Will get one before the end of the season.

[Ri]

... Almost like SA - everyone watches while one works