Charlie, me and Bobby McGee.

The Farmer woke just as I was getting to bed, it would seem.

I never heard him go out but he returned early morning, covered with diesel and a big grin on his face.

"Morning, what have you been doing"?

"Oh, I have fixed the cutter and it's a nice day and everything".

He was not looking at me directly but speaking to the fridge (which was a lot more awake than I was).

"What are you saying?" He had a Plan and I think he had volunteered myself without my knowledge.

"Well, maybe the end rigs could do with a cut and made into silage?" "Everything is ready" he said with hope.

Of course, everything was not ready. There were pieces to make, bottles of juice to be filled, sunglasses, midge repellant, cigarettes and lighter for after lunch, lip balm and a tractor to be washed as nobody could see out of the windows.

We set off together as I always have a Fear moment when I forget how the tractor works, how big and powerful it is, where is the PTO switch and which one lifts the cutter.
He did the first cut and the long grass fell into neat strips, releasing the most wonderful smell into the cab.

The second round of the field was with me at the wheel but The Farmer sitting behind me keeping me right. I felt nervous at first then slowly remembered the sequence and settled into cutting for a good part of the day.

As the settings were at 'slow rabbit' and I was to sit at 4.3mph, it seemed to take an age doing each circuit of the field so despite wearing an ear muff (singular as PieDog had chewed the other earpiece), I decided to listen to the one cassette tape which had stuck in the tape recorder years ago and nobody bothered to remove.

The Best of Charlie Pride.

It takes me right back to my teenage years when the local boys would show off in their Minis, four tracks blaring Charlie Pride. And only Charlie Pride.

Fifth cut in, Charlie and I were like peas and carrots again.... "Where did she drag you, Charlie?"...."Well she dragged me through the streets of Baltimore".

I sang 'Me and Bobby McGee' at the top of my voice and fancied that it had a touch of Janice Joplin but maybe that was the fags.

The work went quickly and did not feel like work at all. The Farmer did the steep sloping field which gives me The Fear and there is just one left to do.

Hopefully, the weather will hold and the cattle will have good, sweet silage for winter.

Me and Bobby McGee helped make it.