Just a Small Problem

I mentioned in our last post that we had a lot going on this week. Of course this means that anything that can go wrong will go wrong, and as usual we had experiences that I am quite confident only happen to us. Monday was actually going along really well. We were checking off things on our to-do list at a good clip and all was going according to plan.

After crossing several items off of our long list of things to do on Monday morning we spent some time with visitors at the farm mid-day. We had a fun visit and it was nice to take a break from working for a bit and slow down. When it was time to get back to work Jason pulled out his chainsaw as he needed to clear a path in the woods for our newest section of fence which is currently under construction. This normally is a simple enough task, everyone knows our chainsaws get quite a workout on a regular basis around the farm.

Do you see anything wrong with this picture?

Here is a close-up. Now do you see the problem?

I was on my way to the back of the farm to do some doctoring on a horse while Jason did some chainsawing. He asked me to stop and look at the area he was going to clear for the fence on my way to the back of the farm to make sure we both agreed on the path for the fence. As I walked up Jason was sawing away. Then the chainsaw suddenly sounded different and Jason was shouting obscenities and stalking out of the woods. I thought it was very odd that I could hear his chainsaw running, yet here he was walking towards me with no chainsaw in his hands.

A very unhappy Jason pointed towards a tree and I saw the cause of his unhappiness. The chainsaw was stuck in the tree and he couldn’t get it out. I stupidly asked if he had a dull chain on the saw instead of immediately moving to commiseration and expounding upon the unfairness of life. That did not improve Jason’s mood, however he did inform me that he had a brand new chain on his saw and it was something about cutting too deep at the wrong angle or whatever. It meant nothing to me. He stomped back in the woods, tried again to remove his saw, then gave up and turned it off.

He angrily stalked out of the woods and barked at me to help him find a chain. I chose not to ask him why he needed a chain although I seriously had a burning desire to have that question answered. It seemed wiser to just help him find the chain rather than ask more questions. For those of you that don’t know this a heavy duty chain with hooks is as handy around a farm as duct tape and baling twine. It is amazing the uses you find for a chain – or at least that we find for a chain.

I was the triumphant searcher that found where we had left the chain after our last disaster job that needed a chain. Now that I was back in Jason’s good graces I felt the timing was appropriate to ask why he needed the chain. He informed me that he planned to pull the tree he had been in the process of cutting the rest of the way down with the tractor to free his chainsaw.

About 10,000 reasons as to why this was a bad idea immediately came to my mind. Instead of voicing them I said “would you like some help?” I was informed this was a one person job. “Maybe I should come and watch just to make sure you don’t kill yourself?” Jason thought about it a moment and agreed this was a good idea. That made me even more uncomfortable with the plan. I was expecting more of a “this will be fine and I have it under control” type of response to my inquiry.

As we were heading back to attempt to free the chainsaw I saw our guests one last time as they were leaving. I told them Jason’s chainsaw was stuck in a tree and it was “just a minor disaster” at this point. “I’m just going to watch and make sure he doesn’t die” I said cheerfully. Sadly I’m pretty used to dealing with all of these things that seem to love to happen to Jason and Melissa so it has to get pretty epic before I get rattled (and this does happen).

Miraculously Jason did have it under control and it was fine. Neither Jason, the tractor, me or the chainsaw were harmed in the undoing of our latest mess. I know, I’m still in shock about it as well. He put the chain around the tree, put the tractor in reverse, the tree came down and Jason’s saw was free at least. Thus, in our world, this was a very minor disaster.

A rare occurrence for us, the plan worked without causing 15 other problems in the process.