RMan's heart...

... is now also beating a little faster LOL

Chug, chug, chug - but it got the basic job of
cutting the grass done :)
But the renosterbos - not so good...

You recall he purchased a second hand ride-on lawn mower - specifically to try and control the tall undergrowth and renosterbos on our smallholding.  Removing any places where cobra's, puff adders and horned adders (to name the worst of the bunch) could hide was a priority - not only for us, but especially for our grandson and the dogs.  Hmmmm, we discovered that once we had removed the renosterbos manually (a tedious, arm and back-breaking job) it was fine for the grass that was left, but we discovered that the renosterbos is just too much for this little mower.  Far,far too tough.

So, we decided to try and find a cheap second hand tractor - that, together with a slasher attachment, should do the job :)

Gumtree to the rescue :) 

We found a Vaaljapie tractor in Port Elizabeth, 580 kms away.  No way we could collect it - our trailer wasn't big enough, nor was it strong enough, even though he is in the business of selling second hand vehicles, the agent "couldn't" find a truck that would schlep it across the two provinces to us.

So, back to Gumtree...

...there was another one in our price range - a Fiat 470DT tractor, and it came with a slasher!!.  This time the seller was located in Worcester - roughly 140kms away - and although it took the seller (another 2nd hand vehicle saleman) 22 days to "find" a trailer, and get it into the working order that the ad stated, it did eventually arrive.

Can you see what is driving up our driveway...?

A tense three weeks, where we feared that we had been ripped off, as the salesman had every excuse under the sun why it wasn't ready, and why he couldn't deliver what had been paid for in full.

Yesterday at 4.42p.m. we spotted the transport vehicle driving down our sand road. 

A red Fiat 470D tractor complete with slasher
attachment

To see that it was carrying a tractor - what a relief.  And it wasn't any tractor, it is a red Fiat tactor.  (S'funny - we have always had a red vehicle or some sort or the other LOL)

Once the tractor was offloaded RMan couldn't wait.  Even though the sun was setting he leapt onto the first tractor he has ever driven.

He couldn't wait - seriously, he couldn't

After a few tentative moves he decided to get to work...

The test drive turned into a mowing session until
the light faded

It works perfectly :)  I know not to stand anywhere near the slasher attachment, but Mandy - she just wanted to chase this foreign vehicle.

Just enough daylight left to inspect his new toy

When it got too dark to see what he was doing, RMan couldn't help himself - he started inspecting his latest toy...

Not even the slasher escaped inspection

... even to the point of checking out the slasher.  Having heard on the weather forecast that rain was expected - what to do with the new "baby"?!?

it even has working lights - not the brightest -
but at least they work :)

That's when RMan discovered that the tractor has lights - two in the front, and one at the back...

Is RMan ever coming inside - 10oC outside
and he's still bombing around... :)

Naturally, that meant a whole new trip round the property LOL

RMan finally has his toy.  He can't stop smiling :)

(Now, hopefully, he'll leave my toy, Rosie, alone.)

Happy days - now we can get shot of all that renosterbos (rhino bush) and create a good firebreak round the perimeter of the property.  And, after borrowing a plough, we'll be able to plant up the plot - we've got lots to grow... :)

(RMan went to bed with the biggest smile on his face last night...)