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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1976-06-23, Page 2ON onl Bru Ma 10,1 „ 34 Amen by Karl Schuessler A. rototiller, brin gs tears A rototiller is a handy little gem you run in your garden to churn up the soil and make the weeds go away. It sure beats the hoe.And it sure saves my back and gives me extra hours of spare time to do other things around the house. At least that's what the man tried to tell me three summers ago when I bought my new black and yellow beauty. It wasn't love at first sight, though. I was forced into the relationship. My appetite for a bigger and bigger garden grew so much that it outran my shovel and hoe. I knew I had to resort to a machine. I balked at first. For machines aren't my favorite kind of people. I don't understand; them. They're like babies. They ache and bawl, but they can't tell you what's wrong with them. I knew how rototillers went. I'd worked with one before -- an old beat-up model that belonged to my neighbor. We share cropped with it. He'd share his rototiller with me and I'd crop my acre _and then we'd divide the harvest. His machine was a tough model -- a real toughie that slogged its way through qwack grass and morning glory vines for ..many a year. And by the time I made the acquaintance, the rototiller was almost done in. But I nursed him along for a summer or two: And everytime he reftised to go -- and that became oftener and oftener — I'd load him up on the back of my red truck and take him to a fellow who knew how to handle tough rototillers. The man started, tight off by swearing at the machine as he tinkered and fussed with the :ailing parts. He'd call him all kinds of narneS. You no-good for nothing. You cripple. Yott lousy excuse of a tiller. And by the time he finished cursing him out, he had the machine in line Once again and ready to go, But one daYlthe tiller spattered and sparked and gave a tinge roar' and that. was it: I figured it was just one more trip on the back end Of my truck to see my friend. But this time: he shook his head. "Rod's gone," he said, "Busted. The motor's shoes' And he signed the death papers right there. It was then I determined to buy a new one. A real y oung buck with lots of spirit and drive. Eight whole horsepower's worth. All warranteed and guaranteed and ready to roar and polish off my garden work in two hours flat. Got an hour? At .least an hour? Tears are starting to come already. I never did get on to that rip cord--that cord you need to pull to start the engine. I managed to flood the engine almost every other time„ My new young buck smoked more than I thought he should. He got tired and hot after an hour in the field. He leaked gas. he stumbled on a rock and broke one of his arms. This baby buck is a lemon I kept telling myself. But I tended to him. I oiled him, Gassed him. Greased him. Cleaned him. Gave him long trips — vacations right when I needed him most -- to sit it out in repair shops. And what did I get in return? Last year a warranty that ran out only two weeks of ter I brought him in. That will be $67.00, thank you. His cylinder was scored and they couldn't assess whose fault it was -- the factory or mine. But' it was past warranty anyway. And now this year. That will be $52.00, thank you. The gear shaft is Man411ed.'Didn't it oil it down there? Didn't I realize I have to oil in three places? No just two? Didn't I read the instruction book? And yes, the seal in the gear box was broken: But that's the nature of the machine. All the jiggling and vibrating. Cotildn' iton I tell the gear he wasa 'r box? losin oil? By all the signs of It's going to take two weeks to' Order a new part. I can't go oft. It's too much. My tears are coming faster now. I'll have to stop. But there's one bright spot. I'm getting a little sympathy-- from my wife She gave Me two whole boxes of handkerchiefs with three each inside fOr,:father's 'bay this yeAr, The big pull Stud rch ards hool it pli e regi Those met t hel6 tiding eriq uethet an l' The hen rld in die" isted e piai The a e Su s. Re achi [Wren ndays angel ndays endat Awn mart' 5 Si Cavil endat ssed, h y endat sed, Prima rfect Si: dkin-, year aig endai ssed, rfect misse Idicc year n Vlie year ristin tiday! feet Ssed. 'cha , 3 r ect , miss ect ,isso( tc ONTAN 10 WEDNESDAY; JUNE 23, 1976 Serving Brussels and the surrounding community. Published each Wednesday afternoon at Brussels- Ontario. by McLean Bros. Publishers, Limited. Evelyn Kennedy Editor Dave Robb - Advertising Member Canadian Community Newspaper Association and Ontario Weekly Newspaper Association Subscriptions (in advance) Canada $6.00 a year. Others $8,00 a year, Single Copies 15 cents each. 0001.1.11111.111.11111INESTASLII1E0 11172 Brussels Post Post '4,,M.g."Se• • ‘t• • i. Good luck to the arena campaign Do we need a new arena? Some people are still wondering that, but' the crowd who attended last week's public meeting on the issue pretty well answered yes. And to those who are willing to put their time and money where their mouths are we say good for you. Area people, at least those represented at the meeting, seem to feel that there is not much sense in spending money to bring the dark, cramped present arena up to • strict provincial standards.' A number of people felt that way two or three ye ars ago too and there was a spate of meetings about a new arena then. That campaign didn't get off the ground ....at least in part because people felt that sewers were coming to Brussels and that would be enough added expense for the village to bear. The sewers that almost were have been mothballed for the present by the provincial' government, but not before a bitter fight, with provincial ministries insisting sewers were needed desperately, which caused a lot of hard feelings in the village. But, with people not having to worry about forking out money for sewers in the immediate future, they'll be more willing to donate to an arena campaign. The big plus about the n ew arena plans is that no local tax money will be involved. Organizers hope to finance a new community centre, costing about $420,000, half with grants that'll hopefully be available to the municipalities involved, and half from local contributions. The plan is for local clubs to set quotas and raise as much m oney as they can for the arena themselves. A big boost has come already from the 1972 Centennial Committee who've decided to hand over $6000) in profit from the big event to the arena fund. Other groups will no doubt follow their generous lead. A canvass for funds means that no one who is against the new arena has to contribute to it, as would be the case if Was paid for out of local tax funds. It's perhaps the best way to raise money for recreational facility like an arena that is not used, or appreciated by everybody. More than $200,000 won't be easy to raise: But if the response from Brussels and are people is as quick and as generous as the Centennial Committee's was, Brussels and surrounding townships will have a new arena. "Welcome to our. economy _your when Were airborne I'll come badk and serve Kool Aid."