Where's Your Sister

Being a mother on a farm means that you must learn to deal with the occasional emergency situation.   On most occasions I have maintained a calm grip on the situation, however there are times when the old brain just slips a cog and starts to fizzle instead of think.  This was one of those days.

It was a warm summer day and the kids had been helping hubby with the barn chores.  He had been cleaning out stalls, rearranging the equipment, and in general just puttering around.  I had noticed from the kitchen window that off and on both kids had been riding with him on the fenders of the tractor as he puttered around the barn.  (Yes, I know they shouldn't ride without seats and seatbelts, but I'll bet most farmers are guilty of providing their kids with a free ride.)  Everyone was having a grand time and I went back to cooking.  I had just noticed hubby passing the house with both kids perched on the fenders when my attention was needed to get something out of the oven.  I looked up a few minutes later to see hubby coming through the back door to get something. 

About the same time I heard a horrendous noise coming from the barn.  I could hear crashing sounds, a tractor motor growling, and kids screaming.  Knowing that just moments before the kids had been on the tractor I went flying out of the house.  The tractor that had been sitting in front of the barn was no where in sight.  My son was galloping toward the house screaming at the top of his lungs "GET DADDY".  I immediately started running toward him screaming at the top of my lungs "WHERE IS YOUR SISTER???"  He kept coming, screaming, 'GET DADDY' with every leap, while I kept running screaming "WHERE IS YOUR SISTER".  The noise was reaching a crescendo.  We met in the middle of the sidewalk with me still screaming "WHERE IS YOUR SISTER".  Finally, with a look of total incredulity, he grabbed my shoulders and shook me shouting over my screams "SHE'S RIGHT BESIDE YOU!!!"  She'd reached the house and was just standing in open-mouthed amazement!  I was so panicked that I had never noticed her.

It turns out that the tractor had popped out of gear after everyone had gotten off and rolled over the hill and through a fence below the barn pulling a metal trailer.  Damage minimal-scare factor maximum. 

The tractor we have today has a full cab, a buddy seat and a seatbelt!  Hubby still never leaves a child on a tractor or within reach of a running tractor.  He is very careful with our precious cargo.