Goodbye Betty Ford 8n

She came into my life about 12 years ago.  That scruffy little gal named Betty Ford -- the 1950 Ford 8n tractor.  Nevermind that she was an "old gal."  She could still cut that pasture with the best of them. 
Once the cutting deck was installed I spent many happy hours driving lazily back and forth across the pasture.  The birds would swoop down in front of me -- in anticipation of the bugs, including grasshoppers, that would be hearing the ground shake and moving out of the way.
The llamas and alpacas would look up -- and sometimes not even move away -- because they didn't see Betty as any kind of threat.  She was just another farm helper -- making their grazing more delicious.
I readily admit that I baby-ed that tractor.  If she got too hot -- I shut her down.  If she had some labored breathing while climbing the rolling hills in the pasture -- I let her "set a bit" until she could catch her breath.  Sort of like me.
On Saturday, May 5, 2012, she took her last breath.
I started her up in the covered garage -- and she blew a piston.  Her guts literally blew out of the trtactor.  I spent Saturday -- and most of Sunday -- crying.  My life will never be the same.
Some people would say that it is silly to cry over a tractor.  I'm not one of those people. 
Goodbye Betty Ford.