Post by Lannie on Mar 15, 2011 11:55:08 GMT -5
I can't BELIEVE how much trouble I'm having with this! It's so frustrating. You guys make it sound so easy, but for some reason, I'm having a very hard time getting the inflations OFF Cricket when I'm done milking.
Last night I used the machine and she was really good - she stepped around a little bit right when I put the inflations on, but just a couple little steps - she kept right on eating, which was good. Then when she was empty, I turned the pump off and the clicking gradually slowed down to nothing. I kept waiting for the inflations to slide off, but they were stuck on there good. A small tug wouldn't budge them. Rich thought to pull the air hose off the bucket, thinking that would break the vacuum, so he did, there was a whoosh of air, the lid released its suction, Cricket twitched a little at the noise (but didn't jump on me) and the inflations stayed stuck. So I started working them off, which should have been easy because her teats were empty and deflated, but it was harder than it should have been, I think. And one front one did NOT want to come off at all. I had to wedge my finger in there and pull and tug (she lifted a foot slightly at that but no kick or anything) to finally get it off.
WHAT in the world am I doing wrong? It took two of us to do what we did last night - Rich pulling the air hose off, and me steadying the bucket with one hand and waiting for the inflations to drop with the other. As it turned out, I took the bucket off first, and the lid was still hanging under her, held on by the inflations. IS THAT RIGHT? What's the deal with my machine? I need to figure out how to work this thing by myself, because Rich only comes out with me for evening milking. Morning milkings I'm on my own.
~Lannie
Last night I used the machine and she was really good - she stepped around a little bit right when I put the inflations on, but just a couple little steps - she kept right on eating, which was good. Then when she was empty, I turned the pump off and the clicking gradually slowed down to nothing. I kept waiting for the inflations to slide off, but they were stuck on there good. A small tug wouldn't budge them. Rich thought to pull the air hose off the bucket, thinking that would break the vacuum, so he did, there was a whoosh of air, the lid released its suction, Cricket twitched a little at the noise (but didn't jump on me) and the inflations stayed stuck. So I started working them off, which should have been easy because her teats were empty and deflated, but it was harder than it should have been, I think. And one front one did NOT want to come off at all. I had to wedge my finger in there and pull and tug (she lifted a foot slightly at that but no kick or anything) to finally get it off.
WHAT in the world am I doing wrong? It took two of us to do what we did last night - Rich pulling the air hose off, and me steadying the bucket with one hand and waiting for the inflations to drop with the other. As it turned out, I took the bucket off first, and the lid was still hanging under her, held on by the inflations. IS THAT RIGHT? What's the deal with my machine? I need to figure out how to work this thing by myself, because Rich only comes out with me for evening milking. Morning milkings I'm on my own.
~Lannie