Up late, feeling lazy.

Late sunrise:
I can’t believe what I did. Woke up right on time. Thought I could just lay there for a moment or two. What the…..! When I reopened my eyes the clock hands had moved reading like it were an hour and a quarter later. Ho boy, I sprang to my feet, laid my hand on the stove, and thought, “Oh shucks! I‘ve got to build a new fire.” luckily that was not the case. I sneakily rearranged the coals so there’d be a couple chunks wood flanking those coals and laid more firewood over them, cribbed like. Then went about my other duties, one of them starting my laundry. (Frieda unable to negotiate the basement stairs any more the laundry is little enough I can do for her evening up all she he done for me over the years.) Getting back to my favorite sitting place, the computer warmed up, I checked the weather. Gonna be nice today and I’ve already missed some of it. Oh well such is my wintered life in Shorthorn country.
Having gotten my act together I’d fed the cats and walked out to the Ford McDigger to see if one of them promotional free, will it start a new Chevy, key in the McDigger’s ignition lock. I tried it, looking right, I stuck in the ignition, IT fit halfway! Oh what the heck, I gave it a turn and the Ford wanted to start. Hmm, a little hand filling upon my part I shall make it fit even better and it’ll become on of them ultra fancy spare Ford tractor keys.
I brought more firewood into the house, so that chore’s done.

While I was carrying the firewood, good old Sweetheart was right outside the door still campaigning the better side of my good nature to let her in the house. One problem. we’ve another cat in the house and Frieda and I aren’t interested in any feline dominance wars. I mean there’s only so much of me to go around and can take.

This cat Sweetheart was born only feet from where I’m seated. Once close to Winter’s ending days, some Spring weeks later she wanted out, so we let her go. Attentive to Frieda all Summer long we let her back into the house that same Fall. Winter’s entertainment we let her out again when Spring rolled around. That fall she wasn’t any to anxious to come in. While we were disappointed we respected her wishes. We left her out. By and By my brother’s home had become rodent infested. He had mice running everywhere daylight as well after dark. He needed help. I suggested he needed my Sweetheart and I’d let her help if he provided her with room and board. A deal was struck. I coaxed her into my arms and tucker her away in a traveling case. Oh lawd, the objections. She howled and screamed as if I was about to introduce her to her own bloody murder. Introductions all around I turner her loose in my brother’s house. Not at all happy with me abandoning her in another’s home. She split and nobody saw her for three days. However she took her task seriously as well as straight to heart. She had been dropped into a warmly housed smorgasbord of meaty mice delicacies. Over time I was forgiven. When Spring rolled around my brother about to set her free outdoors, at his place, I thought that a bad idea. She’d have to fight for her life and place in the new cat community. I brought her back home. She’s been here ever since. She’s the top cat down to the barn and is a stickler for being well mannered. My eyes have seen her cuff an ill manner kitten onto the straight and narrow. Sweetheart has always been a real hoot to watch?! A deided one of a kind
What the devil, close enough to the hour, I had lunch before going onto the shop.
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Later:
In just before dark, I’d had a good afternoon. Not a wildly successful one but I’m comfortable with it. I assisted in assembling a new hay feeder ring. Then I assisted in feeding five bales hay into four yards. Off and on during the afternoon I round filled my new key. When I had finished it wasn’t pretty but trying it needing a couple more strokes with a flat file it went/was home. I packaged up Ray’s trash and he put it out. We were good. Ray had even brought me a bag of cat food in his day’s travels going out purchasing that hay ring earlier. He also brought home some salt some ready for feeding most for mixing. That’ll be taken care of in a few days. Taking Tom home I got him to assist me fueling the 4020. It is much easier if there’s two of us. One in pouring position the other individual handing the cans up to the first one. That done we tried the new key in the McDigger. Stubborn at first it finally started with that key.
On my way home seeing Juan’s cars in his drive I stopped to see if it’d be a good night Frieda may see their indoor holiday decorations. Learned Jeanie has been sick and she never completed her decorations. Juan suggested next year. That was alright with me, my not wanting to press us upon such a nice lady, cause she sure want to entertain. That activity she didn’t need.
So we’ll be in for the night keeping the fire going and my checking out leftovers. Leftovers? I had ‘sgetti and meat balls. Had fresh (frozen) summer’s raspberries over ice-cream. Been a while since I’d had Ice-cream, my favorite desert of all kinds, well except for apple pie, maybe except for lemon-meringue pie, well maybe not leaving out mince-meat pie, perhaps my likings leans towards butterscotch pudding, and let me not forget lime gelatin laced with fruit-cocktail.
And another one of these:

Latest word on Daughter’s silence. She’d drowned her cell phone in a cup of coffee. There’s simply got to be better stirring stick than a cell phone.
It be getting late already and thinking I might better go to sleep earlier so’s to bring my sleep patterns back on track. I’m committed to starting tomorrow earlier. Can’t help it. If I were paid by the yawn, I’d be a rich man. BGKC.
Fernan

I hate day’s like this

I was busy, busy, busy all day and still feel as if I haven’t accomplished a thing. The day went something like this. Turning the computer on for a weather report, ultimately drifted over to the three places where primarily lurk, comment, and most easily get into trouble. The first thing coming to mind was upon one bragger’s cleaning the ashes out of his store. This struck home, having three buckets full I could easily load up and broadcast them for their sweetening effects upon some poor soil (fill).
My first thing out the door right after satisfying the bellies of a number of cats I went about moving my ash. Like I had written I had just the place for them. I did some book work, mailed a bill paying check along with Frieda’s mail-order County Library book exchange. What is it? I wanted to clean out our wood stove and it’d decided to slow burn it 6:00 AM contents. Frieda’s complaining, “I’m cold. Cover me up with another blanket.” Heavens to Mergatroid! I sleep with but one covering, the fire near going out every morning. As it cooled down it would be after lunch before I could clean out stove out and then I removed only about half a bucket full of ashes, as the other half was very much alive coals. The ash bucket so hot I had to have hand protection when that pail was only half full. It was so hot I parked that bucket on top a trivet sitting upon the stove top to radiate what heat it was expelling. Live coals left behind my putting five pieces fire wood in the stove it was only minutes and we had a good fire going again.
That stove taken care of I turned to the telephone my line becoming an outgoing complaint line. My first call was to a credit card company. I’d paid off a product purchase last August and have been charged late charges plus interest on them ever since. I had refused to pay them. Today working my way up the corporate ladder I finally found a party who’d see my complain and unfair charges as I saw them.
All what I had supposedly owed was finally stricken from the electronic books and my credit’s good name restored. I swear, if we let them, the frapping bankers will makes us all slaves to them! I had just objected for over half the afternoon mad and had politely gotten my points across. There was mentioned a boycott and a reversal in nature my taking them to small claims court. Whew, Another call down, one more to go.
My next call was to our local cable company. I wanted an explanation over their charges for what services I was supposedly getting. By the time I was all through I hadn’t saved a dime. The reverse was so, our getting fifty more channels for something like $5.00 more, plus our cable equipment will be up graded later this week at no additional cost. That last no cost to us is most irregular.
Finally all caught up with what I hadn’t forgotten or had actually remembered, I was telephoned, cauliflowered eared out, plainly tired of listening to prerecorded messages, and punching the correct corresponding number to answer a electronic generated question.
I removed myself from the house. I had an enormous amount of firewood needing brought into the house. Saving my converted vestibule to wood shed firewood stores for use during more brutal weather conditions (blizzards say). So I want to bring wood in daily avoiding having skipped it the last couple days while we’ve had such brutal winds, that would have grossly cooled the house off.
The last thing I did was feed the ladies. Then when done with them I was day done a whole half hour before sundown. Sundown came a bit later today under sunny skies. But when it did come it were like somebody had turned off the lights.
Other personal contributions to better living, around here, I had managed a bit more house keeping and some basement visits trying to get ahead of the laundry again. It was a loonnngggg day I’m not accustomed to. No shop time. No accomplishments to making the last Ollie comfortably suitable for summer’s work. Now, I wish I could remember if there was just one more thing I needed to take care of before I get into a fully charged state taking on the new year…. Oh, crap, income tax forms. Bill supported refunds to apply for, and oh yeah get the pig refueled with propane. It’s not the filling what’s going to bother me. It’s the paying for it? And, (almost forgot) subsidy reimbursements.
Oh well, it’s only 120 more days I can look forward to seeing the calves start dropping. BGKC.
Fernan

busy day

My putting my day together list:
Got to get back into the grove. First thing make a phone call. With that call I’ll fit my day’s schedule together with what has to be done. Two tasks stand out: I’ve got to get my bi-annual checkup and grind grain. Which ever comes up first, first I’ll have to plug the tractor‘s battery charger and block heater in to warm up tractor for starting. Need to likely make my last supplement run to the elevator until next year. :^) Out of feed, out of meds, my day has been duty filled.
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Coffee smells like extra fresh ground fresh grounds fresh brewed this morning. Mmm Good. Reminds me the days Mom used to buy her coffee fresh ground in the A & P coffee grinder. That was until she’d found an old cast iron coffee grinder combination fit to a hardwood plank and with a miniature cabinet drawer assembly. Mom had Dad fasten to the kitchen wall near the cream separator. I remember her pouring a small scoop that was the perfect measure for her coffee pot. Her favorite coffee maker in those days was her Stovetop Glass Vacuum
I’ve used the Electric percolator as like right now these pots holding up the best living with country well water. These are ugliest and longest lasting pots made of plastic.
There was the dripolator.
Then there was the Mr. Coffee types that lasted a whole year if the purchaser lucked out.
The longest lasting was the boiled coffee maker. I’ve had my gallon sized pot for almost sixty years. Today’s inflated retail price for an enameled new pot, about $50.00. Ouch!
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My day’s summation:
First thing right after the cats. They think they’s the most important critters around here and they’re all going to waste away if they aren’t fed post hast any time I step my home’s door.
Doc’s still vacationing it. No answer, no appointment. I called my druggist and he’d fixed me up with an emergency prescription pack. Whew… and … Whoopee!
I managed one phone call out of three and got Frieda’s insurance settled.
The weather cold the winds almost nonexistent It wasn’t to bad out. I made my rounds ending back here with the empty feed wagon. The empty wagon here I set about the tractor start, the set up and completed today’s feed grind this morning. Everything went smooth enough until it came time to back the equipment back down into the barn. All my coming and going the last couple weeks driving across the creek bottom had not been a problem until I had finished the grind. Over the creek countless numbers of times the last couple week’s day everything had been fine and dandy. Today the right front tractor tire dropped through the ice and chocked itself in the creek bottom’s mud as well as to stop my progress putting the machines away. As any farm tractor driver knows it’s practically impossible to rock a tractor out of a sticking situation. Somehow I had gotten the tractor to move forward getting myself some room the drop the tractor into reverse and romped on it. Whew, I made it across the creek slipping and sliding enough being unproperly lined up for an easy backing into the barn had not happened. Anybody have any idea what jockeying an assembled tow around on freshly deposited snow upon a now hidden sheet of ice. Any body watching my jockeying those machines around could well have imagined I was dancing a country hoedown without music, my left foot stomping the clutch pedal to stop swayed motions left reel right, while my right foot seemingly stomping the same tractor deck the differential lock under foot for both wheels backing. (:^)
By gum, it was nearing lunch time. Ah shucks, might just as well take care of the ladies hay before feeding my own face and warming my fingers and toes. I’m sure hay kept in front of them will keep their tummies full and warming them. But, then, everyone of them is wearing a heavy fur coat. I’ve also noticed they are not slaves to human fashion trends. I have not seen or heard a single one of them ever campaign, “I’d rather go naked than wear fur!”
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Get a load of these art works. Fabulous!

BGKC.
Fernan

Will it ever end?

I’d been found still splitting wood this morning for Tom this time. I do believe he over did yesterday. He should have quit when I did. Well, all’s split what chunks he had cut up. Know we’ve got to do some chain sawing.
Sitting down to a well earned hot coffee in hands wrapped around the cup’s warmth, we started to recap this morning’s good works. About then I’m celled, “There’s a dog chasing the cattle.” Ho boy! That message put an end to recapping anything.
Mounted up within Ugly’s confines I’d driven home. Driving right on by home there was nothing of any dog I could see. However, it were time I fed the ladies and returned home to do just that.

Packing my holstered piece slung over my shoulder; mysteriously unable to close the shrunken belt around the waist any more, I took it along anyway. With all the ladies excitement concerning an uninvited dog’s want to chase one or two of them the whole lot turned on it (dog) and it split. I’m expecting that dog’s has picked up some smarts along it’s feral ways. Not seeing that mutt in the pasture didn’t mean it were gone. Mounted up on the loader equipped JD, my heading out to feed the ladies that mutt came out of the hay-yard crossing my imagined path at just the right distance, safe Now, if I had tried out my six gun, my gun hand havin’ taken up shaking, that mutt was safe as if were still interested in its mother’s charms. That mutt just a moving to and fro must have had an inkling it was safe from any real harm by my hand. It appeared to be about an eight month old German Shepherd and Black Lab mix. To far to initiate a lasting understanding from a shaken hand so bad to make the one and only lasting impression upon the what I could really only assume was a feral mutt, I watched. Headed west I turned the JD around and sort of followed the unsaintly mutt slinking cross country keeping it in sight as best I could my hoping it lead me to its home. My even winding up out on the road, about a half mile down the road it ran off the road south, there my giving up my chase. In the meantime I’ll keep an eye open from now on to see it it belongs to someone down the road, well around the corner.
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The ladies at long last fed I finally got to sit down to my lunch. Some home made stew resembling something more liking soup. I didn’t contradict her. I felt her skillet before. Closed quartered as we are this cold weather you all know I’ve got to get in out of the weather some times. I know it also. Regardless what she called it or I thought of it, I told her, ”It’s good!” I know which side of my bed has the sheets on it. Supper scarcely out of the way it were time to hit the road. We’d been invited down the road for coffee and desert. I’m careful about not messing up one them priceless coffee stops.
Our staying long enough we not only enjoyed our hostesses company but we also enjoyed our host’s company for as long as it lasted. That was good as it worked out. If there’s anything what bothers me it’s my inability to spread rumors when I face to face with the rumoree.
Well, this enough of this.
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Now let me introduce you’ll to something entirely different, a pig’s tale.
Daisy Mae. She’ll grunt and complain at any stranger touching her. Rub her for a couple/three moments back and back forth and she’ll become your buddy acceptant more attention’ If ya look closely ya’ll notice she does have a nice figure, the likeness a grounded Good Year blimp. Continue that rubbing up’n’down her spine and she‘ll sound just like them Good Year blimp engines, just a purring.
(Eat you heart out Ron if you’re reading this!)

This’s Daisy Mae’s nest. The sides of this nest are half Daisy Mae’s height and she’s got to be somewhere’s around/about a hundred and fifty pound a-fully grown potbellied pig.

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One more thing. Holy moley, Number one son came out to see us. Frieda and I scarcely settle with in our house he and his family come knocking on the door. I ain’t gona-a say it, but I can think it, “Where ever did they ever find the time?” Oh well it was good seeing them regardless the hardships? }:^|
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Opps: Almost forgot this:

Finely having it all together an hour past bedtime. BGKC.
Fernan

Resolutions
Yeah, that’s right. I’ve already strated keeping at least one New Year’s resolution. I’m going to treat like I had said with throwing a coin in a wishing well or fountain maybe or beter yet liking a Birthday wish blowing out the candle kind of wish one mus keet to himself or it’ll fail to come true. I’ve even thought of a second New Years rsolutution. Ho bot! I’ge to stop already. Why I haven’t made a New Year’s rsolution in my entire life. Interesting I should want to at this late date in my life. These resolutions should be easy to keep and entirely out of the main-stream of things done around here, between us for at least the last twelve/fifteen years. I shall see how it goes. Can I do it? I’ve thrown down the gauntlet! Now, it’s up to me to see them through. Oh crap! Me and my big mind field!
~~~~~~~~~~~
Oh, what a beautiful morning. Oh, what a beautiful day. It rained all night melting away our one whole inch of snow. The ground was baren some six hours I had walked on it today. Tom asking to borrow the wood splitter, I did him one better. I invited myself along with the machine. Such a lovely day I brought the Cushman out for the tow. I had a splendid drive going to Tom’s.
His wood in a barn, it was well protected from the elements and so were we my backing my machines inside the barn. I thought we’d never get the cussed log splitter started? Had to open up the aitcleaner and prime the carberator. Then it half assed run once we did get it started. Opening the primary carburator jet improved the engines performance on a richer fuel mixsture. Worked so well, I gave the primary jet’s feed on the Cushman as well which improved the Cushmans performance for my drive back home.
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Here’s another ceramic village snapshot. Enjoy.

While I’ve not complied a long list of tasks it has been a busy and full day just the same. And more than my time to retire. BGKC
Fernan

Christmas Day

Cheeso-pete, life can have so many snags along the way.
This has been one of a kind Holiday celebration, then aren’t they all, I took it easy all day yesterday. It doesn’t help farm life is not without its perils. I don’t know how many times I’ve spent a holiday fixing fence, even mid-wifed once, and today looks no different. A neighbor near out of firewood has asked me for the use of our splitter today. He don’t know it yet, but I’m going with it.
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Backing the rein deer up, found under our tree a brand new nite shirt. Thank goodness it wasn’t another lacey-nightgown. Found a set of long stemmed wine glasses. A most apropos gift I’m sure is suggesting I get down and bottle all those fine wine full jars what have quietly awaiting my attention. Got a, get this, a tin box made in China filled with cookies baked in India. They are an international timely arrival, our just having run out of a tin full of Danish butter cookies. I got me a new pair of extra heavy warm winter socks. Only one pair? Are I supposed to just wear the one pair for the duration? Another gift was a knit stocking cap. Now that’s the first thing I may put on, every morning, its covering everything.
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I helped Frieda with this morning’s cooking carrying my own breakfast in out of the kitchen.
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All the mornings fuss over with, the wrapping paper and boxes saved with the kindling, I realized I had gotten a 21 battery package and nothing to put them in. Imagine my disappointment I hadn’t found one them new fandangled electronic wizard’s wand’s. I guess I won’t be going to Hogwarts School of wizardry for my High School equivalency completion course for my GED diploma cause I'm improperly improperly equipped. And, I was looking forward to meeting the infamous Harry Potter.
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Well I did it. I got outside and fed my morning chores. When I can’t navigate my own driveway I’m sure to be another statistic out on our road. So here I set no new toy to play with until I’ve broken it.
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Talked to number three son. Today. He’s still out of it. Got some talk from him complaining about holding phone up to his ear, needing a speaker phone to make his life easier. Yeah, sure. He told me he’d been in a Kalamazoo hospital and they had kicked him out, and that’s how he got home. Truth is he’s been in hospitals nursing homes up the Lake Mich. Coast. No Kazoo. I asked him about how he was coming with his exercises and he tells me does them once a day. I can believe that and then and when he does them it is likely with somebody standing over him encouraging him through the motions. He thinks his wife’s grandmother is still alive and he’s expecting her home at anytime. Yup!!! Everybody may get to be just as happy as he is provided they adhere to a very strict diet of Mt. dew pop, pot, and drugs. His stomach, upper and lower intestines are eatened up and in knots and his mind is contentedly dwelling in La La Land.
I can’t do anything for him. It must come from within himself.
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Here we are, another photo of the ceramic village Enjoy.

Calling it a day. BGKC
Fernan

I’m reminded

I related our difficulty getting Her Mostess into Ugly’s confines to see a Christmas village evening last. And it was there in I had made an uncomplimentary reference to a cow. Well, that slip of my tongue wasn’t the worst one I had ever made. Going back over a half a century there was a moon lit night over looking a Lake Michigan parking site I had wrongly spoken of a similarity which only added a clue to the life sentence I was about to receive for wrongful acts towards a certain young lady vamp. The criminal’s mind worked something like this:
“Frieda, you’ve the same eyes as an old girl friend knew and grew up some with.” I whispered between kisses.
Her interest piked her hands on my chest pushing herself back from me, “And who was this girl?” she’d spoken in an alarmed tone…….
While her manner was more liking, “How dare you have so many loves before me?!” I wondered either how or why hadn’t I kept my mouth shut?
………”Well?“ she insisted, “You’ve brought her up. Tell me about her.”
“Hmmm….well….okay.” I hemmed and hawed, “She had the prettiest big brown eyes just like you…..
You’ve sad that!” she interrupted.
……. and, her name was Martha.” I had continued.
“Is that all? What she look like?”
“Well,” I started, expecting to get clobbered, “She was a dark red haired Jersey cow.” already cowering in my seat expecting the worst, she righted herself, flung her arms about my neck and squeezed me ever to tight my thinking she was either about to smother me or break my neck.
And, she surprised me with, “That is the nicest compliment I have ever been paid!” Then it was sloppy kisses she planted all over me. Obviously I survived to tell this tale of whoa. And then trying to explain the lipstick traces all over my face and on my collar to mom wasn’t the easiest episode to explain. Lawd! Oh my! How I’ve suffered ever since!
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Remembering Christmas Eve’s fun times
They were all so impressionable, where will I start. How about with in my own home this time. With our children when each had reached the age to be impressed, bedazzled, shocked, wondering what all this was and when urged get into it, where does a kid start. Watching each child’s first impressionable Christmas, I liked our turning each one loose and then selfishly positioning ourselves where we could watch our child’s eyes widen with surprise, wonderment, and astonishment.
All the bright lights on a tree that wasn’t there when they’d gone to bed. There was a new unfamiliar smell. There were hung on that tree all manner of colored lights, bright shinny mirroring balls, tinsel, with an Angle and Cross way up at there at the very top. Underneath the tree rested brightly colored boxes. Some with ribbons, all with name cards. And, Mommy and I weren’t worried somebody had snuck all this stuff into the house. Looking at Mom I was encouraging our children to do something. But what? I had bent down on the floor taking my hand leading the latest one to the tree. I seated us and handed our child a package cover in funny not everyday paper. In the child’s lap I placed a first package. Open it I’d said, whatever that meant? Then within the blink our parenting twinkling eyes we started ripping a ribbon and paper off the box for the surprise hiddened within.
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For each new child about to witness the spirit of Christmas I saw to it a live tree was brought into the house Christmas Eve. Keeping the tree alive was the rewarded hard part. Burlap wrapped roots firmly set into a half bushel basket we set it within a galvanized laundry tub we’d fill with water.
Each new tree removed New Years weekend was immediately planted to keep it’s roots from freezing. Then either covered with snow, leaves, or straw to keep the limbs from freezing. This covering whatever it might have been was to help the traumatized tree to mellow out to it’s new surroundings. Now, we’ve many living reminders Christmases past living around/about the South Haven community.
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Seeing as how our wedding anniversary was but a couple weeks before Christmas the timing eventually required gifts of a less practical nature. The same such gifts I had come to give my love became welcomed lingerie playwear between us. As it followed, it happened we both looked forward to the personalized effects on each of us. On our anniversary I was usually treated to a late evening vamp’s fashion personalized fashion show of things she liked putting on so I could spend hours just taking it all back off. Such wardrobes often kept me up all night.
Quite often Santa’s helper received additional good naughty girl wardrobe pieces. Once and again and more Santa’s helper upon opening her gift within our privacy had disappeared to redress in fashion’s hinting promise Santa’s rewards for spirited giving. How I ever survived those days now eludes me just some of my memories.
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Now for a bit of granny eye candy.....


And now one more picture to blood shot an old codger's peepers.


Frieda and I wish everyone who ventures into Shorthorn country a very Merry Christmas.
May everybody be kept safe this Holiday week End.
Fernan

12-23-o9 Fun recap & stuff

The roads got better the higher the sun got starting to dry even towards sun down. Still hated the traffic. I was so happy to have finally parked ugly a whole half hour before sundown. Frieda’s scheduled for another new knee next year. On that news took her out for breakfast. A good old soul, she endured hanging out with me my many shopping lifting stops. Possessing the testosterone hunting instinct I was in and out all my stops getting just what I was after and moving on. I made six/seven shopping stops. We’d even been home a half hour earlier if had been for some confusion finding hardware.
Almost running out of gas just a few yards from a fuel pump and paying what I had to for the only 93 octane gasoline available I'm considering
my
to run these vehicles on chilli BEAN gas.
Other than all our day’s happening it was one beautiful day to have seen some the daylight sights/sites.
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Right turn out of the drive way, a half mile later I was looking for Handy’s help with two barn doors. Right up to the barn we went. First step formulate a plan, then find the tools to implement the idea whether it was good or bad, right or wrong. Just the tools we needed and then some and we started taking things apart.
Into the project flexibility crucial to getting the job done. The first door we weren’t going to take down off its tract I bodily moved out that end. Then it lost its rollers as they “just didn’t look right to me.” That door’s loosing its rollers found itself sitting on the ground. Conversely, the door we were going to open remained closed, removal striking hardware it was sprung it to clean the crap out from behind it.
It were lunch time. Handy needed to check on his mother, I wanted lunch to keep my boyish figure.
Back at it was shop time. While Handy straightened the strikers hardware I took the rollers apart. One roller had badly worn needle bearing in it causing the slop and the trolley’s running untrue. The other roller was retrofit with a rather bad fitting substituted bushing expected to take up space once occupied by proper roller bearings. Happily was I Tom had come over. I put him to welding the broken (chipped) chips of the second rollers damaged hub. I ground them somewhat smother later. Meanwhile I made new needle bearing out of one of them presidential lawn campaign sign staples. AT LAST, I found something of a politician useful. While I greased the rollers to hold the new home made needle bearings, Tom was adding metal to one of the second door’s strikers. All the components repaired all at about the same time, the three of us headed up to the barn, with Tom’s lunchbox mig welder, our time was looking good. Tom welded a crack in the door track. We team refitted the roller brackets moved the door twice to assemble and hang. The strikers were reinstalled for second door’s closure, we picked up our tools and ourselves. We’d done enough for this day. Time again was about shut the daylight off around us. I had to take my work companions home, Tom first, Handy getting the scenic way home still having to prepare for his evening‘s guests. Me, I had two silage bales to feed for chores and five arm loads firewood to carry in plus eat early for going out.
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Invited out, it weren’t easy getting Frieda seated in Ugly. Wearing her new brace on her left knee she couldn’t bend her limb quite enough to get in the truck. When she’d missteped, thinking herself slipping, thinking herself falling away, she starts crying, “I’m slipping, falling, oh God, I can‘t get my foot in!”
I’m behind her holding onto her. “You’re not slipping,” I reassured her, my telling her, “I’ve got you.”
“You can’t hold me up.” she exclaimed.
“I’ve got you. Relax. Let go of the truck!“ by this time (no turning back) I was semi under her pulling her back while lifting her limb so her foot could clear the jamb. In the heat of the ring, my back against the ropes, I had sorrily said something like, “I’ve picked up bigger cows than you!” At about that moment her foot was inside Ugly’s cab. And from were women get this built in feature, it is beyond me. She’d the mind of an remembering elephant.
So many pieces I can’t possibly individually picture them all. So, it’ll be a few this evening and a few more from time to time, if you tune in on my Journal.

My first installment. More later. BGKC.
Fernan

Frieda’s Day Out

An extra early start for today this morning. Frieda’s doctor’s appointment was for 8:00 AM.Our living a ways out the NE of Flint. Hr Doc’s office was beyond the SW side of Flint. About an hour’s drive in good weather. So this meant an even earlier start for us. The best part of the drive do I skirt Flint via the more rural country roads or just brave the morning rush hour traffic taking a couple expressways? Decisions, decisions?
When we were through at her surgeon’s office, for Frieda’s day out I took her to one of them high-class restaurant’s without the takin’ sign and drive-up take-out window. And, then while we were Out I showed her some of the sights while I was out anyway. Way out that side the city I had a part we didn’t need to return, we’d likely never need or use, and I had to go by a nut and bolt specialist warehouse for some extra tall grade eight nuts for the Tall Oliver.
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Now for something in an entirely different vane from my youth:
Having an instilled knowledge of everything he knew about the star’s, Dad showed me the big dipper. Then when I knew how to recognize it regardless the hour where it might be found in the sky, I learned that the big dipper’s lip pointed straight out at the brightest star, North Star. Then knowing the north star there was no need my being caught out confused at night as to which way it was to come back home. That knowledge came in handy a number of times I doubted my compass.
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Lunch hour entry:
We made it back home safe and sound with no great efforts upon Her Mostess’s part preventing me form seriously becoming confuse along towards the fourth stop. More about that later. First stop Frieda’s been scheduled for a knee joint replacement Feb.9th a year from now. From there we went by the home H-care patient emporium for handicappers. Here we got her a left knee brace to support her until she‘s had her surgery.. Our next stop was returning a part for a rolling gang box. Why for, I had mysteriously found the original missing one. Up and out before daylight it were more than past our regular breakfast hour. When Frieda’s out 99% of the times, this means a meal out also. Just down the road apiece I found one of them fancy restaurants I didn’t have talk in-order to get to a nonexistent takeout window this joint didn’t have. Like I should-a said, “High Class”. One more stop o make we had to drive somewhere around the International airport to pickup some specialty hardware. For a while I thought Frieda would never get me there as if she were any help in this department in any way. On top of that having ignored the fuel gauge earlier the van started to spotter. We was running out of gas. Notice how I share the more meaningful aspects of one mine shopping expeditions. Regardless, the van’s sputtering’s coming closer together I just made to the next busy intersection to coast right in up to the first gas pump to have come along the left side the van’s fill cap. My choice of 93 octane gasoline taking it leaving it I had little choice. Anybody got any idea what seven gallon of high octane gas costs? While I was fueling I set my macho demeanor aside seeking fresher directions for the next primary hardware stop for Her Mostess‘s information. Back on the road again, sun-of-a-gun, saw a Sara Lee Bakery outlet coming up and wheeled in. Well as long as we were in the neighborhood and bought a few things at reduced prices. From there on the road again one of us had made a wrong turn, narrowing that wrong turner down Frieda doesn’t drive. So, I insisted Frieda let me exercise some macho relief and ask directions again. Finally getting the way right in her head we were at long last pulling up in front the hardware store only moments later. Getting our specialty nuts ¾” schedule eight deep nuts they weren’t giving them away. Finished there I got us back on a freeway headed for home. Only two more scheduled grocery stops to go we skipped the first one for lack of ready cash going right on home instead.
Handy having called for a ride. Okay then, my dropping Frieda off at home along with everything the van had gathered carried into the house with her. I picked up Handy and we both went grocery shopping. This shopping excursion for me was finagled out to satisfy both our needs to pick-up a few things. It worked out alright by his calling me still on the road between my last two stops. Postponing my stop it only took a turn left instead of right to accommodated both our shopping needs.
Ho boy, am I ever glad this impromptu shopping day is over with! Later!
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My lunch was rather skimpy as it was my third bellied up to meal of the day. After that I headed for the shop. Pulling into the yard there were little girl tracks all over the yard. The Spring Heifers had gotten out. They had gotten into bale wrap pictured below. Thankfully they didn’t give Ray a whole lot of trouble going back from out of the yard they belonged in. Whew. On my arrival we did his hay moving chores. Then I moved onto checking fences. They were full bore hot. How then had the Spring heifers get out. Near as we can narrow the question down the kids might have left the gate after last night’s chores.

I had also managed to use half that hardware on the Tall Oliver. I might better explain Frieda had never had the slightest chance of knowing where the place was I had to go. At least she was well entertained.
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While I’m checking fences, when I got to the back of the upper barn I saw two back doors of the barn in jeopardy. One is sprung open the other door one end is off the track. My question is, why can’t these kids tell me when something’s attention. Now that I’ve discovered the problem I may likely force the sprung door shut with some railroad iron leverage. The other door off the track has like settled and has frozen down in the mud. Yup, I can see it all now. With the only break in the weather expected Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, just guess where I’ll likely be doing what?
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Here’s some eye candy to a farmer’s mind. {;^))
Saw this tractor yesterday. Gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous.

Here’s a look at the rear.

Would you believe this rebuilt tractor is going down on the farm to earn it’s keep! No shows!
The gentleman who rebuilds these Olivers takes them in (mostly on order) completely rebuilds and paints them looking (better than, in my estimation) like new including decals.
A few months ago one of his 2150 MFWD rebuilds went to Maine. His customers like these unattainable tractors and pay the price to buy one of the rebuilt bests ever manufactured. (so I been told) BGKC.
Fernan

The Shortest Day

I’m sure glad it’s our shortest day. It seems like I’ve (all of us) been getting less and less done every day these last few weeks. We’re always quitting early to do the chores while it is still light. Winter’s official start today, we’ve already burned a cord of firewood. While I want to fret about the wood supply disappearing faster than I’m thinking it should, in reality warm weather and the end of the heating season is only about fourteen/fifteen weeks away, and the firewood will likely last right up until we wont need it.
I slept so soundly here the iron dragon breath's cooled down going unfed all night. Now I either bare patty foot it out for my ash bucket or wait a couple moments longer dressing to deny Her Mostess another hearty laugh. Might I add, I've never forgiven her chortling at me in that once upon a time "Cabin Far-Far away" episode.
While I dressed I sent a signal down to the dungeon dragon. Holy molly this fat man I didn’t have to go down there and kick it’s are to breath a little warmth up into the house. The first day of winter what the heck. Running water will be appreciative it’s freedom grandly appreciated by this one and all.
Warm ashes sitting on the concrete step offering their warmth for a little while, I’ll ignore, my having to be getting out of here. This is my AM out of here start of the day……….
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Cables replaced on battery/starter project finished. Radiator cap and new custom grip ready to assemble.

Fuel cap project finished and installed..

Two projects done. Sure as I’m breathing I’ve more to work on.
As for the Tall Ollie, we’ve gotten the front-end’s steering adjusted. No simple task. Until I remembered the hired man on the farm from where this tractor had come from, say something about this tractor’s steering was awfully squirrelly. That I should have a Hell of a good time keeping it going straight. And something about driving it slowly to keep it on the road. Well as I had reassembled the tie-rods to the preset tie-rod ends as I had taken all the steering linkages apart, something just didn’t look right to me. On measuring the toe between the front tires I found the front wheels toed out FOUR inches. Oh Lawd. This took some thinking and a whole lot of measuring. It took a near full inch shortening both tie-rods to bring the front of the wheels into a half inch toe in. An eighth of an inch toe-in is ideal. However as this is an old tractor we set the toe a little tighter for the tractor’s shock adjustments when the machine has been put back into use. We’ve had a lot of nuts and bolts either loosened or totally taken apart. When the front wheel take some rolling into, bouncing off of uneven field conditions, each time one them wheels take’s such a hit, that hit will automatically widen the toe over time. And we can check it again later-on into the haying season.
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I am pissed, and I’ve clearly a dislocated nose. Three times I’ve talked to Frieda’s daughter asking her to take us, her mother to the knee doctor tomorrow. Three times the ingrate has turned either her mother and I down. If she were ever adopted out? Why oh why did we ever take her back?
I’ve a whole bunch of why’s I asked her help. Big number one I wanted a better driver taking us to that appointment. Second and equally as important as the first one, Ugly’s brakes are far from up to par. Out here in the sticks I poke along and Ugly can make slow and easy stops. I would not want to expose Ugly to a heavy trafficked a-panic stop??? Nope, no way!!! For third reason, this girl has received when asked of me, recent financial support. As much as she’s asked for? As many times as much as she’s borrowed from us? She could damned well pay back a little interest favor. She isn’t even working so she wont miss a single day’s work or pay. I just don’t know? Maybe right now I’d let somebody/anybody adopt her merely for the sums what I’ve invested in her just the last three years.
So, we worked into the dark of night to find the source of an electrical short in the van. Thankfully Ray found it. To make a quick fix, an orange and black wire had to be pulled out of the fuse block. Who needs locking door locks anyway. The van chariot awaits my lady tomorrow morning. BGKC.
Fernan

Last Day Fall

Yup, today is the last day of Fall (OR, near enough for me). We’ve already had a taste of winter’s snow, icy cold, and chilly winds. (Oh, Joy!)
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Got some good news today. Number four son has called and told us number three son wants to go home. (I’m chuckling here with a tearfull eye.) Sneak (4th son) is telling Fonzy (3rd son), “I ain’t taking you home until you can walk because I ain’t carrying you.”
The hospital and nursing home staffs are making progress in a most unusual way. This is rich. Fonzy is 45 years old and they’re treating him like a spoiled child. First he was put in isolation (no roommate). A few days later the TV was taken away. Some weeks later they removed the radio. Just recently they’ve taken his telephone away. Seems now that all his entertainment has been removed and he’s no roommate to talk, he wants out of the Hospitals. Glory be, I suspect this is more of a psychiatric than a medical treatment anymore (or from now on).
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It were a good day today. I worked a little on the Tall Ollie. I spent most my time replacing the heavy duty Battery Charger/Starter’s stiff jumper cables with my old tried and true more flexible mobile jumper cables. Ohh, the sacrifices I have had to make for the good. (smiles)
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Anyway, the Ollie’s front axles are spread not knowing which way to turn. and ready for the lengthened tie rods.

The tools made to pull a tie rod apart are seen on the tie rod laying on the near table edge. The tie rods lengthened are ready to install.

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Now to get myself into trouble. I’m good at this.
Evening last and tonight, each when I had remembered something I wanted to say… Her Mostess had settled in and started talking. I looked up to listen to her speak and totally forgotten the words I had framed in my mind were gone. Damn, damn, damn. BGKC.
Fernan

Good day

Finally got something done today. While I might have started moving the Tall Ollie’s left axle out with Tom’s help, I was soon squeezed out of the picture. That was alright. I plenty of other projects to work on. My near afternoon’s choice was to make the newly acquired radiator cap for the fuel transfer tank a bit easier to handle (put and take on‘n‘off).
On another up side I’ve finally gathered all the necessary parts (supplies) to make finish a couple/three more projects if just given the time. While they may be small fixes they still require finished attention. Seeing an end in sight making up the lost time the last two day’s involved looking for the means to three ends. Now near finished ends.
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The weather below freezing for several days had hit 35* this afternoon made it a beautiful day to be outside. Along with catching up on the means to make a several repairs one day soon, I’m also delighted the Tall Ollie’s front tract is finally widened. A big midday treat I had bean soup for today’s lunch made with genuine Great Northern beans. Yum!
Venison in the freezer, enough firewood carried in for the night I’m calling it a good gosh day.
BGKC
Fernan

remains seen

A-woke late this morning, but I woke. I’ve been blessed with, I’m sure, another invigorating day. I had been everywhere about these farms today spending 90% of my time searching for either components or parts. Geez-o-peet, however have we run out of everything. Little stuff really but essential to finish a good sized jobs or project. What I sacrifice for some properly limp heavy duty charger/starter/booster cable replacements. Was also in need of proper sized feral/boltable-wireends for chargers wired connections. Wanting make at least three repairs to the east winter pasture I found we are out of heavy fence wire crimp on ferrules. When had all those been used?
Closest I came to any kind of an accomplishment, today, I rearranged and reset the blockings and body jacks for widening the Tall Ollie’s front axle. Working by myself I was not only short handed, but I was short body counted able to pursue that project any further. Reason? It’d take one man heating the axle’s outer shell while two more man the three/four hydraulic jacks to accomplish the axle movement to widening the rust and dirt bound axel assembly.
My ladies are off their feed the second day in a row, as I fed them one bale yesterday and one today. The normal rationing is two bales a day with an occasional odd bale left out. Oh well, It’ll all even out someday.
Now, getting back to the new battery chargers replacement cables, I guess I’m sacrificing my thirty five some year olds I’ve carried with me all those years. Fortunately I’ve at least three and a half more varied sets floating about the farms. The second best set is kept on the Cushman for charging batteries in tractors parked some distance from an outlet. The third best set going to Ugly are an old roadside trash liberated allowing them an opportunity at an extended life. Well! They’re all paid for any way.
At last! I know what I can get us for Christmas: a brand new well made handy dandy sterlingly made can opener! That damnable old one gave me quite a difficult time my trying to cleanly open a can of applesauce. I just didn’t want the applesauce, I neded that applesauce…….. BGKC.
Fernan

Brrrrr……

It is cold. Wouldn’t be so bad if the winds would ease up on us, as they had for us a sunny day a couple days ago..
I did my chores, I did Ray’s chores, and the kids did their chores. It’s bad when the chores are the only activities I’m remembering. Reading my own words were these chores the culmunary highlight of my whole day?
I tried a local family owned auto parts store for a fuel cap replacement for the transfer fuel tank. $39.99 I paid yesterday is just to blamed costly a price. So it’s now WE are looking for that more reasonably priced fuel tank cap. It’s not that I’m cheap. It’s just that I am cheap. I have an aversion to paying more for something I need isn’t worth that kind of useful money’s spent upon it.
I finally got around to taking my new battery charger-jumper apart. Not! Not to see what it looked like inside nor just for something to do. The fool machine has a to stiff a problem with its + and - built in battery cables. Those cables had been so cussed stiff even in warm weather. This cold weather has simply made them near impossible to use as they’re even stiffened more in this cold weather when I need the instrument the most. So we’re also shopping for a limp (say) set of jumper cables for charger cable replacements.
I walked by and/or past the Tall Ollie more than once today. During one of those passing’s I might even had given it a pat on the back side one of the rear drivers. Would my patting that rear driver on the backside be anything like patting Her Mostess upon her ba…baa……uh..…naugh……..never mind.
Thinking about tomorrow, if the winds will only let up for another day as they had only a couple days ago, I’m thinking I’ll do a better job or remembering to make a couple repairs to the electric fence keeping the ladies honestly in this year’s east side wintering yard. BGKC.
Fernan

What a Day

Starting with a right turn out of driveway before dawn I’ll admit this morning was one of my earliest starts of late. At every turn I was to meet a predawn school bus picking up children. My rump had puckered a couple time just a trying to get a grip on an out of sight cushion spring under the foam padding, our near slipping and sliding into a couple intersections. Did a one quarter donut on some black ice. I can report there was plenty of that icy stuff.
Underway my first stop was Sues Home for lists and coupons. To early for whole sale grocery pickups I went beyond to TSC: for salt, feed, broken tool replacements, transfer fuel tank cap, and gloves. On the road again I headed for the Clio city streets to stop for Ugly’s refueling. Next stop was the village grocer’s with Frieda’s shopping list for our needs (as long as I was out on the road). Most importantly I stocked up on beer and for those rolls what can‘t be gone without until the library paper work’s done. J I had one more senior center stop to pick up six couponed cases surplus grocery supplies. Sue had said she didn’t need hers although she could use the fruit. So her’s could be quickly taken care at another later stop, an easy country driven relief. I don’t think anybody may be more delighted to drive country roads than myself. Exiting the city it’s traffic and traffic lights is my greatest joy anymore when I’m pressed into motoring beyond any two/three mile radius of home. The truck loaded, cargo box and cab alike. My next stop was to hand off five of the six grocery cases to a four family shacking up due to Michigan’s broken manufacturing economy positive to see everybody broken. Did I happen to mention two more houses in my neighborhood have been foreclosed. It saddens my heart to witness so many families forced out what houses they had worked so hard to have started making their own homes. It’s one of these four shacked families situations we’re helping what we can. Wherever one drives we see houses stand empty or emptied by hard hearted banks what have decided not to refinance houses people have lived in to ten, twelve, fifteen, twenty yrs. I don’t get it? Some of those families had to have had some equity worth refinancing? I just don’t get it? Millions of dollars to fatten bankers pockets who refuse to use those same funds to help families keep their homes!
Getting back on tract my last stop was by the shop to drop off salt and other shopped stuff(?) and pickup the emptied feed wagon. Finally getting home having also picked up Tom to help me we got the feed that needed grinding today ground. Delivering and spotting the filled feed wagon snow flurries were beginning to dance upon varying air currents creating a lived in pretty scene. By the time I got home for my own lunch by 3:00PM I think I had already put in a good day. Cold and hungry I took an hour to lunch (for one thing) and by the time I thought about betting back outside, the sky so overcast, sundown was coming on earlier than usual. And the quiet snow dancing only an hour earlier was driven on a horizontal plain by winds building in intensity, visibility was diminishing.
I’m In, I’m tired, I’m sleepy, I’ve got a warm fire going, and going to bed. BGKC.
Fernan

Venturing out

Our paved roads are in fair shape with encounter able patches of black ice anywhere. Our driveways and my road are skating raceways if these and more like gravel roads and driveways ever so iced down. Ugly and I had no choice. I took Ugly out on the roads regardless the hazards for feed grinding supplies. The conditions were a grand test for both our prowess (ugly and I) my steering with Ugly’s concerted pull. We had a fun time keeping the whole weighty trip between a couple roadside depressions.
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Got to work on the Tall Ollie again for a couple hours today. How sweet it is. Five combined hours, so far, we’ve gotten the left front axel spindle housing swinging fore and after. When it is gotten at tomorrow it should start sliding out widening the front tire track.
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Oh boy have I got a lot to do tomorrow. Tomorrow’s chores weren’t my regular scheduled forte. This off farm outing has me picking up groceries for a Lady whom can’t get out. Why couldn’t she have been closer than 12 miles. Oh well! While I’m out I’ll pick up a few thing we need as well from the Grocer’s. And while I’m that far gone, just a bit further on, I may also stop and make several TSC purchases: cat food, livestock salt, hand socks, and a bulk truck mounted field fuel tank cap.
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I unintentionally slighted my ladies today. While they hadn’t reprimanded me they were none the less happy to see I hadn’t totally forgotten them. All’s well my giving them two bales silage. I understand it’s good stuff by their ravings.
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Starting our laundry earlier this morning, each time I’ve come in the house I’ve had to deal with it. While writing this I’m wondering how late the laundry’s going to keep me up drying.
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Frieda’s gotten her appointment (today) to see the orthopedic surgeon before Christmas, even.
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For slippery day we’ve survived the elements smiling. BGKC.
Fernan

12-13-o9 sleet and ice….

Sleet and ice was the morning fare. As the day warmed up, luckily the paved roads improved. Our road a 3rd class stone road started the day a slip and slid passage anyone venturing out on it. I laid around the house until the noon hour before I took it on. Fortunately it had slushed up some making it just a little easier than worrying where one my slid off the road and find themselves softly tilted in a roadside ditch. Spent my afternoon in the shop breaking everything down on the right side for moving to left side. Set up was quicker this time as everything needed was already out merely needing moved and reset.
Ray heated while I jacked and indirectly beat on the left axle spindle. I had thought to twice take a picture and forgot both times, of the rather neat striker (for lack of knowing if there’s already a name for it?) to fit the axel housing to beat on without collateral damage to the original spindle housing.
With all the heat, with all the BFH beating, we only managed to loosen the axel assembly’s width pin lock.
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It’s midnight past I’ve mysteriously awakened this time. I’m still reliving yesterday unable to make my words account for something more than a boring Journal entry. Alright I’ll give in to me insensibilities and try and analyze my thoughts.
Moments ago I had set up swung my feet over the side of the bed and wondered what or more pointedly why had I wakened. I hadn’t waken for a nature’s need. I had no thoughts of throwing another log on the fire. I simply sat there seeing a small light reminding me I hadn’t turned off my computer. Trying to remember how that had come about I though I had better. Then sitting down to it I read a reference to turtles this in turn causing me to wonder how to interpret what some of us as individuals are trying to say in the words we set down. No Samuel Clemens I still manage to string a few letters into words meaning full enough they cause me to look into my own soul, my own life, and heart.
What might be my mortal life’s contribution amount to my gifted time upon this earth? Was I gifted to build houses what were the homes where in some happy families lived and grown? Had I opened the outdoors showing from the deck of a boat how small we were as individuals upon the face of the earth. Having spent times in the wilderness some days at a time to unceremoniously keep a marriage together as per an ailing lady’s request which left me spending days living off the land in places were a troubled person might see the simplest rudiments of life in plants and animals. Yah-yeah, I know, I’m writing in circles in the middle of a lightless sky, bout as clouded over as liking the gathering of cobwebs over my mind. Yet from lessons learned should we look after our a neighbor, another neighbor may look after us. The greatest gifts are the simplest gifts from another body’s given heart. BGKC.
Fernan

I been accused….

….worse yet….I’ve been caught playing patty cake with another body what wasn’t that was not mine given to be my very own. It’s oh all so true. Frieda caught me with my hands full. Not so difficult to explain really as cold as the weather’s been the last three days. I simply had to find another body acceptable to warm my hands as Frieda will no longer let me warm my cold paws upon her. (sniff) A male thing she’d surely exclaim. That habit had started and had grown out off romantic intentions some many days of old. Acceptable then one-thing usually leading to another. Now, her attitude is something like she ain’t letting me start something we may no longer finish. (sob)
What’s a man to do? I don’t live by bread …err…breath alone. It’s like this cold weather brings out these achy-achy feelings within my fingers. So I’ve sought out another complacent warm body that’d accept my advances. To my surprise it wasn’t difficult. It was as easy as finding that warm soul right under my nose. Why all this time this other warm body had been so close, yet I had never paid any attention to what was written on the name tag. While I had seen the charms in passing a countless number of times I think I can sheepishly say I hadn’t even looked all that closely at those let alone at the printed name tag, even right up front. Regardless my having ignored the obvious name tag when I’d taken to seeking that body’s comfort, as close as we were I admit this time I was given a good look at the given name. A Triumph it was. So happy I was dallying about it, over her, feeling the warmth I never bothered to ask whether sheesh had been this forward with anyone else. Sheesh likely not answered me anyway. As closed mouthed as always still excepting when even silently opened mouthed to be fed. And there were times when all the wider open mouthed than other’s. Burning me up all I got was a burned ash out of her whenever I had paid more attention to some times than simply other passing times. But, then what might a real man expect from a comely ordinary hot-box?
Well! My secret’s out. Frieda will just have to accept my going elsewhere to take another body to my hands as a mere trivial matter. As flat topped as the new body may appear, the new interest in my life, these days it’s warm bodied as Hell. So what? I patty caked with a cast iron trivet a-sitting upon the warm hearted woodstove. I feel it this way; a warm hearth beats a cold heart.
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So happy to have seen the wind die, I didn't even go to the funeral.
Then winds having diminished as it were. Without them today (I swear) the day felt 20* warmer than yesterday. I was outside all day enjoying every sun filled moment of it. I believe I might have even tanned some.
Had to grind today. Setting up I had an accident knocking the prime elevator off the grinder-mixer. That was fun putting back on all by myself. Biggest help I had was the 4020 JD to lift the fallen elevator. The best help I had was a four foot 2x4 four foot long for a very useful lever. Then I discovered I were low on supplies I get to do it all over gain Monday. At least without any accidents, if you please That’s what I get for not checking supplies for myself. Arrggghhhh!
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Was on late afternoon I was invited to check on heating stoves installations in the Yoder house. From what little I saw, I wouldn’t let them butchers pull a nail out of my house let alone saw into it! Long on carelessness, long on poor workmanship, I’ll not let one of them drive a nail in my barn without close supervision. I was taught if anything was worth doing it were worth doing right.
The materials supplied them, if they’re all used I think the house will be saved from harm (burned down) in spite of that crew. I had even cost free offered to initially help and was turned down.
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It’s been a good day. Couldn’t have asked for a better one. BGKC.
Fernan

12-11-o9 An Craving?

Some of the weirdest thoughts may run through a human’s mind.
How long have I got before my skin takes on the color and texture of an orange? My problem might have started a few days ago when I had gone marketing for my Frieda. On entering the store and going through the custom routine selecting a shopping cart I proceeded to my right heading towards the commercial baked goods isle to pick off a shelf the soft dough baked Oat bread. It was along the front most isle I came upon one of the customarily staked specials neatly arranged to entice a customers demand. The ploy had worked. I just seemed to have to have a bag of such big ripe, healthy looking fruit globes. That was then. Okay I ate one each evening or a bedtime snack which I’d say may be perfectly acceptable behavior. However it is midnight in the Middle of this late/early hour writing and I’ve just finished off a third midnight orange (say?). Could I become addicted to oranges? It’s been fifty years and a month since I’ve drinken my last glass orange juice. I so like eating oranges, but three in one setting and believe me I could right now just peel and chew another refrigerated orange into oblivion.
What? What am I short of? Have I an inherit need for vitamin “C,” vitamin “D,” potassium, or one, two or all three? Oh Lowd this bagged their orangey flavor seemed to also include a tincture of grapefruit flavoring? Could a Grapefruit tree have been near by from where a bee could have carried the pollinated change in these oranges flavor? On another completely different tangent looking deeper, is this a the feminine side craving to satisfy at an impossible age, gender, biological impossibility something that can never happen? I’ve never thought myself unhappy such as the male I am. I have always liked the serious guy doing things: cowboys and Indians, cars and trucks, baseball, bicycling, onto hunting /fishing and then the rediscovered girls I wanted to drag a pretty one of my own back to my cave home to clean cook, and satisfy my lustful need. How long have I got before my skin takes to the color and texture of an orange?
Eyelids getting heavy it’s time I return to my pallet for another day born I must be rested for it. A-men.
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Woke up to immeasurable snow dusting. 13*, 15mph winds, feels like -1* tp -7* below here. Our old neighborhood, lower Mi’s western shores are getting Lake Mi effect snow dumped all over’em. Believe it or not living 200 mi ENE of South Haven, away from the Great Lakes, living in a less humid area, it feels warmer here and of course without all that fresh water snow we‘d plowed and piled.
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Frieda’s leg bothering her, which might I add hasn’t bothered me for some time, she had announced I had to fix my own breakfast. Taking up her challenge I toasted four slices soft dough oat bread. On that toast I first slathered genuine real butter across the face of each, in turn plastered generous amounts of Philly cream cheese all over there softened faces. If for nothing else, I see myself dubbedly just-a maintaining a well kept figure. So well kept in fact I see myself wearing bibs two perhaps three sizes larger by 2010’s Spring season.
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Best part of day took place within the confining walls of the shop where in we had managed after three days frustration through the combined efforts of three/four grown boys we finally had moved the right front the Tall Ollie’s axle out 7”. I’d have liked a warm Miller’s celebration but (sob) I hadn’t none in the house. (sob)
I do hope every one have Been their best Good Kind and Careful.
Fernan
PS: I’d have offered an accomplished photo. Unfortunately, Photobucket has crapped out with as yet some impossibly new non-navigate-able changes.

PS, PS: Looking for Loopy, she hangs out on the home board http://countryvisits.com/forum.php where nobody’s trashed.
Best of all Loopy may remain as Loopy she is.

appointment - disappointment

I woke up in a cowardly mood this morning for fear of looking outside to see what I might have seen. };^)) Radio, TV, and internet weather forecasts had suggested the worst: lots of snow and wind to blow with it I expected to see snow measured in feet blown higher than the ramp including the firewood pile. Bravery getting the better of me I finally looked out the door’s window on the premise if my worst fears were to be true that mindfully theoretically window the highest in the house from which I could look outside to see the top most snow flake to come to rest on the expected pile to have snowen me in. };^))
Imagine my disappointment the afore mentioned weather conditioning what had never come true. I faced nothing extraordinarily higher than a mere caked snow Mother’s Naturedly freeze packed measuring may be as much as a whole inch deep in every direction I looked.
Seeing what little snow I’d got to contend with I still surmised I had to clear the ramp off for safe passage either direction. That frozen white winter frosting was going to be an expected chore to attempt shoveling off. A lazy streak filling my mind on my sore lower back I’d preferred to address those slanted boards with another seasoning’s covering, salt. Only it takes 28* degree temperatures to effectively work salt, and it was only 27* out there. }:^(( Even before letting myself out to face the elements I had begun to wonder if the highest snow drifts might themselves have been blown up as deep as a whole even numbered 1½” depth.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Not a whole lot to write about today as far as the whole day is concerned. As it had turned out the deck and ramp merely needed an easy sweeping off. So now I’ll start logging the dreary or totally boring aspects of the day. I had a time in the sheltering shop setting up horizontal jacks one pulling, another on pushing the Tall Ollie’s front axle to free it, so’s we can move it adjusting its tract to a new width. Then beating the Hell out of the tall right front spindle with a BFH (big freaking hammer) to no real avail, but I have high hopes I’ll achieve a movement soon of any kind.
Taking a look at today’s weather I was ever so glad I was doing my thing inside the sheltering shop walls keeping me out of the cold and extremely windy elements. I’ve got to report it as it had felt colder than the balls on a pool table.
Now at long last for some more colorful aspects of the day I had finally gotten to see and talk to Miss Loopy about her one in a million Scooby Doo’s behavior a few days back. By and By it seems calling ahead there was time for me to stop by Miss Loopy’s estate to enjoy one of her very priceless coffees. Meeting me at her door that day Scoob behavior and talk was in an entirely different mood. No jumping about can’t wait to enjoy see ya our most unusual relationship. He privileges me with the sole scratching his backside in that area of his anatomy over his hips. Ah, that bit of enlightenment delivered, I was given to sample Miss Loopy’s potato soup. OMG, it was absolutely delicious. I could not contain my enthusiasm for her culinary artistry. Sparky (spouse) coming in or rather passing through he was on his way back out the door for what was left of 45 minutes light to hunt himself down a deer. Well Loop insisted he at least try a half bowl her soup. He did, He also complimented her on it (as he should do) and split. I sincerely hope he didn’t blown away out there. BGKC, while I continue to thaw myself out.
Fernan

Forgotten Clause

Oh mind word. It’s been ten Lustrums plus one year to continue growing on. It seems we’ve managed to insanely keep the first and only argument going all these years. I believe it’s all in holding our battlements, keeping them intact our two sex’s conferring over the fine wording leading to continued piece treateeee negotiations.
Lucky for us our finding our hands a perfectly good fit our very first date. It had to have been the right omen for our relationship to have grown on.
Thank you Ladies and Gentlemen wherever you are.

~~~~~~~~~~~~
Out all day for today’s weather enjoyment; near freezing, just above freezing, mixed rain and snow showers, sharp bone chilling winds. Putting all these elements together, if today’s weather had not been invigorating it had at lest been stimulating, and surely motivating. I’ll tell it like it is, today’s weather freezing my fingers up to the second knuckle I couldn’t wait to wrap then around something warm liking a certain female has denied me lately.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sitting here trying to write this, about to spill all the accumulated dirt having laid to long dormant within the depths of my soul, a she interrupts me with some negative concern about a pair of sunglasses she doesn’t like wearing. From where did the sunglasses come into this picture? It just doesn’t matter. Regardless, she’d handed me her sunglasses, telling me, “They aren’t any good to me. My eyes just haven’t been as sensitive to the light as yours has been since our operations.”* I took them from her hand an put them one. What misfits. Turning them over they fit my face better. Oh well. They work alright for driving while I’m not so sure they’ll stay on for heavy back breaking tasking. Oh, how I do like writing even little exaggerations! It’d be even better (nicer) if I could remember the opening topic. };^))
~~~~~~~~~~~~
* The operations of which I speak were the cataract removals on our eyes.
Well now, finally reaching the bottom of as far as I’m going to wander on this page today. BGKC.
Fernan

PS: The “Forgotten Clause?” I’ll work on writing about it another day.

A date I shan’t forget (daren’t)

Talking yesterday about us somehow the conversation got around to my parents, my proclaiming, talking to my Bride, “I wish you could have seen my parents interactions. They were a hoot all the time.” What I didn’t say as I had said it so many times before, “They was the best show in our home. Absolutely, radio couldn’t hold a candle to them, nor TV when it came into vogue.” Poor Lucy nor Ralph Cramden nor Archy Bunker hit upon some of their excitement. On the other hand shows like: Leave it to Beaver, Father knows Best, and the Nelson Family were total dead bodied lifeless drags.
Then I got into telling Frieda about the same Michigan story they had both individually related to me of their courting days. It seemed that during a time when a certain girl was living with her grandparents, just west outside Bangor’s village limits, her best friend had introduced that certain girl to her boy friend. That boy friend taking an immediate shine to this certain girl dropped the old one. That certain girl’s grandfather taking a shine to the certain granddaughter’s new acquaintance gave him a part time job. Now I don’t know how the new boy friend got from South Haven to Bangor in those days; but upon arrival date nights young man harnessed grandpa’s horse to grandpa’s buggy or cutter as the weather conditions had permitted. Now there was as it seems a dance hall within walking distance the grandpa’s farm just own the road. So, why walk that difference Dobbin’s transportation was handy. Well it seems the young gentleman got lost every time he escorted that certain pretty girl to the dance and invariably turned that horse the wrong way every time he had tried to take the certain young lady home. It was always the same when they had gotten to the southeast side of Bangor, when and where the young man had always seemed to find himself totally lost and confused he just plainly gave up and giving the horse its lead the horse found his own way home, which that old plug horse miraculously managed to find time after time.
Those young people eventually just happened to turn out to be my parents. And it seemed every time I asked what they were doing when the only one with smarts was drawing them all home. All I ever got was a far away look with a silly smile on my Mom’s face. Asking Dad I got a slow wink of an eye and a whole body swelled chest imaged with some inspiring tunes hummed from his diaphragm. It was about then our conversation just sort of drifted away. Never ever did I ever learn from either one of them what happened during that long way around ride home. I guess I’d have had to live them to appreciate some of the simpler thinks in the horse and buggy days. };^))
~~~~~~~~~~~~
One of the toughest things I’ve ever had to do for my bride is maintain my youthful, handsome, healthy good looks for her eyes alone. It certainly hasn’t been easy. It’s totally uncanny how Frieda keeps finding her eye glasses.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
I just really like starting the day out broke. My only solution was to see Aunty M for a financial transfusion. This before I could afford to put a feed bag on the old gray mare.
TI had offered to take Frieda out for a nice quiet romantic breakfast. While she was dressed first and supposedly ready to go I started to stack some firewood on the deck. Then when she finally comes out she looks at me and says, “I thought you were taking me out for breakfast?” About then I had already stacked what fuel we’d needed for a couple day’s burn. “I was doing this just waiting for you, Dear!” otherwise keeping my trap shut.
I can call it the romantic morning hour for when I take her just late enough in the morning hour we miss all the working stiffs busy breakfast hour. Figure it, walking in before late mid-morning we’ve got the choice of any table or corner in the joint. Now, being a special holiday, so to speak, we may eat anything we durn well pleased for we’d diet tomorrow.
Leaving the resturante I took Frieda to one of the most expensive places at the crossroads, the filling station. All the pumps nearing busy just because I was approaching all the islands I wound up beat out of the one/two favorite fueling landings my being pressed to park use a pump upon the fringe. Then it were self watching trap I didn’t say it or the wrong thing wrong. Normally a pay before gassing the women working this place all know me. Only near parked beyond the suburbs I had the national urge to push the help button and ask one of them lovely ladies, “Can you turn me on?” But I thought better for that for my safety’s sake’s reasons and just waited to be recognized, which had come shortly forthwith.
Having said nothing what could have been misconstrued I was home free for the day. Whew,
And, that’s the way it was this December 8th day up to this point for the year 2009.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Getting back at farm needs I emptied some Ugly’s cargo box, and utilized the opened space to haul more salvage metals away from the shop’s apron out to the bone yard. I had uncovered, gathered, and packaged non metallic waste materials for trash pickup. Which reminds me I can also haul away the old planks out of stock trailer’s floor to handy’s handicrafts work area and some warped corn crib planks I thought I would have cut up use for. They can go down in the barn. Sheesh, all this picking up has sure created another massive packaged trash for Thursday’s shop trash day. Worked some on the Tall Ollie. I tried to move even a little bit one front axel again to no avail. Now for one more project, if I could just get a hold of one 5” wheeled caster for a steel construction site gang box sitting in the way. I could securely lock up some my tools down in my barn. It’d also make a good rodent proof supplement cabinet. But has to be fixed first before it before it may be used to good use.
Getting in again right at dark supper an hour later was some more our celebration’s honey cured ham. Hmmm MMM…, The ham’s sure been good for another day. BGKC.
Fernan

12-8-o9 A date I shan’t forget (daren’t)

Talking yesterday about us somehow the conversation got around to my parents, my proclaiming, talking to my Bride, “I wish you could have seen my parents interactions. They were a hoot all the time.” What I didn’t say as I had said it so many times before, “They was the best show in our home. Absolutely, radio couldn’t hold a candle to them, nor TV when it came into vogue.” Poor Lucy nor Ralph Cramden nor Archy Bunker hit upon some of their excitement. On the other hand shows like: Leave it to Beaver, Father knows Best, and the Nelson Family were total dead bodied lifeless drags.
Then I got into telling Frieda about the same Michigan story they had both individually related to me of their courting days. It seemed that during a time when a certain girl was living with her grandparents, just west outside Bangor’s village limits, her best friend had introduced that certain girl to her boy friend. That boy friend taking an immediate shine to this certain girl dropped the old one. That certain girl’s grandfather taking a shine to the certain granddaughter’s new acquaintance gave him a part time job. Now I don’t know how the new boy friend got from South Haven to Bangor in those days; but upon arrival date nights young man harnessed grandpa’s horse to grandpa’s buggy or cutter as the weather conditions had permitted. Now there was as it seems a dance hall within walking distance the grandpa’s farm just own the road. So, why walk that difference Dobbin’s transportation was handy. Well it seems the young gentleman got lost every time he escorted that certain pretty girl to the dance and invariably turned that horse the wrong way every time he had tried to take the certain young lady home. It was always the same when they had gotten to the southeast side of Bangor, when and where the young man had always seemed to find himself totally lost and confused he just plainly gave up and giving the horse its lead the horse found his own way home, which that old plug horse miraculously managed to find time after time.
Those young people eventually just happened to turn out to be my parents. And it seemed every time I asked what they were doing when the only one with smarts was drawing them all home. All I ever got was a far away look with a silly smile on my Mom’s face. Asking Dad I got a slow wink of an eye and a whole body swelled chest imaged with some inspiring tunes hummed from his diaphragm. It was about then our conversation just sort of drifted away. Never ever did I ever learn from either one of them what happened during that long way around ride home. I guess I’d have had to live them to appreciate some of the simpler thinks in the horse and buggy days. };^))
~~~~~~~~~~~~
One of the toughest things I’ve ever had to do for my bride is maintain my youthful, handsome, healthy good looks for her eyes alone. It certainly hasn’t been easy. It’s totally uncanny how Frieda keeps finding her eye glasses.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
I just really like starting the day out broke. My only solution was to see Aunty M for a financial transfusion. This before I could afford to put a feed bag on the old gray mare.
TI had offered to take Frieda out for a nice quiet romantic breakfast. While she was dressed first and supposedly ready to go I started to stack some firewood on the deck. Then when she finally comes out she looks at me and says, “I thought you were taking me out for breakfast?” About then I had already stacked what fuel we’d needed for a couple day’s burn. “I was doing this just waiting for you, Dear!” otherwise keeping my trap shut.
I can call it the romantic morning hour for when I take her just late enough in the morning hour we miss all the working stiffs busy breakfast hour. Figure it, walking in before late mid-morning we’ve got the choice of any table or corner in the joint. Now, being a special holiday, so to speak, we may eat anything we durn well pleased for we’d diet tomorrow.
Leaving the resturante I took Frieda to one of the most expensive places at the crossroads, the filling station. All the pumps nearing busy just because I was approaching all the islands I wound up beat out of the one/two favorite fueling landings my being pressed to park use a pump upon the fringe. Then it were self watching trap I didn’t say it or the wrong thing wrong. Normally a pay before gassing the women working this place all know me. Only near parked beyond the suburbs I had the national urge to push the help button and ask one of them lovely ladies, “Can you turn me on?” But I thought better for that for my safety’s sake’s reasons and just waited to be recognized, which had come shortly forthwith.
Having said nothing what could have been misconstrued I was home free for the day. Whew,
And, that’s the way it was this December 8th day up to this point for the year 2009.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Getting back at farm needs I emptied some Ugly’s cargo box, and utilized the opened space to haul more salvage metals away from the shop’s apron out to the bone yard. I had uncovered, gathered, and packaged non metallic waste materials for trash pickup. Which reminds me I can also haul away the old planks out of stock trailer’s floor to handy’s handicrafts work area and some warped corn crib planks I thought I would have cut up use for. They can go down in the barn. Sheesh, all this picking up has sure created another massive packaged trash for Thursday’s shop trash day. Worked some on the Tall Ollie. I tried to move even a little bit one front axel again to no avail. Now for one more project, if I could just get a hold of one 5” wheeled caster for a steel construction site gang box sitting in the way. I could securely lock up some my tools down in my barn. It’d also make a good rodent proof supplement cabinet. But has to be fixed first before it before it may be used to good use.
Getting in again right at dark supper an hour later was some more our celebration’s honey cured ham. Hmmm MMM…, The ham’s sure been good for another day. BGKC.
Fernan

What Matted

Be it either by Frieda’s divine providence or by my destiny it would seem we were meant to be together. There’s been some confusion over our anniversary. So I’ll try and settle it once more. June 8th we became a couple whether either one us wanted it or not. I knew what was in her heart within the first stop of a many a stop during our most the day long very first date.
Having taken her window shopping we could talk along our way’s between all the stops we’d make that special day (date). In side our very first stop, while I stood over a marble lavatory sink top fitted within with a china bowl, she’d said, “I’ll enjoy a lifetime watching you shave over that sink.” To say the least, keeping her admission to myself, exercising some of the most difficult restraint keeping her outspoken thought to myself, I was flabbergasted. Leaning over that smooth cool surface of stone my thoughts were where I really wanted my hands, that inanimate sink had at that moment the focal point with in the love nest my hands were wanting to build around her.
I had had no idea when I had lost sight of her some seven years prior we were being prepared and readied for these shared days we were destined to share, officially date and eventually mate. Looking back I have from time to time wondered if I had wasted a lot of time courting her unbeknown to either of us at the time, that six months? We did however managed to negotiate a marriage contract. We’d spent a lot of time as to how we’d live, where we’d live, how we’d live, money matters, those divine packages what’d make up our lives, and discipline issues. While I had wanted my hands all over her we saved the best for last over all the courting pitfalls, misunderstanding’s, and near knockdown, knockout quarrels, we’d only had shared before this very fate filled day for the both of us. There were to be no outs in this relationship. If a problem were to develop we’d work it out. I for one of us was only doing this involved matrimonial thing but one time in my life. And now for the bottom line answer to but one question, “Would I do it all over again?” and my answer to that, “You’ll may damned well know it, I’d do it all over again.” What a trip, what a roller coaster, all the rolls we’ve played. Even no more than talking about it, the good times as well as thee bad, we had lived it fully, kicked outs, wreck-conned-silly-relations, and the smooth sailings.
Ohhh Yeah…….. December 8th during a luck making time out in the middle of a snow storm we made our union irrevocably irreversibly legal. She’d finally got her way with her scheming bringing me down, then hiding the written witnessed signed affidavit away for her safe keeping. And when from time to time I were to take matter’s between us into my own hands, she had kisses sweeter than Pennsylvania's chocolate. So may this explanation make it perfectly clear I changed the girls name December 8th, 1958 to my own.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Out the door I made some scrape in the drive way dirt trying to pick up the nail infested ashes before they become snowed under and tire flattening liabilities. The earth only about a ½” frozen crust on it got some of them up. A supposed high of a predicted 32* for today I them hoped it be enough warmth I may finish the task before sun down. It’s further predicted we may see 3” snow over night.
Got home for lunch around 1:00PM. Checked ashes and they had thawed making them easy pickings. In a black tub they can stay there for the winter for all I care now. What matters they’s where they wont puncture a tire.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here we’ve been trying to burn all the paint off the Tall Ollie’s front axle so the inside part will slid out towards the viewer.

~~~~~~~~~~~~
At about sundown while doing a quite out of the ordinary act my chopping kindling with my widdle hatchet, a poor excuse for a roadside trash picked up lawn chair gently collapsed under my weight sprawling my old carcass right out all over the fall leaves covered ground. The poor state of trash these days the stuff just don’t hold up like it used to. Again, when I had reached for the very last piece of fir planking from in a large black tub, to slice up into widdly pieces that chair slowly collapsed causing me to laugh all the way as I was gently laid out on the ground. I felt like a once upon a time child in my mom’s loving arms taking an unprecedented winter tumble in a snow. That was fun. The memory it spawned, I even softly whispered, “Do it again mommy” my thoroughly enjoying the memory.
Finishing up the trash packaging for the morning’s pickup, having changed out of my winter duds, I told Frieda my little tale. The crazy lady enjoyed it. BGKC.
Fernan

My day our day full day whata day

Morning’s words
Son-of-a-gunn, the presumptuous boss lady’s breezing through the house at 4:00AM, without the usual right footed stomping. Silly female’s already celebrating two days in advance the very day I insisted she bring me down. My self, I can soully await the day I gave myself away to have been the start of her each day’s reminded of my good fortune.
It galls me to remember how I had let myself be left opened to such the skullduggery she played on me drawing into her into her devious man trap. Worse, she burned into my mind’s memory the evening she’d settled my fate wearing that cute basic little black cocktail dress in navy-blue. Mean old woman has finally quit fuming my involvement with about four dozen ladies just awaiting my prior commitment to their medical needs.
I’m starting shortly after sunrise to fit it all in including her party celebration.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Evening’s words
Great day having started this morning. The ladies had come through for me making themselves short work our being done before e-lemon o’clock. Found I had time to retie down the tarp on the feed wagon. Was something I wanted to do, as the old straps started giving out, before we got a heavy snow to cave the tarp in. Her Mostess cleaned up, we packed up our dish to pass and we were on our way by 12:30 PM. We went by the undertaker’s to extend my condolences to Jack, his loosing his father. I suggested if he ever needed any help to contact me or any the rest of his neighbors. Now, that’ll please all the rest his neighbors feeling needed when Jack calls. From there I motored us up to Frieda’s girl friend’s house for our dinner out. We exchanged stories. At least those what wouldn’t sadden Sue. Bro’ was a an hour late but there were plenty of leftovers and the microwave to fix him a hot plate. Main course included a honey cured ham seasoned with pineapple slices, clove, basted under some pineapple and cherry juices, and cherries more for color than anything else. Mmmmm, but good just the same. More foods included cheese laced mashed potatoes, asparagus. Desserts were good: raspberry pie, lemon-moorrang pie, and pumpkin cake.
Having done my chores (more or less) while trying to coax my ladies into a holding pen this morning I didn’t have to do them this evening. I’d been a real nice day. BGKC.
Fernan

was busy enough

All I did was work distant cattle through the chutes.
Cold enough here turned all the fountain haters on.
Wore Fried’s custom made vest like sweater to keep me warm.
Got to do cattle tomorrow here, go visitation fallen neighbor farmer, and take Her Mostess out to part a little partying. BGKC.
Fernan

Got My Flaps down.

And, they weren’t down for either a take off or landing. They was down so’s my hat don’t blow away in wind……… brrrr Would you believe for the c..cc...cold wind?
~~~~~~~~~~~
A reminded on another channel brought to my mind the behavioral differences of three friends. We all have friends we’ve cherished for what they were not for what carelessness’s they had fostered. One young fellow calling him Merlin some years ago was always borrowing tool or implement from me for one use or another. Many the time when he was done with he’d brought it back either abused, badly worn or broken. Then he raised Hell with me for lending him such substandard equipment. Another friend of mine Rick (gone now) was always borrowing tools of which I’d never see again. Then emphatically swore up and down he’d returned them. The last gentleman Norm (also gone now) was always borrowing my tools of which he’d always return in good time in better order than when he had borrowed any of them. A many a time when something of mine needed attention I had jokingly asked him if he needed to borrow that particular tool. All three good hearted generous men yet took an individual view point of how to use and treat others belongings.
~~~~~~~~~~~
A grand start for me this morning. The only soul who’d have anything to do with me was Handy and that was even after I had told him I wanted to involve in the shyity job replacing half the livestock trailer’s floor. Removing the broken up portion the floor and putting back down were the easy parts. The weather just cold enough to freeze the offal in all the joints what needed either chipping, chiseling, and/or scraping it clean for refitting the new planks for old. This project took us from morning’s tart on through to mid afternoon. Broke for lunch and traded Handy out for his help. It was getting onto dark when I was given up for finishing the trailer floor. Outdoor stuff tools (and such) taken in, trash stacked for next week’s trash pickup.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Only one make fix project makes for a short journal work day entry. BGKC.
Fernan