89* but who’s counting

Only one booked up here is myself. Everybody else cut out at noon. I’m left to grind grain I had no fixings for. This required my moving the woodsplitter to get to the emergency supplements. All I had to do for them was to one handedly lift the sacks out of the barrels for today’s use. All that was after I had moved the tractor grinder combo out setting it up at the same time. The WS with Fixings I parked by grinder mixer. Using the Indy 1850 Ollie, it was time I snaked the silage baler out for this season’s use. That done heat getting to me, Frieda coming home from a dog show. Boy, am I glad I wasn’t the one taking her! I came in for a couple pints of tea. Then I had to back the wood hauler into the barn and scrap most of the bikes I took apart to clear the area where the WS belonged parked. Other than this, I’m looking to get back at it after 6:00 PM, my(our) evening’s free. A cold beer sure sounds tempting. I had forgotten to re-supply. The frig is bare.
My day ending right on time at 8:45 PM. 7:00 AM to 8:45 PM had been a long day today under the sun. I couldn‘t help myself, an hour past noon I took a two hour break.
I spent most my day moving slow. Seems to just come naturally anymore. The grain’s been ground and doing that I had a colossal 16 bushel spill to pick up. I tried and failed to throw all my quadrabicycle leftovers away enough to put the logsplitter back in its rightful place but it is way back in the barn. While I had found a new battery for it, I failed to start the second lawn tractor. Most embarrassing, the Crapsman started for me his evening and I ran it into the barn under its own power. Been two year since its last use. I had forgotten the machine possessed three safety switches all needing depressing at the same time before the goofy machine will start. Where the hell had my prehensile tail gone when I need it.
Trying to navigate on my own I shed (nor bothered to wear) my knee brace. Quite frankly I don’t think I could take another day wearing that thing so I’d gone all day without it. Evening upon me a couple spasms getting my attention I’ve taken a valium. As for the wrist is concerned I had to continue wearing the wrist brace. The slightest bump without it causes me to rise straight up clearing my laced my laced up boots.
I wish everyone a safe and sane Memorial Day. BGKC.
Fernan

game & lame…

….I am. But even so I took it outback the Cushman and myself both knowing that the last fence would be entwined in briars and brambles, multi-floral-rose, and wild grape vines; much-less considering the awesome height’s the wild growing orchard grasses. It took us some time, a lot of brush clippings, some more tugging and pulling, making more clipping essential. It wasn’t to bad running the clear areas time made up on the more open areas. Water levels down, I only had one sticking the buggy close call. Even so, Being able to run right along even the troubled areas the ground drier than most seasons we had this field opened for harvest in good time. But we weren‘t finished yet. I still had those fences to check for more ladies early grazing opportunities.
Best of all in addition to harvesting a crop off the Duck Pond in doing so I’ll bring some weed and wild brush under control making for a continued cleaner field for either grass hay and/or grazing. It had been a good morning.
Lunch winding down I’m celled a bred heifer is in troubled labor and in dire need of help. Fuzzy is off and running to the call. On arrival I block the first escape avenue with Ugly’s bulk. I close the gate to the yearling heifers so that the bred heifer wont miss the barn. I cart load of filled feed buckets in a sure fire way I pulled them to one side. I swing gates easily caught that I must also bull. I didn’t need this, still sporting a game leg and limp wrist. I’m celled, she’s headed my way. I check. Sure enough and somebody hadn’t opened the gat allowing her access further up to the barn. I take care of it. Meanwhile the troops had lost her. Another catch only gate of sorts tangled in some grasses I take command of the mess and quickly sort it out so’s I may bring it into play behind the troubled heifer. Ith my arrival on the scene my one more hand made it a much easer task for the rest of the guys. Might say I had her.
In the barn trying Tom’s unworkable method of putting into the chute didn’t work as I had warned. But we quickly brought her back into the barn before she had any time to think about another out (escape). Put into the chute the long way we almost made it. Having to grab whatever cow sized halter I could I worked it on her. Halter on her she had planted her feet and refused to advance. I tied her off and team wise we commenced to chain the unborn calf’s fore legs so Chip and tom could haul down on the chain handles to help her deliver the calf.

The calf delivered the (now) cow hysterically frightened became ever more uncooperative. Trying to gain her interest in her calf proving futile at first. When I untied her she tried another escape, but I hung on and away we went for a long un-indulged in break-dance. How she missed trampling her calf I’ve no idea, I however when she’d found I was a force she could not get shed of I took a couple soundly placed kicks in the side of my already troubled knee. Those gifts aught to make for some interesting looks and feeling by tomorrow afternoon. Wonderful, just freaking wonderful!
Making some quick adjustments we run her back into the same box stall we had used to guide into the chute. The calf moved into a box stall, the gate closed, bringing her a bucket of water we tried as (at least I did) tried to get away from the pair so’s she could quietly bond with her newborn calf.
While I was so close to shop I might just as well as bring my Crapsman home. The trailer parked the ditch, tractor loaded, trying to make do with what’s left of hardware for securing a load around here I headed for home. Good thing I had engaged both transmissions and the parking brake. All the tie-downs were ineffectively with me, machine and trailer. My customary straps destroyed yesterday, I hate that when other people do that and think nothing of it. Sheesh, they had worked for me for years.

Whatever’s happened with making things right???
Okay, were all home by the grace of whomever. The Crapsman refuses to start. It’s dead, unresponsive, ain’t gonna do nothing. Nuts, I come into the house for a cold drink. I’m treated to lemoned iced tea. Not bad, I liked it enough for two pints. Then went on down the barn. Cussed Crapsman started. I make a round about the house and front yard. Turning around in the road it quits never to go again today. ^%*$(%((I(%^, Might say I’m upset. If I should ever figure out how to move it closer to the barn, I’ll bring home a continuity and test light from shop tomorrow.
Even worse yet, I had neglected to stock up on beer. It’s sure looking like a dry weekend around here. Oh well, Iced Tea sounds pretty good to me for a change!!! Ya all BGKC this Memorial weekend
Fernan

What?

Putting one new tire un Ugly has changed that silly machine’s who demeanor. What gives? Alright I let everything about me possess a soul. Animals, buildings, machines, wife, excluding myself. I can’t figure it? I even managed to drive the all to lately contrary beast over to the Crossroads for gasoline. Then went home my knee paining an excellent excuse to eventually go home for lunch, drop my pants, removed the brace and laid my knee over an ice pack.
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I’ve gone over too face book. LOL at myself. I have no idea what I'm doing. It maybe I'm tiring and my mind is shutting down. Butt if I’m blessed I’ll se a few more days to figure it out.
However I'm healing slowly and evenly my strengths and stamina Are going for a little longer walk very day. Machinery breakdown are slowing planting. We solve these fixes machines should be good to for years.
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Within these brackets are my words for today‘s facebook entry. {LOL at myself. I have no idea what I'm doing. It maybe I'm tiring and my mind is shutting down.
However I'm healing slowly and evenly my strengths and stamina are going for a little longer walk very day. All I can say is look in on "Fernan's Shorthorn country life" for more details than I maybe allowed here.
Please accept my apologies, I must simply lay it down. I'll be getting back.
Fernan} So’ it seems I have no idea what I’m doing. I’ll try to pick you all up another day.
Fernan
Darn it, I’m just getting to be to old an old dog!

Who'e Brain Dead and Eating CROW

Waking up at 4:15 AM I’m a long way from being in a charitable mood!!!! WTF, Brother ALWAYS has to park anything and everything to suit his convenience. I can’t get another GDT anywhere close to the shop his having parked the 2150 on the shop apron with the traffic blocking disc still attached. I’m pissed! Next thing I’ll know, he’ll be asking, “Is the rotor conditioner ready to go?” I’ll be wanting to say, “Hell no. It ain’t ready to go. Somebody parked out in no manes land where I can’t get to it with a power cord or an airline!“ I should have been working on it as something I could have handles even with a game leg. I hate it when he thoughtlessly wastes my time. (grrr) For the last three days a new 2150 tractor tire inner tube’s supposed to be here. Yeah sure!!!!!!! My brother is the poorest time manager I’ve ever known.
Rant over. I feel better. Well at least until I put together all the dumb assed stuff the rest of the whole crew has pilled together during my pain intensive occasional absence? (haha)
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My looking at this oil clean up BS along the Gulf Coast I see to GD many Chiefs and no Indians. What I seen under news coverage (I’m sure) there ought to be some empty barges uselessly floating around, people could be using some mud pumps on that sickening mess . Then push or pull the barges up the Mississippi to shore line or lined oil refineries. WTF are all these big mouthed do gooders at? Obviously nobody wants to get there hands dirty.
AND, another thing, job potentialities there are numbered in thousands.
AND, AND, ANOTHER THING, I’m seeing and hearing a lot of mouths flapping liken a bunch of whippoorwills asses.
It all makes me sick, sick, sick, doing nothing assholes, politicians. I can’t imagine the recourses to move on this job are not here, there, somewhere. Tug boats, barges, dredges, pumps, and whole lot of unemployed. And worst there’s been no leadership taking action!!!!!! WTF, Bush back in office?
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It’s been said and most difficult to take back even if I didn’t share it with the whole crew. My whole diet is solidly made up of heaping amounts of CROW. The guys had done their bests. The “Book of instructions had been brought out.” The rotary-conditioner has been greased and all the cutting blades as per instructions. (mumble)
I’d taken the Crapsman apart particularly the starter off. It was just as I had suspected. It had problems. Problems fixed. Machine back together again it still had this dragging butt difficulty pulling the engine over. Took starter apart a 2nd time and found the bendix wobbling, on the way out. Dragging maybe? (glad I’d bought 2 when I did) Put it all back together still no oomph in starter to bring that engine to life. Okay, I changed battery. Now, the machine’s anxious to go. Chuck one up for Tom. (mumble, mumble) What else have I fouled up. Regardless whatever’s piled upon my plate its an immeasurable amount of to much CROW to consume all in one setting. (mumble, mumble, mumble) I feel oh so bad and it boils down to my being my own pain in the arse.
Oh halleluiah! We got the new tire mounted upon Ugly at long last. To get the old tire off the rim I used the acetylene scissors to cut the beads. Getting way to late to take anymore the pain in my leg, instead of going for gasoline I headed home. So, why shouldn’t be I had just made it over half way home and run out of gas. (mumble, mumble, mumble, mumble) Finally home 3:00 PM Frieda’s made me some comfort soups to lift my downed spirits. 3:30 PM I was feeing better. I just may conceivable have my outlook on life elevated to a point from which I may see so many things more clearly. Amen!
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Opps! What was all that? Me on the left?
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BGKC
Fernan

PS: A "fine" is a tax for doing wrong. A "tax" is a fine for doing well.

aggravations

First off somebody’s fuuuuking around with my puter and royally pizzzzing me off. I‘ve had clean up the action four times in the last two days. I’m fuming and near ready too start a letter writing campaign asking my political representatives to do something about it.!!!!! (grrr) There ought to be a law!
4:00 AM I’m awake and additionally analyzing all manor or my physical problems and misgivings. Okay I‘ve had a brace on my wrist four days and it has been a real help. The heat we‘re experiencing is very uncomfortable between that thing and my hide. I‘ve mixed feelings about it‘s absence at present the hand iis so much weaker without the braces support, but feels oh so good bathing in fresh-air all about it. The brace upon the knee helps me walk the old steadier gate I’ve become accustomed to, during all these lustrums I’ve lived. Again it also feels good to take it off. However I daren’t fold my calf up to close to the same thigh or an impossible cramp takes hold and locks it up. The limb incapable to straighten itself out and in growing agonizing pain I must physically bend to in my middle and use my hands to forcibly do what my knee muscles refuse to do, push that calf away easing the painful contraction. (whew)
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Finely able to take the braces off the opposite corners my frame, Frieda got to hose me down good this time. She had me worried there for awhile my not knowing if I could swing that left limb over the front of the tub. She was about to get even with me all my suggestions my taking her to the carwash. Sure glad that hadn’t worked to be the case today. Damn, a cool breeze entering the do-it-yourself auto wash entering one side and exiting the other, I could have likely shivered ten or fifteen pounds off. (brrr)
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12:00 Noon, and I’d been out and around with the Cushman all morning; and, it’s behavior is a long way from stellar. I thought I had a bit of go stopping to let it cool off. Had found a battery post loose and one sparkplug wire off. Took care of them. Did a bit of BS-ing and headed for home. Son of a gun, had a cop check me out three times my driving the Cushman. Not exactly legal for road use he obviously looked us over the three times and drove on. Had lunch while the disagreeable machine cools off once more. Then I’ll change that suspected plug.
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It’s 2:30 PM. I’ve been to the shop by myself appearing as my needs aren’t the least bit important. There I found my lawn tractor sitting outside where it had supposedly run good right up until it was shut off. One party’s conjecture the battery’s no good. A second party’s conjecture the alternator isn’t working. The battery checked out a full 12volts and once I primed the carburetor and jumped the battery. With engine running the alternator tested putting out a full 14volts. My deduction, the starter needs a rebuild, likely brushes and bushings, plus a commutator cleaning. Then looking for my basket of small engine spare repair parts, it is totally missing from where I’ve kept it on a top shelf. Mostly Tecumseh replacement parts they’re likely of more value to me rather than to anyone else. (grr raw)
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4:00 PM, and I was back inside my four walls and ruuf. I’d just been an hour outside in a detached position under the Cushman to replace that bad plug. The tool box resting on the ground all I had too was drop me down into such a position I could take that sparkplug out. It was going smoothly as silk the socket, ratchet, and extension doing there intended purposes, in my deft hands until, until I couldn’t separate the sparkplug from an anti fouler bushing. Oh Crap. My right hand all buggered up it hadn’t the strength I needed for that next step. Perhaps if I were to find me another wrench what I might have more leverage? But sigh, it wasn’t to be. I rolled this way and the other even trying to scoot it about so I could get it up (my body). Oh Crapola. I was down for the count. Left knee paining me it’s every turn, bump, and jar I couldn’t find the right attitude to even pull myself up. Yeah right, one handed?
Oh low and behold here was Terry and Raymond coming out the drive across the road. Their not seeing me I yelled one of my bests. Saints preserving they had heard a turned my way. Asking only for minutes Terry took my parts apart. And, Get a load of this Champion Sparkplug

Replacing the sparkplug I put it all back together again. The sparkplug wire mc-squeezed and on the plug some of it was finished. My hands gripping whatever I could grasp and Terry behind me giving me a boost Terry had me upon my feet. Tools put away, starting the Cushman it durn near did a wheelie taking off with such gusto and promise I put it away before something else went wrong. (whheeewwww) I finished my day at 4:30 PM, only because my limbs were internally screaming such pains I figured I had also put myself way before anything else happed to me. Was a god day as far as it went. BGKC.
Fernan

PS: All the things that have come to me waiting has been all the crap left behind by those who got there first.

Some the hurts

7:00 AM and am I sorry I have slept in later this morning than my old norm. Lawd! Frieda’s looking like Maureen O’Hara and I’m feeling like Quasimodo. The knee in such pain I tend to walk it askew a bit stooped shouldered taking up any body attitude in a effort to avoid any and all pains. My neck is so sore this morning, the cause, I punched a couple pillows together and slept on them wrong under the cover of darkness. BUTT, I sure as Hell ain’t feeling like a Duke!
I’ve sorted and taken my rattlers. When the ice pack under my left limb has tuned to warm water and the one minute nuked rice-in-a-sock around my neck has cooled Frieda’s gotten out her old knee surgery knee braces for me to try-on/try-out. After setting in Doc’s office half the afternoon and evening I ain’t feeling like going anywhere beyond the borders of Shorthorn country. Hay supplies gravitating oh so low, some grasses tall enough I’m waiting for one emotionally disbarring word from any one Lady, two or three. When they’ve done a reasonably fair job consuming the last bale hay given. Them I’ll be swinging the gates to the front west side pasture to the whole Mob. Then check on two more close in area’s to difficult to mechanically harvest. Reminds me, If my knee will let me clutch the JD what hay-yard hay’s left I had better be hauling it off to nearer my front yard‘s ground... And the real pisser, Tom’s seeding, Barry will be setting the seed, and I’ve got to grind again. Yeah sure, I’m going to grind. Crap, Guess I’d better get fed, dressed and ready for the same old grind when the timing’s right. }:^( / {;^)
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The ladies up to their bellies in grass as of noon today…..

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Well while the grass has done it’s part growing tall here’s checking out a another volunteer crop.

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This’s what’s left our winter’s firewood supply.

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7:00 PM and I’ve had more than enough. Cussed Ugly didn’t but give me a flooded engine all day. A very unpleasant Ugly attribute tugging on farm wagons all morning long. It near noon it took to grind today’s grain. It only took me four hours to handle that normally 2 hr job including transport most the time. Oh well, at my age why should I take up worrying. Really says I and that’s what I thought I’d do when I hit my own private wall. Tube steaks. I just knew I was going to be sorry I bought them. 2 of them were lunch.
Then to live in the fast lane while I had tired out my left limb I put it to rest in Frieda’s wheel chair for over five hours. Ring a-ring ding, I got a digital voice and menu near every number I dialed. one of them even called me back, and another entertained me with some mighty fine easy listening elevator music. Thems some of the good points. Some of the worst calls where dialing those numbers of establishments keeping better hours than the banks of old.
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A couple large fields were planted in Sudex today and the seed set. Come-on rain. One more little field new to us still to be planted. Only a few more days we’ll be into haying.
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The biggest pain in the arse was some cracker trying to take over my computer. It gave me a time for a-while until I got it stopped and erased. These guys should be caught, tried and jailed. White collar crime is allowed to run ramped in this country for anybody knowing how to cheating the big money. It burns me up. BGKC.
Fernan

Getting easier……

……..to stand up and walk, while still doing allmy body‘s lifting on my right leg to a standing position. I’ve been making a more ridiculous sight getting up my left leg (pained knee area) askew, pushing myself off my right elbow, and additionally pulling myself up with my left hand on top my walking stick. Then using the walking stick along with the swing of me left limb I go about moving from here to there and back again. Right hand sensitive to any touch incapable picking anything is almost useless. To tote anything back from kitchen like an open glass of milk, or more impotently a still capped beer it is done very carefully the vessel or article carrier tightly between my bent right forearm and elbow. It’s been fun, fun, fun1 So much fun the pain in my fiht hand I have little love left for even punching computer keys.
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On another front I’ve been searching models for my book’s illustrations I’d put off and then waiting for. Yesterday afternoon, moving and more sorting my trash (most the crap in front my TV I’ve finally pulled my light table to the forefront of the treasured mess….holding pencil difficulty I stared to sketch the second of three major illustrations.. May just try preliminary sketches for the cover and what could be a rather different home scene out of the ordinary.
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On still on a third moo-ore important front I’m going to get out with the Cushman and see what’s happening inside this Shorthorn country. I’ve missed seeing all the ladies and their off spring at foot.
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Morning, I’ve got to sort and take some rattlers and literally find to healthily capable hands to help me some today. I got to make some phone calls, and go see Doc this afternoon. It is absolutely essential I get off and on. Sheesh, there are something’s that can’t or aren’t done without me. (sigh)
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2:00 PM
Out and about five hours on my left limb, if it could have made itself heard, it’d have cried out in inscrutable pain. OMG, what I had axed of it, it climbed me in and out of ugly any number of times plus worse yet a couple more round trips aboard the JCB to feed the animals’ I’m not mentioning who got it stuck and needed a tow. Nope, not me.
Getting that leg up as high as my chair could carry it was liking meeting a heavenly healer when I’d raised it high enough to slip an ice pack under it.
I’ve tried making phone calls without success. Peculiar isn’t in this economy? Stated office hours are from 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM which it seems fewer and fewer establishments seem to keep. Must be something is wrong with all clocks?
Leaving our tranquil hacienda we started out at 4:30 PM something to be sure we were in Doc’s office well under the supposed 5:00 PM closing time. We got home at 8:45 PM without so much as slowing down in front of the drug store for a prescription.
Latest prognosis my right wrist is fine. May be cracked but giving me no trouble just so long as I don’t aggravate it. The left knee reassessed, Doc taking another look at my knee’s x-rays his thought may some bone fragments have gotten between the knee joint’s bones. I’m on Tylenol four and been prescribed a hinged knee brace. Now. Won’t I make a colorful image for all my neighbors to see and contemplate. BGKC.
Fernan

5-23-2010 rough and tough

That’s me, rough and tough, not in spirit but in truth. A most uncooperative left knee and a braced crippled up right wrist, Herr Clink wants me to do one of the damnest things, laundry. Last night I threw the laundry down the cellar steps in a bag before working myself down those cellar stairs in person. One wing clipped I managed to put dry clothes in basket, the wet stuff from washer to drier. Next trick was getting the laundry up the stairs. Right hand so painfully sore is ill strong enough to push, pull, or even carry anything for that matter. Even clutching the hand railing I’m not so sure I could hold myself up against a stairway toboggan trip enclosed within a sturdy laundry basket. The freezer near by I managed to put basket on it. Slid it off enough I could support it with my forearm And slid it upon the basement landing four steps down from the kitchen floor. Once I was in the kitchen, I used my walking stick slipped into the basket handle and slid it up those last four steps. Entrapped between the basket and my heroin Frieda about to take it off my hands if I could but make like a humming bird and rise our Her Mostess’s way like-a wily spirit.
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Always wear your seat belt. The spouse it could save may be your mate’s.
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Ha Ha! Mistakenly trying to keep my journal up, my right hand is in such pain; and, I was seriously thinking of pushing a sketch pencil around making hay-full pictures. It’s definitely Tylenol time.
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Just minutes before noon, Shorthorn country time, I heard from Joe deep in the heart of Texas. He caught me napping. My one and only escape from Herr Clink’s wrath. It had happen a Susan had called and asked if Frieda if she would like to go to church. Purely exhausted doing my up and downs doing Frieda‘s laundry, when Frieda left I laid it down. I didn’t even remember laying down let alone to what I had fallen off to sleep to. Awakened, the up, Frieda served up the last of her HM soup. Good stuff, the old girl’s getting back into her rove. BGKC.
Fernan

May 22, 2010

There was an accident yesterday (Friday) and I was in the middle of it. Poor van came out a total loss. I came out in tact. Same hours later I felt the wrath of pain. Not immediately, It took nature some agonizing hours to let me know I was more alive than I had thought for some time. For in inventory I found I hurt everywhere. It was time for sleep’s gift I slept for some healings.
Always wear you seat belt. If I hadn’t worn mine, It could have been worse. Hope everybody’s BGKC.
Fernan

Busy Hot Day

On the road before 8:00 AM I was watching the Sixguys loading soybean seed into their planter out of a one ton tote (seed sack). Look at that equipment. That bean planter looks like a sweing factory to me when its all folded out and planting.


Used to be we emptied many sacks like these by hand into planter hoppers.

This’ll be how our corn seed will be delivered
Individual sacks becoming fewer and fewer as farming continues to progress. These stacked tubs are the immediate future. Deposits on these black tub babies $6.00/each.

When one of them come up for air all their bean seed loaded, my day’s empty wagon loaded I was soon on my way for another weigh slip and home. I’ve got three full boxes all standing in a row. One more to go. Shelled corn stored I made for the shop. First things first I filled the lower rotary-mower-conditioner’s gear case with fresh 80-90# oil. That done it were time I had to prepare a couple more tractors for tomorrow’s seeding our fields. Easy enough to do, merely start an 1859 Oliver and take the manure spreader off. First I had to move a couple items my beloved brother had just easily as not had set in my ways. Next the simplest of the tasks start that Oliver with the spreader, sure enough the battery dead. Ugly compromised with the last empty wagon I wanted to have filled, I had to get rid of it before I could jump that dead battery.
Taken the wagon home, to set it off to one side I hit a hole full of unseen water and mud. Ugly dearly dropped into it. I was mud bogging to get Ugly out that fix and the wagon dropped on barely higher ground. About then Ugly stalled, battery went dead and I used Cushman to recharge the battery while I went to eat an early lunch.
Back at the shop ugly moved up close the uncooperative Ollie’s start. We got going with a jump.

Tractor running I put the spreader away and parked the Oliver in front of the shop. Brought up the 4010 JD and serviced them both as far as checking fluids, greasing, and tire pressures.
Bro’ and Tom off to get a load of urea laced with Sudex Seed I was left alone with my own devices. I was supposed to follow and set the seed with the JD’s using a spring tooth drag. No need to hurry just to set by the field side and watch another tractor run out the seed and fertilizer I stayed tight to the shop. I had plenty to do” Sharpen mower blades and grease the mower’s whole. To blamed hot to either crawl over the RM or try and sitting under the apron for sharpening under today’s near 90’s temps I opted instead to play with the Crapsman. I poured in and on clean gas, hooked up the fuel line and after three tries had it running. It were as music to my ears after a two year siesta. I dragged the machine forward and up for taking off a flat tire requiring an inner tube. The beast hoisted, it was to Hell with it. I was hot and I had a headache, over heated, and ready to find something even easier to do. I decided to go home and burn my trimmings burn pile.
Using an accelerant forbidden I got rid of that stuff first. I added a bag of paper rags somewhere close into the bottom the pile, lit one match and watched it take off.

While the brush burned I drove away a short piece and took as much of this cripple hay feeder ring apart I could manage. To take it down the road I shall set a hay bale in the center of it to holt where it is.

This taken care of I went up got me a bottle water and a beer, and went back out to watch the fire. The bulk of it gone those coals were sure hot enough to curl my beard if I ventured to close to either throw or pitch in the orphans.
Good too see that pile gone. It’ll not be in my ladies way should I let them out to grazz the right-of-way. That job’s done, and so was I. BGKC.
Fernan

Boy to Man

Also in answer to an internet question, “When did you first date?”
I escorted a girl here and there like the Christmas Ball's and Prom's. I was so bashful backward and shy it was after I had seen a sneak preview of the movie "The Sargeant and Me" staring, Danny Kaye. Where we were asked to fill out one of the audience participation cards.
For me they took out my learning (best) scene (the moral of the movie) cutting it before theater release. "There are only two answers to every question, yes or no. You'll never now the answer to that question until you ask. And asking that question the answer may not always be a "No."
That was a Wednesday evening. I've never been the same since come the following Friday night.
From then on where ever I walked in I'd look around. Find the prettiest girl and ask her to dance or a date be it a club or restaurant as the case may be.
From that day on I got a lot of hugging, squeezing and kissing.
Seeing and eventually asking Frieda out, she had dreams, ambitions, goals, a plan and an idea what she wanted out of life. While her beauty attracted me to her, it was listening to her that I suffered Love at first hearing rather than a Love at first sight. Although, there weren’t nothing wrong in the way she had been so very very-nicely packaged. And, I burned my little black book.
PS: Betty: Darn it, you keep asking these pointed question, it won’t be long and you’ll have me written my whole history.
Fernan
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I was 14yrs entering HS. 18yrs when I graduated out the HS backdoor. And that is a story in itself.
I was a late bloomer, taking my adolescence seriously making it last as long as I dumbly could. really I wasn't ready to grow up until I was nearing 21yrs. Although I owned property when I was 17 or 18 yrs I had started looking to the future. It might have been a small piece of land. but property just the same.
I seriously started dating girls when I was going on 20 yrs, and boy was I off and running. I might have worked daylight to dark 12/7 for three wks, and take a long weekend to go north for the wildernesses, or south for chasing women. Living in South Haven I was seeing pretty young girls in the suburbs of Detroit and Chicago plus some out about mid state.
I was 21 when I again seen Frieda, a girl who'd charmed me, our never speaking only, our only looking at each other in the HS halls. When I had turned 22 yrs we were ready for each other. It was as if we were predestined to meet and mate.
We spent six hours together that misty first Sunday, my enjoying her every facet. She had a head on her shoulders chucked full of enough we could either agree or disagree, talking about anything. She was encouraging, and I needed that. However, during our courtship we had some dandy quarrels. The real kind that should have ended our relationship. Only a day or two later in spite of her orders when I showed up at her door all was forgiven what whatever it was the fight was all about forgottened. We haven’t quarreled since. We've really reasoned with each other ever since to see all the sides of any large step before it was taken. Truthfully, Frieda is the wiser reasoner between us.
Fernan
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I spent my whole morning with Tom putting implements together to the 2150 Ollie. The 2150’s fuel system is no longer leaking fuel nor sucking air.

This afternoon I found a carburetor screw in this bucket of nuts and bolts.
Carburetor fixed, I quick metal-ed the cleaned fuel pump pieces together. Then abandoned the machine to sit over night for the metal fibered epoxy to set before trying to add gasoline and start the contrary mechanical beast. The Crapsman done thus far to my satisfaction it was time to leave it alone.
I turned to putting some preparation time in on the rotary-conditioner. I started by draining the mower bed oil. Tomorrow I may or may not finish the mowers attention. But I’ve got it started.
There are more fields to prep and seed to plant plus setting it tomorrow. I’ve also got to wheel out of here extra earlier in the morning for another larger wagon load of shelled corn, so I might finish most of my parts in tomorrow’s day.
Getting home relatively early I had hit my wall sometime mid afternoon, causing me forgetting what I was doing a number of times. Darn it! But I had stayed with it as long as I could until I felt like my legs were about to quit carrying me. I’ve taken my meds and hungry waiting this evening the longest hour I swear!
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OMG! Unbenounced to me Herr Clink had thrown my stripped prison uniform in the rag bad. Myself not knowing about it, somebody else had pulled it and started using it unaware the garment’s intention nor its significance.

Personally I’m not quite sure what it means? Lets see? I know I haven’t finished my lie sentence. Might it be I’m a trustee given more unilateral freedom. Could it be I’m up for parole? Naugh, She’d never be that easy on me! Whatever it means I’d just better grin and bare it. BGKC.
Fernan

Body Stored Coffee?

I’m thinking I was up close to/at about every 90 minutes all night long. At least that’s what I told Frieda when she asked me how well I’d slept. She commented that was for all the coffee I had consumed yesterday. Wait a minute, I drank three cups coffee, two half pints water, and three half pints milk. And I had even watered down the dust everywhere I had been with one exception, the last elevator. Now, Sunday was a whole another mater. I had consumed two half pints water, four half pints milk, and two-quarts-one cup coffee and I didn’t settle near as much dust as I had Sunday. Really, I’m beginning to look at myself as an en-enveloped closet pee-body without the use of a Depend’zzz. Am I fast approaching the last elderly’s embarrassment?
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Up late this morning after nearly ten hours sleep I must have been busier than I had suspected by the time had gotten in last night. Last I remember for evening-last, when I had gotten in, my supper was in the microwave. Nuked food was mighty good after a whole day out. Frieda had even gone to bed while I was still eating. Our conversation was short. And I followed her horizontally un-remembering what was on the Tellie.
Up two hours late for my norm, my eyes were itching and watering profusely, my trying to catch up with the televised morning news was over my near lock jawing yawns.
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The day’s morning weather was questionable here being rain to the north and south of us. We’re supposed to have sunny skies (clearing/) this afternoon. Area temps ranged from 38* to 52*. Sheesh how does a body dress for these kinds of weather’s
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My primary concern for today was hauling and stocking piles shelled corn. I managed two loads. Didn’t worry about my first wagon’s ability. The second wagon I took along a jack, my wrenches, and two spares. A third wagon requires some touch up painting. I’ll haul that one in loaded come Thursday. A forth wagon requiring some sort of a temporary weather covering, I’m still thinking about that one.
My day’s hauling taken care of I finally got around to paint the so called repaired wagon box. That taken care of Not looking for another energy intensive project. I took on my Crapsman lawn tractor. The machine not getting gas I commenced to take the carburetor off the engine. Just removing the air filter parts came falling out of it. What the heck was this. I saw and picked up all the parts save for one screw I I’ll have to find another this fixing covered. Removing the fuel line a pressed fit fuel pump fitting came out of the fuel pump. Cheese-O-Pete! Its no wonder the machine couldn’t start let alone run. The fuel pump sucking air and a butterfly falling out of the carburetor the engine couldn’t even be chocked for a start. My search for the right screw will take me an eye crossing good time to find. For the fuel pump I’ll mix up a dab of Quick-metal epoxy and theoretically glue those parts together. Shouldn’t take me more than a couple hours to make it all copasetic; and, see it happily running on fresh gasoline.
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Having to do some shop lifting Handy went with for some his needs. Grocery shopping was easy. Granddaughter sort of letting me down I visited three shops unable to find me a decent sized sketch pad. Arrggghhhh!!!!!
And, tomorrow I must change a couple Ugly’s wheels and run it as a 4x2 until the new tire gets here. That goofy Ugly truck is un-becomingly shimmering and shacking itself shamefully over the roads. I’ve got to put an end to that before that right front tire goes and blows out letting me down where it’d be the least bit handy.
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In at O’beer 7th PM hour, I’m indulging. Only one problem with it, I don’t rightly know if I’ celebrating my accomplishments or disappointments. Here’s to you all’s health….Hic!
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From a reminded memory’s past.
My first experience was behind the wheel of a Model "A" ford providing the engine with a one and a half ton "A" rear axle the major parts for homemade doodlebug.
Followed in this an approximate order shortly after the doodlebug came the 1020 McCormick Deereing, Farmall "A", 1935 I/2 ton Ford pickup, 1939 Hudson (a real fine automobile), a brand new Cushman Eagle motor scooter, a brand new ½ ton 1950 Chevy pickup truck. I never got to drive parents Plymouth’s nor their first Desoto.
My favorites included the Ford and Farmall A’s, the ’50 Chevy pickup, and my Cushman Eagle. The best quality of all these vehicles were the ‘39 Hudson, and a 1952 Desoto. Our rural roads in those days liking roly-poly failing roller coasters destroyed the Plymouths and 1st Desoto. The most fun of all these Vehicles was my Cushman Eagle. While the scooter wasn’t fast it was my ATV taking me in and out of the roughest wilderness places. The bests being the Allegan state forests and the Great Lake Michigan’s forested sand dunes.
The most economical drives were the scooter and a later 1953 Plymouth. The Plymouth when my interests swung that way I used for chasing women when I wasn’t apprenticing or fun fishing. I had moved up to a 1955 Desoto hardtop by the time I chased after Frieda. Ohhhhh! How we had steamed up the windows that Summer we courted. Ah yes I remember well. That coral colored ‘55 Desoto, an absolute delight to drive, was my romances ruin.
BGKC.
Fernan

What a day

I was off and running I don’t know when, having so much to do this day. I had to grind feed and had no grain. Go the idea? I was behind all day. 2150 was going to be in need of fuel this morning and my fuel hose couldn’t reach the tractor. I had to make some accessory adjustments to my field fueling tank with a four foot pipe wrench. Before that I needed to gas Ugly and pick up a package for Handy. Just settling in for an hour tops I was about to work on portable fuel tank. Bro’ comes along he’s going to hay his ladies.
Good job, he managed to let all his ladies out not once, not twice, but three times. I had untangled wire, made a gate repair and fixed three breaks in a fence. There were moments I had thought I’d never get away from there and moved on. I had to grab the empty feed wagon if I could get away. For my next trick I had to find a way to re-supply the shelled corn. On the road I pass Tom scratching his head in the field he was supposed to be working. The 2150 had likely stalled again. Just as important he needed the fuel I carried. I kept right on going past to drop the box to comeback freer to be more mobile to fuel the 2150. Tom fueled 2150 running I was on the road again to pick up another box for bringing home the grind’s supplies. Six guy’s elevator about to shut down for rebuild I guess I’ll be hauling in a wagon or two corn each day the next couple days. More shyt piled on my shoulders. The wagon loaded it was around the block for a weigh slip and supplements. Returning home it was time to catch up on a postponed lunch.
After dinner going down to the barn for the grinder-mixer I found a raccoon had been in the barn tearing things up. Wonderful! More on it later. I set machinery, got the grind going, commenced to pour the supplements into the supplement hopper, The fifth bag nearly taking me down. Why today? Why today had my right leg decide about a dozen time to let me down. I had been using a cane earlier for some extra support. Try to use a can while carrying a raccoon torn open feed sack. I’m going to get that sucker!
The ladies hayed, tools put away I was back on the road going down to spot park the feed wagon. Passing the field, Tom gone I knew where I’d find him. The ground feed taken care Tom had parked the tillage equipment in front the shop. I backed as close as I could for more tire pieces to put in tomorrow’s trash pick-up. My wants looked after I sat down for three things: a breather, a smoke, and a heaping cup coffee. Sitting there that cussed troublesome tractor in front of us My curiosity finally got to me. A couple wrenches I was trying to take that priming pump apart where it was bolted to the distributor pump. Messing with it, fumbling with it I finally figured out what wasn’t in the “book (books) of instructions.” The seal in/on that primer pump was an external seal. A simple assed ‘O’ring. Tom swore it’d take one his suggested size. Okay I let him go, joining him a moment later with my selection. His didn’t work though it was worth trying. Mine was perfect. We’d finally figured out the way to seal out the entry of air into the fuel system. Whhoooppppeeeee! The 2150 cured, so to speck, has got to be a better runner from here on out. By this time I was ready for quit. Taking Tom home, and Handy brought the Cushman back. I managed a few moments to down my rattlers and it was back out side I’d gone.
The last calf hadn’t been weighed. She needed her tattoo, and a bright yellow tag fashion pierced in her ear. And, the calf’s mother required cleaning out. Then blood samples were drawn form the mama cow and papa bull of the deformed calf born the other day, and I printed out two pictures the same calf. All this material goes into an envelope tomorrow for the university veterinarian’s clinic for analyzing? What’ll be found if anything may have a bearing upon these two animals their immediate near futures? We’ll see? BGKC.
Fernan

Cussed 2150 Ollie

The cussed 2150 nearly had my full undivided attention today. Tom Drove it while wound up standing by to assist in keeping it running, bleeding fuel lines, and restarting. I managed to move the recently finished repaired gravity box outside. I didn’t do a touch up paint job on it the Ollie demanding my time. Did unload the Craftsman in shop for carb repairs after siphoning the gas tank. The siphoned gasoline at $3.00/gallon I poured it into Ugly.
Turned out to be a rotten day for getting anything done. Balderdash!!!! BGKC.
Fernan

Halleluiah’s Halleluiah

Woo-hoo, cart-wheels, summersaults, back-flips, hop-scotch, jump-rope, plus a ball and jacks…..Ugly’s finally running true. After all the funarting pharting around with it the last four days I took a distributor out of the 4x4 pickup I had driven four trucks back. Pizz on the TWP insisting I junkout my priceless junk.
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Taking an extra moment or two for lunches rest, here’s an animal’s spoken tale.
Alfonso, whatever the shaggy dog linage he was made up of was most assuredly smarter than the average mutt. Here is just one story of many.
It was upon this one occasion after one of the boy’s had passed on eating his breakfast he thought he’d sneak it outside for Alfonzo to eat and wash clean his plate. That wasn’t the wisest move upon this son’s part for it followed Alfonso was more and more becoming accustomed to enjoying human food. It followed one morning soon after that misguided offering Frieda had washed and scrubbed Alfonso’s bowl, filling it with dog food, she took it outside presenting to him the once usual dog food for his morning meal. He looked at it sitting there, his sitting there he looked at it, long enough he knew what he had to say about it in his doggy fashion. Un-benounced to Alfonso, Frieda had just happened to be watching him. Having set long enough he stood up, backed away from his dish a couple three feet from it and commenced to dig a hole. The hole deep enough his head had even gone out of Frieda’s sight. He finally stopped and surveyed his work. Apparently satisfied he stepped forward taking his dish in his mouth and put it to rest way down in the bottom of his excavation, turned around and buried it until he had a perfect mound over the dish buried and gone, and turned again facing the house and sat on it as if to say, “There! Try to feed me dog food again.” From that day on whatever Alfonso was fed, it had to be human food for the most part. He had talked as best he could that day. And so it passed when the kids fed him he’d refuse eating anything unless the kid bringing it out had taken a bite out of it first. We never bothered to dig up his buried dog dish. It remains our buried memorial to his memory.
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Truck presumably fixed it needed testing. It started just fine. I drove the driveway without difficulty as well as its pulling out on Frances Road. While I had planned to only go as far as the creek bottom road, Ugly running so well we went onto Vassar Rd. At Vassar Rd what the heck I’ll take it on down to Mike’s for his thoughts. He approved. I was delighted. Ugly had made it on the mend. A block from home it was lunch time; only, it had to be quick as I had left the shop open and my tools out.
Getting back to shop I backed up to it to center diesel tank and bolt it down for safety’s sake. Anything I don’t need is a rush of diesel fuel crash shifting’s weight rushing’s inertia pushing Ugly around one way or any other in a loose tank on the back of the truck. A couple more moments here and there I should have Ugly tidied up any day now.
Home for rattlers, a couple neighbors walking down my drive up, just in time they pushed, I pulled, my Craftsman Yard tractor onto the decommissioned snowmobile, re-commissioned a light duty implement/utility trailer. That done it was rattler time sure.
What for supper. I guess it’ll be macaroni and cheese. Then it was get off and made it. And, while I was eating…….

…….we had a happening.
Then going back to the house I unloaded the wood hauler and picked up some more wood around the yard. Getting in at 8:15 PM, That’s a day. BGKC.
Fernan

Disappointment

Fooled with Chevy distributor all day. Have succeeded in making Ugly’s running worse than ever. Thankfully tomorrow is another day.
Fernan

Alternative Computering

Make yourself comfortable. This is one long posting.
The Internet having gone out for an extended unscheduled morning’s breakfast into a brunch event. So, I’m diligently into terrorizing my own journal with my kind of prattle. Before warned as I get on with it.
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Day’s activities coming and going…
First off we’re captured under a fine drizzling rain a just a keeping everything wet. It couldn’t be a better day for what follows. (hehehe) Can’t wait for my parts in it. ;^)
Woke up after 9½ hours all night’s sleep having made only one water haul all that time. Last thing I remembered bringing it with me from dream land, “I had gone to Church.” Frieda’s first jovial vocal reaction to my tale, “Oh no!”
Well, let Frieda have her fun… It was when coming out of Church standing about upon the front walk exchanging families news with our neighbors I had looked down my eyes drawn to odd looking ground cover along side the Church building foundations, That variable width on going area was filled with moral mushrooms. I commented and several of us went back inside to the kitchen looking for something to put them in finding a box of theater popcorn bags. Back outside picking and filling our precious bags with a precious find with precious goods. It was here I woke up. Worst part I never got to taste them. So many of them we could have had a fun/fund raising hamburger mushroom church dinner for our masses. };^))
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After sorting my meds, taking them with gotten water, writing this piece thus far, attacking the bag of rolls I had come home with me yesterday, and rechecking if the net was up to functioning, It was working.
While it wasn’t first in/on the ABC news, I felt it a personal warning to myself segment about my bag the safety of aging trick skincare products upon my face, particularly around the eyes. OMG! It seems I must ever be more careful my makeup’s ages and uses. How will I ever come home convincing looking I had put in a hard day in the shop if I must refrain getting varied shades of shin substances the likes of varied shades colored hard worked convincing oil and grease smears upon my face for maintaining a busied look.
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Looking forward to two of today’s top events one I have to take Frieda to see her knee replacement Doctor. While not compulsory, Sears being just around the corner less than a couple long blocks away, I’ve a handful Craftsman tools to trade in, plus I’d like to pick me up about four screwdrivers, maybe one or two ½” x 9/16” box end wrenches, and some tough replacement hand impact bits. And still only a couple more short for long blocks up the same Miller Road I want a set of Harbor Freight’s torx driver bits.
Oh crap, this means dressing in clean clothes and no wearing my kind of makeup is bordering on the edge of an un-ceremonial drag.
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Still AM. Just been out to hay the ladies. Inside of twenty minutes I was near socked to the skin. Raining so hard the ladies can’t pick-up their ears. Raining so hard tall long legged Shorthorn cows their calves are standing under their mothers bellies out of the rain. Raining so hard the barn is sitting on prime water front property. Raining so hard the creek is running across the outer barn yard. Raining so hard I couldn’t check my rain gauge for the white caps on top the water. I just may take a canoeing vacation when the rain stops?
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4:00 PM Home
Frieda’s seen her knee Doctor. She doc was pleased with her efforts. Frieda’s frre to do what she wants. Worst part Frieda continues to put on roller skates.
Second stop was Sears where I come away smelling like a rose with a tool bag filled with new and replaced tools. Half my ticket was a Sears worth $15.50 three replacements for a flea market $2.00 investment. The other half my ticket was for a couple hand impact bits they just happened to have in stock and eight screw drivers for the price of the only three I really needed in the set. I do like those unconditionally guaranteed Craftsman tools.
Third stop was at Harbor Freight near across the street from Sears. Be reminded one (myself in this case) was only getting what I was paying for. While what I picked up wasn’t exactly what I wanted once I got it home, for no more than I paid for the principle item it was a torx bolt and screw sockets and bits (twice the tools in the kit for less than half the first stops prices) for tools I’ll not have that much use for. I purchased some tough Italian scissors for a buck for my cutting up the recently acquired totes for convenient use: small quick covers, over winter’s firewood, Half a one for tractor seat cover, used whole opened covering large round bales set on their sides for peeling hay fed into small lots. Imaginatively set up they make excellent Fall and Winter hunting blinds. These totes cut in two make neat ATV load covers. I collected a half doze thus far, going to collect at least a dozen more.
Forth stop was at Best Buy, my looking for a USB extension cord for my new mouse. My choice three foot or twenty five feet at exurbanite prices. What’s this? Just then another patron put me onto an IO computer store some malls up Miller Road. On our way again I was not only looking for IO but a bank also to have some answers to some troubling news my bank had mailed me. Asking directions I had become confused twice. About ready to give up the last two stops I spied a cop car completely equipped with a cop. He parked on the wrong side of street I slipped sideways a couple lanes, made a panicked right residential street turn, made another un-signaled right turn in somebody’s driveway, did a wrong lane reversal into the wrong lane, finally making it across some heavy traffic to park it beside the officer watching all this. Our windows wound down, my first words were, “If you saw all that, be forewarned when the baby boomers start catching up to me, you’ll see a lot more such goofy moves.” He just chuckled, and unceremoniously asked me, “What can I do for you?” In the end he was no help to us(me). I was on my own again, this time looking for a filling station. Finding one the proprietor was so kind to help me spend my City Bank debit refund plastic. Goofy thing always asking me for a pin number I never knew it. These young people I encountered most the day knew how to get their money out of it. The last clerk was most helpful with my gasoline purchase. He also told me where IO was. Son-of-a-gun, I had passed the place three times already. In a mall across the street from the gas station I turned into some alley like lanes around about two malls getting to the third one and there it was. Whew I had sneakily navigated three parking lots and alley trash bins without traffic. I ot my cable just as the patron had put me ono for the price he even mentioned. Whhoooppppeeeee!!!!! Almost through.
Fifth stop excluded any more looking for a bank. I took instead to taking a side street I thought I knew. Remarkably it came out close enough to where I wanted us to be for taking a country road north squirting the city and all its traffic. Nearing the town from where our mail is delivered I stopped by my favorite seamstresses. Walking in my barnyard tux was still undone. I suggested they had better fix it soon before the neighbors start talking about us. While we laughed and smiled a bit I asked if they could look at Frieda’s sewing machines. Nothing broken I figure they likely needed lubing and tensions adjusted. A couple women using them everyday will know better what to do with them than the sewing center.
Sixth stop I finally made it to the Crossroads bank for some explanations. I got them, along with a new debit and credit cards. The debit card had a $25.00 price attached paid back and then some if we used it instead of cash for grocery and gasoline purchases. The credit card came with annual fees or use charges whether I ever used it or not. Sounded good while I plan on never using it.
Heading home, interestingly enough going south by the Crossroads school was a drier drive than when we had left home fore the city. Then after only a half hour or so driving back north on the very same road we encounter the road flooded while I was inside the bank. Unbelievable the water was more than a foot deep. Into it (the water) before I realized the road was so covered I braked fearing I might have drowned the engine out. Luckily we made it although while we saw water descending into a storm drain curb scuffer. plus there was a whirlpool water just a couple/three yards away. Committed I steered left to avoid the whirlpool should it have been a place the pavement might have given way to a under mined area under roadway.
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7:30 PM Supper’s been had
I’ve had an unplanned nap. Had a tuna fish casserole fruit and mixed fruit cocktail in lime gelatin salad for supper. I’ve had a look-see at the ladies. They all look a lot cleaner after their two day’s showers. There were no new calves. I’ve done two loads laundry. My morning’s wet clothing refusing to dry I washed it after supper. Presoaked in soft rain water it be a good time to wash and dry it properly.
This my day, I’m calling it quits for bed time. BGKC.
Fernan

Twilight’s musings

One and a quarter inches rain
here last twenty-four hours.
Got wet all under doing everything,
including anything we did under Ugly.
Calves born since noon day yesterday
did so no needing help.
Internet down for hours evening last.
Evening quiet, I started search
to model book illustrations.
And, was early to bed, early to rise.
Already raining looks like more for today.
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For all my slight of hand repairs made to Ugly two things have happened awaiting the third. First Ugly’s gotten a better cargo box on its back. A second happening is the loss of all the rattling, banging, and clattering noises of the old box threatening to have fall off while drowning out the bark of the barely audible straight pipes (Cherry Bomb glass backed mufflers). Maybe some of the third thing will happen today?
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My Day:
The jumping off place in time was my having to grind grain. So, its go by the elevator for fixings. Then I went after Barry stopping in long enough for some coffee and learning what had happened with Tom’s court date. A couple professionals testified to Toms in ability to ever hold another job for a day let alone for a whole week, the rest of his life. Twenty minutes later he was granted SSI benefits. If anybody needed the help he does. I thought I was in bad shape, but he’s worse off than I am. I’ve learned my limitations, and know enough when I have to sit down, take a break, or having pushed to far I know when to lay down. Without machines I couldn’t begin to accomplish what I do around here each day. Tom has no such machines and gets himself in trouble over doing it. His present salvation are the women around him limiting his activity seeing to it he’s had a nap everyday and takes his medications. Cussed medications, I know them a pain in the neck.
Handy borrowed the Cushman for mushrooming, my having to give him some directions and operation tips, before I had gotten into my day’s grinding. Gravity boxes shuttled up and down this road including another one borrowed from around the corner tires checked steering gear lubricated making it ready to go, my morning was soon spent and then some.
Then when all the necessities had been taken care of, thinking it was our time to put some more Ugly together along the lines of reconfiguration we ran into Ugly’s deciding to give us a hard time spitting and sputtering along the motorways. GD Murphy had reared his ugly head and caused all manner of grief for a couple/three hours. Right away assuming it were a plugged fuel filter failure payment for all the disturbances we had made on the gasoline tanks and gas lines I went for the Fuel filter in the carburetor. Checked appearing clear we tried it to get Ugly back to shop for an on the shelf replacement. Replacing it, made no difference, plus each time one off us had attacked the input fuel line gasoline escaped under pressure. Our problem wasn’t fuel.
Our problem reduced to an electrical matter Barry and I got into the distributor. My knowing of no known tests to test any of the five components in a modern 1980 electronic ignition, the only solutions, as far as I knew was to replace each distributor component one at a time until we found the whole distributor’s failure’s cause. Take it apart, clean this and that, put it together, try it, take it apart and replace one part for another twice we hadn’t gotten anywhere. About the time I was ready to just plainly/simply go out and buy a whole new or rebuilt distributor assembly everything in it new and assembled ready for installation and instant use and of course to be thought of as trouble free. One more time we put it back together, tried it and Ugly’s engine behaved itself as it should. I’ve got to possible theories or causes. The pickup coild deep inside the distributor has a bad or broken wire. This is a real head scratchier. What bother’s me should it happen again where will I be with help or a part, more parts, and tools. On the other hand in/during our unplugging and re-plugging the wires perhaps this simple act had clean off an minute amount of troublesome corrosion?
Ugly running I’ve no plans to venture very far for a while. Running though we added to Ugly’s usefulness a 100 gallon diesel fuel supply tank including a transfer pump for refueling tractors in the fields. My tool box divided for key fluids, grease, and lubrications was installed and tenetively repacked. Using Gym baskets for those divisions they also served making additionally areas/spaces for larger tools now and then needed. So here it is continuing to take on a more useful look one more day in our individual lives.

The clocks racing towards sundown I’ve really had it. Supper was stuffed peppers a sugar free gelatin hosting fruit cocktail. I like them whereas Frieda doesn’t. Sometimes I just don’t believe her. When all is said and one It’ll be another one of then early to bed evenings. BGKC.
Fernan
PS: No new Shorthorn babies today. How’d I know? I counted all their ears and divided by two. I have got to grin. Three/four ladies acting as a committee approached me today making complaints and demands I turn them out on greener grass. I choose to ignore them, my no getting into a shouting match with them.

???????

Under cloudy skies it’s rain, and extremely cool.
Dependent upon the elements I can’t be sure what I’ll be doing at any given hour. So much for making a tentative list of what needs doing today, that I couldn’t keep anyway. A general over all synopsis includes watching the ladies (hopefully no more problems the likes of yesterday). Ugly’s still sitting in the driveway where I left it evening last. Got a whole pile (six of them) JD 7200 corn planter seeders to reline. Need to check Ugly’s tailgate innards out so’s I can close it. Do want to reconfigure Ugly’s total usefulness with field fuel tank. Reattach Ugly’s tool box and restock it for field maintenance supplies and tools. So much to do. To many days forecasted rains we actually need. What to do besides cuss? It’s a can’t win for losing, OR is it lose for winning, situation personified.
If we're going to experience extended days of rain, could very well be a good time to move a couple yard tractors into shop for repair and maintenance. The Crapsman needs carburetor cleaned to start, Workhorse hasn’t run for at least two years. AND, oh balderdash, may have to grind grain again. That’s always fun in the rain. (hahahohohehe) Looking like another grand day in Shorthorn country.
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Picture these:
Ugly’s all back together again for the most part. This is the port side. Ugly remains just as ugly as ever, but is it Calico Ugly now or what?

Ugly still needs a few details taken care of tomorrow maybe.

Ugly from the far corner looking at the starboard side.

The tailgate still needs its latching mechanism oiled and loosened up, as well as ground strap from the frame secured to the box.
This is my sure enough dependable fuel switch-over valve between the dual tanks. No worries about an electrical switch what won’t work anyway. I like doing things with a positive attitude.

The valve handle pointing NNE is taking fuel from the portside tank. Took us some time trial and error figuring it out how to draw fuel from the first tank, let alone the other one. We’ll take on that second research project another much drier day.
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And: The herd is growing by leaps and bounds. Total count is ten calves today the last one born sometime this morning. In spite of the weather the ladies have been doing an exceptionally good job drying their calves, even in this inclement weather. All of the calves are so frisky I can’t tell the latest born from ther rest of them.

Shortly after I had taken this picture, the designated baby sitter came charging in placing herself between the calves and myself. Animals can be so entertainingly funny. I can’t help but smile at their antics, even the mild mannered ones. Yes I said designated! A many the time when the cows are pasturing a near mile from home they’ll leave their calves behind, taking baby sitting turns with other mothers to come up for water. Really!
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This is being it for today. With but one rainy exception we’ve had an inch and quarter since this rainy spell has started. So, let it be posting this entry earlier than usual I want to get into something else. Maybe some sketching or writing another telling story, while getting all snockered up on one beer cooler. (one beer is all Doc will allow me to consume during any one day). Meanwhile….BGKC.
With high hopes…..
Fernan

Frosty morning

Hard frost this morning slow melting off the van. Sun’s shining under clear skies this AM. I’m running late for loss of two hrs sleep during the middle of the night. So, my day is starting from behind. In neighborhood news: My favorite pharmacy was broken into last night and all the Viagra was stolen. Now our one loco TWP cop’s looking for a gang of hardened criminals!
Our liking flowers outside I had spotted a white blossomed Lilac bush growing away out back on down yonder farm. Ugly laid up as its been maybe soon I can carry a shovel and bucket to belatedly dig and bring it home for Frieda’s enjoyment.
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One of Mother Nature’s cruel tricks:

It took us with the vet’s help four hours to deliver this under developed calf: hollowed eyes; forelegs strong enough looking, no rump; spindly under developed, hips, legs, and feet; and no tail. We didn’t bother showing the calf to the cow.
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Disappointment’s depression
Got Ugly together enough to move it out of the shop. Started up just fine. Pulled out, stalled, never to run again this evening. To tired and in disgust, I left it sitting in its tracks before I did something I’d regret. Both fuel lines empty its hard telling which tank has the gasoline in it. I’d made so many mistakes, its hard telling where I may have gotten it wrong. Might be I’m working the fuel line switch over backward???
The tail gate still needs some internal inspection, and the ICC light needs be put back together.
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As if enough hadn’t gone wrong today, I come home to find Frieda had given MY SUPPER to the cats. Oh whoa is me…..
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A time with a life in the balance I’d not like to see anyone else go through:
After my Brother's horrific being drawn into a fodder chopper accident Sept, 1998; I was basically alone on all the farms, emotionally upset, anxious, burdened with culling cattle, livestock sales, corn harvesting, green chopping everyday, everything what had to be timely done every day, plus some, I had quickly become rundown finding myself loaded down with the walking flu, plus further aggravating an already in born heart condition. Bro' already fighting for his life given such short odds of survival it pained me miserably having to miss seeing him for days/weeks following the accident. Almost two months had passed, with snow on the ground, before I could safely go in and see him in the hospital.
Then in addition he was sequestered in the most secure germ free ward, the hospital's burn units. Already prepared as clean as I could make myself I had to wear sterile paper booties over my shoes.
Believe me it's alright for grown men to emotionally cry, as my tearful eyes are almost doing right now. Sorry! Some times ready to instantly disown him I continue to love him deeply. BGKC…..
Fernan

Mother’s ay HA!

Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother’s Day? Huey!
Today the men folk are supposed to do for all the mothers. Whoa now! Hold it right there! Herr Clink has me two hands full taking out the trash, She’s got me doing the laundry, She’s got me toting the firewood in, then She’s got me hauling the ashes back out. I’ve finally got her doing some the cooking again while I’ve gone back to drawing the line at doing dishes. So what’d I do for her today? I got out of her way. That’s what I did!
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I almost had the Ugly truck out of the shop today. What had happened I had glued a broken up clearance lamp lense together using the cargo bed’s flat edge. Opps, getting the broken mess clamped together once, I had my doubts whether we could do it again on another surface. So, Ugly sets another night inside the shop.
Ugly’s accomplishments: the fuel tank’s installed, the cargo bed is bolt tightened down the right headlight’s shinning on both beams. Ugly’s got a tailgate, some internal rods still needing TLC out of an oil can. Can’t tap into the working fuel tank’s fuel line without taking a gasoline bath. So, I’m going to let the tank run dry before splicing in new gas tank line. AND, still waiting for new 35x11x15 tire.
Ugly ain’t pretty but it’s a good solid work truck again. Even solid enough to fit new field fuel supply tank mounted, my tool box back on and reloaded with fluids, grease gun, tools, jumpers, and funnels.
On the shelled corn supply front, Tom and Bro’ have taken to making fix the biggest of the gravity boxes. Last I seen of them they were working the gate mechanism over for opening and closing.
I get Ugly rolling again I’ll pick up the last borrowed gravity box.
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Doing my afternoon chores I spotted we’ve another newborn calf out here. Came into the world red like mama. This makes nine calves here. I’ve lost count on the other end.
So, while I’m thinking of it. What I do for Frieda’s Mother’s Day? While I labored away in the shop, I let her keep the home fire burning while she cooked me up a fine beef stew, soda’s for desserts.
This was just another ordinary Shorthorn country day around here. BGKC.
Fernan

Murphy’s got to go

Damn, damn, damn! Murphy’s law involved itself in the Ugly pickup truck revitalization all day long. Right out of the drive I motored to replace the correctly needed hose from Home Depot. Barry and I attacked that Ugly project with all the zeal of confidentiality we had everything under control. Yeah! Right! The fuel tank mounting bolts we had gotten were wrong. This meant replacing metric with USS threading. Okay then found the fuel tank assembly we were trying to mount on Ugly’s right side was not going to easily bolt on. The meant going to the hardware for some metal clips of which I’ve no idea what they’re called. While they didn’t hold the bolt replacements tight they at least held them to position the fuel tank in the general location I wanted it. A modern pry bar and an antique tappet wrench (I haven’t used for at least eight lustrums) were the tools of the day. More modifications thought-out accomplished we brought the replacement cargo down. Barry riding it all the way for balancing the cargo box into position while I pushed and pulled the “A” frame gantry around to do my part aligning the two large pieces together for the up and down meetings. It all had come together like they were made for each other. A small amount of pushing/pulling six out of the eight bolt holes lined up. Two empty holes bothering us we finally figured them out. The cargo box had come off another chassis drilled for this boxes anchoring. In as much I’m adding a heavy diesel fuel tank to the truck’s uses I thing those chassis holes will be drilled for more secure bolting.
Tomorrow having quit while we were ahead, we’ve got the wiring to thread through the box and put the lamps back on. The fuel switch to install including rerouting the fuel lines. Plus a little tidying up all the tools, unused parts, and more over a lot of stuff Barry let me get out. (hehehe) Barry ain’t here.
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Holy Smokem’s
Michigan’s Secretary of State has sent me the driver’s license and motor vehicle plates forms for mail renewals. Wow! What a break! Thankfully I needn’t face an in person inquisition.
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An entirely different topic….
I see and hear of Iceland’s volcano troubles and problems with mounting depths of volcano ash. People sicknesses, people having to bring all their animals inside for protection from the elements. So. I’m either wondering or suggesting the Iceland country scrap up, pile up, sweep up , all their fallen volcanic fly ash, stock pile it and make some foreign deals selling the stuff to states or countries interested in making the tightest, densest, longerst lasting roadway concrete nearly impervious to the soaking up of water and salts susceptible to the impervious winters thaw and freezing seasons elements capable to scaling, spauling lesser made concrete without the precious volcanic fly ash.
I’m only saying…………a number of northern areas could most assuredly use this volcano fly ash in building better road surfaces. This material in Iceland’s abundance it would seem to me a number of mutual beneficial deals could be negotiated to handle some awkward problems by all who’d participate in some useful trade deals. It be at least one most beneficial way to help Iceland get back onto its feet after their recent economic and ongoing disaster problems.
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Enough for today. BGKC.
Fernan

5-7-2010 Nites

Late Nite's survival
3:00 AM, instead of making with ZZZZZZZZZZ’s I’m wide awake chasing channels. I come upon Sylvia Kristel in Lady Chatterley’s lover And long remember a many a pleasurable evenings on into night with my one love. Such wonderful memories I see, feel, and relive in my memory particularly all those entwined hearts and limbs we had joined in one. In her warmth and caring there was no other place I could ever dwell. She has been my strength, my one I was destined to care and provide for. Oh! Enough of this maudlin.
An hour laying in bed rest seemingly nowhere near coming back to me I might as well be up. On the start of my second hour I retrieve me an orange for munching to fill an empty space and a cup-a-coffee for something to warm the belly. And of course a few minutes contemplating today’s activities. I had promised to take handy to the Doctor, I need to make call for the immediate availability for a brass three way fuel valve, figure new rerouted fuel lines for tubing and hose needs. Then take on the reconfiguring the fuel tank on hand from left to right for installation.
Mmmm, while I’m at it I might just as well re-secure the damaged ICC lamp and replace a headlight socket. I would like to have two full time headlights for a change.
Well, orange consumed, coffee swilled, capped with a tell tale yawn, I think I may catch up on a few of them ZZZZZ’s, and later see what the dawn brings.
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Unable to un-wrench the fuel tank brackets from the tank I had to employ a blue tipped torch to heat the bracket nuts so I could remove them. To do this I had to employ a stainless exhaust-pipe extension we’d made up for gassing woodchucks either coming or going or found in an active den. The top part of the gassing pipe may be seen shoved into the top of the tank. Further on may be seen the flexible part of the same gassing pipe is shoved into the muffler of the truck. The truck running put an inert gas into the furl tank so I may bring a flame near it without a day spoiling KA-BOOM!

A bit later having need of more parts I made a list and we went shopping within a radius of about eight mile from the shop; over to the Crossroads for some metric bolts to screw the tank brackets to the truck frame, west eight miles for a mechanical three way brass fuel valve ($ouch$), south another seven miles for the wrong 5/16” plastic hose needed for a gasoline tolerant venting, southwest about nine miles or so for oxyacetylene tanks exchange plus a bundle of fluxed crazing rod.
I exchange that wrong hose for the proper sized hose , come morning, the cargo box is less than two feet from sitting down on the Ugly’s frame. O yeah, I had forgotten to mention we managed to move Ugly inside with the cargo box hanging over it. We had twi ideas in mind: lock up the shop and leave Ugly in out of the rain for drier assembly once I (we (Barry & I) had all the important repair needs gathered together on truck hood.
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It is 1:00 AM the next morning, wide awake, enjoying a cream cheese on a bagel, an orange and a glass of milk mini comfort meal. BGKC.
Fernan

If a man speaks in the forest, but there is no woman to hear him, IS HE STILL WRONG? }:^)

5-7-2010 Nites

Late Nite's survival
3:00 AM, instead of making with ZZZZZZZZZZ’s I’m wide awake chasing channels. I come upon Sylvia Kristel in Lady Chatterley’s lover And long remember a many a pleasurable evenings on into night with my one love. Such wonderful memories I see, feel, and relive in my memory particularly all those entwined hearts and limbs we had joined in one. In her warmth and caring there was no other place I could ever dwell. She has been my strength, my one I was destined to care and provide for. Oh! Enough of this maudlin.
An hour laying in bed rest seemingly nowhere near coming back to me I might as well be up. On the start of my second hour I retrieve me an orange for munching to fill an empty space and a cup-a-coffee for something to warm the belly. And of course a few minutes contemplating today’s activities. I had promised to take handy to the Doctor, I need to make call for the immediate availability for a brass three way fuel valve, figure new rerouted fuel lines for tubing and hose needs. Then take on the reconfiguring the fuel tank on hand from left to right for installation.
Mmmm, while I’m at it I might just as well re-secure the damaged ICC lamp and replace a headlight socket. I would like to have two full time headlights for a change.
Well, orange consumed, coffee swilled, capped with a tell tale yawn, I think I may catch up on a few of them ZZZZZ’s, and later see what the dawn brings.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unable to un-wrench the fuel tank brackets from the tank I had to employ a blue tipped torch to heat the bracket nuts so I could remove them. To do this I had to employ a stainless exhaust-pipe extension we’d made up for gassing woodchucks either coming or going or found in an active den. The top part of the gassing pipe may be seen shoved into the top of the tank. Further on may be seen the flexible part of the same gassing pipe is shoved into the muffler of the truck. The truck running put an inert gas into the furl tank so I may bring a flame near it without a day spoiling KA-BOOM!

A bit later having need of more parts I made a list and we went shopping within a radius of about eight mile from the shop; over to the Crossroads for some metric bolts to screw the tank brackets to the truck frame, west eight miles for a mechanical three way brass fuel valve ($ouch$), south another seven miles for the wrong 5/16” plastic hose needed for a gasoline tolerant venting, southwest about nine miles or so for oxyacetylene tanks exchange plus a bundle of fluxed crazing rod.
I exchange that wrong hose for the proper sized hose , come morning, the cargo box is less than two feet from sitting down on the Ugly’s frame. O yeah, I had forgotten to mention we managed to move Ugly inside with the cargo box hanging over it. We had twi ideas in mind: lock up the shop and leave Ugly in out of the rain for drier assembly once I (we (Barry & I) had all the important repair needs gathered together on truck hood.
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It is 1:00 AM the next morning, wide awake, enjoying a cream cheese on a bagel, an orange and a glass of milk mini comfort meal. BGKC.
Fernan

If a man speaks in the forest, but there is no woman to hear him, IS HE STILL WRONG?

Clouded…

6:00 AM it was supposed to be a clouded day and I knowingly had an unsure mind.
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A country kid when getting to town on our own pedaling initiative. When we had succeeded getting there what was there to do. Growing up on 40, 80, 120, 160 acre plots as country kids we had played a many an hour in our very own backyard wildernesses, be they an open field or a shaded wood lot, there was in every direction our eyes had followed something seen, studied, collected, and shown to mom and classmates. It also followed in my one room school house while reading, writing and arithmetic was our main stay three curriculum courses a forth (hour) study was a lumped up mess/mass of history, geography, science, archeology. Thankfully either nobody had either thought about it or thought to much of it we were treated to Darwin’s discoveries; and, evolution contradicted creationism. We were in studies heaven. For every action there is an opposite reaction, we studied husbandry, botany, levers, inclined plains, the screw, and gravity. For us country kids all these last topics involved our daily lives. We had new age machines, animals, fruits vegetables grains we were involved in some manner and time participants.
Now this may seem silly, but after we’d gotten into a town on our own power there was little to do. Hearing of a library, a place full of books, going there we felt unwelcome, treated as dirty kids(?). Hell, we were, we come to town straight off a farm. A place we didn’t often enough seemingly get away from. Thinking back, kept so country busy we didn’t have time to get into trouble and we weren’t as dumb as we were supposed to be. Our everyday conversation vocabulary limited to the rural life we had little to nothing down to real earth in common with city people or more impotently city brats…
What to do? The library our even if we were the only ones in there, we got shushed? What was going to hear us? The books? The old biddy running the place treated us as unwelcome aliens. One such bike ride had taken us down into the railroad yard. Every town had one in those day more likely than not complete with an all knowing knowledgeable hobo (that’s another story). Meanwhile we (three of us this time) stopped along side the street in discussion, shall we or shan’t we take a look. We decided to look. Wow! What a time we had there were several piles of different looking sand, gravel and stone: but what really caught our eyes were the piles of coal. There were big chunks bigger than the bits and pieces we’d seen by the outdoor coal-bin behind our school, and some coal, all of them, of equal look alike size. It was the big ones what interested us. Looking closely as if we’d found a new country bug to watch we discover a fossil. A fossil imbedded on a big piece of coal. Wonder of wonders, what had we found? On of us had decided to pick one up and smashed it against another chunk. Split down the middle we’d seen a perfect black maple leaf. We broke three four pieces deciding we had better stop before we got into trouble. We weren’t home where anything we wanted we could pick if we eatened it right then and there. Were we dirty country kids? I’ll say we were! But, getting home our mom’s knew us!
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Valium O’Clock Time
Getting in at 6:00 PM I don’t know which one of us took the worst licking, Me or Ugly? Ugly lost the ugliest part of it’s body, The cargo box. Me, while I hadn’t lost anything all the physical ups from all the down-unders has left me feeling sorer than a boil all over. So glad this day is over.
I simply had to do something for old Ugly. The right front box corner had taken up a continual bow. And during more recent days both the rear corners had taken to flapping in the breeze as if trying to become airborne UFO on every paved road it had encountered.

Tomorrow, it’s add another fuel tank with a newly welded fill pipe, that is if I can take apart the assembly I’ve planned on using. Also looks as though I may be looking for a three way brass valve for switching tanks. So this Ugly business is my 99.4% pure excuse for another day happily spent in Shorthorn country. BGKC.
Fernan

PS: If a man speaks in the forest, but there is no woman to hear him, IS HE STILL WRONG?

For errors and nap’s

What a day I had starting somewhere around 2:00 AM. Restless sleep, up and wide awake. I gave into the mood and the night rather than waste either one I got on and rode the internet. I found a 225R75x15 the model replacement for an old tried and true aging H78X15 May-Pop. I researchered a couple words I had been trying to spell. Being right on the ball if I were axed rat now I could never begin to remember what those words right now and were. Isn’t grand how a man’s mind work’s keeping him on the ball? Oh yes and while I was up I delved into the refrigerator for just some of the no-no’s I had been avoiding what been mysteriously known to add inches to the waist line but negating all the wrongs I finished up with an orange.
By and by I felt sleeping for some unknown reason and ventured back to bed. With in some unknown minutes I missed saving for posterities record.
Waking some time later to a sunny bright eyed sun shining upon my house I moved up and thru the house to satisfy on of Mother Nature’s immediate needs. I poured my breakfast cereal into a pint sized glass drowning it in milk. I munched away while Her Mostess’s comments over road missing Kelly Ripa’s just knowing I had forgotten what? Bending to add socks and shoes to my farmyard formal-wear my cell phone going off, I immediately knew what it was. The phone call confirming my suspicions I had forgotten I’d promised Handy a ride to see Doc. Yup, it was handy. With all the more urgency to get me together I was soon out and on my motoring way.
Handy dropped off, I celled a volunteer’s house to see if he needed entertainment. He did. I swung by his house to pick’im up Barry and found Tom had innocently broken the disc. Regardless these findings Barry went on to shop to by pass it for resetting the taken up fencing from the other day. The fencing taken care of Barry and I had to make snip’s with some vegetation shorting out the fence in areas other than those machined clean the last couple days. That one finished we tidied up the lower feed lot’s fencing and turned the yearling heifers out.
Looking like rain (where the sun go?) Bro was calling it a day, Barry was rather negative about giving it just yet. WE hadn’t broke for lunch yet. Celled again Handy was readied to come home. Letting him sit where I was we fueled the cans knowing there need tomorrow. Barry still reluctant to go home I dropped him at home. Home I had discovered I had forgotten the ladies. Then I didn’t feel so awfully bad leaving Barry to make my apologies with the ladies. There’s nothing I can’t handle, even a steamed Bossy. Besides I had Handy to pick-up. During all these plans changing minutes some sprinkles moved in turning to rain. And rain it did. After lunch we went back to the shop. Bro’ had challenged me to removing the PTO shaft from the old snow-blower. Two scissored hydraulic jacks did nothing for us. By and by I brought in the use of the blue flamed instant wenching persuader. The drive shaft removed we called it a day, delivering Barry, a repaired disc part, and four cans diesel to his home.
Back home a little after 4:00 PM. Happy to be inside on a rainy day, yes I know I could have played with me childhood electric train set (the azzkicker in this case); but, I had developed a headache. “Home sweet home,” refusing to succumb to a Tylenol I chose instead a chance nap on the couch. Oh boy! Did I ever nap. Woke up almost four hours later. I guess I had needed it. I gotten to see some sunshine again as I took my rattlers in preparation for supper. For my evening’s entertainment I watched “Shadow of the Thin Man.” I delightfully quiet evening was enjoyed by all in my Shorthorn country house. BGKC.
Fernan

5-4-2010 Discount Day

6:00 AM riser. Need to run to drug store for first Tuesday of the month senior citizen discounts: six patent medications, picnic supplies. Should stop by grocery store for milk, oranges, (Late Evening fat-free Bedtime Snacks), BEER (was Sunday denied by stupid law).
Of-course I must unload Ugly first. Had gotten home at late yet reasonable hour. Came in for meds and half hour relax time before taking out Tuesday trash pickup; and, Ugly truck down loading more winter’s firewood. THEN WHEN, I quietly had gotten up to tend to two out of my evening household chores I walked out into an arse wetting rain. Arrggghhhh!!!!! The firewood unloading was put off until this morning. Regardless, I like MY way I re-supply my firewood’s needs a little at a time. Less tiring, more interesting, different scenery, and forestry control at my slower pace. Oh crap, just spotted a fallen Ash tree having fallen near the tortoise crossing. More importantly that tree’s laying on hay ground. Nuts! Well, that scenery is in a pleasing site while the spring water levels are down.
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5-5-2010 2:00 AM Wednesday morning
I’d have to say I had had a good day yesterday as all the simple activities plainly wore myself out, my needing bed time a bit earlier than usual. Receiving a phone call the ground grain was gone. I knew them that day was going to be a grind. First off I didn’t have any grain to grind as the gravity wagon I normally use had a hole in it’s floor remaining unfixed of that morning. Oh well, making do would have to hitch onto one of the extra’s I had gotten back for the extra shelled corn purchases coming up shortly. This news had my start over to the elevator and then I picked up Barry.
Picking up Barry I’m celled the bulls are almost out. Needed a few minutes more for starting the 2150 Oliver for today’s activities The bulls had to wait a few moments.
Arrival on the bull pen scene those bulls had near pushed their pen’s gat into an entirely new configuration. They had bent that gate out into a semi circled configuration what also looked like a frame for a Spring’s planting hot house needing but some plastic sheeting covering. It looked like something other than a gate what’s sure; and, Bro’ was just a setting there watching them.
A cable come-along placed just so over that gate’s framework and under the gates bottom post hinge pin. I tried prying that gate back into a reasonable likeness it’s former self. That plank/my un-godly strength to much for the bent-up gate to handle Bro’ brought up the JCB’s fork lift load a sort-a leaned on the bottom edge of that gate and made it hole in a fence some kind of a closure with a different look. Then I reconfigured the electric wire that had once discouraged the bulls molesting the very same gate.
That situation handled Barry and I got onto getting the gran ground. Only the grinding activity had gotten some out of hand or a bit complicated. I had to use another gravity box/running gear combination as the usual box hadn’t been fix as of yet. So even selecting another box as long as I had it on the road I wound up a offering a side trip for every box I moved today for an empty weight slip. The bunch of them finally collected together all sitting in the west side’s near pasture the scene was looking as I had been trying to corner the market on those contrivances, so’s anybody needing one had to talk to me first. Then wouldn’t be known by the time I had all my boxes standing in a row, those Sixguy’s would be into dinner. Oh well, that worked out for a weight slip on the last wagon I had chosen for today’s hauling home shelled corn.
Shelled corn out here we commenced to grind feed. And cover the boxes trades I was using in place the last few weeks and months temporary replacements. When the grind was over that day had worn on something fierce. Lunch postponed the newly loaded REBUILT ground grain box was spotted before we ate. Our bellies comfortably filled I took Barry home. It being late afternoon I was thinking calling it quits just before I remembered the wind blown down tree over the FoxFire Farm’s turtle crossing. I took my pills and ventured out back my tools loaded upon the little Ford tractor and wood hauler. Real gone, I cut up that tree, loading the firewood, piling the brush for wildlife habitat. That’s some more gotten firewood easily piled for this coming winter’s use. (This is the way I like to do it a little at a time acquired through clean-up.) Frieda had lists of groceries and patent drugs (senior citizen day discounts at drug store) needing attention. And, by gum, I finally got my beer, two packs today!
So it had beena full day, my getting in by dusk. Hungry, I ate and was ready for a little snooze. BGKC.
Fernan