Friday, December 28, 2012

Awaking with one eye

Yup, that’s how I did it this AM my face buried in my blanky. I’d been awake sort-of one eyed watching the boob tube. I leave it on all night to help drown out all the crickets and an added over the years an assortment of other noises I haven’t been able to escape for years. “A damned nuisance if you ask me!” Oh, what the Hell? Swinging my feet over the edge of my bed is only the start. I had to make first a water haul. Followed, I scratched at the stove ashes finding coals to throw more wood upon. A piece of pine first followed with a couple hard wood pieces. Then it was to my corner where I sorted my day’s pills taking the morning’s life supporting ones getting that miserable routine out of the way. After I’d finished all this I went back to my bed for at least another hour. “Truth be known,” I feel better in the prone position anymore, but I’ve probably mentioned this before. I’d likely get up in another hour more’r’less any way.
It was another great day. One neighbor having made a batch of cookies what hadn’t turned like she wanted, she sent then over to our house. I enjoyed nibbling away most of the day. Hmm, same neighbor looks as if she’d lost some weight over the Christmas Holiday, sharpening up her figure. Then again for a bit different another good cooken neighbor just down the street, my stopping in for a priceless cup-coffee, she was something different to my aging eyes than I had seen her a few days ago. I do believe when she’d eaten a cookie (err…whatever) I’d observed she had put them on here and there rounding out her figureby at least ten maybe fifteen pounds. But, how am I to judge as I’m only an amateur observer.
Along another vane let a body get the right age, society calls same individual a senior citizen, making all kinds of miss gotten assumptions. Take for instance If I should stop what I’m doing for a moment some wise ass just has to ask, ”Are you alright?” Then there’s the weather.
During the last three days we’ve had somewhere between four to seven inches of the white stuff. Of-course, some of that stuff closest to the earth had melted making some under lying snowflakes into a greasy substance. So it was when one or the other of my feet had found a tilted bit of soil in the farmyard not one but both my feet went out from under me. My landing “Ka-splat” upon the ground rather sprawled out in a very undignified manner, another ass just had to ask me, “Did you fall down? Are you hurt?” My response, “Hell no! I haven’t fallen down! I just wanted a closer look at all the fallen snowflakes lying all over the ground.”
And so went another down…err…on the farm day.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

12-28-2012 My Missing In Action

I guess I’ll be starting the New Year off full of disappointments. The biggest one, poor book sales. And, I’ve been writing some good stuff, to good for the blog, and open boards for lack luster reasoning’s. So I’m saving my best stuff another whimsical styled book hitting up my…err….our household’s everyday adventures. And, I’ve taken up writing another children’s story book. This will require some research and or picture takings for its many illustrations. This story will center on one barnyard animal and it’s facing life for it’s point of view.
I’ve been also working with one of my first book’s book editor. Oh boy, That is turning into a full-sized or full time job. The story line’s terrific by her measure; and it will appeal to seven and eight year old’s. Now, I’ve got two women behind me encouraging me, my writing. I hope I won’t disappoint them. Then tonight having had a weird thought crop up in my mind. I need to dig out and rewrite our wills. If for no other reason than, what if by a some chance miracle, my writing should take off.
I have found that if a lie down as much as I can, or take every opportunity alleviating the upright pressures upon my spine I feel better. This rested feeling goes right on into the next day. More time lost. Aging ain’t no picnic. Regardless it was early to bed too be it early to rise, “so to speak.”
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Thursday, December 27, 2012

A very pleasant day

Recent winds finally winding down we managed to put in an enjoyable full day without feeling as if we’re being sliced to pieces under icy knives. Our work list included finally unloading the wood hauler into the old granary used for a lumber shed. We put the doors on the Shultz Ollie cab to keep more of the winter snows out of it. Cleared some weighty ice and snow off the top of the mobile shelled corn gravity box. Getting down to the shop for an afternoon’s fun we loaded out for the granary storage more full sized plywood sized sheets of varied materials. Wanting to bring the little Ford Tractor home for putting the snow plowing back blade on it. Almost starting with a pronounce refusal we had to bring out the big guns, an charged air tank to blow the snow off the ignition system’s exterior, a can WD40 to dry out the distributor cap and wires, and a can of ether that didn’t work; yet, we had all this stuff to put away ater. The Ford eventually started we took off the posthole digger we no longer needed. The tractor implement bared we parked near the shop to grease the front spindles as neither one of us could remember when that was last done to keep winter water and subsequent steering freezing ice out of them. All said and done the spindles were in great shape. We picked up some more around about the shop, and discussed what we’re going to do with some other unwanted space taking-up junk. I did some sorting a couple boxes of clearly classified junk, most of it turned into trash for Thursday’s pickup. All in all it was a bright sunshiny day worthy of a full day’s enjoyment.
"Rainbows."
Fernan

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Some Day?

Started day off with usual chores feeding three lots. Then drifted down to shop and worked setting some four fence posts until t started raining. Did lunch. Put last 1998 4x4 acquisition in shop. Opened inspection cover on bell housing found flex plate securely bolted to torque converter. So much for trying to figure out grinding gears when put in gear. Going to wait until the new hoist is bolted down/set up and then start disconnecting drive shafts or whatever until we find the cause at later date. This laying on the floor under a vehicle never quite high enough is okay for the meese running through. Looks like cleaning shop day tomorrow.
Happy Holidays
Fernan

Friday, December 14, 2012

Santa’s Hay coverage Davidson Index
Area farmer reads ‘Santa’s Reindeer Hay’
BY GARY GOULD
810-452-2650 • ggould@mihomepaper.com

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v343/FMGruber/2012%20FAll/Santasread.jpg
Photobucket
Fernan Gruber Jr. reads his Christmas book, “Santa’s Reindeer Hay,” to a group of children and adults at the Burton Memorial Library, Dec. 8. Photo by Gary Gould OTISVILLE — Ever wonder how Santa Claus feeds his reindeer yearround when it’s impossible to grow hay at the North Pole?
Otisville farmer Fernan Gruber, Jr., who resembles a slimmed down Santa himself, once heard a mother tell her two children Gruber was indeed the jolly old elf driving his tractor along a road one summer day with a load of hay in the trailers behind him.
“How do you think Santa feeds his reindeer?” Gruber said he remembers her asking the children. “It goes to show you, you never know where you might see Santa Claus.”
That chance encounter 18 years ago prompted Gruber, who operates a cattle farm in Mt. Morris near Otisville, to write a children’s book titled “Santa’s Reindeer Hay.”
He recently read the book to a group of children and adults at the Burton Memorial Library, G-4012 E. Atherton Rd., something he said he’s never done before.
“This will be my first time reading it aloud to anyone,” he said.
Gruber, 76, said the tale is a yearround Christmas story he thinks people of all-ages will enjoy.
Gruber said he wrote the story and did the initial sketches which were later finished and painted by Indianapolis-artist Floyd Yamyamin. The young girl in the story is fashioned to look like Gruber’s own grand-daughter, who is now grown.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

12-13-2012 A couple my fun times

Google ……. fernan gruber reads stories
Saturday last I read my ‘Santa’s Reindeer Hay’ in two Genesee county libraries. I not only had a good time reading and showing my audience the book’s illustrations, see so many pretty girls of all ages my BP risen I wound up in the Hospital twice the Sunday following. Would I fudge the truth?
Actually, the house was determined to dry, siting two cast ion kettles upon the wood stove and keeping them filled with water has helped raise the moisture level in our home. To make sure I’m receiving enough moist air we’ve also gotten out an old vaporizer. Sheesh, anyone might think I am my wife’s oldest child. “Oh me, oh my!”
Aurora Borealis
Fernan

12-13-2012 A couple my fun times

Google ……. fernan gruber reads stories
Saturday last I read my ‘Santa’s Reindeer Hay’ in two Genesee county libraries. I not only had a good time reading and showing my audience the book’s illustrations, see so many pretty girls of all ages my BP risen I wound up in the Hospital twice the Sunday following. Would I fudge the truth?
Actually, the house was determined to dry, siting two cast ion kettles upon the wood stove and keeping them filled with water has helped raise the moisture level in our home. To make sure I’m receiving enough moist air we’ve also gotten out an old vaporizer. Sheesh, anyone might think I am my wife’s oldest child. “Oh me, oh my!”
Aurora Borealis
Fernan

Sunday, December 9, 2012

12-8th-2012 Twice Times Public Speaking

I had one whale of a grand all inclusive day speaking to children in two public libraries. Why I had even had an evenig phone call from a from Maryland, USA, eight year old "Santa's Reindeer Hay" story book fan. Let me tell you all about my day.
First of all, by as much water that was flowing across the barnyards open surface drain, I'd say we had gotten a lot of rain last night, before it had turned to snow. We'd even had enough snow letting me, my feet, slid down the ramp to the drive. The flaky white stuff came down all the while I did my early morning chores. Cereal early for myself, coming back to the house I had to awaken everybody. Today was important to me. I'd been invited and booked for two children's story time speaking engagements. It was getting on to time to get going. The first engagement was in the Burton District Library, Burton a suburb of Flint, Michigan. Early enough I was more than on time. There I met a delightful young lady, brand new as this library's Librarian. Seeing her I suffered a most disturbing memory. Dark hair and eyes, fair skinned with a figure reminiscent another colleen in my own former youth, who had suffered me. Clink having gone with me I wanted to get her home so's I could slap her one on her ass. I never really intended to do it, I'd never had been to keep up with her as liking the old days.
Such a wonderful sight. To this group I sold some books which were an okay my autographing each one of them. This library had also laid out a splendid table, Christmas cookies and candy canes. Plus a big PLUS, The second library had furnished me an accompanying pianist playing softly to my spoke words. Wow!
Having to leave we headed into the general direction of home as the next Library was in the opposite direction from home. Although, roughly passing our domicile by a couple miles to lunch in Arleen’s Otisville dinner. Food was expected to be good. I even took one book inside to show to one of my waitress sweetheart’s and she turned around selling it a couple already seatet to another table. Fillip went out and brought in more books. Our tummies fattened I left my sweety another book to show it to her boss.
The second Otisville Library only a few steps away it didn’t take us long to check in. The Staff was ready for me fixing a chair me beside a decorated tree. This time my audience was a splendid mix of boys and girls. Seems like little girls are better behaving young ladies than counter parted rambunctious boys resembling little Hellions.
Had onevery handsome grandmotherly type drive all the way from the other side of the county to hear me read, autograph, and buy my book. It was a whale of a good day.
Returning home thinking very little about a grand supper. Too late to change and take on farm repairs we adopted to take naps. This went well with the other two. As three/four hours, by 7:00 PM I was to find myself drowning in my own. I managed to eat a simple wienersnitchel one hand, my other hand pinching finger holding my nose closed.
One ice pack parked under my neck, another laid over my forehead seemed to have worked for stopping my nose’s insistent bleeding. That was until about 3:00 AM the bleeding woke me straight up out of my sleep. Unable to control my bleeding I called 911. It took them guys a whole hour to get here? What if I were dying of a stroke or something. Then when they got here they wanted to argue with me as to whether they were going to take me the hospital or not. As I started to walk down the road, I figured I’d get there one way or another. They finally loaded me in and we were on the our way yellow brick road.
At the hospital a middle of the night wait seeming took forever. By the time I was attended to I had cough up all manner of grizzly looking apparitions. I was finally taken at my word, I had a problem? In spite of the toilet tissue tightly rolled up white like Tootsie Rolls shoved up my nose the bleeding still had continued down the back of my throat. A very uncomfortable feeling. All the vitals taken, an arm tapped for a drawn syringe of red extract for checking blood thinning medication, it was found to be right on 2.6 okay. Bottom line my happy home was/is to dry. Seems we need to fill a couple cast iron kettles a-top the stove to moisten our household air. Directions told, “Use no more paper up you nose. Instead pinch you nostrils together nose bleeding stops after about 20 minutes. “Said he and she/Said Doctor and Resident!” Discharged at 6:00 AM, Fillip picked up 7:30 AM, he’d gotten lost. Figures! One stop on way home for last grocery shopping missing coffee.
Home an hour and the nose bleed was back with an unrelenting fury. Finger pinching nose not working it was back to my shoving no-no toilet tissue back up my nose. Fillip taking me lying on van’s floor back to hospital, an ice pack under my neck, a second on my forehead. It was noon and doubters were beginning to gather around like vultures wetting their appetites for a feast. I sat there looking cured.
All of a sudden my not even feeling it coming my body uncontrollably shook liken an earth quack, the blood flowing like an isanomi relentlessly rolling ashore. What another mess. There was even one brilliantly colored blood clot blown from its lost home.
Home again, late evening, while them’s others had biscuits and gravy, I was reduced to sipping tomato soup and dark chocolate drink through a straw. The aparatus the Hospital Doctor had put in my nose near covers most of my face is also so very uncomfortable. Have got to see my Doc for this things removal come morning.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

PS: My Frieda celebrated her 54th aniversary.
Our londevity secret, Frieda's gotten up every morning our shared life telling me how lucky I was to have gotten her. Amen!

Thursday, December 6, 2012

12-6-2012 Murphy's Law.....
......doesn't let everybody do it up as grand as I did!
Day started out with grain grind need. Then Bro' come up with a dumpster diving shop lifting thingy. We loaded two pickup and one pickup boxed trailer with 2x4's, particle board, chip board, plywood, and some assorted hardware's for the day's start.
When we got to it, the grind went smoothly enough in spite the Ugly truck's starter dumping with a complete smoke out. Then using the WD45 to tow truck and boxed grind down road I mistakenly tow strapped the tie rod to the WD45 bending it near all to Hell. Running the strap back over the axle returned to the tie rod, a couple quick jerks and the tie rod was near correctly straightened. Did I get it right, wrong. Hooking it all together again, dumb a$$ed me bent the tie rod all over again. The tie rod straightened a second time I finally got the tractor and truck joined and towed without further incident.
All this fun activity under approaching darkness, we even had a police escort, plus a police car ride home once we'd settle the machines and loads down for the night.
Arrgggghhhh!!!!!
So you all may see most of you's aren't immune to dumb a$$ed stunts!
Fernan

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Winter Wonderland lyric

While working the shop all day the "Walking in a Winter Wonderland" Song was sung a number of times on shop radio. It got me all misty eyed thinking about it, over it. Herr Clink and were married in December. And, that particular year Christmas was ever so much more magical for our continued blooming love.
Today's shop time saw us finally finish making fix that cussed Volk's Wiggle's (VW bug) brakes bleed and working. Then surprisingly enough, after over twenty years idly sitting in the farm yard, it started. How sweet it was running so smoothly without a hitch, pop, or a burp. Taking it for a spin around an animal less pasture it was such a fun ride to say the least. It's finally home now and covered for the night. Tomorrow Fillip can put it in the barn while I run up the road for some hay samples for my Saturday's children story telling hours at a couple local Libraries. The idea is I’ll also show the children what hay looks like that a great many animals eat.
Aurora Borealis
Fernan

Saturday, December 1, 2012

December already

We are blessed with exceptionally fair weather here. Today Fillip and I removed yesterday's poured pad forms. Covered it with two tarps last night and found the concrete still somewhat soft today. So it's recovered now to set for the next seven days. Weather so nice we’d better be getting some kind of a plan from his Lordship for the new fences requiring the fence posts settings before the ground freezes.
Other news, boss man has ordered a vehicle hoist for our shop. Expected delivered this coming Wednesday. Should be a big help getting some our truck working on/under work upon them much easier. All the way up I see oil changes and grease jobs more easily done. One the 1st projects will be dropping transmission on latest Blackee truck acquisition, for flex plate repair. Future’s changing tires will be easier. A whole lot of expected body work on both Greenee and Dumpy trucks will be so much easier worked on welding, body fillings sanding’s and paintings. I'm looking forward to much easier working conditions with this new equipment. Wish the old tire machine repair or another better one’s acquisition were as easy. Seems every thing still so much pricier than I haven’t yet become accustomed to. Spent good parts my morning and afternoon my back on ice. Today’s inflammation tours were exceptionally painful. My back feels like another evening session coming up post-hast. Got to go.
Wishing “Rainbows.”
Fernan

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Four ways to go & then some

Almost feels like my time is being drawn and quartered in four directions all at the same time. First thing this morning I need to be in two places today at the same time. That’ll be a good trick. I had enlisting Bro’s help to take Herr Clink to her afternoon’s Doctor’s appointment. I’ll have Fillip herd Ugly in the opposite direction to keep an appointment in my stead. Thankfully the concrete pour has been put off until tomorrow afternoon. During my morning travels I’ve managed to procure a high lift bucket truck to replace a single sheet of metal roofing on the hill top barn. Must do’s for this operation make sure the power drivers are charged and ready to go, have the roofing material handy, and all necessary screws readily available. Oh yeah, me thinks we need to do a bit of tree trimming to make way to back that truck up to the barn.
Yesterday’s TV12 experience was a winner. I was kept busy this morning writing up an all-purpose thank you note. Then packaging and mailing out my Santa’s Reindeer Hay story books. Then I don’t know what’s going on? The last mailed out shipments went for $2.51/@ postage. Today the postage rate was $2.10/@ including a “to and from” addressed thank you note. What could be the explanation for this discrepancy?
I wanted to see if I could get a DVD or CD copy my TV Santa story interview? The requested CD costing a boo-coo bunch of dollars was passed up for a news link. Then trying to download it had become a problem? It may be I’ll have to go a long way around to get it. Nuts!
Ya’s got to see what I did yesterday…….
http://www.abc12.com/video?clipId=8008925&topVideoCatNo=210517&autoStart=true
Was fun; but, I rather put up with a mad wife or a demanding Mistress? Sheesh, I was so nervous and jerky I had plum forgotten my vocabulary. Meanwhile, from under cold northern sky “Aurora Borealis.”
Fernan

11-28-2012 Big day today

I'm supposed to be in the TV studios at 3:45 PM this day's afternoon. I'm ready for them, I think?
Doing chores this AM my side kick unable to kick his blankets off in a timely manor I sneakily put the little girls hay bale over their fence carefully lowering so's not to drop it on one of their head's. Sheesh what a block headed bunch. It also took some shaking that bale to get'em to step back. Then when I had finished haying all three lots this morning I parked the JD loader facing Mecca so's the morning sun'll have the usually frosted windows melted off before I climb aboard. Hmm, would this unselfish act qualify my for an honorable Arab citizen mention?
Much later:
Made it to the ABC TV 12 studios for the Reindeer Hay book story. Sheesh! I think I’d rather deal with a mad wife and a demanding mistress than make a living in front of a TV camera!
My latest shipment of books arrived relatively on time this day’s Wednesday.
For more fun Fillip and I bought and brought home another new to us 4x4 pickup truck. Changing one front tire took the shake and squirrel-11-28-2012 Big day today
I'm supposed to be in the TV studios at 3:45 PM this day's afternoon. I'm ready for them, I think?
Doing chores this AM my side kick unable to kick his blankets off in a timely manor I sneakily put the little girls hay bale over their fence carefully lowering so's not to drop it on one of their head's. Sheesh what a block headed bunch. It also took some shaking that bale to get'em to step back. Then when I had finished haying all three lots this morning I parked the JD loader facing Mecca so's the morning sun'll have the usually frosted windows melted off before I climb aboard. Hmm, would this unselfish act qualify my for an honorable Arab citizen mention?
Much later:
Made it to the ABC TV 12 studios for the Reindeer Hay book story. Sheesh! I think I’d rather deal with a mad wife and a demanding mistress than make a living in front of a TV camera!
My latest shipment of books arrived relatively on time this day’s Wednesday.
For more fun Fillip and I bought and brought home another new to us 4x4 pickup truck. Changing one front tire took the shake and squirrel-y steering out of the front end. Then another four miles further the flex plate between the engine and transmission self-destructed. I swear “I can’t win for losing.” Or, is it more like “if it weren’t for bad luck I wouldn’t have any luck at all.” This last motor vehicle purchase was for a parts truck anyway. Well, we’ve got plenty parts now! The hope was we get to drive it for the winter while we made fix Dumpy’s drive line and body work readying it for next spring’s whole overall truck paint job.
How does one go about praising a good and bad day all inclusive? HoHoHo!
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

11-27-2012 Brrrr!

Now that I just may become a notable writer, my morning's refrain as not to injure my delicate fingers, rather than subject them to the riggers of using an ice scrapper upon the JD's windesheild for cleared sight for my feeding the animals, I pointed the JD towards Mecca this very AM to defrost the windsheild. HoHoHo!
Now that Fillp's once more laid off seasonally truck driving it maybe he's looking at an acting carreer to fill his spare time. Sounds like an exciting pursuit to me and I for one (besides or along side's his mother) wish him luck. His face clearly near covered with fur and looking like a wild man having just crawled out of a fallen hollow tree's log for shelter, it is rumored a movie producer just happens to like his looks. There's some folks with absolutely no taste in looks. HoHoHo!
The concrete forms almost set, rerod laying along side, we're near ready to pour cemete for another livestock watering fountain. Delightful weather here at 10* windchill factor this should be some hurried fun. Until another time...... HoHoHo!
"Rainbows."
Fernan

Thursday, November 22, 2012

11-22-2012 Turkey Day

4:00 AM and I find myself sleepless. So I'm up and at it, my key board that is. A repeat of last night's sleeplessness. Last night I had put together four emailed press releases and four snail-mail pony express offerings. Then on to yesterday's daylight hours had been a busy lot.
Morning chores started ot with a having come apart tei rod end on the 4020 JD between relocated hay bales. Reassembly done properly, moving a clamp about 180* retightening it bolt, I don't think those parts will be coming apart again. Then it on down the road upon a request to put a stop to a Ford digers oil leak. A couple pieces pallet cardboard to lay on I avoided wearing that barnyard offal. The fix a temporay one at best, a piece of heater hose strategically clamped on a hydralic line, and it was good to go until a proper repair this winter.
Followed a quick run into Mt Morris for another VW master cylinder. That in hand maybe part of todays fun we can replace it. Next stop, the post ofice to mail off "Santa's Reindeer Hay" books. Ouch packaging and postage ain't cheap.
Interestingly enough the water and powerline for a new waterer had been dug in by sundown's last gleaming. My farmday was done. Then getting home I found all my written press releases still in the mail box. I had forgotten the postage stamps. Oh well, let me hope I do better today.
Maybe more this evening?
"Rainbows."
Fernan

Sunday, November 18, 2012

11-18-2012 Radio Talk

There's been some local Radio talk about my Santa's Reindeer Hay story. That's nice, I wish they had included myself in this radio wave's chatter. Meanwhile may I enjoy this fireside excitement, while presently any talk of any kind what'll spark a curiosity, an interest, move folks to find and want it; I'll be here ready to fill the demands.
Been a realitively slow day. Fillip and I took out an old fence razeing nothing salvageable with the exception of some scrap tin. That's alright, we collect enough of it, when we've gotten the Dumpy truck rolling and working again, we can more easily load, haul, weigh, and dump a ton at a time, then collect the dollars.
"Rainbows."
Fernan

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Learnin' Ta Read

6:00 AM and have been awake for awhile. So as long as I was up I picked up a good book and read it aloud. I thought I had best better practice reading the "Santa's Reindeer Hay" book so's I'm better prepared for my up coming kiddy audences. I don't want to be a disapointment to my growing Santa Claus fans.
Looking out my door window this morning what had my eyes seen, snow. It was only a lite dusting yet so welcomed for this time of year. Seeing the snow has lifted and brightened my Christmas anticipation. This reminds me, I haven't made out my own Christmas stocking list.
Had a phone call from a book promotor last night willing to sacrifice some of his time for a healthy amount of money upon my part in his support. I flabercasted him with news I had written and gotten out my own press releases and been invited to make a loco TV appearance. He He He!
More later:
Later = Told ya!
Spending time in the shop I rebent some steel tubing a new round 8' diameter bottom ring for a hay feeder one day soon I need to return to the shop. Tried my luck at reinventing a new way to install a wheel cylinder bleeder. Two atemps atit failing it could be my back at the drawing board or drawing on my mind for more ideas.
Tomorrow's appointment will have to be postponed again. Nuts! Seems a new water line for another fountain has to be run in while the ground digable before the earth has frozen. Plus one of the neighbors neds a drain line dug up. Shausbott!
Personally, I'm looking forward to seeing that feeder taking up the shop floor deployed, out of my way, and put to good use. I want to get both trucks in and at least mechanically fixed to be driven. I'm getting tired my projects being repeatably put on hold. I need some more economical wheels to get me around.
"Rainbows."
Fernan

Sunday, November 11, 2012

I enjoyed a First Yesterday

Took farm day off yesterday and partisipated one them Otisville loco Lion's club craftshow's. Was a good day for it as the Catholic Church just down the street also had a craftfair day of their own. Traffic was good. Myself signing up late err to late for a table I was still accepted in the lobby. Was good place to be getting'em coming and going. Ona towel drapped over a flat topped shop barstool where upon I displayed my "Santa's Reindeer Hay" books. I sold some. And directed some good souls as to were they may purchase the book around town.
The best times were my talking to the children, and inviting them to sit in on my up coming Library reading date.
Had also recieved a number of new good selling ideas.
I had also found myself the event's acting door greeter. Could be Wally World here I come for an audition.
Rainbows

Saturday, November 10, 2012

My 1st Craft Fair Partisipation

Attended my first craft fair to hopefully sell my "Snata's Raindeer Hay" story book. A late entry, all the tables gone, I was offered a spot in the building's foyer. 'Twas alright with me. All I needed was a toll bar stool with a towel on top to lay 3 or 4 my books on. "Twas an ideal place to offer my book, catching the patrons coming and going.
The sales were near backward as it wasn't afternoon before I sold my 1st book. Then I only had 3 sales all afternoon total. However, I had managed to stir some interest my telling the children and their some potentual customer parent buyers where they could purchase my books in this little rural comunity.
I talked to lots of children getting their interest to come see and hear me tell the "Santa's Reindeer Hay" story over in/at/to this villiage's library Dec.7th. This should be interesting, I'm looking forward to the story telling event. Hmm, meanwhile I better practice telling the story to my captive Frieda audience. Silently LMAO.
Other than running the local road for doing my chores at 1st light and an hour late for craft fair set up, I was only behind something like 15 minutes. All in all I enjoyed myself and I still expect sales to pick up as Christmas becomes nearer.
"Rainbows"
Fernan

Friday, November 9, 2012

11-8-2012 Been a Busy One

My first waking thought was, "I want a day off." After yesterday's busy-busy weight liftingsI wanted an easy going day. So, this is the way it went.
Had to have help haying my yearling heifers. The JD readied with a bale on it for Bro's help, when he got here, I thought it'd be an easy feed today. Wrong'o! One of the heifer's determined to get inside the hay ring had tangled her leg in the lower multipules of rings. The critter was darn near determined to break that leg off. My climbing over the ring's side I had to do a-full belly flop across her entire being to hold her down. Then it was my pushing and pulling my almost getting the dummy free. Yeah, right, almost. Bro' on crutches had to abandon the JD loader and joined me on his crutches just short of wading mud to get to us. With his added pull we finally had gotten the last half inch her hind leg's inside toe freed. Then when the id-jut was freed and out of the ring I opened the gate keeping an eye on the little ladies while Bro' finaly delivered them a bale of first class fall cut hay.
Every thing copensetic here I drifted on down the road for the shop. There I drilled a couple low holes for Bro' in his feeder project. Then turned my attention towards Fillip's bug. The left rear wheel brake cylinder was an easy replacement. Not so when I got to the right rear. The new wheel cylinder in place I couldn't put the brake drum back on without grinding a bit of a 16th" of an inch metal off the top ends the steel part of the shoes.
Timing couldn't have been closer. Coming up five o'clock it was pill time and I just happened to have them in my pocket today. On reaching home I hooked up the empty sheled corn wagon for an early morning go, got a couple forks out of the barn for retarping the load, and raided the house for four out-going trash bags, two of them needing a secured bit of tieing to keep the cats out of them. Getting dark I had handily finished up all my chores farm and domestic inclusive. Then as I finished writing this, I found myself tired. Now hoping I last long enough for my supper before drifting off into dream land for I'm sure the Sandman cometh.
"Rainbow's."
Fernan

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

'Twas one busy day

Before I could get out of the house, before I had driven Fillip to work, I'd been called, "You need to grind today." Wonderful! While it was expected, the appropriate amount of time having passed, I didn't want this news as I had to take my help to work for a neighbor.
Fillip disposed of, I ran by the elevator for supplements and bicarbonate of soda. Cussed corn we been feeding the livestock the corn-seed had been treated against some root worm which had caused some cattle, four of our own, to bloat and die.
The grind was more weight lifting than I had wanted to do. So the whole grind was carefully attended to in slow and deliberately carefully executed moves. Toten bags, hand-lifting the elevator, all this taxes my aged muscles and fibers. When the grind was done the ground mixed feed delivered and spotted, it was time to move onto then ext task.
A bright day, another timely coming along doubtful I had to put the 455 baler inside the back of the barn there was moving some stuff involved to make room for the baler. Last Spring there was only one bicycle don in the barn. This afternoon I counted either five or six, relocating four of them making space for baler. Any help unavailable to even stand by and watch I didn't back into something for me was unavailable. So it was climbing on and off the tractor a number of times to check my own clearances. Low and behold I prevailed.
About the last chore for the day was to deliver a hay bale to the little girls down in the hollow. When I had taken care of all I had to do today the sun was just peering at me through the leafless trees below the tree-line's top's. I was physically finished, and hungry. Quitting time this day couldn't have been any sweeter.
"Rainbows."
Fernan

Time to get back to order

Ample-much, hurricane Sandy had blown herself out, we've finally put this leap year's elections behind us. Obama has been elected President for another four years. And, I wonder just how much those folks along the Atlantic Jersey and New York coasts have worried about the next four years as much as they have the next four days.
Hopefully with the east coast storms are over with, and the elections have finally been voted to conclusion, I can get back to promoting my book. One the 1st things I must do is to make that ABC network appointment for thier TV spot. Also need to order more books as my supply is running low.
Rat now I've got to put my act together for another day. Get up and get out of here. Need to grind grain, then put baler away with nobody watching my back. Nuts!
"Rainbows."
Fernan

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Calls

Our phone so durned busy about worn its bells out near hoping off the hooks. We've received calls from Clinton, Michell, Killdee, Paul Nemman, Elvis, and both political party bosses. I for one will be glad when next Tuesday has come and gone. The Mostess and I had cast our absent minded ballots a couple weeks ago. So they's ain't gonna influence one way or another for approximately another four years.
Fillip and I have continued working on his Bug. Want to finish the master cylinder installation today as he goes back to wheeling a harvest semi-truck tomorrow for a neighbor. Hope he makes a bunch of money. He owes me a bundle,the same bundle I was going to use to order more books.
Herr Clink and I are about as well as can be expected. I wish the boss lady would lose some weight. Myself I wish I could give up my attachment to nightly laying on the ice packs for the gathering inflammation in my daily-back.
Stats is sorrily missed around her. Della having kept to herself all the years she's resided under our roof is seemingly trying to take Stats place. Crazy Cat! She's sitting where Stats had set for any passing pet or pat on the head. And, she's taken to spending hours upon Herr Clinks lap and chest. Crazy Cat!
Welp! This it again for rat now. Just a fwe words to indicate we're still here live and somewhat well. I'm still moving refusing idol-y sit liken Her Mostess. I've got to much to do. And to many projects started and unfinished. But I'm gaining on them, I think
"Rainbows."
Fernan

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Ever been a gopher?

Ever been turned into a gopher? Well, I was today. Kinda reminds me when I saw my wife walking down Phonix St. one day and turned into a bakery. (hehehohohaha) Strange things have been happening.
A couple of hay ring feeders needing some serious repairs I made like a gopher going for this or that giving Bro' a most of the day hand.
I looked at my broken VW part and asked Bro' for a thought or two on how to make better an already botched repair job. Interestingly enoughhe came up with the same solution as my having overnoight slept upon the problem. Just goes to show how great minds came run in the same groove. Bundled up some heavily nail laden rotten boards for this week's trash pick up. So while my worked efforts might have appeared lame I nonetheless made some accomplished headways.
Home early or so it seamed having gotten home after midnight, woke up, got up tired this morning. Them by the time I had me some breakfast it was lunch time. Now I'm hungry enough to chew a raw staek off a live bull's hind quarter. Why is it an hour is longer when a body has to wait it out after consuming an afternoon's ration of scriped pills.
One thing I'm going to his evening is retire early and lay my back on an ice pack. Later!
"Rainbows."
Fernan

Fore Last Night

Gosh, I had made it another writer's club meeting. My presentation was awful and I was so proud of it before I had started reading it. Oh well! Having bravely continued reading it to the end I recieved some very valueable critisisim. This was about the best what had happened all day.
A bit of luck had followed ourdrive out of the city. Just making it to alast prechosen fillng station for gasoline, we must have been running on vapors, for when Fillip fueled the gastank it filled from a completely empty condition. Thankfully the price of gasoline has steadily come down tyhe last few days. Evening'slast price was a keen $3.18.9/gallon. I can't remember how many months or years ago I'd seen gasoline at this price. Only a month ago gasoline was selling for over $4.00/gallon. Such is commerace around mid-Michigan these last few days.
Had to grind yesterday. I set the machinery and Fillip did most the work all by himself. Not particularly feeling good at that start's moment, I left Fillip to it. I retired to the house hoping something'd come out of it. Bless his heart.
After lunch we removed ourselves to the shop delivering the grind along the way. Then recovering it with a new tarp. After that my daylight part of my day started going down hill. Had some bad luck working on the Bettle Buggy breaking an irreplacable part. I get to try again today to try and save it one way or another. Nuts!
There's a 10% chance of rain for today. I doubt very much we'll see a single drop unlike the USA's East coast huricane's coming ashore the upper mid Atlantic states. Looks like all our country's eastern neighbors are in for a good time.
"Rainbows."
Fernan

Thursday, October 25, 2012

I believe in Santa

Holy smokems Mom and Dad, I wish you were here to see this, I recieved an early call this very AM to make a 4 minute appearance for my book "Santa's Reindeer Hay" on a local TV station. 'Tis perfectly okay I make the appointment for a rainy day appearance. I'm either so scared and/or excited I'm vibrating like a 1925 Fliver all over the place.
Phone call out of the way it was a run by the bank to juggle funds, then a run into Mt Morris for Buggy parts. Fillip was called to drive harvest trucks for the afternoon. I ran into another villiage to pick up some groceries. we nneded some bread for Fillips lunch bucket, baking soda for laundry, and mothballs to go around the house footings to help keep some mice at bay. A quick lunch I alone went to work on reassembling Fillip's VW Buggy. That lasted until I felt myself going brain dead somewhere about 6:00PM.
Home I'll be lucky if I can put any kind of a supper together. In the house within my home element, personally I'm ready for cooky, a glass of milk, and beddy bye....zzzzzzzzzz
"Rainbows."
Fernan

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

A long Fall Day

We lost a very precious life this morning. Taking Fillip's pet cat, Stats, to the vet this this morning. Stats crying in pain all night into this morning somethinghad to be done. So it was off to the pet hospital. He was found to have some kind of a urinary problem. Bottom line Fillip (We) could have spent a mere 1/2grand and gauranteed surgury would likely do him no good. So Fillip elected to have his friend put down. Parts of today have been rather dismal at times. Stata was an entertaining loving good friend to the whole household. He'll be missed.
Draging Fillip's roadster ut of the fence line weeds. The engine rolled over. After some tinkering we got the the ignition to fire. However the buggy having set unatended for so long the brakes had caroded tight. So, finding brake fluid wet to the rear brakes, where-as the frontones were dry. In taking the front brake drums off I found indeed the wheel cylinders were frozen in place never to work again. All so found a bad wheel bearing and the front brake hoses not to be trusted. Parts are now ordered and should be here tomorrow. With a little more to come the buggy needs at least one new tire and an improvised throttle-cable. He-he, my brother shutting us out of the shop we had found the old buggy thing fun to work on. Brakes fixed tomorrow we may only be another day or so from having it runing and in working order to finally store it away in my barn for the Winter. Next year maybe a paint job and a new canvas top?
Next up either the Dumpy or Greene truck to work on. The Dumpy would be rather handy arond here; yet, the Greene would be a more economical drive. Decisions-decisions?
The "Santa's Reindeer Hay" book sales continue to slowly plod-on-a-long. The book getting around just enough, I'm averaging a sale a day, thus far I have been contacted for two County Library story-telling speaker engagements. I've also managed to send out some locally healthy 1st round press releases to radio, TV, and newspapers, over the last weekend. Another week or so I'll be sending out a follow-up 2nd press releases. I'll predict right now a 3rd press release will be putting some stretch to my salesmanship imagination.
Inspite our pet's loss, we're having fun-fun-fun! Still wishing we had a few more bucks to work with, for all the poping up surprises.
Rainbows
Fernan

Sunday, August 5, 2012

8-4-2012 An Old Companion’s back

All I had done was spend some few hours partially cutting a long over do alfalfa hay field. Minding my own middle of the night sleeping time I was wakened stuffed up, short on air, choken on my own flem, I was wakened with itching eyes and a stuffed nose. It just ain’t right to feel this way over reoccurring sinus malady a body’s got no control over. One hing’d sure when I’m all over it in a few days I’ll be feeling a lot better. (grumble, grumble, growl, growl)

Something what “T’s me off no end is waking up with Damned good line in my mind. Then by the time I’d waken up enough wishen I had had a pencil and paper handy, I no longer remember what it was I wanted to say for posterity, “N” all this feeling behind a nose I’m imagining so big my face is hidden from view behind it. (NUTS!) Now saving the worst for last, my eyes are so glazed over under running what a can only describe as alien fluids impeding my continually lessened vision. Leaning up to the monitor squinting even to what I can make out of all the wrong print I’ve managed to put up there, I’ve exhausted myself. Last line it just ain’t right a body should feel this bad when he’s supposedly getting some of his health back!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Walking through my door I want something liken tea cold and super wet and fluids topped off a wanted bed. Sleep was instantaneous. I slept for hours, waking occasionally only to expell some luid into a bed side bottle.

This as my day putting in what time I could handle then wanting left alone.

“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Friday, August 3, 2012

8-3-2012 How much can one weary specimen take?

8-3-2012 How much can one weary specimen take?
Good golly your best cheeses available just how much can a concerted old geezer of only the representations the likes of myself take. All the beautiful healthy young vibrant woman playin beech volley ball, court team volley ball, bicycling theri untiring limbs pumping those likes to finishes, women divers in singles and teams.
Good golly ma thee be at least one Saint to preserve me from my lusts. Just how much do all these automatists expect a poor old geezsers heart can take. And adding spontaneous team hugs together without me in the middle.
I’m warning me, watching these Olympic team games are hazardous to my mental and physical heaths. My case desperately tries to rest while my coffin waits……
It ain’t faia I’m tellen you between what my Mom told me and Herr Clinks handy hand on hr skillet.
Ohhhhh, whoa is it my may I be-saved yet another weak kneed week all this vissional platitude.
S there ant such thing as a whole bodied band aid for a 5’17” lad at heart??????
I rest my raging corpuscles before they involuntarily flow away. May at least be worthy enough for at least one tender hearted Saint ‘ill preserves me!!!!
Faining Prayer
Fernan

Thursday, August 2, 2012

8-2-2012 Brand new body thrill….


….as in an un-experienced spanked body spell.
Morning waking felt some lame my left side. By between 1:00 and 2:00 lame turned into full left side body pain: left limb, l rump, l torso side, and l same side the side neck. I couldn't hurt for the aches & pains. I laid down finding my most comfortable position and slept almost 6 hours. Any idea my latest temporary malady cause? Ain't ever heard of this kind a stroke and dismissed it. Feeling some better today. was my diagnoses close to or right on?
Medications taken for condition 1 5mm Valium and 2 100mg ibuprofens (twice today), plus ice packs laid down back‘s left side.

Predicted rains moving this way there’ll be no hay making today (mowing) Am going to measure hydraulic lift systems between the newer and older mowing machines, looking for better machine lifting speed for the newer machine.

If feeling good enough, I should’ve been trying a more Greenee Truck’s new replacement engine work. I hates uselessly laying around doing nothing. Laying down instead I once more found my escape from pain.
Am thinking tonight’s sleep shall be easier slept.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Whelp’s it turned out my left side so damnably sore I didn’t get much of anything done. I didn’t even look at either one of the downed truck’s needs. I‘s just a to-dab-blamed-sore to look let alone give anything a thought, I did no more than what was asked of me.
Did some machinery component measurements for speeder machinery lifting hydraulics. All I managed was the facts measured and recorded without any heavy weight thoughts involvement.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Congratulations Gabby Douglas your Olympic Gymnastic Gold. Bless you dear. If you’re ever in my neighborhood stop and see me for a congratulating hug you’ve well earned.

This covering my day I’m wishing everyone else something brighter…..
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

8-1-2012 Unwanted gremlins

Feeling relatively well after a indeterminably long high-hate-tus. My second day, approached, “Feel like cutting some hay or at least breaking in a feild so’s Tom may take over?” Wood-I, wood-I. glory be, tractor time! The machinery for this use having been parked in weeds and grass near as tall as most the tractor and all the mover, I mistakenly assumed it’d be an all a-okay norm and ready for work. Off and running just getting up on the road I felt an unusual vibration, one side mower low, stopped in middle road. My climben down I observed one nasty looken multi folded what looked like some black baker’s dough in process being hand turned into pumpernickel bread. NUTS! A call out of help, the whole rig backed into the wrong-side the road’s ditch leaving exasperated tire on road for fixing. Fillip on arrival has wrong jacks, but we made do. Rim wrenched off, to shop we went for damage assessment. Glorry be the rim-tire unit looked salvageable. Taken apart fro some serious washing clean for reassembly it when together looking almost as good as new. Only aired 35#’s it had 2 air leaks. DOUBLE NUTS! Re-broken down again. A tread leak was found after looking over some inbeded wood in the tread, We could assume that tire had been punctured either by Russian Olive, Crab Apple, or MultiFloweral Rose thorns. The tire interiorly patched, the tubeless valve stem gingerly removed tire greased installed, all put back together we were holding air. Whooppee! [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v343/FMGruber/2012%20Summer/summer2012001-Copy.jpg[/IMG] Or Photobucket So Damned late in the day by time machinery was read to roll, myself just plainly worn out (simply tired my month old health’s ordeal) it was to Hell with cutting hay. I called it a day. So it is I’m gonna cut it some the hay rain or no. We can wrap it if necessary! ‘Sides, these bovine critters sure do go for they wrapped hay silage come winter snows. It always smells good to me. Hasn’t tasted bad either my trying it. “Moo!” Fernan

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

7-31-2012 better yet

Yup, I’m better yet. Maybe slowly but surely regaining my strength. Not letting anything press me when I awoke a bit ago, I laid there, comfortable in my skin having gloriously enjoyed slowly waken up without even the slightest need to run through the house for any need. Whoopee! This economy burying my household just as seriously as some other in worse shape than ours I had finally gotten to the last of entities who had owed me for to long. Things are looking up again. Had to pick up some fencing supplies; so, while I was at it I stopped by the UPS store. It was on my way. Priced the shipping costs my books. SOaB! I was thinking! I must have been out of my mind? Domestic mailing rates: 1st glass mail no particular fancy or protecting packaging USMail about a $1.50. 1st class mail in protective packaging $2.50. USM mail book rates crazy!!! 1#* class package UPS shipping no bargain what ever. Over the seas mail rates: 1st class USMail minimal but sturdy enough packaging protection, $9.50 + postal $1.98 envelope. Regardless packaging UPS over seas 1# standard packaging, packaging of any kind, $91.00, period. It’s my guess anything I may mail to western Pacific areas will either go via snail mail or stuffed in a bottle. So many medical appointments dumped on us recently one was canceled without our knowing it yesterday. Frieda has one today 35 miles the other side of Flint. These getting to those far side city medical appointments the energy costs bury us financially. As much as farm fuel costs the farm fuels goes one Hell of a lot further. Somethin’ ain’t right at all! It ain’t right at all!! Golden years…er…BullShit!!! Nuts! Need to feed myself, and get out with my yesterday purchased number 9 wire and work on putting some cattle panel fencing together in the catch pens. Out here. “Rainbows.” Fernan *# = pound.

Saturday, July 28, 2012

7-28-2012 Was busier

Finnallllly, we got us selves a near new looking Amana* washing machine. Moved some of those six yard truck loads of county road gravel around over the lower drive way. When fuel read low I got in a nap. Before supper along about 7:00 evening cool time spent another hour’n’half finishing the rough grading. Lower drive way looking better all the time. Had thought a little careful exertion upon my part would be good for me. Then while I napped Fillip had Terry help him carry the washing machine down into the basement. Between other chores Fillip’s been frightening the two week old laundry ever since. Autographed and sold another story book today. Every sale helps. *Amana washing machine likely made by Maytag. That was before Maytag left the USA. “Rainbows.” Fernan

Friday, July 27, 2012

7-26-2012 The Saints preserved me……

On waking this AM, a glass of water in my hand for taking my medications I sat down to do just that, sort and drown my meds. OMG, looking down at that lower area my chest what first starts to slip away I notice three warts I hadn’t ever seen before. Starting to worry now, remembering I had maybe kissed Frieda more than the customary twice of late, and remembering she’d called me her Prince a number of times over the years, I started to wonder if I’d over done it? Was I supposedly changing back into a Frog only slightly missing the mark, slipping instead into something else? Oh Gloorry be! I instinctively started to pick at them and found them to be three hard dried drops of chocolate what had dripped off an ice-cream cone I had eaten late last night. Thanking the Saints preserving me I’m was not changing into a toad!!!! “Rainbows.” Fernan

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

7-25-2012 Chances are….

I can best open this urinal contribution with another renewed crappy old situation. The GD Medical professionals are….err….have been practicing with my life again. My medicine bag is damned near only a former shadow of itself. Spending five whole hrs with my primary care giver, day ’fore yesterday, in it was found three blood thinners, two heart stimulates, and two pain relievers. And its all pissing me off. Now, It is imperative I remain absolutely calm. No excitement or stress to raise my blood pressure. Doc has me on valium, a drug that could easily relax me soul right out or off of this earth. Damn it every doctor I see writes me another prescription what’s been insisted I’m to take. It’s this kind of medical practicing what’s got me body so fouled up I’m terribly close to the edge of loosing my life and/or sight. It’s the very same old crap I was subjected to several years ago what had my thinking I was going out of my uncontrollable mind and behavior. That was a tie of lightening striking pains. Absent mindedness. I didn’t know whether I was coming or going? Now I sit quietly by unable to delve into osme of the most meager of activities, replacing our washing machine, the shopping and the inability to move either the old one out or a new one in. I want to launch my children’s story book. It’s a good door to door seller, under the present circumstances II can’t do. It’s taken hours to write this. So, imaging my mental turmoil trying to build my self a free website. Money’s in the household are extremely tight. Okay, I hope I may have most of it said. Sheesh.., If I manage to live through this, another ordeal I think I’ll be taking all my future medical needs out in the woods in search of a caldron stirring witch. At least there I should have a better earthly idea what the spells and concoctions have in store for me. So, I ask for some blessing regardless their conceptions, intentions, or origins. Meanwhile I wish heavenly “Rainbows.” upon all my worthy neighbors. Fernan

Monday, July 23, 2012

7-23-2012 Red Eyed…..

…..I had to see Doc. Feeling low, tired, anxious, nervous, unsteady, uneasy, unsteady, unable to complete a thought or a sentence. This wasn’t only this morning it was Saturday also only worse. I shied away from driving, power tools, machinery, and tractors. Long about 2:00 PM everyday I’ve laid down and slept the afternoon’s and night’s thought to around 7:00 AM each new day. Unable to take much more my having to see Doc, Doc seeing me, he commented, “Your eyes look terrible.“ I told him, “You should see them from my side!” He had his Attila The Hun tech run me through her ordinary everyday mill; as she usually does, the old crank again blamed me for her having to work so hard: BP, EKG, blood draws, and a specimen I couldn’t fulfill. The ordinary routine checking my meds, dumb assed questions, my being accused as uncooperative. The x-ray skipped this time I was subjected to a long list of sicktricktic questions, “What you feeling? Unhappy?, Confused? Suicidal?” plus some badgered if my answers were slow coming! “No!” I told her I wasn’t suicidal!!! But was feeling as if I didn’t care whether I lived any longer….. When I as an individual am feeling as I am I could care less if she went out and kissed a moving semi-truck’s headlight! Plus another blood draw! So much blood drawn I was beginning to wonder if I’d have enough left to get back home on? By’n’by Doc got into my medicine box. I had brought it with me. Recently seeing all the Doctors I’d seen in recent months, weeks, and days; Doc counted three blood thinners and two heart nitrate stimulators. Doc appalled took away enough medications, my medicine box was near close to only half full for my return trip home. I should be feeling better in another three to four days, should I survive. It ticks me off every physician who sees me insists I must take his or her’s prescription in addition to whatever I’m already taking. Ain’t they thinking? They kill off this goosed individual it’ll lessen the reaping their gold coin form of my shelling out golden years? Tired, home, and ready for another lay me down to sleep…... Fernan

Thursday, July 19, 2012

7-18-2012 Another Duh

From what I had posted for yesterday my activities were grossly under mentioned. For instance I had tried to sell my book to a couple a tight utility workers. My cows were observed coming out two gates just as if they had been invited, Fillip and I heading them off. Gather up, sternly spoken too, and regrouped inside their proper barnyard area, we fixed the gates. I can’t say I blame them their exodus. Their pasture short Fillip and I immediately moved to check and open to them a properly selected bit of better pasturage under my personal direction. Took awhile. Resetting the electrical connections, replacing missing insulators, and just generally inspecting the area to keep them honest within. Then after setting the ladies loose it was nearing time to be moving on. I had met with a road construction crew boss and made an arrangements with him to dump their roadway over-burden on this farm’s lower driveway. I gave them two farm drive options, I guess they choose this one for ease of in and out. It’s good stuff mostly gravel and stone. ( yeah!!!) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Have wakened late this morning. Our weather is a welcomed drizzling rain hovering over us. While it isn’t delivering the all the rain we desperately need, at this moment in time, we’ll accept what we can get. I’ve got a to long a list of supposed to do’s. Need to make a grain run, need to complete yesterday’s in completed fence repair, need to get back to that fence we hadn’t put up day’fore’yesterday. The cool airs moving over us this AM are easy to take Cool enough we’ve turned the air-conditioner off. Well most of this is an addendum to last night’s journal contribution. So now I’d better get onto this day. Time or some artery scrubbing oat cereal. Then head out and do something at make up some of all the time I had set watching the AC as if it were broadcasting the best air wave broadcasts in days. Jellybeans Fernan

7-17-2012 Weather’s cooled off

With the sweltering heat of the past few days easing some I;ve been trying to get back into it. Only I’m still either wearing  or winding down without enjoying he truly satisfying labors of putting in a good day.

Because we’d had some rain with promised more I took to lazily starting my day willing to listen to a few more dedicated old pharts. The stiffs bellied up to the Crossroads Connie Island coffee round table were to tight to shell out for the book. My turning in to my neighborhood seed and elevator on my way back was a good turn indeed. The crew and the proprietor there bought the books and took more to park in a close center stage place on his business counter. Another stop, no sales, but lots of advice. Advice alone doesn’t reimburse the piggybank. Then it was getting back into what I should have ben doing. Some delayed farm chores. A couple immature bulls had gotten out and took out a fence. Welp, Fillip and I did a temporary repair to it. Today we’ve got to make solidly stronger today right after we load down the Cushman with what we need to fix two fences. It looks like a long day today. Ain’t going to be a day for either peddling nor selling a tragedy. (Grin)

Getting in last, supper it was, and bed immediately followed. I’d no idea what had so completely tired or warn me out? That bed sure felt good, laying down alone eased away some intruding backaches.

A few graham crackers with a glass milk should put me right for the rest of the night
Sweet Dreams
Fernan

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

What to do wit book?

Frieda’s finally been given more mobility with a standby supply of carry-able oxygen bottles, and then particularly after Fillip came up with a more comfortable strap system to tote over her shoulder. So now she‘s a happy camper holding down her swing under our front yard‘s maple tree..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now der book:
My 1st shipment of “Santa’s Reindeer Hay” books arrived yesterday. And so as I had paid to do my own book publishing I'm responsible for the broader promotional aspects of getting my book noticed and sold.

Been reading all I can on the info’ highway to come to one colossal understanding…. “I have no idea what all this free media is trying to tell me?” Web site offers, which one is the best for me? Web site designing, how do I do that? Or, simply hitting the road, simply ignored for oppressing energy costs. 2nd bottom line I have to save or include any in person promotional pursuits with other farm business motoring runs. The animals come first!

So for now, I read and re-read , and hopefully hope some of these confusing details I’ve been reading will surely sort themselves out in my mind. For the immediate moment this web site business is pressing upon my mind do I publish a product price and my personal location to take mail orders. One thing sure, I could sure use some funds of any-kind to get my book out to the public.  Then comes to mind, “Do I need a state tax license? Nuts! More paper work!?!?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oh crap! I’ve got to do something about getting us a laundry washing machine today, get the last of my medications getting together the full case of them for a needed daily medication prescription adjustments. Then there’s been all this blessed heat I’ve simultaneously endured/avoided. I’ve got to hit the road today, and that would be upon the only thing closely resembling a vehicle with AC is the Cushman and that’s as long as I keep it moving!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For now. Be Good Kind and Careful.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Saturday, July 14, 2012

7-14-2012 Got lots excuses…..

….been up and down ….in and out of it…..feeling good and feeling low.  One thing sure the relentless heat isn’t helping me one-way or another. I seem or feel thirsty all the time. Seems to be no end to my thirst regardless the water amounts I consume. I don’t know?

How’s about some fun stuff…? Had some grand children pay us a visit a couple weeks ago. Spied my great grandson slipping around the side of the house to the outside edge of the lawn to wee-wee. I joined him. We do live in the country, after all, and pretty much out of sight the maddening crowds. So, we let it go. Well he commenced to let his go, putting out a high flying stream traveling some three to four feet out in front of him. Myself on the other hand, having to look down making sure my shoes were spread so’s I didn’t get my own feet wet. Yup, I stood next to a fountain of youth…!!!

We all made a great big package deal seeing our family doctor, all of us at once in one colossal visit. Frieda had an shortness of breath difficulty of breathing episode right there in the Doc‘s office. Her need for a portable oxygen system was right then and there finally taken care of.
Fillip’s lists medical needs were attended to, cause of illnesses, required medications, RX for chiropractic care.
I was looked after requiring my meds updated. Got chewed out by his office’s Attila the Hun. Made more Reindeer Hay conquests. And in leaving the witch had still left my med requirements two more for a total week’s screw-up going near without some my meds. She claims to be over worked. I some times wonder if I don’t get more done sitting down than she does rushing around.
Frieda’s additional oxy bottles had been finally delivered.

The haying continues to go on. The heat continues to beat me down. When feeling rung out I quits and wind-up snoozing. A modern waste of time as I see it. Finishing my days feeling totally un fulfilled. Bummer!!!

Worked hours in the shop have gone undone on the cause of excessive heat.  It has even been to hot to cut fire wood.

Fillip along with neighbor Terry mounted us an air conditioner in one of our windows. Pushing on 95+* outdoor’s the machine’s hour’s operation is holding the temps down to a shade under 80* indoor‘s. I can live with that, particularly while it’s still a shock going either in’r’out through these portaled doors.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Thursday, July 5, 2012

One Thing’r’another

I’m home after an worrisome adventures in the hands of the wizards at the end of the horsportal’s yellow brick road. Evening last happily looking forward to a second night’s long blissful sleep it was not to be. Nuts, it would seem I’m to be struck by another malady in wit I’ve had not even some short introductory introductions. Last night they seemingly lasted forever? Usually when I feel some out of the ordinary going on within my body, I lay down and that feeling has normally gone away. But, not this evening last.
Last night my legs got to uncontrollably jumping around, the left one radically, the right limb trying to keep up. I hadn’t even approached or started to dreaming naughty thoughts and was continuing my uncontrollable wildly running even in a horizontal positioning. What the  blankity blank-blank is happening with in me? Have I mysteriously contracted an involuntary restless leg syndrome. I had rolled to my right and left innumerable times in an effort to shake off the phenomena. My memory lapsed I know not when I’ve no idea when that exercise had stopped; however, I was so relieved when I had waken to find I had some blessed restful sleep after having run in place for at least some three hours.
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In our travels to try catching up over my personal down time we hit the road, I’ve got more meds to take, made it to town making it my choice what kind of a walker I wanted. Also picking up an ordered new tire. On the road going and coming noticed an army like numbers of squirrels already collecting nuts for this up coming’s next winter. As for me I readily stooped to some unmentionable means to protect my valuables.
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New tire aboard the Ugly truck we removed ourselves to the shade and our rural method’s of air conditioning a tire fixing workplace, a couple liberated furnace squirrel cage blowers from a couple defuncted furnaces.
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A couple often summer oriented old furnace fans can sure make a big difference perspiration wise keeping a hard woiking guy drier. Okay, to the meat of these lines… The new tire‘s mounted while at the same time most of Ugly‘s tires had also been rotated also.  To finish up the tire replacement we checked them all air the lot of them 10%aiir pressured over manufacturers specs. This does two things: (1) helps improve gas mileage, (2) helps the tires wear evenly rather than the outside edges first.
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Ugly rolling again, we’re called, so picked up pop-up trailer on way home for guests use over the weekend. Heaven help me avoid disappointment.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

7-4-2012 July 4th

I regret to report that in some quarters of my most immediate home’s neighborhood, the seriousness of my eminent momentarily passing was grossly exaggerated. But here I sit within the confines my home dear home doubly celebrating the 4th July with my bride and a strong son.
Sunday morning started for me with my uncontrollable stumbling about the house running into an open standing door (ouch). It followed more stumbling into cabinets another door jamb twice, both going’n’coming.  When I had managed to return to my bed I laid there ever so fearful to close even one eye; I was so completely discombobulated.  Shortly thereafter the household brimming with activity  ‘cept yours truly Herr Clink gave me an ultimatum, Either call your brother or 911.”So it was Bro’ us’en together taking the yellow brick road that eventually found me incarcerated for 3days. ‘N’ It took that long to get a cup’a’joe unfit for drinken!
The rumor I had been sent to the hospital’s burn unit wasn’t exaggerated. Obviously my rep going before me, myself to hot to handle, I was housed where the staff had had that extra fire fighting training. All I can stuttering relate about this area is it was exceedingly environmentally rich in live scenery.  Take for instance the two drop dead gorgeous PT women. Insistent on taking me out into the hall, which by the way has a somewhat of an oval hall, one ahead of me I couldn’t catch, one behind me with a prod I couldn’t get away from. On our return to my by then imagined stable, I had to ask them, “What do you girls think I am?  A retarded Chippendale?”
My head and neck looked into by every means available to modern medicine. Several times after several medical individuals looked at these awesome pictures I was assured there was nothing there. My family even agreeing. (I get no respect!)
On dismissal, I’ve had a minor TCI (minor stroke), been give three more drugs to take, must report in for PT (what? To walk around? I can do that here looking at my (HoHum) ladies!), and a script for a wheel fitted walker.
It is sure not a good thing to take a grandpaw to town any to often……
So, here I am, “Home sweet home” basking in the light of my Wife and her love. “Tis surer, ‘tis good to be home.
Thanks for all the good thoughts
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Saturday, June 23, 2012

See what mailman brought me.....

Got this in my USMail other day.
Photobucket
Short on details, but expect more information maybe sometime this next week.
My Stocking's hung by the fireplace with care....
Fernan

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Hay hay hay:
Been busy last few days giving reading 'r' writing little thought. This last weekend was a big one. Friday my book went to the printer. Saturday was become another yr older, ouch. Sunday I was right out there in the hay fields making hay as been the ussual for me lately. I can atest to the fact no one else got wet while I baled my hay in the rain. All that field baled, we hauled it in and wrapped it. When those bales are opened next winter the ladies (cows) will have a winter tast of Spring grasses.
Away from the farm for a few, found this unoccupied 'putor standing so forlorned I just had to sit down and write a few words in my defence.
This all for now. will get back at youlater.
Jellybeans
Fernan

Monday, June 11, 2012

Duh?

Truthfully I’m not any to sure what day it is? Been so busy here trying my darndiest to make an all Winter tasty and nourishing good hay product. It ain’t been easy! Impromptu rains, machinery breakdowns and sheer exhaustion has bothered me to no end. I’ve said it before and saying again, “I’ve been eat, sleeping and doing what comes naturally too add-normal farm life.” (grin) Gosh, I’e managed to bale my 1st field of gloriously beautiful green hay day before yesterday. The ladies have finally gotten around to behaving themselves. (Some briskets were coming dangerously close to being harvested!) Have had more deer jumping up or out in front of me my hay cutting efforts. A goofy arsed raccoon has gotten itself caught inside an empty gravity box. I’m being declared inhuman for not letting him out. What am I doing about it? Nothing! Going to let it dehydrate and expire without my ventilating the gravity box with unnecessary bullet holes. I met and hopefully made a new fried buying the produce off another hay field a few miles from here. Now if I could only fine a few more? Hay crop yields are off 60% or better off from production numbers these same fields of years past. The big baler broke n me a couple days ago. Sure glade the small one was standing by an more than willing to save my day. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ My latest plan is cut, cit, cut, tomorrow then take a couple days mechanicing whilst crops dry for more baleing’s. Fun, fun, fun! Have three local fields close in where I can do this before ranging further out to more distanced satellite fields. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Holly smoke’ems American barbers, We got our (Fillip & myself) hair cut this afternoon under the gize of predicted all day rain showers. 1st notable benefits: for myself I’m cooler, hearing’s drastically improved, no long hair tickling my back, no uncontrollable breezes blowing my formally wild hair in my eyes, and best of all there’re no needs to either braid nor tie my hair up in pretty ribbons. Sorry, I guess I’ll just have to continue being handsome rather than cute. (grin) “Rainbows.” Fernan

6-8-2012 7 Days

The domestic scene: Day 1 &2, a red and white cow goes over the neighbor’s fence for the other side’s greener grass. 1st day Tom right on the ball was 1st to try and bring her home. He’d pushed the poor lady, back and forth, up and down the fence line until the poor dear was totally confused as to where she had come out. My on arrival the scene was slowing Tom down to sitting stile and the taking of our time to worry her back home where she belonged some 2 1/2hrs later. 2nd day same cow, without Tom’s help I lady readily knew where she truly belonged just seeing me coming and dutifully retreated. Then fixing these same fences Fillip and I drove an additional 14 bolstering the old fence with more posts. All this extra girl time pushed my hay efforts way late into each these days evenings. 3rd day Bro’s yearling heifers had managed a morning’s walk outside their assigned quarter’s. More Fence fixing’s goings on’s. Plus additionally more additionally interrupted hay making maneuvers. 4h day I enjoyed a totally different change of pace. This day it was a red cow taking an outside the fences walk about. No neighborly phone calls this time. I caught her act on my very own and capably on the ball I had her convinced the error of her ways before she was spotted by anyone other than myself alone. Hay down in wo fields here my haing to wait upon the elements doing their things, one of them soft water rinsing my last cut just before it’s baling readiness, I had a day in the shop where upon the Greenee truck engine I worked, for with this inpromptue free time I finish assembling the bottom of the engine’s renewal. These days so full I’m sleeping 10, 11, 12hrs per night. Up at daylight, greasing’s fueling machines to either cut, rake, bale, or haul in baled hays. Some these days any two or three these operations to harvest our early on two jaded Spring starts our stunted crops. 5th day my having changed the ladies pasturing some four smart butted calves insisted on choosing to go the wrong side some these same fences required my determined influence to put them right with their mothers. Plus keeping up with weather guessed reports and cutting more hays. 6th day a Bro’s red cow hankering a wee bit of romance came sashaying down a lain in front the Bull pens, one of them dually picking up upon her way’s signals, and commenced to vacate his dig’s in three very destructive ways. His pen fixings took me a total three hours to fix. Sheesh! What a mess. As long as I was at that end of the road, I woiked upon the Greenee’s engine cleaning and polishing the engine block’s top side for the eventual addition of the cylinder heads. We also disappointedly learned Bro’s Jeep offer he’d made Fillip, he’d reneged. We’re guessing he found a cash buyer? 7th day a red cow here having managed to upset opening a wire gate mossied out and got herself confused as to how to get bac with the herd. I had come home jst in time to see she was where she hadn’t belonged. By the time I had parked the equipment I had brought home with me she had disappeared. What the? Seems instead of turning left into the front of the barn’s barnyard she’d turned right moseying right down our drive way. She turned left out our drive and walked right down our road east right-out-there in front of a couple neighbors working in their yards unseen. Again, what the? Having lost sight of her I had Fillip join me looking for her. Four eyes are better than two! My 1st thought was she had jumped the front barnyard fence and walked back out back where she belonged; yet, I was leery that idea. Still in all, Fillip behind me we went back out, way out to the Duck Pond pasture to if she had indeed joined her mob. Out there we saw her. She was in the neighbor’s hay field, the same hay field the Red & white had visited days 1 & 2. Nuts! Okay I put up a cell call for additional bodies to help us drive home the whole herd. Uon their arrival the task was simplified by at least a 1/2hrs time. Now then came her nibs belatedly jumping the fence back into her home grounds for a change. And get this she did it without serious damaging the fence, nor even scratches or scraps to herself. Whew! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The wildlife scene: Wow, the wildlife have been entertaining us very busy this last week. Days 1 & 2 we saw deer watching us as if we were the best show in the land. Fillip and I near felt liks stars just going about what we were doing mending fences. We’ve seen fox, woodchuck, rabbits (Peter a number of times heading for Mr. McGregor’s garden) , squirrels, chipmunks (Chip & Dale), tom & hen turkeys courting shenanigans. We even witnessed a Red-Tailed Hawk trying to raid a pr Red-Winged-Black birds nest site. What was neat was just as that bird pair’s was giving that Hawk the what-for a Crackle (I think) joined in the may-lay. Those Red-winged-Black birds plus the Crackle gave that Red-tailed Hawk a going-over dog fighting joust that preying bird should long remember. Sheesh, got many a tortoise making moves across all the lands and roads around here. So much so I can’t remember when there had ever been as much tortoise activity as I’ve seen these last few days. If-fen we’re no shaded under cloud cover we’ve been shadowed by a many a soaring turkey buzzard. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Shucks, not knowing where I am, memory wise trying to catch this journal lost entries up, I’m going to close this one and start all over again. Thus I’m warning my reader’s this could become even more boring. (hehehe) Lollipops Fernan

Friday, June 1, 2012

Trash day?

Herr Clink was harping upon my lazed soul, “It’s trash day. Get it out there!” Okay, okay, I finally got around tuit. Then when I had bundled the trash and carried it out, I didn’t know which side of the road to put it on, Monday my side. Friday neighbor’s side. OMG! I didn’t even, I don’t even know what day it was/is? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It’s raining today. The kind of rain that can be counted on. Okay, let me back a few tractors up… Day before yesterday the same red’n’white cow had gotten out again. Tom informing of her outside travels he went charging off to bring her back. Oh crap! I didn’t instantly wake up. And by the time I had and by the time I had caught up with Tom He had pushed that poor cow senseless. He had her just about as confused as a cow may become. Supposedly dumb animals, doesn’t every city cousin know! Whelp anyway, Tom was about ready to push’n’run the poor lady near around the block to get her back where she belonged. I put the kybosh on that suggesting we just keep an eye on her and worry her back in the same way she’d come out. Well, it took some 2hrs vigilance before she had calmed enough to go back to the very place she’d gotten out and without stretched out emotion she went back in. I returned home for breakfast. A bit later Fillip and I had driven 7 more fence posts. That afternoon I finally got back to my hay making, baling the Duck Pond pasture, finishing up at 8:30PM just before sundown. ‘Twas a long day. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Yesterday morning the day’s start came from an opposite direction. Bro’s heifers had gotten out. On the road again by the time I had fed my ladies 1st, and arrived on the scene the heifers had been contained and were back inside their proper domain’s. As usual it was my turn to make fix Bro’s deplorable fences. For some required planks in one corner the heifer’s lot, I hammered and kicked another bunch of planks loose an unneeded chunk of useless fence. (Got to get back to what’s left of that last fence one these days, it’s about to fall over.) Then again back to here we brunched. I understand brunch is some kind of a got-rocks society combination breakfast-lunch meal. Well, we ain’t got rocks, but we can pretend some highfalutin behavior at least once in a while. Bellies filled I show Fillips my ways of resetting electric fences. We finished the Duck Pond pasture along about quarter to 8:00. Yep, it’d been another long day. Now I’ve managed to blow a perfectly good rainy morning. Lollipops Fernan

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

5-29-2012 Moral Day Over

Welp, we managed to get the Schultz tractor back on line yesterday. Tire’s loaded and aired standing in readiness to mow more hay out here today. When yesterday’s afternoon fell apart with storm warning including zillians of gallons rain we went into a holding pattern. So, Fillip and I spent some time around here catching up some farm/barn yard matters. I tried mowing our yard and the yard tractor refused to run. Might have been to hot for it to run. Might have been vapor locked. Additionally all considered it was to hot for working on. Okay with me. To hot for myself also low to mid 90’s. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Had plenty to do today. Mo’ later……. ….now, lot later. 24hrs later. We successfully ground feed. Boogied a half successful parts trip into Mt Morris. We got what we needed only halving a bis seal set into its engine carrier was denied. Nut’s looks like I’ve got some tools to make to do-it myself engine seal installation. Fillip and I were mistaken for a couple Tennessee ridge running moon-shiners. We could have sold all the white lightening we might have had had we had any to begin with….. I managed to cut another hay field. Fillip started raking another, my finishing it almost late into the evening. And those ka-zillian drops of rain we were ‘sposed to get? We got nary a drop, wasting a whole haying day. (grumble, grumble, growl, growl) Regardless, looks like we’ll be busy again today. Lollipops. Fernan

Sunday, May 27, 2012

5-27-2012 Woids, Pics, ‘N’ other Stuff (part3)

Today’s weather turned against us Fillip and I also turned to alternative tasks;…… Photobucket …..Remounted booted and newly inner-tube-ed tire on tractor, nobody looken to get wet this tire’ll wait another day to be calcium chloride fluid loaded. Alternatively, between showers, Fillip took up taking more the Dumpy truck apart. Meanwhile, I cleaned and listed the need for additional Greenee truck parts. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As ti had continued to rain off’n’on, Fillip to also see what headway we may try to start and make getting this old Jeep back on the road. Primarily, what it needs is a paint job and all the trimming put back on it. Ehh, they’s a wee bit more to it than that: new wheels, new tires, a taillight, windshield(?) (I don’t remember), and a clutch slave cylinder. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Upon coming home early this afternoon, seeing some smoke coming out of a neighboring wood-lot, Fillip and I took the Cushman to check it out. It was a small brush-pile fire. We parked for a few moments watching it in hopes the owners return with hotdogs, buns, and marshmallows. We’s back home now and looken as if Fillip’s got to fix our supper. Hey, a couple guy’s can dream can’t they. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nuts, may have to grind tomorrow. Downed hay, if field should dry enough I must roll over (rake) hay so’s it don’t mold…! Some moral day down on the farm activities inherent with this family’s farm life. “Rainbows.” Fernan

5-27-2012 Woids, Pics, ‘N’ other Stuff (part2)

Photobucket While I was handily a settin in the Ugly truck backed up to the hay-mow, this Lady might have been asking me, “Just a truck wash or a hot wax job included?” Photobucket Another oicture these ladies doing a thorough job of giving Old Ugly a good tongued wash’n’dry job. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Get a load of these…… Photobucket …..wild black-cap (wild blackberries) just a blossoming out along side the last hay field I was breakine-in my second round the field. Remarkably these wild fruit flowers weren’t frozen off with th earlier domestic fruits grown in Michigan. Purrty, hey what? Hmmm, I’m thinken yummy! “Rainbows.” Fernan

5-27-2012 Woids, Pics, ‘N’ other Stuff (part1)

Photobucket As you may see I’m looken well enough. It’s just my woik days have been capably gotten shorter. Butt, I ain’t given up. I’ve just got way to much fun stuff to do I ain’t given up nor slwen down any more than I halve to. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Photobucket I’ve been doing a lot of this activity. This was what I was doing a few days ago and a few more days since. And a big additional more of this since also: Photobucket So this it for theis 1st set of catchen it up woids’n’pictures. More in today’s parts (2) and (3). “Rainbows.” Fernan

Saturday, May 26, 2012

been awhile

I don’t know about catching up with my daily activities over the last five days. It’s Saturday and we’ve quit early for a change. Truth is I’m tired. I mean real tired. The last six days hav been long ones, eat, sleep, hay, and machinery repair. Even now while I’m trying to write this I’d rather be napping. So this is the way it has been; cut, bale, haul in, wrapping some green and stowing away some dry. So we’re all alive and well around here. There’s even been a four cattle running them through the chutes. Have enjoyed watching nature’s leafing out, flowers blooming, animals doing funny thinks. Seen turkey, fox, ground hogs, deer, buzzards, hawks, geese, ducks, and more over head and under foot. Maybe pictures another day. Meanwhile. “Rainbows.” Fernan

Monday, May 21, 2012

Sleep

This day the first after having lived a tougher one yesterday I wake an hour later than my norm. so sore it took me another hour to open my eyes for sorting my meds. I waited an hour, had corn flakes for breakfast while sitting on another icepack, and fell back asleep. I didn’t wake up until near 1:00PM. Fillip managed to find enough to keep himself busy in my absence. Once wakened a 2nd time had a cold lunch and hit the road. Picking up supplements and an empty feed wagon, we had a grinding to attend to. And at just about that moment we’d started the tractor’s PTO it started to sprinkle also cooling the scene down at the same time. The grind finished, the feed filled wagon delivered and spotted, we were off for the supermarket for milk and ice cream. On our turnaround way home we’d stopped for some honest to goodness farm fresh eggs. Regardless all the night’s and morning’s sleep I’ve had, supper eatened, I’m once again ready for a traditional horizontal position in bed. “Rainbows.” Fernan

5-20-2012 Sunday’s rest

But there’ll be none for this old man! Now let me ‘splain. Bro’ under Keith’s influence had decided to run all, and I mean all, ladies and girls on all three farms through the chutes and head gates yesterday. Every one of them was fly tagged and wormed. One female was treated for ringworm and two females were treated for warts. Might be I shouldn’t have given a toad a second look a couple days ago. Does this go to show ya? Not all this activity all that difficult really but for myself all this activity had about worn me down to a knobben. 4:00PM I had hit my physical wall. Why I had even started my parts of the round ups sitting on the Cushman all three farm yards. Well his covers my adventure for all of yesterday. Now on to today. Sure felt good getting in at an early ten to 7:00PM. Finally fed some where’s around 8:00 I was in daylight bed by 8:30PM. Occasioned two side matters yesterday I was delegated to make two fence fixings, one good, the other not so good. The last one I must do over today. And along with it I’m delegated at least two, maybe three gate up in the barn. Then when thes little trivial’s are taken car of I must bale a field of stubborn hay before the rains come. If there’s anything I hate it’s boredumb*. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BULLETIN: Whilst busy baling hay today I saw a Monarch butterfly. Already? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Did the usual chores checking animals, fences, and other things to open the start of the day. Breakfast late on-account of an extra early interruption I had finally got to baling the last of the last cutting’s hay just short our customary dinner hour. Going at it I baled the hay towards the back of the field while Fillip was supposed to rake all the heavier up front hay. While I had gone to my part of the day’s baling Fillip having a bit of a problem with his end, he gave up his seat to Tom. It well into the evening twilight zone I wheel my 1850 Tall Ollie into the home drive at about 8:15PM followed with dark some 15 minutes later. Taking my meds in the field earlier I was ready for supper. Fillip charcoaled a pizza. I choose to let him have the whole thing. I settled for a can of hot tamales, a glass of milk and some cookies, all while I was sitting against a large icepack. Supper eatened, I was readily ready an immediate bedtime laying it all out wanting to put it down. I was totally pooped. “Rainbows.” Fernan

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Dumpy’s attention

I’m so tired, hitting my wall as I usually do, I’ve come in with a backache. So I take my seat and lean my spine into an icepack to relieve some of the accumulated inflammation hurting me. First shot out of the driveway took us over to the Sixguy’s Farm for a load of shelled corn. A trip around the block for a weigh slip we were back home in time for lunce. Backing the truck and time up to 5:00AM long lost grandson Scott breezed in. Been a long time since we’d seen him last. He was a welcomed sight all around for us. After dinner taking Scott with us Fillip and I did attack the Dumpy truck showing it no mercy removing the hood, front fenders and the grill. Late afternoon it was we wrapped up our labors. None to soon. My back was shot. And, unlike yesterday’s adventure my right ankle going out, today to be different my left knee near to let me down. It’s becoming habit my carrying my canes with whether I immediately need them or not. No better than my nerves are telegraphing any messages as to what may happen next to my brain it seems I can’t travel without them. Rainbows Fernan

5-16-2012 Haying season’s upon us.

Yeah-yeah, I had written After I’d finished the rye I’d wait another week ‘fore cutting any further hay. Well, we took a hard look at the most impressive alfalfa field we’d had in years. Today it looked as though it was being smothered under grass. Checking the weather reports the meteor-ill-logical guessers predicted a slew a days continually warming weather through next Sunday. I commenced to cut shortly after dinner. About halfway through the two-thirds the field I had cut a great big fat woodchuck. I had sure had the wanting to fillet that hay field gargantuan hole digger. I’ve seen holes so large a tractor and baler could have gotten lost falling into one of them. (Would I lie?) Whelp, before I had gotten to making more hay Fillip and I had finished preparing the 4-180 While tractor for field work, even to delivering on site. For more needs Fillip filled the Ugly truck’s diesel fuel supply tank for field fill-ups. Even used it preparing the Tall Ollie for more green hay bale making over one of the next two days. The idea is to cut all that grass off the alfalfa to give the hopeful crop under neither a new Spring chance to grow. Whew, only time will tell now. Shall we see unhindered that original planting spring up again. I could be a mirical is in the making if this field services two false Spring starts to have been frozen out by two stints of extremely hard frosts. I’ve no idea why Michigan needs so damned many gambling casino’s, really. Every farmer in my neighborhood is a diehard gambler, all his own. I often wonder just how many of the nation’s populace really has any sense of appreciation what a farmer gambles year after year to make a living for himself while trying to feed his city cousins. “Rainbows.” Fernan

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Nerve’s failure

I’ve asked Frieda how she was doing or had even done this mornings and the rest of the day? All I got in return was “Duh?” Okay, so much for her. As for myself, I had a good night’s sleep as far as it went. Then woke up with a back ache. So, I hit my Tylenol bottle on the way out the door. Dressed and was ready to roll when Juan called and we went to pick-up our wholesale grub. Getting back had lunch, finished that, and took off to bale yesterday’s hay cut. That finished we hauled it all in and wrapped it. It were between the loading and the hay and hauling it down the road one of my nerves either short circuited or opened my right ankle letting me down. Crapola! Luckily Ugly truck present, inside were my walking canes. I needed them to hold me up the last of the afternoon. The hay wrapped it was a reluctant quitting time for me. So much daylight left and I had to give up the rest of the day. Nuts! And get off my foot. (grumble, grumble, growl, growl) Lollipops Fernan

Monday, May 14, 2012

Still doing

Was another one them day’s I was worn out by 7:30 PM. This morning’s start was with picking up on those seasonal servicing duties upon the 4-180 White whilst I waited for the morning dew to dry off. This afternoon I finished cutting the Winter rye. Then I mowed the other side of the driveway with the Crapsman lawn tractor. And, filled some waning moments here’n’there with other small jolly duties. Other than being an absolutely gorgeous day, at its Spring best, they wasn’t nothing’ wrong with nothing’. Although the promised Vortex engine gasket set hadn’t come as it was supposed to. But, there will be other days. Lollipops Fernan

5-13-2012 Mother’s Day

Circumstances such they had developed I just reluctantly managed to get out of taking Herr Clink out for another Mother’s Day breakfast. The ladies bawling their heads off required a pasture change. A lot of good it’ll do. They’ve eaten everything down to a nubbin around all the available pastures once already. Come on, grasses grow. The ladies are on their second pasture go around’s and haying, an honest to goodness haying, is still at least a couple weeks off. I write this for I usually hay off all the remaining pastures for hay fields before turning them over for the ladies grazing’s. Meanwhile the weather guesser’s have all changed their minds as to what our weather’s going to be for this next week. The call now is for five/six loosely rain free days. Still the Winter rye so far out of the boot is beyond early nutrition’s best. So, while it is a pleasant day today I might just as well wait another day to let some of these recent rains to both dry some and sink some further into the earth. Motive, avoiding tractor sticking (stuck) sinking mud. While this household’s Mom received a visit and some phone calls from some our offspring I snuck out and went to mowing our yard. Good grief some of it was well over my knee. The grasses so tall I imagined myself breaking trails through ancient jungle undergrowth. (grin) Frieda’s tried taking some acceptable pictures of me. My checking them out over lunch my desired mark had been missed again. The only one or two what might have been acceptable I had forgotten to take my sun glasses off. (grrrr-up) One more E-camera outing for more pictures. I do believe we’d almost gotten it right this supposedly last time. At least I selected what I thought was the best one, cropped it, and E-mailed it off. Hopefully it’ll suffice to complete the book’s back cover. My last accomplishment for the day the yard the house side of the driveway is mowed. Not trimmed yet mowed. The machines put away I was ready for supper, I ate heartily, then skipping this writing’s completion, exhausted I went straight to bed and slept soundly for several hours. ‘Tis either late or early morning, unable to make up my mind, my being up for one of five water hauls, but completing it I’m now doing. “Rainbows.” Fernan

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Pictures

The day’s before daylight determination it rained, rained, rained all day today. My (we’re) not doing a any bonified bottom line farming thing today, Fillip and I did took to holing up in the shop cleaning and inspecting heavy engine parts for the Greenee truck rebuild. So, as long as it’s rained all day and I’ve gotten behind with so many recent social functions I’m about to take an hour or two this very evening and try to make a few amends. So, again, I’m going to take a few steps backward and ‘splain a few pictures involving a few of my Shorthorn country environments. 1st picture, a snap of some of the 2012 up and coming replacements, steers, and bulls; as the individual cases may warrant to be. Photobucket 2nd picture, The end result of some now’n’then rainy day tinkering. Photobucket 3rd picture, had to sadly conduct this funeral plus a couple others. She was a good old girl giving us many healthy calves. The new born calf she’s left us with this Spring, his care and feeding has been taken up by another cow who had just lost her newborn. Photobucket 4th picture, While riding fence caught sight and snap the cow on the left busily watt-to-sing scratching her rump against the thorns a multi-floral-rose. Photobucket 5th picture, here I am cutting our first haying harvest this haying season, between Spring rains. Since this cut, this hay had been baled and wrapped. So my only confession’s involvement concludes I’ve been very busy. Rainbows Fernan