Saturday, March 31, 2012

Non spectacular

This blogg’s title calls this day’s excitement. Maybe even “boring” might have been an all encompassing single word to describe my day.
When I could finally get it together Fillip and I finished cleaning up our outback perimeters of windfalls, trimmings and assorted bunches of brush.
My opening my day with a brunch, we paused here for a dinner caper-offer.
Taking the high-low loader fitted box with us we (Fillip) trimmed some trees while maneuvered his airborne reaches to theoretically top trim a couple/three trees along the farm yard drives. While he stacked brush I move away to loader buckets firewood for stacking another day. It wasn’t a big day but we did finish one area and tickled another.
Depending upon tomorrow’s weather we’ll either be working inside the shop or trying to set up some kind of a spent tractor tired foundation for properly pile the aging rabbit cages on, until l they’er either sold or traded off. He big trick for this project is maybe using some ideally sized steel sheets for a proper temporary storage deck without grasses and weeds growing up and up through them. So it was a day of short and sweet accomplishments.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Friday, March 30, 2012

Rain, Sleet, n’Snow

Mornen’s been going like this. When the weatherman was telling us it was raining we had sunshine all over us. When I got out in it that sun that same sun hid its face. Fillip cutting up an assorted bunch of limbs laying across the last load wood we brought up I did the hard part sitting and splitting some wood chunks we’d found bigger than we thought they’d be during the first cutting. We got this first mess cleaned up about the same time all both the clock’s hands were standing straight up. Thankfully it weren’t peanut’n’jelly sandwitches today. It were baloney’n’cheese.
Lunch different it were time to hit it again. More later….
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….much later:
We’d finished knocking down a dead elm tree, split it, hauled it home, stacked, and covered it; all the while getting wetter and wetter as the afternoon wore us on. Paying little attention to the weather Fillip and I were summoned down to the lower end of our road to receive a load of finely crushed concrete we’ll use to re-bed a feeding area.
While we waited we looked into why the right headlight on the Ugly truck was one to glow a wimpish yellow rather than the full beneficial bright while light it should have been capable of. We found the headlight socket to be defective. I cut for it a replacement off the old Blue truck. The same truck donating an engine block for the Greene truck.
And, while we didn’t finish everything I had on my day’s planed work list, we considered ourselves having gotten in a good day right up until we figured it better served if we called it quits before we were any more uncomfortably cold and wet leaving us sliding into some sort of Spring sickness.
Home, wet wear shed I looked to prepare a package of old, I mean real old 5 ¼” antique black square floppy discs for either it be they down-loaded or uploaded to more modern CD’s. My hope with her help, she may gleam some of my years ago written words. Even if they’re old and stodgy I expect some of the short stories beneficial to help jog my memory of those wonderful old day’s of ours. I’d written a lot of them. Some I expect will but need some editing for proper grammar. Maybe a sentence here or there needing re-structuring.
Here I go maudlin. Time I collect myself. I’ve already stripped down to my BVD’s. Much easier to soak up the woodstove's warmth his way. Fillips fixing supper. Frieda’s looking at some old family pictures and I’m procrastinating finishing up the packaging I’ve got to get it mailed out tomorrow or Monday. Is the post office open on Saturday?
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Some Hurts

All the pains and aches I ain’t experienced the last warm three weeks or so some of them have caught up with me this morning. Well almost all. Question: Can a body have a thigh muscle spasm? If so my right thigh was talking to me this morning from the time I got up right on through noon so far.
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As it usually happens once a month; Juan come by, picked me up, and we went taking care our once bi-monthly discount shopping expedition. We made a good haul this morning. This was some timely coupon-ink bucks saving’s.
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Backing the tractor up, Fillip and I finished most of our outback woodcutting. We’ve a couple fence posts to dig up, some wood chunks to split, a few limbs yet to pick up, the wood hauler to empty and stack, and the fuel oil tank only down ten gallons or so, and propane registering almost 50%; our household energy needs a looking good for the next year including all of next Winter.
Now we may be able to turn our attentions towards making fix these sorry trucks of mine; which, is rather timely to go along with the crappy rain and/or snow next five day forecasts.
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Gosh it seems good to start catching up on things. I’ve even been thinking I may finally have the hobby time to work on my Quadra-cycle, and tractor bicycle racks.
Meanwhile I’m waiting to make the final illustrations colors.
Thankfully my plate isn’t any fuller!
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Lunch scarcely over Fillip made arrangements with his uncle to transport and fix a broken hay ring. Egads, it took them all of five hours to “get ‘er done.” That included fillip even filling it with hay. Of-course I also did my part. Loaded down with a indescribable host of limb, body and head pains I opted to stay out of all the working classes my taking a horizontal nap. I must have needed it for it was hours later when I returned to the sunshine pleasantness of Frieda‘s smiles.
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His mother and I delighted with the return of out prodigal son we anxiously awaited one of his fine suppers. Suspicious we gut, hie mother and myself when we smelled some very interesting smells waifing throughout the house. We knew I’d be good when it got here. However suspicious upon his mother’s and my own parts when he appeared with but only a plated morsel for himself into wit he indulged himself alone. Desperate I immediately took command. Found a pair of shears and cut open a package of raisin bran for Her Mostess and myself. Frieda’s I fixed straight up drowned in Milk alone. Mine I added more raisins and sprinkled with a couple extra packets sugar. I’d be but a wee bit later I’d delay slinking into bed for a pork steak sandwich. Was good, worth the extra meal. Oh Lawd I’m putting on the weight tonight. Ice-cream gone I’ settled for a Wintergreen Lifesaver for dessert.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

3-27-2012 Mixed transportation's day view

The Greene truck unceremoniously dragged out of the shop afternoon last on a solid pole attached between it and an 1850 tractor it now sits beside a barnyard lane. The shop cleared of the engine-less Greene, the Ugly truck was slipped into the shop taking up that same priceless space for a hopeful one day crash course in a stupendous couple simplified repairs. Maybe, just maybe after some lengthy thought and figuring we can get that mechanical beast properly fixed? We’ll see!
Meanwhile, Her Mostess required taken by special delivery, in Bro’s neighborhood medical appointment (so it seems) van (bus), for the results of her last sleep study.
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We’d made the trip, sat for well over an hour, and in the end came away very unhappy with the results. I do believe our primary care giver has totally missed our medical health-care targets for all three of us. We’ll see?
For what I’d consider a bottom line opening argument the last six/eight months has been a seeing specialist’s waste of time. Nothing had been learned, nothing but more useless prescriptions doing not one of us any good. Frieda’s health care has been a joke none of these physicians having had it all together. We’ve got to see our primary health-care provider for an at least two fold reason, and at that perhaps more liking a three fold desire to find out how it is Fried and I feel as though our care is simply feeding the coffers of some the greedy!!!
Rat no, I think I’ve written enough I hope my words will alert others reading me, don’t get caught-up what I’m feeling like the bleeding subject of a few opportunists’ feeding on us to satisfy their individual Midas touches.
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Getting back, driven almost totally direct, I did manage to be dropped off momentarily for some milk and ice-cream, having to settle for the single simple stop opportunity I was afforded. The milk selection I was exposed to was take it or leave it. The ice-cream was almost as close a choice as the milk. No bargain brands this stop. My only choices involved my studying the offerings and my picking the one most exotic flavor the longest distance from whatever else was the closest to our normal shopped choices, Butter Pecan. I’ll be hanged I’ll pay a fancy bottom line price for vanilla or chocolate.
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Dropped at home, lunched, Fillip and I attacked the Ugly truck with all the gust of appearances we knew what we were doing. Ugly taken apart, parts examined, parts ordered that be in come tomorrow morning I believe we had at last were started on the right tract the Ugly trucks final fixes. I hope so!
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A truly interrupted day feeling as if I’d been money and time wasted used, Fillip and I weren’t done early nor late, but somewhere in between. Another tuxedo cold day it was I was more than pleased enough to return to the stimulating fireside our happily burning woodstove. Almost 6:00PM our entry I was given a wee bit extra time to down load some of what I consider my more valuable document files. “Puter’s been acting up lately. Likely needing another good biannual memory cleaning.
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Upon the Michigan Agricultural front, a number of enterprising Fruit growers burned some quantities of baled straw making smoke over their orchards, vineyards and plantations. Their thoughts, the smoke would prevent the frost from settling.
A short back up here. Irrigating crops blossoms and emerging fruits isn’t such a strange treatment. I’ve learned the critical damaging temperature is right at 29*F. Hmmm seems, wrapping the ice is (has) a very stabilizing temperatured effect.
Nuts, If I’ve mad any sense what I‘ve written for this day, will someone come forward and explain it all to me!
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

3-26-2012 I just got to tell it…..

If some folks have followed Loopy’s suburban adventures you’ll know her husband’s name Sparky’s a high lineman for the power company. Well it had come to pass Sparky has fallen ill over a recent to long a period of time. Finally he has had surgery and has returned home under the loving care of his lovely wife, Loopy. Now let me add further Loopy has had her share of pain and surgery the last overwhelming number of months to have an old having kicked Sparky acquired knee a injury… Would I lie? (This last one, I did!) Back to the more truthful part of my story. Yesterday morning in our passing Loopy acres seeing doors open Fillip and I’ve stopped to spread around our words of compassion and encouragement. Yesterday morning seeing the barn door open We quietly road Cushman right under Loopy’s nose and found Sparky working on a pump motor in his barn shop. Interestingly enough Sparky having finally accepted the word of a higher law (Loopy) all the time I was there chi-chatting with Sparky he was continually looking over his shoulder to the larger front barn door way as well as checking the barn’s backside service sized door. Careful he was watching out for his Mrs.‘s not to catch him doing anything he hadn’t aught to be doing.
Fillip and I having had some success’s of our own when late afternoon had started rolling over us Fillip and I stopped again. This time we saw Loopy out and about already mowing her lawn. The Smart alec-ed lady’s first comment her tractor was cleaner than my Cushman. Humpht! She could have gone all week without having said that. Anyway, Loopy having driven he JD along side my ride I noticed she had with her wicked-wicked cane. Ha ha, Sparky I knew had been on his best behavior. Loopy had it down pat. A few days ago she had read Spark the riot act and since continued to carry it a big stick. This is my story and I’m sticking to it. ROFLMAO!
…..as for this writing, the devil had made me do-it. Besides, I’m thimken, I owe Loopy one…..
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Holy Frost bite Snowman:
It it was was cold cold cold this AM. Steppen outside to gather up and put on a shirt I had taken off yesterday afternoon. Holy Frost bite, I near froze the ends of my fingers off. I wasn’t outside long nor had walked far. I was rat back in for my Winter barnyard tuxedo. I needed warmth. As far as that goes, I see a cheery fire in our woodstove’s future before the day’s done.
While we just barely missed a frost in Shorthorn country we’re expecting an even colder night tonight ans a sure fired coating of frost all over our country side. There’ll go the blossoms and this year’s fruit crops. Western Michigan’s great lake front may survive if those fruit producers are on the ball. It looks like a smudge pot morning coming on after midnight. Fans and irrigation can also be affective.
Smudge-pots to create air movement so’s frost may not set. Fans, windmills, orchard sprayer fans to keep still airs moving , again denying the frost to set. Irrigation to put a 32*F ice coating upon the blossoms and forming fruit. At 32* a medium temperature ice shields the crop’s budding from being frozen colder for its below 32*F the damage is done.
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In about 7:00PM it had been a full day. Fillip and I had managed do some running, everything sans a truck. We tractored it the whole day. We’d gathered together everything we needed for a successful grind. We had tractors running all over the place, or so it seemed. After the early essentials were taken care of we managed to arrange two forage choppers in a handier environment for scrapping preparation. Moving enough other equipment we even managed to drag out an all steel forage wagon more’r’less having presumably worn out (out lived) its usefulness. Freed of the proverbial fence line hold what had been on it, theoretically shown the light of day, it had suddenly imaginatively changed useful occupations twice in one day from its original conception. I was seriously thinking of filling it with loose scrap for one grand exodus to a recycling center. Bro’ seeing in its new found freedom imagined it as a reborn calf shelter. Hmmmm, maybe not such bad idea. Remove and scrap the machinery, take it off its running gear, walla sitting on the ground it could well look like a new era 21 century shed. The running gear freed could serve us well turned into another more useful hay wagon. By the time we had returned home some dreamed progresses have been made.
Here our own chores really needing doing it was after 7:00PM before my settling in. An hour and a half later, fed, belly comfortably filled, to sleepy to finish this I simply slipped off into a horizontal mode not remembering the exact moment sleep had taken me over.
While it is now the morning after, at about those moments I had given up my day, Fillip had remarked we’d gotten a lot done even to seemingly my making it a fuller day when my wall had come-up hitting me head on.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Slow start Day

Up and and’em one look out the door all I seen was wet. What the ….. It was goof off time. I played some solitaire. Eventually feeling guilty I moved my lazy carcass down to the barn, sheepishly took the Cushman out to see if I’d been a new papa by bovine proxy? It was nope! Nothing had happened. From there I drove back to the barn and hooked up the splitter to finish that what we hadn’t yesterday. the last of the cut wood chunks split, I stacked them. Next Winter’s firewood pie is looking healthier all the time. Checked on Terry. He’s broke too. I shared some wintergreen candies with him as we spoke nonsense passing a few minutes time of the day.
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At long last the day started for real looking to accomplish something/anything we were headed for the shop. Diligently we worked at pushing pulling, lifting and lowering, prying and pinching we fought that Greene truck near tooth and nail, unable to separate that stubborn engine free of that truck’s chassis.
Short of giving up, backing off, engaging in some thoughts stooping and bending, down to all fours, re-crawling over and under truck we finally found it. Through all this reconnoitering we had finally found it. Darned if GM didn’t double nut a whole bunch of extra tricks meant to hold and support a mired mess of essential wiring we found we’d removed one 13mmm nut off a near invisible stud only to be covered with another 14mm nut snugging that same stud holding the transmission housing to the block. Using some of the very same tools what have been braking me to get this job done that engine about jumped free of its engine housing.
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Did it, at long last we’ve gotten the engine out of truck bolted solidly to an engine stand for taking needed conversion parts off of. Meanwhile, no tractor available for dragging that truck out of the shop, that chore shall have to wait until tomorrow when we’ve taken another with us for that just such a chore. Hallelujah! We’d finally made one Hell of a big step forward headway.
Little more we could do with Greene truck today we called the shop time quits. Plus it was getting to close to my predestined hitting the wall time, I didn’t want an energy taking commitment on my hands I couldn’t easily handle.
Then, there’s been a phone call requiring me to grind tomorrow. Nuts, an interruption. So, what else is new around Shorthorn country.
Home I packed trash. Sheesh! These trash-men we got here have to have it all but totally gift wrapped. I shan’t say just how it near totally ____’s me off!
As of rat now, it is still early even for a Sunday afternoon slipping into evening. Fillip has Supper on. Frieda has gone and returned having seen a play “The Truth & The Sword” put on by some world travelers, traveling with it on donations. I hope somebody’s taken this troop in for at least feeding them today. I don’t think this last audience was big enough to support their connivance's fuel thirst to the next town’s engagement. Frieda enjoyed it our scrapping together coins throughout the house for a bit of our contribution.
Still early, still wanting to kick back for an hour or two This going to be it. Perhaps I’ll enjoy or try to enjoy a TV movie. Goodnight
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

3-24-2012 What’s next?

Been reading about other’s ailments. So give me some latitude for some personal thimken.
I have before this writing admitted to a long lingering list of many ailments. And, then it has come to pass having been referred to another medical specialist. This second doctor, one more of a long list of second specialists to look and poke me over with their individual opinions all added to my becoming innumerable lists of ailments.
Let me write about this last one, Doctor I mean. Starting with what I know and the latest collection of symptoms this declining episode shall have either gone or went something like this.
For some time (months) Had had been suffering what I called or described as lightening strikes coming and going my left temple. After many weeks of the experts trying to figure it out Frieda solved it. The pains came upon me every time I sat down. She narrowed it down to to my having had a number of falls some of them landing upon my tail bone. An x-ray revealed some damages had befallen my tail. Solution, solutions, a cut piece of cake like wedge out of my chair’s cushion or sitting upon a whoopee cushion whenever I was (am) to sit down.
Okay for some pre-even shorter short memory history. There has been some even more recent headachy issues including some rather unexplainable weakness issues the like’s my left knee wanting to let me down at the most importune times, or my right ankle taking to try folding itself beneath me. Thus I was sent to a neurologist.
1st visit, it was a talk fest. Nothing was solved. 2nd visit, I had my head examined and absolutely nothing was found, (haha). 3rd visit, Doc tried some electrical impulse testing on my feet and calves. (ouch, ouch, hurt ouch fun) all the time it felt like I was dancing with my ladies electric fence. Then dismissed. 4th visit, I was asked about benefits of last prescribed medication. It was a waste of time. Talk momentarily over he brought out the electrical torcher machine once more (ouch, ouch, hurt ouch fun). This time it felt like the electric fence was dancing with me. When the music died Doc informed me, obviously after some couple minutes deliberation, All your nerves are being pinched. Surgery might help and the healing at your age would take forever. More medication was offered. I turned it down. I admitted Chiropractic care often helped and sciatic nerve malfunctions. I admitted sitting was my nerves undoing. Laying down was my greatest single head and body pain relief’s. This last Doc’s last suggestion, “Do whatever you have to do!” So, this where I’m at these days.
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Well after noon I’ve had to abandon Fillip to his cutting up the last few pieces wood laying along sie the house towards the pasture fence. Earlier we had fed the ladies. Emptied the hay wagons even so far as getting the last remnant drags off one of them so’s if could properly dry out. No yet close enough to noon Brought the 4020 around the house to help clean up an old ongoing firewood cutter’s mess, mine. That belated job isn’t done yet but the area is starting to look better. While the unloaded wood hauler’s handily sitting out here with the pruned leavings cast into it, we added some long forgotten rotten chunks what had never been split. So rotten they’re hardly worth the effort to even watch it smolder. So, it’s the burn pile for more trash wood.
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Uh, when I finished this day, my mind and body were through with me. As this is being read I’m finishing it Sunday morning. Fact, my gege-ing out rather early evening last I gladly traded places with Sneak. We’d hardly gotten settled in our changed attitudes when the lights went out. Of course I t was his fault…and how he had managed turn these same lights all over the neighborhood has just got to be one of his more serious tricks. His refusing to confide in me as to how he had managed it, he did however brightened up the light on some the dimmer flashlights he could lay his hands on. And exactly what time I drifted away into dream land, serenaded by a host of invisible peepers, I do not know.
So already a new day I’ll start another entry later today to commemorate another one my day’s lived in Shorthorn country.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Friday, March 23, 2012

3-23-2012 Stuff did

Unloaded wood hauler piling adding it to that what was already near the house. Trimmed back some bushes the front of the house. Nuts, trimming back some bushes almost revealed a whole bag mortar mix damage to the stone foundation wall. Just what I needed, more work! Arrhhhhgggg….! Bagged up got rid of more yard trash. Ate lunch and went down to shop to wrestle with Greene truck. Another bolt or two missed, removed, and some hands on wrestling, my home made transmission jack strategically place under truck, that engine had continued to hang in there. That truck’s engine block it’s still held by one lousy centering pin. Nuts! My wall coming up slapping me one in the face and twice in my lower back it was quitting time whilst I was ahead of Fillip and out the door first! On this upper end of the road I let Fillip loose to feed the ladies here and the girls down the road. I came in for my rattlers and an ice pack on my lower back.
So tired of politicks, skipping the news, I settled into my chair tuned into a Disney channel for an animated movie about baby Tarzan. Such lovely art. The Disney artists absolutely amaze me. Beautiful, just so stupendously beautiful!
Showers last night, barnyard creek water filled, fields and grasses wet, showers forecast for the day, we cowardly opted for the shop and Greene truck workings.
At this moment it’s hard telling what we’ll be doing tomorrow. Forecasts call for more showers tonight and tomorrow. All else fails we’ve got that cussed stubborn engine to remove from Greene’s ugly grasp. Field preparations can wait one/two days if need be. There’s never an absence of something needing done around here.
Because this weather’s so unpredictable and as nice as it is I may even get into scrapping. Heaven knows there’s enough scrap around here to keep Fillip and I busy for a few days. One of them an intermediate full load semi precious metals: aluminum, copper and brass.
Supper over feeling otherwise whipped I’m seriously thinking bed.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Homework

Decided to hang around here enjoying this exemplary weather Before the grasses grow to high to find the fences I‘ve got to roll up and also to cut, trim, and prune or otherwise clean-up the fence lines and cut back all that nasty wild encroaching underbrush creeping out of the wood lots.
Our day started unloading into a pile for proper seasoning stacking the wood hauler’s oak firewood’s. That done trailer readied for another field load headed out we saw some of those same deer we be seeing the last couple days. Gosh they’re pretty. Enjoying the scenery I continued on out with the 4020JD behind Fillip on the WD45 with the wood hauler. The JD’s for lifting heavy tree trunks for more comfortable firewood cutting. I gophered while Fillip’s saw ran out of gas. Unable to open the saw’s oil reservoir we had to come home for a pair channel locks. Phooey that makes one more tool to keep in the chainsaw’s tool box. I’m seeing a bigger tool box in all the chainsaws future.
While we were up here we lunched and while we lunched we watched Frieda try to answer the phone talking into the TV remote. What a hoot!!! (hearty laughter allowed here)
(A side note) As much as I dislike cats, I’ve been sorely mobbed by most of them this morning. Stats the house cat refusing to go outside, Sweetheart the barn cat normally refusing to stay in the house; and then the down to the barn cats under foot until I fed them, the lot of them to damned lazy to go out and hunt in this highly unusual Spring heat.
By afternoon’s end we’d cut, split, and loaded 3 12”>16” stump sized fallen Elms and 1 6’r’8” ash. This is it, the load bottoming out the poor old wood hauler.
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Looked at from any side it is a load.
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This load parked along side the house Fillip covered it while I took care of some gather together and gift packaged trash. I’m telling you…….!!!
Worst part of the day the moment I sat down to put away my rattlers, I was all done. Seems as though what ever energy I had right up until that just sort-of drained out of me? Would sure like to know where it goes if I so much as relax for a minuscule moment. Arrhhhgggg…..
Now if only I could muster up enough strength to lean over and untie my boots. This ain’t funny MaGeee!!!
So it is looking lik an ealy to bed evening for me….. While I thimk about at least 2 more downed trees plus 2 nesciences to cut-up and haul home. This isn’t even mentioning some overhead aerial trimming I’d like to steer Fillip into/upto….me my devious mind. Then there’s still the electric wire fences still needing rolling up. Some done last fall,, and another one a couple days ago. There aren’t many left to do. Give me a couple more nice days and they’ll be a piece of cake!
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

1st Full Day Spring

Son-of-a-gun: I think’s I could use a refresher coarse in clock reading. Waking a little while ago I thought it a middle of the night rising. HA! I don’t know where my sleepy-time time had gone for it is already a half hour past my morning rattler time. E-Gads!
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Sheesh! I just thought I had caught up yesterday’s day entry. Pouring a glass milk for downing my rattlers I remembered I had forgotten to mention how unusually all the wild life we’d seen yesterday: 6 deer, 1 squirrel, 1 chipmunk, some turkeys, a coyote, a wood chuck, ducks and geese; and we weren‘t even looking. Between the peepers, and nest building male birds singing their hearts out for female mates. It’s even sounding like Summer is only a few days away. Was a heck of a day for wildlife.
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The immediately proceeding’s rounded off list of sighted wildlife was only a beginning. This very AM Fillip and I continued counting Geese paired for this Summer’s breeding season. We encountered more deer (at least 4 by my poor eyed count) this morning in a well shaded swale hole.
As of this late afternoon we’ve a cow in a very very-motherly way to pop or have popped by morning. After supper I’ll have to take a late evening stroll among the possible hordes of blow flies. Believe me its been warm enough this last week they could well be hatching out at any hour now.
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This morning’s start down in the barn would have found me removing the wood splitter for it solid-state coil removal. Some serious sanding its magnetized legs and the flywheel’s embedded magnate. Putting it back in and topping the job off with a new spark plug we had a blue spark, ignition, and a running splitter. Our machinery behaving rather well we were off to finish all that what we hadn’t finished last night. We’ve split and lopped up hat limbs were left. The poor wood hauler has seen gentler use. It’s tires are squatting low this evening. Loaded down with about a ½ cord firewood. This is one fine easy way to sneak up on filling next Winter’s wood box. A couple more cords aught to just about do it, plus one more to make sure.
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Pastures and hay fields are with the warm weather’s heat are growing like crazy. I wont doubt but what I’ll be baling hay between three and four weeks from now. Sheesh, I suspect this year ain’t through showing us more this year’s the craziest weather.
Spent some afternoon hours cleaning up Bro’s left over mess. Fillip found another bolt with two nuts on it holding the bell housing bolted to the engine block. That kept Sneak busy for awhile. Kept him busy enough I managed to do a few other things this screwed up afternoon. Anyway….
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

3-20-2012 Mixed day’s Fun

Okay, I forgot last night’s journal entry. I’d sue myself save for two very convincing reasons. (one) I can’t afford either the free 1st 1/2hr council fee and court filing fee. (second) I haven‘t the time to take on a case where there‘s no sure indication I‘ll ever collect my fee. And, pro bone is already out (no part) of the question.
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Started my day copping a ride into Clio on Juan’s gas. All part of an unrecorded trade of need) Got back with my oil, and making two extra quick stops while making our combined otherwise shopping trip.
Fillip had changed forage choppers bad tire for a better one. I was rat finked upon and still going with the flow we brought home my OA gas outfit for future use if not immediate.
The Cushman custom implemented, I showed Fillip how the Cushman rolls up electric fence wire. Did this to clear the way for dropping some heavy limbs on a fence cleared area. Fence needed removing regardless for hay baling during the next few weeks.
Chores managed earlier Fillip and I went to trimming pasture trees for an opening exercise. Now I can get under three more trees without those low swinging limbs unable to either knock off a exhaust pipe or more importantly knocking me off my seat. The added clearance will also save a lot of limb scrapping haying and other implements being scrapped upon or knocked about. Hey, second best part this exercise we’ve cut us another half a wood hauler load of burr oak firewood.
Wood slitter has refused to start. Nuts. 1st time in its 12yr life. So that’ll need so TLC tomorrow (which is already today. I’ll even be doing it in yesterday’s clothes.
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Well, this about covers it for another fun filled Shorthorn country day. No calve yet right her but we’re watching with nigh hopes.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Monday, March 19, 2012

Last Full Day Winter

Before I was even up for the day today’s SW Mi temps were predicted to rise into the 80*’s. That’s twice the average for this time of year normal 40* temps.
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The morning’s come and gone. Been to Sixguy’s elevator for a load shelled corn. Have gone around the block for weigh slip from second elevator. Did it with on an open station 1850 Ollie enjoying the ride all the way around.
Checking our feed lots here the ladies must have stayed up all night hiding everything we had given them day before last.
Weather’s so warm, the ladies seem to be off their feed. I’m thinking given them three bales every other day here. As precious as the hay is, it must last until after I have seen enough new hay cut and baled before turning them out to Summer’s pastures.
Having lunch early we be off with Cushman with mini implement trailer in tow. My thought is to bring back the pallet box for Fillip’s riding up into the fence line trees for cutting (pruning) either back or higher clearances. Later….
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No that it is later…..
The day had continued purposely and continually in good fashion. Finances around here at a pitiful bottoming out level I thought perhaps Fillip and I could ready that dreadful old machine what had crippled bro back in 1989 for travel. One way travel that is to the scrap yard. We scrounged and stole wheels and tires from here’n’there about the farms. Almost ready for travel I want one more part off the machine, the tongue jack. Can use it on something else. While we’d been running the roads we’d also picked up the pallet safety box what carry’s the wood cutter aloft when I’m at the loader tractor’s controls. we’ve got a lot of windrow pruning back what needs doing.
Worst part of the day was that hour or those brief minutes I inevitably hit when I gee-gee out hitting my wall. Just when we started our chores rat here.
So looks like Sneak and I’ll be ready for some heavy work done tomorrow when I return with some Hydraulic oil.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Sassafras

Yesterday’s pictured firewood has been identified by a very knowledgeable winemaker. Not me.
The winemaker, he knows this wood. Now to offer a definitive piece of evidence as to its kind I had neglected to snap pic of one it's limbs.
It is from this tree I have harvested and saved bits and pieces its roots for the brewing of sassafras tea. Some folks have harvested green leaves and dried them for tea leaves. The root-beer soda was originally made from sassafras extracts.
I've no idea how many hundreds 5"-6"-8" sassafras finished logs I had skinned, with a slip'r'spoke shave, fur dear old dad. Stood them in a 55gal barrel and pour in 50/50 creosote/diesel fuel oils to soak for a week'r'two or until fence post used. I also remember all the posts their holes I had also emptied by hand to half them shaved’n’soaked posts in for burials. Once set for fences they lasted for years'n'years.
I also remember the sassafras firewood. an extremely fast burner capable turning the old Round Oak parlor-stove'n'stove-pipe some cherry reds. This was a dandy wood for pushing the envelope to purposely ignite a creosote lined chimney fire to burn it out on a handily snow covered house and otherwise snowen over dry farm yard.
Here’s my lifting a glass of wine to TB……
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As for today it merely turned out ho-hum. Carrying that thought still further I believe I’ll hitch a ride with a neighbor Tuesday for more loader-digger hydraulic oil. What the need’s rise is from my trying to clear and open a clear path around some 5’r’6 dirt piles for some serious earth moving whilst I’ve got the pre-blossoming extravaganza and the inevitable earth dry into solidly caked concrete like substances.
Perhaps we’ll take tomorrow off from all the other regularly scheduled activities and frighten the Greene truck so badly it’ll cough up its engine? Hey yeah, and just watch somebody’ll come along and botch up that idea for me!
“Rainbows.”
Fernan
P.S. Holy wizardry, posting his evening is it either in or on time. Regardless, it has been posted.

Saturday, March 17, 2012

St Patty’s Day

This is another Herr Clink’s Holidays. May the Saints preserve me. She takes it seriously……
Now how about another going on long forgotten change of a season’s update. We haven’t had a fire in the woodstove for at least the last four days.
Now if the water holes in the outback’s up’n’down this road would dry up and I could get a couple weeks head start on head starting crop lands preparedness’s.
What to do today. Ha! Didn’t finish all what was started yesterday. And, have already been given requests for today. 1st thing (or one), gotta grind!
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As typically we made the rounds, elevator for supplements, down yonder farm for empty feed wagon, back here, set-up machinery, and ground the feed. Did a cold peanut-butter’n’jelly samitches lunch.
On the road again found Bro’ and his troops about to do some serious offal clean-up the the yards. Huh, so much for spotting thr feed wagon. I dropped it alongside his drive way. It’ll still be there when the sun sets. Okay Fillip with me we snaked the Cushman through the maddening crowd and finished all that what we’d left uncompleted yesterday which included setting out a fence Fillip and I’ll probably get to fix maybe everyday for a week. Silly bred heifers can blindly run around without any care in the world when they’ve no idea some of there space has been taken away. I don’t appreciate their antics but over time they’ll eventually get the idea.
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Done yonder, Fillip and I making good an attempted escape before we got drawn into manure slopp, we were on and headen up our road. Home we made ready to go the WD45 and attached the wood-splitter to the Cushman and headed out back. Out there was a problem tree which had come down to rest upon a earthen pile of fill I want to use to fill a hole were in a fence needs lifting and reset on level ground. Besides that this repulsive hole a former farmer who’d lived and made a living on this farm he’d used it for a dump site. What it amounts to I want to finish burying his trash making this problem area safer footing for passing farm animals.
A couple snaps:
The 1st pic is of the wood I’d split sawed out of that downed tree’s log. This tree having fallen about 4yrs ago is well dried and ready for burning. It’s well seasoned.
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The 2nd pic is of the temporary earthen mound intended for the old dump hole’s filling. On that mound are what’s left of the trimmed off limb’s the fallen tree trunk.
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Well, it seems I’ve already gotten a start on next winter’s needed fire wood supplies.
When that wood was stacked and covered the rest of the evening was mine.
“Rainbow.”
Fernan

Friday, March 16, 2012

Our Share Storms.

Heavy rains deluged our area missing my corner of Shorthorn country.
High winds knocked some buildings off their foundations around Lapeer Mi just a few mile ESE of us.
Tornado hit Dexter, Mi. at a dizzy crow’s flight 70mi SSE of us damaging a reported dozens of or 172 homes.
Several more tornadoes were sighted throughout our area.
Michigan’s not immune to such heavy storms. Been lucky no serious personal injuries reported.
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While we been enjoying some very unusual 70's and 80's temperature our grasses are just starting to stir.
Another week or two drying weather I should be rolling up electric fences. I cut and about 80% of this place before turning our ladies out on those grounds. It's been about a decade since I've started making two three weeks before Memorial day most of Michigan's traditional haying season's start.
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Made an engine lift bracket for ‘98 Greene Chevy and installed looks like it work for our lifting engine out of truck.
Having set down to enjoy lunch I jumped right on my ‘puter, wrote the last line, and immediately forgot what I was going to write next. The GD aging process sucks if I haven’t already mentioned it before!
For a moment’s hesitation I’m going to back-up my doctor’s consultation what ate up yesterday’s afternoon. When we were finishing up my appointment he told me, “You’ve got to slow down putting in a shorter workday, fewer hours.”
“What the?” I was thinking to my self. “I’ve already given up even short sprints if I want to catch a calf or head off a cow.” Gosh I’ve already started innovating another batch of rearview mirrors to eliminate 80% of the twisting on these tractor seats to look back for whatever whom may be behind me or even simplifying it further looking to see where I’d been.
So much for catching up.
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Afternoon saw us tree trimming. Bro’ running to Bay City figured he’d be back late. So we did his chores in time for him to come home the same late hour I was an hour late taking my rattlers. Another calf has been born today.
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Of-course it wont be official until he’s sees it. (grin) and, that’s the way it is some days in Shorthorn country. Going on our supper time we still ad our chores to do and this is one them nights we feed these Ladies for two days. A proper bay up here right behind the barn, three more seconds out on the old filled in railroad borrow pit. These maters taken care of the rest of the evenings’ be mine to try and sooth some of my aching joints and muscles. Slow to make up my mind as to whether I wanted to use ice or heat I choose to decide that question when I got back in.
Weather here is ridiculously warm (hot really). We all worked up a good sweat. It all boils down to what we didn’t finish today we work at them jobs tomorrow. Makes for job security regardless how bad the pay is. (Grin) Lawd, If I won the lottery I’d farm until it was all gone.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Id’s of March….

….Whatever that means? Frieda says that was the day our Roman taxes were due! That’s ridicules I haven’t done any roman for years.
However, over the years where my Frieda’s had my attentions my been biologically bi-international having Roman hands and Russian fingers where she’s totally all over concerned.
Frieda continues to laugh at me. I get no respect. Driving the Cushman these days I got to sneezing so long, so hard, the other day, I told Herr Mostess my sneezes had actually the Cushman backwards down the road against it’s will. She thinks that’s funny. I didn’t at the time.
Bro’ got troubles with the new ultra baby calf. I guess Fillip’s going to go down and help his uncle out. I told Fillip the calf likely isn’t coming to his uncle when he walks into the barn with a supplement calf bottle. I told Fillip he’ll likely have to get down on all fours and show that calf how its done. Frieda laughed. I get no respect!
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I laid out, cut the main beam to size, found a couple “U” bolts and left the parts for Fillip to temporarily attach to the Greene trucks torsion bars to hold up the transmission when we remove the engine. Did locate a piece angle iron for making another lifting ring to bolt to engine for engine’s removal.
Then it was time I boarded Bro’s van his delivering Tom and I to our afternoon medical appointments. Leaving Fillip behind this trip around to the other side of Flint.
My appointment kept my doctor and I talked. Medication is a waste of time under my observation. More tests indicated more pinched nerves in my elbows, wrists, and neck. Taking no more medications (additional) he’d handed me a written script for physical therapy. Unless she’s pretty I ain’t gonna enjoy it. Damn, the whole afternoon was shot. Too what’s left of it, tried pulling the prior-ally mentioned Ford loader out of the mud. Nuts, we moved alright making 2 pieces out of the what was an original spindle-kingpin.
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Oh boy, received mail my book’s illustrator had at long last gotten all the illustrations correctly drawn. Next step will require my approval illustrations colorings.
Just freaking grand. Another most of the day satisfying medical practitioners and having to also pay for their privileges. On top this our family’s primary care giver wants to see to talk over everything I already know. Well…..he is a good audience for my joking around. This reminds me, I better be making up another story.
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Opps, four evenings ago took this snap where in there are about nine’r’ten’r’more deer near yonder fence line.
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Picture was snapped from our wood splitting area some days ago.
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This shot of three day old baby calf in an upper barn’s stall. Cute eh! The first for the 2012 model year.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

3-14-2012 Her Mostess’s Birthday T-Day

Holy Smokes, the boss lady’s as old as I‘m today. Yeah, yeah, yeah; I don’t know how many folks had told me I had better take her out for well deserved dinner. Whelp, She’s lucky I got her out for an early dawn breakfast. Good time to go it was. Had our choices the best seats in the “Coney Island” beanery restaurante.
….[The name Coney Island came to Flint some many years ago with some Greeks perhaps having passed through Coney Island, N.Y. Okay it‘s said the 1st Coney‘s were born in Detroit. That may be but then they showed up in Jackson, and Flint; the traditional immigrant restaurant was serving America‘s truly 1st fast food restaurante fare. A coney dog, fresh fries, and a soda ordered up and served in less than 6 min.]….
Starting out in the home yard Ugly’s engine compartment was thoroughly surveyed before start up. On start-up Ugly behaved flawlessly. Next stop since we had wheels running again we went for trying to pay for recent hay 2nd‘s hay payment settlements. In the shop working over Greene’s engine the new Craftsman universal wrenches didn’t work exactly as they were honked too. Yet we’ll keep them and give them a fair chance during their futures .What the Hell. They are lifetime guaranteed! What worked best was the particularly went after the 6 point 13mm combination wrench did it just as it was supposed to do. I removed that last stubbornly rounded off bolt so buried between the engine bock and floor board just as easily as if we had been looking at it ti get it done. (grin)
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We managed to hit the Crossroads for a neighbor’s chainsaw parts and some milk and stuff for ourselves. The chainsaw fixed it was delivered after I had hit my wall. Then it was on home my laying down for a spell and Fillip doing the chores, laundry, and making supper. After that when all were listed alive and functional it had turned into an absolutely boring evening. Then it felt oh so just good going to bed.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

One Adventurous Day

Was a good thing we had daylight savings time. Fillip and I needed it be for we finished our day. Our day a going this-a-way’n’that.
We started our day making fix two tractors ‘none Ugly pickup truck out here in the yard. The replacing The JD fuel pump and adding a a fuel filter with it was a snap. The Oliver I drained and blew out the fuel filter so its good to go another maybe another whole 1/2mi. Our attention turned to the Ugly truck we replaced a fuel line, put in a new fuel filter, installed an electric fuel pump, and and fixed a broken vacuum line. All this done to the old truck it started up liken it hadn’t been as eager to start for the last six months. It getting late afternoon we we jumped aboard and headed for SW side Flint for a couple more new wrenches. 8mi out we had an electrical fuel pump problem. We suffer that for a mile pulling into one of them chain store lumber yards. Electrical parts in the lumber yard supermarket. Fillip thinking he had it fixed by the time I got back, I pocketed my purchase and we took off again. Rolling again we got as far as half way our total around about whole drive when truck started acting up again. We changed a crimp on spade. Did little good. But I decided to coax on along for we were only a half mile away from out toll requisitioning tool outlet.
More wrenches purchased than originally intended we took to the road again making something like 4mi when I had to coast us off the main drag onto a residential side street. We sat there for about two hours before we had it rolling again. This stop we switched the electrical fuel pump back to the mechanical. This done I bullied Ugly out into traffic and push the Ugly connivance like there was no tomorrow as if I had gotten a cab driver’s license for Chicago traffic. By and by the machine started acting more and more sensibly as we neared home. Even noticed and experienced an extra bonus the brakes had finally peeked and were once again working like new.
Hitting our neighbor hood at 7:))PM I dropped Fillip off to do chores. I took my rattler and retreated back down the road for a cow-calf combination round up to put our first of the season calf into better survival quarters. We is a premy don’t you know. Then about to leave for myself after everybody had left when I went to start Ugly, Ugly backfired and the whole top of the engine was on fire…. I popped the hood, grabbed a rag out of the cargo to find it useless when it also started burning, the tenant brought out a fire extinguisher what was dead, I took off my shirt and threw it over the engine to snuff out the flames. 7:30PM I called Fillip, “Bring tractor for tow. Truck has caught on fire.”
Ugly toed home, I’ll look at it tomorrow. I suspect another $350.00 carburetor has bit the dust. Now, what’s next? I don’t even want to think about it.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Monday, March 12, 2012

From behind….

.…we worked at it all day. Just one flipping bolt left between us and lifting the Greene’s defunct engine out. We’ve just one colossal problem wit that single bolt… Me things generous motors has take to using substandard bolts and running them up just as tight as they possibly muster to put these transportation machines together. I don’t know nor remember how many bolts their heads were rounded off trying to loosen then remove them were necessary. Every other day or so as I live and breath this cussed Greene truck requires another wrench we ain’t got. It’s enough for a body to resort to pulling his hair out. Which can be bad as I’ve lost quite a bit of my semi-precious hair lately.
Oh okay, back to the main event. Making some several phone calls around our 10mi. Immediate area there wasn’t a 13mm 6 point combination wrench to be had. This would mean if I could get to Sears come morning I may just buy another precious wrench. (Nuts!)
Meany while, back home stood three idol machines. So gathering up our tools, what parts and materials we had to work with we headed home. Taking two fuel filters off the Ollie. I blew them out which had helped that old tractor run better for awhile our having to nurse it back home the last 1/8th mi, the kill-joy. While I played with the Ollie, Fillip installed an electric fuel pump on the Ugly truck. Well while it seemed like we had made some headway, we’ll see what I’ve got to do-it to the Ollie tomorrow (again?). As for the JD, it’s fuel pump is supposed to be in tomorrow.
So it is we wok one day at a time. We experience one disappointment and made a 1 & ½ repair. And looking forward to making more progress’s tomorrow.
So here it is one more day passed under our belts.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Seams….

Yup, seams I’ve missed making my usual daily journal entry evening last. But I’ve a got an excuse I’ve been working on for several moments before picking up and laying the keyboard on my lap. Here goes……
Coming in evening last I dove straight for my recliner and the computer and got on-line for more tools. Darn it, I had just gotten another three drawer adding (on if preferred) and its filled with tools already. Now I’ve located some more and must hit the road for the far side of Flint for some more tools so’s we may finish taking engine out of Greene truck. And, I ask myself where will it end???
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Sunny and oh so breezy this AM. Cold cereal drowned in milk, Fillip and I were on our way, Sneak driving this Saturday’s traffic. 35 miles one-way having to even backtrack between Harbor Freight and Sears these two places our only three stops we got the strap wrench and socket drive extensions. places our. With discounts, coupons, and a broken socket wrench exchange we saved over 35% on the needed tool purchases today. When we’ve caught up with the day’s chores we’ll be back at the Greene truck again. So very close to having it lift ready I hope we get it out by tomorrow night, wishful thinking aside.
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Good gosh Hilda, Gasoline prices near going thru the roof again, after a mid week $0.30 drop. Weather seemingly warming up, it wont be long, I’ll be wanting to get my Cushman out again. Not only a fun drive it is also more economical then the Ugly truck. More later…
……it’s later. Much later, and I didn’t have a chance completing this entry. So here I go (come) late again. About the time I was ready to settle in Bro’ calls, (paraphrasing him, “All my fences are dead or down. Alright, redress and have him come and get us. We were without big time any transportation what so ever.
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Fillip having gone down the road to feed the bred heifer’s, on his way back the 4020JD quit right n the roads middle on his way back. Testing this’n’that we found the fuel pump had quit. Okay so I come home for two strap to pull him home. Got him in the yard. We’d decided we go work on Greene truck for an hour or two, whatever time we could get in. Ugly quit. Durn truck had decided it was going to go again either quitting ti the middle of the road about the same place the JD had also quit. This time it was fuel filter AND the fuel pump. This required another tow using the only rolling machine left, the 1850 Ollie we’d just put the battery in and brought home the other day. Rather than turn Ugly around Fillip choose to steer it backwards. While I watched ahead where we were going Fillip sat in backwards Ugly truck watching back where we’d been. Once Ugly was in the yard, rather than totally waste what was let of the afternoon, we got out the splitter and split what needed splitting to full fill my part o the deal bring home some of the neighbor’s firewood. When it had gotten late enough we’d come home, put the machinery away and looked forward to supper. That was when coming into house thinking about the supper still unmade that’s when Bro’s call come in. (nuts!) We didn’t end the evening with the fences just barely working until well after dark. It was three cans (my emergency grub) tamales split three was for supper simply followed with chocolate ice-cream.
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Now, as for today, the weather’s much improved. I started out of the house in my shirt sleeves with a coating of frost on everything. Warm sun, no winds, and lots to do. Ugly not going anywhere, Sneak still pounding his ear (beauty sleep?) I went it alone. I uncovered the Cushman. Used WD45 to gingerly tow it out of its winter parking place. Had it and the WD45 gassed it about the time Fillip showed. The Cushman with a charger on it. I went to start the Ford loader-digger. Found battery dead. The Cushman tinkered with for a moment it started. Then took that charger and put it on the Ford. Before I was done the ford’s battery was found to be shot. (wonderful, just freaking wonderful. It needs one them new batteries I had just purchased a couple weeks ago.
In our morning’s continued communications Bro’ had found where one of the troops had closed a wire gate wrong shorting out the whole electrical fence system. I’ll not repeat here all the nasty words (Mom had forbade me using) what had crossed my mind in my description this DA finding.
It’s past noon (daylight savings time) my belly’s full of beans and franks. It’s time to take the Cushman out on the road. Here’s even wishing me-self luck this wild idea adventuring.
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Home at dark-thirty we had our fun feeding our ladies. With the forks for the Ford loader-digger missing we got imaginative so’s to move the bales. Again I’ve got my idea as how and where they have went?
Stooping to use the 1850g what hd the high-lift on it we commenced to go out back taking the Ford with us. It took us a while to set out four bales. One from the hay yard, the other three salvage off a hay wagon load. That darned gas Ollie gave me a time keeping it running a kinked fuel line messing with me. Then when I had figured out the fuel line problem methinks a fuel filter had then plugged. (fun, fun, fun) Managing to finish dropping the last bale out back we then towed it home.
My let knee and right ankle, each of them, acting up both of them taking turns acting as if one of them was to let me down momentarily I gave it up just before dark. “Sides it was at least an hour bast ,y rattler downing time. I left Fillip to tidy out trash for tomorrows pick-up.
Supper was some crazy looking pasta noodles the likes I ain’t seen before with some bits of tenderloin steak left over from night before last. (yum) Dessert was some thing number three daughter brought us, a pumpkin-cream cheese roll. Was exceptionally tasty. Likely something leftover from her Holiday’s cooking up good things. So here it is a crash stuffing the last three days all into one writing. Sheesh, first day daylight savings time as about whooped me good.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Solar flairs

Solar storms have supposedly knocked out power all over SE Michigan. This phenomena more serious than scientifically reported is being kept low key as not to cause a panic amongst the world‘s populace. This so weird, I don‘t know what to believe. There‘s already been repeated talk the Mayan calendar prediction may not be all that off base. While we’ve filled some extra water bottles here, I’m taking a conservative wait’n’see attitude about this extremely odd news. I may drag out the generator later and make sure its ready to run if need be. Might be a good idea to top off the farm’s fuel tanks. Suddenly the reality that a horse may very well come in handy?
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A fun story:
For some background this story before she was Herr Clink, my Pet and myself married a little bit morn than a year we had gone square dancing. In the heat of probably our enjoyment a fourth or fifth round, Frieda fainted. Caught and brought to the side lines with the help a couple her very female friends and set in a booth for recovery, one of the ladies suggested she was pregnant the other lady concurring. My first words, this astonishing situation, “Good God. She’s pregnant? How’d that happen?”
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Today’s late start. Neighbor was over first thing, his power’s off. Glad we didn't do that. His visit was a jinx we could have done without, cause while he was here our power went off as well. Calling Consumers power they explained they had a problem. Thousands were without power. Some I been told are blaming this much loss of power on the sun spots.
So power having gone off all over the area, I hit the road for Herr Mostess’s medications and my wanting to pay this last hay bill. All this ‘cause I figured the lights just might go off in the shop as well. Returning home backing into the prime driveway my household told me the lights had come on at that same time.
Lunch was cucumber sandwitches, cottage cheese, plus pairs I can’t have and orange juice that makes me sick just considering it. Then there was the tall glass milk making a good intermediate filling substitute.
And as it had worked out when I was negotiating my morning travels making my neighborhood rounds I was seriously thinking as while I had gasoline, when I got back home we could venture out and end the last half of the day splitting fire wood. No electrical power was needed for that. But as it had actually worked out because the power had come on, Fillip and I hit the Greene truck with all the imagination and gusto we could muster. Dropping Fillip off at the shop with another idea as to how to get those combined parts off I went to bank for reassurance our accounts were secure. Then stopped in at Crossroad’s district library still looking for written and pictured help for taking that complicated truck apart. The attempted research was for naught. I again found no useful information. By the time I got back put in some hours and my hitting my wall, Fillip called it time when he figured I had had-it.
Ah nuts, truthfully I’m tiring still more and I’m going to call an end to this tale while I’m still awake enough to post it.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

What the…..

I’ve just discovered I hadn’t made a journal entry evening last. Opps! As characteristic as it has been I don’t remember much had gone on yesterday. So I asked Fillip for a rundown.
At sunrise, our getting up Fillip and I both were sporting some dandy headaches. Thus getting a late start we put in shop-time our continued efforts to gently take the Greene truck apart. We worked at until we came up against a serpentine belt pulley we couldn’t get off so to get to a AC-bracket bolt behind it. (nuts, nuts, nuts) We bagged bale wrap trash and fixed to put it out even a day early before I was convinced it was only Tuesday. Then I insisted on knowing who it was who had postponed Wednesday? I’m thinking there’s an unidentified trickster among us. Dirty pool!!!
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One last thing! Interesting how I should remember this one all on my own? On last-night’s internet searches for some individuals I was continually asked for moneys, which I had refused to get sucked into paying for address’s and phone number’s information what should have been free. What’s all this thieving BS anyway???
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Thank goodness it’s finally today. Everything’s happening today fresh in my mind, Duuh! Me thinks I can handle today's conquests on my own. Hallelujah! For one of my earliest exercises I researched the web going through “Sir & Given name, Forest twp, Mich.” and had gotten definitive answers as to this individual’s street address and phone number, going through the phone company white pages. Ye-ow-ser, this approach worked just dandily. I want to know how is I have to be a sneaky individual to get what is should be up front free for the common commerce’s good.
Still early feeling good in-spite the fact our whole household could have had a middle of the night committee meeting all of us up at the same time for whatever little wee disposal need we sort-a shared. (broad grin) I was still out a reasonably early hour. Leaving Sneak behind, I was off and running. Stopped by elevator for supplements, stopped by bank for on-line accounts payments, stopped by hardware to clean up past due bill, tried on a near last unsuccessful stop to pay the last minuscule payment for Dumpy truck tires, Stopped by lower farm for empty gravity feed wagon. Returning home we (Fillip & I) ground feed and had lunch.
Ground feed mixer-ground delivered and spotted Fillip and I scrounged some wrenches for installing one new battery in yonder-parked 1850 Oliver. When we had it running we brought it home.
It was about in here time wise, I received a very interesting phone call from my bank account watchdog. My accounts have been raided or set upon again. All falsely charges will be re-credited to my accounts. Plus, the bank insured me they were going after who ever these individuals are raiding their customers accounts, for flowers, pay-pal, even a dollar, plus a couple more. My accounts are being closed and new cards issued tomorrow. Wow! Am I ever glad I’ve got these watch-dog bank accountants. May I say I hope that one of these days the law will catch up to these white collar thieves?!
Leaving house this morning I was wearing but one extra Fall shirt. By noon I was down to my ordinarily Summer flannel soaking up this ridiculously beyond belief over jealous warm weather.
The four miles bringing the tractor home was an absolute delightfully driven ride.
Well now, its dark, I’ve waited out my rattlers, and if I should remember to do it after supper I’ve got to make an information gleaming phone call or two. Then it’ll be late enough I should be ready for sleep. Lawd, it has been one fine day.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Monday, March 5, 2012

Good Sleep’s….“BS-SOW”

Frieda and I both have had an excellent all nights sleep. No insomnia. Yesterday’s nippy all day’s fresh-air must have been my blissful’s doing. Fillip’s still out. So as of the moment we wont know how he’s done until….
Monday morning my relaxed a moment I’m finding the weekend news astonishing in a number of different veins on as many levels.
OMG, all the tornado storms throughout the middled eastern part of our whole continental country. Was reported one baby was picked up and deposited 350yds from her home in the middle of an expressway, the child was found in good shape. ???
Madonna of a grandmotherly age is courting marriage with a grown(?) man(?) of a legal grandson’s age. Talk about a Budding-Spring’s/Snowen-Over-Winter’s relationship? …. What I just write? Capitalized it comes out a “BS/SOW”ed attachment.
Oh, I can be so naughty………
Oh no, 9:00 Am is speedily catching up with me. I’d better be neglecting this blog thing, eat some breakfast, get out, hook up the wood splitter and make several piles firewood. Why? Our clear skied sunny day is supposed to remain well below freezing allele the day. A good time to cross a lawn without sinking. Yeah, yeah, yeah!!!???
Oh, lest I forget, Suzanne Somers of “thigh master” fame is biologically growing new garbanzos. Will medical medicals never cease!
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Back to reality
Ground frozen solid enough while Fillip moved hay up’n’down the road and outback I took Ugly’s flotations tires and moved the wood splitter across the neighbors yard (without sinking nor making tracks) and split firewood. Ugly truck heap for all it could carry, The foyer firewood moved inside, Ugly’s load filled the foyer and half a pallet along side the deck. We’s looking warm wise for at least the next three weeks. Our weathering temperatures are expected climb into the unseasonable 50*‘s the next couple days. This don’t mean we’re out of the woods yet, but we’ve got a jump on this and next week’s reconstituted mud for awhile.
Seemingly caught up for this day’s moment we hit the road for the tractor battery I didn’t get to last Monday. By golly we made it this week without incident. Also stopped by the US Post Office for one them “If it fits, it ships box’s).
An hour late for my evening rattlers I guess it could be said I (we) had a good day. Right now, I can foretell and predict I’m going to sleep good tonight.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Sunday, March 4, 2012

A Snappy Sunny Sunday

Had some delightfully freezing temperatures descend upon us over night. Was nice walking and driving on something crispy rather than sinking and sliding for a change. Of-course this luxury wasn’t going to last for long. Weather guesser predicted warmer afternoon temps.
Mounting up the 4020JD I took it to the dairy for the last head on push to bring home what hay rejects remained. As it turned out today’s two loads were the last I’d bring home from yonder dairy farm. The west pasture now hosting two more loaded wagons baring 16 more bales it could be I’ve enough hay to just squeak into April.
The afternoon we’d been seen time spent on the shop apron replacing blow tire with the new one. Not to hard a job with hand tools, only time consuming.
Returning home I fueled the 4020, topping the gas tank off again making it good to go for another week. Supposed to be freezing cold again come morning. Thinking to get out early while ground’s crispy so’s not to rut up a neighbors lawn. He’s some dried wood to split as long as we do it on shares. That works for me (the both of us).
All in all it sure felt good getting out putting in a productive day. Even at that my productivity may be short lived having already spent to much money of replacement parts, leaving me short replacement parts needed to keep shop efforts moving right on along. Could be may have do a bit of farm yard scrapping to keep repair projects moving along to completion. The cussed energy costs are killing me, figuratively specking. This all the adventures fr today it may that time to close whilst I’m ahead.
“Rainbow.”
Fernan

Saturday, March 3, 2012

3-3-2012 A couple things

Can’t make up my mind wheather I want to start righting my wrongs? (grin) That is weather I want to catch up a couple happenings in criminological order or just bust out saying damned if I know what came first, the first or the last. So without further orders here’s a couple observations…..
Near to our last driven leg home yesterday afternoon we stopped by a Chevy dealer in Millington and I purchased a right hand 1989 Chevy imferior door handle. Cheese’n’crackers I near pd $60.00 bucks for that assembled conglomeration of plastic parts. I’ve been looking at it….seeing how frail-y made the most impotent part of it is made. I’m seriously thinking I can improve upon making a homemade replacement part for what’s broken. I believe it unconscionable a part as a door handle may be allowed to be made so weakily this and bond and guaranteed to break. There aught to be a law!!!
Coming back on tract from my drift driving south an a then determined rain leaving Millington some miles behind from out of nowhere a bevy of flashing lights under a siren’s blaring startled an had Fillips juices just a near flowing. His startled comment, “What have I supposed to have done to be stopped?” as he was wheeling and breaking the Ugly truck over to the right shoulder of the road. The truck almost stopped, we were both somewhat relieved when that county Sherif’s car blew by us our seeing it making a left turn at the next intersection. Okay, we didn’t have a problem, but dreading the thought anyway, I realized somebody else had one. Fillip watching his mirror he’d seen bearing down on us more flashing lights (only the reds ones this time) of a fire engine. Then we had an idea for sure it was either a person’s life or property was in peril.
I can’t help it I get emotional with the lights and sounds every time I see and hear these emergency signs. I repeatedly shudder over again’n’again ever since we’d almost lost Fillip to a hit by a car accident when he was 8yrs old. It was some the same similar lights and sirens that had taken Fillip some many miles away from us for the medical help that had saved his life. Okay, this is my maudlin moment for today.
Along our own motored way a few more miles down that state road we detoured 3mi what had turned into a 6mi swing to see if we could see’r’spot some additionally needed hay.
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Today! 3rd day of the current month.
Had a good night. I made my walk about the house security checks without even a single hint of unsteady roaming. I heard and listened to some sure enough howling winds blowing hard away at the house. Returning to bed for the sleeps last time when daylight had creep-ed in my window I was perfectly happy where I was. I was cozily wrapped in my blanket. Ignoring the daylight I slept some more. It was a while before I awoke later than the usual feeling yet better time. Opening but one eye I saw Her Mostess sitting close by watching me. Say-zooks, that was a scary thought! My intention was to get up’n’out early. Instead I asked her to throw another blanket over me. The kind soul that she is she did so. Well, it was a good idea anyway. Cocooned I listen to the house, the winds rolling boiling about it, the silence of the wood-stove. E-gads, the fire had burned out. Somebody had to stoop low enough to start it all over again. Yet, even Fillip was a late riser. So, laid where I was I sat around some more typing out a couple more instructive short stories this time. Well after 12:00 PM I fixed us a couple frozen wheeled-in meals. They weren’t to bad, but not like home cooked.
About finished with lunch.
Getting on into the day It was an obvious reminder the sanity of the inside woodpile we had better get out and bring some more in. What’s a better time when the deck’s dry and there’s two of us to do it. We’ve wood in enough to last us three/four days. Now it’s back to goofing off I am.
Wanting something different after supper Fillip made enough popcorn to share it with me. I managed a couple hand fulls, then when I wasn’t looking Her Mostess ate the rest of it. The honeymoon must most defiantly be over now.
Opps, failing to post this evening last, its now going on past 2:00 in the AM Sunday morning, or is it Saturday. I don’t know. How’s a degenerative mind supposed to keep up with an advancing calender I can’t keep up with.
Now then, if I’ve made any sense somebody please read this back to me in an understanding voice…..
Moving on because I can not sleep around the 2:00 AM clock hands I’m hitting the bottle. I opened me one them little samplers having come to me from cousin Gallo in California through a deniro trade at the loco supermarket. Well now, half fof it is gone and with some concerted effort I should be able to finish it off, of course with some concerted effort so’s I may get back to sleep freed of the worry the opened bottle could spoil. Nite-nite.....zzzzzzzzzzzz
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Friday, March 2, 2012

Lions & Lambs

Make up time. Yes, I admit it, I missed making yesterday’s journal entry. However not all was lost While I presumably goofed off yesterday I did collect and arrange a few words for another private writing I’ve been keeping. These activities were all part of a continued convalescence carried forth from the day before. Of-course I shall presume I had perhaps better jot down some of the details.
I shall begin with the night before last. Not all that steady upon my feet shortly after my close call with my personal involvement with a gladly missed head-on crash the cause coming from the blown tire incident of the day before.
During that dark of the night myself customarily rise as past needs had proved essentially saving even a private embarrassment wetting a bed. Thus having to rise even the first time I found myself quite bilious experiencing a near uncontrollable urge to unceremoniously couple falling downs. Talk about anxiousness. I was loaded for bear. Returning from the central library’s essential’s facilities, in passing it, I took hold a handy walker to even using it to steady myself. While the first relief had been dignifiedly taken care of, the second indignity have avoided a fallen embarrassment, I was relieved to return to my bed in good order.
Sleeping came easily for me: the evening’s on-set, as well as between the two staggered ambling's through the house as well, again, after the last stopping’s on until morning.
With the light of morning’s sun rising I traded the walker for a much handier cane to steady my required rest of the day’s stepping about the house. Rather than take any chances outdoors, chores, projects, or whatever not even the trivial I cowardly stayed with in my four walls. I did however encouraged Fillip to take care of all outdoor matters in my stead. That included setting out feed in three yards my end of this road plus his having to see to it making fix another hay ring. In there somewhere he had even managed to do a bit of un-wrenching upon the Greenee truck.
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As for the “Lions & Lambs” we’re wallowing in some splendidly mild weather. Could this mean we may well take a shellacking March’s-last/April’s-beginning days? We shall just have to wait and see!
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Watching my steps about the house, and I commented about some changes around here. Basically some these household isles need some serious thinning to widen’em. As the morning wore on I manage to graduate from the walker’s use to picking up using the walking stick with each step as a sort of emergency steadying support. Lunch finally delivered; a chiropractic appointment made with my buddy Eric, a friend I needed was a friend in deed. Fillip and I were on our way to the bright lights of Clio’s busyness thorough fare to pick-up Ugly’s new tire, Buying it out right was cheaper than purchasing it for farm use, would you believe I saved us at least $30.00; just down the road we stopped by TSC for pet-cat supplies, and a 1/2x13mm wrenchin’ socket. Before leaving town we stopped by the drugstore, easy in’n’out for milk annnd they’d a 2-fer-sale going on assorted alkaline batteries; and, then we were on our cross-country way for the bone crusher’s appointment. Gosh how much I needed him. Remarkable, now that I’m home, evening’s about to close I need to dress down and proportionally wear a heat pad for a spell to soften up my left shoulder blade’s muscle. There was one more money grabbing stop paying about $70.00 unconsious buks for 17 gal gas. Bandits! Even better, I’m mutating about the house without the walking stick. Lookout tomorrow I’m feeling like putting a hurtin’ on some lost time….zzzzzzzzzz
“Rainbows.”
Fernan