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