Brrr!

Brrr! Today’s WSW wind had a real bite to it. And either with or with out help I was going to set those garden gate posts even if I had to do it all by my loathsome. Greene loaded with tools I dared it to rain as I didn’t even bother to pack along a water proof truck bed covering. Gathering all that I though I’d additionally need from the shop, I jumped the loader-backhoe first thing, before taking the loaded Greene up and park it in the general area I’d need various tools and components off it. Half way there I walked back down the hill for the differ-backhoe. With a chain I snatched my first fencepost off the hay wagon from where I had brought them up on a couple days earlier. On and off, off and on three gates I finally dropped the fence post on the feed lot’s ground. Then it was positioning the backhoe for excavating an old post out for renewing the space a-new for the replacement post.
Dig-a dig-dig the old Ford did it’s thing under my nimble fingers extracting the rotted post form the ground where it had faithfully stood in the fence for something like the last thirty five years.. It was a bit tricky digging and swinging the Ford tractor’s boom and dropping the fill dirt quite out of the way. Emptying the hole was the easy part. Taking Ford from its digging position to pickup and bring to the hole the post I was deluged with about a dozen four footed beastlies. All over my dirt pile one of them even trying to stand on her head atop the pile was beyond my ability to understand her behavior. My greatest fear was what should one of them bump another into my two cubic yard post hole. That could become quite tricky getting the beast freed the hole it gotten itself near buried in?
Setting the post was the most difficult part of the whole operation, particularly alone. Steering it the hole was no easy manner. It wasn’t until my second starting over attempt did I even get it close. The 14” by 14’ treated loblolly pine precariously hanging off the Ford’s loader-end. Hanging so I managed to pry the post’s base right where I wanted it to go. From there on my pole setting had become near impossible to manage. One chain to the bucket for I couldn’t let go yet. I employed two more chains, one each way laterally to steady the post. Having troubles I raided the shop for a couple cable come-a-longs. Plan was I’d rig them on the post sideways to center it steadied against the loader bucket.
Thank goodness, Trapper had called and said he was on his way as he had promised me last week. On his arrival setting the post had finally become a snap. The first post set neatly nailed in via some old plank framing a water fountain the first post was in good shape, good positioning, thank goodness.
Time for the second post the digging was much easier this time. It took two setting to get it right. Leveling it both ways for the gate opening and the fence’s alignment it went well. Trapper hand back filling, foot stomping the earth about both posts, the second post’s efforts took just half as long as the first post.
Still, the day going on the afternoon beginning to drag Trapper’s help was appreciated even more. About the time I was also turning brain dead he kept me going. I don’t know what I’d done without him? I’d surely been a much longer day. Bringing back the woven fence, restringing the electric fence and re-electrifying it I kind-a let hanging the gate go, as did I’ll do a better job running more wires tomorrow, as well as driving lag screws in the old fountain framing planks.
Myself exhausted having gone without lunch I was feeling the cool of the late afternoon soaking into my flesh and bones. It surely was quitting time by my watch. The job undone, knowing what’s needing doing, knowing another day will follow this one, it was more than time to pickup, and that’s just what we did, Trapper and me. Trapper having gone his way I was just finishing unloading Greene down into my barn for sundown to officially do its daily thing, set!
I don’t care. I’m settling in with a bottle of wine and our TV. By-gum I think I’ve earned it.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

bummer day

Try as I had, I near failed at getting anything done today. Raymond worried bout his firewood getting wet. So I fought with six the bean seed bags I used to cover his wood pile. About all I managed to do today was to load and unload Greene with my tools I should have needed to replace a couple gate posts what weren’t. Balderdash! Did fix an 1816 skid-steer tire with new inner tube. That was fun.
Truthfully the whole day was more of a downer to/with me today. Still haven’t made up my mind whether I’ve either been depressed or melancholy all the day long?
I’ve something bugging me! Has this ever happened to anyone else?
I also know there’s an approximate ideal piece of treated 4”X6”X2’ lumber laying around these farms. I’ll be hanged if I can find it. Need it for mounting a missing door stop to a barn’s back door. Arrggghhhh!!!!! Oh well, tomorrow is another day.
Meanwhile, “Rainbows.”
Fernan

Taking inventory
I’ve been accused of getting into my own booze. Really. She’d finished off the Southern Comfort I hadn’t shared in for many years. Amazing how quickly that remained that bottle had gotten taken some months back. Purchasing another fifth for medicinal purposes I chose this time an imported Jamaican Rum for lets face it, it was cheap. I didn’t open it. I haven’t even sniffed the lid. Yet, I’m being accused of hitting my own bottle. This is to weird for words. I’m not the one making myself a Coffee Royal as has been the case with Her Mostess. Hmmmm! If I’ll ever try a sampling, I’d better be sampling it shortly if I‘m to even taste it. Can it be believed, I’ve encountered a very serious condition evidently troublesome to our home’s environment. We‘ve a serious evaporation problem.
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Out even extra early to accomplish something, I just knew the day was going to be busted up but good. Not to be disappointed it was. I did manage to make some great head way with those barn doors. I got them as far along in less than two hours over what it might have taken me four hours late yesterday afternoon. Still have a number of details needing handling up there; but the repairs are looking good. Parts of a couple more days I may surpass the last time I had put in the Fall hours required to tidy up those nuisance fixes.
Handy, been found eligible for assistance we had to pick him up on the way to keep Fried’s medical appointment. Time in a crunch my plan was I drop him off first and go onto Frieda’s appointment. I don’t think we were 15 minutes total Frieda’s medical exam her knee surgeries. Frieda taken care of we had some time to kill before picking up, Handy. Went by Thrifty Acres (was along the way) my treating Frieda to more yarn, and stupid ear rings. Sheesh! They don’t do a thing for me. Okay, out of there Frieda has lately making some funny noises about wanting some broasted chicken. Well at least deep fried a quit stop by Long John’s for two take outs we were right on time for picking up, handy, or were we? Michigan’s Family Independent Agency was still cooling Handy’s heals in the waiting room. He wasn’t called in for his appointment for over two hours later. To add insult to gross lack of respect, They kept Handy another hour for an in depth interview.
Son of a gun! Try to do a neighbor a good turn and the establishments system has no respect for time those trying to help another out what so ever. All told I dangerously put up with ten miles hellish traffic, and almost (Hell, all afternoon) time lost I could really have used around the farm buildings. Bureaucracy sucks, I had no idea my helping hand time was so very worthless. I lost the entire day from (say) 2:00 o’clock on.
Stopped by to see my seamstresses, including buying a loaf of bread for cash back on a purchase, so I could pay the ladies their efforts to keep me comfortable. Wow! An aged barnyard tux has been given another year’s lease for my Winter’s use. My second pair of bibs have gotten the knees padded. My quoted cost (bill) handed me a month ago was at $25.00. Today I was charger $15.00. I tried pointing out her short changing herself and I was denied or retold the bill $15.00 was correct. Okay, Another pair pants to go, I’ll be back to see these lovely ladies again and again. ;^)
Getting home scarily more than an hour before dark I gave it up. Unloaded truck. Took a walk out to see the two ladies with their latest calves.

And, all was quiet in the Western pasture as may be seen above.

It would appear Fall is definitely giving way to Winter……

….my imaginatively seeing all these empty bleachers without playing fields. Picture taken out side Thrifty Acres this afternoon.

This scooter catching my eye I had to take a closer look…..

……and found it to be a Schwinn. I’d guess Schwinn bicycles aren’t an alone mode of peddled transportation anymore. An engine has been added. I like the color. Can’t help being noticed.
Well, for a lost day, taking in some of the sights wasn’t all that bad.
“Rainbows”
Fernan

Story Time’s rest of it.

The Silent treatment revisited, the following morning I thought it best a have some torn flesh on my hand looked at and bare my arm for tetanus shot. Silence is golden but not for the remainder of my lifetime. Stopping downtown the Otisville metropolis I moseyed into the loco Fairhaven Store. Picked up one them shopping baskets and commenced to fill it with skein after skein of baby blanket project wool.
Waltzing back into the house just as I were the Lord and master of it were my castle. I gave the big plastic shopping bag with is fuzzy contents getting a big smile and attitude as if nothing had ever transpired. She’s no silent anymore. Ohh? Why did I ever do something nice for her making her feel so yackity yack……. Her ever since feeling good.
To late now, o’ why o’ why hadn’t I negotiated an out clause? . ….don’t talk back.
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Day’s start had me spreading Philadelphia cream cheese on oat meal toast. Not liking peanut butter for breakfast I save my peanut butter eating for an occasional noon hour lunch sandwich of a late night just before turning in snack.
Well as the mop flops: Everywhere Herr Clink goes, this morning to Doc’s office for instance, Frieda’s rallying support for my keeping the Greene truck. (grrr) Darn, I show her just a wee bit of luxury and she wants to become accustomed to it.
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By the time I’ve gotten back home after a tough afternoon single handedly trying to put back together those same taken apart barn doors. Her Mostess’s is talking as if it’s her idear I should sell Greene. What a turn around. Could it be the grand kids wanting to come up here? Might it have been my grand daughter unsuccessfully trying to put the bit on me for some heavy traveling cash (insurance and plate for their motor home). Frieda’s finally catching onto the tight money sitssheation plaguing us. First problem is the getting Ugly into the shop for some serious getting into its fixings and quieting modifications. Wimmin?!?!?!? Can’t live with’em, can’t trade her off. Sheesh! ;^)
“Rainbows”
Fernan

11-10-2010 Story Time

*******The Silent Treatment
The wife and I just casually conversing, my thinking out loud I happened to mention I want to sell the Greene truck after Ugly‘s repaired including adding a pair of quieting mufflers, Frieda immediately went through an instant metamorphosis transformed into Herr Clink‘s right on into a rarer alter persona, Attila the Hun. Starting out a thought, the atmosphere turned into a disagreement, eventually coming to giving each other the silent treatment.
Well this has about to go on for a couple days.
Knowing I had forgotten some mechanical work I hadn’t completed, I wanted Frieda to wake me at 5 a.m. as I wanted to finish it up in the barn before I spent the rest of the day putting in time on the loader-digger, skid-steer, and eventually on a tractor before had finished the rest of my day. Not wanting to be the first to break the silence (and LOSE), I wrote her a note, "Please wake me at 5 a.m." Then left it right where he knew she would find it one of her middle of the night water hauls.
Experiencing an almost sleepless nite, the next morning, waking up, it was already 9 AM. and I wanted to be up in the barn before I had to go get on the tractors. Furious, I was about to go to see why Herr Clink hadn't wakened me when I noticed a note taped on the computer monitor..
The note said: "It is 5 a.m. Wake up."
[i]I got to tell ya, men are not equipped for these kinds of contests.[/i]
Fernan********

Isn’t rather interesting how much better a tale grows and improves when the original story teller repeats it over and over again. Now, I wouldn’t particularly stretch a truth would I?
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As far as the day went I fouled it all day long. First off Missed my eye appointment by some four hours between forgetting the ordinal appointment time and the rescheduling. The there’s all the good news and bad news bit. Unfortunately it was real newsy. Good news! First October eye care had been reinstated. I only I hadn’t realized about it until a week or so ago. That’s Okay. Bad news! Only then two weeks ago it was almost all taken away. Good news there is a more scratch resistant lenses material. Bad news! Now I have to pay for the materials and 20% the examination. Bad news. My right eye is legally blind. More bad news! Only needing one lenses my present eye glass frame are obsolete. Bad news continuing, can’t just have one lenses ground for new frames. Rule is must have two lenses. Good news. The whole of the additions came up less than the national debt.
Farm wise I got very little done today. I cut one sheet of plywood for the taken apart barn door. And moved some equipment. For some short lived entertainment I looked at the Truckster trying to figure out the wiring. Found an electrical schematic in my old Cushman manual that could possibly parallel this machine’s wiring needs. Looking at the machine long enough, all the wires bleached out colors, I’m thinking of ignoring the original wiring harness and starting a new one of my own making. So many components inoperable anyway and I want to make some changes and additions a new wire harness just may be the easier way to go.
‘Rainbows”
Fernan

Was a Good Day

A full morning of machine time before hated lunch. Surprisingly I didn’t dump it this afternoon having eaten it for lunch. I dislike tuna fish sandwitches. One of these days I’ve just plainly have got to quit making them!
Spent my afternoon up at the barn eradicating all the damaged portions the slide-by tracked front doors. I’d like to put them back together tomorrow. I’ll see? I even got around to beating the rear barn door gate into submissive the hinges fitting once again easily taking the closuring hinged pins.
Worst part of my day was my hitting my wall by the PM changed 3:30 time. (grumble-grumble) Retiring down to the shop to tidy up Greene’s load and perhaps play with the Haulster for a few minutes< was punished baby sitting (for the lack of a better term for it) my Brother handing him either this or that plus holding for a moment some thing somewhere. “Hold this.“ “Hand it back.” Just what I wanted to do. My left knee grumbling so painfully I had to earlier give up tidying up lugging away some temporary cattle handling gates from in front the barn. All I wanted to do was tidy up Greene and quietly sit contemplating the Haulster’s electrical starting problem? I want to hear it run! And most of all I wanted to do it restfully sitting down, to also let some of my back pain go away.
Frieda needing (wanting) eggs, Handy having called need some medication for his Mom I picked him up for the Crossroads. Dropping Handy off I hit the hardware ordering me some plates for securing a few corners those barn doors. Back at the grocery store for Her Mostess’s eggs brown eggs were half the price of white eggs! What? A few months ago eggs were retailing the other way around price wise. Now I wonder if I did good getting the brown eggs. Some folks say the brown ones are tastier. Me, I don’t know? They all taste about the same to me when I’ve blackened any egg with enough black pepper. ;^)
“Rainbows”
Fernan

My Day such as it was

About first thing I did his AM I called Doc’s office for a tetanus shot. Can’t just get a shot. I’ve got to be seen. Examined poked and prodded. The whole ordeal my ripping my hand open on a extremely rusty stretch of barbed wire yesterday I had just let it bleed clear. Well as it was the sin flap flapped back into its snagged hole and was well scabbed over this morning. It might have taken a stitch yesterday only I don’t see any advantage in aggravating my hand again this morning for a sewing I didn’t/don’t think it needs upon this late next day hour. None the less I got dragged over to a sink for a good dousing hydrogen peroxide and band aided. Then me and my big mouth Frieda was called and an appointment made. I see my optometrist Wednesday, and Frieda see’s doctors Thursday and Friday. Looks like a medical week this week. When am I supposed to get anything done?
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I finished up all the mechanical up to the barn. I back fill the trench tomorrow and that’s done. Still have those two garden gate posts to replace. I’d like to have them done this week during this four day dry spell while the yards are drier as in much less muddy.
Whatever else I did today I’ve forgotten as and old coot’s standard procedure.
Oh yeah, I happened to mention I may be selling the Greene pickup truck. Gosh, a body might think I had started WWIII. Herr Clink immediately went up in arms. Might say she’s on the warpath. Sheesh, such an emotional woman. Problem is I’ve got to many trucks. I get Ugly fixed including some quiet muffling, it’ll work for me better than this wimpy Greene pickup. I got to have a truck what’ll get the job done. Ugly’s a near unstoppable horse when it comes to pulling itself alone or with a wagon in tow through mud and snow. Besides I’ll feel better Greene’s worth be back in the bank. (hehehe) Money’s for other projects: Haulster, Dumpy truck, Quadracycle, of course while working in the Azzkicker’s finishing touches for next year. Speaking of the Azzkicker I should get busy and construct another one over the winter now that the first one’s working.
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See: I haven’t forgotten every thing I’ve either been working on, wanting to get to, or aught to finish.
“Rainbows”
Fernan