Rough starts, not so black Friday, guard birds

Getting started this week is proving difficult. I could speculate that much of it has to do with the fact that we are getting back from a week at the farm; which is pretty close to a vacation for Mama and me. Some of it may have to do with the fact that I have been having trouble sleeping the past several nights. Being at the end of an extended fast may influence my motivation levels. But I think I would have to admit that most of my less than stellar attitude comes from the fact that we are very limited financially; not that God is not blessing. He is. It is just that our needs are expanding and our wants are at near epic proportions.


Some of that is to be expected with the development of the farm. Much of it is due to the approaching holidays. I think it weighs very heavy on Mama and by default, therefore, on me. I have managed to set aside a little money for each of our children, but it is nowhere near the amount Mama is used to having access to. This coming Black Friday is going to be a little more toward Light Grey.

We are planning on going to Denton the morning after Thanksgiving and see what we can do in preparation for Christmas, but we have no agenda for the money; at least I do not. And the only planning I have heard from Mama does not involve anyone over the age of four. But we will see how things go and we will make the most of the time together.

We are planning on visiting my Mom and Dad later that afternoon, where we will spend the night. Our hope is to make it over to visit Sarah and Fabian on Saturday late morning and stay into the evening. It should only be about three hours to Bowie from their home in Rogers which would put us back there late on Saturday night. We will then return to Amarillo after church, and probably dinner, on Sunday afternoon. It will be a very busy time – much of which I will be on call for work.

I am now officially dog poor. We have two of the pups sleeping at our back door. Victoria is getting worried about the temperatures we are expecting over the next several nights but I would rather not ever bring the dogs into the house. I have to leave through that door every weekday morning at 0430 and I would rather not have to deal with the dogs trying to storm the house when I open the door to leave. I had to deal with that issue with some kittens on our farm in West Virginia. Mama was not happy with the way I dealt with that issue; neither of them will be happy how I deal with the dogs if they create a problem for me.

We also bought, and relocated to the farm, four guineas. We think we have three hens and a male. Someone described them as resembling a bunch of AWOL army helmets, but we are told they will keep tick populations under control, find and kill snakes, and serve as alarm systems for their territory – without the fear of getting sued for a guard dog biting an intruder. We were told to keep them in a coop or cage for about a month. Then let out only one, keeping the others in the coop. After one week let another out and so on until all are free ranging. They will adopt their own territory and keep it under surveillance at all times. They love to roost in high places which gives them a decided advantage for keeping an eye on things.

Along with the dogs and the donkeys, if they come, who needs ADT?