Fun week, work ahead, sad news for our church

Last week was a fun and productive week for us at the farm; putting up the first hay from our meadows, getting the shop ready to set forms, horseback riding on our farm for the first time, sharing the farm, the animals and the pond with Nate, Cori and the grandkids. On Saturday, as they traveled home, Grandpa and I worked on setting the forms for the apartment. We finished getting everything level and square late in the evening. Now we are in a holding pattern as we wait on the plumbing to be done. I really needed Sunday to rest up.


I hired out the plumbing under the slab to a man in our church who has just started his own business. He came out early Monday morning to look the job over and give me an estimate. The only caveat is that he may not be able to get to it until Saturday afternoon. With that time table I will not get the slab poured until the following weekend – unless I can find someone to do the pour for me. I have not found anyone yet and I will be in Borger for the better part of the week next week and the week following. I have to trust it is the Lord’s timing even though I had different plans.

Through our church contacts, Mama did find a place where we can buy some piglets for a very good price. We will probably start back with two pigs pretty soon so they will be the right size before it gets too hot next summer. (Grant seemed to get over the fact that we were eating the pigs whose pictures still adorn his bedroom door.)

We will also look into getting another six laying hens at Trade Days this weekend or next – I still cannot figure out how they do the “Second Monday Trade Days” on whatever Saturday they pick. Since we are here it will be no real issue for us to go whenever the activity is scheduled, but I have yet to figure out just how they schedule it. October should be a month in which we take full advantage of the many items offered for sale there – especially for doors and kitchen counters. We will supply much of the rest of the cabinets and such from IKEA – which Cori helped us find.

Mama and I spent the majority of the day shopping yesterday. I spent a good bit of time at Lowe’s where I picked up some stakes to reinforce the forms. The only problem is that the ground is so hard that they cannot be driven into it. I also bought a framing nailer that I found on sale. I have wanted to get one for years but have not been able to justify it. With the framing work we have ahead of us, I thought it was the right time. It will save Grandpa and I a lot of forearm strain not having to drive every nail with a hammer. (I replaced my stolen air compressor with that thought in mind – even though I had no idea at the time we would buy a farm.)

When we got to church Sunday morning we got some bad news. On Saturday afternoon a young man in the church was killed in a motorcycle accident. He was Victoria’s age so she knew who we were talking about then we told her later that day. She was not with us because she is still quite sick with some respiratory infection. He was the youngest son of one of the church families and since there are several branches of the same family in the family in the church, the loss was significant to the congregation in general. On Friday the same family had a grandson born to them. This life is truly unpredictable.

On the same morning our church entertained a missionary family that has a ministry to the military. They were a delightful group; the husband, the wife and the fourteen children.

Mama and I only made it half way there.