Moving, misplaced items, pets, shopping

Mama and I made it back to Bowie safely. We even beat the rain in most places. It only took us the requisite four and one half hours to make the trip but for some reason it seemed longer. We were both worn out from the long days and late evenings of packing on the days before. Even with all the work on the part of the packers and ourselves, Mama had to load the last of the last items into the little car by herself in order to clear out the house and meet me in Borger. We had already used up Wednesday evening packing the car and getting items we were keeping but not able to transport to Chase’s apartment to be taken home on some future round trip, but there was still more in the house than the little car could provide space for; another episode of too much stuff.


When she arrived in Borger to get me, the car was breathing room only. Every available nook had been taken and I still had to get my computer bag and lunch box in for the trip. The computer bag fit into one little vacant spot behind Mama’s seat and the lunch box was put at her feet. We have started talking about getting a little van, but not soon. It was only when I got to my office in Decatur this morning that I realized I had left my computer in the office in Borger. Had it been in the case Thursday afternoon when I was shoving the case into the car, it might not have fit, but that only caused me a little frustration early in the day today.

We did not get back to the farm in time for the evening feeding Thursday but we were up early Friday to get in on that morning’s feeding. It is a real treat to bottle feed the little calves; slobbery, but fun. They will all be pets before the six weeks are over. They enjoy any and all attention after feeding. You can stand there and pet them, scratch them and get them to jumping around playfully as you spend time with them. As they get bigger it could be a challenge to contain them but for the moment they are content with their confines. I will have pictures tomorrow or Wednesday – when my computer arrives.

It is a shame we will have to “dead” them – as Grant refers to the process of getting the animal to the table- but such is the way of life. He asked his mother the other day why we had to “dead the pigs?” I think he enjoyed the pork chops and sausage from the pigs, but the process of conversion seems a little barbaric to him right now. Unfortunately, we cannot have our pigs and eat them too.

The dairy farmer called on Friday to tell us to get ready for more, but as of this morning we had not gotten instructions to pick up any more calves. Grandpa and I spent the day Friday building an addition onto one of our buildings to provide parking for the baler and sprayer. That will open up the building we have used as a shop to put up our hay. We are going to need it.

It rained all day Friday, all day Saturday and most of the day Sunday. All in all I think we got a little over two inches of rain. It was a terrific blessing. On Saturday Grandpa and I worked under cover in the calf barn making more stalls in preparation for more stock. It was a harder rain that morning than we had worked in on Friday. We did not get to finish the baler cover because of a late start but Grandpa was pretty excited about the progress we made as we worked on it together. We should be able to finish it this weekend.

By the time Mama and I left to go shopping on Saturday afternoon, Grandpa and I had four more stalls ready with plans to make another six to eight if needed. Fourteen calves would be a good bit more work, but a much bigger profit.

Mama and I went to what is left of the outlet malls in Gainesville, TX Saturday afternoon. We had a great lunch at Applebee’s and spent about three hours shopping. I got a new suit. I told a few people at church it was my new birthday suit; one’s I thought could handle the joke. Mama got a new purse and some shirt things – they are not really shirts but they cover the same area. We had a great time.

We have revival at church this week. It will continue through Wednesday night so it will be a long week for all of us. I do not think Mama will get to sleep in at all with the early morning feedings. I say early but they are usually done by 7:30 a.m. So it is not like they are up at the same time I am every morning. And it is not a hardship to bottle feed.

Hopefully the fun will last a few more weeks.