Smaller than you think, the good and bad of no rain, stock news

I finally got the chance to make some preliminary measurements on the apartment slab. It always amazes me that what looks fairly large can become small as it is divided up into rooms. Our apartment is only 625 square feet but it still looks like a lot of slab to cover. I am planning on taking Friday off so I can spend two full days building. Grandpa’s big truck is down for the moment so we will have to use the little truck to pull the trailer loaded with the lumber we will get to begin the project.


Grandpa and Mama are excited about getting the project under way and I have to admit that I am also, but I know what lies ahead and the struggle it will be to get the remainder of the materials we need to complete the construction. The metal for the roof and sides, the cabinets, the plumbing parts – hot water heater, kitchen sink, surround for the shower and all the line and connecting pieces – will all have to be purchased. It is a pretty expensive list. Fortunately, they will all be fairly easy to obtain as the Lord supplies the money.

We are in desperate need of rain again. The grass that came up as a result of rain a month ago is already eaten or killed off by frost. We do have some hay to make it through the winter but the rains would help the latter grasses come on before we get a hard freeze. The ponds are doing fairly well but the big pond is slowly drying up and I really worry over the fish population in it. We are also concerned about the well. God will provide, but it looks a little bleak at this moment.

On the flip side, it is nice to be able to plan all the activities we need without the consideration of rain. I can get a lot of building done while it remains dry. The temperatures are steady in the mid seventies with nights hovering around the freezing mark; perfect weather by any calculation. It is just too dry for the livestock.

All the little ones are on the mend for the moment. Grandpa and Mama spent a good deal of time getting the calves separated to the point that they would not have any contact with each other until they are all well. The vet told them that even a slobber passed from one to the other as they just nosed each other would spread whatever ailment was bothering them. That was taken care of yesterday.

We are down to one egg per day. Mama thinks the chickens are being stressed out by the guineas which have decided the chicken coop is a pretty good place to hang out. I went out after dark last night to close up the coop and got good look at the sleeping arrangements. The guineas were pretty much by themselves and the chickens were huddled together on the roost. I suppose if they all decide to get along, we will start to see more eggs produced, but I am no expert by any measure.

Mama and Grandma went to the church last night for a ladies meeting. I am not sure how it went but I am sure Mama had a good time. I am still praying that Grandpa would decide to go back to church. It is a dangerous position to take to be convinced that anyone, including yourself, is too righteous or too spiritual to go to church and hang out with God’s people – regardless of their spiritual maturity.

I am not sure where I would be without a good church family and having found one, I am not looking for faults. Hopefully, they are not looking for mine.