A little rain, stock report, supervising

It was a real blessing to wake this morning to the sound of thunder and rain. It was not raining hard which is an added blessing. We need this rain to sink in as far as possible before any run off occurs. We will take what we get and thank God for it but I still have my ideas of how it would be best done.

Dodger was, as usual on weekday mornings, ready to go outside as soon as I walked into the living room but when I opened the door to let him out he backed back into the room. I left the door open as I got ready to go and he stayed there looking out of the storm door. When I finally gathered my things and headed out the door, he went also. I am not sure Victoria and Mama will be happy about that later this morning when they get up. He tends to be an especially smelly wet dog.

Mama is starting to be very happy with the brood of chickens she raised this summer. I am hoping they start laying soon but it may be next spring before we get any eggs out of them. We are planning on catching the rooster this evening and trimming his spurs. He is doing his duty to the harem of hens but in so doing he is denuding the backs of his favorites. It is not the healthy chicken look Mama is wanting for her hens.

We are both very pleased with the way the steers and our heifer are looking. While the drought continues in our area we are blessed with some healthy cattle. We are not alone. Most of the cattle in the immediate area are looking slick and healthy. I am sure those ranchers know what to expect if they have been raining cattle for any time at all, but for me and Mama, it is very satisfying to see them doing well in spite of the weather.

I would venture to guess that our herd is the most spoiled of any bunch roaming the fields in Montague County. Mama has made it a habit to feed them Monday and Friday mornings and they have made sure they are assembled as required for that feeding but lately they have been begging extra. Every time Mama makes her evening rounds for the horse and chickens, they have been in the lot lowing as though they are starved to death.

Granted, there is little to eat in the pastures so we have been supplementing with hay, but they do not need the sweet stock they are begging for. But like Rosie and Dodger begging at the table, Mama feels obligated to give them something because they are so darn cute when they beg the way they do.

We have had no calls on the Flex. I have done a little looking and I am confident the price we are asking is a fair price. If we are not able to sell it at the price we are asking (which is $2000 below what we owe) I will plan on keeping it. At the very least it has brought Mama into the realm of financial planning. We are still praying that is sells even at the loss but God knows our needs and we do trust Him – even when we want out particular outcome.

I got a sudden two week notice from one of the ladies that works for me. It was not entirely unexpected because her focus has not been at work lately and I have had to intervene more than usual into her activities. In the long run it will be a good choice for both her and for my group. Now I have to hire someone to backfill her position, get that person trained and then reassign all the work I will have to push out to my group in her absence.

In the meantime, another of the ladies in my group has applied for another job here in the Decatur office. If she gets that position, I will have to replace her also. I am not overly concerned about the changes or the process of replacing those within my group but it adds to the list of little things that have to be done rather quickly yet with great attention to detail. There is always a little apprehension when hiring a person into a working group, especially one made up of all women. That does not change even if the person you are backfilling needed to be moved out of the group.

Plenty of change ahead. I guess that is why I am still here.