Cold snap, orientation, work load

The temperature at the farm this morning was 21®F. Fortunately the winds were calm so the effects are not a severe as they could have been.  I will ask Mama to check out the apartment and laundry room later today. The water lines we ran in the apartment will not burst if they freeze but I would like to avoid a freeze it possible.  It will be warming up into the low 50s by this afternoon with a light freeze predicted for tonight.

It is pretty certain that our growing season is now over. I think that is a good thing in most ways – especially since we do not have a working mower. The grass in the lawn (such as it is) was starting to get a little high and Mama is pretty anal about keeping it cropped short and neat. I was starting to worry I would have to buy a mower for one use this year. I still might, but it looks like I am off the hook for now.

Grandpa and Norman are running into some pretty good deals on mowers in West Virginia. If we do buy one there it will be early next year before we get it to the farm. The timing could work out pretty well but you never know how things like that will actually work out. In my mind I am preparing to buy a mower here next year, but I will be delighted to be spared that expense. The mower Grandpa and Mama have their eye on cost a little over $3000.

Mama, Victoria and I went to Bedford, TX (north Ft. Worth) last night for an orientation meeting with Baptist Children’s Home. With all the construction on the highways we were supposed to take we thought we were off track several times, but we ended up in the right place; and only a few minutes late. The timing of the meeting at 6 pm was a little troubling due to the traffic in the area.

 I am not sure how they could have done anything differently as far as scheduling the meeting, but without Victoria tracking our progress on her cell phone we would never have found the building where we met. The exit we were supposed to take was closed so we had to circle back in traffic and the building we were looking for had no real markings other than the address on a marquis. We will have to get the route down because we are taking training in that same building for seven sessions stretching over two months.

Finding our way out was almost as bad as finding our way there. We made a couple wrong turns but finally ended up on the correct freeway to take us to the roads home. It ended up not being too late. The meeting was over in about forty five minutes. After getting turned around a time or two we ended up back home a little before 9 pm.

It is a blessing that we are no longer in a hurry to get moved into the apartment. I have been out of money for a few weeks now, but more recently I have not had the time to work on the punch list items that will complete the work.

This week will be no exception. I have at least three days of work lined up on the farm. I do not mind doing the work, but I sure miss Grandpa’s help. He could work a little here and there and get most of these projects done while I was at my regular job. It always ended up being a real time saver for me.

It will still get done. It will just take longer.