Rats, packing, working lists

Mama called me yesterday evening to tell me she had forgotten to tell me that the live trap had another rat ready for termination. This was in the afternoon as I was heading home to get a few things done so I could get the space set up in the garage to set the feed she was on her way to buy in Muenster. We had spent lunch together at the church and had talked briefly later in the afternoon but since I was on the way home she remembered the rat. What was curious to me was that she was excited about the fact that this is the fourth large rat we have caught in the trap. I do not know how many more may be lurking about the farm but I have the feeling that four is not going to affect the overall population dramatically. In fact, as I was finishing getting a bale of hay set out for the cows, Mama arrived with the feed. As we were putting the cattle portion of the feed in the proper storage places in the barn a very large rat ran out from under a pallet we have the feed barrels sitting on. Mama did not see him. Just as well. I may have to employ the other live trap there to see if we have any success. I will eliminate as many as possible as long as I can do so without harming any of our domestic stock.

I stayed home from church last night. I am still fighting a mean cough so I just sat still through the evening and allowed the cough to settle after all the activity of the late afternoon; setting out hay, arranging pallets, clearing space for feed to be stored and moving plants into spaces where they would not freeze last night. Yes, it got below freezing last night. It was good that I had the time to rest because that is all I will get for the remainder of the week. We are headed to Temple this evening after Victoria gets off work, and after we take the Sequoia to Bowie for Roger to replace the rotors, and after we get the trash to the dump, put away some feed, sweep the floors before Grandma comes over to tend to the dogs, etc.

I am glad Mama worked out the opportunity for us to get the Sequoia fixed but she has a habit of crowding our schedule the way she loads a drawer – until it is impossible to get one more item in it. I was telling her the other day as she came home and wanted me to start on the list of items she had thought of that she has to realize that all those items have to be added to the list of items I am currently working on. While she is working off one list, I have to work off of two lists – both of which are only getting longer as Spring approaches. I am not one to sit around reading the paper – if people actually do that anymore – until she finds something for me to do. Generally, I have to be called away from what I am doing to take on what is now urgent to her. But, we always manage to get things done – especially the items on her list.

Anyway, when Mama got back from church I was ready to go to bed but she had packing on her mind so I stirred up what energy I had remaining and started setting aside clothing for her to put in a small suitcase. I picked out a suit because we are going to stay over through Sunday morning so we can go to church with Cori, Nate and the kids before we head back home. By the time I had gotten that done, I was done. Mama was only getting started. I have no idea what time she came to bed.

I was asleep almost as soon as my head hit the pillow.