Hands on, busy Mama

The drive to and from Abilene was uneventful on either leg. The time spent in training there was very helpful. I spent a lot of time out in the field actually learning how to do what our line locating training talks about. The overarching difference between writing a training module and performing the task is the difference between a seeing a photograph and standing in the scene the of photograph. The hands-on experience will change the approach I will take in the presentation of the material we are preparing both for the class in Alabama and in our online courses. It was well worth the time spent in the field. I elected to spend all of my time in one of the two areas I will be presenting because I had no experience at all to fall back on for embellishing the training presentation I will be giving. Now I have a few hours of sweat and trial and error with the locating equipment to fall back on in referencing questions and relating to stories from a class.

Mama called me to tell me she had gone to feed the cattle this morning and was pleasantly surprised to find that #75 was the only cow in the corral in the barn. That was a blessing because we need to get her separated this weekend so we can put the other cows and calves on the adjoining property for the summer. We are feeding out #75 to take her to the meat market on the 11^th – when I will be in Alabama for back to back classes in two different cities. Mama has already arranged for Grandpa to help with that.

Additionally, the Bantam chicks we ordered have arrived so Mama is getting them setup in cages in the garage until we acclimate them and find them a more permanent home. We ordered fifteen and are hopeful that a good portion of them will be hens. With the Bantam’s the hatcheries do not sex the chicks so all that can be ordered is a straight run. We will not know for several weeks what we got but I wanted at least eight hens – hence the order of fifteen. The roosters will be processed for meat; as will the roosters that we got in the batch growing in the west side of the chicken coop. I think there are eight of them to process soon.

Along with all of that, Mama has been trying to find out what size tire is required to replace the one on the front of the Zero turn mower. She told me she took pictures of the tire and whatever information she could see on it and sent the picture to the guy at Decatur Tire for him to interpret. I am not sure how all of that will work out but we will eventually get that taken care of. I put a can of Fix-a-Flat in the little tire a week ago but I knew it would not last since I could see the fluid coming out of the tire through a fairly large hole. It at least lasted long enough for Mama to get the mowing done.

Looking at the weekend ahead, I seem to spend all my time catching up to the little items that could have been done during the week if it were not for travel and VBS. Oh, well. That is what Saturdays are for. I have a long list of things that need to be done but some are weather sensitive so I have a backup list for items that are lower priority but can be done regardless of the weather. I know I will have to clean the shop before I leave for training classes in Alabama because we have contracted a concrete man to pour the floor while I am away. I did not plan it that way but that is how it worked out. Mama will be quite busy over the next couple weeks – especially with Jake coming in on the 7^th.

Mama showed me a video Cori sent recently. It seems Savanna had a greater appreciation for clothing than for body parts. Cori discovered this when Savanna began to complain that her “pockets” hurt. What Cori finally figured out was that her hips were hurting but she did not know the word for that area of her body. What she did know was that the pockets of her skirt were in the same general location as the hurt.

So, when you tell be that your pockets hurt I will understand.