Birthdays, stuck, VBS

While life moved rapidly on, the twins had a birthday last Saturday. None of us were able to attend the party, but Andrew’s mom and brother did come down from New Jersey. To make up for missing the date, Victoria is going up to visit this Saturday. Mama was thinking of going with her, but I believe that is on hold because I will be traveling Monday through Wednesday next week and Mama did not want to miss the weekend and half of next week together. She and I will get up to Brittany and the girls at some later date.

The party for the girls was a fruit themed party. The focus on pineapple but the cookies made for the occasion varied to represent a lot of different types of fruit. It was very cute. It is just a little hard to imagine that Zoe and Sophia are two years old. So much happened in that two-year span and the months leading up to their birth that the normal progression of days, weeks, months and years got overshadowed. Yet, here we are, and they are two years old. If this keeps up – and it will – we will be sending them off to college before we know what happened. It just makes me realize how far behind I am in my prayers for my grandchildren.

Brittany sent a cute video of Sophia “trapped” underneath a toy stroller. For whatever reason, she had crawled under the stroller and could not figure out how to complete the circuit. There was absolutely no danger. She could have easily raised herself up and shed the toy off her back, but she did not see that option. Brittany would have to tell me if the cry we are hearing was of anger or real fear, but she definitely made her plight known to mommy, who was able to rescue her as well as share the moment with all of us.

Last night was our second night of VBS. It seems to be going well. Bro Zach has organized the event and is doing the preaching as well. The theme is a missionary theme covering the life of Jim Elliot and his companions who were killed as they tried to make contact with the Huaorini People in Ecuador. He and four others were killed the year I was born, but the story of that event and the eventual evangelization of the Huaorini people by two of the wives of the slain missionaries is a wonderful story of faith in practice. His most famous quote is, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” A couple of guys in our church built a model of a plane to help recount to the children attending our VBS the method used by Jim Elliot and his group to make contact with the remote tribe. I will have to get a picture of the “plane” tonight. I did not think of it last night while Mama and I were there because Mama did not plan to stay if there was sufficient help.

Since there was more than enough help, Mama and I dropped off the girls and spent the time at several stops shopping for items we needed to further prepare for the chicks as well as other needs around the farm and home. Tractor Supply, Lowe’s and Walmart were on the agenda and we managed to get to all three before time expired to retrieve the girls and get them home. I got in trouble with Mama right after we got to VBS because even though I had given the girls two dollars to buy rolls of pennies for the offering – which is a very big deal – I gave one of the boys five dollars to buy a brick to put in the offering. The offering is collected in two large tubs hung on a beam to serve as a balance. The heavier side wins the offering. Of course, bricks weigh more than rolls of pennies. Tonight, I will have to give the girls money to buy bricks.

Otherwise, Mama will really be upset with me.

Preparation, rain, culling

Since it would take me a couple hours to get things set up for the twenty or so chicks Mama ordered, we had to choose a night to get that done. A night that I would not be able to participate in Vacation Bible School. We chose last night. That might not have been the best decision, but that was the decision. With that choice made, I fed and watered and filled feed barrels as the sky grew more and more dark. It had been overcast most of the day, but we had gotten no measurable rainfall. I suspected that was about to change. With the thought of rain coming I elected to move a partial bale of hay out of the barn – where it has sat for months – and into the paddock for the boys. Rain tends to limit my tractor access at the barn. But we are out of the hay we have been measuring out to our herd and with the low rainfall there is very little to eat in their paddock. That choice of timing may not have been my most enlightened moment. As I was driving the tractor back to park it, the rain started. The forecast was for 0.03” of rain.

The fact that we were getting rain was a complete surprise. When that rain began to fall in earnest, we were shocked. We ended up getting two inches of rainfall. It was much needed and greatly appreciated. Of course, the once dry bale of hay I had retrieved from the barn was now thoroughly soaked. The boy goats will still eat on it for the next week or so, but I felt a little foolish at the choice I had made to get it before the rain started. At some point it would have gotten wet because I have no place to set it out where it would be protected from the rain. I never intended to supply large bales of hay to the goats, but I may have to explore that idea. The fact that the bale got soaked in the first ten minutes it was set out was completely unexpected.

Having been caught by the rain, I parked the tractor at the back of the property and headed to the coop from there. I had planned to be inside the coop working while it rained so as the rain began, I worked on installing our chick rearing cage in the coop. When I got to the point that I needed some hardware and tools it was raining so hard I did not want to venture out from under cover. I waited for fifteen minutes or so before I took a feed sack to use as an umbrella to get to the house. The rain continued for almost an hour. It would slack off then come again in force. As it looked like it was ending, I ventured to the shop and from there to the boy’s shelter. Had it not been for the igloo in that “shelter” all our goats would have been soaked. The force of the runoff filled the structure with water. The holes in the used metal roofing let a fair amount of rain drip into the roofed area. The lamb would not get into the igloo. He was soaked. Standing in the place of least leakage. I felt sorry for him. I have a lot of work to do if I intend to keep the boys in our herd dry.

Once I had the tools and screws to complete the work in the coop, I aimed myself that direction. It did not take long to get everything secured in place. I have set the coop up to be adaptable to multiple arrangements of roosts and cages. Mama was content to have everything in place for her chicks. They should arrive tomorrow or Thursday. My only concern is the issue we are having with snakes. I am not sure how to combat that, but I am sure we will figure something out when we need to.

Since we have one side of the coop closed off to the flock, Mama and I decided to do an experiment to see if we can determine who among our mature birds are laying. So, last night, Mama had me catch four chickens and put them in the isolated side of the coop. Based on the number of eggs laid, we can begin to cull our flock to get rid of the older non-producing hens. Since Mama has regular customers now, we need to be able to meet those orders consistently. This is the second step in that process. First, ordering replacement chicks. Second, eliminating non-producers from the flock. Mama really dislikes that part of farm life. But she did give me permission to process the older chickens if I would like to. First, we will offer them to Alex and his family.

Alex has always assured us that the older chickens make the best soup.

Cookout, sleepover, hurting

Friday night Trace called to see if we were still on schedule to get together for lunch or dinner Saturday. I had completely forgotten that he had asked when he and I talked on Tuesday night. At that time, he had asked if we could get together one weekend when he was home – which is not very often right now. Of course, I thought that was a good idea. Then I forgot about it. I am never sure when he will be home, so I did not put anything on the calendar. It is a good thing he called to remind us. Even though it took her by surprise, Mama was in favor of the idea since we have not had a cookout all summer. So, we got meat out of the freezer and set things in motion to get macaroni salad, potato salad and baked beans on the menu as well. Adding to the excitement of the weekend, Yilin and Cheyenne were scheduled to come over and spend the night with us Saturday night.

Saturday morning almost upset all the plans we laid out Friday night. Mama and I had set our sights on going bus calling Saturday morning, but when we got up neither of us were in any shape to go. I was hurting from a flare up of diverticulitis. Mama was hurting from a flare up of sciatica. We did not want to call off the evening events for the sake of Trace and Krystal and the kids. So, we pressed on. Mama took long rests between activities. I spent a lot of time in the bathroom between activities. I fired up the grill about 3 pm. A little later that we had originally planned because Trace had to take the family car for repairs Saturday morning and did not get home as early as he had thought he would. It all worked out. They came over about 5 pm. By that time all the food was ready. I fixed chicken breasts, boudin, sausage links (from our steer), hamburgers and hot dogs. Mama fixed all the sides. We had plenty to eat. Trace even asked if we were expecting another family or two. More than half of the leftovers were sent home with Trace and Krystal. Hopefully, Krystal and the boys will eat them. Trace heads back out this morning to continue the job they are working on somewhere in Kansas.

Yilin and Cheyenne came over about 7 pm. Alex dropped them off showered and ready for bed. Mama had started them working on diamond dot bracelets the last time they were at the house. They immediately went to work trying to complete their own bracelets as well as finishing one for Aubrey. That took an hour or so, after which we found things for them to do ranging from watching a movie to playing with a color by number app on my phone. When we put them to bed is when the interesting part of the night started. Cheyenne had spent the night with us before. She was ready to settle in and go to sleep. Yilin had not. Since my back was hurting, I was on the couch to start off my night. I heard the two of them talking, giggling and generally trying to stay awake until about 11:45. I fell asleep thinking we were good for the night, Not so. About the time I fell asleep, Yilin got up crying. Wanting to go home. She woke Victoria who told her to go back to bed, close her eyes and go to sleep. In what I can only assume was Victoria’s gently nurturing way. Yilin must have obeyed. We did not hear anything out of them for the remainder of the night. However, she and Cheyenne were up before 7 am. Mama and I slept in. Me for the first time in many days.

Both of us were still hurting Sunday morning but we struggled through church and lunch. After that Mama was done. Victoria and I went back to church that evening and stayed through the Vacation Bible School meeting following the evening service. VBS will start tonight. We will take Yilin, Cheyenne and Aubrey to all four nights. This will be one of those weeks where nothing will get done at the farm. Our focus will be VBS. But, when we put the Lord first, everything seems to work out.

The only pressing thing is the arrival of chicks Mama ordered. They should arrive Thursday. I will need to have one side of the coop prepared for them. In doing so, we have all the mature hens on the other side of the coop. It is very crowded, and I need to add more roosts to accommodate the greater number of birds.

How I will get that done and still make all four nights of VBS remains to be seen.

Moving day, Midas, shipping out, mowers

Today is moving day at work. It is a sad culmination to Think Week. So, as the day progresses, I will have to help get in order the new spot I will occupy. All of my current group is staying in the same room. We are adding a new boss who is going to be given a bigger desk than the rest of us. That is why my desk has to move. The only place to put the larger desk is where my desk is now positioned. If allowed, I will orient my new desk to keep me from having my back to the room. If not, I will adapt to the setting. I know from experience that it is temporary. All this will change again sooner rather than later. Plus, lurking in the background of our circumstances is the potential to be working for my own company. That is not as strong a potential as I would like for it to be at this point, but God is in control. Mama and I are anxious to be doing this fulltime, but we are playing it safe. Being patient. Waiting on the Lord.

At the farm, Mama and I may have to back away on integrating Midas in with his cousins. He is younger and smaller than all the goats in that area, so he is consistently being beat out of the feed. Last night I took a lot of time giving him special access to feed, but I cannot do it routinely. We will probably put him back in the kennel on his own until he is better able to fight his way into the feed trough. Possibly until we have taken the sheep to the market. Coal is a normal sheep. Skittish, paranoid. He is constantly jumping and running. Startling the goats every time he reacts that way – especially Midas. And Scamp is an aggressive little buck. Unwilling to share the trough or much of the paddock. The fact that Scamp is horned makes it more dangerous when he is aggressive to Midas. Besides, we do not want a scared, timid buck when it comes his time to breed our herd. Several of our nannies are standoffish and defensive. When they are in standing heat, he will be able to dominate them. When they are not, he needs to be able to exert his dominance over them. Starting him off on the timid side will not be to his advantage.

We do not have anything planned for this weekend, but I am hoping to put the canoe in the water tonight or tomorrow night. I have hesitated because I do not have life jackets. Since I no longer have the pride of youth to convince me that I am immune to accident or incident, I will not go out in the canoe without some type of flotation device. I have one on order that should come in today or tomorrow. When that comes, I will put the canoe into the lake just below our property. I will have to determine the best way to get it to the lake (which is a filled gravel pit) and then determine the safest way to launch it into the lake. In preparation for that I have been laying out wood to be made into fishing reel holders, paddle rests and trolling motor mounts. When I looked online for design ideas, all the afore mentioned projects looked fairly straightforward. As I discover more innovations that can be added and removed easily, I will work on getting those made as well.

Also, this weekend, Mama and I will begin shopping for a mower. The motor on the Bad Boy we have had for the last seven years is getting worn out. The issue I have with replacing the mower is that everything on the Bad Boy is still in excellent condition. Mama and I talked about replacing the motor and keeping it for use in the rougher grass areas. So, I looked up what a replacement motor would cost. That cost is $1600. We paid nearly $6,000 for the mower so replacing the motor for $2000 (labor included) would put us ahead in the long run, but we can neither buy a new mower nor replace the motor in the used one at the moment. Planning is the key to making the most of our money…when we have some.

Right now, we can plan to our hearts content – and use the mower until it will no longer run.

Jake, my chair, off-site

Mama was up very early this morning to get Jake to the airport. I woke a few minutes before her alarm was set to wake her, so I stirred her up gently. That gave her a few more minutes to get herself ready than she had planned which is generally a good thing. She likes to cut it close on timing no matter what the occasion. When it comes to meeting an appointment that will not accommodate tardiness, it often worries me. But things worked out. Traveling to Love Field in Ft. Worth is much easier at 3 am than at 3 pm so we were not worried about traffic, but you never know what might be happening on the busy roads we have around here. Mama was actually back home as I was doing my morning Bible reading. She had gotten there on time, checked Jake’s bag at curbside and watched Jake as he progressed through a very long security line. She had left her purse in the car, so she did not have her license with her. That would have allowed her to go through security with Jake. He is fifteen so he did not need the extra oversight. Mama just would have liked a longer, more formal goodbye. Jake seemed to enjoy his stay with us. He even began planning for next year as he was packing his final things last night. Mama and I are praying that the Lord will send someone across his path that will encourage him in the Lord. He has very little encouragement in spiritual things at home, so we are glad to have a change to encourage his every year. Plus, he is a fun young man.

When I got to the office this morning my chair was missing. I have an older, well used ergonomic chair but it is an ergonomic chair rather than a boardroom style chair. I have a rough idea why it was taken, but I cannot be sure. Yesterday I made some repairs to the arm rests using black duct tape. Now I have to use a very uncomfortable chair which does not sit up straight and requires my wrists be pressed against the edge of the desk to use the keyboard. It is not comfortable. I will tolerate it for as long as I can, but I am not sure what the solution is since it is the style of chair that is most common in the office. I should thank the Lord for the time I had with the chair that was taken from me, but the discomfort will eventually take its toll. I am not pleased at all. Added to the displeasure of the required desk move on Friday, I would venture to say I am even more anxious to work full time in our business. There are other things I am feeling in the background that alarm me, but I do not feel those are aimed at me personally. Just an unpleasant stirring. Time will tell.

I will spend the day off-site with my work group today. We are looking into the future this week. Trying to see where we need to head with training over the next decade. I have long been a believer in making a five-year and a ten-year plan, but I do not see the efficacy in trying to imagine things twenty years out. Too much can happen over that long a timeframe. But that is what we are tasked to do this week. Look twenty years into the future and set in motion the things that will put our company in the forefront of the industry over that expanse of time. I am all for setting a vision, but we better be ready to adapt whatever strategy is adopted as we actually try to meet the marked needs as they also adapt to ever changing conditions across the industry.

It should be fun to hear the ideas that come out today.

Organizational moves, poor spirit, money

Several things happened at work while I was traveling. I got a new boss for one. We are shuffling desks and personnel for another. I do not mind having a new boss. I like the fellow that will take that position, but he is my sixth boss in less than three years. As for the desk I will have, I am very disappointed about that. It will be positioned in a way that I am very uncomfortable with. I am not looking forward to that move. Hopefully, it will be short lived. Whether or not I am able to move away from fulltime employment.  At the very least, I expect that the arrangement of desks being set up on Friday will be changed by the end of the year. The layout is being designed for efficiency of cable management – phone and computer cords. It is not a design that will accommodate work efficiency. But we will experiment. I have definitely been in worse situations with office arrangements. The growing pains at this company are palpable. We will accommodate without too much murmuring as adjustments are made, but we will murmur some.

I was not much good yesterday evening. I was not feeling well physically or emotionally. One of those times when the lack of emotional energy leads to a general lack of interest in doing anything. One of those times when the emotional funk makes my back pain more noticeable and my diverticulitis more painful. Everything I normally tolerate was made less tolerable. Mama and I fed as normal. I watered the plants near the house. Then I sat down for the remainder of the evening and into the night. I told Mama it was one of those times that I feel weary in well-doing. Fortunately, we are promised to reap a harvest if we do not faint. But last night I felt faint. So, after I wasted an hour watching John Wayne play Davy Crocket, I got out my Bible and began reading. That helped. I did not know it helped until this morning, but it did help. This morning I am better. Nothing in my circumstances changed. Something in my heart changed. I can make it another day. This evening, I will have a list in hand to work off of. That should keep me on track to get something done.

Mama is encouraged enough about Midas – our little buck goat – that she is willing to put him with the other boys. He is eating out of our hand, letting us rub on him and generally handle him. He will return to the kennel we have him in with minimal difficulty when we let him out into the yard for some exercise. Of course, there will be a couple days of endless fighting when we put him with Champ and Scamper, but that is to be expected. Once we have all the boys together, it will make feeding a bit easier. I am laying out a plan to have water supplied to a hydrant in the boy’s paddock by this winter. So far, it is only a plan. We have no finances to implement the plan, but by this Winter, who knows. If I have a plan in place, I can move much more quickly once we do have the money in hand.

Honestly, money worries are the main reason for my bad spirit last night. We have burned through a lot of money this month. Joshua and Alicia’s wedding and our travel last weekend. Paying invoices on the houses in Lawton. Replacing a garage door opener. Paying medical bills as well as our normal living expenses. All these have subtracted substantially from our bank accounts. Oh well, it is a consequence of living and trying to start a business. We are not out of money, but we are walking close to the edge financially. If Aaron’s parents had not been so generous in helping with the recent travel required for Maggie and the kids, we would be much less solvent. It will all work out. Our business has two houses in inventory which will soon be sold. So, if we hang on for a couple more months, we should be fine. More than fine, in fact.

God is good.

More miles covered, home again

Mama, Jake and I traveled to Houston Thursday. It was an uneventful trip. I was teaching a class Friday at a hotel that was within walking distance of where we got our room. A very nice room, by the way. Jake is a good traveler. Not demanding. Rarely complaining. Most of the stops we made on the way were made for me and Mama. It is only a five-hour drive, but the stops added about an hour. Traffic added a little to the travel time as well, but I had all day to make the trip. Jake was not feeling well when we got to the hotel so Mama and I went on our own to Galveston from Clearlake once we got checked into the hotel and I checked out the classroom I would be using the next day. Everything looked fine. It was going to be very cramped, but I could make it work.

It was an hour drive to the beach – such as it was. Mama and I have been spoiled by the beaches in Florida. Pensacola specifically. But we enjoyed being near the saltwater for the sunset. I suppose it is a common misconception, but I had to keep correcting Mama when she would refer to the body of water as the ocean. It is the Gulf of Mexico. Growing up in Houston, a friend of mine was extremely anal about the distinction. Anal in a way only a teenager can be, but the distinction stuck with me. We stayed on the beach through sunset then headed back to the hotel. After all, I had a class to teach the next morning. It was late when we got to bed that night.

Mama got up with me Friday morning to help me get all the teaching materials to the class. I spent a few minutes getting seating arranged at the tables to accommodate the twenty people scheduled to attend. It was indeed very cramped. The group in the class had been in training all week. My class was their fifth day of training. I was representing the third OQ provider to this group. I had been warned by the admin – who also attended the class – that this was rowdy group. I was not sure what was meant by that remark until the class started. They were indeed a quite talkative, but mostly they enjoyed a vulgar humor. Raw, rude joking spurred on by the presence of a woman in the room who could give as good as she got. I had not been in a group of individuals like that since I left the plant in West Virginia. I had to shut down a couple of discussions before they got completely out of hand, but we made it through the class without me getting too embarrassed…or frustrated. To them, it was normal shop banter. In the end it all worked out.

While I was in class, Mama and Jake went to NASA. Since we were in the Clearlake area of Houston, we were only a couple miles from the NASA complex. I think Mama enjoyed the tour as much as Jake. Mama was worn out after a couple hours, but she hung in until Jake was ready to go. It was a great experience for Jake. We have managed to keep Jake busy this trip, but we lacked any unique experiences to share with him. NASA took care of that for us. Our travel back to the farm on Saturday was an easy, leisurely drive. We did not leave early. We were back and unpacked by about 6 pm.

Sunday was pretty normal. Great services with a long nap between. Great preaching. Jake even thanked the preacher after church Sunday evening. He does not get preaching in his life at home. Only when he is with me and Mama. He asked me to explain what the differences were in the Catholic faith and the Baptist faith. After I prayed about how to explain the differences, I used the Plan of Salvation, the Roman’s Road to show Jake where the two doctrines were based on the same precepts and where they diverged. We talked for over an hour as he questioned what Heaven might be like and how we can know for sure we are bound for Heaven. I can only plant or water. God will give the increase. But I am glad we were able to share the foundational principles of our faith. Right now, that is all Jake has to take with him.

Jake and Mama are going to Bowie today to meet up with Seth. Jake wanted to swap howdy’s before he flies out very early Wednesday morning. He has to be at the airport for a 5:30 am flight. Norman said he would be there too, but we are not certain that will happen since he has remarried and moved to Abilene. Jake just wants to make sure he makes all his contacts before he goes back to Florida. He is, like Mama, a social creature.

At the farm, the heat has pretty much shriveled up our vegetable plants. I will pick the last of the beets this afternoon. The blueberries are finishing up. The blackberries are doing well in spite of the heat. I am not sure if the fig will produce any fruit this year, but it is doing well in the heat as long as Mama and I team up on watering it. The larger fruit trees have managed well enough between waterings. My scrawny grape vine all but gave up. It is still alive, but not vibrant. We will have a couple weeks at home before I have to travel again. Maybe we can nurse our plants and animals through the typical summer heat.

Time will tell.

Last weekend, last night

Friday morning, we were all up early rushing to get to Mustang Island to see Joshua and Alicia exchange vows and jump out of a plane. That was scheduled for 11 am. It was a two-hour drive to get to the ferry outside of Port Aransas. You can rarely tell how long the ferry ride will take once you get there, so we were trying to make sure we allowed enough time to account for any foreseeable delays. That day it was a 45-minute wait to board the ferry – after more than two hours to get to the ferry. The ferry ride traverses a very short distance – about 300 feet. But it is the most common way to access the island. By the time we got to the island it was almost 11 am. We were still on time, but we need not have hurried. Joshua and Alicia had to wait until several other jumpers got done before he and Alicia could go. It gave all of us a chance to visit as we waited.

Chase and Makaila had driven straight to the airport on the island, bypassing all of us in Victoria. They left Owen with family in Amarillo so they could drive straight through the night; but they came. Surprisingly, they held up really well through the long wait and the reception. (They headed back after about an hour on the beach.) As we waited, all of us just tried to find a place to catch what breeze was offered as we milled around the hanger where the sky diving company had their shop. We had been advised to bring chairs for that time as well as for the beach.

Joshua and Alicia said their vows and donned their gear a little before 1 pm. By that time, we were all very hot. The heat index was a 106°. When the instructors told Mama that the temperature two miles up was 60°, she wanted to take the plane ride up with them. After a brief exchange of vows, Joshua and Alicia got into the plane and took off. Alicia was terrified but she stuck with the plan. After they made the jump, she wanted to go again.

The jump was sort of anticlimactic for those of us on the ground; exhilarating for the jumpers. It was over in about ten minutes after which we headed to the beach for the reception. It was a simple fare. Sandwiches, fruit, cookies, cold tea and lemonade. Plenty of ice-cold water. Mama and I did not get into the water, but a lot of the wedding party did. Mama and I packed everyone up after a couple hours and headed back to Victoria. We had nine in our Sequoia plus all the food left over from the reception. A snug fit.

After the ferry crossing, it was a quiet ride home. Almost everyone slept for the first hour. When we got back to the house and unloaded, everyone rested again. I had put some roasts in a crock pot before we left for Mustang Island so we would have something to eat when we got back to Victoria. A quick dinner of carne quisada and we were all in bed early-ish. Everyone slept in Saturday morning. Saturday was spent shopping for Cori, meeting with Steve Whidden and visiting the dojo. It was hilarious to see Zoe and Sophia outfitted with sparing gear. Walter was thrilled when Joshua put sparing gloves on him. Mama and I shared a hotel room with Cori and Victoria that night so Alicia and Joshua could have their bed back. They needed the rest. We needed more space to ensure everyone could get ready for church Sunday morning. There is only a single bathroom in their house.

Sunday we all attended services together at Western Hills – including Alicia’s parents and Brittany Pena. It is always fun to visit with fiends at Western Hills Baptist Church. There were 19 in our party. It added significantly to the congregation. Pictures after church. Lunch at Joshua’s house. Wedding gifts opened after lunch. Shortly thereafter, Victoria, Jake and Cori headed to Houston to drop Cori off at friend’s house. She had to catch a 5:30 am flight to Honduras Monday morning. Victoria and Jake drove back to Chico from there. Brittany and Andrew left about the same time to head back to Wichita. A short nap and Mama, Maggie, Cathryn, Walter and I headed back to the church for Sunday evening services. We did not leave the church until almost 9 pm. It is hard to say goodbye to our friends there.

Monday morning, we met Steve Whidden and loaded a canoe onto the top of our Sequoia. That caused us a few extra stops as I struggled to work with what I had to ensure it was well attached. At one point I had to open the sunroof and get under the canoe to cut a chain that held a lid for a compartment in the canoe. The lid had fallen down and was knocking against the top of the car. That was after I had to redo the straps several times, buy additional rope and rework the tie downs at the front and back. Each of those reworks in a different stop. By the time we got to West, TX I felt pretty confident about it staying in place.

Yesterday morning, I was back at work while Mama and Jake were loading Maggie and the kids up to catch a flight at DFW. All that went well on our end; however, Maggie and the kids missed their connection in New Orleans because of delays taking off in Dallas. They were loaded on a plane back to DFW to catch a direct flight to Wilmington. They had to be let off the plane first to ensure they made that connection. Which they did – just barely. I told Maggie if she could keep up with Walter, they were sure to make it. They got into their home airport about 11 pm. I am not sure what time they got home.

I walked into a mess last night because the A/C drain had plugged. That caused water to pool on the living room floor. Cleaning and repairing that took a lot of the evening but I did get it done – between watering, feeding and stowing the canoe in the equipment shed. It took some scrounging to find all the pieces I needed for the repair, but I had everything I needed.

Mama and Jake have the day off today. I think Mama has a couple errands to run, but for the most part, they will be at the farm today. Tomorrow we leave for Houston again. This time I have a class to teach in Clearlake; just south of Houston. While I am in class Friday, Mama and Jake will explore Galveston.

This has been a busy two-week period.

Begin the summary, Hopscotch to Houston

There has been a lot of activity since I last updated this blog. I will attempt to summarize the last five days while inserting a few relevant current thoughts as life continues for me and Mama.

Thursday, Mama and I, along with Jake, Victoria, Maggie, Cathryn and Walter left in two cars to begin our drive to Houston to collect Cori and her things at the airport. She was not due until almost 5 pm, so there was no hurry getting away from the farm to start the five hour drive to Houston. I think we pulled out of the drive somewhere around 9 am. Our first stop was for gas in Decatur. Our little caravan did okay until we got into Ft. Worth where we got separated in traffic. I took I-20 across the DFW metroplex while Maggie, Victoria and Jake took an alternate route. Maggie was driving Victoria’s car while both Victoria and Jake were giving directions. Well actually, Walter and Jake were giving directions. Victoria had given her phone to Walter as they traveled and every time the narrated navigation interrupted what he was listening to, Walter would loudly repeat every instruction the electronic voice had announced. Maggie was so pleased to have all that help while she drove. Mama and I ended up on I-45 about ten miles north and about fifteen minutes behind them. They stayed about that far ahead of us for the next hour or so. Meanwhile, Brittany, Andrew and the twins were leaving their hotel room in Dallas about the time we were getting on I-45 headed south. That put them about twenty minutes behind us.


By that time, it was getting near lunchtime. Since they were in the lead, Victoria would report back to Mama at every town they passed to alert her to the possibility of stopping to eat. We passed several towns before Victoria found a suitable place to stop. We took our time at the unique burger joint so Brittany and Andrew could catch up to us. We were going to be on time to meet Cori so there was no rush. We were less than two hours north of Houston when we stopped. We did not hurry through lunch. We were having too much fun with Zoe and Sophia.

Once back on the road it was just a matter of covering the miles to get to the airport, which was one huge traffic jam at the arrival area. Victoria and Maggie got there first and Maggie and Jake abandoned Victoria in the jumble of traffic and rushed inside the terminal to be the first to meet Cori. Cori had announced her arrival and kept us abreast of her progress through customs as we neared the airport. By the time Mama and I found a parking spot – fifth level at the very back – and got down the elevators to get to the rest of our crew, Cori had her luggage and was getting her first greetings. Victoria’s car, parked tight at the curb, was surrounded by other parked cars, so she could not have moved if she wanted to. Still, greetings were quick.

Cori had two urgent state-side requests. 1) Chick-fil-a for dinner. 2) Rita’s for dessert. Chick-fil-a should not have been a problem, but it turned out to be. There were numerous venues to choose from. Once again, Maggie and Victoria were out in front. The closest one was too small to accommodate us, so we looked for a second nearby restaurant. That is when we go split up. They headed south while we headed slightly east. Mama and I had Cori with us while Brittany and Andrew followed. We were at a Chick-fil-a within fifteen minutes of leaving the airport. I think Cori rubbed it in a bit while she ate Chick-fil-a for the first time in over a year. Nate and the kids could only imagine as they chatted while she finished her meal. Meanwhile, Maggie, Victoria and Jake abandoned us to wait at the Rita’s – about another fifteen minutes away. They waited almost an hour while we ate and then traveled to meet them. They were not happy, but we could have all been together if that had been the focus.

The Rita’s was in the tiniest possible location. It shared a building with two restaurants and a bar. The parking lot matched the small strip center design. Parking was a challenge for the two vehicles we were driving when we arrived, but we persevered and got Cori her Rita’s fix before we headed to Victoria, TX; still over an hour away. Mama and I and those who were with us finally got to Joshua and Alicia’s house a little after 9 pm. Brittany, Andrew and the twins, Cori and Victoria all stayed at a hotel. We were in bed shortly after arriving. We were planning on having a short night since we needed to leave Victoria to travel to Mustang Island by no later than 8 am. I was up at 6 am making sure the car was set up to carry everyone going with us. More on that trip later.

As for today, Maggie and the kids are packed and ready to go. They will fly out of DFW around 2:30 this afternoon. Cathryn and Walter have mixed emotions about leaving Grammy and her farm, but I think they are ready to go home. It has been wonderful having them with us.

This evening will be spent on yardwork and watering. We need to play catchup as Mama and I gear up to make another trip. This time we are going to Clearlake, TX for a class I will teach Friday. We have only today and tomorrow at home.

At least we are keeping Jake busy while he is with us.

Banking, traveling, our caravan

Mama and I were successful in our trip to the bank in Lawton yesterday. Cathryn and Walter each napped in the car as we traveled. Cathryn slept on the drive over. Walter slept on the drive home. Both were well behaved as Mama and I signed papers to start our account with the bank and initiate the line of credit. The timing was perfect for me and Mama. I had invoices to be paid and was able to pay them before we left the bank. Once that was done, we went to look at our houses and again were disappointed by what we saw. On the good side, there was tile laid throughout the Dover house. Floors in the bedrooms were prepped for carpet. Little else has been done in that house. Both bathrooms are still stripped to the studs – as we saw them over a month ago - and the kitchen has not been touched. Oh well.

On the Aberdeen property, new garage doors have been installed and a partition between the two garage door openings has been removed. It now has the two-car garage restored. We could not get into the house so we could not see if any other work had been done. So, with that information, we set our changing jobs date out further on the calendar. At this rate, we will not be able to make the trip to Honduras in September as planned. I may have to wait until October or later to quit my current position, but that is not a huge issue. It is disappointing as far as our initial plans are concerned, but Mama and I are learning as we go. We were told to be patient. We are proving that advice to be well spoken.

Mama, the kids and I will drive to DFW this evening to get Maggie. Cathryn has not expressed a high interest in seeing her mommy, but Mama has built up the expectation over the past couple days to the point that both the kids are now excited to see their mommy. Walter has mentioned several times that he would like to go back to his city. I am still not sure what that means to him. But a couple evening ago, Maggie was doing FaceTime with the kids and Walter asked to see his room. Via phone they did an inventory of his toys. That was the longest conversation I have seen him engage in. Cathryn misses her cats but does not offer anything more than that. Next week they will all travel home. By the time they get there I am sure both Cathryn and Walter will be glad to be home.

Meanwhile, Mama will get Jake tomorrow. He will have that day at the farm. Thursday we will leave for Victoria, TX. We will meet Cori at the airport in Houston on the way down. Brittany, Andrew and the twins will arrive shortly after Cori’s flight. That is, if the girls recover from the sudden respiratory illness they are suffering from right now. If not, Brittany will come while Andrew stays home with the girls. Because of the number of people in this entourage, we will have to take two vehicles to get everyone and their luggage to Victoria. If Brittany and Andrew get to come with the girls, they will rent a car at the airport and join our little parade. I alerted Mama to the fact that we will be arriving in Houston at rush hour so the trip from the airport to Victoria will take longer than the two hours it would normally take. All this while traveling in a caravan. I am excited already.

Years ago, when we would travel through Mexico with a group from the Bible College in Houston, we would do so in a caravan. There were typically five or six cars in our group. We had dedicated mission stations to visit and selected homes to stay in as we traveled. Sometimes getting through the cities was a challenge. It often depended on who was leading the parade. Typically, only one of the drivers would know the route. The rest would follow. There were no cell phones. No way to communicate when we got separated from the group; which often happened when one or more cars got caught at a traffic light that the lead vehicles had raced through. I remember my dad being very frustrated by that. So, when I travel in a caravan and have to deal with traffic lights, I try to time it so we all make it through the light together or we all wait for the light together. Sometimes that is a challenge. We will see how that works out in a traffic jam on the Houston roadways.

I will be teaching a class tomorrow and traveling until Tuesday of next week. It will be interesting to see how much will happen during that time.

Hot days, letting go, Lawton

The days are now officially hot. We have not reached 100° F yet, but we have been within a degree or two every day for the past several days. It looked like we were going to get some rain Saturday, but the storms passed us by. Many of the nearby areas got a quarter inch or more of rain but we stayed dry. This is good goat weather. They prefer dry and hot. I worked out in the heat most of the day Saturday. My eyes are still stinging from the sweat I was constantly wiping out of them as I worked. I went through two sets of cloths, but I was able to get a lot done while Mama and the kids visited with Grandma and Grandpa and ran a couple errands. Later in the afternoon, we had to make a run to Walmart to do some banking – the Wells Fargo located in Walmart is open Saturday – and to pick up a couple items for the birthday party Sunday afternoon. When we got back from that errand, I put on my second set of cloths and did the evening feeding before I went back to work for an hour or so. Winding out the day entering receipts in a tracking program I use. That took over an hour. I had let them accumulate for too many weeks.

Very late in the evening, just at dark, I went out to water. I decided to let the vegetable plants go. Even watering them each evening is not enough to keep them healthy enough to continue to produce in this heat. I am not sure how to make our garden more productive, but Mama and I are continuing to try. Right now, we have to give up on what we have planted, but we are getting the garden ready for a Fall planting. Maybe that will work out better for us. At least it will give us another opportunity to grow the pumpkins we could not keep alive in the oppressive heat. Anyway, our vegetables growing in pots are still producing, even the tomatoes. Mama and I have talked about going to pots only next Spring. That seems to work out better for us.

We had a birthday party for Walter Sunday after church. Seth and Gabriella came over. Mama and Victoria got to hold their baby while they visited. Grandma and Grandpa came over as well. We brought Yilin, Cheyenne and Aubrey home for the party, so we had a house full. It was quite a time. Mama and Victoria invented games for the kids to compete in using the balloons blown up for the occasion. It was a loud, fun afternoon. Grandma and Grandpa left after about an hour so Grandma could get back to her house to lay down. Seth and Gabriella left a little after Grandma and Grandpa. So, Victoria put in a movie, sat all the kids on the couch and Mama and I took a nap. When Mama and I were getting up, Victoria was making lunch for our five party goers. I got dressed and headed to church for choir practice. It was a good day. I think Walter enjoyed his birthday party. The nice thing about the house we have is that there is plenty of room for play. Even though it was too hot to take the party outside, everyone got plenty of playtime inside.

I am taking a ½ day vacation today so Mama and I can do some banking in Lawton this afternoon. I have waited to get this done, hoping we would finish the two houses with the money Mama have available, but that is not going to work out, so I am getting help. Fortunately, we will not need much help. Neither will we need it for very long. Once the first house sells, we will be able to work with the capital on hand. Whether or not we will still work with the bank to fund remodeling and repairs has not been discussed. I would prefer to work our business with cash, but I have not worked out the benefits or costs to working with the bank for those monies.

Mama and I will have to take Cathryn and Walter with us, but it is not a long trip; only an hour and twenty minutes each way. The bank requires both of our signatures so there is no way for me to make the trip alone. Mama feels badly for the kids because we will have them on the road every day this week. Today for Lawton. Tomorrow to get their mommy at DFW. Wednesday to pick up Jake at Hobby. Thursday to drive to Victoria, TX via Houston Intercontinental Airport to pick up Cori. We will meet Brittany and Andrew and the twins at that airport as well. From there we will caravan to Victoria – through Houston. Mama is going to love that especially since the flights arrive at rush hour.

Cathryn and Walter will be well traveled by the time they gat back home.

Early dismissal, the 4th, Walter’s bad day

Wednesday our company allowed everyone to go home at noon. A pre 4^th of July accommodation. Mama and the grandkids had been out that morning but were getting home about the same time I did. Instead of doing a lot outside – since we had church that evening – I used the extra time to take a nap. A rare use of time during the workweek. At the service that night, Pastor showed a video taken from YouTube. It was titled “The Star Spangled Banner as you have never heard it”. It was a very powerful presentation of what the words to the song reflect. What was seen by the author from the prison ship he was on during the events of that fateful night. The sacrifice made by American patriots to keep our flag flying in the face a brutal onslaught by the British Armada. It is worth the eleven minutes to watch it.

While Mama and the grandkids went to visit Grandma and Grandpa late on the morning of the 4^th, I worked on the new goat shelter. Instead of finishing the roof, I worked on getting the railing up on a little area within the shelter where I planned to put two barrels: one for the feed and one for the hay. I needed a gate and railing to sequester the goats from that area. I must have been working very slowly that day because it took me all day to get that completed. But, cleaning the barrels took over an hour. The two barrels I had to clean came from the barn. One had been used for feed. It should have been clean, but a possum had died in it and melted to the bottom of the barrel. The other barrel had some medicated feed in it – or I thought that is what it contained. When I opened it, I nearly vomited. The stench was horrific. When I got all the nasty contents removed, I found a lot of other things in the bottom of the barrel. Bridles, lead ropes, curry combs, etc. All of it ruined. I had to throw away the gloves I had been wearing when I cleaned that barrel. I had to scrape, bleach and scrub both barrels in order to reuse them. The worst of the two still sits unused, but the goat shelter is now set up for Mama – and whomever else is tasked with feeding the boy goats. Mama liked it. That’s what counts.

For the second day in a row, we all napped that afternoon. In fact, we slept so well we had to rush through feeding to get ready to meet our Chinese family for dinner. They had invited us over to celebrate the 4^th with them. Their first dinner at their new house. The food was wonderful. The company was great. In fact, Walter was enjoying himself so much that he forgot to go to the bathroom and was sitting in the yard playing with the rest of the gaggle of children when he peed his pants. He soaked himself thoroughly. Mama and I were embarrassed, but no one else seemed particularly bothered. However, when Mama, the other kids (all girls) were disgusted. When Leslie, Mama, Victoria and all the kids went to the park near the new house, I did not allow Walter to go along. That was punishment enough. While everyone was playing at the park, Alex and Yan searched for a pair of shorts big enough to let Walter change out of his wet clothing. By the time that was done and we were on our way to the park, the entourage was coming back from the park. Walter seemed satisfied to be back with the group. They all ran back to the house together.

To finish out the evening, Alex bought some sparklers. Mama had looked for sparklers but had not found them.
Both Cathryn and Walter were so worried as the sparklers burnt toward them that they almost dropped them. But we convinced them to hang on to the stem and watch. In each case their faces turned from sheer panic to absolute delight as the fire burned out – as promised. Later however, having been repeatedly warned that the sparklers were hot even after the fire had gone out, Walter reached down and touched one of the sparklers and burned his index finger and thumb. Yan applied toothpaste to the burn – which was not bad – and Walter was sufficed momentarily. I am not sure if it will blister, but I should hear later today. Whether he learned his lesson or not remains to be seen, but his only remark was, “I want to go back to my city.” Interesting statement.

I would like to know how that little mind works.

City slickers, travelers

Yesterday evening I could not get motivated. I spent some time in the kitchen getting fruit cut up for Mama. I spent some time getting bread cut up for the chickens. (Walter and Cathryn love throwing bread to the chickens.) I helped Mama figure out what to have for dinner and then get all that fixed, but I still was not interested in working outside just yet. But when it came time to feed, all of us gathered together and headed out the door. Mama and the kids went to the chickens. I headed the opposite direction to feed the boys. While I was at the new shelter, I did a quick inventory of the metal l had collected from various parts of the farm. It is almost enough to complete the roof. But before I could get started on that, I needed to help Mama get the evening feeding done.

When I went to the coop, where Mama was working on filling waterers, I was amused by Cathryn and Walter playing in the small puddle Mama had made at the yard hydrant. The kids had their gum boots, so they were bravely stepping the water. It was barely enough to show on their boots as they stepped one foot at a time into the puddle. But as they did, it got more and more muddy. Somehow that fascinated them. Keep in mind that the puddle was only an inch deep and not much bigger than a foot breadth, but Cathryn was holding up her shorts as tough they were wading into deep waters. As I watched, I slid my phone out just enough past the corner of the coop to capture the moment without them knowing. It was quite hilarious. Our little city slickers were getting dirty. What was more, they had permission to do so.

Twice Mama had rinsed the mud and dirt from the boots only to have the boots get dirty again as they stomped through the mud and dirt at the hydrant. When Cathryn tattled on Walter for getting his boots dirty once again, Mama replied, “It’s okay. We are on a farm. We get dirty.” “We can get dirty?” was Cathryn’s confused response. “Yes,” Mama reassured her. “Walter, we can get dirty! Grammy said so!” the enclosed video was captured right after that exchange. Walter was obviously more into getting dirty than his sister.

Once the feeding was done, I spent an hour working on the shelter while Mama and the kids played in the sprinkler. As cold as the water is that comes from our well, they have enjoyed playing in it none the less. Monday night Mama was spraying them with the hose. Last night we set up the sprinkler. I have no idea how this will progress through the week, but Mama will figure out something. After all, this is the only full week we have with the kids on the farm. Next week we will be driving to Lawton (Monday afternoon), going twice to DFW (Tuesday and Wednesday consecutively), and finally driving to Victoria (leaving Thursday). We will return from Victoria on Monday the 15^th. Maggie and the kids will fly home Tuesday the 16^th. Then Mama, Jake and I will head to Alvin, TX Thursday the 18^th. I will teach a class in Alvin on the 19^th and we will drive back home on the 20^th. Jake fly’s home either the 23^rd or the 24^th. I am not sure which. By that time, July will be all but gone. Cathryn and Walter will be gone. Jake will be gone. Back to a quiet house.

Not dwelling on that. We are enjoying having Cathryn and Walter with us. I had to go home during lunch yesterday to gather some parts for a training module being written by one of our technical writers. When I got there, Mama had both kids at the table playing with Play-Doh. It was their first time to do so. They were having a ball. Mama has accumulated a treasure trove of gadgets that are made to shape and carve Play-Doh. That made the experience all the more fun. I have a feeling that activity will be repeated each day while they are with us at the farm. Mama is a gracious host to children. Careful and attentive for the most part. Plus, she likes to play with Play-Doh. The mess it generates is generally well contained.

During the normal routine of the day, Mama managed to get Sam and Mocha to the groomers and then back home. Sam is shorn for the summer. He is much more comfortable without the extra three to four inched of matted fur. He looks really good. The groomer did not shave him too closely. That is good because he will get sunburned. Mocha on the other hand looks pitiful without the hair giving her more rounded dimensions. It will grow back quickly, but for now, she does not look like the same dog.

She looks like a short-tailed Chihuahua with the wrong head. But Mama still loves her.

Canine care, camo guy, watering

Mama set an appointment for Sam and Sasha to get shots yesterday morning. Both of them needed their annual rabies shots. After going back and forth on how to get the dogs to the appointment while providing a place for the kids to sit, she finally elected to use the Sequoia. I had left the racks on the truck until late Sunday. When the decision was made not to use the truck, I removed and stored the racks. Mama was not sure if she could get Sam and Sasha into the bed of the truck and she could not sit the kids in the front of the truck if the dogs were put in the back seat. So, the Sequoia became her only choice.

I am always curious how things will go when Mama makes these appointments, but everything seemed to go well. Sasha easily and willingly jumped into the back of the Sequoia. Sam required help. He is hurting badly in his hips. It is often difficult for him to get up when he has laid down. He still actively protects our property, but he does not stray as far or move as quickly. If we remain at the farm, we will have to replace him. That may happen early next year. I am in no particular hurry, but Mama is getting anxious. Today, she will take Sam to have him shorn. He is miserably hot carrying his very heavy coat of fur. Mama is actually a month late getting his haircut this year, but she has been very busy. Sam will appreciate the relief. Hopefully his fur has time to grow back before the first cold winds hit our farm a few months from now. It is always a race against the weather when we leave his mostly bare to the elements.

Walter and Cathryn helped Mama mow yesterday. Our poor zero-turn mower is about shot. The motor is about to seize up, but it still runs well enough to cut the grass. I do not know if it will last this season or not, but we will run it as long as we can. Anyway, Cathryn and Walter hitched a ride on the mower as Mama mowed. They thought it was great fun. With the mower struggling to run, it was moving slowly enough that the extra riders felt very comfortable. If it was operating at full performance power, they would not have enjoyed the ride so much. As for Mama, she dislikes the current top speed, but she is willing to live with it. Dinner was served in shifts last night to accommodate the mowing and the riding of the mower so, it was later when we went out to feed.

Mama found a couple loaves of French bread that had molded which I cut up to feed to the chickens along with some rice, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, and some peach trimmings. All that was placed in a red bucket we use to take the accumulated scraps to the coop yard. The kids love feeding the chickens; especially Cathryn. But what Walter did with the empty bucket was one of the most entertaining parts of the evening. Since he was dressed in camo shorts and had on camo gum boots, the red bucked became an army helmet. I was not able to get a picture of him with the helmet in place over his head, but it was hilarious to see – however briefly. Complete with his stick gun, he was an inspiring sight.

When Mama and I got to the point of feeding the nanny goats I asked Mama to be ready to help me move Coal over to the boy lot. I thought if I could get hold of his tail, we could walk him over. Once I did get hold of his tail, the fight was on. I wish we could have gotten a video of me hanging onto the tail of our hundred-pound sheep as he spun me in circles. He jumped and bucked and ran in all directions trying to shake me loose. I managed to hang on until Mama finally got his head restrained but it was a real rodeo for a few minutes. I don’t know what the kids thought. I could not take time to look. Mama and I were laughing pretty hard by the time we finally got his front legs up and began the long walk to the new paddock. Along the way, Coal protested. He lurched. He dragged his hind feet. He leaped upward. It was like holding onto an out of control pogo stick. By the time we got him where we wanted him, we were worn out. So was he. But he was happy to be back with the boy goats.

After that was done, we watered the plants. That is something Walter and Cathryn love to do. Walter thinks of it as putting out fires. I tried to explain that the water needs to go to the root of the plant. Not to the leaves. That the root feeds the plant. The root gives the plant water. That is why we water the ground the plant is growing from. The root is underneath the plant. Hidden in the ground, but it provides life to the plant. They are starting to get the idea.

For right now, they just like playing in the water.

Busy weekend

Friday evening Mama and I went to Bowie to retrieve our goats. Rick is confident that all the nanny goats are now bred, so it was time to bring them home. Mama and I dropped Walter and Cathryn off at Great Grandma and Great Grandpa’s house so we would have time to talk with Rick once we started the process of catching and loading our goats. All of ours were mixed in with about thirty of his goats but Mama spotted ours in the mix pretty easily. I was only sure which ones were ours as they came to us out of the group. Loading them was easy enough. I had attached the racks onto the truck for the occasion. I had to lift each one into the bed of the pickup, but they are not very heavy. That portion was completed in about fifteen minutes.

In addition to getting our nanny goats we also picked up the little buck we had bought last month. He was a bit more difficult to get hold of. He is not the overly friendly type. Once we got him into the pickup the fight started. The little buck, who we are calling Midas, began fighting with Aspen as soon as we set him down. It sounded worse than it was because of all the hooves thumping in the bed of the truck, but it bothered Mama in a really big way. About fifteen minutes of it sounding like they were killing each other, and we had to leave. Once we retrieved the grandkids, we took our herd home: via Dairy Queen. Walter had been fighting with Great Grandma through the entire visit, but Great Grandma seemed to be encouraging the interaction, so I did not say anything while we were there. On the way home I explained that he needed to stop fighting with or hitting Great Grandma. It was a long discussion. Whether or not the idea took hold will be evident the next time the two of them are together.

In preparation for the girls coming home, I had moved the Scamper and Champ into the new paddock before we left to get the rest of our herd. I did not try to catch and move Coal – our last lamb – because I will need help with him when we do relocate him to the boy side of the farm. He is very difficult to handle. I had planned on putting Midas with the boys, but Rick and Nancy suggested putting him by himself to get him calmed down and more used to us. Somewhere where he could not get away from us as we tried to handle him. He was put in the kennel in the back yard. It has worked out very well to have that set up and ready for whatever we need. It will take a couple weeks to get him used to us to the point that we could possibly show him. For that he has to be trimmed and groomed. To accomplish that, a buck needs to be gentle and calm. Willing to be fussed over and gussied up. Having the goats in three different locations complicates the feeding routine, but not overly so.

Saturday morning, we went to Muenster to get our pig meat. Mama and I were disappointed by how little hamburger we got in exchange for a pig, but nothing was specified up front. She is going to call this morning to find out how that decision was made, but what we brought home was enough to fill both freezers with meat. The kids had fun on the trip to Muenster and back as we drove over the hills along that route. Mama played with them like they were on a roller coaster. One particular hill is steep enough in each direction that it gives a little bounce coming over the top. The kids really liked that.

Later that day I got a serious start in the roof of the new goat building. Aside from the chicken coop, I have tried to build the outbuildings in a way that will allow them to be multi-functional. They are large enough to be used for cattle or horses if desired. I do not plan on Mama and I owning the farm forever. At some point we will need to sell it to simplify our lives and concentrate on our real estate business and possible travel. Those who own it after us can use the buildings for horses or cattle if desired. That day is far out in the future, but why not have a long-term plan as we build? I worked late into the evening Saturday to get as much roof on the new building as possible. I used up all the metal I had available on the farm but will need a few new pieces to complete the roof. There were some hints at rain as the evening progressed, but the rain did not come. There is no rain in the forecast for this week. Summer has arrived. I watered all the plants as it was getting dark. It was a long, hot, productive day.

Sunday was fun; especially Sunday night. We have the children of the church collect change each Sunday night, Walter really got into it. Staring down each row of congregants as he solicited donations. When everyone had given all the change they had, I called Walter to come into the pew with me and Mama. He complied but before he left the aisle he called out, “Anyone have any more change?”

The pastor loved that.