Hot weekend, new arrivals, how many more?

That was a very hot weekend. The hottest so far this year. Mama took a picture of the thermometer on the Sequoia as we traveled home from Decatur after dropping off our Chinese girls at their Grandma’s house. The reading – as seen – was 108° F. Trace and his family were at Lake Bridgeport that afternoon for a boat parade supporting President Trump. He said the temperature there was 112° F. I am glad Mama and I skipped the event. It was too hot to do too much outside in the afternoon, but Mama and I did manage to clean the coops that morning. The chore took us about an hour – maybe a little more – but it was way past due. Once that was completed, both of us had to change to dry clothing and rest a bit before we did anything else even though the morning temperature was about 82°. I did not tackle much else that day other than to work on a corner of the garage which had become cluttered with a huge number of boxes. I flattened and bound the thirty-five boxes of various sizes from online orders and took that pile and three bags of trash to the dump. 

The dogs were obviously stressed out Saturday. I have always been amused by our expression “a dog’s life” as an expression of degrading someone. Our dogs have a very good life. Mama and Victoria see to that.

When Mama and I were doing the evening feeding I could tell that Aspen was very close to delivering her kids. She did not get up to eat when I brought the feed out. That is highly unusual. She is almost always the first one at the feeder. By the time I checked on her late Saturday night, she had bedded herself down in a corner of the barn and was in obvious labor. Sunday morning, Mama and I got to introduce ourselves to her triplets. One male and two females. The coloring on the three is exceptional. Gray, white and tan. They will be easily sold – unless Mama decides to keep one. We are going to register the three and begin advertising them in the next couple weeks. We have to see how well Aspen does nursing the three before we make too much of an effort to market them, but we are very hopeful. We still have two nanny goats due to kid in the next couple weeks so there will be other babies to choose from as we manage our little herd.

Yesterday was great. Our pastor was back from a self-imposed quarantine. He had helped an elderly relative out and was told the next day that that person had the COVID bug. Like 99.7% of the people exposed to the virus it came to nothing. In fact, there are numerous articles coming out in the Liberal media reporting that the testing for COVID has been handled wrong from the beginning. More than 90% of those reported as positive should not have been counted as positive because of the extremely low concentration of the virus in their system. Additionally, the CDC produced the compiled numbers of those who died in the United States from the virus infection alone – 6,900 of the reported 181,000. The other deaths were related to the two or three underlying conditions the deceased patients had prior to catching the virus. As the truth slowly comes out, it will be interesting to see how those who have weaponized the virus against those of us who have already understood the lie of the lethality of the virus find a way to pretend they were on our side all along – as they ruined our economy and put us in bondage to ineffective Personal Protective Equipment just to test our compliance. This will soon be over, but the die hards will try to carry on in their quest to force our compliance. Power is a hard thing to let go of.

Savanna asked her mommy yesterday how many churches they had to go to before they came to Grammy’s farm? She was ecstatic that it may only be one more – Wednesday night. They will be traveling over Thursday. I am assuming they will make the drive in one day. It is about twelve hours total driving time allowing for stops and meals as needed. They will be with us a little over a week then heading to Victoria for a mission’s conference at Western Hills. Mama may go with them on that run south since they will be coming back to the farm the Thursday of that week. I have three classes to teach that week so there is no way I can get loose to go as well, but I am encouraging Mama to go if they can work it out. Even though Joshua and Alicia have moved to San Antonio, we have lot of church friends she can spend time with in Victoria.

Because of the very familiar people, t will be a fun trip for Nate, Cori and the kids, even if Mama does not go.  

I like this slide Victoria found:

Keeping track, a shift right, home businesses

It is finally Friday. Not that it matters all that much as I work from home. Sometimes it is difficult to keep track of the days of the week as I am working from home, but the weekend is always a pleasant prize at the end of each week. I have to concentrated on Wednesday’s, but every other day seems to melt into a blur. I do feel that we will be going back into the office soon. The hype cannot last much longer and there will be diminishing justification to keep everyone working from home – unless the company decides it is a best work practice. That can easily happen. It is hard to tell how much money the company is saving with the entire office staff working remotely.

I am starting to see clear evidence that the attitude of subservience toward the virus impositions are shifting right. More and more there is opposition to the harsh mandates being imposed. Many of which are unnecessary. Now even the CDC is eliminating the recommendations for quarantine restrictions when returning from traveling abroad and mask use in everyday settings. When I see people driving their cars with their mask on, I have to ask, “What are you thinking?” The CDC is now recommending that widespread testing be stopped and only those with symptoms be tested. That makes sense. When have we ever tested random asymptomatic people for the flu, or pneumonia?

There is a definite momentum away from the fear mongering of the liberal left, but it has not taken hold on everyday Americans yet. Especially those who consider themselves to be justice warriors and mask police. As that little piece of intimidation and over-exuberant assumed authority vanishes, there will be a lot of unhappy people wallowing in the harsh reality of life as we live it while exercising our freedom to choose our own protective measures. If every one of these mask enforcers always drove the speed limit and no more, paid very dime of the taxes they were owed and never once took anything that did not belong to them, I would respect their views, but based on human nature, I can strongly assume that is not the case. They will fudge if not outright break the laws they choose to ignore while imposing their self-righteous will on those “violating” the laws they support. Fortunately, we are almost out of this dark place in our country.

Mama and Victoria are certainly putting a lot of effort into their little businesses. I do not think they are getting much response right now. Everyone seems to be struggling as school has started and parents are trying to get back to work – or adjusting to home schooling, which I by far the best alternative. I was reading an article about a mom in Kentucky that was given a letter/form to sign and return to the school stating that she would not “listen in” on the lessons being given to her children as they were taught remotely. I am not sure why that would be a problem unless the content of those lessons were questionable to a responsible, reasonable adult. Very curious.

Anyway, back to the businesses. I believe there is some little increase in responses of late – after a very long dry spell. Mama and Victoria seem to be slightly more encouraged as they slog through the lack of response to their posts and lack of participation in their nightly games related to the business. Pray for them to have the patience and perseverance to make this business work for them. I am encouraging Mama to hang in with Color Street because I am impressed by their organization and their business model. Plus, they have a very generous payout schedule; better than I see in most online multilevel marketing businesses. I think of this dry spell as a respite during which they can sharpen their skills to be ready when things mover much more quickly.

I have few small projects lined up this weekend. Nothing big. We are forecast to have some brutally hot temperatures today and tomorrow. Over that past couple evenings I have worked to get a pig enclosure ready and I was able to complete that project last night…whether we are able to get pigs right now or not. From my perspective, it is helpful to see things completed as I use items from various piles of scrap around the farm. I will contact our neighbor this weekend and see if I can buy a couple pieces of drilling pipe he has stocked on his property to use for the large pig area I am rebuilding from the area we used before for pigs. I tore that fencing down because we had to rely on pallets to reinforce the enclosure when the pigs got larger. Very unsightly. Once that is complete, we will have a really good set up for a bred sow. Mama has wanted that for a long time. I may finally be able to give that to her.

Lord only knows what we are going to do when we have a litter of twelve pigs to get rid of.

Pig area, coop upgrade, class, a video

Tuesday evening, I worked on getting an area ready for piglets in case we bought one or two of the ones Mama found when we delivered the goats to our buyer in Weatherford. Mama had waited to call the sellers again until I had an area ready, but now that I do, we cannot get in touch with the sellers to see if they still have any piglets for sale. Regardless, the area can be used for any of our smaller animals whether pigs or goats or even a small calf. The nanny goats, who are very soon to kid, will need to be separated from the little ones about eight weeks after the kidding. So, the finishing the enclosure will not be a waste of time, effort or materials. From my perspective, it was nice to have the energy to get the enclosure ready to the point I was able that evening. I will finish it this evening. Plus, I got to use some materials that have been just lying around the farm at various points allowing me to clean up some areas as I got the enclosure put together.

Before I started working on the enclosure, I retrofitted a ceiling fan Mama and I had recovered from one of our rental houses and hung it in the East side of the chicken coop. On that side we have had only a bare light bulb while on the West side we have a ceiling fan with a light kit. Now at least, the sides are equally equipped. The drawback is that the chickens do not like the ceiling fan spinning overhead. It makes them seriously nervous. In fact, one particularly warm evening when Mama had left the ceiling fan running, the chickens would not go into the coop to roost. They found places to roost outside the coop. Mama and I had to take each chicken into the coop and put them on the roost after dark – as well as shut off the fan. So, why did I install the fan into the coop? Mama and I use the fans when we are cleaning the coops – just for the added air flow – and it got the fan out of my shop and put it into a useful setting. I thought about using it in the shop, but I do not need a light kit on any of the fans I will install there. The light kit causes them to extend too low. The coop was a good use for the extra fan.

I had a long class yesterday. It was a good class. I had only five individuals in the class, but all of them were talkative and well engaged. It was good for the most part to be able to teach again. My voice, which is a tool that grows weak if not used, was strained by late in second part of the class, but we made it through. Next week, I have only a short class to teach. That will be good since Nate, Cori and the kids will be with us that week. Fortunately, we will have a long weekend the weekend they arrive since the following Monday is Labor Day. I cannot turn the Wednesday class over to anyone that week, but I will be free to get ahead on our visit while they and some of our other children and grandchildren are with us next Saturday for Mama’s birthday bash; Sept 5^th. We are looking forward to the day. Regardless of who is available to share the day, we are going to make it special for those who are there. Life is busy for everyone, so taking a day to enjoy a respite is a break we all need.

This morning I was watching some of the videos posted on a conservative website from the Republican National Convention. The following four-minute video came up. In the video a Catholic nun speaks very eloquently about the imminent danger to the unborn in or country. It is worth a few minutes to view: https://youtu.be/WZrlXvNO9VQ. It reminds me of the sisters I worked with in a Catholic hospital when I was in a Lab Tech program at and the University of Houston. They were wonderful people. Firm believers in our Lord. I did not agree on some of the fundamental issues of the faith with these precious ladies, but I had to admire their faith, their sacrifice, and their commitment. Although I eventually dropped out of the program and reenrolled in a different major, my time in the hospital was a very eye-opening experience. There were several Sisters I prayed for for several years that their faith would be placed in Jesus alone for salvation rather than their works.

I may get to see the results of those prayer in the future.

The coffee bar update, an interesting video, back on schedule, planning

Yesterday evening I was able to get the shelf hung for the coffee bar. I did not think I would be able to do so because I could not find the wall anchors I needed for the project. It is not particularly heavy, but the shelf is not light. It weighs about fifteen pounds since it is made from oak recovered from a pallet. Once I did find the anchors, I started to line out the hanging process. When the anchors were in the wall, I put the metal art inside the shelf and tried to get the screws in place at the points provided in the metal art. That was a no-go. The washers welded into the metal art were inset more than an inch and I could not hold the frame, get the screw into place and line up the holes in the shelf with the anchors in the wall. It was very frustrating. What I ended up doing was starting all the screws in the shelf brackets, through the washers in the metal art to get all the screw in place before holding the shelf in place. Then, with the screws started I had to hold the shelf and art piece up and try to locate the first anchor in the wall. It eventually worked out, but it was a frustrating process to get there. All in all, it looks good where it hangs.

The only issue we had once the shelf was hung is that the hooks I put on the shelf to hang mugs were to small the accommodate the thick handles of most of our mugs. Mama and I will have to go to Lowes to get larger hooks before we can hang any mugs. The holes for the hooks are already made for those new hooks so it is just a matter of removing the small hooks and replacing them with larger ones. We should be able to get those hooks today when Mama goes to get Aubrey for her daily preschool lessons. Mama is having a little bit of an issue getting Aubrey to learn her alphabet – enough to recognize the letters in any meaningful way. Once we get past that mental block, she should learn quickly.

Bro Shaw encouraged me to look at a video that he was sent by someone who is a student of prophesy. The link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtATSQx3cjI  - will take you to a video produced in 2018 by a group who presents the idea that the entire timeline for human history (including the End of Time) is represented in the very first word of the Bible which we translate, in the beginning. The entire video is about an hour long but the drawing that accompanies the dialogue is so well done and entertaining, that the time passes quickly. It is worth looking at if you have the time to accomplish it in one setting. The idea presented outlines a very short timeframe before the rapture of the Church. Whether the timeline is accurate or not, we have to come to terms with the idea that the time we are here is a very short time and we must prioritize our work for the Lord above all else in our lives.

I am back on schedule as far as the training schedule for my work is concerned. I will pick back up on that schedule this week. I have at least one class per week. Some weeks there are two class scheduled and in the first week of October I am scheduled to present an in-person class in Houston on a Saturday. Hopefully, Mama will go with me to that class and we can go to Galveston that weekend. Time will tell. I missed two weeks in my schedule due to my medical issues, so the company is very happy to have me back on track. Those who scrambled to backfill me are extremely relieved as well. No one is more pleased than I am to be able to cover my schedule.

Mama is stressing out about putting together a fabulous day for our birthday bash September 5^th. We are trying to get some things together to provide games and fun activities for everyone who will be here. Covering the age groups is a challenge, but I am sure she will figure it out. Bounce houses are not available and the Laser Tag she was looking at is very expensive for the hour they allow to use the range they set up. So, we are looking at some unusual yard games and other activities. I am sure we will have fun. There is certainly a lot of thought going into it. Meanwhile, I am looking at the menu we will use during the time everyone will be here – much of which will be smoked or grilled. Accumulating those food items will be first on my agenda. It will all work out. We just have to plan our work and work our plan while we empty our savings to do so.

Just kidding. We have a budget for the event. That really frustrates Mama.

Almost normal, church, Walter, house guests

Last weekend was almost normal as far as my health issues were concerned. I was able to work Saturday as I typically would have in the past with the caveat that I did not do any heavy lifting. I will be restricted on lifting through the end of the week, but after that I should be able to return to normal. It felt good just to be able to function at near normal capacity versus having to sit down after thirty minutes of working. I used the tractor for a couple chores just to be sure I did not overdo things as I work my way back to normal. Several bales of hay needed to be moved for the goats and the calf, but I was not allowed to carry them to those locations. Instead, I raised the bucket to slide them into the bucket from the loft in the goat barn and dumped them in the required locations. It was not as neat as I would have liked, but the goats and the calf did not mind.

I was able to complete the shelf that will hang above the coffee bar. I had to make quite a few cuts to make the pieces for hanging the shelf, but I was able to make all of them out of recycled wood from pallets I used for the shelf itself. Once I got everything glued up and screwed together, I had to sand the shelf for a long time to get everything smooth enough that Mama can dust it once it is in place. That done, I put on the final coat of varnish and let it sit. By this evening it should be dried enough to hang. That will finish a project a long time in the making – mostly because of my medical setback.

Sunday, I was able to lead the singing for both services. Bro. Zach was very thankful to have me there because he was preaching both services and if I had not been there, he would have had to get someone to volunteer that morning. Or he would have had to do it himself. Since I pick the songs for the services, it is always a little unsettling to Zach if there is a song on the list that he is not overly familiar with. It was good to feel well enough to do my little part. Grandma went with us to the morning service. She enjoyed it thoroughly. I could tell as we were traveling home that she really enjoys church and misses it terribly, but she was trying to justify her and Grandpa not going to church. Grandma went with us because Grandpa and Norman was in Dallas working on a project for Norman’s wife, Casey. Sunday, if you do not go to church, is just another weekend day. Grandpa does not typically work on Sunday’s, but this week Norman talked him into it and with Grandpa absent Grandma needed some company.

Walter got an up close and personal introduction to the wildlife in Upper Michigan. He got stung by something as they were exploring. No one is sure what insect got him, but it left an impressive mark on the inner side of his upper right arm. Maggie called to see if any medical intervention was needed, but it did not seem so to me. But that diagnosis was made from a picture and a description of the symptoms. It did not seem that anything other than some Benadryl and loose clothing to minimize the discomfort was needed. He’s a tough kid for the most part.

We are crowding closer and closer to the time that Cori, Nate and the kids will arrive. Mama is slowly getting ready for that week. The spare room is ready, and the house is being continuously cleaned because of the shedding that is going on, which is slowly getting less and less. Especially as Victoria spends evenings brushing out the loose hair from both Kira and Kobe. The hair left lying in the yard once Victoria brushes the dog it looks like an animal attack took place in the yard. I know the birds like the extra hair made accessible to them, and I would far rather that hair be in the yard than in the corners of every room of the house.

Also, in preparation for house guests, Mama had Don’s Pest Control to spray the house and farm areas close to the house. He spent more than an hour putting down the chemical he uses – which does not cause harm to any of our animals. I think he put down over 40 gallons of the spray. I will probably not be able to tell if it makes a difference, but I am sure it will. Our animals will certainly know the difference. The outside dogs will be the most positively affected by the treatment. They were getting pretty overloaded with fleas. It was certainly time to have the treatment done. It had been over two years since we have had Don over.

I hope we are ready to entertain by the end of next week. If not, we will wing it.

Better, Scripture and song, Mama’s thinking

Having limited my meds, I am feeling better. Yesterday I got through the day without feeling like I needed to rest every little bit. I even got a couple little things done outside late that evening. That was a significant improvement over the past two weeks. My blood pressure is a little higher than I would like but the tradeoff is worth the risk for now.  Just having gotten back in from helping Mama feed, my blood pressure was 130/76. Not bad. If I can work with the doctor’s to get onto and properly adjust the dosages of the blood pressure medications they are wanting me to take – without killing me in the process – I should come out of this alright.

Mama and I have a habit of doing our Scripture reading every morning. It is a good habit. It keeps us in the Bible and allows us to read through the Bible each year. However, I still struggle to memorize Scripture. I have a lot of verses in my head and my heart, I just cannot always remember the reference of many of those verses. Fortunately, it is easy to locate the references by just using a Bible app on my phone. I have committed to doing better this year and I am making progress, but I am more inclined to remember the words to a song than to remember the address of the scriptures I know. That is why it is important to know songs of doctrine and faith that are based on the scriptures I am trying to learn to reference properly. I have been going to bed reciting (with their address)  and have been waking up each morning with a song. Today the song was:

I found a friend who is all to me.

His love is ever true.

I love to tell how He lifted me and what His grace can do for you.

Saved by His power Divine.

Saved to new life sublime.

Life now is sweet and my joy is complete,

For I’m Saved! Saved! Saved!

 

What a way to greet the morning!

This weekend, I cannot do much of the things I might feel well enough to do because of my lifting restrictions but Mama and I might make a rather long drive to pick up some hay. We will make the calls later this morning. The seller is about two hours away – East of us. We need the special hay for the goats otherwise I would buy hay locally. I hate to have to spend five hours just getting hay for the goats, but we have very few options to buy the hay we need any closer to us. At least, none that I have found yet. I have been feeding the goats some coastal hay, but they do not like it. They eat it only when there is literally nothing else to eat and right now, there is literally nothing else to eat.

I started working on a shelf for the coffee bar Mama and Victoria set up. I am making slow progress, but that could take a giant step forward this weekend. I have been running through ideas on how to mount that shelf and I think I have finally settled on a design I can live with. Other than making those mounts and getting the final coats of varnish on the wood, the shelf should be ready very soon. Mama and Victoria will be pleased. I will be happy to get some of the mugs out of the cabinet and hung on that shelf. We have way too many mugs but hanging some on the shelf will spread them out somewhat and help with the clutter I struggle with in the cabinet.

Mama was comfortably sitting in her office when she realized the time. She had set an appointment for Mocha to get groomed and was very close to being late to that appointment. Mama’s day is not measured in hours or minutes. It is measured in events. Today those events include getting Mocha to the groomers, getting Aubrey for a couple hours and cleaning a corner of the house. Those three events make for a busy day for Mama. Mama rarely allow more than three events on a single day. That, to her, is overwhelming. It took me a while to figure out the process by which she fills her day since my mind works completely differently. But I think I have gotten the thought process down on that scheduling process. I have learned to work her events into my day as part of my routine – which is set up in hour increments. An overwhelming view of a day for Mama. Together, we make it work.

I am hoping to be well enough to lead the singing Sunday. At the rate I am improving, that should be achievable. 

Dr appt outcomes

I had a doctor’s appointment this morning. It was a sudden appointment. What I found out was that the cardiologist who did the procedure requested that my primary physician do an immediate follow up. During my visit this morning, we discussed the exhaustion I have been feeling lately. The doctor and I agreed that the issue is that my heart rate is too low for me to function properly. That is a pharmacological issue. Right now, my heart rate is about 58-60 beat per minute while resting. That is a great thing. However, when I begin to exercise, that rate does not go up enough for my muscles to get the oxygen needed to keep me going. Within a few minutes of beginning to do anything that requires any effort at all, I tire so quickly it is very frustrating. My primary care physician is not inclined to make any change to my medications until I have done my follow up with the cardiologist, but she is completely okay with my experimenting with the dosages. I am okay with that. We will see how that works out I can make the adjustments I need to the doses of my medications to enable me to not so dramatically lower my heart rate.

Mama is out this morning with Grandma and Grandpa. They are doing their monthly shopping trip to Sam’s and WinCo. They have Mama drive them around Denton or Wichita Falls whenever that shop those two areas because Grandpa’s eyesight is failing enough that he does not feel safe driving in a lot of traffic. The way Grandma was feeling this morning, I do not think they will be out very long. Just long enough to get the items they need to stock up for the month. Lately, she has more bad days than good days. As I spent five hours lying flat on my back watching the clock slowly crawl through those hours, I can sympathize with Grandma about the length of a day when you are dealing with significant pain as well as immobility. Plus, Mama wanted to get few items we did not get Tuesday after my procedure. She is itching to do some shopping, but that will not happen today. Today will be minimalist, but it will still allow her to get a few things and take Grandma and Grandpa out for a birthday lunch. If we continue to do our shopping this way, I may actually save money.

As far as saving money, when Mama and I went to Sam’s Tuesday we bought a rotisserie chicken. When we got home, Mama would not allow me to help unload the groceries. I was forbidden to lift anything over a few pounds because of the wound to my groin. In getting the few items we bought into the house, she forgot the chicken. I found it the next evening. Needless to say, we did not eat it. The dogs got a very good treat. I made salmon patties instead of the chicken we were going to have with our salad. That turned out to be a great choice since Mama discovered she liked the salmon patties.

Victoria has me on several oils to try to lower my blood pressure. I do not know if the oils are working but I smell like I spilled a jar of spices on me. I am also amending my diet to lower salt and fat. A colleague of mine in West Virginia posed the idea that there was a nutritional triangle of fat, salt and sweet. Each food, he postulated had to fit into a balance of those three basic flavorings. If you were avoiding sweets, the food you had to eat would be heavier in salt and fat -think sausage or bacon, and deep fried foods. If you were avoiding salt, the foods available would have to be heavier in fat and sweet contents – think doughnuts or ice cream. If you were avoiding fat, the foods to choose from would be heavy on sweet and/or salt – protein bars, trail mix, and breakfast cereal. I am finding a lot of support for his idea. So, as I try to avoid all three of those basic nutritional varieties, fats, sugars and salt, there is very little available to me that has any flavor. I suppose bland is not the worst flavor for lowering my salt intake and my weight – think oatmeal with honey, or lightly oiled or steamed vegetables.

Not impossible to do, just a habit change.

Outcomes, prognosis, work

Concerning the procedure yesterday, everything went very well. Some of the people at the hospital were a little bossy concerning the mask issue, but for the most part, the staff were professional and efficient. Mama and I were there very early. My paperwork said I should be at the hospital by 5:15 am. We were there at 4:45. Unbeknownst to us, the day staff do not begin arriving at the hospital until 5:30 am. So, we had to wait a while. Once things got going, it moved very quickly. I was prepped and in the OR by 6:30. Out by 7 am. Our cardiologist met with Mama right after the procedure and explained that I have a fully occluded artery, 100% blocked, but the heart seems to be compensating for the loss of that blood low. That compensation is called collateral circulation. When a second doctor – called in to consult by our cardiologist – talked with Mama, he seemed to indicate that he would not recommend clearing the blockage. He left Mama with the opinion that that blockage was not the cause of the issues I was dealing with. Yet later that day my cardiologist called to let me know another cardiologist would be calling me to talk about doing what the doctor Mama talked to last was not interested in doing. Clearing the blockage. We will see how that conversation goes.

For now, I am nursing a small incision in my groin, just below the belt line on my right side. It is uncomfortable but not debilitating. I have to be aware of the wound for several days and avoid lifting anything over a very light weight to avoid rupturing the site, causing me issues I do not want to deal with. As far as dealing with the overall health issues I have been dealing with, one doctor says the blockage is not the issue while another doctor seems to say clearing the blockage will give me very obvious relief. Meanwhile, Victoria, Mama and I are going to try herbs and oils as well as changing up the dosages of the medicines I am taking. Today and tomorrow, I will not take my prescribed blood pressure meds. Friday I will begin with a half dose of one of the two meds. I did discontinue one of the two last week, but Victoria thinks it is the one I should be taking and foregoing the one I continued. On the bright side, it is somewhat doubtful that my heart is the issue. Were it not for the conflicting opinions, we would have a better prognosis, but that will all work out in the next week or so.

On the not so bright side, I am not sure what to do for work. They still need me to teach a class every week through the end of the year. I was not able to teach last Wednesday or today. I am hoping I will feel better quickly as we change my med doses. The other alternative is to try a different medication. But the overarching need is a drastic lifestyle change. I am praying that the Lord will help me learn to like the food items that are good for me and switch my taste buds to actually like those things. I cannot imagine myself craving a cucumber or desperate for a salad. I cannot imagine myself gagging at the thought of eating pizza or grossed out at the thought of eating a steak, much less fried chicken. Reconditioning my taste buds will require some work on my part but I am not too late as far as my heart is concerned to capitalize on that change. It will all work out to God’s glory and to my good at some point. I just have to decide that it is worth the effort. I told Mama I am not concerned about my mortality, but I am concerned about my legacy. What I leave behind me when I go.

The nurse that worked on me through the discharge process, Jain (pronounced Jane) was of obvious Eastern Indian descent. As we chatted about the discharge he asked if I was Pastor. I told him I was not but was active in our local church leading the song service. He told me he was a born-again Christian, having gotten saved in Southern India, which is predominantly Orthodox Christian. He got saved after hearing the Gospel presented clearly to him. Something the Orthodox Church is not famous for allowing.  He speaks five languages fluently. English being his newest language. It was pleasant to carry on the conversation as we worked through the paperwork. It was good to be a witness and encouragement. It was good to be easily recognized as a believer in Christ.

Mama and I were out of the hospital about 1 pm. We ate a leisurely lunch at Cheddar’s and shopped a little bit at Sam’s. I had to leave Mama to finish up the shopping because my surgical wound was hurting too badly to keep walking. Once we were home, I laid down and slept until 6:30. Today I am uncomfortable but not hurting badly – as long as I sit in a way that does not put undue pressure on my wound.

We will see how the rest of the week goes.

Goat delivery, news from Lawton, Pastor quarantined, rain

 

Mama and I headed out Saturday morning to meet our buyer for the two goats Mams sold– our little male and one of our young females. Bonny, the buyer suggested we meet on the parking lot of Target in Weatherford. It is about an hour drive for us. A little less for her. We go there in plenty of time. Enough that I could run Mama to the Lowe’s adjacent to Target and let her use the bathroom. When we got to the part of transferring the goats to her vehicle, they were a mess. The little male had peed – a lot -  in the crate and must have spent the entire trip laying in his own urine. He was a mess. The little female had also peed and pooped in her carrier, but was not as wet or as messy as the male. It was just plain nasty getting them from the crates in the back of the truck into the crate in the back of the buyer’s car. My gloves were soaked with urine by the time I had handled both of the goats over to Bonny, but she was very happy with the goats. Bonny has the Texas bloodline of the myotonic goats. We have the Tennessee bloodline. In the near future we are going to trade some young ones to get into the Texas bloodline. That should be fun.

After the goats were dropped off, we went to lunch. I was not excited about eating since right now nothing has much flavor to me.  We also did a little shopping while we were in a place to do so. Mama got an organizer she had been looking for and a couple other little items. The organizer was not marked with a price so we had to wait at checkout to fund out he cost. I am not sure if the store employees were communicating clearly on the item because we got it for about a quarter of what we expected. We did not argue.

We did not stay long in Weatherford even though Mama’s shopping drive had fully engaged. I was not up to doing too much. I was ready to go home. However, on the way to Weatherford, I spotted a sign advertising Duroc piglets for sale. We went home the way we had come so we could find the place again and thought we had missed it. It was further out from Weatherford than either of us had remembered but we found the place and got the number. Mama called to see if they had any piglets available. They do. We may get a couple. We will see. Mama and I both miss having pigs on the farm. We are going to wait and see how things go tomorrow before we commit to anything else to care for in our feeding routine.

After several texts to Glenn, we got word back finally. He told us that this week our home on Dover Ave in Lawton will be complete and ready to be rented. In my last text to him, I let him know that I am going in for heart surgery tomorrow and was wondering if anything happened to me, would Mama have any income coming from our two houses in Lawton. He was inspired to respond to that text. Anyway, we are making progress albeit very slowly. Our coach told us when we first started this journey, be patient. She was right in that. I cannot argue with the pace of the progress. Right now there is nothing I can do to help hurry it along.

I went to church yesterday morning. It was more of a struggle than I had thought it would be. I did not attempt to lead the singing. I had to lay down as soon as we got through with lunch. I slept for almost four hours. That afternoon Pastor called to tell me he had been exposed to someone with the COVID virus and would be in quarantine for two weeks. He had helped a relative move over the weekend. That relative was suffering from pneumonia. It was not until he got to the hospital and was tested for COVID that he realized he had that infection as well. We will be praying for him and our pastor. Our main concern is for our Pastor’s wife, Joyce. She is terrified of getting COVD. We are certainly praying the he does not get it.

I stayed home last night. I was able to listen to the entire service online. It was a great service. Pastor had an evangelist preach and sing last night. He was entertaining and instructional in the message he preached. It was not the same as being there, but it was better than missing entirely. I hope to be leading the singing next Sunday. We will see.

Just as Mama and Victoria left for church, a storm started to blow through. It was a fierce one. The winds were over 50 mph, blowing in from the East. The temperature dropped from 103° to 76° in about thirty minutes. The rain came much later. Mostly overnight. We ended up with about a half inch of rain in total. That was a blessing – especially with the lower temperatures. Any rain we get in August is appreciated.

Mama and I will be leaving the house at 4 am tomorrow. My procedure is scheduled for 6 am. Hopefully, we will know a course of action from that diagnostic work. Hopefully.

My flame thrower, pre-op, weekend

I got the idea yesterday that since the grass in the gravel area beside the garage had been effectively killed by the week killer I sprayed in it, I should be able to burn away the stubble to get the gravel to show. Years ago I had bought an attachment for a propane tank that essentially turns it into a flame thrower. So yesterday evening I set out in search of that attachment. I was stumped for a while but eventually found the pieces and reassembled it. Once I got it attached to the propane tank, I tried it out. It worked beyond my expectations. I still will need to scratch the charred grass to fully expose the gravel once again, but it will make my work easier in the future as I battle the grass that is far too willing to grow in the gravel. I do not remember using the device in the past, but it will help here at the farm. I made sure I had a charged hose nearby just to ensure the burning did not go too far past where I intended it. It was a success overall. I needed a small success.

I made it through the pre-op in fairly record time considering they registered me and collected a partial payment, drew blood, did a CODID test and took x-rays. Mama was a little disappointed to have very little time to shop, but she dealt with it graciously. I did not want to stay in Denton any longer than necessary. I had not asked for any time off and I did not want to presume upon the grace offered me by my employer to make these appointments. Next week, I have scheduled the time off – one day. If it takes more time than that, we will work that out as needed. So far, the hospital charged me $2050 for their part just to allow the test to be performed. That does not include any of the doctors that will take part in that event next week. I had to wear a mask the entire time I was at the hospital, but I kept it below my nose until I was asked by the radiology tech to put it over my nose. I complied but I took off my glasses when I did comply. That was the only time anyone said anything.

I was asked if I was Dr. timothy Kline by the two nurses taking my blood and doing the initial testing for pre-op. They were worried especially after the nurse taking my blood missed the vein in my right arm. When I told them I had been a phlebotomist (the person who takes blood samples) they were really worried I was the doctor in question. I assured them I was not and that I was not offended by her missing on the first attempt. But I thought it was a funny situation.

This weekend will have some activity added that we are not normally engaged in, mostly in the delivery of the goats Saturday afternoon. Making that meeting will take a good chunk out of the day tomorrow. I have nothing else planned but I would like to make some progress on the shelf/frame I started for Mama and Victoria’s coffee bar. With the required applications of varnish needed, it will not be finished tomorrow, but if I can make any progress on that project, it would help. The temperature is forecast to be 105° or more. 107° is the forecast for today but we are not seeing that rise in temperature so far. It is hot, but not as hot as forecasters have predicted. It is also dry. We have a slight chance of rain Sunday and Monday, but it is only a small amount. Any will be appreciated, but we are not setting our expectations high.

If time and energy allow, I am looking at getting some rock and gravel from the quarry. I also need to move some more of the concrete pieces we have at the back of the property into the paddocks so the goats can play on them, but that may have to wait until I have help. Actually, both of those tasks may be more than I can handle right now – especially in this heat.

I do plan on going to church Sunday. At least Sunday morning. That remains to be seen. I will not be able to lead the singing, but I would sure like to be there. If I feel as well as I did this morning, it will be possible. I just do not feel that well for very long. My strength ebbs away quickly as soon as I start moving about and if Saturday wears me out, Sunday will be questionable.

Time will tell.

A good night, pre-op, deliveries, Maggie’s B-day

We had a good night with Rosalee. Mama put her down a little after 8 pm. She fussed a bit but fell asleep within a few minutes, waking this morning at 8 am. Mama and Victoria treated her ears last night and it seemed to help. She is acting like she feels better this morning. She is a happy baby in the mornings as long as you do not ask too much of her. She squirms around on Mama’s lap for a half hour each morning, then gets down to explore.

So far, she has been more interested in keeping close to Mama than in entertaining herself with the many toys we have available in the living room. We are still not able to get her to eat or drink much. That is problematic but I suppose she will eat when she gets hungry or we offer her something she really likes. Unfortunately, we do not what food items she favors. A few bites here and a few bites there is all she takes in. Her not drinking is more problematic than her not eating. Mama is a little more aggressive on that issue, but she is making little headway. Again, since we do not know her preferences, we are experimenting with different offerings. Mama will take her back to Gabriella later this morning. We will miss her.

I laid down last night at the same time that the baby did. I was up before she was but not by much. We stayed home from church last night. I did not have the energy to get ready to go. I needed to water the plants I try to care for every evening because today and tomorrow are supposed to be very hot – over 105° - but I did not have enough energy to do so. I will try to catch up tonight but that remains to be seen. I cannot miss too many evenings, or I will lose the trees and bushes I am trying to baby through the heat and drought. That is why I am hoping that I do not have to stay in the hospital after my procedure. Mama will not trade my health for a few plants, but I worry over them none the less. If I am not able to water them, there is little chance of them getting watered.

Tomorrow morning Mama and I have to be at the hospital for my pre-op bloodwork and surgery-day instructions. The timing is awkward, right in the middle of the morning, but we will make it work. My management has been very generous to me regarding the time I need to make it to these appointments, so I will not have to use personal time off for the appointment. That helps. I am actually looking forward to getting this procedure done next Tuesday in spite of the risks. I’m anxious to find out what is going on so we can treat the issue. If, in fact, it is treatable.

Saturday, Mama and I are delivering two goats to a buyer in Weatherford. It will not be a long trip, thankfully. Mama was working with another buyer who wanted two of our little girl goats, but we have not heard back from that buyer. We all have busy lives to live while we take care of our animal herds. If that sale goes through, we will have done very well marketing our goats this year. Even if that sale does not work out, we will have made significant income from selling goats. The sales we have completed so far will pay for a half year’s supply of feed for all the animals we have on the farm. That is a pretty good tradeoff for our small farming operation.

Today is Maggie’s birthday. I do not know which one, but I know the date. Hopefully, her husband and children give her a special day. Happy Birthday Maggie.

Baby in the house, class, Grandma, life with Mama

Mama and Victoria kept Rosalee, Seth and Gabriella’s baby, last night. She is not a hard baby to keep. She is busy. She is very mobile. She is attentive to Mama – always looking for approval or disapproval. I am always a little amazed at how well she takes the step into the living room. It is not a big step but most toddlers struggle to get up and down at the step. Even Trace’s Savanna sits down to make the step down. Rosalee simply takes it in stride. Often not even slowing down at all to make the step down. I have stopped panicking as she walks at a brisk pace to the step and steps down without seeming to even notice the elevation change; never looking down to gauge the step. That and the fact that she loves Kobe and Kira makes it easier to keep her than other babies we have from time to time.

Rosalee is teething right now so getting her to sleep was a challenge, but once she relaxed in Mama’s embrace, she fell asleep and slept through the night. Because of the pain in her mouth, she is not wanting to eat or drink, so Mama and Victoria are using all the tricks they know to get her to take in some fluids. She is a very smart child. So far, she seems to know only one sound to verbalize, but she understands most everything Mama and Victoria say to her – even though she is fairly slow to respond to those requests. She is not hesitant because she does not understand. She is slow to respond because she is not often made to follow any commands. At least, it would appear so. Mama and Victoria are working on that slowly and gently. In Mama’s mind, this is a trial period to determine whether or not she would be able to keep Rosalee should Gabriella go back to work. In my mind, that obligation is not merely a question of Mama’s physical ability to meet the constant demands of a toddler in the house, but also the time it would claim that is now spent on her business. We will see how all that works out.

The management at my company worked hard yesterday to find someone to teach the class this morning. I am not sure who they got to fill in. I was not told, and I did not ask but the course is covered. I am glad I arranged for the replacement. I am not doing so well this morning. Not nearly well enough to teach a day-long class. Even a shorter class would not work for me today. Thankfully, I can muddle through at home sitting in front of my computer. Only a few more days and we will know a bit more about my condition. Maggie, as we talked last night, suggested I go to the emergency room and hurry the process, but I am not inclined to do so. All things will come in the proper time – unless I worsen so much that I have to get help prior to the scheduled date. At this point it is a toss-up whether I can wait for my appointment. From my perspective, it is better to wait on the heart cath as the initial diagnostic procedure versus letting a hospital doctor force me through a battery of mostly unnecessary and always expensive tests while the hospital gets the most out of my unscheduled stay. I am not willing at this point to yield myself to someone who does not have a clear path forward concerning my health.

Mama is taking Grandma to a reflexology appointment today. It cannot hurt. In the shape Grandma is in, it will at least bring her some relief even if it offers no long-term solution. She has always loved having her feet massaged. They will take the baby with them to the appointment. That should afford me some peace and quiet for an hour or so. Such is the challenge of working from home. It is not something I have to deal with every day like many of the young mothers that are employed by my company – and it is not an unpleasant distraction. Especially as much as Mama loves having a baby around. It is a fun interaction for her, so it is a fun interaction for me to watch. Part of loving life with Mama.

Chase called and spent a few minutes talking to Mama yesterday. That pleased Mama. Chase, and I suppose Joshua as well, was unaware of the health issues I am dealing with right now. That is kind of sad. In our interactive and highly connected world it is very easy to connect – by phone, text, social media, etc. Unless you choose to stay out of the loop. Other than this blog I am not among the connected. I depend completely on Mama to make those connections. If anything happened to Mama I would have to learn, but I am not inclined to make that effort otherwise; especially since Mama loves the continuous contact.

Why change anything now? It is working so far. 

Some better, anniversary, poor timing

Just as yesterday was an improvement over Sunday, today seems to be a little bit better than yesterday. Not by much, but every little bit is appreciated. Even though I was feeling somewhat better yesterday, I had to lay down after Mama and I got through with the evening feeding. I ended up sleeping almost an hour. Meanwhile, Mama and Victoria – who had just gotten home from work – headed to Bridgeport to meet with Mama’s Color Street mentor to learn about different pay methods available through Color Street. Or something along the line. I tried to describe the way I am feeling to Mama, but it does not make much sense to anyone not experiencing the issue. I do not feel weak. I just feel exhausted. I can summon up the energy to throw around 50-pound sacks of feed – for a few minutes. Those bags of feed do not feel any heavier than before. I have the strength, I just run out of energy very quickly. Even though I do not feel as exhausted as I did yesterday, I can sense that I am not well. Not strong.

My biggest concern at the moment is the class I am supposed to teach tomorrow. I do not want to admit that I may not be able to do eight hours of lecture in a face-to-face setting, but I may not be able. The issue is, I will not know for sure unless I try. So, which is more frustrating and embarrassing, to try and fail or to admit I may not be able? Which is better for the company, to ask for backup or to risk poorly representing my company? I have to err on the side of bowing out and hoping someone is available for the class. I am anxious for this to be over but at the very least, I will have to wait until next Tuesday for the heart cath to, hopefully, reveal a clear path forward. If that procedure were not already scheduled, I would be very tempted to drag myself to the emergency room and get something done.

Today, if my notes are correct, is Maggie and Aaron’s anniversary. I do not know which one, but it has to be more than six. I think. Congrats Maggie and Aaron, which ever anniversary this is. I would be interested to know how many times they have moved in the years they have been married – including their most recent relocation. Since that seemed to be a topic of much discussion between Maggie and Brittany before they married and began their own series of moves. Given the opportunity, I will make certain my grandchildren and I have long discussions about that. Payback is fun.

The Lord has been really blessing our farm lately. Mama received payment for two goats this morning. We will meet the buyer Saturday in Weatherford. She is also working with another buyer for the sale of one of our little girls. That will bring us down to a manageable number of does (8) and bucks (2). We were praying that the little buck we held back from the sale in Bowie would go to a good home. Now he is. He is small, well formed, beautifully marked and a great myotonic fainter. I am glad we held him back.

Mama called, at my request, to see how far out the schedule was at the meat processors to get a couple lambs processed. Our hope was that we could buy two lambs and have them processed before Nate and Cori got here. Sadly, that is not going to happen. The earliest date they could offer us was mid-November. Not overly surprising, but the timing was a little disappointing. For the cow we have at the farm, the date for processing her is November of 2021. Mama and I were shocked. We expected a couple months out for the beef, but not 18 months. We went ahead and set the appointment, but it may be a challenge to remember to keep it.

This is a strange new world we are living in.

Rough weekend, Mama, Maggie’s move

Saturday was a struggle for me. I managed to get a couple things done other than feeding and watering, but not much. Mama and Victoria made it home later that evening. By then I was spent. They had a wonderful visit with Brittany and the girls. Sunday was an entirely different story. A soon as I was up, I realized something was not right. I was not sure what, but I did not seem to be able to function properly. After I helped Mama do the morning feeding, I had to lay down. I slept until 2 pm. When I took my blood pressure that afternoon it was 100/60. It seemed like a chore to get from one area of the house to another. I missed both services. I missed most of the day. I slept most of the afternoon and all last night.

Unfortunately, I do not feel much better this morning, but my blood pressure is approaching normal. Mama, Victoria, and I think my episode yesterday was brought on by one of the two blood pressure meds I am taking. That is sheer speculation on our parts because I have been taking that med for months now without the issues I had yesterday. I discontinued that medication today so we will be able to see if that makes a difference in my energy levels and my blood pressure. I have today and tomorrow to heal up in order to teach a face-to-face class Wednesday. Should I not recover sufficiently be then, we will have to scrounge to find a replacement instructor for that class. Friday is my pre-op work at the hospital and next Tuesday is the heart cath. After that we should have a more insightful diagnosis as to my current malaise. I hate feeling useless, so I helped Mama with the feeding this morning. Maybe I should not have.

Mama has a lot on her plate over the next few weeks. We are getting ready for the September birthday bash we are planning.  Most of the pressing issues deal with getting the house ready for visitors. Sadly, I may not be much help to her for a few days. I seem to be on an increasingly declining slope with my heart condition. If that is the root cause of why I feel the way I do. I told Mama the other night that my biggest fear is that we will come out of the procedure and be told that it is bad, but not bad enough to do anything about yet – like I was told about both my back and my colon. I do not expect that kind of report, but I have been disappointed before.

Back to Mama, with the first week of August being her best week ever, she is excited to see how she can keep that momentum going. (Meanwhile, I am anxious to see if I can get any momentum going.) She has a good bit of follow-up planned today as well as planning several live broadcasts. Her and Victoria’s time with Brittany encouraged her to really get her business growing. She would like to have the money to do more for her children and grandchildren. Her groups are growing larger by the week and she has been able to make great contacts in several new areas of the United States. The missionary wife in Mexico that is helping her with a party among her friends in Mexico and the United stated has been a real inspiration to Mama. It is fun to see Mama grow in this area of her life.

Maggie and Aaron spent the weekend exploring their new home. They are liking it so far. They attended their first service at a church in their town. I think they liked it as well. But this morning, Maggie found out that their belongings will not get there today. Needless to say, she was upset – especially about not having her bed. From what I could gather from the conversation she and Mama were having, the movers were being pretty vague about here their stuff might be. That can be troubling, but there are not many times movers lose all the items the are transporting. When we relocated to Amarillo from New Jersey, the movers had to write me a check for about $4000 to reimburse me for items not accounted for upon delivery. Like Maggie and Aaron, not much of our stuff was worth stealing – even though it was valuable to us. We are praying that the movers will get their act together and get their belongings to them soon. Perhaps today or tomorrow. God is certainly willing and able. Sometimes He just decides to check out our faith by not meeting our expectations or our preferred timetable. Far too often we murmur more quickly and more loudly than we pray.

Even with my current issues, I have better health than a lot of others. I am just waiting to see if the condition can be improved – or if will be with me until the Lord calls me home. 

Safe travels, good classes, anniversary, weekend plans

Mama and Victoria made it safely to Brittany’s yesterday. They needed some more specific directions once they got to Wichita because they did not know exactly how to get to the base, but I assume they found it easily enough because it was several hours before Mama contacted me again. When she did, she was surrounded by the twins as she held Audrey. Mama and I live such a peaceful, quiet life here on the farm that it is always a shock to be back in the world of active, rambunctious, loudly competing little voices. It is always fun, but it is always a little overwhelming. She and Victoria are having a great time with the girls. The twins adore Victoria. The feeling is reciprocated in full. Savanna is the same towards Victoria. It is fun to watch the interaction when any of those three are with Victoria. It is as if Victoria becomes a very different person in those settings. It takes an emotional toll on her, but she manages in short bursts. Almost all babies fall in love with Mama during the first contact. She is in her element when she has a baby in her arms.

Both Claude, a coworker, and I taught online classes yesterday. His went significantly longer than mine because the group he was teaching has been working with him on a yearlong project to get their company up and running in our system. There were far more questions and subsequent demonstrations of our system during his class. That is good. I was able to get some pointers for my presentation which will be added to the next class I teach. Always learning. It was the first time we, as a company, have done two online classes at the same time. Our management was impressed. For us, it is a very inexpensive alternative to in-person instruction, and it seems to provide very nearly the same level of engagement we get in a live setting. I am warming to the format. In this current national upheaval, online classes certainly help us meet our client’s needs in this COVID panicked world.

My and Mama’s 38^th anniversary is tomorrow. We will not get to spend it together, but Mama will be enjoying the fruits of our lives together. I wish I could be there as well, but work would not allow me to share that trip with Mama. It would have been a good anniversary present for both of us. Instead, I am feeding, watering and dog sitting. It is my turn to cover the farm chores while Mama gets some time off. I am not complaining, just making an observation. I would say that our animals do not care who feeds them, but that would not be true. They very much prefer when Mama does the feeding. She gives the animals far more time and attention than Victoria and I do. For us it is a chore, a duty. For Mama it is a pleasure, an expression of her interest in them. Somehow, they know – especially the chickens.

When I look back on Mama’s and my time together, I cannot say it has been a continual joy, but I has been close to that. Mama is a delightful person to be with. In spite of the hardships and hassles, in spite of the setbacks and struggles, in spite of the worries and woes that this life has brought us over our years together, I have stronger and more vibrant memories of the of the laughter and loving, the pleasant conversations and peaceful moments, the happy and downright hilarious times together. We have laughed far more than we have cried. We have snuggled and hugged far more than we have argued. We have met life headlong as a team overcoming each trial together – through God’s grace. We have spent our time enjoying each other’s company…and will continue to do so as long as the Lord allows.  

I do not have a long list for this weekend. I do not make long lists right now. Of the few items I do have listed, most are not large projects. I would not have the energy for any large projects, but I can certainly get a few small things done before I wear out, so that is my goal. Mama and Victoria will be back late tomorrow. Neither of them wanted to stay over to Sunday. Better to be home and go to church with our family here. Both of them will be worn out but our Sunday’s are typically very laid back. With the abbreviated services and the lack of Sunday School prior to the morning service as well as foregoing the Men’s and Lady’s meetings before the evening service, we have a pretty easy Sunday schedule. With my current health struggles, that is the kind of schedule I need.

Like Mr. Plumley, I’m doing the best I can.

Income shift, canceled class, dry, travel tomorrow

Mama got some very good news yesterday. Her bonus earnings for the month of July – paid out at the first of August – were $600. Along with her commissions from sales and the product credit she was given for the month the cumulative total is over $1000. That is pretty amazing. Especially considering that she has only been selling Color Street for about six months. Go Mama! Victoria is doing well also and is contributing to the business in multiple ways that help Mama.

Yesterday afternoon my immediate supervisor called me to let me know that I had been given a raise. We, as a company, have been struggling lately to cover all the class we have offered. To make the schedule work, I have been assigned classes every week, sometimes multiple classes per week, through the end of the year. That is not practical. Crystal, my supervisor, referred to the Instructor Led Training Program as a house of cards. An appropriate reference. It does not allow me any vacation or sick time. Any little hiccup in the system and we will fail. All in all, I believe it will work out, but we are walking a little too close to the edge. On the bright side, the company recognizes the contribution I am trying to make, and they stepped up to thank me in the most practical way possible. The raise I was given is a significant one and I am thankful for the recognition and the reward. It will make a difference. Now if we can get our houses rented in Lawton, that will help as well.

My class was canceled today because no one signed up for the class. Not surprising this time of the year.  I do have an 8-hour online class tomorrow. Claude, a coworker and fellow instructor, will be teaching the same class for a different client at the same time I am teaching my class. That is the kind of schedule we are having to keep…and it flows through the end of the year. I talked with Crystal about the tidal wave of requests we will be receiving once travel restrictions are lifted – either late this year or early next year. That schedule will be impossible for me to meet alone without traveling every week. Doing multiple classes in one area each week. That prospect is not exciting to me. My company is looking for solutions that meet their budget constraints, but we are a little behind the curve. So far, we are keeping up, but the week I go for my procedure, we have not found anyone to replace me for the class on the day following that procedure. I have been advised that I will not be very comfortable – or very mobile – for several days following the procedure because of the incision required on my inner thigh. The vein there must be accessed for the procedure. The cut is not large, but it is in a sensitive area and will provide a certain level of discomfort. It will also limit my activities through the end of the week at least. Sounds like fun.

The dry weather continues here. Not the least unexpected but it does cause us some extra work as we struggle to keep certain plants alive. I do not mind the extra work. It is low impact enough that I can do it without too much trouble. Even still, by the time I go out to water – about 7:30 – I am pretty well shot for the day. That little chore uses up the energy I have left. Oh well, at least I am sleeping better.

Mama and Victoria are traveling tomorrow. They are going to Brittany’s. The original purpose of the trip was to keep the girls while Britany and Andrew closed on their house. Sadly, that is not happening this weekend. It is always a little complicated selling a house and the buyers are dealing with some complications selling their house before they can close on Brittany and Andrew’s house. That closing is postponed but Mama and Victoria’s travel is not. Victoria already requested the time off and it cannot be rescheduled on her part. So, they are heading out mid-day tomorrow. They will get to see Brittany’s on-base housing. The timing is good especially since I can work from home Friday and take care of the morning feeding.

Mama always worries about that.

Maggie and Aaron relocated, good class, feeling poorly

Maggie, Aaron and the kids made it safely to their new location; Sioux St.Marie, Michigan. They were unloading the vehicles yesterday afternoon when Maggie called to give us a virtual tour of their new home. Their belongings that were packed in Wilmington, will arrive this afternoon. They have a beautiful townhouse style duplex. Maggie said the town where they will live at this duty assignment is a very small town, but Aaron can walk to work from home. That will be a blessing, especially in the winter. The only thing Maggie had to say about the town was that it has a Hobby Lobby. They are very nearly on the US border with Canada. It is only a mile to the customs office to enter Canada - which is closed now due to the COVID-19 nonsense. Maybe when Mama and I visit we will go exploring in Canada. Hopefully, Maggie and Aaron will get over that way while they are exploring the area. Maggie said it was 65° yesterday afternoon. It was 49° this morning. I would love that right now, but we will be there soon enough. This will be a land-based duty station for Aaron. That will give Aaron more time at home throughout the assignment plus it will give him a needed duty station that will add to his credentials for promotion. A win-win. They are already looking at the possibility of extending their stay. We will see if that enthusiasm continues, but it is great to see the initial excitement.

I had a very good class yesterday. There were only five people in the class. Two of whom I knew from previous teaching assignments. Two were EWN employees. It was like connecting with old friends. One of the attendees is an expert in the area the class dealt with. So it was good to have his insights added through the class. Knowing him personally, I asked if he would be willing to give me some specific feedback concerning the content of the class. Unbeknownst to me, he had been taking notes through the class and he sent me those notes as soon as the class was concluded. I have already incorporated those into the class notes. Missouri, Texas, South Dakota and Maine were represented in the class yesterday. It will be interesting to see how many states are represented in the classes tomorrow and Thursday; both of which will be larger classes.  

Mama and I have been playing chicken shuffle every night. Since she has allowed all the chickens out of their respective coops during the day they have integrated to the point some of them do not get back to the right roost at night – at least according to Mama. Almost every night, we have to place chickens into the correct coop to keep the groups somewhat separated per Mama’s standards. We have almost won the game. Most of the younger chickens have gotten into the habit of roosting where Mama wants them, but we still have one or two that do not like their assigned roost and have to be carried to that roost each night. Last night we had four younger hens that had to be taken off the roost outside of the coop and put onto the roosts inside the coop. Mama had turned on the ceiling fan on inside that side of the coop and the younger hens were too frightened of the fan to enter the coop that night. Any movement overhead causes them concern. It is a natural reaction, but they will get used to it soon enough. When I went out to close up the chickens and found the hens outside of the coop, I had to call for help to ensure I was placing the chickens on the right roost. All our younger chickens have colored leg bands on them so that we can quickly tell them apart. That has proved very helpful for me. Mama can tell them apart by breed or color. Not me. It provides an interesting end to the day almost every evening. Life on the farm.

I have been feeling truly awful the past few days. Lacking the energy to do much at all. That troubles me but there is little I can do about it until we do the diagnostic procedure next Friday except endure. If that procedure does not expose the health issue is have been suffering through for the past few months – and especially the last couple weeks – I am not sure what recourse I will have. At least I will know what to ignore so my focus can be properly placed. Fortunately, I have only one class next week. It is an in-person class which is a little more taxing, but I should be fine.

Time will tell.