Class, materials pickup, shopping all day, a visit with Santa

Class yesterday was another good one, but I felt like I was a touch distracted through the entire class. Like my mind was not clear and I was not making the connections I normally would between the class and the content. I hope I did not come across that way, but it was a more of a struggle on my part than I usually have to deal with. I had eight participants and most of them engaged very well in the class, so it moved along at a good pace broken by very good question and multiple short discussions. Everyone did well on the test, and everyone told me they enjoyed the class. Perhaps I did not review enough as I normally do the day before the class because I was caught up in getting the speeches ready for the Christmas program Mama and I are participating in Sunday evening. The class is done now, and it was done well. I just do not ever want to waste anyone’s time and money when I am the instructor for a class, and I have the nagging suspicion that I could have done better. I have all next year to improve my performance.

As soon as the class was over I headed to Tractor Supply to get the panels I need for the pig enclosure. I had towed the trailer to work with me so I could get the panels while the store still had them. The last time I tried to get the panels all the supply stores in the area had been sold out, so I did not want to miss the opportunity to get what I needed. Although the temptation was there to buy more than what I needed, I did not. I spent only what was necessary to get this project moving. Mama and I need to get the pig into the other lot so we do not have to walk through her mess in order to tend to her feeding. Once I do get her into the larger lot, I will have to take down a fence to gain tractor access to the area she had plowed and rooted up to level it for me and Mama so that the ground has a chance to dry out. I may plant some seed in the freshly rooted ground, but I have not decided. I will reset the fence once the ground is properly worked. We need the lot from time to time and I need to be able to keep the cows out of that area. It is a lot of extra work, but it will be worth it in the long run.

Mama spent all day shopping with Grandma and Grandpa. They are still without a vehicle. I am told that Norman has bought one for them, but it will not be brought to them until early January. Norman will then take the truck they have here back to West Virginia and sell it to recoup some of the money spent on the replacement vehicle. Without a vehicle, they feel trapped at home and that is not a comfortable feeling for them or for me and Mama. Until their replacement transportation comes, we will share the truck with them, so they are not without transportation.

Anyway, Mama took them to Wichita Falls to peruse a variety of stores in order to allow them to get the things they needed for the month; from groceries to reading material. These shopping trips are done on a monthly basis as Grandpa gets paid. Mama enjoys the trips for the most part, but it is a slow-moving day for them all. Nothing happens quickly with Grandma and Grandpa. Besides, Mama was able to get the remaining items we forgot in our last trip to Sam’s. These days spent with Grandma and Grandpa are a blessing to us and to them. There is little they will allow us to do for them. This is one service we can give them freely without any feeling of indebtedness on their part.

Mama and I are going to Red and Joanna’s this evening. Red is our official Wise County Santa, but he has this evening off from his many Santa duties. Mama promised to help Joanna apply the nail set she gave to her a week or so ago – and I do not think they have many visitors. Red and I will load up some fencing he has been wanting to get to me, but that was too heavy for him to handle by himself. But the overall intent of the visit is just to visit. I think Mama and I need that contact as well. Mama and I have been busy every evening so far this week and that will not end tonight. We will be busy each night this week through the weekend and into next week as we travel to see Chase and Makaila. We should be able to slow down a touch after Christmas. Just in time for my schedule to accelerate at work.

So, Mama and I will enjoy the time between Christmas and the New Year when our schedule is not so crowded. Hopefully, I will be able to steal the time to catch up on a couple projects at the farm and in the house. Time will tell. That is the time we typically take down and return to storage all the decorations set up for Christmas. A chore I do not necessarily look forward to.