Disappointing news, weekend plans

As I was planning the time off for the medical test that is scheduled to be done Monday morning, I was finally able to connect with the financial advisor to review the cost of the test. My portion of that cost was to be $1,120, which turns out to be the full price. I refused the test. I will not waste one thousand dollars on a hunch. I called the surgeon to update him on my decision and let him know that I would continue as I am until the pain gets to be too much for me to manage, at which time I would go to the Emergency Room. My cost for an Emergency Room visit is only $300. It is a simple matter. When it comes to choosing between a diagnostic test and paying the mortgage it is a simple decision. What is really disappointing is to be paying $500 per month for medical insurance and receive very little discernable benefit from that. To help my body deal with the issue, I will fast for a period of time to rest my body and see if that helps.    

At the vet’s office yesterday, Mama found out that one of the two little ones we took to have the horns removed would have to keep is horns. They were too large to be removed except by surgically removing them and that leaves a nasty scar that never seems to be covered over. So, we will have two little horned bucks in our herd. That is not an issue except when it comes to selling them as pure bred Myotonic. The horns are a detriment to sales because horned animals do not show well. It is an interesting dynamic. The horns are removed as soon as possible to make the horned animals appear to be polled (hornless) but the trait is necessary for breeding purposes. A polled animal cannot be bred to another polled animal. The outcomes of that breeding have harmful results, so the horned animals are required for successful breeding while the horns are hidden as much as possible. Strange. For us it is not a problem other than to get a higher price out of the little bucks, one of which is going to be an amazing animal. A true credit to his breed.

Mama and I are not planning much this weekend. She wants to set up a table in front of Tractor Supply to market her Color Street products and perhaps some of her crafts. I am advising her to market the nail appliques as stocking stuffers. At least they are readily available unlike many other products. I will be doing farm related stuff as I am able. I will set up this weekend to pull the frames from the hives that are full of honey, but I will confer with a mentor to see if that is the right path forward. I may not be able to schedule the help this weekend, but with the weather cooling down, I need to go ahead with removing the frames to extract the honey before cold weather sets in.

Mama stopped by Tractor Supply this morning to pick up the dog food for Mocha that the store had ordered for her. In looking around the store she found out that they are having a flash sale on a lot of items. She picked up three bags of fertilizer that normally sells for $75 for $15 a bag. She also picked up five bags of charcoal for $1 per bag. I told her it would keep, and I could use it in a variety of ways around the farm. She bought three blueberry bushes for $3 each. That will give us seven blueberry bushes if they all survive and produce. She also picked up some tools for $1 per set. Those always make good stocking stuffers. She was excited. Mama is always up for a flash sale even if we do not need the items being sold.

I have a meeting at the office this afternoon. My yearly review. It will give me an opportunity to talk to my boss about potentially scheduling some time off next week to go with some men from the church on a men’s retreat in Rosebud, AR. I went last year and thoroughly enjoyed the preaching and the activities. This year, if I can get the time off, I will be prepared for cold evenings. Last year all of us were caught off guard by a blast of cold that came in suddenly on Friday afternoon. None of us had brought jackets to the event and only a few of the men had long sleeved shirts. I had a light jacket, but it was not nearly enough for the services in the open-air pavilion. Those who attend this year will be much better prepared.

Life is always a mixed bag of blessings and challenges. When we learn to appreciate the challenges as much as the blessings, life becomes an enjoyable pilgrimage.