Mama’s appointment, ongoing challenges

Tuesday Mama and I left for Denton early so we could shop at Sam’s prior to her dental surgery. We ended up spending a lot more than I had anticipated but the goal was to get ahead on several household goods as well as pick up some needed items. In the process of scrounging through the store I found some meats that were marked down for sale at reasonable prices. We got about $50 worth of beef in three packages that will make twice that many meals for us. I was exasperated by the malfunction of my debit card at checkout and the dismissal of the person who should have been able to get the ink cartridges Mama and I turned in a purchase ticket for, but other than that it was a relaxed and worthwhile trip. On the bright side, the person who brought the wrong ink cartridges to us and then was too busy to go back and get the correct ones, saved us more than thirty dollars on that purchase because I was able to get the ink cartridges online for about that much less.

We got all we could done prior to the dental office because Mama was concerned that the difficult extraction for which she was to be anesthetized would result in her being out of commission for the remainder of the day. When she was duly checked in for the procedure, I went to Kroger’s to get a brand of tea we only seem to be able to get there and was back at the office in less than thirty minutes. Only a few minutes after I parked and got comfortable in the vehicle, the dental office called to let me know Mama was almost ready to come out. When I met them at the patient pickup door, Mama seemed very alert. Once in the vehicle we made one more stop in Denton and headed home. After all, we had a lot of groceries in cooler bags waiting to be properly refrigerated. Mama was numb for most of the afternoon so any pain she would have had was muted by the lingering affect of the shots she had gotten after being put to sleep. As that effect wore off, she was pleased to have very little discomfort from the extraction. A little swelling, but no aches. That continues true today. So, that moment of angst is passed, and we are on to planning her event this weekend and packing for travel to Alabama via Pensacola Monday morning.

Once home Tuesday, I spent about five hours trying to figure the electrical issue in the coop but after all the rework I put into the effort, I am still at an impasse. Electrical issues are not that complicated, but I have yet to stumble onto the root cause and get everything to work as expected. I have power to the outlets on both sides of the coop but cannot get power to the light fixtures – three of them – in the coop. So, I have spent time researching the wiring requirements again and may have come to see a solution. I will test my hypothesis this evening to find out if I am on the right track. It cannot be that difficult, but so far, I have been losing the battle to get power to flow where needed.

The little doe we have been babysitting for a friend will be picked up today and with a little planning, Mama, Trace, and I should be able to get the older does and nanny goats parsed out into the paddocks and group them with the proper bucks to get our breeding plans implemented for this year. I am looking froward to having kids on the farm again. They are great entertainment. If the girls are bred in April, we can expect them to kid Mid-August through September of this year. As far as the ambient temperatures go, that is just about perfect timing to miss the brutal heat of Summer and give little ones time to grow a bit before the cooler temperatures of Winter begin. At least, that is the plan.

We had a young missionary in church last night. He and his wife are in the last stretch of deputation as they prepare to go to the dessert of North Africa. I will not put the specific destination in print for their protection. What was obvious was his heart for a lost people who have a form of religion but no hope of salvation. To put statistics in plain terms, he stated that the people of that region have a greater chance of being struck by lightning than to hear one clear presentation of the Gospel in their entire lifetime. That truth is staggering.

O that I could do more!

Shopping locally, sprouting, timing

I had a wild idea of going to Denton yesterday evening so Mama and I could go to Sam’s for a couple items we typically purchase there. The items on our short list were available elsewhere for a slightly higher price and smaller volume, but Sam’s was our typical vendor for what we were interested in purchasing. However, after spending $75 to fill the Sequoia, (It was at ¼ tank.) I had to rethink the unnecessary excursion. It would burn about $25 worth of gas just to make the round trip and it would almost certainly not cost us that much extra for the purchases we sought to make. So, we did our shopping locally to save ourselves the money it would cost to refill the gas tank. There are enough trips that will be required of us in the days ahead, an extra, avoidable trip was not a good way to spend that gasoline. Fortunately, Mama understands the concept of gasoline being spent on miles has a direct impact on our budget. So, mileage has become a part of our budgeting process.

Mama and I are already starting to see sprouts on the small starter containers we planted last weekend. All the plants, when mature enough will be repotted or planted in the garden, but it is nice toe see that the seeds we planted were viable. With the new pressure tank on the well I can water the garden without concern, but I will need to replace a hydrant I put on the West side of the garden because it is not functioning properly. I will need access to water on that side of the garden to avoid dragging one hundred feet of hose through the garden to be able to reach all the plants and trees. Doing that in the past caused some damage as the hose, if I did not pay very close attention, would flatten plants to the ground as I was dragged over them. Hopefully, I can get that water outlet replaced this evening.

What I have learned over the past few years of trial and error is just how much water is required by the vegetables and flowers growing in the garden. I had a better grip on that need when I began to test the moisture in the soil using a meter that could show me a real value for how dry the soil was and how quickly the water I put on the evaporated or otherwise dissipated away from the plants I was caring for. This year I have the potted potatoes to alert me to the need for water which should be close to the needs of the potatoes planted in the garden. Those potato plants are now breaking through the dirt in the rows Mama and I created. When I see the flower seeds evidence themselves, I will be very pleased.

Our church friends that bought the pair of goats a few months ago are rushing to separate the male and female because nature has taken its course and the little doe is in heat. As would be expected, the little buck is doing what nature dictated he should do. Since the pair is far too young to breed – which we hope has not already happened – we will be keeping the female for a few weeks while a separate area is built to house the two apart from each other. Mama was very careful in her warnings as the purchase was being negotiated that the two would need separate areas in the very near future, but the message was not received with the understanding of how quickly that need would arise. Hence the urgency. Since we are going to separate and regroup our herd this weekend the timing to add the little doe back into our flock is spot on. We will not have her for long.

A couple weeks ago, Mama suggested we buy a couple young pigs from a friend of hers and originally, I rejected the idea, however, I am rethinking that. It would be good to have the ability of fill our freezers with our own meat. But with the need for the pig building to temporarily house our young does, we will not be able to entertain a pig purchase until late June or early July. We can make a decision at that time. There seems to be a plentiful supply of piglets available for purchase. I told Mama I do not want to build any more enclosures for goats right now. So, we have to work with what we have available.

Next week I will be teaching classes on Monday and Wednesday. I will be going with Mama to her dental appointment to have her tooth extracted on Tuesday. A full start to the week. The week following, Mama and I will be traveling Monday through Wednesday, so time to write will be limited. Things slow down a bit after that for a short while but starting April 1^st we will be returning to the office two days per week. I have mixed emotions about that. It is a Monday/Wednesday rotation for my group. Since many of the classes I teach take place on Tuesday and Thursday, I will not be in the office much – being able to substitute those days for my group rotation requirements.

Anyway, the weekend ahead will be very busy. Goat movements, waterline work, electrical repairs in the coop (if I get around to that.), hive changes to move from Winter to summer mode, yard work, general cleanup and all the required chores around the farm.

Hopefully, I am up to the task. Time will tell how much help Mama and I need so I do not continue hurting myself.

Hurting, shuffling, counting, planning

I am reminded every day that I am not as young as I used to be. Sometimes those reminders are poignant. Such was the case yesterday, especially last night. Having spent almost twelve hours over two days working on the well tank installation with all the lifting, holding and tightening with a variety of wrenches that chore required, I was worn out and sore. I had been hurting all day but as Mama and I fed last night I took the time to carry a couple pitchfork loads of hay to the little guys in the pig building. That was obviously the last straw as far as my chest was concerned. Within a couple hours I was hurting so badly in my chest that I hesitated to go to church. As I got ready for church the pain intensified to the point that when we got to church, I had to ask Bro Zach to lead the singing because I could not fake it through the pain. I was not overly concerned about the source of the pain, I knew it to be in my ribs and sternum, but I did tell Mama that if it continued through the night and into the next day, I would have to seek medical attention. Fortunately, I am somewhat relieved today. The pain is still intense, but it is less so than last night. Praise the Lord! With my overworked back hurting in equal measure, I am not moving very well.

Our plans are for me to rest up a bit before we start to move goats this weekend. Those moves will take place in stages. First, the three boys will be moved to the small enclosure by the bucks. The little girls that are too young to be bred, will be moved into the pig building where the little boys have been staying. Then we will move one of the bucks to the nanny paddock as we move three of our seven nanny goats to the buck area to be bred by the buck left in that area. We have to match the nanny goats to the bucks to ensure we do not have any inbreeding. That means we will be loading and then unloading in different loads, nine goats to make those moves. That arrangement will stand for two months at which time we will once again group the bucks and does separately. I hope to be rested up enough for all the lifting required for all those moves. Time will tell. Trace and Victoria will be available to help. Mama and I will definitely need their help.

Yesterday afternoon, I set up a portable table for Mama to set out all her nail sets and discover a way to coordinate them in preparation for several events she will be attending to market that inventory. I was shocked at the volume of sets she has currently in her possession. She has over 200 sets on hand. That represents about $2500 worth of Color Street nail sets. Hopefully, we can exchange those for cash in the events coming up. Otherwise, I will consider myself nail poor. Not really. Eventually all the sets will be sold, and for now, we have good head start on on-hand merchandise to market. Not a bad position to be in at the moment. We are really praying that Mama can succeed in this business.

If the weather holds as predicted, Mama will have to start mowing this weekend. I will also have to start feeding the bees this weekend and within a couple weeks, I will need to put the honey supers on the hives. As is common to our area, Summer will erupt upon us quickly. We are forecast to have temperatures in the nineties next week. Only for a couple days at a time at first, but it is a harbinger of things to come. At least, I will not worry about the well as we water our garden this summer. With the larger tank, the system should be more than adequate to handle the extra need of caring for our plants, trees and bushes. Our peach tree is blooming now, and the blackberry bushes are putting out new leaves. I am watching the blueberry bushes but see not real signs of life. We now have six of those and I am hoping for a good harvest of blueberries this year. The apricot, nectarine and pear are showing signs of life as are the fig trees that survived the winter. I think I lost three fig trees over the winter. I also lost an elderberry bush over the winter. Sad.

All those budding plants will help feed our bees as their population will grow exponentially when the pollen comes in. It will take several weeks for the flowers we planted in the garden to supply nectar for the bees, but those plants should help carry the hives through the summer and into the fall. If the majority of those seeds germinate, we will have a good crop of flowers.

Time will tell.

Bad outcome, getting it right

Monday after I got off work, I began to empty the well pressure tank so that it could be replaced. That took about thirty minutes. Once the tank was clearly empty, Trace and I began cutting lines. At that point there was not turning back. I had a pretty good idea how to line things up to install the new tank and keep the water softener inline, but for some reason, I changed course as we began the installation. Because of the change of plumbing, I had to run to Wiley’s Hardware in Chico and pick up extra parts. I got there only minutes before they closed. Trace and I continued the installation and had made the final hookups a little after 9 pm. The moment of truth. I turned on the well with the valve to the house closed.

The pump immediately overpressure and the overpressure relief valve opened spraying water in the cover I had on the outside part of the well. We removed the cover on the well outside and I knew immediately what was causing the problem. I had plumed everything backwards, but we were committed and what we had would work if there were no leaks. That was the second disappointing surprise. Once we opened the valve to supply water to the new tank, the brass tee below the tank leaked from one of the ports machined into it. I shut off the pump very angry and very discouraged. To remove that one piece of the system required the new tank to be cut out of the system and be laid down on the floor. A complete failure  In order to have some water available in the house overnight I filled four five-gallon buckets from our second well and called it a night. The mass of line and fittings we just spent hours installing would all need to be cut out and redone.

It took me a while to calm down, but I eventually got there and once I got my brain engaged versus my emotions, I knew what I needed to do and how to do that. I was so bothered that I did not get to sleep until about midnight and I woke up at 2 am unable to go back to sleep. So, from 2 am to 4 am I listened to the Bible and more than caught up to my Old Testament reading. Knowing I would be in no shape to teach the class scheduled for that day, I sent a message to my supervisor letting her know I would need to take a sick day. I dozed from 4 am to 5:30 when I woke again ready to make things right and by the time Wiley’s opened, I had confirmed the list made earlier that morning. New parts in hand, I began to replumb the system.

I had spent the early morning hours removing everything Trace and I had installed and recovering as much pipe as possible. Even still the installation took me until a little after noon to complete. Again the moment of truth. I turned on the well pump and a line blew off at the bottom of the tank. I had missed gluing that joint even though I thought I had looked at every joint two and three times each. I corrected that oversight and waited thirty minutes to try again. Another leak. This time at the bottom of the pressure switch. I shut off the pump, removed the wiring to the pressure switch and tightened it one revolution and rewired the switch.

When I turned the pump on, the leak was worse. Pump off, wires pulled once again, I removed the pressure switch and found the fitting that attached the switch to the nipple was badly split. I got the switch from the original tank and installed that. I restarted the pump and things began to pressure up – all the way to full system pressure. No leaks. Success. That was at 1:30 pm. I thanked the Lord I had not taught the class and tried to complete the rework of the system with a late afternoon start. I was exhausted, but we have a new, very large pressure tank on our well. Praise the Lord!

I still have electrical issues to deal with in the coop because of the rat’s love of the plastic insulation on the wiring, but that is not as critical a task as getting the well in service. So, with one problem solved and checked off the list, I am down to bout one hundred and fifty or so more problems to be attended to on the farm. At least, we are never bored.

Because I missed teaching the class yesterday, the class scheduled today was moved to Monday. So, I have a day to catch up to the administrative portion of my duties in the follow to classes we teach.

Getting ready, missed opportunity, living our faith

I spent the afternoon Friday and the morning Saturday getting all the parts I thought I would need to make the swap in the well house to the new tank. I bought a lot of extra parts just in case, so my hope is that I have all the needs covered to make the connections once the old tank is emptied and removed. Unfortunately, the new tank is twice the size of the old tank and will not fit in the same place the old tank occupies. Because of that, all the plumbing needs to be rerouted to accommodate the change in position of the tank. Also, there is a water softener plumbed into the system that I plan to keep in service. I am confident that all the final details will work out as we look over the possibilities this evening. Trace has set aside the evening to help me get everything set and hooked up. Lord willing, we will be able to have the new tank in service in a couple hours. Once that is done, I can relax. Right now, I cringe every time we run water in the house because even to flush a toilet requires the pump to cycle (click on and off) five to seven times.

Saturday was a very productive day. Along with a lot of little repairs, Mama and I planted hundreds of seeds in the garden – both in the raised bed and in rows I had prepared in the ground. Most of the seeds planted were flower seeds. A huge variety of flower seeds. Mama and I are not sure if the seeds will germinate. They were from packets of seeds given to the Wycoff family by Walmart. All the packets were older, and Walmart wanted to eliminate them from their inventory, hence the lack of certainty on our part as to their viability. But the seeds are in the ground and if they do germinate and produce flowers, our bees will have a lot of nectar to harvest from the little work Mama and I put into it. We also have several rows of vegetables: peas, snow peas, Brussel sprouts, spinach and kale. We will see what we get, but the first step is done. The seed is sown. The growth and eventual harvest will take a combined effort of our watering and weeding and God’s oversight in the growth process. It is always fun to see the sprouts push through the soil in the beginning of that process. We now have potatoes coming up from the pieces we planted a couple weeks ago. Mama was very sore yesterday from all the bending over required in the sowing of our seeds.

Later Saturday we cleaned the large coop and yesterday after church we moved the chickens who had roosted in the little coop building into the West side of the big coop. We are emptying the little coop in anticipation of either getting a few Banty hens from Nancy or raising up a brood of chicks. I am not sure how many new chickens we need to get because Mama is collecting almost thirty eggs per day from her current flock. Fortunately, we have a customer base large enough the sell all the eggs we collect. That helps pay for the feed, which like everything else, has gone up in price recently. Unfortunately, Mama has not raised the price on her eggs, and she still gives away many dozen to our BBTI friends. She is hesitant to match inflationary pressures on feed prices and I don’t blame her. Our farm is more of a ministry and a hobby than a business venture.

One of the chores I should have taken time for was to inspect the hives, but by the time we had finished the garden work and cleaning the coop, I was pretty worn out and it was getting late. Too late to open the hives. I will need to be more diligent in the weeks to come. In only a few weeks the bees will be making swarm cells and I want to use those frames to make new hives. Putting out and baiting swarm traps will be on the agenda as well. I have high hopes of expanding to four hives this year as well as to collect honey from the two hives we have. For that to happen I will need to invest a lot more time with my bees. They are fascinating little creatures.

Sunday services were awesome! Our pastor preached with such power and conviction. He challenged all of us to raise the bar in our life to reflect our love for and service to our Lord. He took a good deal of time to remind us that what we have is not a religion. We have a personal relationship with our Savior and because of that relationship, we have a direct connection to our God and Creator. We have a personal responsibility to live up to the standard set for us in the Bible. Ours is not an affiliation with a denomination. Ours is a personal relationship with God the Son. Our friends and associates are watching to see if we truly live out what we say we believe. Both services were incredible.

I will be teaching classes tomorrow and Wednesday. I am especially looking forward to Wednesday’s class.

Update, choices, chores

Cori and Blake made it back home with all the medical supplies and equipment in tow. In fact, as the two of them brought up the very last of those going through customs at the airport, Blake realized he had left his transmitter on the plane – the device that reads the monitor on his arm. After a brief panic, Cori and Blake calmly walked back into the “secure” area towards the plane. After explaining the issue, workers were able to retrieve the transmitter from the plane and get it to Cori. They were the very last of the passengers to go through customs and by that time no one was really interested in doing much extra as far as baggage inspection was concerned, so the suitcase filled with Blakes new equipment and insulin pens was barely noticed. Praise the Lord! That had been one of our pressing prayer concerns in getting back into Honduras.

Now the daily routine begins to measure out the treatments for Blake using the food choices available for him in Honduras. At least, Cori and Blake are well informed and well prepared to develop the regimen they need to follow meal by meal as they grow in understanding the illness they are dealing with; now a part of Blake’s life for the rest of his life. On his part, Blake is dealing with his diabetic needs like a champion. He is no longer bothered by giving himself injections, even in public (when required). He is not troubled by the monitor attached to his upper arm even when it cannot be covered by clothing. He has come to understand that as a general rule, people are largely unaware of individuals around them. In fact, not very many of us are actually observant, of the people around us, of the area around us, or of the potential dangers or opportunities around us. That understanding makes him less intimidated to do the things he has to do to control his blood sugar around total strangers or those not of his immediate family. I am not sure if I could pull that off. Kudos to Blake for owning his personal medical challenges.

Mama and I have a long list of chores for the coming weekend. The most important for me is to replace the pressure tank for the well at the house. I hope to get all the parts today and tomorrow. With Trace’s help, we should be able to swap the tanks out in a couple hours – if there are no problems unearthed in the disconnecting of the old tank. Often, when old plumbing is disturbed, the fittings do not loosen as required, but instead break the pipe they are attached to. If we can get everything loosened as needed it should be a straightforward repair and replacement.

Mama on the other hand, is concerned with cleaning the coops and moving the hens in the little coop into the West side of the big coop building. That will free up the little coop for raising some chicks or housing the Banty hens we hope to get from Nancy. Tilling and planting in the garden will occupy a few hours for both me and Mama at some point. Rain is forecast for Monday so whatever we get done over the weekend will get naturally watered. Watering is something I have avoided in an attempt to limit use of the well in light of its present state of disrepair, but everything needs water so I will need to water soon regardless of my concerns of further damaging the pump and control box.

In light of the inflationary pressures on our economy, Mama and I are looking at the benefits we have in our current placement on the farm. Hopefully, the garden will help us and others if we get a good amount of produce and we already have several vegetable plants growing in pots in the sunroom. We have high hopes of getting honey from both hives this spring and fall, but that remails to be seen. In other words, we should be able to feed ourselves fairly well from the land we are living on. Vegetables, fruits, berries, and pecans are part of our current plant resources. We also have access to all sorts of wild meat with the wild pig around us, as well as rabbits, squirrels, and deer. Plus, chickens, goats, and fresh eggs. Time will tell how much we look to supply ourselves in that direction. But the option is there should the Lord tarry. For now, Mama and I are trying to get the most out of the income stream the Lord has given us. That is only prudent, but we are not enjoying some of the tradeoffs.

I will be teaching a class tomorrow. It is a half-day class, so I will have the option to work from home through the afternoon. An option I will probably exercise, however, two in person classes were taught by a coworker on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week and at some point in the very near future I will need to get those class folders and do the administrative work needed for those classes. I do not know if those files will be available to me tomorrow, but if they are I will need to be at the office to process them into our system.

Regardless, Mama and I have a beautiful weekend ahead of us. Praise the Lord!

Setbacks, gardening, change of schedule

Yesterday evening I worked on the chewed-up wiring in the coop but in all the rewrapping and repositioning of the wiring I still was not able to get power restored to the coop. For some reason I have yet to discover, there is an active short still in the wires somewhere. When the breaker is turned on at the power panel, I could hear a humming at the breaker box and Mama could hear a hum at the coop, but I cannot be both places at once to see where the hum is coming from, so I left the power off. It is not urgent, but it is troubling. Fortunately, the breaker works as it should rather than allowing the short to start a fire and burn down the coop. I just have to figure out how to rectify the problem. That will take a lot longer than I had hoped but there is a solution to rectifying the problem so Mama can have her lights working properly in the coop buildings.

With that setback in the coop, I moved on to getting Mama’s mower out so we could use it to mulch the huge amount of leaves covering the garden. Because of past rat infestations I carefully checked the mower for rat nests – and found one. It was under the cowling that shrouds the motor. Right on top of the cooling fins. So, I had Mama drive the mower to the shop and I attempted unsuccessfully to remove the cowling. I removed all the bolts and screws that I could see but was still not able to lift off the plastic cowling. I was able to move it far enough that I could remove the nest, which was huge. Using a combination of my hand and a shop vac I scraped and sucked out the mess assembled by the rodent for their winter home. Having gotten that done, Mama proceeded to the garden to mulch the leaves there. That took only twenty minutes or so, but it saved me several hours of painful raking and hauling of leaves. That was a blessing.

After the garden was mostly cleared of leaves, I planted a half row of potatoes using the eyes Mama had trimmed from potatoes we recently cooked. I was also able to plant the three Brussel Sprot plants in the raised bed. I hope we are past the danger of frosts but even so, those plants can tolerate some cold if I planted them too early. Mama has big plans for our garden this year. We should be able to follow through on most of those plans, but getting an early start is key in this area. We are only a few weeks away from the brutal heat that comes to us every summer and any head start we can give to our vegetable plants is well advised.

Yesterday I was able to purchase the tickets for my teaching assignment in Arkansas. I will need to fly into Pensacola to get to the training site and since I needed to go through Pensacola, I invited Mama along for the trip. It has been a long time since Mama and I have had a day or two to ourselves so this provided the opportunity to make a special effort to have that time together. I will have only a half day class to teach Tuesday so Mama and I will be able to spend a good bit of time at the beach that day as well as Wednesday. I got permission from my company to spend the day in Pensacola Wednesday arranging for a late flight out that day. We are both looking forward to that time. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate and be warm enough for us to enjoy the beach.

Meanwhile, I have another five classes to teach before the off-site class. There will be plenty of work to keep us busy over the next couple weeks. Plus, we will be returning to the office in April. At this point, my group is scheduled to report to the office on Mondays and Wednesdays, but since I teach classes at least two times per week, I will get to count those days as my required time in the office, so I may not be going to the office very often. Over the past few months, I have grown accustomed to working from home. Getting up later than required for meeting the office schedule, preparing breakfast and lunch during my normal work hours, being available for Mama at any odd times through the day, using my lunchtime for minor chores, etc.

I will still have three days per work week to work from home, so it is not a complete change of schedule, but it will take away the help I have been able to give to Mama every morning that I do work from home. Most of my group is looking forward to getting back together at least as required by our new schedule. Since most of them are single, living alone, I can understand their need to work together in person at the office. For me, I could go on like this for the rest of my time with Energy Worldnet.

At least the days are longer now so the commute will not cut into the time I am available for chores at the farm.

Does this ever end? Slowly homeward

It seems we are in one of those annoying patterns where lots of little things pile up until it is somewhat overwhelming. I have been stressed out about the malfunctioning of the pressure tank on the well for the house. Everything I have tried has proven ineffective to correct the constant cycling issue. So, I am at the point that the tank must be replaced in order to save the well pump and control box. A simple task in theory. A difficult task in practice. Meanwhile, we have been having electrical issues within the chicken coop. In checking the breaker for that power, I have pretty certainly determined that a rat probably chewed through the wiring at some point and shorted out that power. Finding that chewed spot will prove challenging.

Additionally, our electric bill for the farm has doubled for the last two months and I have little ability to affect that charge other than turning down the thermostat and keeping the lights off. Neither option appeals to Mama. The cost of fuel for the two vehicles Mama and I drive has also doubled limiting our mobility but encouraging us to plan all our trips away from home more carefully. The two last problems are common across the nation. The first two are somewhat unique to our farm. April is going to be an expensive month for travel expenses and Mama’s business, with all the Spring launches, is requiring a larger influx of cash than I have been prepared for. Nothing urgent or life altering, but problems that have to be dealt with none-the-same.

The fact that all these needs, both required and selected, pull from the single income flow we have at this time. Unfortunately, that has not doubled or even significantly increased recently making the choices difficult for those things we can actually exercise some control over. While our expenses increase in unexpected ways and our household bills remain ever constant, we are forced to look hard at everything we can reduce from our budget to make all this work out from a fixed amount of income. Nothing out of the ordinary. Almost everyone I know if fighting the same battle. Sadly, almost everyone I know is losing ground in the same battle. Just like you, I have to choose how I will respond to the challenge.

So far, I am not acting very heroically. I am not a coward, but neither am I a quitter. However, getting past the feeling of being beaten down takes a unique perspective. Fortunately, I know the Lord is fully in control and though I am not happy with the circumstances, the circumstances do not determine my joy. Please forgive my moment of self-pity. This too will pass and there will be victory to enjoy in only a short while. I do hate to disappoint Mama. So when she asked about buying two piglets to raise, I had to shoot down the idea because I cannot a way to afford the extra feed for them in the months ahead.

On to important things. Cori and Blake are on the way home. Praise the Lord! This has been a very helpful visit for both of them. A frightfully expensive visit as they gathered the medical items and supplies to treat his diabetes for the next several months. We are certainly praying for their safety in travel, but I am focused on praying that all the medical supplies they have with them will make it through customs once they arrive in Honduras. There is always the temptation on the part of customs officials to make the return with such supplies difficult and expensive. Please pray the reentry will go smoothly.

Right now, Cori and Blake are in the airport in Miami waiting nine hours on a connecting flight. While Cori was talking with Mama this morning, she had to go in search of Blake. Blake had gone to the bathroom and had been gone for a lot longer than Cori anticipated. Her search of the nearest restroom was fruitless, so she hurried off in the same direction in which Blake had left her and after some additional searching found Blake, nervous and visibly upset, heading in her direction. He had turned the wrong direction coming out of the restroom and had gotten completely lost. Fortunately, he realized his mistake after traveling in the wrong direction for a good distance. Crisis averted, but it was a truly panic filled few minutes.

They should be home late this evening. No matter where home is, it is always nice to be there.

Stateside, sleet and ice, animal exchanges

Through a series of miraculous events, passports for Cori and Blake were expedited through the approval process in Honduras and appointments were scheduled in the United States giving Cori and Blake the opportunity to arrive stateside late yesterday. The retrieving of the passports required Nate to drive five hours each way to get the documents but the fact that the timing worked out so well was in God’s hands alone. Medical appointments are scheduled for today. This is a critical juncture in formulating a long-term treatment plan for Blake and we are praying for wisdom on the doctor’s part to understand the unique requirements of the plan to fit the country in which the family is serving. We are also praying that all the recommended medical devices and supplies are available immediately for Cori and Blake to purchase so they can haul them back to Honduras as they head home from this brief visit. That is a huge request – especially in this time of supply shortages, specifically medical supplies.

Mama is on pins and needles as we wait for word from Cori about the appointment with the endocrinologist. This appointment was facilitated by a diabetic mother of a child who also suffers with diabetes and has become an advocate for mothers of children with diabetes. The way she has educated herself in the areas of accessing the required information to understand the questions that must be answered for these struggling moms is nothing short of amazing. She has been instrumental in getting Cori all the help she needed in getting started in treating Blake as well as getting the appointment Cori and Blake will have with the specialist today.

The focus of advocacy her is more geared to getting these young diabetic patients acclimated to the insurance changes and individual treatment requirements when they come of age and are no longer on their parent’s medical insurance plan. That transition in medical coverage is a huge hurdle for these younger diabetic patients. Anyway, her help has been monumental for Cori in facilitating the contacts for the appointment and preparing for the doctor visit. As I stated sometime before, asking the right questions is key to getting the needed information in treatment protocols. Learning those proper questions is the difficult part of getting the initial help required setting up those treatment guidelines. We are prayerful and hopeful that this trip accomplishes those objectives.

This morning, as Mama and I went out to feed, I could hear thunder in the distance. Within a few minutes hail began to fall. It was small, thankfully, but it was fascinating to see the volume of tiny ice crystals as they fell. Like a downpour of rain, only in frozen form. The temperatures will continue to fall until we are in the low twenties overnight, but tomorrow we are forecast to get into the sixties with no freezes in sight for the next ten days. Last freeze? No way to know for sure but it seems likely. But just in case, I started a fire in the fireplace for Mama since this may be the last opportunity of the season to enjoy a fire. If I am not mistaken, Mama is planning on roasting marshmallows over the fire this evening. Also, perhaps the last smores of the season.

On the bright side, we can begin sowing our garden in earnest very soon. As impossible as that looks based on the weather outside today, I know the day is coming quickly and Mama and I are ready. This weekend, we will be shifting goats so the girls and boys can get together as prescribed by Mama. We will be putting three mature girls with each of our males. That will necessitate moving the little boys to the small enclosure by the bucks so that we can move the younger girls into the area the boys have been in for several months now. After the breeding is complete, we will put all the boys together. We will put all the girls back together as well. Consolidating the groupings helps us get the feeding done efficiently.

Over the next few weeks, we will be working with Nancy to sell her some of our goats. She halted the sale of at least part of the farm she and Rick had owned before his death so now she is anxious to repopulate the farm with goats. Since ours are direct decedents from her herd, we are the first stop she is making to get a herd going again. She is also allowing Mama to have a few of her Banty hens so we can get more of the little tenacious birds back into our flock.

We are looking forward to both exchanges.

Competition, Korean food, campfire, hurry

Although all the days with Brittany and the girls were somewhat full, Saturday was the most crowded. As I recounted yesterday, Brittany and I attended the final game of the girls’ volleyball tournament. Their loss was devastating to some of the teammates, but I only learned later that one of the girls playing with the team was in the 8^th grade as a substitute and two of the best players had been injured in previous games during the tournament. That roster of players against a much more disciplined and well-coached team, did a more impressive job of defending their side of the court than I was originally aware of. With that being Brittany’s only opportunity to see the girls play, the morning spent there meant a lot to her and to the girls on the team. Since the game was played at a location about thirty minutes from Brittany’s house, we spent a little over three hours total in participating in the spectator division of the tournament.

Once home, we had a little time to get everyone ready for an early dinner with Andrew’s brother, Peter and their mom.  Of course, it was at a Korean restaurant. One known in the area for the authenticity of the food prepared there. I was amazed at what the girls ate from the extensive fare. Orange chicken, bulgogi, spicy pork and shrimp pancakes were the main fare with numerous additional smaller servings of items we would probably consider appetizers.

Kim Che, specially prepared potatoes and carrots, some type of beef gelatin, seaweed salad, among the mix.  I would only be guessing as to what each dish contained, but the girls knew which ones they liked and all three ate with gusto. A special soup was ordered for me. It had beef riblets and a variety of vegetables in it with a wonderful broth. I ate small portions of other dishes, but mostly focused on my soup. Everyone was quite full when we left, and we carried home enough leftovers that they provided an adequate lunch Sunday afternoon.

Saturday evening, just after we got home from our dinner, I started a fire in the firepit built in the back yard of the small property their house sits on. The plan was to roast marshmallows and make smores. I had a bit of a challenge getting the fire started (the wood was not completely dry, and the air was cold), but by the time the twins were properly outfitted and ready to come outside, the fire was burning well. Brittany had put Audrey to bed both because of the hour and to facilitate enjoying the fire without the added concern for one so small being in proximity to the flames.

Since the twins were attending their first campfire, they were very reluctant to get anywhere near the fire, but eventually got over their initial fears and were able to really enjoy watching the fames dance along the wood being consumed. Everyone enjoyed the smores, some of which were made with Reece’s cups versus chocolate bars. It was pretty late when we all finally got to bed because Mama and Brittany insisted on washing the girl’s hair before putting them to bed. Neither Mama nor Brittany like the smoke smell that attaches to clothing and hair from a campfire, so that had to be washed away before bed and certainly before attending church in the morning.

Sunday was also very busy. Brittany lives about 45 minutes from church, so that travel time has to be taken into account to make it on time for Sunday School in the morning and choir practice in the evening. We were on the road to church by 8:15 Sunday morning. Light traffic made it easy to make the drive and arrive in plenty of time. I sang with the choir in the am service – which was fun for me. We were on the road home fairly late because of all the extra visiting Mama and I did after the service so having leftovers for lunch was a blessing. The evening service at Somerset Bible Baptist starts at 5 pm with choir practice starting at 4 pm. That gave us a very short afternoon at home between services, but it gave me and Mama a good taste of Brittany’s schedule – a very hurried one.  

Now back on the farm, Mama and I can slow down and enjoy the calm, quiet of our surroundings.

Brittany and the girls, Somerset Bible Baptist, Trace’s caretaking

We left for DFW airport at 6 am our time and were at the airport early enough to easily make our flight but the remote parking facility where I try to park was closed and I had no good idea how to get to the facility on the other side of the airport. So, in the interest of time and to guarantee we would not be late getting through security, we parked at the terminal. I knew it would be far more expensive, but I did not want to wander about in the complex turns and sudden lane changes required to pass through the airport roadways to find the cheaper parking. Parking cost us almost as much as one of our tickets to fly to New Jersey, but it seemed like the better choice at the time.  

We had no bags to check and passing through security was fairly easy. I guess we were between rushes because the lines were short, and our progress was not hurried by the attendants as it is when things get backed up. During the flight to New Jersey Mama made a Color Street sale to the passenger sitting to my right. I was in the middle so all the passing back and forth, all the demonstration of the appliques, all the sorting through Mama’s available packets of nails took place in my lap as I sat between the participants of the exchange, Mama and a sweet woman named Doria. Mama also gave gift packets to two of the stewardesses. Both of the recipients were very excited to try the nail sets. Hopefully, those contacts will bear fruit for Mama’s business.

Once we had landed, we headed for the exits. All of us needed to visit the restroom but as we walked past the exit door on our way to the nearby restrooms, Mama heard Brittany call out to her from the waiting area. Somehow she had seen us passing in front of the doors as passengers were exiting the terminal. Impressive! She wanted to surprise Mama, so she had brought all the girls to meet us. Zoe and Sophia immediately raced to Mama and Victoria, but Audrey was more reserved. Once I took off my mask and hat, she mouthed “Papi” and reached out for me.

Hugs all around and we exited the building so we could go maskless without the sideways glances and direct dirty looks of nearby occupants. Chatter on the way home was incessant and pleasant as Zoe and Sophia tried to get all the important news squeezed into as little time as possible. Audrey studied us with remarkable intensity but said little. I sat up front with Brittany and we caught up on life in general as we made the hour drive to their home. It was largely through very familiar territory – even driving past the refinery where I had worked in our time in New Jersey.

Friday, we visited the school but most of the student and faculty were at a basketball and volleyball tournament. Nonetheless, Mama and I got to see some of the friends we know and visit with them. Saturday, Brittany and I went to the final game of the volleyball tournament for the school. The girls had made it to the finals. I found out on the way to the tournament that this was the only game Brittany had been able to attend through the entire season. The girls were extremely excited to see her. At the game I got to visit with five or six friends from church as we watched the girls compete. They did not win, but they played well, earning second place overall. Later that day (we did not stay) the boys from Somerset won the tournament in a blowout against a rival team. It was, from what I was able to gather, a very sweet victory. Seeing the young men and ladies Mama and I had taught as four and five year old’s in Children’s Church was a delight.

Sunday I was asked to sing in the choir. I was happy to do so and Sunday evening I was asked to sing a special. Looking out over the familiar faces, now twelve years older, was a pleasure we can cherish for a long time. Mama and I were repeatedly complemented on how good we looked. One of the older women in the church cradled my face and said, “You don’t look like you have aged a single day. What is your secret?” My answer, “Being married to Mama Kim.” It was a very sweet visit, both with our children and grandchildren and with our beloved church family. One young man who we had taught many years ago hugged me, cried on my shoulder and said, “Papa Tim, you have no idea what a profound impact you made on all of us.” To be used of God in that way is more precious than anything this world has to offer.

While we were gone, Trace dug up and fixed the leak at the well house. I was very appreciative of that extra effort on his part. All the animals have been well cared for even though Mama was a little concerned that the watering pans have not been cleaned out in many days. A small thing. Especially since the chickens would rather drink from a mud puddle than a clean dish. All things considered; it was a very good visit all the way around.

Thank you, Brittany.

Solar interview, packing, absence

For some months I have been curious about placing solar panels on the house and to that end I made a couple of contacts to get more information. Last week I agreed to a meeting with one such provider and met with the representative Monday afternoon. He was a delightful follow, about twenty-five years old, a disabled vet, wounded in an IED explosion. As we looked over the house, the electrical panel, and several other little points of interest to him, I was impressed by Victor. He had a very simplified presentation on what his company could do for our electric needs, but we are served by a power company that does not buy back any additional power that could be produced by solar panels so the best I could hope for was a drastic reduction in the electric bill from my current provider.  I went into the sales pitch with that knowledge already in place.

We determined that my average utility bill for the house and farm was about $193 per month. Then he started to show me what I could “gain” from allowing the solar panels to supplement that power need. All things considered, he presented the monthly cost for the solar panels to be installed and based on those monthly figures, my cost would amount to about $45,000 over ten years or $61,000 over twenty-five years. That’s not happening. He was a little shocked that I did the basic math to determine the overall cost versus looking at a monthly payment. I let Victor know that we would pass on the purchase especially since our provider would be billing us for meter rentals ($28.50 each) on two of my electric meters and a monthly rental ($24.50) on a dusk-to-dawn light they service for us. That would amount to about one hundred dollars per month on top of the payment for the panels. In essence, my overall payment for electricity to the farm would go from the $193 average monthly cost to just under $500 per month. Not a good investment. But now I know.  

I was not feeling very well yesterday but I did not like the idea of calling for someone to present the class in my stead, so I muddled through the seven-hour presentation. I did not do a horrible job of the presentation, but it was certainly not my best delivery. I did not say anything to the ten participants until the class was over but by that time it was pretty obvious I was not functioning at one hundred percent. They were very gracious to me and gave me good reviews on the class. I was thankful for that. I found out at the time of my confession that three of the participants were also not feeling well, so they were sympathetic of my limitations. I am feeling some better today, but I have eaten very little and have been extremely careful what I drink. Coffee is a bit challenging for me today since all my trips to the toilet yesterday to empty my stomach contents involved the regurgitation of recently ingested coffee. An unpleasant memory I am slowly overcoming as I try to enjoy the taste of freshly drunk coffee.

Today is going to be occupied with finishing up work related tasks and packing for our flight out tomorrow morning. I believe we are leaving fairly early and should be in New Jersey by noon. Mama is allowing me to pack her overflow of sundries she is unable to fit into a carry on and a personal item. I am not sure how heavy my backpack will be by the time packing is completed, but it should not be too bad. I will not know for sure until we walk out the door tomorrow morning.

The farm will be in good hands with Trace. He has proven to be a great help to me and Mama. He certainly has a good heart and a willing spirit in everything we ask of him. Yesterday he unloaded all the feed and hay Mama retrieved for our animals. Feeling as poorly as I did, that was a blessing. As he has accompanied Mama through numerous feeding training sessions, he has taken the time to learn the names of Mamas’ problematic chickens so the two of them can talk specifically about her flock. Fortunately, the weather should be fairly warm while we are absent from the farm so his limited availability to tend to the animals before leaving for work each day will not be further diminished by frozen waterers every morning. That will make his hurried morning activities related to the chickens and goats more easily accomplished. He will have the afternoon when he gets home from work to make a more thorough round in his caretaking activities. Mama is greatly relieved to have him available to perform those duties in her absence. I am thankful as well.

When we return, our focus will be on the garden. I am looking froward to that.