Minor setbacks

Mama has had a couple bad days. The pain she is experiencing is not centered in the joint but rather everywhere around the joint and especially down the calf of the recuperating leg. Her nights have been rough, trying to find a comfortable position to sleep. Her days have been lonely – confined. We were toying with the idea of going to Hot Springs for the county tax auction but have at least had to abandon the idea of Mama making the trip. It is too much too soon. As much as she would like to get out, it would be an exhausting trip for her. I am less than enthusiastic about going without her. Too many snap decisions to be made without some consultation. We were told by our coach that we had to learn to be patient and that is definitely proving to be true. I have until tomorrow to decide if I will go to the auction without Mama, but I am leaning heavily toward not going. If I am away Monday and Tuesday I am not sure how we will get Mama to her physical therapy appointments. I am sure we can find help, but I must decide on my travel plans before we conscript helpers.

We have to decide where when can attend an upcoming auction if I do miss this one. With my schedule filling up at work, it is becoming more and more problematic to fit this business into our lives. Since we do not have internet at the house Mama is not able to help with the research, so I have to squeeze out time after work to get all the computer work done; after I feed, water and otherwise tend to our flocks and herds. I spend an hour almost every evening watering the plants just before dark, close up the chickens a little after dark, clean up the kitchen to keep the ants from invading full force and then go to bed.  It has not been an easy road. That, and we are having a hard time finding realtors willing to help us when we need pictures taken of houses we are researching. Small considerations, but they add up to make our cumulative net gain of 0 feel like a heavy loss when, in actuality, we have lost nothing so far. We’ve just not gained anything. That will come eventually if we stick with it.

Meanwhile, back at the farm. We are going to try to get Daisy, her calf and our steer loaded up and delivered to Norman this evening. Mama and I found out that Daisy’s ten-month-old calf started nursing her again. We are not sure how long that has been going on, but it would account for the way Daisy is looking – gaunt and boney. My back is screaming at me right now. It has been worsening for several days but there has been nothing I could do to appease it – especially with Mama down right now. I would appreciate your prayers for a quick success getting the three bovine loaded and an easy time getting the trailer hooked to the truck. It is never an easy task when being done alone. Hurting as badly as I do throughout the process will be an added level of frustration; however, these things normally work out just fine if we have the tenacity and patience to keep working at it.

Brittany did not make it down for the 4^th. One of the twins got sick the day before she was scheduled to leave. It probably worked out for the best since Mama is not in shape to hold the little ones now. Hopefully soon.