Quiet, busy Mama, weaning, processing, progressing

Things are very quiet at work. I counted nine cars in the parking lot yesterday afternoon. There are normally about forty-five of us in the office on a normal day. There was no problem finding an open restroom yesterday. Today will be about the same with perhaps even less of us in the office through the day. However, there are projects due at year end that have generated some energy in an otherwise listless crew. Unfortunately, I am not participating in any of those projects, so these have been some very long days to struggle through. It is not a hardship in any way. It just goes against my nature to sit still witting on something to do. So, I invent work as I go. Hopefully, all the little projects I move along will one day actually matter.

Mama, on the other hand has had some very full days. Some of her own making. Some she has filled with help. Yesterday, she traveled many miles in search of a Jingle Pal. I believe she was successful, but I did not think to ask to see the items when I got home. I just started right in on the farm chores and fixing dinner. Today, Grandma and Grandpa asked to be taken to Denton to do some shopping. Sam’s, Kroger’s, McDonald’s – and a couple other stops I do not remember. They will be out early and use most of the day to get everything done. These monthly jaunts help Grandma and Grandpa keep up with their basic needs without nickel and dime-ing away their pool of money at Walmart and Family Dollar. They like to go to Denton, but they do not like to drive anymore, especially where there is very much traffic. They are content to have Mama do the driving for them. She is content to provide them that service. A win-win.

I managed to spend about an hour on the pig building Christmas day. I removed two full wheelbarrow loads of dirt from the floor. I have about two more wheelbarrow loads left in order to get it ready for the additional weanlings. Whether or not I am able to get that done this weekend is unclear since we are forecast to have some significant rain tomorrow. As for the babies that need to be weaned, Mama is about ready to take Callie off of Millie. It will be another two or three weeks before we get the last of the little ones off their mamas, but there will be nine in total in the little area for a few weeks while we let their mamas dry up. Then the girls will go back to the paddock with the nanny goats and the boys will go to the area with the boy goats. That will happen in mid-January.

I was supposed to process the last four Rock chickens tomorrow. I need to get that done, but whether or not it will happen tomorrow is up in the air. It depends on the rain – how much and when it rains. I do know that the rooster is at the point that his legs are barely supporting his weight. He probably weighs fifteen pounds. I cannot let him go too much longer. The hens are all about twelve pounds right now. I told Mama I would like to pluck at least one of the chickens in order to save the skin. I would like to smoke the chicken and it would be better to have the skin on to do that. At least, I think it would. I do not know if I will do that with one of these, but I would like to try if I have the time. Now that we have learned how to raise the Rock chickens, we may repeat the process nest year. Time will tell.

Financially, Mama and I are at a standstill. Nothing alarming, just a bit of cash flow issues. I am looking ahead to February, when we have tickets to travel to Honduras and do not see the finances working out very well short of selling a house in January. We have a few large business-related financial obligations in February each year. That will be a challenge, but it has always worked out. Next year will be no different. In fact, next year should be the start of our business really getting going. I do not believe it would be a stretch to think that we will be able to sell both of our Lawton houses next year. Praise the Lord! How soon we purchase another one at the foreclosure sale has not been decided.

The time required to rehab these two has been very disappointing.