Our big work truck has a problem, a BIG problem. After overheating on the way to a job yesterday, Mike put antifreeze and water in it and hustled to the dealership. Within a couple hours the bad news was delivered. It has a blown head gasket. I don't know a lot about vehicles, but I do know that that is not a good thing. And puts the truck out of service for at least a week. Thankfully, that isn't the only truck in the fleet, so work will go on.
Mike and Thomas went to the dealership last night to get stuff off the truck that will be needed while it is under the weather. Thomas described the scene this morning. He said the truck had been executed. WHAT???? I asked. And he repeated that it looked like it had been executed. You know, its head has been chopped off!!! It seems that the easiest way to repair the engine is to remove the entire cab from the truck. According to Thomas they had unhooked everything from the engine and it was suspended above the engine. What can you do but laugh at moments like that.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Did you miss me?????
Wow, its been a while since I have blogged. Many exciting things have happened since my last time on. One major issue was that my internet service was down for about four days. That cramps my style, as I enjoy surfing the 'net.
Last Tuesday, Thomas and Kathryn turned 9!!!! They are growing up WAY too fast! Here are a few pictures of their weekend celebrating. They each had a friend over Sunday afternoon and had a great time with Jacob and Meghan. The weather was nice, so they spent most of their time outdoors. They all slept well that night.
They each took cupcakes to school Tuesday morning to share with their class and teachers. It was my chance to pretend I was Martha Stewart. Thomas had white frosting on his, then I added 3/8in pieces of red licorice whips on the top to form "laces" of a baseball. Believe me, they would have looked better if someone on Martha's staff had done them for me, but Thomas was happy and that is what counts. Kathryn's were decorated with color sprinkles, and a lollipop on top to look like a flower growing. Again, Martha's were perfect, mine were.....mine. Kathryn loved them.
Here they are blowing out their birthday candles.
Typical Thomas....he is all about the show. Kathryn played it a bit more coy. She managed to get all nine out on the first try. Thomas, for all his "bluster" took a couple tries to finish the job.
I spent a lot of the week sleeping on the couch with one eye shut and the other on the stable monitor. Christy was showing all the signs of being close to having her foal. Yes, horses have been having foals for centuries on their own, but I still like to get on the scene early and spend some time handling the foals when they are first born. It is called imprinting by the experts and seems to make a more human friendly foal. So finally Saturday morning at about 3:45AM, my patience and lack of sleep paid off. Christy had a beautiful filly. Meet Holly! Haven't figured out what her fancy, registered name will be. That will come later. Needless to say, Saturday night, I slept.....hard. And I have a couple weeks break before Breezy is due. Then it will be back to the couch for more not so restful nights.The whole process of birth really amazes me. The strong instinct that the foal has to get up on its feet within such a short time of their birth is miraculous. The fact that they know where their dinner is located, that their mother is their protector, all those things are not learned over time, but a part of them since their creation. Nothing is evolutionary in them. Gods creation is truly amazing.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Where there's smoke.....
There's my brother.
This afternoon I noticed smoke across the field at mom and dads. I had just been shopping with my mom so I knew it had nothing to do with her. But, I also knew that my brother and his wife were home for the weekend. They have a small log cabin in the woods behind my folks and spend a lot of weekends relaxing there.
My phone rang a few minutes later and it was mom, jokingly saying that I should disregard the smoke I was seeing, it was just my brother burning off a little bit of yard trash. Then she paused and said, "actually, he is doing an awful lot of stomping." She then saw my sister-in-law run down the driveway toward where my brother was stomping. Mom hollered out to them to see if everything was under control and found out that they had called the fire department.
From there it got really crazy. My cell phone rang, it was a friend from church that is on another area fire department. He had heard the call through central dispatch, recognized the road, looked it up in the phone book and knew it was my brothers. Oh, and just to add to the excitement, he said they were calling it a structure fire!
The kids headed out to the swing set to get the best vantage point to observe the fire trucks. Soon we could hear the sirens, and then they all drove right on by. PROBLEM!!! Cindy had called from their home phone number, which is a different house number then the actual driveway to get to the house. They share a driveway with mom and dad, so the address Cindy told them to come to was right (mom and dads), however, the system registered the wrong place. On up the road they went, finally turning around and coming back slower, trying to figure out where they were suppose to be. By then, Terry had gotten the fire out himself, so there was no smoke to help guide their way. The fire department started to turn into the neighbors driveway, but she told them where they needed to be and they finally rolled up the driveway about 5 minutes after the fire was out.
A couple minutes later, down the road came the grass unit, as they had been updated that it was a grass fire rather than structural. They flew on by, went up the road, turned around and headed back to the station. I am sure one of the other trucks told them they were no longer needed.
My sister-in-law called me shortly after it all settled down to discuss the upcoming birthday party we were planning for the twins. Earlier in the week, a cookout sounded really good, but that has changed. Cindy is more inclined to head to Saucy Dogs for supper and leave the fires out for awhile. I think that is a good idea too.
In the meantime, my brother told my mom that people really should burn the dead grass and weeds each year, to which mom replied "but can you do it without the fire department?"
This afternoon I noticed smoke across the field at mom and dads. I had just been shopping with my mom so I knew it had nothing to do with her. But, I also knew that my brother and his wife were home for the weekend. They have a small log cabin in the woods behind my folks and spend a lot of weekends relaxing there.
My phone rang a few minutes later and it was mom, jokingly saying that I should disregard the smoke I was seeing, it was just my brother burning off a little bit of yard trash. Then she paused and said, "actually, he is doing an awful lot of stomping." She then saw my sister-in-law run down the driveway toward where my brother was stomping. Mom hollered out to them to see if everything was under control and found out that they had called the fire department.
From there it got really crazy. My cell phone rang, it was a friend from church that is on another area fire department. He had heard the call through central dispatch, recognized the road, looked it up in the phone book and knew it was my brothers. Oh, and just to add to the excitement, he said they were calling it a structure fire!
The kids headed out to the swing set to get the best vantage point to observe the fire trucks. Soon we could hear the sirens, and then they all drove right on by. PROBLEM!!! Cindy had called from their home phone number, which is a different house number then the actual driveway to get to the house. They share a driveway with mom and dad, so the address Cindy told them to come to was right (mom and dads), however, the system registered the wrong place. On up the road they went, finally turning around and coming back slower, trying to figure out where they were suppose to be. By then, Terry had gotten the fire out himself, so there was no smoke to help guide their way. The fire department started to turn into the neighbors driveway, but she told them where they needed to be and they finally rolled up the driveway about 5 minutes after the fire was out.
A couple minutes later, down the road came the grass unit, as they had been updated that it was a grass fire rather than structural. They flew on by, went up the road, turned around and headed back to the station. I am sure one of the other trucks told them they were no longer needed.
My sister-in-law called me shortly after it all settled down to discuss the upcoming birthday party we were planning for the twins. Earlier in the week, a cookout sounded really good, but that has changed. Cindy is more inclined to head to Saucy Dogs for supper and leave the fires out for awhile. I think that is a good idea too.
In the meantime, my brother told my mom that people really should burn the dead grass and weeds each year, to which mom replied "but can you do it without the fire department?"
Feelin' It
I have heard stories of animals sensing weather changes and such things. I have even heard of them sensing earthquakes. Well, the earthquake that happened in Illinois this morning was felt in Michigan according to the experts.....and Emma.
Around 5:40 this morning, she whimpered and wiggled around in her sleep. I was half awake and patted her on the back and woke her up from what I thought was a bad dream. She licked my hand and settled back down. Then while I was getting ready for my day, hubby asked me what time Emma had gotten restless. I told him and he said that was the same time as the earthquake was reported to have happened!!!! How neat is that??
Around 5:40 this morning, she whimpered and wiggled around in her sleep. I was half awake and patted her on the back and woke her up from what I thought was a bad dream. She licked my hand and settled back down. Then while I was getting ready for my day, hubby asked me what time Emma had gotten restless. I told him and he said that was the same time as the earthquake was reported to have happened!!!! How neat is that??
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
A new Thomas-ism
Haven't shared one of these in awhile, but this one was just too good to pass up.
We added a new kitten to our family a couple months ago when we had the attack of the mice. She went to be "fixed" last Tuesday. Hop-Sing is back and feeling really good. She has a small incision with two little blue stitches. Well, at least it used to be two stitches. She pulled one out on her own Saturday. No harm, according to the vet's office. The remaining stitch needs to come out in a few more days.
This morning I was checking her belly to see if she had left her remaining stitch alone and mentioned to Thomas that I thought I could remove it myself. It is pretty loose and a good pair of embroidery scissors should do the trick. The look he gave me was priceless. Then he asked me "are you sure that is WISE?" (Yes, he used the word WISE!!!) Then continued, "I really think that should be done by a PROFESSIONAL!!!" It was too funny and I walked away laughing, as always.
We added a new kitten to our family a couple months ago when we had the attack of the mice. She went to be "fixed" last Tuesday. Hop-Sing is back and feeling really good. She has a small incision with two little blue stitches. Well, at least it used to be two stitches. She pulled one out on her own Saturday. No harm, according to the vet's office. The remaining stitch needs to come out in a few more days.
This morning I was checking her belly to see if she had left her remaining stitch alone and mentioned to Thomas that I thought I could remove it myself. It is pretty loose and a good pair of embroidery scissors should do the trick. The look he gave me was priceless. Then he asked me "are you sure that is WISE?" (Yes, he used the word WISE!!!) Then continued, "I really think that should be done by a PROFESSIONAL!!!" It was too funny and I walked away laughing, as always.
A New Start
Last night was the first meeting of our new 4-H club. The Cornerstone Club is a much smaller club than what we were in last year. We only have 13 members in the club, as compared to the 43 we had last year.
It was a strange feeling to be a parent at the meeting. That hasn't happened since 2002, when Suzanna first started in 4-H. Since then, I have been the administrative leader of the club and have to attempt to be the organized one at the meetings. Not so anymore, it is Jenny's to handle. And she did a great job last night.
Tonight I have a Fund Raising Committee meeting for the Fair Board. In between, I will jam laundry and office work. On to the day.
It was a strange feeling to be a parent at the meeting. That hasn't happened since 2002, when Suzanna first started in 4-H. Since then, I have been the administrative leader of the club and have to attempt to be the organized one at the meetings. Not so anymore, it is Jenny's to handle. And she did a great job last night.
Tonight I have a Fund Raising Committee meeting for the Fair Board. In between, I will jam laundry and office work. On to the day.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Will I ever be warm again?????
That was the question looming in my mind yesterday afternoon. I went to the Holstein sale that Rhoda was to sell in yesterday. When I headed out with my neighbors, Bobby and Melissa, it was a pleasant morning with a hint of spring in the air. I had on a sweatshirt and threw my Carhart coat into the backseat, but thought I wouldn't be needing it and in fact wondered if the sweatshirt would be too warm. Shows you what I know. By the time we drove an hour south, it had begun clouding up, and shortly after we went in the barn to check out the cattle, it began to rain and the wind was blowing hard enough to blow anything not tied down into the next county. Boy was I grateful for that Carhart coat....and Bobby and Melissa....lets just say they were colder than me.
I found Rhoda and took this picture of her. She was giving buyers a good look at her beautiful, post-baby body. Wow she lost that baby weight fast. Soon after, we headed to the tent to watch them sell cattle....and sell cattle....and wonder when Rhoda would come through the ring. You get a catalog at these sales, but the order they are listed in there isn't the order they will sell. So you keep track of the sale prices and go back and forth through the catalog, keeping up with the auctioneer.
In the meantime, there was this nice little March calf in the sale. I had noticed her when I perused the on-line catalog a week
or so ago. Since Rhoda had a bull calf, Suzanna sorta needed a March calf. The calf came into the sale ring with her momma. They sold her mother first and then the calf was up for bid. I asked Melissa if she thought I should jump in. She said sure, so I gave the bid taker a nod. That started the adrenalin rush. I kept bidding and when the gavel fell, she was ours. She hadn't been named yet, and we probably won't see her registration paper for a month, so Suzanna went ahead and named her Bella. Here she is, safely tucked into her new home, sporting a calf blanket to keep her snug and warm...she was better prepared than some others I know.
Melissa and I were so cold that when they started selling a batch of Jersey's, we headed back into the barn to see if it was any warmer in there. It was better than the tent, but we were far from toasty. We checked out Rhoda again. Notice here how she is all by herself. That is an indication of how far down the sale order she was.
I found Rhoda and took this picture of her. She was giving buyers a good look at her beautiful, post-baby body. Wow she lost that baby weight fast. Soon after, we headed to the tent to watch them sell cattle....and sell cattle....and wonder when Rhoda would come through the ring. You get a catalog at these sales, but the order they are listed in there isn't the order they will sell. So you keep track of the sale prices and go back and forth through the catalog, keeping up with the auctioneer.
In the meantime, there was this nice little March calf in the sale. I had noticed her when I perused the on-line catalog a week
or so ago. Since Rhoda had a bull calf, Suzanna sorta needed a March calf. The calf came into the sale ring with her momma. They sold her mother first and then the calf was up for bid. I asked Melissa if she thought I should jump in. She said sure, so I gave the bid taker a nod. That started the adrenalin rush. I kept bidding and when the gavel fell, she was ours. She hadn't been named yet, and we probably won't see her registration paper for a month, so Suzanna went ahead and named her Bella. Here she is, safely tucked into her new home, sporting a calf blanket to keep her snug and warm...she was better prepared than some others I know.Melissa and I were so cold that when they started selling a batch of Jersey's, we headed back into the barn to see if it was any warmer in there. It was better than the tent, but we were far from toasty. We checked out Rhoda again. Notice here how she is all by herself. That is an indication of how far down the sale order she was.
We went back to the tent, and I paid my bill for Bella. I then noticed that Rhoda was standing in the "next up" position. She entered the sale ring, bidding started and was over before I knew it. The gavel fell, and Suzanna's first show heifer belonged to someone else. I didn't cry. The tears would have frozen on my cheeks anyway. Still I felt a little sad that it was over.
Once she had sold, the race was on to get to the car, and turn the heater up full blast. I think we began to unthaw, but I know I wasn't warmed all the way through until I snuggled under the covers when I went to bed.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Kathryn
Recently, someone mentioned that Kathryn doesn't make the blog very often. That isn't surprising, as Kathryn is a child quite content to fly "below the radar". She is happy to be with others, and gets drawn into their projects, but isn't one to step far enough out of line to get herself in trouble.
I did have to chuckle at her this weekend though. She is an animal lover. Every barn cat has a name, every chicken has a purpose, every bug has its job, every bird is beautiful....you get the point. She is sort of our resident animal rights activist. She was about three when she saw a potbelly semi filled with pigs. We have a Bob Evans plant nearby and they were headed for sausage. Kathryn looked out her window and said "oh look, the piggies are going for a ride." Thomas piped up immediately and said "no they aren't, they are heading to the butcher shop." The look on her face was instant sadness. She replied, "that makes me sad". She loves her critters.
So Saturday afternoon, she was sputtering mad. There was a dead robin in the barn. The barn cats had caught it and by the time she discovered it, all that was left were the wings. Must be cats don't go for buffalo wings. Anyway, she was not happy, and soon got after Timothy, who she figured was responsible for the dastardly deed, since he was laying beside the evidence. When he spotted her, he wandered on over to say hello. She wouldn't have anything to do with him and said "get away from me you murderer!!!!" I couldn't help but laugh at her. She was so mad at that cat. She doesn't understand the finer points of survival of the fittest.
I did have to chuckle at her this weekend though. She is an animal lover. Every barn cat has a name, every chicken has a purpose, every bug has its job, every bird is beautiful....you get the point. She is sort of our resident animal rights activist. She was about three when she saw a potbelly semi filled with pigs. We have a Bob Evans plant nearby and they were headed for sausage. Kathryn looked out her window and said "oh look, the piggies are going for a ride." Thomas piped up immediately and said "no they aren't, they are heading to the butcher shop." The look on her face was instant sadness. She replied, "that makes me sad". She loves her critters.
So Saturday afternoon, she was sputtering mad. There was a dead robin in the barn. The barn cats had caught it and by the time she discovered it, all that was left were the wings. Must be cats don't go for buffalo wings. Anyway, she was not happy, and soon got after Timothy, who she figured was responsible for the dastardly deed, since he was laying beside the evidence. When he spotted her, he wandered on over to say hello. She wouldn't have anything to do with him and said "get away from me you murderer!!!!" I couldn't help but laugh at her. She was so mad at that cat. She doesn't understand the finer points of survival of the fittest.
I'm not even suppose to here!!!!
That was what I kept telling my hubby on Saturday. As I mentioned in the last blog, hubby and Thomas were off to cut wood. The girls and I were going to hang out around home. You know what they say about making plans.....Saturday was no exception. Thomas was going to drive the 1520 tractor to the woods, which are about 5 miles from home. Hubby wanted someone to follow him, to see to it he made it safely. The girls and I were recruted for that task. I thought "no big deal, follow him and then come home." HA!!! The tractor acted up and I ended up running home to get tools, gas treatment, jumper cables and stuff for lunch (it looked like this could take a while and there is nothing worse than hungry kids, right!!).
I arrived back with the requested stuff and hubby quickly treated the gas and decided that the tractor wasn't going to work, so we needed to go back home and get the trailer to haul it home. I should mention that most of the travel was on dirt roads full of potholes. The roads around here are AWFUL! So bouncing through the potholes once was bad enough. Yippie, I get to bounce through those potholes again!! Hubby hitched up the big trailer and hooked the smaller trailer behind my truck to use to haul the boxes we put wood in around. Off we went again, down the roads full of potholes. By now, I have told my hubby at least three times that "I wasn't even suppose to be there". The girls abandoned the project on the second trip back home.
Back at the tractor, it started up and was running perfectly. So hubby decided we had better load while it was running. Did I mention I wasn't even suppose to be there???? Suddenly, I am helping load wood and supervising everybody else. Finally, it was decided that we had loaded all there was to load. Josh (an employee who helps with wood), Thomas and I in one truck with a basket of wood on the back off we went down the bumpy, pothole-filled road one more time. This time, if you hit the bumps too hard, wood fell off the load and you had to stop and pick those pieces back up. What fun.
Finally, we arrived safely home. Thankfully, my in-laws invited us over for pizza and birthday cake to celebrate my birthday. I didn't have to cook after spending all day where I wasnt' suppose to be.
I arrived back with the requested stuff and hubby quickly treated the gas and decided that the tractor wasn't going to work, so we needed to go back home and get the trailer to haul it home. I should mention that most of the travel was on dirt roads full of potholes. The roads around here are AWFUL! So bouncing through the potholes once was bad enough. Yippie, I get to bounce through those potholes again!! Hubby hitched up the big trailer and hooked the smaller trailer behind my truck to use to haul the boxes we put wood in around. Off we went again, down the roads full of potholes. By now, I have told my hubby at least three times that "I wasn't even suppose to be there". The girls abandoned the project on the second trip back home.
Back at the tractor, it started up and was running perfectly. So hubby decided we had better load while it was running. Did I mention I wasn't even suppose to be there???? Suddenly, I am helping load wood and supervising everybody else. Finally, it was decided that we had loaded all there was to load. Josh (an employee who helps with wood), Thomas and I in one truck with a basket of wood on the back off we went down the bumpy, pothole-filled road one more time. This time, if you hit the bumps too hard, wood fell off the load and you had to stop and pick those pieces back up. What fun.
Finally, we arrived safely home. Thankfully, my in-laws invited us over for pizza and birthday cake to celebrate my birthday. I didn't have to cook after spending all day where I wasnt' suppose to be.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Oh what a beautiful morning.......
Anyone care to join me in a verse?? After the winter that seemed to never end, the sun is shining brightly and it makes you believe that spring may arrive soon.
Hubby and Thomas are off to cut wood this morning. We need heat for a few more weeks I am sure. That means the woodpile needs replenished. He is feeling the pull from about four different directions. The need for wood, the need to get in the office, the need to spread two large manure piles and the fact that he has the cold to end all colds that I had and really should take a break from life and get to feeling 100% again. But wood wins out.....Monday will be an office day, which will also give him some rest and hopefully he can recover from this nasty cold that has hung on and on. The manure piles???? Maybe next weekend.
The girls and I are not going to the woods. We are leaving that to the boys. Suzanna wanted to make cookies for neighbor JW after all his help at the show last weekend. So she is going to bake and then we will drop those off and see Rhoda one more time. The heifer passed her TB test and will head to Indiana Monday for a sale. Neighbor Melissa and I have a road trip planned to get her there. It is a pretty quick trip, but will be fun none the less.
Mom and I had our annual birthday outing yesterday. She and I try to go out for the day to celebrate. I was born two days before her birthday, making me the best birthday present she ever received. Now that I am "grown-up" I am sure she believes it, but from the stories she tells of my colicky early months and on into toddler hood, I know that I pushed her patience to the limit. Anyway, we went to one of our favorite stores in the world, Joann Fabrics. They had a great sale on patterns, and I bought a bunch and found some fabric to make dresses for Suzanna and Kathryn. Might get to cutting out this afternoon. I haven't had much sewing room time lately, and the room is calling me.
Off to get at my day.
Hubby and Thomas are off to cut wood this morning. We need heat for a few more weeks I am sure. That means the woodpile needs replenished. He is feeling the pull from about four different directions. The need for wood, the need to get in the office, the need to spread two large manure piles and the fact that he has the cold to end all colds that I had and really should take a break from life and get to feeling 100% again. But wood wins out.....Monday will be an office day, which will also give him some rest and hopefully he can recover from this nasty cold that has hung on and on. The manure piles???? Maybe next weekend.
The girls and I are not going to the woods. We are leaving that to the boys. Suzanna wanted to make cookies for neighbor JW after all his help at the show last weekend. So she is going to bake and then we will drop those off and see Rhoda one more time. The heifer passed her TB test and will head to Indiana Monday for a sale. Neighbor Melissa and I have a road trip planned to get her there. It is a pretty quick trip, but will be fun none the less.
Mom and I had our annual birthday outing yesterday. She and I try to go out for the day to celebrate. I was born two days before her birthday, making me the best birthday present she ever received. Now that I am "grown-up" I am sure she believes it, but from the stories she tells of my colicky early months and on into toddler hood, I know that I pushed her patience to the limit. Anyway, we went to one of our favorite stores in the world, Joann Fabrics. They had a great sale on patterns, and I bought a bunch and found some fabric to make dresses for Suzanna and Kathryn. Might get to cutting out this afternoon. I haven't had much sewing room time lately, and the room is calling me.
Off to get at my day.
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