Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[Bruce]

Hey.... to all disbelievers, they actually do freeze dry!!!!! Really, they will get stiff if the temps are really that cold... but they really do dry.

Yep! It isn't just heat that dries things. The clothes will dry from desiccation and any breeze that might be blowing. If it were just heat you could dry wood in an enclosed shed. But it won't dry in there very well, a nice breeze blowing between the pieces is what dries them.

Has anyone seen this form of stacking wood to dry? There is a hole in the middle and the pile creates its own draft through the sides and out the middle.

 

[Baymule]

I’ve never seen wood stacked like that. Sure makes sense, the chimney effect.

 

[farmerjan]

Interesting @Bruce . I have never seen that. Makes sense but looks like alot of work. Still it looks nice. I guess that just putting it in stacks between 2 trees, or some sort of uprights, will be my thing though.

Monday.... it was 28 and we started getting snow/sleet around 6 a.m.. It was really snowing at 8 when I left to go to PT. Roads were slick and had really accumulated. I came out of PT to mostly rain and the roads had been scraped in some places. But then got down here nearer to the new house and with the elevation, was back into sleety stuff. Then I get to the house and there is my mailbox knocked completely off the post.... REALLY.... they just fixed the dented part so that it would close again from hitting it last week. The arm (4x4) that the box sits on is knocked completely out of the post.....This mailbox has been here for over 15 years.... 8 years with no one living here even... and twice in a week it gets smacked......
We were getting all snow/sleet mix for a bit, then it changed to a real snow "downpour" for a bit. Now it is a little rain and foggy as it warms up. This is supposed to be out of here by this afternoon, some more rain.... then maybe some changing over to snow???? They don't really know.

DS just called... so P.O.'ed.... they are sending half the crew home at noon to come back in tonight at 8... So he got his 8 hours but the day crew is staying til 8 so they are getting 8 plus 4 overtime.... and if they go in tonight at 8 and it clears, they are to go home at 4 so only get 8 again and totally break up his sleep again. He has had it out with the boss a couple of times over this inequality lately.... and working when they really don't need to be there at night a couple times....and because they did not have the contract help come in at 4 , and the roads got so bad, that they had to call them in at 6:30... and the boss had the nerve to say well, they really didn't need them,.... but the state police had called because of the road conditions and the vdot guys could not cover all the roads that the contractors covered, with it coming down so fast all at once, and the roads being cold enough that it was sticking and slick...
He just was fit to be tied.... and I don't blame him.... that the boss was basically reading him the riot act for calling in the contract trucks, then the boss came in early and called the rest of the contract trucks in..... because he had gotten a call at home about the condition of the roads.... . He said, 'I did the feeding I needed to yesterday, I am going home to sleep. I will be back at 8 and I am not answering the phone to anyone from work once I leave here today'.

This boss is one of the ones that gets promoted to the next level because no one else wanted the job and he just is not "boss" material.... he has a few more years til retirement.... DS does not want the job.... he is looking around... he is tired of the bureaucratic bs....it's been coming.... I am surprised he has lasted this long. I think that he is trying to stick with it for a bit because of trying to buy "Doug's farm" ..... if that ever gets done, then he is going to do something different I think. He has 7 more years to being eligible for early retirement.... he said that he was going to stick it out 2 years ago when he had 9 years, but lately I don't think he cares..... he can wait to take his retirement money and do something else in the meantime. He has had other offers.... and has had the one doctor pushing him to take disability due to the headaches and such from the work accident a couple years ago. Well, he needs to just get through this trying to buy the farm.

So, it is just crappy out. I loaded several bags of junk and took it to the dumpsters on my way to PT. I have to get together my bottles for tomorrow morning. I am going to assume that the roads will be okay by morning to go test. Then I will have to load all the meters and stuff for the afternoon 2x herd tues aft and wed morning. I got all the clothes off the line yesterday and got them folded yesterday eve. Will get them all put away and that will get the totes packed so I can get them out of the way until yard sale time. Then I am going in the kitchen and see about getting some more stuff washed.

Talked to the propane guys and have rescheduled for Thursday to try to let it clear and dry a little here. There is snow and wet behind the house where they have to go in underneath and it will be a mess to try to get the tank behind the house and all that. If we have a couple days for it to dry up a little it will be easier and might not tear up the yard as much. A couple more days will not make or break things. It is supposed to be sunny for the next 4-5 days, and warm up into the 50's, so hopefully will be alot better for them to get in here. They would have trouble today and even tomorrow with the wet. It will take a day or 2 for the snow in the yard to melt and the drive in from the road is all ice right now. Don't need the propane truck getting stuck either.

 

[Baymule]

I'm sorry that your son has to deal with an idiot boss. Hope he can hang in there long enough to buy the farm. Changing jobs upsets the credit report and lowers the score.

 

[farmerjan]

Okay..... like you @Baymule , we have had a weather turn around.... but not as drastic as yours was. It is sunny, and melting out there. Going to be in the 50's and maybe hit 60 tomorrow????? But then the forecast is for some heavy wet snow on Friday night....

You can't make this crazy weather up.


Yesterday I worked here a bit. Went down the hill and it was just cold enough to get the ground firm and the snow on the back road hard and rutted and crusty. 28 when I left this morning and in the mid 40's already. Sun is out and things getting muddy. It'll be a real mess in a little while as the ground under the top mud softens up. I imagine that the majority of the snow will be gone between today and tomorrow.

Tested this morning and have to get the samples packed and the bottles in the trays for this afternoon. I already put the meters and the hoses in the car.
Went down the hill and got some of the "scrap metal" together as DS is going to get the old freezer that is outside and can get the rest of the metal so he can take another load. He did work last night so is off today. He will go home this evening and sleep "normal hours" tonight and maybe the next couple of nights, but will most likely have to go in to work on Friday night.

So not much happening today. I will not get anything done here today and then tomorrow I will try to do something after I get out of the barn tomorrow morning. I have to be in the barn around 2 this afternoon to set up, and won't get done until after 7..... then have to be back there @ 5 in the morning. At least I will have tomorrow afternoon to enjoy the sun.
I have to get the battery charged on the little truck. It is dead, so I know that it really does need to be replaced. When I expected it to not start, it did. But it sat and it went dead. So I will run the cord out to it and put the charger on it and maybe tomorrow I can take it down the hill. I would like to maybe get the cupboard out of the kitchen and into the truck. I can take it out the front porch door and back the truck up on the lawn to the front porch steps. I will not get it back to the back door with the mud that will be there today as it all thaws out.
DS will have the 4x4 I think... he said he is going to try to put a chain around it, and pick up the freezer onto the back of the bale bed of the truck... with the "arms" that pick up the big rolls of hay; then put it on the trailer with some other stuff he was going to load. Better to do it today when he is off and it is not so cold and miserable out there. Since he will not have to work tonight, he will be good and tired tonight and be able to get a good nights' sleep.

So, time to get samples packed and bottle s ready.

 

[farmerjan]

Tuesday eve. Got done testing and came by here so I could eat the half bowl of soup left from last night. I ache.... milking went a bit better than normal, tonight... they were more focused on getting the cows in and getting them done. The 2 "girls" (early 20's) didn't stand around and yak like they usually do. Still, I was there on my feet from 2:15 to nearly 7, from set up to leaving. I will be back in the morning....5 a.m. and mornings always take longer because the cows have 14 hrs of milk . They milk at 3 pm and 5a.m. instead of what most call "12 and 12 "..... they are a 10 and 14. That's the time between milkings. Many farms I have are an 11 and 13.... 5 a.m. and 4 p.m. or something similar. But when you do something like 10 and 14, the milking after the 14 hr interval is always slower because they make more milk.
Regardless. it will be a long morning..... Oh well, that's part of it.

I am going to head down the hill in a few minutes so I can get a little more sleep than last night.

Did see the landlord this morning for a minute and told him about things not getting as far along as planned, due in part to weather and such. He said that was not a problem, that He didn't mind how long I stayed..... of course not, as long as he is getting more money... but regardless, I am renting it so he is entitled to his rent. I hope to get the one cupboard moved.... maybe tomorrow or Thursday so I can work on getting it really scrubbed out and cleaned and then I can get several of the boxes of stuff emptied and put in there. Get some of the other stuff I have, like rice and other stuff, put into the vacuum canisters and put on the shelves too. Might try to get a few more "bulky things" moved too if they aren't too hard to get out the front door.... gotta remember to take the one old blanket with me too. It is in the car.

Samples were sent off earlier when I left to go test too. Tomorrow I will have to spend some time and get the computer work done and then pack all those samples and get them sent out. At least I will be sitting to do that.

Okay, I am done with the soup and ready to go down the hill. I am beat, and have another one of those stress/tension headaches again. Tomorrow is another day.

 

[farmerjan]

Wed morning...I went to the farm and tested and got done out of there about 9 or so. Stopped at the station that had gas still at 2.39.... used my rewards card and got $.20 off a gallon up to 20 gallons..... Didn't need much but was still glad to save that much. Came here to the house.
Then got a call from Deb and she is not coming out to her farm until late tomorrow instead of today. Wanted to check on the conditions, and told her that we had that crappy icy stuff Monday but it is getting alot better, but will be MUDDY with the snow melting, and the possibility of some wintry mix for Friday night and then we might get 3-5 days of RAIN.... So, I will go up in a little bit to feed the horses today; probably when I go take the samples.

Like @Mini Horses , we need more wet/rain/precip right now like we need a hole in the head......The snow still on the ground should mostly all melt today. It is sunny now and up to at least 45 or 50.... going to 60's.......It is wonderful..... but it is soggy underfoot.

I just hooked up the cord to the little truck with the battery charger so it can charge for awhile. Then maybe I can use it later and go to the stone house and get one of the cupboards moved later.

So I am going to start working on the computer and entering all the milk weights from the farm I did and then get the samples packed so they can go out today. Then I want to try to get a few things done here today. I need to enjoy the sunlight today. I got a good night's sleep, not long enough, but I never moved a muscle last night I don't think. I need another night like that. Tomorrow is pool PT but I don't have to be there until 10:30.....and they are supposed to come do the propane lines and hookup tomorrow afternoon....

Gotta eat something.... stomach is growling!!!! PBJ will be fast and easy so I can get on the computer for work.

 

[farmerjan]

Thursday afternoon. HOORRAAY I have propane!!!!!! Guys came this afternoon and put in a tank, ran the new line for the kitchen stove, and a new line to the fireplace heater in the LR. It is lit and ready to go. The weather has warmed up so much that the heater isn't even on, on low..... I had to turn it up a bit to get it to light..... but it is working. Cannot believe it... finally. So hopefully we will be able to get the kitchen stove in here soon.... I think that then I will feel like I am getting "moved in" .. to be able to cook and all.

I went to bed about 9 last night, slept til nearly 7. I was tired, and hurting from testing. Of course PT doesn't make me feel great, but that's life. I do feel a little better this afternoon even though sore.

Truck battery had to be put on the full charge this morning before I went to PT. Didn't take the trickle charge overnight. But it was good to start after I got home from PT. So, I will take the charger with me and take the truck down the hill to try to load some stuff to bring up tomorrow. We aren't supposed to get any rain or weather until later Friday. I will have to replace the battery though. But maybe it will do okay for a bit. DS said he has one that he thinks will work good. The bigger diesel trucks have 2 batteries and he said the one truck has one battery that he thinks is bad, so he is going to replace both and I can have the good one for the truck. If not, then I will just get a new one. But he said he would replace both in the diesel, so it starts without putting too much stress on one. The truck can start on one but it puts more strain on it and can wear out the starter by cranking longer and harder instead of quickly starting. He said if that's the case, then I may as well get the good out of the battery that is still working right. Whatever works. He said otherwise he would keep it and it won't help it to just sit.... and if he has to have it for something else, then I can just get a new one. But batteries will "go down" if allowed to just sit and never used. Hopefully will get it switched in a few days. I will keep the charger with me just in case when I am at the other house. Plus I always keep jumper cables in every vehicle.....

I went and ran the car through the car wash today since the roads are dry, to clean off the salt and stuff from the last few days and would rather not drive it on the roads if we get rain/sleet/wintry mix tomorrow and get it all dirty again. But if I have to I will.
Plus the truck gets better mileage.... Gas went UP AGAIN.... 2.45 - 2.49 gal now. And diesel is up to 3.25 on road here. Totally ridiculous.... and it is going to get worse. Car is getting 20-21 mpg and the truck regularly gets 25-27.....

It has been sunny and very nice today. In the upper 50's which feels like a heat wave. But just nice. Clouds coming in tomorrow again, then the ???? tomorrow night and changing to rain for the weekend. Next week is looking to be a little cooler but no precip that I can see. That will help with moving more stuff.

So, I am going in to do some stuff in the kitchen while the sun is coming in the windows and feeling cheerful in there. Got all the pots and pans from the other house that are in boxes to wash and then put away. Need to clean up the floors a little from all the in and out; then take the vacuum down the hill. Might be a good few days to do some cleaning in the other house. I would like to maybe get DS to help me load the corner computer cabinet/hutch so I can get it set up in the LR and some things organized there.

 

[Baymule]

Gas! Heat! You can cook now! at least when you get the oven hooked up, you can cook. LOL

 

[farmerjan]

Headin down the hill. Did some dishes, emptied some boxes. Spent some time on computer catching up with a couple of the forums I go on. Read the information pamphlet from the gas co. Ate a bowl of cereal for supper... not very productive tonight. Tomorrow is another day. Knees ache from PT as I am trying to push a little in the pool sessions to get more flexibility with the lack of "gravity" ... I feel it later in the day. Gotta get the blanket out of the car so that I can maybe get a cupboard or something in the truck tomorrow. Got some boxes packed too and I will take the hand dolly with me too.