Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[farmerjan]

I am seeing that you are going to be in for a significant amount more than us for the weekend "weather" .....my DS has had to go down to the eastern shore areas in the past for heavy snows; with the snowblower from this area. Not many can operate it. So it will remain to be seen....
We are supposed to get some rain wed night, possibly turning to snow showers Thursday... but maybe only an inch or 2. Friday is also a concern for here and it all depends if the stalled front stays further south or curves up more. If it does stay south, you will get it worse and us very little... if it curves inland a little more, we will both be getting an "accumulation" ... will know more once tomorrows rain/snow passes by....

I am thinking that a "NO" is in the works for the food demo for you. "WE" tend to get less agreeable when they get less flexible....And all this down time makes you (me) realize we are tired of constantly "punching a time clock" of sorts.
It will cut into your gardening time and your "social life" at the small stock sale, and being able to go to things that naturally occur mostly on the weekends. There comes a time when the money is less important than the enjoyment of not having to "push" all the time.

Got an e-mail from the "boss" at work... wanted to know if any of us in this area wanted some more herds as there is a tester quitting.... end of March I think it said. This tester travels from across the mountain to do these so has alot of travel time invested from where she lives... I immediately e-mailed her back and said that no, I did not want any more as I was just getting back to working with my new knees and it more than enough for me. These herds are all north of here, and travel would be about an hour at the closest. I just don't want anymore. I am sure the testers up in Rockingham Co. where these herds are, are going to fuss and not want any either as they are all pretty set in their ruts too... one only works part-time, now, as she took a job at the post office 2 years ago... the other 2 both have said in the past that they don't want any more... one is my age or older, the other has had both hips replaced and has said she is content with what she has and definitely did not want to take any more on... but that if I needed her to do a couple when I had the knees done, she would see if she could help.....

But I am not going to get roped into doing more... I would do a few for an emergency for a month or 2 if needed as I have done fill ins in the past... but not even going to offer for that or else I will get stuck with them. Plus I am not going to do mornings for any that I am not already doing.....
It is going to be interesting as I think there are 4 or 5 of us that are over 65... so retirement is coming for a bunch...

See @Mini Horses it isn't hard to say NO and I am sure I have alot more debt than you do, with a mortgage and all, and I still had no problem saying no, nada, no thank you, NOPE!!!!!

 

[Mini Horses]

am thinking that a "NO" is in the works for the food demo for you. "WE" tend to get less agreeable when they get less flexible....And all this down time makes you (me) realize we are tired of constantly "punching a time clock" of sorts.
It will cut into your gardening time and your "social life" at the small stock sale, and being able to go to things that naturally occur mostly on the weekends. There comes a time when the money is less important than the enjoyment of not having to "push" all the time.

All so true. Being able to set my own schedule for 98% of my work is the biggest plus! And I can change at a moment's notice....get up and feel like doing something else, I usually can. Rare jobs have tight schedule. Most need done in one or two weeks. You can get into trouble if you put it all off to last minute.. I do plan ahead and know what's more critical for time.

Oh, I still have a mortgage! But it's good. Like you, I work more on buying most things cash, 2nd hand, save first, or short term with low/no interest. Occasional high cost needs a bank loan.

I have to email tonight to let him know. When I started those, years ago, wasn't doing anything else....so 3 days of control wasn't bad. Now that I have this freedom, it is. . Haven't done one in almost 2 yrs now. Thanks COVID.

Speaking of that....I went on line and ordered my 4, free from Uncle, CV19 tests. Someone may need one. Thought site would be blown out. Nope -- on, gave name, addy, done! Both DG and DGD work at Wally world, so sometime they require a test to work after an exposure, etc. Wonder how long the shelf life.. Anyway, about 3 weeks ago that happened and WM was out of them. Got more 2 days later. All were negative, back to work.

 

[farmerjan]

Wed morning. Started out at 24 and quickly up to 47. Sun is out and will help to melt quite a bit of this. Going to rain - tonight into tomorrow morning; maybe some snow as the temps drop and tomorrow is in the 30's and Friday only in the 20's... with the night to go down to the single digits. Will take today gladly.

Goes to show how much I pay attention... I didn't know there were free covid tests to be given out. Couldn't care less... I'm not going to test for it anyway... there is enough hysteria over the "numbers" of new cases....
Our newly sworn in Governor has already said that there is no MANDATORY vaccine mandates for state or school workers now... voluntary is fine... and signed an exec order about children and masks, only already court challenges...I only heard a snippet on the news yesterday... have to look up the latest info. Good for him. Plus in his acceptance speech after being sworn in, he had a prayer with his new lt gov and the atty gen and the respective spouses... asked for the almighty's guidance and help to get our commonwealth back to a productive and supportive state for ALL people in the state. Since the new Lt gov is a black woman, former marine, and real fiesty person that says if you want it, work for it just like she did... daughter of immigrant parents..... and the atty gen is latino... there is NO ONE that can say anything about it not being a diverse group to represent all of the state.
I have listened to her in interviews, and she is one tough person.
Since the gov term in Va is only 1 term, I sure hope that if she is anything like she seems, that she will go on and run to be gov the next time.... and if I am not mistaken, he could run again for a 2nd term if it is not consecutive... but let's see how we get through the next couple of months at least.

DS had problems with the transmission in the automatic bale bed truck this morning,... Has to put the new tie rod in the other one as soon as the parts place gets it in... said about noon. So I will go get it and take it to him so he can start taking the truck apart now. ALWAYS SOMETHING.....

He already knows he has to go into work tonight for the rain turning to maybe snow....

I'm going to go make a couple sandwiches for him for lunch to take with me.

 

[farmerjan]

Wed night. I went to the parts place, got the tie rod parts.... neither was right. The drivers side was too small a diameter and the passenger side was too big.... REALLY.... DS got on the phone, and they seemed to find the "right numbers" and then they could not go to the warehouse in Staunton (1/2 hr north) .... due to not enough people at the store.. so I said I would go. So I go and they hadn't even put in the order from the parts place here... they had a 1/2 hour to do so.... so the really nice man at the warehouse, talked to his supervisor, they called the parts store, got the part numbers... and then he got the short one for the pass side and we compared it to the old ones.... that I purposely took both with me.... it looked and measured up the same, then he went in the other warehouse there, got the long one for the drivers side..... and it measured up the same size... so I came back as fast as I could....DS and I got them put in, and then lined up the truck and measured to see if the tires were "straight".... that is part of what alignment is; but there is a way to do it at home for a way to get it pretty close.... yes he will get it aligned but had to have it for feeding tomorrow.... and it measured off exact front and back of the tire.... looked good.

Glad we got it done this aft as it was in the 40's and some sun. It would have been a B@#$H to do it tomorrow in the cold that is coming through.... he had done what feeding he needed there at the barn with the skid loader and all, so went home to see if he could get 5-6 hours sleep before having to be in at midnight. He said last night that they worked all night doing maintenance work, and that he cannot understand why the day crew is not getting any of it done.... but anyway...

I went and took the wrong parts back and then filled up with gas, went by and it was too late to get the oil changed in the truck so made arrangements to do it in the morning. I have a little whine in the transmission I think so want the fluids to get checked on everything. I do not need any problems with it. Car is going in this weekend for them to see if they can get to figuring out the noise.

I came home and went out and there were 2 eggs today and the poor leghorn has 1 tail feather left.... horrible time to molt.... but nothing I can do.

So I am going to bed early so I can get up and be down there at 8 when they open. I have PT at 2 tomorrow afternoon also.

Looks like rain will come in around 8 or so tonight.... a break around 11 to 1 a.m., then more rain and changing over??

Have had a bunch of snow melt... it is really "shorter" in the fields and the roads are mostly clear. It is still 40 out so any rain will melt it more.

I have a headache tonight.... but I hadn't taken anything all day. so did take something a little bit ago. Have had a lot of swelling in the ankle and knees.

Have a couple of farms to call..... not wanting to go do any one in the cold weather....I will worry about it tomorrow.

 

[farmerjan]

Thursday. Got up and went to the co-op and got the oil changed, and the transmission was down in the gear oil it uses.... he filled it. Checked and filled the other fluids.... got 2 tires getting pretty worn so told him to look some up and prices, and I will get back to him in a couple days to check. I have to look and see what I have here too.
I stopped at McD's for an egg Mcmuffin breakfast... changed the coffee to a hot chocolate... and it was over $8.00....Holy moley.

 

[farmerjan]

Sorry, hit the wrong button. I could not believe it. Now I know why I am spending more time making good food at home. It wasn't all that good either...
I did stop at the dumpster and throw a couple of plastic bags of trash off while right there near it too.

Temps got down to 35 and up to 38 so some melting. It is very cloudy though. Got some sprinkles/showers but really not much out of this front. Looking like the one coming in will be staying further to the south and along the coast so we should get by with little or no snow out of it. @Mini Horses may be in for a significant snow.

Did a little vacuuming when I got home. Chickens water is good so that works.

Still have a headache this morning, not sure if I am sleeping wrong.

Been doing some paperwork since I got home. I will have to stop at the PO when I go out later and send off another form for the settlement of my father's estate. And got some other stuff that I have to sign up for electronic filing with the court in order to see the case progressing. What a PITA.

Kinda raw and damp out there... good day to stay in.

 

[Ridgetop]

Sorry about the swelling in ankle and knees. What is causing it?

 

[farmerjan]

Late Thursday afternoon. I went to PT and stopped and sent the letter off for the estate stuff... sent it certified as I want to make sure it gets there... with so much of the mail not getting back and forth with my brother and then my sister and other brother in Ct....
Then went to the farm to get milk and dropped off the info on his cows that I printed off for him, from the farm he sends his samples off with. We talked a few minutes about the disaster of the whole press conference with Biden last night... I am sorry that his family cares nothing about the man being cognitively unable to function as a sharp, "with it" leader of the country. Like him, hate him, don't care.... he is just not capable of holding a press conference and answer questions and such. It is very sad as well as being very scary....

Came home, went out to the chickens.. got 1 egg and shut things up.

When I left to go to PT it was snowing like we were going to get a blizzard... I mean it was coming down... Less at PT and it had slowed to a few flurries an hour later... It covered the ground here but luckily it was still above freezing so some has melted except what fell on the other snow.

Just made the other NY Strip steak out of the package I thawed and some baked beans. Stomach was growling and realized that I never ate lunch.... So now I am going to do some stuff in the house and try to go to bed early....

@Ridgetop not sure of the swelling in the ankle and knees except I was doing alot of sitting.... ankle swells still, some, and it is always if I am sedentary. I don't always do the little movements/exercises for the ankle when I am sitting and when I don't, it swells. I don't seem to be retaining fluid except for when I sit around.

 

[Baymule]

Over $8 for an egg McMuffin and hot chocolate? It’s not even real hot chocolate, just powdered stuff and hot water.

Isn’t chasing truck parts down a royal pain? At least you finally got the right parts and the truck got fixed.

You really need to get a recliner. Keeping your feet up would help keep your ankle and knees from swelling. If I stand for too long or sit for too long, the pain makes me go for my recliner. I stuffed one in the backseat of the truck and brought it to the house in Groveton. I’m up and down on the ladder, standing and about 3:00, I take a break in the recliner. It sure helps.

 

[Mini Horses]

We got cold and overcast this morning. Rains rolled in about 10, light mixed with ice and continued until about 5...when it got colder. Snow started 8 ish, stopped now, 11ish. White on ground, maybe 1/2" and wet. Dropping into 20s so icy in morning. Boo!

Supposedly nothing falling from sky tomorrow until around mid day. Then prob rain, wintery mix? At dusk turns to snow, continues overnight. . Because system may slide on or off coast....they're guessing 3-9". Quite a spread there! . Saturday morning will be the reveal. Oddly, south of me may get more, 6-10.

What will be, will be. I saw those empty meat shelves in stores that they've had on TV. No bread, milk & eggs mostly gone. Meats empty of most, especially poultry.
People are getting ready for a snow in. . First I've seen of that extreme. Wasn't shopping, just doing jobs in the stores. Parking lots packed. My work is done until next Thur. I'm good, whatever we get.