Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[farmerjan]

Thursday afternoon. I have a miserable headache this afternoon and doesn't make sense since had a good day.
65 to start, had sun and it got up to 88... more muggy today.
Last night we wound up getting up 8 tenths inch rain overnight. There was alot of wind and we lost our power for over 2 hours. Of course all the digital clocks are blinking everywhere.
Got up and went to do cow, then talked to M, J, &C... They came by the house then DS got off work about 9:30 and we went around and looked at some pastures and cows and visited. Had several trees down across the roads into 3 places .... DS had taken the chain saw after the first tree was down. Had a nice couple of hours and then DS had to go to a class at 1 p.m. so he got picked up at my house by one of the other guys....and then I went to lunch with them and they left to go to WV. Always too short a visit...
M is pushing 86... near my mom's age... it is so hard to think of her that age. Glad that her daughter and SIL get along good with her. He really likes the RR's that they go to see... and J has alot of trouble with depth perception and some things but she does see more than I realized... she cannot drive anymore so is lucky her husband is now retired and can drive as she had been depending on M.... You wouldn't know she was that age but is still getting a little "slower" and it is an 8 hour drive down here and with J not being able to spell her driving anymore... it is a long trip.
It is so nice to see her doing so good though...

DS stopped here on his way home from the class as his truck was here from when he had come here this morning... we talked a little bit... he was going to go mow some hay. The rain chances have dropped, so he figured it would be a good time to get going on it again. Next week is mostly a rain free week... We will get going on more as soon as we get through the weekend and see what it looks like. Would be nice to get it all done in the next week or so. Be time to get the wheat combined in a couple weeks.

I am going up to the cow; a neighbor had a jersey get out and she is in our field... he stopped and I told him not to worry... we will drop her off when we start moving these young cow/calf pairs out in the next week.... she is not hurting anything and there is enough grass. Then I think as soon as I get the cow done, will come back and try to work in the garden a little bit. That rain ought to make weed pulling easy for the next day or 2.

 

[farmerjan]

Back in and have the leftover pizza from our lunch in the oven warming up. I seldom eat pizza since I only eat a few pieces and it isn't any fun to eat it alone... but they all like pizza and said it would be great to get it and then they left me the few leftover pieces to take home. That was great.
Came home from the cow and calves and got into the garden. Weeded and mulched the row of 12 plants or so of the "summer squash mix" I had planted; weeded down the rest of the row of green beans to the end of the garden. Then started up the row of onions that goes the length... it is a "triple staggered row" of plants... to get more in and the row is a little wider... the white ones aren't that good, some empty spots... the red ones are pretty good and thick, not many missing and got halfway through the yellow ones before it got too dark to see. I will try to get them finished tomorrow, then start down another row of green beans. It was perfect temps to be doing it and not many bugs.... I feel like I accomplished alot.
Just wish the mower was working so I could use the grass as mulch inbetween them... so easy to spread when it is shorter pieces than the straw. DS had looked at the mower and not sure; even though it has some spark, he said to get a new spark plug for it... it might be weak when it is under compression? What's a spark plug cost... like a few dollars?

Need to tie up some tomatoes. But the big thing is I need to get some more mulch down so the crenshaws and cantaloupe plants can send out vines and I can find them.... and then the cukes and butternut squash will be wanting to send out vines next.

I am hoping to be able to do some more serious weeding tomorrow. I really would like to see if I can get some of that old hay I saw there in the woods... really need it.

DS texted me and said he mowed 3 of the fields down the road from me. Don't know if he is going to mow more tomorrow. I might be able to rake some tomorrow afternoon... but will wait and see.

Going to eat the leftover pizza.... stomach is growling!!!!

 

[Baymule]

Y'all are in full swing hay mode. Hope the weather cooperates so y'all can get it all put up for the winter. We are supposed to get rain Monday and Tuesday. Hope so.

 

[farmerjan]

Friday morning... well, noon time I guess. It started at 66 and is up to 80 already at noon. I realize that is not high compared to some of what the Texas and southern members have seen... Also what they are seeing in the midwest and even the high temps in Minn and places up that way... But it is warm enough for here.
I woke up with that nagging headache, and took some stuff and went up and did the cow. Then came back and since we had quite a few clouds early, and partly sun when I got back with the clouds passing over quite a bit, I decided to go out in the garden again for a bit. I finished the row of onions and got about half the pepper plant row weeded before the sun was out full and getting to be too much for me. That is a little more done. I knew I would have a limited time frame to work so did not start over around the melons and all. They are weeded right around them, so still got a little "time" to get them done before they start to spread.
Meant to go get the spark plug when I did the cow so will run down there to get one. Only a couple miles so not a big "out of the way" trip. Maybe I will get lucky and that will be the problem. I sure would like to get it mowed before we get the possible rain/storms/showers? on Monday....

The weeds are pulling so easily, so thankful for the .8 inch we got the other night. Although it did take down some trees and alot of the ash that have died have come down with the wind we had. There was not any real run off so it has all been soaking in good.
The wheat is looking good and will be combined in a couple weeks. The corn across the road looks real good.

We are going to look at the cut down hay to see if it needs tedding or just can be raked. The clouds this morning didn't look too good for drying, but they are moving on. 20% chance of a pop up this afternoon but looks to be staying way south along the NC border area.
Got a gallon of sun tea out steeping.

Going in to maybe make a PBJ sandwich for lunch. Might help the head to eat something. I need to make an appt at the chiropractor. Get back to going on a more regular basis. I also need to get my new "footprints" done, to get inserts for my shoes since the knees are done and I have changed the way and angle of my walking. The chiropractor does them and sends them off for alot less than you can even do it on your own.

 

[farmerjan]

Nearly 10 p.m. Hit 88 today again, and the sun was out the rest of the day. Wound up on the tractor just raking all the hay. Got done at about 6. Then went up to the cow and then got home and went into the garden. Put in another 1 1/2 hours I guess. Finished the pepper plants, weeded one full row of beans and then did around the yellow squash I had planted separate, and did the rest of the row of dill and then put down some straw around the pepper plants. Some mosquitos out there tonight.

Going to use some of the hamburger meat and make a cheese burger I guess.

Went and got the spark plug and DS said he would get it in tomorrow. Stopped at the P.O. and nothing from the DMV yet on the title... Really would like to sell it so I don't have to keep making payments... still haven't gotten the air conditioner working...
The friends from CT have a smaller SUV... it has CVR or something on the back... but she said she gets 30 mpg on it... It probably has a smaller engine, vehicle is smaller than the explorer... but that is twice what the explorer is getting.... Just want it gone... yeah it was nice for us all to fit to go look at the cows and pastures and hayfields and crops... but not worth paying for that for years to get some positive use out of it once a year.

All the aggravations DS has been dealing with at work have "miraculously" gone away with the new physical for his CDL and the ones that had to review and make a decision that he has a full release to go back to work at full capacity.... there were alot of politics at work and he was denied the opportunity to compete in the annual "Roadeo" that they have every year... one of the "safety inspectors" has had it in for him after an altercation at an event several years ago... tried to say he did not follow protocol and that the injuries and all from the rollover of the road roller were not properly documented... well, it was found in his records, this individual just made sure it dragged on until AFTER they had the roadeo, and now that he is not eligible to compete since they hadf the eliminations, suddenly everything has been passed and approved... there are a couple of real "higher ups" that were made aware of the BS going on, and it seems that this person is now on the radar of the "higher ups" and they are finding some other possible shady situations.... It has been a really BS maddening and stressful couple of weeks and he has done good to not go and put the guy through the wall with the harrassment. Now that it is being "monitored" by others that have more "clout".... and DS has his full driving privileges at VDOT restored... he can try to get back to normal. BUT, he is seriously looking at other possibilities now... because of the way he was treated and all. A friend that has been in on all this stupid BS, told him he can get him into a job that he will have benefits, make more money and work for a company that "subs" out to VDOT... with better hours and no weekends and no BS dealing with the bureaucratic asinine BS....
I hope he considers something... he won't lose his retirement if he leaves.... and more money and better hours and not the hassles, would be better for him I think. But he is going to sit tight for a little bit and wait and see what happens with this other guy too. Luckily he does not have to deal directly with him for much of anything.... his boss at work can do that. It was all jealousy, and the safety guy being called out for changing the rules DURING one of the competitions, and this year, just a couple of weeks ago right before the competition, this safety guy pulled several of the ones that compete FROM THIS AREA, in for "random drug and alcohol tests"... but none from his area... his area guys don't do good at these roadeos and there has been some real ego problems because the guys from this area have always done good and DS has won his division year after year and gone on to the regionals.

So, there are no red flags for DS at work now... and he said he is going to sit back and see what they do....he has options... and they cannot pull his CDL because it is FEDERAL motor carriers... not state. This guy kinda cooked his own goose as he is now under some serious scrutiny....

Guess DS will bale all the hay tomorrow. One small field is pretty heavy and more green this afternoon, the rest will be fine by mid day.... he wants me to get the 1st calf heifers and their calves in at the nurse cow field so the calves can get worked and moved to the other farm where there is nothing on it yet.

Past time to eat and go to bed. Maybe will be able to sleep off this dull headache.

 

[Bruce]

he won't lose his retirement if he leaves

Due to years of service?

 

[farmerjan]

His retirement is fully vested. He wouldn't start it until retirement age anyway, he won't get as much as if he actually stayed and worked more, but would not lose what he has there.
He is pretty much "taking the weekend off" and then next week will see how things are shaking out since this jerk showed up at his headquarters just as DS was leaving to take off a couple hours to visit with the friends and he started to question why DS was leaving... DS's boss just stopped safety guy and asked what he needed there, and he made some comment about DS leaving and boss said that was a previously approved leave for personal business and so what did that have to do with the safety guy showing up???? So, safety guy made out to be looking over things at this headquarters, found some things to "pick apart"... and then DS met the other guy at my house on the way to the meeting so he didn't even go back to the headquarters for the rest of the day. The guy that picked him up told him about the bogus BS the safety guy was trying to make an issue about on the headquarters lot.... then he left. Everyone there is on to this whole thing now... and DS's boss told him back 2 weeks ago when it was looking like they would not back down and all, that he would support him fully if he wanted to go after the safety guy with a harrassment lawsuit....
The saddest thing is that this different dr that he had to go to for the VDOT/CDL tests, looked through his records and when DS's blood pressure was pretty high, he told the dr what had gone on and all.... why he was still so P.O.ed about it.... and the dr said that he could have EASILY fit him in the previous Monday if he had been aware that there was a time issue.... but they purposely did not tell the dr that he wanted to get this done in time to qualify for the roadeo competition... and the dr agreed that it was not fair... BECAUSE he has had to "FIT IN" many other drivers for CDL's in the past.... but the safety guy told VDOT officials that there were no other appts and the higher ups in VDOT accepted that. Well, now they know, that was a fabrication, as DS told his HR person who had been doing all she could to get him in before the roadeo competition.... for this "required" physical... even though his normal CDL physical was only a year ago... has to be every 2 years unless there has been an "event" to question the ability of the driver to drive safely.... anyway... this dr said he would be glad to talk to ANY of the VDOT officials who needed any documentation...
Amazingly, he had to fax his recommendations to some "panel" for their consideration as to his "fitness" to do his duties... and within 24 hours he had all his VDOT driving, work "duties" fully restored....

TOO MUCH UNDERHANDED CRAP... and I hope this guy pays for it one way or another... and it looks like he might have just gone too far this time. Too many people questioning it...
One other thing... LOOK at the lost work time, and MONEY that this has cost VDOT for NO GOOD REASON......they look at that very closely now....

 

[Bruce]

I hope the safety guy gets to see the road with a pink slip.

 

[farmerjan]

Came in to eat some lunch after going up to do cow late. Went by Deb's place to make sure all was okay as she is having some car issues and decided to not come out this weekend until resolved. Wants to come for the 4th of July weekend. Wanted to amke sure that after the power outage the other night that the fridge and all were back on so there wasn't a bunch of spoiled stuff in case it didn't come on....
Plus, she did take the job with the new company that is taking over the work she did with the old company... they lost the job bid.... and she is having to learn some new protocols and such. She is working on getting herself positioned to maybe move out here permanently I think. Tired of some of the BS and thinks she would be better off just working a "mundane" job part-time... and selling the house near DC and just not have to deal with all the crap. She is mid 50's I think... 10 yrs or so younger than me.... But the big thing is that her deceased husbands daughter and family is near her up there and I know she spends time with them and is torn to be 3+ hours away from them down here. I really thought she might sell this place.... I don't think she would have to work at all if she sells the place up there... she sold a house she owned and I know had a mtg but not huge and then there was money from her husbands death...
Anyway. Talked to DS and they were going around a fence at a small pasture that we hadn't moved anything to so he can move some heifers there for the summer... and he is coming back to bale the hay and said if I got in some of the calves and cows then he could take a load with him to the other farm down near GF's when he left to go for the afternoon... they are going to a truck pull this evening.
None of the calves were in the barn this morning, they usually work their way up there mid day when it gets hotter. I am going to go up and see if there are enough in to justify his taking the truck and trailer today. Tomorrow is supposed to be warmer and there will probably be more of them in... we'll see. I put feed in the bunk feeder this morning for them if they do come in.... the calves all need shots and the bulls need to be worked... before they go. And then I need to get the matching momma's in with them. Not really thinking I will be able to it before we wants to go but will go up in a little bit and see who is in the barn... Got most of the ones with tags matched to the momma's... got 4 or maybe 5 with no tags that need tags as well as the rest of the working up.

I am thinking that tomorrow will be a better day to do it but if there are a bunch in with tags so I know who their momma's are, I will shut the barn and call in the cows and see if I can get a half dozen for him to move.

Started out at 64 up to 86 ... sun out and more humid today. Radar showing some possible showers late this afternoon... so hay HAS to be baled... it ought to be good and dry except the one small field might be a little green. He will bale it on the "outside" of the roll so it doesn't mold or get hot and cause it to ignite... there might be a little loss but it will continue to dry out if on the outside of the roll.

 

[farmerjan]

I hope the safety guy gets to see the road with a pink slip.

We are hoping for something similar....especially if it gets to where they can pin something on him from prior situations. He is a loud mouth, I met him at a couple of the state competitions as I have gone with DS many times to Richmond where they hold the state competitions between the various districts within the state.... and I was there when it got ugly and DS and I walked out of the lunch banquet (over 500 people, between competitors and their families). It was the principle of being fair and of treating everyone right and NOT changing the rules after the fact..... and so a couple won that would have lost if the rules that were stated ahead of the run were followed... blatantly wrong... and DS came in 2nd if it had been done as stated... instead he was disqualified...
You don't change the rules in the middle of the game....

Karma is a BIT#H... what goes around comes around, and it looks like that is finally going to happen...