Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[Ridgetop]

He got some real relief after the shots they did in the C-2 to C-7 vertebrae... so this is hitting him harder all of a sudden, after some relief. BUT.... he cannot seem to remember to do things and things get put off all the time again...

Could thehead trauma which is causing the headaches be causing the forgetfuness? Or is it just involvement with her?

 

[farmerjan]

I think the head damage is causing alot of the forgetfulness since he also stutters some now and never did before... Stress with her on "not so good days" does not help either... and being so concentrated on things that the kids are doing, causes him to forget other things as they are "not as important".....

 

[farmerjan]

Thursday... left at 6:15 for the dr appt... he got in on time, and out by 9:30.... Stopped at the lawyer that is representing him in the workman's comp stuff... and has to get a few other things for them... for the meeting in early May.... Then went to Rural King... got feed, red salt blocks, more fluids for the tractors while on sale... dropped another $600+ .... next month he is going to take the truck and get at least a pallet of red salt blocks... and anything else that we need...
Almost came home with some chicks, but I resisted. They have a limit of 20 chicks per purchase/person... but they had about 100-150 cornish cross, a couple kinds of brown egg layers, some "easter eggers" , white egg layers. $4-6 a piece...
It was sprinkling by 11... we stopped and filled up with gas and ate lunch at a small "local" type diner/restaurant.... Got home by 2 or so... It was still misty/light rain so the stuff is in the car. Will unload some tomorrow and I will unload the feed when it is going to be dry for a bit, so I can switch it to the truck and take it to the barn. Will take the salt blocks, jugs of fluids etc.... to the barn except for a couple blocks to go to the barn at snyder's with the feed, to have there.

It's been wet most of the afternoon... I didn't put the rain gauges out earlier, so don't know what we got... Looks like rain off and on for the next 2-3 days.

Going up to the barn to feed the bottle calf, and grain in just a few minutes. It is only 48 out now so chilly and damp.

 

[farmerjan]

Chilly, damp morning. 40 overnight and we had some rain/showers kind of stuff. Supposed to be cloudy and not very warm all day.

Went to WV to a feeder calf sale yesterday eve.... DS and a couple other cattle guys... not many cattle there and lots of buyers... Last year a friend of DS's... works for VDOT that has cattle and one of few that DS trusts... he's a really nice guy... he goes and buys at this sale some and last year they had some good prices on heifers... wish we had been there and bought a couple trailer loads... anyway, decided to go out to see what the sale was like...
There were not many cattle there... most out that way have already sold due to the high prices this spring.... but the prices were as high as anything here more local. So, spent the fuel money... but had a good time with the guys and got to look at some cattle...

Today I will go up to the farm and try to pull staples out of some fence DS has to take down for them to start driving posts again on Monday... they are going to replace some of these old fences and some posts are broken and all that... DS asked if I could help do some and I said I would go up there and see about doing some. These fences are part of the barn lots so haven't taken them down yet since we still have cattle up against them. Might get the next few posts out of the "tangle" of fence he pulled apart the other day. It has been cold, windy and some rain and I haven't done them yet. Today is going to be cold and damp for awhile, but supposed to be clearing off and tomorrow is supposed to be nicer. Monday may hit mid 70's then temps back to mid 60's which is more seasonal...

Another farm got back to me... they do their own samples so I will take bottles up and drop them off, and then pick up and do the computer work when I am back that way mid week. Save at least one trip. Got to see about the 500 cow herd to get scheduled... morning this month...

Guess I will see about heading down to the farm here in a little bit.

 

[farmerjan]

Been a raw chilly day. Just plain raw.... Cloudy all day until about 6 pm then saw some sun coming through... but by then it was too late to do anything except keep feeling cold. Thermometer was up to 56, but that did not take into account the chilly feel. I wore my regular sweatshirt ... plus, a light weight hooded one on top of that to keep the chill off the back of my neck...

I pulled staples out of about 10 posts... that's about 80 ft... and we are talking 8-10 staples per post. I ache. That finished that section... except for one post that has some autumn olive junk growing right up through it that DS said to not try to wade through it... he will take the chain saw and cut that crap down... to get to the post there. I guess tomorrow I will go up and start "nailing off" the other stretch of fence that is up... and see how much I can get done. It is supposed to be sunny and in the 60's which would be real nice.
My problem is that my arm and hand get so tired because of the hand damage from the accident years ago... I do not have full use of the right hand with the pinky tendon that had been severed...they tied it into the ring finger, pretty much full functional use.... but there is muscle that is missing and all so that side of the hand is weak... and it gets tired more easily...
It's almost funny when I start nailing off the wire... because as the muscles and all in the forearm and the "front side" of the arm work to compensate, and they get tired... I can't "aim" the hammer and I hit everything BUT the staples........ and of course, that is the side of my hand that has been "tingley numb" on top of it so I don't fully feel it... and it does not do what I tell it to do when it gets tired...

Well, DS just called to say thank you again, for the staple pulling... it is freeing up his time to be able to get more brace posts in, and can much more easily go through and get the few staples I couldn't get out... a couple of bottom wire staples, and that one post.... and get some of this wire rolled up as some is in very good shape where the cattle were not "riding it" or pushing against it. And to see if I was going to come there tomorrow... that he wants to get to work on pulling the staples in the back field so they can drive those posts also...There are some broken posts, the wire has been stretched out from cattle "riding it", over the years.. and DS is adding some divider fences to make some of these lots smaller, so we can move cattle over and around when we are sorting and such... so I will be doing that instead of nailing off any of the other stretch of fence... That section is up, stretched, and nailed on the ends and a couple staples in most of the posts to keep it in place... these calves are not "testing" the fence so it can get done later... He said that even if I only got 3 posts done, that was 3 less than he had to do... so I will work on it until the arm quits listening to what I want it to do... and I want to get the ones he "unwound" from the mess, get those staples pulled too... we will use several / many of those posts here at the house...
So, tomorrow should be nice to work out there, and see how much can get done...Good exercise for me... especially since I am soooo out of shape lately...
Took some tylenol to take the edge off... will go get a good hot shower and go to bed.

On top of all this... DS wants to get the vet to preg check the heifers at snyder's... and get the heifers bangs vacc as one guy wants 5 heifers to go out in the lower field there at his place... says the grass is ready for them.... GRRRR ......we get it for free, and he does everything, checks on them and all that...they are retired so lots of time..... so you gotta work with them somewhat.. plus NO BULLS near them so we put heifers up there to grow and then when they come home, they will go with the bull in Nov at snyder's to get bred... Vet had some openings on Wed.... I am supposed to test but think I can change it to Thursday... ALWAYS... everyone wants the same week to do everything...
This working/testing is getting in the way all the time anymore... .
Only saving grace, is if we get the heifers preg checked and moved out to grass somewhere, he can bring the ones from the barn in those lots we are trying to get done, to snyders and get them out of the way and then whenever we can move the bull in up there, or move them out to another pasture somewhere with the bull....
Still no new babies from the other 2 heifers at snyder's... or Jess the longhorn... ought to be pretty soon... he did have one other calf today... we are about 75% done I guess.

 

[fuzzi]

Been a raw chilly day. Just plain raw.... Cloudy all day until about 6 pm then saw some sun coming through... but by then it was too late to do anything except keep feeling cold. Thermometer was up to 56, but that did not take into account the chilly feel. I wore my regular sweatshirt ... plus, a light weight hooded one on top of that to keep the chill off the back of my neck...

I pulled staples out of about 10 posts... that's about 80 ft... and we are talking 8-10 staples per post. I ache. That finished that section... except for one post that has some autumn olive junk growing right up through it that DS said to not try to wade through it... he will take the chain saw and cut that crap down... to get to the post there. I guess tomorrow I will go up and start "nailing off" the other stretch of fence that is up... and see how much I can get done. It is supposed to be sunny and in the 60's which would be real nice.
My problem is that my arm and hand get so tired because of the hand damage from the accident years ago... I do not have full use of the right hand with the pinky tendon that had been severed...they tied it into the ring finger, pretty much full functional use.... but there is muscle that is missing and all so that side of the hand is weak... and it gets tired more easily...
It's almost funny when I start nailing off the wire... because as the muscles and all in the forearm and the "front side" of the arm work to compensate, and they get tired... I can't "aim" the hammer and I hit everything BUT the staples........ and of course, that is the side of my hand that has been "tingley numb" on top of it so I don't fully feel it... and it does not do what I tell it to do when it gets tired...

Well, DS just called to say thank you again, for the staple pulling... it is freeing up his time to be able to get more brace posts in, and can much more easily go through and get the few staples I couldn't get out... a couple of bottom wire staples, and that one post.... and get some of this wire rolled up as some is in very good shape where the cattle were not "riding it" or pushing against it. And to see if I was going to come there tomorrow... that he wants to get to work on pulling the staples in the back field so they can drive those posts also...There are some broken posts, the wire has been stretched out from cattle "riding it", over the years.. and DS is adding some divider fences to make some of these lots smaller, so we can move cattle over and around when we are sorting and such... so I will be doing that instead of nailing off any of the other stretch of fence... That section is up, stretched, and nailed on the ends and a couple staples in most of the posts to keep it in place... these calves are not "testing" the fence so it can get done later... He said that even if I only got 3 posts done, that was 3 less than he had to do... so I will work on it until the arm quits listening to what I want it to do... and I want to get the ones he "unwound" from the mess, get those staples pulled too... we will use several / many of those posts here at the house...
So, tomorrow should be nice to work out there, and see how much can get done...Good exercise for me... especially since I am soooo out of shape lately...
Took some tylenol to take the edge off... will go get a good hot shower and go to bed.

On top of all this... DS wants to get the vet to preg check the heifers at snyder's... and get the heifers bangs vacc as one guy wants 5 heifers to go out in the lower field there at his place... says the grass is ready for them.... GRRRR ......we get it for free, and he does everything, checks on them and all that...they are retired so lots of time..... so you gotta work with them somewhat.. plus NO BULLS near them so we put heifers up there to grow and then when they come home, they will go with the bull in Nov at snyder's to get bred... Vet had some openings on Wed.... I am supposed to test but think I can change it to Thursday... ALWAYS... everyone wants the same week to do everything...
This working/testing is getting in the way all the time anymore... .
Only saving grace, is if we get the heifers preg checked and moved out to grass somewhere, he can bring the ones from the barn in those lots we are trying to get done, to snyders and get them out of the way and then whenever we can move the bull in up there, or move them out to another pasture somewhere with the bull....
Still no new babies from the other 2 heifers at snyder's... or Jess the longhorn... ought to be pretty soon... he did have one other calf today... we are about 75% done I guess.

It was raw here as well yesterday, temperature hit 58° but the wind and damp made it feel a lot colder.

 

[Baymule]

Hard work, but satisfying to see what you have done. Nice of your son to call and say thank you, I know your hard work is helping what he’s doing go faster and he appreciates it.

Sore muscles, rub Arnicare on the soreness. It takes the soreness away, lasts about 4 hours and you can sleep better because you aren’t aching. Sometimes I add a small glass of wine to that and trudge off to bed. LOL My box of wine is almost empty, I guess it’s about time for my extravagant yearly purchase.

 

[SageHill]

Yeah, what is it about everything happening on the same day thing? Had 6 things yesterday (and needed to do a few things here as well) but only managed three. Feast or famine syndrome.

 

[farmerjan]

Up and moving. It was 30 last night and DS said the ground looked like snow earlier.. I was NOT up that early to see.
It is already up to 60.. Sun is out and I am going to put out a gallon of water to make tea later today. Going to head to pasture to check for calves and then head to the barn and see how many fence posts I can manage to pull staples out of...

I'm a little achey but not bad... that hot shower went a long way to relaxing all the soreness out. May as well go get the muscles loosened up. I think this evening I will do some laundry to hang tomorrow..

 

[farmerjan]

Monday night. 47 to start, sunny and real nice... up to 80... Breezy so not too hot...

Yesterday I went to the farm and pulled staples out of the posts where the 2 fields were separate up back. LOOOONG stretch... DS and GF with the sister's kids, were down working on the fence I had pulled staples from the day before... to take the old wire down and put up the brace posts... Colt (little boy) had a big dump truck and was "hauling" dirt around and all that. Then they got some lunch from Mc D's and then GF and sister's daughter came up and started at the other end of the fence where I was... I had 2/3 done already... and worked towards me... and in another 1/2 hour we had it done. DS said that was all that he had hoped to get done, and wanted to go visit a friend in the hospital... had surgery... and was not coming along as fast as they had hoped. Was going to meet another friend to go over to the hospital (hr away)..
So they all left, and I said I was going to work on the 3 posts he had untangled out. I was aching... hey, not used to that kind of work.... but I got the wire off and the staples all pulled out of 2 of the posts... but the 3rd post I could not get any of them out... but I got the wire cut off and all that... Told DS if he untangles more with the skid steer loader I would work on them.

So, today started out nice... and DS called early because he could not remember the combination for the lower gate for the pasture "behind me"... Grants pasture... where the cows with the calves from late fall are... They are rebuilding the fence between that pasture and the neighbor... neighbor is a WITCH and the owner finally said he would get it rebuilt and she had better not have any animals against it or he will take her to court and sue her... because she said she was not spending money on it when nothing from her side can get against the property line fence... she rents it out... Anyway... he went down to see what all needs to be done... the guy with the forestry mulcher did not finish the job... what else is new... and that he was going to get the older guy and his son to come and work on cleaning it out more... then I called him and said if he hadn't left to stop at the house... he wanted to see what I wanted done here for them to put in posts.... so he was just up the road... and came back... and we walked the property line... looked at everything... I asked his opinion on a couple places, he made a suggestion or 2... we pretty much agreed on where the fence should go... where I wanted the gates...
Not putting any interior fencing... just want the posts in for the perimeter... have the 5 rolls of fence wire here for 2 years... I will use the electric netting for interior fencing until I figure out exactly what I want... where I want it. Not going to go across the front of the house or yard, or around the back of the house, and shed yet... It will use a whole lot LESS electric netting if the perimeter fence is up so I can come off it to utilize the grass...fence off the garden, all that.... Then I will see about how to best utilize the space... It will be a start... DS said he has been putting the wood posts 12 ft on his fences... except at the barn lots, they are 8 ft on center.... I suggested that they ought to be 16 ft and then I can put a T-Post inbetween... it is not like there is going to be alot of "pressure" against the fence like with alot of cattle or anything... and the wire will be in the "inside" so will take more pushing against anyway... that will save on wood post costs... T-posts aren't cheap but they are cheaper than wood posts... and won't take as long for them to drive them if there are fewer to drive. So, looks like it may finally happen... Posts will get in... wire might not be up real soon... but it's a step in the right direction...

Then I took the sample bottles to the farm 45 miles north of here...

Came back home, got the batteries for the pole saw on the charger as they are going to use it tomorrow... got to cut/trim some serious branches off the couple of pine trees and we are going to take down a couple trees where the fence is going to go between them along the dirt road ... because of some of the rock ledge there, We are not going to include that ledge section in the fenced in "yard"... I want to include it eventually if I can buy the acre or so next door from the neighbors, where it is too wet to have the Christmas trees and they cannot park on it... it is grass... if I can buy it, then it will make a straight line down to the corner of the property: that is a short "L" at the end of the property along the curve in the dirt road... and I could come up along the road there and tie into the fence that is we will have in there... Been thinking of that for awhile.... I am hoping the neighbor (previous owner of this house too) will be willing to sell off an acre or so to make this a little better shape...just get the property "squared up"... actually it will make it a much better pie shape with no L at the end there... They aren't using it for anything for the Christmas tree farm.....

So, I went up to do the bottle later... Had a new calf yesterday up there and DS did get it tagged... Jess the longhorn is getting closer.. she is making an udder now . There is one more heifer at snyder's left to calve. DS also had a calf from a heifer at the other field where we put the other 8 there... so they are starting there...

The sky was getting dark and the forecast chance of some serious t-storms coming through... got a few sprinkles as I left there. It started to pour after I got in the house. Radar looks like we will get a couple more hard showers. Just south of here they got nickle sized hail... covered the ground in some places... very narrow band of it went through...

Tomorrow I will get bottles in the racks for testing... there are some scrubby bushes/branches, I need to take the lopping shears to for DS to be able to put in a post at the property line..... Something I can do in the morning... and remark the spot where there is still some old surveyor's tape on the woven wire fence there along the road...

Ached some when I got up but then it worked it's self out today... DS said he would try to get some more of the old fence with the posts "unwound" so I can get some more of the posts out and the wire off and the staples pulled. Not that I am looking to put in a 10 hr day, but I wasn't near as sore once I got warmed up a little bit.

Just had another shower go through... lots of thunder... we can use the rain and this stop and go is the best way for it to soak into the ground good.