NOV 12, 2008

YESTERDAY IT SNOWED ALMOST ALL DAY. WHEN IT WASN'T SNOWING IT WAS RAINING. IT DEFINITELY WAS A DIFFERENT TYPE OF DAY TO WORK IN. WE MOVED HEIFERS INTO MACHINERY ROW FOR THEIR WINTER PASTURE (THEY WERE HAPPY) BUT WE COULD NOT GET THE ELECTRIC FENCE TO WORK. PETE WALKED THE FENCE AND FOUND NO PROBLEM. I RAN THE ATV AROUND THE FENCE AND COULD FIND NO PROBLEMS. WE DISCONNECTED PARTS OF THE FENCE AND FOUND THE LOWER WIRE DIDN'T SHORT THE FENCE BUT THE UPPER WIRE DID. I TOOK OFF WALKING THE FENCE LINE AND LOW AND BEHOLD ABOUT HALF WAY AROUND, THE ELECTRIC WIRE WAS WRAPPED AROUND THE BARB WIRE FENCE. PRETTY OBVIOUS, HOW COULD BOTH OF US MISS THAT IN THE RAIN? SOME TIMES THE LORD THINKS WE NEED MORE PRACTICE.

THIS MORNING EVERYTHING IS WHITE, AND SLIPPERY. BUT WE POURED CEMENT FOR A WATERER AFTER WE FIGURED OUT HOW TO GET UP THE HILL. THE SNOW AND WET GRASS AND SOFT EARTH, ALL WE DID WAS SPIN AND SLIDE SIDEWAYS. 4 WHEEL DRIVE GETS YOU MOST PLACES, BUT NOT HERE. WENT NORTH A WAYS WHERE THERE IS SORT OF A ROAD CARVED INTO THE HILL RUNNING AT AN ANGLE UP THE HILL, AND WE MADE IT TO THE TOP. THEN "SNUCK" UP ON THE BACK SIDE. WE GOT IT POURED IN THE RAIN/SNOW. THAT DONE WE HAVE ONE TO GO.

GOT THE NOSE WHEEL ON THE TRENCHER BACK TOGETHER WITH ALL NEW BEARINGS AND SEALS. A TOUGH PROJECT, AS MUCH OF THE ROLLER AND PIN PIVOT PARTS WERE BADLY BEAT UP. A LOT OF SALVAGE WORK. I FELT LIKE A DENTIST FIXING ALL THOSE LITTLE SPOTS. NEXT WE HAD TO GET THE CHAIN THAT DIGS THE DIRT BACK ONTO THE BOOM AND SPROCKETS. WE WORKED IN THE RAIN AND MUD (TRENCHER WILL NOT FIT INSIDE ANY OF THE BUILDINGS) FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS; GOT THE CHAIN ONTO THE BOOM BUT COULD NOT GET THE PIN COUPLING THE LINKS TOGETHER INTO THE CHAIN. COULD NOT PULL THE CHAIN ENDS TOGETHER TO WHERE THE HOLES LINED UP. FINALLY FOUND (AFTER MUCH PULLING, PUSHING, GRUNTING AND CURSING) THE BOOM WAS EXTENDED OUT TOO FAR. WE HAD TAKEN THE BOOM OFF THE MACHINE TO PRESS THE PIN OUT OF THE WHEEL (THAT WAS GOOD BECAUSE THERE WAS FINE SAND EVERYWHERE FROM WHEN THE BOOM WAS IN THE GROUND AND WE GOT 3 INCHES OF RAIN AND THE TRENCH WASHED FULL OF FINE SAND AND LOCKED EVERYTHING UP. JUST LIKE AT THE BEACH). WE WASHED EVERYTHING UP, BUT WHEN WE PUT THE BOOM BACK ON THE MACHINE WE HADN'T SLID IT (PUT THE END OF THE BOOM AGAINST A TREE AND DROVE INTO IT) IN, WE DIDN'T HAVE THE ADJUSTER ALL THE WAY CLOSED. WE LOOSENED THE ADJUSTER AND CALLED IT A COLD DAY.

WENT TO BED AT SIX THIRTY. GOT UP AT SEVEN THIRTY TODAY, FEEL RESTED AND READY TO POUND OUT ANOTHER GLORIOUS DAY!!!

WOW, I REALLY GOT CONFUSED WITH THE BIG PARAGRAPH ABOUT THE TRENCHER, BOOM AND ALL THE PARTS. WHEN THIS IS READ, HOPEFULLY EVERYONE WILL REALLY KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON UP HERE IN THE NORTH WOODS! SOMETIMES I THINK WE ARE ALL A LITTLE BIT "CRAZY".

NOV 10, 2008

LOOKS ALMOST LIKE FALL/WINTER IS COMING. GROUND IS FROZEN IN THE MORNING AND MELTS DURING THE DAY. THAT'S WHAT MAKES NEW SOIL. ALSO MAKES THE BOTTOM OF YOUR SHOES CARRY IT ONTO THE KITCHEN CARPET SO THE HOUSE MASTER CAN HAVE EXTRA CONVERSATIONS WITH THE TRACKERS. EVERYONE NEEDS AN OPPORTUNITY.

THIS WINTER AFTER THE FALL WORK IS DONE MAYBE WE WILL GET PORTABLE SPACE HEATERS AND HANDICAPPED TOILET SEATS INTO PRODUCTION AND FIRE UP ABC PRODUCTS AGAIN.
I HAVE PARTS ON HAND FOR MAKING BOTH OF THESE, AND IT WILL BE ENJOYABLE TO GET BACK TO BUILDING PRODUCTS. THEN I NEED A WEBSITE TO SELL ON. MAYBE EVEN TO TAKE ORDERS AND CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS. THAT SOUNDS LIKE A CHALLENGE. ONLY IN AMERICA CAN YOU TRY TO PUT YOUR IDEAS INTO PRACTICE AND IF SUCCESSFUL, SHARE YOUR REWARDS WITH YOUR GOVERNMENT. WHAT A PLACE WHAT A LIFE.

IT'S NOW THAT TIME OF THE DAY WHERE I SHIFT FROM WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO TO WHAT I NEED AND HAVE TO DO. FEED MOMS AND KIDS, PUT UP FENCE AND MOVE HEIFERS, TRY TO GET TRENCHER WORKING, CHECK ON POURING PADS BEHIND NORTH RENTAL HOME, CUT FIRE WOOD TO KEEP SHOP WARM, CONVERT OLD ELEVATOR TO CALF FEED TROUGH (SO EVERYBODY HAS A PLACE AT THE TABLE), MAKE A BUNCH OF PHONE CALLS, ETC. WHAT A DAY. AND...WITH ALL THAT, I AM READY FOR A NAP (ME, PAT, NOT CARL. OF COURSE, I SHOULDN'T BE TIRED BECAUSE I AM ONLY THE MAID AND THE COMPUTER/ACCOUNTING GURU, (WHATEVER THAT IS). SOME TIMES I CAN REALLY MESS THINGS UP, BUT THAT JUST GIVES CARL SOMETHING EXTRA TO DO AND HE REALLY NEEDS THE EXPERIENCE. MY CONTRIBUTIONS ARE SO SMALL!! I CAN LOOK OUT MY WINDOW AND THERE IS A BIG RED BELLIED WOODPECKER PECKING AT THE SUET PACK. DON'T KNOW WHY THEY CALL HIM THAT AS HIS BELLY IS GREY AND THE BACK OF HIS HEAD IS BRIGHT RED. SOMETIMES I DON'T THINK PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING.

NOV 9, 2008

ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL DAY. JUST GOT UP AND NEED TO FIND OUT THE WEATHER AND OTHER PARTS OR REALITY. AN OTHER OPPORTUNITY TO DO ALL THOSE THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO DO. WELL MAYBE I COULD DO SOME OF THOSE THINGS PLUS THE THINGS I NEED TO DO, AND THE THINGS I HAVE TO DO. THE RED SQUIRREL IS OUT EATING ON THE BIRD SEED PACK. YESTERDAY THERE WES A GRAY SQUIRREL CHECKING OUT THE FEEDERS. THOSE LITTLE REDS ARE SO FAST AND FERROCIOUS THEY CHASE OFF THE GRAYS. NOT A GOOD PICTURE. ITS TAKEN THROUGH THE SCREEN WHICH DOESEN'T HELP THE FOCUS, PLUS THE LITTLE DEVIL JUMPS ON THE FEEDER FROM THE TREE SO THE FEEDER IS SWINGING BACK AND FOURTH. HE HANGS UPSIDE DOWN SO HE CAN GET A SEED FROM THE BOTTOM, THEN SWINGS AROUND AND SITS ON TOP OF THE FEEDER TO EAT IT.

MADE BACON SANDWICHES FOR BREAKFAST TODAY. IT'S 25 DEGREES AND SPITTING SNOW TODAY. SURE WISH I COULD WRITE FASTER. HOPE TO GET THE NOSE ROLLER FOR THE TRENCHER BACK TOGETHER, BECAUSE I STILL WOULD LIKE TO GET WATER RUN TO THE COW WINTER PASTURE THIS WEAR. THE BAGS ARE FILLED (SHOULD BE THREE) AND THE POWER HIGHLINES ARE UP (NOTE POLE IN CENTER OF CORN FIELD). DIDNT THINK FARMING WOULD INVOLVE SETTING POWER POLES, BUT YOU DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. WHAT A WONDERFUL LIFE. IT'S SNOWING A LITTLE HARDER NOW AND I HAVE TO FEED THE BIG GIRLS, CHECK ON THE TEENAGERS, AND KNOCK DOWN SILAGE FOR THE KIDS TODAY.

DON'T WE ALL WISH WE HAD SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T. I WISH MY CAMERA HAD A REMOTE SHUTTER, SO THAT I COULD SET IT UP IN PLACES AND LET THE BIRDS GET USED TO IT AND THEN TAKE THE PICTURE. BY THE TIME I MOVE THE CAMERA INTO POSITION I SCARE THEM AWAY. IF I DON'T SCARE THEM OFF GETTING THERE, I DO BEFORE I GET IT FOCUSED AND READY TO TAKE. REMOTE WOULD BE NICE. CAN'T HAVE EVERYTHING. HAVE ALMOST EVERYTHING. LIFE IS GOOD.

ONE DOG OUTSIDE, ONE DOG INSIDE, PAT IS FILLING VITAMINS, AND PREPARING THE MEAT FOR SUPPER, AND I'M TRYING TO WRITE. WHISH I COULD WRITE FASTER. HAVE TO GO TO WORK.