Aug. 08, 2002 ~ Now that I have
a few minutes to use the computer, I can share the latest happenings in my life. Um, yes. Oh, right, there aren't many latest happenings. Son has been hogging the computer, claiming to need it for school (as if I couldn't see him chatting or playing games when I passed by and glanced in the door!), but summer classes ended yesterday, and it's two weeks until fall classes start. So maybe I'll get to be online a little more often, at least for a while.
Soldier Boy still thinks his platoon will be going to Afghanistan in January. But orders change, so that's my hope. That the orders will change. I'm deep into denial, which is right where I want to be, thank you.
Things have been awfully dry here. The yard got crispy, the pastures are turning golden brown, and the garden is a losing battle. No matter how often we water it, when it's this hot, nothing but rain will save the tomatoes. And yesterday, to our amazement, it rained. Not a lot, but some... 7/10ths of an inch, and it makes a difference. It was even a little cooler this morning, 80 degrees at 9:00, which was nice. I didn't even have to fight the bees in the barn. Cooler temperatures kept them calm.
The farrier was out to trim the horses' hooves yesterday, and Sugar came up lame this morning. That often happens with her. She has tender feet, I guess, and when they are trimmed, she winds up sore and limpy.
Did I tell you about killing the skunks a few weeks back? Surely? Just in case... there were several young skunks milling around in the front pasture, in broad daylight, and one of the calves got curiouser and curiouser about them -- I was afraid he would get sprayed. He kept nosing around them, touching them, and they seemed interested in him, too. But skunks aren't supposed to be out in daylight hours, and we've had a number of rabid skunks in our county in recent weeks, so the poor things had to go. I'll spare you the details. I felt guilty about their demise, but Susan thinks they were probably rabid. If I'd thought to take one to her sooner, she could have had it tested.
Remeber the big bird, the emu? I saw it a week ago, wandering around loose near the highway by our farm, but it disappeared into the woods when Husband and I went looking for it, and I think he was wondering if I had really seen it, or maybe it was just my imagination. But we've since talked to many neighbors who have also seen it, some who have called the sheriff (our "animal control" consists of a deputy with a gun), and several folks have tried to catch it. What would they do with it if they roped it? Wouldn't it fight and struggle and scratch them to pieces? Aren't emus pretty big and powerful?
West Nile virus is in our state, and we are worried about our horses. They've had their first vaccinations, and will have their second shots today, but then it will be three or more weeks before they develop full immunity. I am kicking myself for not vaccinating them months ago. Whatever was I thinking? What I was thinking was "It can't happen here." But of course it can and it probably will. The virus is widespread in Louisiana, our neighboring state... though this wasn't the case when we gave the horses their first shots. That virus is spreading so quickly!
I am so tired and sore today. Can't figure out why. Husband had to work late last night, so he called and asked me to take care of the animals (he usually does this in the evenings; I take care of the mornings). But since I had choir practice last night, that meant I had to call the cows up earlier than usual, and they didn't want to come. We turn them into the hay meadow in the morning, and call them back to the back pasture at night. But they didn't want to come in so early, and they balked, loitered, resisted, and were generally a pain in the hiney. I had to "round them up" on foot, wearing clompy rubber boots. Again, what was I thinking? Next time I'll use a horse, or I will at least put on some decent shoes, because today my feet are just killing me. The boots are loose and oversized, and it hurts to wear them for very long. They're perfect for cleaning stalls or filling water tubs, which usually takes about an hour, but any longer than that, and you are asking for foot pain.
So I don't know if it was chasing the cows that did it or what, but I fell asleep early last night and slept straight through till sevenish, which is quite unusual for me. And I woke up stiff and sore, with swollen hands and face... yuck. I wanted to stay in bed, but that was not an option. It's best to do the morning chores as early as possible, before it gets really hot and the bees get active. That said, I'm usually dripping wet with sweat anyway, to the point of having to change clothes afterwards, and my pedometer shows that I walk over a mile, just doing the morning chores. Oh, how I am looking forward to fall!
Now it's off to do more chores, and then there's a meeting tonight. Busy day!
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