2014 - 332/33 - Friday...

I am thankful for another (former) neighbor today; Randy.  I was out acting like I knew what I was doing, trying to put the fence back together this morning, and I beckoned Randy over to help me.  He is the undisputed fence expert of the edge of nowhere.  Randy and Irene lived next door when we moved here, and they sold part of the property earlier in the year, and bought some land in Salado to be closer to their children and grand-kids.  Anyway, Randy came over and helped me get the fence re-wired and strung back together, and that was great.  Of course, the fence is not working yet, but I will work on that some more tomorrow afternoon. 

After the fence stuff, Jody and I went into town to run some errands, and we then went to Taylor to buy some cattle feed and had lunch at the bar-b-cue place (Vencil's) by the rail yard.  Good pulled beef (I think, I just eat what they put in front of me) and a diet-Coke.  Perfect.  We got 500 pounds of cattle feed, 200 pounds of chicken feed (trying a new brand), and then another stop at HEB before we headed home and we both went down for naps. 

The new bull calf (Giblets) is looking fine in the back pasture, and that is good.  This is a picture of one of our other neighbors cows, they were all gathered up around the front fence when I was unloading feed and checking meters.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, FEED, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2014 - Day 331/34 - Thanksgiving...

In addition to all the things I am thankful for on a daily basis, today (this being Thanksgiving Day) I am especially thankful for Pauline and Hubert, who came and helped me fetch Mr. Speckles who (this is all I can figure) jumped the neighbors fence and went courting their heifer calf.  We ended up having to cut out a section of fence and bribe him back in to our pasture with cattle feed.  Then, instead of stringing the fence back (we cut four of the five barbed wire strings and the goat fence) I put a gate panel up there.  Tomorrow I will secure the gate panel better and hook the electric fence back up, but it will not string the fence back, just in case there is a replay of this incident.

To add to the excitement, Violet had another calf this morning, and in honor of the day, we are going to name him Giblets.  Yes, it is for sure a bull calf, I saw him pee.  Mother and son are both doing well, and we will discuss the retained placenta later.

Deeds, Actions, Changes, STRAY BULLS, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2014 - Day 330/35 - Wednesday...

Repeat after me; today is not Friday.  If you don't believe me, just look at the title of this journal entry.  It was a ridiculously busy day, again not with work accomplishments, just with stuff.  Stuff here and stuff there, and most of the stuff got done, not all of it, but most of it.  I will be able to accomplish the rest of it in the next three days though, in that I am confident.

It seems we now have two cats hanging around the house.  I was back in the lab late this afternoon and happened to glance out the door t see a grey cat looking back at me.  I think we were both kind of surprised at that, I know for sure I was.  A little while later, there was Barney hunkering down beneath one of the tables out on the back patio.  I wonder how many cats we will end up with.  I guess it was inevitable that, if you have one cat (okay it is not like Barney actually belongs to us) you will most likely wind up with another cat.  Where will this end?  Where do these cats come from?  I know we live on "Abandon Your Animals Boulevard", but this is getting just (maybe) a little bit out of control.

And the coyotes are having a party across the street.  Survival of the fittest out here on the edge of nowhere!

Deeds, Actions, Changes, CATS, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2014 - Day 329/36 - Tuesday...

Okay, I am running out of time.  Tomorrow is the last work day of this week, and I have just about got everything done.  Persistence is a good thing, if you're me, not if you're the other guys.  But who could possibly refuse my wonderful smile and my happy demeanor.  It seems no one can!  I got to do a test drive today at the Capitol with my CHA license.  In like a breeze, no questions.  Of course Carrie had no issues either, but all she had on her was a drivers license and a credit card.  BUT it worked, and that is all that matters.  I think it will get a little bit more use next year with the Legislature is in session.  I think it is going to be one of those years.

I have a few things on  my list that I will get checked off tomorrow, and then it will be four days of sleeping late and taking it easy.  And then there is the first half of next week...

Deeds, Actions, Changes, EASY IN, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2014 - Day 328/37 - Monday...

I am sorry to report but this three day week is just really not going to work for e.  I have too much stuff to do to cram it all into three days.  And the first three days of next week are jam packed as well.  What to do, what to do, what to do...

I was super happy to go and visit my dear DEAR friend Emily today and have lunch with her.  We sat in the restaurant and gossipped and laughed and laughed and laughed!  It was a blast, and I do not want to wait that long to go visit again.  Right about now she and her boys (all
three of them) should be enjoying some pie and collapsing into sugar shock.  What could be better than that? 

I actually did get a lot of stuff done today.  Stuff, not work.  I got very little work done at all.  Just stuff.  I expect to get more stuff done tomorrow.

Oh, an I have decided on the theme for February (traditionally the theme month on the blog).  February, 2015 theme:  Who can I blame?

Deeds, Actions, Changes, EMILY, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2014 - Day 327/38 - Sunday...

Day after day I am reminded that I am not getting younger, I am getting older and all my bravado and energy is really nothing more than an act.  Last night was the preview party for the Austin Empty Bowl Project, and that was a lot of fun.  Today I did a volunteer shift at the TRASHMAN for Empty Bowl, and my shift was from 10 til 1.  In the middle, I filled in for selling $1 tickets for the quilt drawing (they know I am not ashamed to ask for money; if you don't ask, you don't get).  By the end of my shift, I was spent.  I had to come home and take to my blue chair, and get in a nap.  I know there are many MANY more volunteers who work much harder than I did, and I totally respect them for that, and I bet they are taking a really well deserved rest right about now.  My respect and admiration go out to Hester and Kris for the tireless hours they spend planning and coordinating this great event, and I would not be surprised if they did not re-surface until the first of the year.

Congratulations to a job well done!

Deeds, Actions, Changes, EMPTY BOWL, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

2014 - Day 326/39 - Saturday...

For all practical purposes, it has rained all day.  Well, perhaps I exaggerate that just a teensy little bit.  For all practical purposes, I has rained all day when there was something else I could have been doing, but it was raining so I couldn't do it.  Overnight, we had about 0.16" of rain.  Since I emptied the gauge this morning, we have had over an inch, and it is still raining.  Jody and I went into town (left the edge of nowhere at about 5 o'clock) to attend the Austin Empty Bowl Project Preview Party, and it was raining.  We made it to the party, and we could hear the thunder and all, and they made an announcement that there were more storms coming (all the business had been taken care of) and there was a grand exodus.  We made it home with no issues.

Tomorrow will be the actual event, come on out if you get a chance and buy a bowl (hand made by local potters) and get some soup, listen to some music, have a nice time.  All the weather is supposed to be done soon after midnight, and it is supposed to be a beautiful day!  I will be easy
to spot, just ask for the "trash man".

Deeds, Actions, Changes, RAIN, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!