The dreaded phone call came this morning. I had to go back to work. Since the weather has been decent, I've been toying with the idea of giving it a try here and there. I feel bad that The Dairy Farmer is still doing my work and his work and his work is not easy and my work is not easy and his work isn't going well due to this crazy, rainy weather and he's stressed.
It's not like I've been sitting around in my recliner eating jelly beans and blogging....oh wait....yes, yes I have I actually have not been "cleared" by my doctor to start feeding calves just yet. But, for the most part, I'm back to "normal" function. I'm cleaning, doing laundry....you know I'm not cooking, but I do heat stuff up just fine, helping at school, still running my stamping business and taking care of the punks. I also feel pretty darn good most days. The numbness and tingles come every now and then and I haven't had to take an afternoon nap in weeks.
But, I know the day is coming...the day when I have to give up the cushy, housewife life and start pulling my weight here on the farm. Today was that day.
The Dairy Farmer is "working" this weekend- which means, it's his weekend to feed cows. On his weekend to work, he also has to feed calves for me. Today, he came down with a migraine and, being a sufferer myself, I knew how bad he felt. So, the punks and I headed out to take care of the hungry milk suckers. All is pretty much the same as I remembered it, except....we are driving the black truck instead of the green truck. And the milk barrel has grown about 50 times its normal size. And the hose I had to maneuver to fill the milk buckets looks like a snake that ate a pig...it's huge. And none of the calves I once knew are there....it's just a bunch of.....black and white strangers. Well, except for Cheezit. I know her.
So, I pull up in the calf lane in the truck- grab the hose off the back to start filling milk buckets and ...oh my stinkin' heck! It weighs 50 pounds! I felt like I was putting out a 5 alarm fire! I had to pull and push and squeeze and actually try and hold this ginormous thing. But, I did it. All calves were fed and watered and even though my arms were burning and getting numb....I had a sense of accomplishment. It's a good feeling to know that you're even closer to "normal." Whatever the heck "normal" may be.
Ha Ha, I say to myself....I have beat you Guillain Barre. In yo face! Since I had conquered that....off I went to clean a water trough in the horse barn that has been collecting junk since November. Ha Ha, I say to myself. I rock. Off I went to take care of an old horse who is starting his shed. This old horse does not shed normally, he needs help. It's like shearing a sheep....well.....I took a picture of the mess. I'm think I'm going to make a new horse tonight.
Ha, Ha I say.....I'm really tired. I think I'll go lay down. Well....you know how that goes. Farm boy jr. edition rounds the corner of the barn to say that cows are out. Crap. Off I go to help round up some cows. But, they weren't cows, they were older heifers. Double Crap.
When cows get out- they tend to wander a little aimlessly around the barns, maybe kick up their heels a bit, try to run....but realize as their saggy udder starts swinging wildly from side to side, that maybe they shouldn't do that......and instead, find a grassy patch and have a snack. Now, if a bunch of cows get out....that theory changes, thankfully it doesn't happen much.
Heifers on the other hand....are a pain in my rumpus. They get a sniff of the open air and realize they aren't fenced in and off they go screaming "you may take our lives, but you'll never take our FREEDOM!...running, jumping, kicking and creating general chaos around the farm. And...those suckers are lightening fast. Remember, The DF is sick in bed with a migraine...so my roundup team consisted of me, 2 punks and my sister and my niece, Boo....who is a toddler. This is gonna be fun! Luckily, 2 employees came to help.
These little ladies were making their way to the road, I guess they were planning on hitching a ride to the mall to see a movie or go shoe shopping, but thought better of it. They turned around and came back to visit the hutch calves. Nothing is more enjoyable than casually sauntering along the row of calves stuck behind a wire fence. They even licked the little kid's buckets clean of leftover milk and then to add insult to injury, they sang the "nanny nanny boo boo, stick your head in doo-doo song." Turkeys.
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