5:00 A.M. comes offlley early around here, but I woke up at 4:00 A.M. guess my body never got the memo about the time change months ago. I read something a while back on my Sister Kayla's Blog http://rupplife.blogspot.com/ about having things you look forward to, and having 5 mins a day to yourself. That has been on my mind lately.
The other Saturday morning I stopped out to Mom and Dads. Mom offered me a cup of coffee and I went and sat in the old rocking chair, looked out the sliding door as cars barrelled down Perry st recounting the morning of cold, snow, and horses. I really enjoyed myself. That Monday I stopped by a used furniture store and bought and rocking chair. Everyone at the barn has had fun with my new toy, telling me I am getting old and calling me Grandpa. I just laugh because I know "I can still jump higher, dive deeper and come up dryer". That last comment is for the Skinner's, you know where in the hell I got that from. Yesterday after I got done with chores and while the football games where on I cleaned up the coffee machine and set the timer for 5:00 A.M. I am really looking forward to the summer months when the sun rises early and I can sit in the rocker, sip coffee and watch the sun rise over the east pastures, before I head out to feed. Then the other day I got online and ordered Paul Overstreet's Greatest Hits C.D. Now this is Country and it don't get any better than this.
Yea, it has been cold and it is wearing on everyone. Glad we have five mares in the barn that we need to get ready for show season. Gives you something to look forward to and work on. Timeless looked great the other day and Devin and Keyeena are gelling. Pippie is getting back in shape. Marry my little project a.k.a speed demon is getting conditioned. The tractor is back from getting a new fuel pump put in. Not having the tractor for almost two weeks has made it difficult, because the paths to the pastures where full of snow. After working at the Critter Barn all day Sat, I got home to a note on the white board that the furnace wasn't working correctly in the main barn and a electric heater by the water spicket. After helping Devin finish up chores and working Marry, a little persistent and a whole lot of luck. I got the furnace to kick out some heat. Then at 6:30 I went out to start the tractor to put it inside the barn and it didn't want to start. Before I totally killed the battery, a.k.a panic/pissed off. I put the battery charger on it. Went to the mail box, found the Paul Overstreet C.D. I had ordered, went inside, started downloading it to the computer. Then Kris call's to see about the furnace, didn't tell her about the tractor that I was praying would start tonight. Because I didn't want to worry her, my night was about wrecked and I didn't want to wreck her's. Dam you have got to love the cold. After I listened to most of the C.D. I said a quick prayer and went back outside. The tractor fired right up.
It was 8:00 P.M. the barn was holding at 45 degrees and the tractor and me where both inside.The next morning we had temps in the negatives and I left the horses inside. Got everyone fed then headed to town to do laundry. Kris texted me to see if I was listening to the "Rise up show. uhttp://www.rise-up.com/p show." She said the show is up lifting, I thought I had done something wrong. Lol. Terry called to see about the furnace and mentioned it was warmer outside in Arizona then it was inside the barn. And yea when I finished cleaning stalls, I emptied the spreader and put the tractor in the barn. Got chores done and was in from the barn in time for the second half of the A.F.C. Championship football game.
Now it is 6:00 a.m. Monday morning, bell full of mud/go go juice and like the guys and me use to say, I better go do something even if it is wrong.
Have a good one everyone.
Gotta love this
Monday, January 24, 2011
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Broken manure spreader
Last weekend got off to a rough start. Friday morning a link on the manure spreader apron broke. I caught it right away and thought only one link was broke. I quick called Kris before I went to work and told her not to worry. I would pick up the new part after work and would have a little project for the weekend. Kris hates it when things break and to me it is the next big challenge. It hasn't always been that way, but as my skills have increased I tend to be more willing to tear something apart in order to save a buck. Not to mention it was pointed out to me the other day that when it comes to work I am territorial.
What ended up happening??? I drove out to Forest Grove Equipment on a snowy day to have Kris call me when I got there and say that after she got a better look at the spreader a couple more links where broke on the apron and that we should get a price on a new apron instead of buying the parts to fix the old apron. After getting the price the battle of wills started. Kris wanted to have Forest Grove put the new apron on and I wanted to put the apron on ourselves. We battled. Kris and I take turns of one being the realist and the other being the optimist. This time Kris was the smart one and I was the dare devil. Even though I new she was probably right pretty quick into our conversation, I gave her a good fight so that she didn't think I was scared of putting the new apron on. Yup a little territorial.
Kris new our time this week was better spent working on something else. Maybe she was already planing on moving hay to her sheds, like we did today. Or maybe she agreed with me that January and February are critical to getting the horses in condition, thus having a very good show season. Either way we put up hay this afternoon, then afterwards she left to get the spreader, while I got home in time to help Devin finish working horses and the week is off to a good start with working the horses.
We are holding our own this winter, the weather hasn't been that bad and besides a few minor hang ups we are doing great. I would dare say we are a month or two ahead from were we where last year at this time with the horses.
What ended up happening??? I drove out to Forest Grove Equipment on a snowy day to have Kris call me when I got there and say that after she got a better look at the spreader a couple more links where broke on the apron and that we should get a price on a new apron instead of buying the parts to fix the old apron. After getting the price the battle of wills started. Kris wanted to have Forest Grove put the new apron on and I wanted to put the apron on ourselves. We battled. Kris and I take turns of one being the realist and the other being the optimist. This time Kris was the smart one and I was the dare devil. Even though I new she was probably right pretty quick into our conversation, I gave her a good fight so that she didn't think I was scared of putting the new apron on. Yup a little territorial.
Kris new our time this week was better spent working on something else. Maybe she was already planing on moving hay to her sheds, like we did today. Or maybe she agreed with me that January and February are critical to getting the horses in condition, thus having a very good show season. Either way we put up hay this afternoon, then afterwards she left to get the spreader, while I got home in time to help Devin finish working horses and the week is off to a good start with working the horses.
We are holding our own this winter, the weather hasn't been that bad and besides a few minor hang ups we are doing great. I would dare say we are a month or two ahead from were we where last year at this time with the horses.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
New Years
Hope everyone had a great Christmas and a Happy New Year. Christmas Eve, afternoon was at Mom's with her side of the family, then after I did chores at home with help from Kris on stalls, I was back at Mom's for a bit then off to see my Sister M.J.'s. New Years was pretty calm, dinner with a few friends, a movie and in bed by 11:45, because I had chores to do the next morning, getting up early seven days a week with do that to you.
Kris had Cheyeene come in for me the Sunday after Christmas. I fought Kris on it, but Kris seems to know when I am about shot and could use a break. I spent the day getting caught up on stuff. Changed the oil in the pickup at Chris's. Watched a little football and did some cleaning inside.
While at Chris's in between changing a oil filter and checking the score of the football game. Chris said to me. "I am not a big fan of New Years resolutions, but I am making a small one to be a better person this year." I was suprised and told him I thought he was a pretty good person. He just felt that he had room for improvement. I think Chris is right on. We all have room for improvement in our lives and if we keep it simple, focus on ourselvs instead of others. Then we all can do our part in making this world we live in a little better. Chris has been like a brother to me and has never let me down, but we have also had those heart to heart conversations about what is tearing him up. During one of those conversations some wiley, good o'l boy made a comment to him about fixing what he could fix first. I hope this works for him and his family.
Now did I make one??? Nope!! Well, kinda. Personally I think making New Years resolutions is stupid as hell. It is like telling everyone you quit smoking. Better make dam sure you have stopped for good, before you start shooting you mouth off about quitting. What I have decided to do is make better use of my time. Make every second count. Do a better job of preperation of the coming days and weeks. I have tendency to get a lot on my plate and start selling myself short. Some of that comes from working with Terry and Kris all these years and they tend to try to cram ten pounds of crap into a five pound bag. I think if I have a more of a open mind and think more like they do, then the rest of fluffy, feel good, stuff I want to happend in 2011 will happend.
And Yes Mom it does start with a clean, organized home first.
Happy New Year everyone
Kody
Kris had Cheyeene come in for me the Sunday after Christmas. I fought Kris on it, but Kris seems to know when I am about shot and could use a break. I spent the day getting caught up on stuff. Changed the oil in the pickup at Chris's. Watched a little football and did some cleaning inside.
While at Chris's in between changing a oil filter and checking the score of the football game. Chris said to me. "I am not a big fan of New Years resolutions, but I am making a small one to be a better person this year." I was suprised and told him I thought he was a pretty good person. He just felt that he had room for improvement. I think Chris is right on. We all have room for improvement in our lives and if we keep it simple, focus on ourselvs instead of others. Then we all can do our part in making this world we live in a little better. Chris has been like a brother to me and has never let me down, but we have also had those heart to heart conversations about what is tearing him up. During one of those conversations some wiley, good o'l boy made a comment to him about fixing what he could fix first. I hope this works for him and his family.
Now did I make one??? Nope!! Well, kinda. Personally I think making New Years resolutions is stupid as hell. It is like telling everyone you quit smoking. Better make dam sure you have stopped for good, before you start shooting you mouth off about quitting. What I have decided to do is make better use of my time. Make every second count. Do a better job of preperation of the coming days and weeks. I have tendency to get a lot on my plate and start selling myself short. Some of that comes from working with Terry and Kris all these years and they tend to try to cram ten pounds of crap into a five pound bag. I think if I have a more of a open mind and think more like they do, then the rest of fluffy, feel good, stuff I want to happend in 2011 will happend.
And Yes Mom it does start with a clean, organized home first.
Happy New Year everyone
Kody
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