Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[Mini Horses]

Puzzles are such fun things. Glad the Burt's has helped!! You've had way more than your share of allergic .... Meds, tape, etc. Almost worse than the actual operation. And both so unexpected. Maybe things will get more normal now. I hope so.

Betcha there were families "put out" with electric snafu. So many electric stoves! Weather here decent, we get light rains tomorrow...? Maybe.

I took some bbq ribs and a pumpkin pie I made to DD, who had fixed a dinner....baked potatoes, a chicken meatloaf and gravy, hot rolls. DS and DGD made 4 of us having a plate of food. No fanfare. Didn't care for that meatloaf!! Way too bland. But it's a fav of DGD, so it was made. All in all, it was "just a meal". But I do have more ribs and a second nice pie! It'll be good, pie with morning coffee!

Now I just wait for whatever tomorrow has to offer. . That's life, for now. Wait & see.

 

[farmerjan]

Good Black Friday morning??!!!! It is chilly and WINDY. Like blowing windy. Not as cold as I expected... 39 and up to 48 already at 10 a.m..Sun is out.
Next door will get busy as they have the Christmas trees. Last year they sold out all that they had and closed a weekend earlier than normal. Not a big deal for me since it is only for a couple weekends and only during the day.

Talked to DS for a minute last night. He had gotten some of the hay baled and was going to finish round baling a couple rows around the outside where all the leaves and all are. Takes him longer because he has to rake it first which I usually do. He said there was one other field he did not rake and hoped it did not rain much. I don't think we got much more than a few sprinkles.

The knees are SOOOO much better from the "calming serum" from Burt's Bees. I did find the St Ive's renewing lotion on line so ordered some also. Can't hurt to have it on hand. I have never had sensitive skin in the past, never been dry or anything... this has been an experience. Funny thing is I never had any of this with the ankle replacement....but they did regular stitches. Think if I ever have any other surgery I will definitely make it known that I want regular stitches.... no more adhesives and glues...

Got to move a couple things in the LR and it is a s done as it will be for farmer & wife to stop by this evening. I plan to bake the chicken and dressing etc., this weekend.

Still not sleeping very good... it is driving me nuts to not go to sleep and just stay that way until time to get up. This 2-3 hr naps are not very restful. Trying to stay up and then just go to bed, and get up in the morning so I am not lazing around....

Got my 500 cow herd scheduled for Wednesday... with DS and Geneva.... and the smaller 100 cow herd for Saturday the 4th. Then see how I do and feel. Plus the Dr appt coming up on Monday the 29th. Knees will look so much better after using the BB stuff....almost wish they still looked as bad as they did 3 days ago, but so thankful they don't hurt like they did.

Found a loaf of pumpkin swirl bread in the freezer.... like cinnamon/raisin swirl type bread; and took it out when I took out the chicken yesterday. So had some for breakfast and it was decent. The grocery store I like to go to, "sharp shopper" is more like a discount type and they get bread in that is getting out of date, and can get some of the higher end Pepperidge and Arnold "artisan" breads that cost like 3-4.00 a loaf for 1.49... so I pick up a few and put them in the freezer for future. I can always use them for stuffing or bread pudding so definitely worth it.

Well, lotion on knees is dry so time to finish getting dressed. Takes a few minutes for it to soak in and dry.... no sense in putting it on then wiping it off on the jeans.

 

[farmerjan]

Well, my farmer and his wife came by and brought me a "Thanksgiving dinner" which was very nice. She is a nurse and just retired to be able to provide care for her mom who is suffering from several things and has fallen and all. She kept saying that I was walking good... and he said that I was walking much better than I was before the surgery. So I guess I am just too impatient and want it to happen yesterday.
So warmed up half and just ate and will have the other half tomorrow

DS also brought me a plate from his GF's mom's, today; when he stopped by around noon. Talked for a bit and he brought me a couple of things to fix; he caught it on the tractor door and tore a nearly brand new shirt.... I can put a piece of material in the inside and then zig zag stitch it on and be able to salvage it so he can wear it for work. Plus a seam on a pair of pants that is coming out. Hopefully will get to it in a few days. Have to see if I have any material to somewhat match color.
He got the hay that was raked done... and was telling me of several other guys that are cutting now to make the late hay that grew after we started getting the fall rain and it stayed pretty nice so it could grow. Said the one guy said he has about 70 acres of late cutting he is going to try to make.... we have about 20 more acres he said he might try to cut.

So I am going to go in and put the 2nd meal on the plate so I can reheat it tomorrow since it is on paper and I do not have a microwave so have to heat it in the oven.
It is down to 28 already, real chilly with the wind. Tomorrow ought to be a little nicer. Going to sit and work on the puzzle for a bit. Have about 100+ pieces to finish it but it is the sky and fall leaves on the trees and it is harder than the whole rest of the puzzle. Got another one with a nice barn and such to do after this. House is chilly, going to turn up the heat for awhile while I am sitting here. Then I will turn up the heat in the bedroom and bathroom to take a shower so I don't get a chill.... maybe I will be able to sleep better tonight.

 

[Mini Horses]

Sooooo glad the salve is helping!!!! Heck of a lesson, that glue & meds!

Next week you have some farms to give you a "test run" for getting back to work. It'll be a little more than you want, probably, as it's happening....but, maybe you'll be able to sleep after!!! Being out doing usually helps mentally anyway.

With all this free time I have, I'm looking at budget, needs, wants and lessening time at my job work. Not quitting but, am sure not working as many hrs as this past year at any job. I want to work at home more. We'll see how I feel about that next Spring!! Farms are hard work, as you know. How expensive it gets will be key to scheduling. The job does fund those "want not need" fantasies.

I'm waiting on a couple books and like everything, late. Tracking says should be tomorrow. We'll see. I truly wanted to lay in bed and read last night! Or tonight!. Guess another old magazine.

 

[farmerjan]

Oh @Mini Horses I have been rereading so many books 2 and 3 times because they are the handiest box I can find.... Not much fun to watch the TV with movies due to not being able to "recline". Can deal with one movie and then knees and legs start to really ache and I have to get up and move and then can't last for more than 15-20 minutes before I start to get really stiff and achy... Boy, that is one thing I have really learned..... never had a recliner, and I fully intend to find what I want and spend the money to get it. There are the 2 at my parents house but I have never sat in mom's, which is smaller than the one they got for dad.... still, it would have been better than nothing right about now. Oh well, live and learn.

I work on the puzzle a bit then have to get up again. Still have a bit to go. S L O W going with the sky, branches and leaves.... Time to give it up and go in the other room. Maybe get a shower and watch some movie on the computer....

Ordered a couple of movies that I have been wanting, family type, and found them on Ebay with like buy 3 get 1 free, so the costs are like $3 each with shipping. Also got a few paperbacks with the same type deal.... Have watched a few movies that I had, and put a few more in the "yard sale pile" that really did nothing for me.

I do hope that the testing will go okay. I won't make much of anything on the 500 cow herd because of paying my help... although DS 's pay will go on a sheet since we keep a running account of things... he owes me/ I owe him type stuff and then every so often we total it out and then start over. But it will give me a feeling for testing... Then the farm I am going to do is the farmer that brought me the dinner... and he said how much better I was walking than before so I think it will go okay. If so, I will try to do a few other "easier" herds and space them out.... there are about 10 that "should be done" in Dec.... so we will see. I have a list and there are a couple that don't require me to set up... might try to get a couple of them done; just have to see how next week goes and how I feel.
Yep, hoping that it will help me to sleep too, being tired out.

Knees are aching from being "down" alot so time to get them up and get a rest. getting colder so I am ready to quit and get warmed up and comfy.

 

[farmerjan]

Talk about getting colder.... 20 this morning. Coldest morning yet ......

Not the best night for sleeping again... I'm tired of not getting a good night's sleep. Maybe after next week.

Supposed to be nice all week. 50's and sun. DS called and has a couple new calves at the one pasture... the cows had big calves on them and got moved to this place because there was so much grass, they were only like 2-3 months bred back, so he wanted to take advantage of the grass to grow the calves and then the older calves were supposed to get moved out the first of Oct.... well, they didn't, and now he has 3 new babies. So he has got to get the cows moved up in the other field and get the older calves all moved out this week. Hopefully the cows pretty much weaned the calves off... most of them do when they hit 8-9 months.... He said the babies look good....
This has not been a year where things have gotten done like they should. I didn't get the last 3 big calves off the cows at the nurse cow field and they have all calved again. The one cow had weaned her calf... the babies look okay but if anyone is still nursing the babies will not be getting what they should. NEXT YEAR..... at least I should be able to walk to do stuff....he said as soon as he gets these calves off at the big pasture, where the 3 new babies are so far, he will get up to the nurse cow field and get the couple of bigger calves out of there too.
He is going to cut more hay today since it is nice and supposed to be nice all week. Wish I could help with the raking but don't think I can get up on the tractor yet.... gonna be cold at nights, 20's and 30's....

There are a pile of cars next door at the Christmas tree lot.... cold but real nice day in the sun to go looking for a tree. Already up to 40.

Went yesterday and checked Deb's house to make sure that the power had come back on there from the outage on Thanksgiving morning. Then went to the dumpster with some bags of garbage and took the car by the shop because the check engine light had come on and I said OMG.... but the computer thing they use said it is an O2 sensor, which is usually pretty minor... checked all the pertinent things on the new engine and everything is fine. He wants me to bring it back after the trip to the dr if the check engine light comes on and all the other gauges are okay... to run another diagnostic on it.... I just didn't want to run it if there was something wrong with the new engine... or leaking or anything but he said it all checked out fine...

Got the rest of the needed boxes of bottles for the 500 cow farm delivered yesterday so I breathed a sigh of relief. I remember when UPS used to be off on the day after Thanksgiving... but now I see UPS and Fed Ex trucks on Saturday and Sunday making deliveries. I left a message at work to put me back on the regular schedule of box/bottle deliveries now. I can always stop if I get too many backed up here.... but want to have them if needed.

Time to get up and moving around again... legs starting to get stiff from just sitting.

 

[farmerjan]

Warmer this morning. Only down to 33 last night. Sunny but a pretty strong breeze out there so will be colder than yesterday. .
Finished the jigsaw puzzle finally... the sky/tree branches/ leaves were tough. Got another one. Thomas Kincaide, but the pieces are much thinner and flimsier, and so many have rounded edges... don't know if I am going to like it. Oh well. We'll see. Going to try to do some little stuff in the kitchen today.... didn't sleep all that good last night either. This is driving me nuts. Maybe something to help go to sleep a bit earlier until I get more active? Never have taken anything to go to sleep so not sure I want to but I have got to get to sleep and stay asleep better. Now it seems I go to sleep around 2 and then wake up around 4 or 5 and then fall back around 5-6 and wake up again at 9. Not my normal. I have tried to go to bed earlier, like at 10 and then I seem to be up every 2 hours until 4 or 5 then finally fall asleep for a 4 hour stretch. Any suggestions?????

 

[Mini Horses]

I sometimes go to bed, prop up and play solitaire on my tablet. After maybe 20 min, I feel sleepy, turn it off and usually fall asleep. Staying that way doesn't always last 7 hrs but..... Melatonin will also make me sleepy and often sleep longer. Maybe 6 hrs.

A glass of wine triggers me if I'm not eating but, you don't like the stuff. Sooooo
Maybe outside for several hrs? That often helps.....weather permitting.

There's also tv. I think we all get our best catnaps that way. I suspect the knee/leg aching may awaken you. Plus your routine is shot and fretting is high, not relaxing.

Ideas from anyone??

 

[Baymule]

I was going to suggest melatonin. I have some Walmart brand OTC sleeping pills that are Diphenhydramine, 25 mg, which is Benadryl. Don’t use them very often, but they really do work.

 

[farmerjan]

Tried the "benadryl and it did nothing. Really, nothing. Stopped the itch on the legs before I got that calming serum from Burt's Bees.... That stuff is WONDERFUL...... have stopped using it and area around incisions is not hardly red, not itching, not hurting, not raw, what a blessing. Skin is still "scaly" feeling, but it mostly looks like it is old skin going to peel off eventually.
Going to get some melatonin to try when I go out tomorrow.
Stomach is still not 100 % and if I don't eat yogurt it definitely goes off kilter.... really really makes me mad as I used to be able to eat anything. Now I am getting what I guess is heartburn..... never had to deal with that either..... awful burning type feeling in my throat/chest/stomach area.....

Been having a good sized glass of "alcohol"..... toasted almond..... which is amaretto, kahlua and cream.... or spiking a glass of eggnog in the evening thinking it might relax me enough to fall off into a good sound sleep.... NOPE ..... alcohol used to put me to sleep... The joke was for years that 2 drinks and I'd be out for the night..... I was never a drinker.... tonight I am going to try amaretto in hot cocoa..... Going to watch a movie, then get a shower, have the room real warm and comfy and then turn down the heat, and have a nice big mug of amaretto cocoa and see if that will put me out.
Got the directions and everything I can think of for the dr appt tomorrow ready to go.

Ate 1/2 the left over dinner DS bought me.... finished the one the farmer brought me yesterday. Don't seem to be able to eat alot either.... makes me feel too full. Maybe that will help me to lose weight down the road too....

Been sitting and playing some solitaire with real cards. Can only read so many books and watch so many movies. I am definitely in the market for a recliner though. Maybe I could sleep better in one of them right now....
One thing I can say that I am thankful for.... after all the initial pain and problems, after I got home and could finally have room to move around in the bed, I have been able to roll over and lay/sleep on my stomach. That seems to be the best position for me to finally fall asleep . I have not been able to lay on my stomach since before the ankle replacement because the knees hurt too much being out straight. Even with the cramps/spasms in the right one, I can stretch out again.... that is such a blessing. Now I just have to get rid of some of the flab around the middle....