Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[farmerjan]

Friday morning... well, noon time I guess. It started at 66 and is up to 80 already at noon. I realize that is not high compared to some of what the Texas and southern members have seen... Also what they are seeing in the midwest and even the high temps in Minn and places up that way... But it is warm enough for here.
I woke up with that nagging headache, and took some stuff and went up and did the cow. Then came back and since we had quite a few clouds early, and partly sun when I got back with the clouds passing over quite a bit, I decided to go out in the garden again for a bit. I finished the row of onions and got about half the pepper plant row weeded before the sun was out full and getting to be too much for me. That is a little more done. I knew I would have a limited time frame to work so did not start over around the melons and all. They are weeded right around them, so still got a little "time" to get them done before they start to spread.
Meant to go get the spark plug when I did the cow so will run down there to get one. Only a couple miles so not a big "out of the way" trip. Maybe I will get lucky and that will be the problem. I sure would like to get it mowed before we get the possible rain/storms/showers? on Monday....

The weeds are pulling so easily, so thankful for the .8 inch we got the other night. Although it did take down some trees and alot of the ash that have died have come down with the wind we had. There was not any real run off so it has all been soaking in good.
The wheat is looking good and will be combined in a couple weeks. The corn across the road looks real good.

We are going to look at the cut down hay to see if it needs tedding or just can be raked. The clouds this morning didn't look too good for drying, but they are moving on. 20% chance of a pop up this afternoon but looks to be staying way south along the NC border area.
Got a gallon of sun tea out steeping.

Going in to maybe make a PBJ sandwich for lunch. Might help the head to eat something. I need to make an appt at the chiropractor. Get back to going on a more regular basis. I also need to get my new "footprints" done, to get inserts for my shoes since the knees are done and I have changed the way and angle of my walking. The chiropractor does them and sends them off for alot less than you can even do it on your own.

 

[farmerjan]

Nearly 10 p.m. Hit 88 today again, and the sun was out the rest of the day. Wound up on the tractor just raking all the hay. Got done at about 6. Then went up to the cow and then got home and went into the garden. Put in another 1 1/2 hours I guess. Finished the pepper plants, weeded one full row of beans and then did around the yellow squash I had planted separate, and did the rest of the row of dill and then put down some straw around the pepper plants. Some mosquitos out there tonight.

Going to use some of the hamburger meat and make a cheese burger I guess.

Went and got the spark plug and DS said he would get it in tomorrow. Stopped at the P.O. and nothing from the DMV yet on the title... Really would like to sell it so I don't have to keep making payments... still haven't gotten the air conditioner working...
The friends from CT have a smaller SUV... it has CVR or something on the back... but she said she gets 30 mpg on it... It probably has a smaller engine, vehicle is smaller than the explorer... but that is twice what the explorer is getting.... Just want it gone... yeah it was nice for us all to fit to go look at the cows and pastures and hayfields and crops... but not worth paying for that for years to get some positive use out of it once a year.

All the aggravations DS has been dealing with at work have "miraculously" gone away with the new physical for his CDL and the ones that had to review and make a decision that he has a full release to go back to work at full capacity.... there were alot of politics at work and he was denied the opportunity to compete in the annual "Roadeo" that they have every year... one of the "safety inspectors" has had it in for him after an altercation at an event several years ago... tried to say he did not follow protocol and that the injuries and all from the rollover of the road roller were not properly documented... well, it was found in his records, this individual just made sure it dragged on until AFTER they had the roadeo, and now that he is not eligible to compete since they hadf the eliminations, suddenly everything has been passed and approved... there are a couple of real "higher ups" that were made aware of the BS going on, and it seems that this person is now on the radar of the "higher ups" and they are finding some other possible shady situations.... It has been a really BS maddening and stressful couple of weeks and he has done good to not go and put the guy through the wall with the harrassment. Now that it is being "monitored" by others that have more "clout".... and DS has his full driving privileges at VDOT restored... he can try to get back to normal. BUT, he is seriously looking at other possibilities now... because of the way he was treated and all. A friend that has been in on all this stupid BS, told him he can get him into a job that he will have benefits, make more money and work for a company that "subs" out to VDOT... with better hours and no weekends and no BS dealing with the bureaucratic asinine BS....
I hope he considers something... he won't lose his retirement if he leaves.... and more money and better hours and not the hassles, would be better for him I think. But he is going to sit tight for a little bit and wait and see what happens with this other guy too. Luckily he does not have to deal directly with him for much of anything.... his boss at work can do that. It was all jealousy, and the safety guy being called out for changing the rules DURING one of the competitions, and this year, just a couple of weeks ago right before the competition, this safety guy pulled several of the ones that compete FROM THIS AREA, in for "random drug and alcohol tests"... but none from his area... his area guys don't do good at these roadeos and there has been some real ego problems because the guys from this area have always done good and DS has won his division year after year and gone on to the regionals.

So, there are no red flags for DS at work now... and he said he is going to sit back and see what they do....he has options... and they cannot pull his CDL because it is FEDERAL motor carriers... not state. This guy kinda cooked his own goose as he is now under some serious scrutiny....

Guess DS will bale all the hay tomorrow. One small field is pretty heavy and more green this afternoon, the rest will be fine by mid day.... he wants me to get the 1st calf heifers and their calves in at the nurse cow field so the calves can get worked and moved to the other farm where there is nothing on it yet.

Past time to eat and go to bed. Maybe will be able to sleep off this dull headache.

 

[Bruce]

he won't lose his retirement if he leaves

Due to years of service?

 

[farmerjan]

His retirement is fully vested. He wouldn't start it until retirement age anyway, he won't get as much as if he actually stayed and worked more, but would not lose what he has there.
He is pretty much "taking the weekend off" and then next week will see how things are shaking out since this jerk showed up at his headquarters just as DS was leaving to take off a couple hours to visit with the friends and he started to question why DS was leaving... DS's boss just stopped safety guy and asked what he needed there, and he made some comment about DS leaving and boss said that was a previously approved leave for personal business and so what did that have to do with the safety guy showing up???? So, safety guy made out to be looking over things at this headquarters, found some things to "pick apart"... and then DS met the other guy at my house on the way to the meeting so he didn't even go back to the headquarters for the rest of the day. The guy that picked him up told him about the bogus BS the safety guy was trying to make an issue about on the headquarters lot.... then he left. Everyone there is on to this whole thing now... and DS's boss told him back 2 weeks ago when it was looking like they would not back down and all, that he would support him fully if he wanted to go after the safety guy with a harrassment lawsuit....
The saddest thing is that this different dr that he had to go to for the VDOT/CDL tests, looked through his records and when DS's blood pressure was pretty high, he told the dr what had gone on and all.... why he was still so P.O.ed about it.... and the dr said that he could have EASILY fit him in the previous Monday if he had been aware that there was a time issue.... but they purposely did not tell the dr that he wanted to get this done in time to qualify for the roadeo competition... and the dr agreed that it was not fair... BECAUSE he has had to "FIT IN" many other drivers for CDL's in the past.... but the safety guy told VDOT officials that there were no other appts and the higher ups in VDOT accepted that. Well, now they know, that was a fabrication, as DS told his HR person who had been doing all she could to get him in before the roadeo competition.... for this "required" physical... even though his normal CDL physical was only a year ago... has to be every 2 years unless there has been an "event" to question the ability of the driver to drive safely.... anyway... this dr said he would be glad to talk to ANY of the VDOT officials who needed any documentation...
Amazingly, he had to fax his recommendations to some "panel" for their consideration as to his "fitness" to do his duties... and within 24 hours he had all his VDOT driving, work "duties" fully restored....

TOO MUCH UNDERHANDED CRAP... and I hope this guy pays for it one way or another... and it looks like he might have just gone too far this time. Too many people questioning it...
One other thing... LOOK at the lost work time, and MONEY that this has cost VDOT for NO GOOD REASON......they look at that very closely now....

 

[Bruce]

I hope the safety guy gets to see the road with a pink slip.

 

[farmerjan]

Came in to eat some lunch after going up to do cow late. Went by Deb's place to make sure all was okay as she is having some car issues and decided to not come out this weekend until resolved. Wants to come for the 4th of July weekend. Wanted to amke sure that after the power outage the other night that the fridge and all were back on so there wasn't a bunch of spoiled stuff in case it didn't come on....
Plus, she did take the job with the new company that is taking over the work she did with the old company... they lost the job bid.... and she is having to learn some new protocols and such. She is working on getting herself positioned to maybe move out here permanently I think. Tired of some of the BS and thinks she would be better off just working a "mundane" job part-time... and selling the house near DC and just not have to deal with all the crap. She is mid 50's I think... 10 yrs or so younger than me.... But the big thing is that her deceased husbands daughter and family is near her up there and I know she spends time with them and is torn to be 3+ hours away from them down here. I really thought she might sell this place.... I don't think she would have to work at all if she sells the place up there... she sold a house she owned and I know had a mtg but not huge and then there was money from her husbands death...
Anyway. Talked to DS and they were going around a fence at a small pasture that we hadn't moved anything to so he can move some heifers there for the summer... and he is coming back to bale the hay and said if I got in some of the calves and cows then he could take a load with him to the other farm down near GF's when he left to go for the afternoon... they are going to a truck pull this evening.
None of the calves were in the barn this morning, they usually work their way up there mid day when it gets hotter. I am going to go up and see if there are enough in to justify his taking the truck and trailer today. Tomorrow is supposed to be warmer and there will probably be more of them in... we'll see. I put feed in the bunk feeder this morning for them if they do come in.... the calves all need shots and the bulls need to be worked... before they go. And then I need to get the matching momma's in with them. Not really thinking I will be able to it before we wants to go but will go up in a little bit and see who is in the barn... Got most of the ones with tags matched to the momma's... got 4 or maybe 5 with no tags that need tags as well as the rest of the working up.

I am thinking that tomorrow will be a better day to do it but if there are a bunch in with tags so I know who their momma's are, I will shut the barn and call in the cows and see if I can get a half dozen for him to move.

Started out at 64 up to 86 ... sun out and more humid today. Radar showing some possible showers late this afternoon... so hay HAS to be baled... it ought to be good and dry except the one small field might be a little green. He will bale it on the "outside" of the roll so it doesn't mold or get hot and cause it to ignite... there might be a little loss but it will continue to dry out if on the outside of the roll.

 

[farmerjan]

I hope the safety guy gets to see the road with a pink slip.

We are hoping for something similar....especially if it gets to where they can pin something on him from prior situations. He is a loud mouth, I met him at a couple of the state competitions as I have gone with DS many times to Richmond where they hold the state competitions between the various districts within the state.... and I was there when it got ugly and DS and I walked out of the lunch banquet (over 500 people, between competitors and their families). It was the principle of being fair and of treating everyone right and NOT changing the rules after the fact..... and so a couple won that would have lost if the rules that were stated ahead of the run were followed... blatantly wrong... and DS came in 2nd if it had been done as stated... instead he was disqualified...
You don't change the rules in the middle of the game....

Karma is a BIT#H... what goes around comes around, and it looks like that is finally going to happen...

 

[farmerjan]

And there have been times DS has been honestly beaten and he accepted that and worked harder to get better for the following year. He doesn't win all the time... but has for many years come in 1st or 2nd because he is GOOD with the tandem dump truck... he competes in 3 or 4 things at the local competitions just for the fun... then they have to pick one division, that they want to go to state to compete in... and he always competes in the tandem dump truck... he's good at it. There are guys that go to state every year from their district and several talk to me because they have gotten to know me and my support for him too... nice guys... you get to meet their families, and talk to wives and all that sort of thing... It's competition but it is like a big "field day" where there is also alot of comraderie.... and the ones that win and go to the regional competitions that I know, I cheer on just as much as our local guys... will talk to some on the phone if DS calls the night before and give them all "he//" and a pep talk.... like having a dozen "kids"... all grown men in their 20's to 50's.... The guys all like to "show off" their expertise..... and they deserve a little recognition for being good at what they do at an often times thankless PITA job....

 

[Baymule]

This jerk needs to get what he has coming!

 

[farmerjan]

Nearly 10 p.m.; worked out in the garden for a little bit... HOPING that DS will be able to get the mower running tomorrow so I can get it mowed around the garden and then get the netting up and then hoping it will thwart the miserable deer. I have never seen anything just eat off the whole top of the sunflower plants like these are.
I mulched the yellow squash that I had weeded and pulled some weeds along a short section of purple bean plants. I didn't get out there very early so not much time before dark. They are eating the tops off the green bean plants too... but nothing like the sunflowers. Aren't touching the squash or the melons or cucumbers or anything.