Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[farmerjan]

Wed Night. It was a cold raw damp feeling day and sprinkles started about 4. Went and got the sample and milk for me from the farm I get it from down the road. I got a call from the farmer I tested about a cow that is there and that I was thinking that I misheard the number since I was missing one. Turns out he put her in and then took her out of the system but didn't do it right.... sooooo..... I spent several phone calls back and forth to Raleigh where our computer center is, and will have to go to the farm on Saturday BEFORE I go do the 250 cow herd... and one of the computer support people gave me her personal cell # so when I get there, she can talk me through getting it straightened out BECAUSE she is leaving to go on vacation to her family's, for the holiday......
And they wonder why I want to retire......

In the meantime DS wanted to know if I got the cows and calves in.... he said he would move them if I did... I said as soon as I got done with the phone calls for work I was going up there.... so I finally dropped the samples off to be picked up, got some feed and went up there... of course none of the small calves came in this evening... but I fed everyone some grain and the calves that have been coming in all along. Put some more hay in the feeders in there... about 1/3 small sq bale just to give them something if they come in...
DS had fed some hay yesterday but it will be gone in a day or two... there are alot of animals in there eating right now.

I asked him about was he off work already and he acted like I was crazy... obviously he did not really read the text I sent last night... he just gives things lip service anymore and does not really pay attention to what I say... he said no, he was working til 3:30.... why would I think he was going to be off... and I said because of the freezing rain/sleet supposed to be coming in and he said nope, they weren't exactly concerned about it. OOKAAY.....
So after I got home from the pasture and got the chickens locked in, he called back and said he had gone and gotten the tractor (no cab so that must've been fun) to use with the silage cart feeder as he is going to open the old bag out in the back and start getting it fed out... there will be some waste from it spoiling where the animals have torn the plastic.... and if I didn't get the cows in, that he was going home to get a little sleep because he had to be back in to work at 10.....
Guess mom wasn't so clueless or stupid after all.
They have already closed at least 10 schools.... my county included since we have a high elevation even though we are a little south of the target area for the most sleet and bad weather.... there are city schools and county schools... all my county is closed as well as the 2 counties directly north and several others....

It was a cold 28 this morning, only got up to 35 and is back to 32 now.... supposed to drop a degree or 2... and my recording thermometer is on the porch so usually is a smidgen warmer....
GLAD that I rearranged the herds and don't have to go anywhere tomorrow....

Friday's herd is south of here so should not be a problem... then Sat I have to leave early enough to go to that herd and get the computer stuff fixed..... then go test. Supposed to have some sun but be cold, 40's...

Been watching some dvd's...the last few nights..... Anyone ever watch the TV series Yellow Rose???? It is a very much "cleaner" version of Dallas and Yellowstone.... Sam Elliot, Cybil Shepard, Chuck Connors (as a bad guy?!).... I enjoyed it. Yep, Texas ranchers.... Lots of horse riding and some good moral plots... No actual sex or nudity... an impassioned kiss was the "raciest" part... boy... that Sam Elliot.............oo lala...

 

[Baymule]

Yes I watched Yellow Rose. And you are right about Sam Elliot. He was the voice for the beef council commercials, in that unmistakable sexy voice, BEEF, It’s what’s for supper. If they brought that commercial back, I’d go straight to the store and buy a steak. And still have home raised beef in the freezer!

Hope the bad weather doesn’t last long.

 

[farmerjan]

It's a cold morning. 30-32 temps all night and rain. There is ice on all the trees and bushes out there. Nasty and cold. Cars and truck all coated with ice. Glad I have no intention of going anywhere today.
Just saw another state truck go by. This road will freeze alot due to the elevation here. I am sure DS has had an interesting night and is now probably home sleeping for awhile. He may have to go back in tonight. Who knows. The rain is supposed to pass to the east by 3-4 p.m. temps are supposed to "warm up" into the 34-36 range later...
Slept wrong and shoulder is really hurting......

 

[canesisters]

@farmerjan I think I would be a trembling puddle of tears if I had had your last couple of days.

 

[Baymule]

Stay in and off the roads if you can. Icy roads belong to the road warriors. Body shops will fix their stupidity.

 

[Mini Horses]

Yeah...I used to be part owner in a body shop and weather like yours, well we geared up for a lot of extra work!!

 

[farmerjan]

@farmerjan I think I would be a trembling puddle of tears if I had had your last couple of days.

Thanks, but for me days like that happen at least once or twice a month as far as work/computers/farmers doing stuff like that. I AM NOT A COMPUTER PERSON..... that said, I am finding myself trying to fix their screwups more and more... and I spend more time on the phone with our computer support office in Raleigh NC... and sometimes with the other center in Ames Iowa....
The other is nothing new... I do scheduling and then re-scheduling all the time... luckily, not too many times, is it as last minute, as it was this past week. But I am finding that some days I just don't want to keep dealing with this... must be the .... HA HA.

2 pm and still ice on everything although the roads are more wet and it is finally up to 33 so there is a little bit dripping... Still some misty wet coming down too. It is just crappy out there.

Got another mouse and then had one last night that their tail only got stuck on the sticky board... and it made a mess with some of my spider plants and pointsettas... then it got off, as I was trying to get it untangled enough to get it out the door. I am sooooo tired of them.....I have continued to cut down the population but still seems like I cannot get rid of them.....

Got to get 150 sample bottles in trays for tomorrow afternoon and 250+ for Sat.
Still haven't heard from the farm that does the owner sampler test... and I am ready to go get the bottles back because he said they were going to get them done in a week. Still waiting on that "week" that was about 10+ days ago. Been up that way twice too.

It seems I am probably going to lose my "part-time" status as far as my dental insurance goes. Have to have a certain number of work units... and with all the herds that have been skipping; I am on the low side and have until Feb first to get my testing herd work unit #'s back up, or lose it. I have had most all the major work done I have wanted to.. so am weighing the difference in the amount I pay every 2 weeks against the costs of the routine cleanings and such... Sure there would be things like fillings or something, but it just may not be worth it to try to push more of these herds to test. The big herd that sold out last March was the beginning of the slide because they tested nearly every month and it really helped to keep the work units I needed high enough to not worry about it. Maybe just time to let the insurance go and put that money every 2 weeks into my pocket and just pay for the routine cleanings..... Actually, with just that , I would come out a little ahead since it is not that high for routine cleaning that the insurance pays for. I didn't really consider the work unit numbers with the insurance, I just kept it after going from "full-time to part-time" since it was available. If the farm that is 125 miles north sells out which they are hopefully going to be, and have been trying to sell out for 6 months..... it will make it harder to try to keep it. I think I am going to call the dentist office and see if I am due for x-rays...I have an appt in mid-feb...see if I can get it moved up to mid-Jan and get any x-rays or anything that I maybe eligible for and then let it drop.

Always something it seems. All these little things pushing the "retirement" thoughts..... but like @Mini Horses it's a little extra push to get you out and into the "world"; to not "vegetate" at home, and a little extra income to boot, so something to think about.

Supposedly my parents house in NH is sold.... there is still some stuff to be settled because of all the "heirs" not agreeing on the bills to be paid and now it has to go before a court judge.... MORE MONEY to be paid out of the estate..... SOOOO STUPID by these 3 grandchildren.... They will spend nearly as much just in lawyers fees and court time etc... and I am sure the judge will rule to pay these expenses... so they will be paying it twice instead of just paying it and get the estate settled. It won't affect me because the amount that I will be getting was specifically stated in the will; as is what each of us 4 children gets.... it is hurting the ones that are getting the "rest of the estate" split between them.... and they are the principle beneficiaries... DS is so fed up with it, he agreed to the sale and just wants it done...

Anyone getting worried about the way the stock market dropped again after the fed's did another increase in the prime rate? It had dropped over 900 and is now only down about 700????? SOOOOO very glad I moved more investments out of the market in my retirement account and into our stable balance fund.....

 

[Mini Horses]

It may be time for you to reconsider one of the Medicare advantage plans. Most include dental. Now that you have those big surgeries out of the way, one may be a better value. They keep getting better.

 

[CLSranch]

Always something it seems. All these little things pushing the "retirement" thoughts..... but like @Mini Horses it's a little extra push to get you out and into the "world"; to not "vegetate" at home,

My favorite thing to do between jobs. Except church I can go a month without leaving the house. A good thing about that shop job last time I was home.

 

[farmerjan]

Friday... pushing noon. Was totally wet and miserable yesterday with rain-ice-sleet-CRAPPY WEATHER...
Stayed between 30 and 33 all day.
We finally lost power last night about 9:30 and it came on around 11-11:15 p.m. so not as bad as it could have been. But it sure gets cold quick at night like that.

It is partly cloudy, partly sun today, was 30 then temps up to 40 for a little bit but down to 38 right now. Guess it is going to be like this all day. At least the ice is melting off the trees and bushes some. If the sun would come out and stay it would all be melted but it is only slowly melting now.
I had the rain gauge out since it was going to hover around freezing and not get bitter cold to freeze and crack it.... We had a total of 1.2 inches in it... some ice on top but mostly liquid. I picked it up though since we are forecast to get down in the single digits with highs in the 20's for next weekend... Christmas.... possible snow but they say it is too far out to make any predictions other than the cold that is coming from Canada to hit as far south as @Baymule . NOT looking forward to that.

I am going to get things together and go start the car to get warm so I can go to work, in about an hour. It is sitting where the sun will hit it and the ice looks somewhat melted/loose. Wish the sun would just come out and stay out for a bit. At least I don't need to do any set up at this farm. Tomorrow I have to leave early to go to the herd to do the computer stuff, before I go to the farm I am testing. I do have to set up there... I have all the meters in the car already, just have to get some different length hoses put in there. Then Monday,Tues and Wed are all set up meters and I have to get the rest of the meters for the one on Tuesday.

Oh well, that is life. Going to get things ready to go.