Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[farmerjan]

Hotter than blue blazes again today. Hit 98 again this afternoon... it is still 80 at 10:30 pm.

Got all the meters done and on the truck to take tomorrow. Thankless job but glad it is done. I will go to one of the testers home farm, they do the meter calibration there... then another tester that lives right down the road that started about 6 months before me, and has had both hips replaced..... texted me & asked if I would have time to stop at her place to visit. Gives us a chance to talk shop without the boss hearing.... she is at the calibrations.... since we both are unhappy with her in general as the boss. Plus, I like Sandra and there isn't anyone I wanted to test in this heat anyway. So I said sure.

Went up to the chickens, the trap was back so I fed and watered the meat birds, and set the trap back. The guys doing the road had been there earlier, the one is from upstate NY and his family had a dairy so he knows all about farming. He said they would put the bigger panel that I had there, up on top before they left. I really didn't expect them to do it but they had.... and bungeed it down. It was one I picked up at TSC several years ago..."damaged" and I think it was left from a special order because I have never seen any there like this ordinarily.... it is a 5x10 I think... like the no climb goat fence... weighs a ton....but it wasn't a big deal for those big brawny guys to just slide off the other stuff I had and put this up on top. Bless their hearts. I definitely would have struggled and would have had to get it on the truck bed to get it over there and then up.... But it is up there and it would take quite a bit for something to force it's way under while trying to hold it up enough to get under it. Would be easier to push it up to get out, once it got in.
Reset the trap with one of the dead ones I picked up this morning....

So next chapter.... we will see what happens tonight.
Yes, I have had coons get chickens through the wire over the years.... but these were mostly all in the middle of the pen where they could not have reached in that far.... could have gotten them and then they flopped into the center more....
without a trail camera I won't know for sure. That may be a purchase after all this house and closing and all gets done. There is more money tied up in this that previously thought so I am not spending a penny until I know where I am at. Everything is going on the cc right now, gas and whatever.... so I have the cash in the bank to write the downpayment check....
Of course I have only tested a couple of farms so not going to be much income for the next paycheck or 2 either.... It will work out. As long as I can keep setting the trap.... I can manage.

Ate another pan of squash tonight. Mm Mm good..... didn't get it blanched, or frozen, but it is in the cooler chest with ice keeping it cool....but I will have more time tomorrow after I come home from meters....

Haven't heard from the "help" since he was here Friday and told me I needed to get a new fuel filter for the mower. He is making one out of mine and another I got, which is great.... but it is taking forever because he hasn't done what he said and gotten it done. He said Friday, when he was here working on it, and he was in a good mood it seemed, that if I got the filter he would get it back together Sat so I could get the lawn mowed. Haven't seen him since, hasn't answered my texts.... I am getting pretty P.O.ed...... He is the one that offered to do it when this 2nd mower became available since the steering on mine sorta just fell apart.... he actually found this other one and was all gung ho to do it.... That is what makes me mad.... and I have paid him for the hours he has worked here; always ask how many hours and give him money.... picked up that phone card for him as part of it (he insisted)... which is fine..... JUST GET IT FINISHED..... I know it is hot during the day, they are sitting under the tree so not out in the broiling sun..... but one evening?????

Got a text from the bank, they need some more info.... so I sent one that I would be available after 9 a.m. chores and driving to meters so will have service... they texted back & said they would call after 9..... need to update my "assets"??? hell it hasn't changed except that the retirement money is in the checking account instead of the 401K.....

Need this done so I can get started on the painting, and stuff like that.

Doing some research on the "mako procedure" in regards to knee replacements.... the PT guy whose mom is having hers done in MD in Sept.... Might try to get an appt with that Dr after she has hers done.... more of a "ligament and tendon" saving type thing.... not sure if it will work for complete replacements... but they do partials for the side/area that is badly worn..... He also does some regenerative stuff up there....might want to have another opinion.... even after I get the opinion/appt in August, Here in Va.
A little concerning with the whole thing with this virus.... I want to go into a rehab like I did after the ankle.... I think it really helps you to get "up and going" and manage the early on stuff.... but going into a rehab is usually a nursing/rehab type facility..... not sure I want to be in somewhere like that and then get "locked down".....
I don't know, it might get put off just because of the extenuating circumstances because I am not going to go somewhere and then not be able to come home after a couple weeks. But I know that I will not be able to manage the first few days on my own.... and they are critical to setting the "mood" for the rehab/work you have to do to get all the use back that you can, plus the practicalities of meals, and exercises....mobility to the bathroom...A whole lot easier to have them come get you to go to a rehab/exercise room and make you do it even if it hurts.... Something to consider.

 

[CntryBoy777]

The asset check is what is done just before the final procedures are put in motion for the closing to be set and final papers are generated...it is a standard procedure to make sure nothing has changed between the initial submission and the final process....it hasn't anything to do with some kinda concern on your part, as long as there hasn't been a change due to a lien, lawsuit settlement, or lien placex on you for some kind of settlement or default....it should be Good news, because the closing date will be set at the conclusion of dotting the I's and crossing the T's....

 

[Bruce]

I don't even know how to operate a digital camera..... I am really a dinosaur.

If you can operate a SLR you can operate a digital camera Most have a number of settings but one will be "point and shoot autofocus".

and I have seen some squeeze thru 2x4 welded wire....would've never believed it til I witnessed it while shooting at one

Where there is a will there is a way! I watched a full grown cottontail squeeze through the 2x4 woven wire by the gate between the barns. Took some squeezing and kicking but it was afraid I was after it I guess.

 

[Ridgetop]

Except that you said the chicken pen was under a tree, it might be an owl. I heard a story of owls flying over chickens roosting, hooting to scare them into the air, then snatching one. This person kept having dead chickens laying in the center of their wire covered chicken yard minus their heads. One night they saw the owl swoop down over the yard, hoot, and fly away. They went out to see what was happening and the chicken's body was twitching in the pen. The owl pulled the head clean off because the body could not get through the wire. It sounds far fetched, but raccoons reaching into a rabbit cage and strangling a rabbit sounds far fetched too and it happens. I have seen it. Since you caught one raccoon, you may have more. And you may have several types of predators too. Hope you catch whatever it is.

 

[farmerjan]

The asset check is what is done just before the final procedures are put in motion for the closing to be set and final papers are generated...it is a standard procedure to make sure nothing has changed between the initial submission and the final process....it hasn't anything to do with some kinda concern on your part, as long as there hasn't been a change due to a lien, lawsuit settlement, or lien placex on you for some kind of settlement or default....it should be Good news, because the closing date will be set at the conclusion of dotting the I's and crossing the T's....

Thanks..... I had to "e-sign" a doc that said that my income has not been adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.... bet 99.999999% of the people will never have had to see or sign that before!!!!!! They never called me today so I texted the one loan officer, and then she did do a text back, and I am supposed to call them tomorrow when I am in service.... I texted back and said it would be after 9 a.m..... I kept the phone on even when visiting a fellow tester today and of course, they didn't follow through and contact me today..... GGGRRRRRRR.

 

[farmerjan]

Okay, update.... the above says it all about the bank/closing/ etc.....so will know more in the morning as I will call them since they didn't call me back today as arranged....
Nope, haven't been made a party to anything to have a lien on any assets....didn't tell them that the balances on the cc is higher than a month ago since I am not spending any of the cash due to the higher than I first expected closing costs.... It will take me an extra month or 2 to pay them off but okay....get this closing done, get the house "work " going.... at least the bathroom and the painting so I can get moving....then worry about it. There are some feeder calves of mine that are in the next group to sell, so will put that towards the bathroom and the cc payoffs....plus that cull cow of mine is still at the barn as there hasn't been a truck there that I can hook up to the trailer to take her to town...

So, today I am up at the cow, putting her in, and get a call.... 9:10 a.m. thought it was the bank.... nope.... of course it is my son, there are cows out on the road at one of the pastures.... so he says what are you doing this morning.... and I said WHY.... I have to go get the meters calibrated.... he says would there be any way you could go by hangers, there are supposed to be some cows out in the road..... Yeah, sure, why not, on my way..... Got there 3 people there and cows have disappeared up through the neighbors yard, and no one knows where they went.... So I said, they must know where they are going, that they have gone up into the woods (there are 1,000's of acres that back up to & run along the powerlines).. so I said that I would let son know that we couldn't find them.... and that he will have to go up there with the 4 wheeler after work to find where they are getting out through the fence. Owner called about 2-2:30 and said that all 10 were in the field right out along the fence along the road.... 5 cows/5calves.... so they obviously have got a spot where they have figured out where to get out and for some reason came down along the fence into the road instead of staying up in the woods/field next door. Hope ds got it figured out....

Went by the chickens on the way & checked.... YEP another coon.... didn't stop but called and the first thing she said was, did you get another one???? I said yup, all yours.... then went to the cows out then headed up to the meter calibration.

Got them done and all was okay by the sounds of it.... had to replace a few parts on a couple.... but nothing negative said. Then went by Sandra's and visited for a couple hours. Then headed home.
By the time I got here, they had gotten the coon and then returned the trap.... but then I saw that there was a "dug out area" along the one side....not dug deep like they got in, but scratched/pulled away from the bar frame all along the one side which is along where they were going to, to settle for the night.... I think they were pulling some out that were along the wire, as there were a couple of dead ones and several more missing. Top looked intact. So I RESET the trap with a dead one, and went and put a couple of the 2x2frames of sections with the wire on them, that I use across the back of the truck when I go get the left behinds... all along this section, and another section on the ground.... it will make it nearly impossible for them to get reach under and the birds don't lay along the other side..... let's see how this works....

Went and let the cow out and finished up for the night and came home.

Texted the guy who works for us some, about how he was feeling, again, and asked him to leave the filter on the seat of the truck where I had left it for him, so I could pick it up tomorrow. He said he hadn't been feeling very well, went to the hosp and they said he was dehydrated so they gave him fluids IV, and changed his medication and he is back on antidepressants....
Okay, I understand he has these depressed moods, and I feel for him.... but he also drinks regular soda, is diabetic and takes meds for it, doesn't eat halfway right, and gets upset over when his father died....of pancreatic cancer...... nearly 20 years ago...... ?????? I know that depression is a disease, and that many things affect it, but I guess I am not a very nice person, because I just cannot get the good mood, "high" of Friday, to the lows of crying over your father dying 20 years ago from pancreatic cancer.....you can't do anything about it, it happened..... and then not responding to me or my son or anyone. I don't get the depressed moods and I know I don't..... but if you aren't willing to try to take care of your health like the diabetes.... and NOT drink stuff you aren't supposed to and to try to eat a little better..... then I can't feel but so much sympathy either. He justifies the soda with, well I have cut down to only 1 a day.... and I drink a little more water.....When I had to take him to the hospital several weeks ago and they kept him for awhile to get it somewhat under control..... he has gotten his medicaid straightened out he says.... I can't help someone who isn't willing to help themself. He has some trouble eating and keeping it down; I wonder if that is because he doesn't eat right then eats stuff that his stomach rebels against.... he says they might do a scope down his throat to see if there is some sort of obstruction.... he had a bout with cancer I was told.... but not what kind.....but if you aren't willing to try to get back together, than what can anyone else do for you????? I honestly don't know other than try to be supportive and show that I care if he is feeling okay.... but I also have to have things get done that he says he will do and then doesn't. Haven't wanted to "take away" from him, some work.... but he could at least call/text and say he was feeling sick..... 2 seconds of a text so I at least know what is going on.
We'll see if he feels up to coming down tomorrow..... if not I will get the fuel filter and call another friend and see if they can finish getting the mower back together so I can at least mow the lawn.... It has been 3 weeks that this "little easy job" of getting the seat on the "new" one, putting 2 tires on off my old one, and the fuel tank and filter changed over.... which he said was a couple hours total job....

 

[farmerjan]

Temps hit 95 today, never got below 71 last night. There was some rain at Sandra's but she said it has been going around them too..... they are dry. I went through a little coming home from her house, it was actually raining a little there when I left.... had a light shower here as there was evidence on the road but no puddles on the sides so not much more than getting it wet. Some thunder this eve again, but looks like it is going to go west and north again.... tomorrow is looking better.... They had some pockets of downpours south of us too by the looks of it.... just can't seem to "drag and pull" it in this area....
Thunder out there now but don't think we are going to get much/anything out of it again.

 

[Mike CHS]

We had thunder and lightening since about 4:00 but no rain at all. The humidity reminds me of South Carolina.

 

[farmerjan]

Except that you said the chicken pen was under a tree, it might be an owl. I heard a story of owls flying over chickens roosting, hooting to scare them into the air, then snatching one. This person kept having dead chickens laying in the center of their wire covered chicken yard minus their heads. One night they saw the owl swoop down over the yard, hoot, and fly away. They went out to see what was happening and the chicken's body was twitching in the pen. The owl pulled the head clean off because the body could not get through the wire. It sounds far fetched, but raccoons reaching into a rabbit cage and strangling a rabbit sounds far fetched too and it happens. I have seen it. Since you caught one raccoon, you may have more. And you may have several types of predators too. Hope you catch whatever it is.

That is why I was thinking owl at first.... but not with the second night of dead ones and the top covered over.... and the chickens are on the ground and the top of the side panels are 6 ft....

 

[Baymule]

You are having a rough time with your meat chickens . I hope you get all of this batch of coons. Nasty killers. It wouldn’t be so bad if they got one and ate it, but they kill all they can.

Sounds like the closing is getting closer! It will be yours soon. I couldn’t be happier for you.