We did, today! Will had made an appointment to get our car in for front brakes on Wednesday. His grandson, Drew, who had wanted to move up here, away from the cities, just lost his job welding in St. Paul. So we invited him up to stay with us until the weather moderated enough so that he could work on making David’s empty house livable. We were all cozied down, saying how nice everything was calm, after the bustle of the holidays. Um Hum…
Then Will got a call from his daughter in Illinois. She has a serious plumbing problem that a plumber quoted $8,000 to fix, which she doesn’t have. Dad! Yep, Will is going to drive down to help her out as soon as he can. He wants to get the car back first, so I have wheels as he’s taking his big red diesel truck. It has a lot fewer miles than our Edge, which has over 230,000 miles on it so far. I told him to just go and I’d drive it with grinding brakes and just not use them much. He declined that.
I tried to find him a cheap flight, but “cheap” amounted to over $500, round trip. He can drive it for less than half of that in a long day.
Then, when Randie went home, I drove her to son, Bill’s, and he was getting sick, coughing. He was going to drive her two hours, most of it in the dark, in traffic, alone coming back. I didn’t think that was a good idea, so I went with them, instead of driving right home. The trip went well, and I started home around 7:30 P.M. As I was hungry, I swung in Taco Bell and grabbed a beef chalupa, which I love, and headed home. Oh oh! It did taste a little funny. Yep, I got close and personal to several toilets in the next 12 hours. Not fun!
So, instead of organizing my new pantry shelves, I’m helping Will get ready for a road trip. We’ve got to haul several big round bales into the cow yard, move the cows back out there, as the weather has moderated, get the truck packed and ready to go. He’ll be gone, maybe a week and I don’t drive the big Kubota as I can’t get up in it yet. If it snows bad, I can plow the driveway though!
It just goes to show you; you can make all the plans you want and that doesn’t make them come about as you planned! Being flexible is a key attribute of a homesteader. And we’ve had a lot of practice at being flexible! — Jackie
You know, I wasn’t going to comment; there are soooooooooooo many comments already. . .
but, when you talk about Will going to help out on the plumbing, and traveling so far.
This is the very reason, I believe, family-folk use to live all in the same area; were not so transient and mobile, because of careers. The family was a natural community to be there for each other’s needs and help!!!! The enemy has divided the family; relationship has been compromised and priorities terribly mixed up!! So sad. I hear that this year will not be easy, but will be victorious in the Lord. We need to start getting back to community with family, at the least. Our youngest has moved here to our mountain for hubby’s education. What a help they’ve been to us, nearly 70 yrs old. Son is thinking about moving back to here, especially for family and church, and our middle one may take us up on the invite to purchase a parcel of our land since empty-nest isn’t so far away. Regards from far north California.
Goodness! So many out of the ordinary things for you to deal with all at once. I admire your upbeat attitude and your flexibility. Jim and I are praying all will go well as you journey through “Plan B”.
Thanks for your prayers. After homesteading for so long, we’ve learned to roll with the punches. With grace, hopefully!
Oh dear lady! Days like that are so long & stressful. Yep, s#*! happens, sometimes literally! Hopefully your tummy got better and you didn’t get what David had too. Thank you for writing about it, and how you just kept going to get through it, a good example for us all. It seems whenever I ask God for patience, He gives me a chance to use it lol. Weather here is in the 60s again today, record highs. Forecast is for cold & rain for the next 3 days, hopefully that’s true we need it. Sarge is a handsome big boy and I’m sure a great protector. Wishing Peace and a safe weekend to all.
Thank you, Vicki. I think God has a great sense of humor, as I, too, pray for patience and he gives me just enough to get through the next week. My upset only lasted the day and night, thanks to Imodium. I’m fine now but it may be a while before I order another beef chalupa from Taco Bell. I had to laugh though, with everyone so concerned about folks canning their own food and maybe getting sick. I’ve never been sick from eating our own food!!
Sarge is a good protector, although mostly a big goof ball. I’m sure, push come to shove, those big jaws would clamp down on someone who needed a reminder to be good.
Wow, enough of THAT stretch of days, ouch. Please be careful during your week of “batching it”, although I know you have great friends nearby who show up regularly.
Do you still have the goats? I haven’t heard of them lately, or cheese-making etc, but as full as your days are, I don’t know when you would have had time to do it.
I’ve wanted to do homemade noodles again–haven’t for years–and was wondering if you make them, and any suggestions if so?
I’m hoping that these winter months will give your knees a little resting time, but probably not with basement steps, outdoor chores, and canning. Our wall plaque says “Young at heart; slightly older in other places” and it accurately describes most of us with arthritis, I think.
So, I’m very happy for you and Will to be lessening the workload while still doing what you love and, keep us learning from your decades of knowledge. Thank you, thank you!
No, right now, we don’t have goats. Somewhere, I had picked up a goat that was a carrier for Johnes Disease, which has no vaccination and no treatment. Slowly, one goat after another developed diarrhea and died. It was heartbreaking. I had to wait 2 years for any bacteria in the soil to die off. Hopefully, this spring, I can start all over again, with tested goats!!
Yes, I make noodles; they are very easy. Not much for tips, other than following a recipe, which only has minimal ingredients. Dry them well and you’ll succeed every time.
I love your plaque!!
If you want to hear God laugh,just tell him your plans!!!
AMEN, AMEN, AMEN!!! Ha ha ha!
Too many fast food places a) don’t pay the help enough and b) worship the almighty dollar despite the adverse effects of this “illness”.
If Will is taking I-90, tell him to wave when he gets to the exit before the welcome to IL toll booth. $8K sounds flat out of line – if a problem between house and city hook-up *maybe* (says she with a suspicious look on her face). I can’t speak about the weather as he travels between your place and central WI but should not be an issue after he hits central WI.
So grateful we have a trustworthy circle of various trades. I’ve learned a lot from my better half when it comes to household/property repairs/work. Frankly I think vehicles are “easier” as the smell test can reliably be considered.
Bummer Drew is sans employment (read: things aren’t great for the average person). Upside is he has an employable OR self-employable skill as well as family around him. So many younger people just don’t have family around them. This is *the* reason I opted to commute up to 2 hours round trip rather than uproot the kids as I chased employment. During the pre-Y2K “panic” in the IT world, there were plenty of $200K+ per year jobs available. I entertained thoughts of renting an apartment during the week, home on weekends. It was not ideal for me or my family so hard pass. Corporate America *still* cannot fathom that money is a main motivator.
Yep, money sings loudly. I guess fate decided he should move sooner than later, huh? It seems that way. At least he won’t be desperate as so many young people are today, nor facing being another homeless person. So sad.
Things happen for a reason – but we don’t always get to know the reason.
And reminds of the song “Mama said there’d be days like this”
Dear Jackie, I will be praying for Will & you as he travels, and you homestead. The pictures of the corn and tomatoes were just what I needed. It has been a misty, gray day here and we have a cold front coming through on Friday. So good temps now with the gray skies, although they bring storms, and then rainstorms Friday and cold, cold Friday night. Talk about flexible. The poor trees have a hard time in Tennessee. We need the cold to kill the bugs before spring crops. Or they will eat the crops before they can grow up. So, the bad weather is not really bad. It all has God’s purpose and we need, as you say, to stay flexible! I am staying inside quilting but I look forward to the green fields of corn, fresh tomatoes and all the other goodies of the garden. Stay warm and safe travel.
Yep, when I get blah, I go through all the spring and summer pictures to get uplifted again. We know it will come if we just hunker down and have patience.
Good luck to Will fixing the plumbing. Thank goodness for “Dad’s”.
Thank you so much for the update of Sarge (last blog comments) and picture. He is such a handsome boy! So is Hondo.
Your tomatoes and corn look so much better than mine did this year.
I’m looking forward to this coming growing season.
My own Dad sure helped me out when I was younger. Even after we moved from Michigan to Minnesota, I could call him, and he would “fix” me up over the phone. That’s how I learned to sweat copper pipe, after our basement pipes froze and broke. I’m really good at it now!!
Sarge is so much fun. He’s a goofy guy but so good when we work cattle. They think he’s fierce (he never bites hard), but he’s just concentrating on his job. You say, “watch the cows” and his ears fly up and his forehead wrinkles.
We’re really looking forward to starting our gardens again too.
Oh my……..
That’s what we thought. : )
Seems like this is one of those “when it rains, it pours” weeks. As you have said, flexibility is the key to surviving and staying positive. I have known some people who fall apart at the smallest change in their plans, and I just don’t feel like its worth that. Just readjust, and keep moving forward. I’m glad that Will is able to go help his daughter. $8,000 for a plumbing repair would be devastating to most people. Here’s hoping the weather cooperates for you both and the trip is successful. Sending prayers for a blessed week.
Thank you! I’m sure prayers will help. I know a lot of people that come all unglued when their plans dissolve. Just small plans, at that. So sad, as when a big upset comes, they dive into depression and fly apart. That’s not how live works.
Sorry for your bad day. I’m confused (or forgot). Why it David’s empty?
David and his family moved to town. I think being off grid was too hard when his wife was not used to it. Maybe one day they’ll be back. We hope.
What a day! Least not storming- Will has a long winter drive. Driving, he l also have his own wheel s while repairing the plumbing. Glad you two getting cows in so you don’t have to worry about that Big tractor! I gave up on ‘fast’ food years ago- seems like the‘personal toilet’ was too often! Hope your family stays healthy!🙏. Take care of yourself while Wills away.
It’s funny, in decades, the only three times I’ve gotten sick from food has been from restaurants! Folks worry about eating home-canned foods when it’s the commercial foods at the store and restaurants they should worry about.
I agree that the priority is always helping family and enjoying their company. It can upset a lot of other plans but so worth it. Best wishes to you and your family for all your projects.
Thanks Patricia. Family always first!!
We had a dairy for a number of years and declined vacations-older farmers said remember it can all to heck whether your home or not. So we took their advice and took time off. The key as you know is flexibility-you must learn to bend and not break. Expect the unexpected and realize that’s life. You try to prepare and be ready but there will always be some “fly in the ointment “. You must have a sense of humor and “keep trucking”. Wishing you best of luck with these events. I got my seeds -thanks
I totally agree Everett! Yep, I had dairy cows for several years, having to milk when I had pneumonia and when the power went out. A vacation sure would have been nice!
That definitely sounds like one of those days. Mine was yesterday, it was supposed to be the first day back to school and we had a snow day instead. After 2 weeks of both kiddos I was soooo ready for him to go to school. Nope, instead he got into mischief, sissy didn’t nap, I burned my thumb, the soup took too long to make for dinner because I was distracted with the kids. One of my goats went into heat and needed to be moved for breeding and we had a foot of new snow to move. I love my life and kiddos and they make me crazy sometimes! Prayers for safe travels all around!
Ha ha! That sure sounds familiar around here. It seems it’s always something, doesn’t it.
Definitely one of those days! Wishing him a good trip and for you, a dull and boring week!
Thanks Katherine. I’m sure my days won’t be boring. Boring just doesn’t happen around here. : )