Before I start this tale, please keep in mind that Saturday it got to about 111 degrees.
The afternoon was busy and I was tired, and had already sweat through my clothes once. I went out to the barn to feed and milk, gather eggs, refill water the water tanks, etc., to find sweet little Balvenie hung up in the wiring on a gate. I’d hoped to get that down before someone got hurt, but there’s nothing like livestock to make you do it on one of the hottest days you’ve had so far this year.
I had taken the cordless drill with me anyway (good timing) to raise the gate on the small stall, when it suddenly became a marathon of removing boards and un-sandwiching the wire fence material from between the boards of the big stall gate. I’d tried to call my husband’s phone because I couldn’t leave her like that. He had his phone turned off.
Out two screws, pull the wire, in two screws. ETC.. Goat-girl (Balvenie) kept re-tangling herself, and Chester tried to climb my back, and the donkeys breathed down my back and rubbed up against me, and the chickens clucked madly, and the adult does argued. Sweat poured off of my in rivers. I finally got all of it out, and Balvenie untangled for the 3rd and final time. The wire is disposed of, and I figured I was already drowning in my own sweat so I may as well raise the other gate. Why not, at that point! LOL
That was a piece of cake, if you don’t count the sweat and my sweaty hair repeatedly getting in my eyes so I couldn’t see where I was pointing the screw gun!
Eggs collected, everyone got fed and milked, and I was about to pass out. No kidding. I was so hot I started to feel cold. I left off everything else and went in the house to deposit the eggs and milk on the table and call out to Bill. He woke up grumpy, but I begged for water and went and dumped myself into a shower of ever decreasing temperature.
Bill took care of cleaning and filling the duck pond, and topping off the stock tank. Now I am much recovered, and contemplating the big gaping hole (read wide enough expanse between boards) that Chester and Balvenie can easily hop in and out of the stall. There is no containment whatsoever. Tonight – That! J (But I’ll take my Gatorade with me!)
How on earth do you do it? You work, and cook, and take care of your family, and garden, and work outside and who knows what else you fit into a day. Oh, and your write about it too. I think you belong in the Olympics. I wish you'd slow down a little though, because it's hard for me to follow your example.
ReplyDeleteI don't do it all on my own. Some things, sure - and when there's no choice, I don't think twice about it but do it. But my husband is my partner through all of this. If we didn't work together, we couldn't make it happen. :)
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