These last two weeks have felt like at least a months worth of problems. I have been working very hard to try to find anything that could remotely be good in the hard. This guy is super curious. Happy to make the same route everyday meaning investigating the same things I put away or don't. Leaving a trail of stuff yet he's happy and not crying when he's exploring so that's a win.
These Dahlias make me happy. I see them as I look out the window. I don't see the neighbors harvesting, I don't see the weeds I see these pretty happy flowers and while I wish Addie was here to see them too because I grew them for her. I love their happy color.
Greg found this on a Sunday evening. Not a good find. This is on the main support beam that goes from one side of a pivot A frame tower to the other side. He tried several ways to pull it back together enough to get to an open spot in the field. So thankful each year for the 2 acres of test plots that are open with a road to them. We have had so many easier repairs because of that spot in the field. They got it to move about 50 feet then it would go no more. So they had to drive the loader tractor into it.
The parts store could get the part- they told me when I showed up to purchase it. Thankfully my brother had one he's been needing to replace and had the exact piece at his farm. We went and picked it up after asking of course. And John was working for us so with his excessively large muslces they moved it easily. I just took pictures.
Back at the farm haybales were stacked a backhoe was borrowed and they began lifting the pivot to remove the broken part of the frame and putting the new one in place.
Millie is ham. Bruce is getting a lot of experience in his youth.
Also on Sunday the water stopped having pressure in our house. The pivot was first priority so we waited until Wednesday afternoon for that to be addressed. We went for parts and were instructed to wait until a thorough examination could be made. Thankfully the library is ok with some noise and so we checked out books and colored.
Jake explored and left a trail of items from my purse.
Silly little wax scribbles on paper was soothing to my very worried soul. It was nice to just control one thing and have it nice and right.
They determined the pump to be the problem after the experts came and doubled the eyes on the problems. No problem to replace they had a pump we installed it later that night. It worked about 6 minutes and then just buzzed and no water came out of any faucet. The next day the experts came again and found the pump had failed again. Another pump was secured and replaced and we have had reliable water for a week. How thankful I am for such a convenience we take for granted. Showers, the ability to do dishes, laundry, flush toilets which takes a lot of water around 5 gallons. Remember my family was out in the field each day so getting clean needed more than just a spit bath.
Thankfully our well is only about 140 feet deep so the guys can manage pulling with their own strength.
We have a calf 5 days a week we have lost 4 now. We don't know why. This is Mark's calf from his cow herd. We love the perfect W on it's head. Somedays Reed has to go get a dead animal and dispose of it. One cow has died of a prolapse too. If each animal is valued at around 1000-2500 those are losses that are starting to hurt. Reed loves the young animals its a bit difficult for him to loose so many.
With all my waiting around I've been working to feed Jake more solid food. He still likes to nurse a lot and is doing well transitioning to cow milk/goat milk mix. He's putting food in his own mouth- I believe that's a cookie. Obvious preference over the carrots. I'm pretty sure he ate all the cookie.
After the well was working and the pivot moving, although it required constant watching, restarting, and realigning to get a pass or two on the youngest corn the water finally turned off on Sunday. A nice long run of water this year which we needed. The guys switched to the shop to work on the combine to check it out. That big machine full of so many chains, gears, bearings, belts and assorted other parts needed some work. Thankfully they have skill and guidance. This year we have been able to get parts in about two days. Often in the same day. The guys put the stuff on as soon as I get it here. There's a lot to do and some learning curve with this new shop crew. But the speed with which we have secured parts is a miracle. The farmers around us are finding wet corn.
And Greg battled a fever all week. Doc says it's just a virus. It's a mean ailment. Aches and low energy. My sister in-law recommended "feel better fast" tonic. Sounded worth a try. When it came the lid had broken and all the magic was soaked into the shipping wrappers. The old standard Ibuprofen kept him going.
And going, as he combed through the combine checking and watching the many moving parts and synchronies. He's skilled and good. We found some shop managers in the midwest who shared some important repair tips and pages and pages of the repair manuals.
So while the amount of problems has been overwhelming we are blessed day by day. The kids are learning valuable lessons and spending time with their dad who never gives up. I make cookies, and zucchini bread, and do dishes with my renewed running water and do homework with kids. The teachers have had the blind audacity to complain my kids are behind. The church leaders complain they weren't ready to teach their sunday school lessons. I smile and grind my teeth and think they are getting educated on enduring work. They are seeing faith in action. We are praying hard for miracles to get through this harvest, to even get to this harvest that our crop will still be there from heavy bird damage and maturity concerns. So while they can't quote the lessons from the manual, and we have to work hours on homework to fulfill the ever changing requirements that's life. You do what you can and you rest a bit and face another day.
But we have seen blessings. We trust in God and His ability to make all things work for our good. We trust each other and will get through.
My siblings are great to me. My sisters listen via text and phone calls and encouraging me onward. There is great relief in family bonds.
My own dear brother called when I was worried sick. His calm and confidence cheered my heart and pointed my faith in the right direction again. Those calls mean the world. Mark has a similar effect and demeanor. He gave me similar counsel Monday when we talked. He encouraged me to be positive and loving it will all be ok. So it is and will be. We are blessed.
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