Calamities and Patience

Have you ever had a day where everything you do goes wrong?

You know the ones where you can't do anything right?

You try to do good but only bad comes of it?

Those days where things get broken, torn up and fall apart?

When you only have one nerve left and you are on the verge of tears?

One of those days you wish there was a restart or refresh button?

I had an entire weekend of those type days.

Let me tell you, it was not pretty!

So bad that my calamities tested Flower Boy's patience.

That, folks, is hard to do!

With July 4th being on Friday, Flower Boy and I both had long weekends from our day jobs.

Drewman, also, was off work on Friday and only worked half a day on Saturday.

This allowed us to schedule several items on the Ranch To Do List, in hopes of marking them off by the end of Sunday.

Early Friday morning, Flower Boy and I headed over to get Mr. Moo's tractor.

  Although YoYoYoMoo and Mr. Moo don't live in the same part of the state we do, they own a farm a few miles from the ranch. 

Mr. Moo's brother lives close by too.

This makes it nice for helping each other and teaming up to complete projects.

When we got home, Drewman and Flower Boy started moving a building frame.

I started mowing.

We mow several acres around the house, the pond, the hay bales and the chicken pens.

This alone takes several hours to mow.

On this day, I chose to mow in Charlie Horse's pasture, because the weeds were getting high.

Charlie Horse doesn't eat weeds.

Well...

I think we should invest in goats!

Here's why.

 I tore up the mower!

This mower isn't a cheap mower.

It is very costly.

It has a solid steal 60" deck.

It has three blades.

Two fuel tanks.

Plus, it has a massive motor to power it.

I am certain the repair won't be cheap!

Apparently, I tore up a bearing, on the center blade, when I picked up some woven wire in the pasture.

I do know enough, that when the mower sounded different than normal, to shut it down.

I drove it to Flower Boy and Drewman.

"I think there is something wrong."

I hit the mower switch and Flower Boy imminently gives me the "SHUT IT DOWN" motion.

If you don't know what this motion is, it is when one moves their hand across their neck is a vigorous motion.

I know this motion none too well.

It isn't a take your time to get it done type thing.

It is a STOP NOW type thing!

Not only did I shut down the mower, but I shut down Flower Boy and Drewman's progress on their project, so they could look at the mower.

Saturday morning, Flower Boy and I did a little tree trimming, while Drewman was at work.

When Drewman got home, he started moving limbs, while I got in the truck and backed under the trees so Flower Boy could trim them.

He directed my backing by small movements of his hand and fingers.

Short Motions = Short Backing

Small Finger Motions = Even Shorter Backing

Well....

Flower Boy told Mr. Moo, 

I don't back in small portions.

My reaction time isn't very fast.

After all the trees were trimmed.

Princess Sheba and I started moving hay bales.

Momma!  That isn't a cow!

 The hay that is being moved is last year's hay.

We want to put it all in one spot and make room for this year's hay.

 I had moved about 20 bales prior to the tree trimming.

 

There were two stacks that were tight to the fence.

It took a bit of maneuvering the truck to get backed up to the bales.

Flower Boy rode with me to help coach me through the first few bales from this area.

Well...

I must get a bit nervous when he is with me.

I grabbed a bale, drove up the hill to the stack, backed up, and the truck stopped.

"Why am I not moving backwards?"

Flower Boy's very calm response "You are backed against a tree."

"Really?"

"Yes"

The truck I was driving has a huge cake feeder on the back.

You have to use the mirrors.

I can't see the bale when it is on the spikes, let alone see a tree behind the bale.

No excuse!

I hit a tree.

I pull up and drop the bail in front of the tree.

Pull off to go get another bale.

When I start to back up to the bale stack, I smack the next stack of bales with the rear of the truck.

Again, using the mirrors, I was looking in the drivers mirror and hit on the riders rear.

No, I didn't dent the truck.

Flower Boy "You just tore up a bale."

He says this, again, in a very calm voice.

"DID I?"

"Yes"

I move the bale I was backed up to and go get the one I tore up.

As I lift the bale, the bottom of the bale falls off and pieces of the bale drop as I drive up the hill to drop the bale.

I place the bale on the end of a row, hoping it can be fed to Charlie.

Otherwise, it won't make it to one of the pastures without falling off the spikes.

Right after that, the A/C in the truck stopped working!

Flower Boy had me stop the truck, while he took some time to assess the situation.

I went back to picking up limbs.

Flower Boy and Drewman finished moving the building frame.

I was so frustrated with myself, I was done for the day!

Pooped!

Worn Out!

Exhausted!

Sunday was a better day.

We went to church.

We spent time with YoYoYoMoo and Mr. Moo, where they paid their debt of pepper spice!

Then I took a nap.

I do have to hand it to Flower Boy.

I even told YoYoYoMoo and Mr. Moo.

Flower Boy has really gained patience with me.

He never raises his voice and always remains calm.

Mr. Moo and Flower Boy jokingly agreed, they love us because YoYoYoMoo and I are so pretty.

The brush our face with the soft stroke of their hand kind of pretty.

 YoYoYoMoo and I are thankful they love us (whatever their reasoning) and appreciate our efforts.

We have said several times, these two men are Gifts from Heaven.

We are happy to share our lives with them.

I am not sure I have recovered from my calamitous weekend.

I have cooked supper every night, without burning anything.

Never a dull moment!

Rancher Girl