UGH!
I guess I shouldn't post about things until AFTER they've happened. As it turns out, Sarah and Loren and the four little girls (not three like I thought) went to the Galleria Mall in Dallas, and not to the Stonebriar Mall in Frisco. It sounds like they had a long, interesting day.
They gave me another birthday party this morning at the farm after the 8:00 A.M. Mass. Carol & Gene, Kat & Tom, Doug, Mel, Dad and I. Doug arrived with a surprise guest, Dad's cousin Regina. She is a very fun and lively person, and we love her dearly. But the best part is listening to the friendly bantering between her and my dad: Priceless! Regina's husband, Curly, used to be our mail carrier. He died October 9, 1980. We've been trying to convince her to come out to one of our Sunday morning brunches for a long time now. I'm glad she chose my party day for her first appearance!
Later, I fed grain and hay to the pigs and to Dad's baby calf. Then I sat in the barn a long time, chatting with Mel as he worked on Jeff's 4-wheeler. So far he's put on 4 new shocks; a new bumper, skid plate and a (brand name)WARN winch; a new choke lever; a new muffler; and a new something-or-the-other to do with the clutch--A new housing, perhaps. He still has to find out what the rattling noise is that's coming from inside the clutch housing, and add some oil. And maybe see if he can figure out why it's so hard to start. But other than that, he's getting close to being done with it. He worked on it all day yesterday in the rain, he said. Well, it WAS a dreary, damp day, but I don't think it ever really rained. He had the 4-wheeler in the cow lot, on the chain hoist, and he wanted to get certain jobs on it finished before he had to move the A-frame out of the lot. Now, today, the 4-wheeler is in the barn, and the lots are empty so we can use them for gathering cattle this coming Wednesday.
Bob and Sarah arrived then, and the three of us drove down to the 'pits to shoot Bob's .22 Browning Rifle. We shot at skunked beer cans and other old, unopened drink cans that he's found in dumpsters. The Red Bull Energy Drinks were the best, as they spewed red fluid everywhere; like blood, only better, because we knew it was only colored sugar water--Heh! Even in the high wind, I could hit my marks without propping the gun on the hood of the truck, because of the awesome, sweet scope on that gun.
After that, we crawled under the fence and Bob and Sarah went fishing in the creek area of the new lake, while I layed on the grass and watched the red and golden leaves shimmer in the trees. There was one group of small trees that were leaf-less all over, except for these long, wispy shoots that reached high overhead, and at the very tops rode some light yellow leaves. Swaying in the big wind, against the blue sky background, they looked like fireflies!! So beautiful! I don't recall ever seeing anything quite like it. I wonder what they were? I should have used my new camera phone to take a picture. I'm sure the leaves will be gone soon.
You know, that belt of timbers was one of this area's best treasures, only now all the trees are doomed to die, being drowned by the new lake. I get sad every time I go there and see my old stompin' grounds flooded. Forty years or so I hiked those woods, creeks and rolling pastures, and my Mom before me. Sigh. That's progress, I guess. There are huge Red Oak trees in there, their leaves a glorious color right now. This will be their last Fall to shine. How sad. On the positive side, I saw some ducks on the new lake, riding up and down on the waves, and a turtle, but no snakes, thank goodness!
They gave me another birthday party this morning at the farm after the 8:00 A.M. Mass. Carol & Gene, Kat & Tom, Doug, Mel, Dad and I. Doug arrived with a surprise guest, Dad's cousin Regina. She is a very fun and lively person, and we love her dearly. But the best part is listening to the friendly bantering between her and my dad: Priceless! Regina's husband, Curly, used to be our mail carrier. He died October 9, 1980. We've been trying to convince her to come out to one of our Sunday morning brunches for a long time now. I'm glad she chose my party day for her first appearance!
Later, I fed grain and hay to the pigs and to Dad's baby calf. Then I sat in the barn a long time, chatting with Mel as he worked on Jeff's 4-wheeler. So far he's put on 4 new shocks; a new bumper, skid plate and a (brand name)WARN winch; a new choke lever; a new muffler; and a new something-or-the-other to do with the clutch--A new housing, perhaps. He still has to find out what the rattling noise is that's coming from inside the clutch housing, and add some oil. And maybe see if he can figure out why it's so hard to start. But other than that, he's getting close to being done with it. He worked on it all day yesterday in the rain, he said. Well, it WAS a dreary, damp day, but I don't think it ever really rained. He had the 4-wheeler in the cow lot, on the chain hoist, and he wanted to get certain jobs on it finished before he had to move the A-frame out of the lot. Now, today, the 4-wheeler is in the barn, and the lots are empty so we can use them for gathering cattle this coming Wednesday.
Bob and Sarah arrived then, and the three of us drove down to the 'pits to shoot Bob's .22 Browning Rifle. We shot at skunked beer cans and other old, unopened drink cans that he's found in dumpsters. The Red Bull Energy Drinks were the best, as they spewed red fluid everywhere; like blood, only better, because we knew it was only colored sugar water--Heh! Even in the high wind, I could hit my marks without propping the gun on the hood of the truck, because of the awesome, sweet scope on that gun.
After that, we crawled under the fence and Bob and Sarah went fishing in the creek area of the new lake, while I layed on the grass and watched the red and golden leaves shimmer in the trees. There was one group of small trees that were leaf-less all over, except for these long, wispy shoots that reached high overhead, and at the very tops rode some light yellow leaves. Swaying in the big wind, against the blue sky background, they looked like fireflies!! So beautiful! I don't recall ever seeing anything quite like it. I wonder what they were? I should have used my new camera phone to take a picture. I'm sure the leaves will be gone soon.
You know, that belt of timbers was one of this area's best treasures, only now all the trees are doomed to die, being drowned by the new lake. I get sad every time I go there and see my old stompin' grounds flooded. Forty years or so I hiked those woods, creeks and rolling pastures, and my Mom before me. Sigh. That's progress, I guess. There are huge Red Oak trees in there, their leaves a glorious color right now. This will be their last Fall to shine. How sad. On the positive side, I saw some ducks on the new lake, riding up and down on the waves, and a turtle, but no snakes, thank goodness!