Rain blessing!  3.6-3.8 inches Monday through Thursday.

My farm helper and I had worked in the shop Monday, changing row spaces.  This is a planter that is new to us, although it is a couple of years old.  It is a MaximergeXP 1700, 8 row model.  It has the oversized seed hoppers (which hold about three bags of seed).  Quentin, a family friend who dabbles in farm equipment helped us find and make the deal last summer.  Working in the shop is always more enjoyable when it is raining.

I was very glad I had Bill in the shop to help me,  While I am two weeks out on my eye surgery, when I strain to lift, tighten, loosen, push, pull, I can still feel it in my eyes, sometimes getting a mild headache.

I had a brain storm and decided to use a porta power unit I purchased earlier in the year for a project at home to move the row units out. 

Initially it was not big deal.  The center row units had to be moved two inches out.  The next pair out six inches, the next pair ten inches and the last pair fourteen inches.  Of course gauge wheels had to be moved as well, drive sprockets had to move on drive shafts accordingly, and the vacuum manifold needed to slip and slide to achieve the new spacing.

The first four rows on one side went really well.  We selected a "key" row and worked from it, all the way to the end, then working from the same key row we began working on the other side.  It was a little more temperamental and took more brain along with the brawn.  Everything went really well until we got to the very last row.  Just as it reached the desired spacing we heard a pop and the vacuum manifold had failed to slip and we sheared off the fitting the row unit hose hooked to.

Oh well.  Luckily, Hurst at Snyder has the piece.  In fact, Monday I am going up there with a Christmas list of parts to put into our inventory.  What pieces Pepa and Memama had bought the last two or three years that were inventory or spare items went to Florida with Brent and Jason's planter.  In fact, I remember seeing an invoice where some parts were charged to Memama's account a month after the completion of planting last year.

Put that on the ever growing list.  That's why we have our own planter this year.

Hag and I went to Slaton Thursday to  pickup a sandfighter we bought a few weeks ago.  Rian had actually located it on Craigslist, got some pictures, did the dickering and we sent a check.  This sandfighter is a seventeen row double fold three point, bed planted configuration.  A good looking piece of equipment.  Hag even commented that we did good.

We took Hag's pickup and gooseneck and ran in rain all the way up, during the loading and chaining down, and all the way back to Roscoe.  I fed him barbecue at Klemke's in Slaton.  We had a good day and a good visit.

All of the scholarships have been delivered.  In the next few days I will print one to share here.  It was fun and I think everyone has had a lot of laughs.   Just over a month until Shelby gets married.  In fact I saw that Larissa was making a quick jaunt to Washington to attend to some wedding details.

I went to Dallas and surrounding area yesterday.  Follow up eye care.  The opthamologist did not put the permanent tear drain plugs.  She wants to wait another month.  She did give me some ointment for my allergies, took me off the steroids  and gave me the go ahead to use the bottles of sterile moisturizer instead of the disposable viles.

Still kind of looking for a new farm pickup.  Also looking for a trailer, but I have something specific in mind.  I found something close, but not exact yesterday.

Got back to town late and decided to stop by the Western Heritage Activities.  Zac Harmon Band was playing at the outdoor pavilion.  Kevin and Brenda from the group had offered to pick up tickets ($5 ea) so I took the chance and told them to get me one.

I had never heard Zac's band.  Pretty talented, but just seems like the band keeps playing faster and faster.

After sitting on my butt most of the day it took some convincing to get my legs and feet motivated!

Got to work some with my jitterbug partner.  Everytime we dance it, I think we do better.  But good golly.  Watching some of those younger kids, we have a long long way to go.  I will say though that the music has little to do with their dancing.  Most couldn't tell a waltz from a two step.

Oh, and by the way, my jitterbug partner is working with me on my mental block and aversion to waltzing.

I think a waltz is a very pretty dance and would love to be able to dance it well.

Probably the most fun the ones of the group had last night was watching our friend and resident jitterbug expert dance with a young man she asked.  It is very seldom she has an issue keeping up, but this guy had her hopping and spinning and twisting and turning.  If there had been any shouting it might have been calf rope!  BUT, after she figured out some of his moves she was good.  (I had to kid her that when she left she was carrying her tail after he danced it off and beat her with it and made her like it!).

Of course I don't think she liked my analogy.

I am spending time catching up on correspondences today.  Currently steeping some parsley, celery, lemon, lime and water.  Witches brew.  I haven't drank it since back in January and I feel like I need it again.  Got to keep Janet off my case. 

Fixing to do errands.

Trying to figure out what I want to do tonight.  The group is going to Firehouse.  May soak my feet and see if they are up to it!  Wouldn't hurt to work more on the jitterbug while it is fresh on my mind.

Oh, and by the way, congratulations to Devon for his graduation from WTC yesterday/

Have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU for the rain blessing.  For the safe travel.  For good friends and family.