Whew

Well, it has been a while since I last felt like posting.


Summer time has arrived, it hot and dry and the forecast is for it to become even hotter.  I think it is about ten days before we have another chance of rain.


We have been slowing dragging through the crop with a cultivator.  We should move onto our last two farms today.  I had been battling with myself about whether to spray roundup first or to plow.  I have decided that at this point in time it might be more advantageous to plow and possibly get some air to the roots of the cotton.  Hoping it gives a little pick me up.  The other factor that played in my decision is that with it turning off so hot and dry, the metabolism for the weeds slows down and it becomes very difficult to get a good "kill" on them.


Makai didn't get a good report at her doctor last week.  An MRI revealed she has osteo neurosis or avn.  The blood flow to her hip has not been good and the bone has died.  In fact the top of her hip is beginning to deteriorate.  She has an appointment in Fort Worth with a surgeon because no one in San Angelo will touch her because of her age.  They say she is looking at a complete hip replacement.


I called Colby and visited with him, he offered to call the doctor and give him a heads up.  Makai elected to go with a doctor who uses a new procedure which is less invasive (it is called an direct anterior).  Colby said he believes the recovery and rehab time is quicker and easier, although the end result is the same as the conventional procedure.


Colby was good enough to take the time and talk with Makai and answer her questions.  We are lucky to have someone in the family with knowledge in this field.  Thanks Colby.


Projected life span of the prosthetic joint is 30 years.  That would put Makai at 64.


Memama and I put Sunday dinner on to cook yesterday.  Joni arrived and got it all on the table.  She and Lindsay cleaned the kitchen up.  Memama was good help, if you could keep her on task.  LOL!  I did let her season the roasts and carrots, she cut up the broccoli and of course made her staple creamed potatoes!


I had peeled potatoes Saturday and out them in water prior to going to the store.  I bought groceries for the week and even got some barbecue ribs at the deli for Memama to have for supper, as I was dining in Abilene.  Sunday morning I peeled carrots, sliced squash, cut up german sausage, made a fruit salad, put on squash,  green beans and corn, and of course did the heavy lifting for Memama.


I have spent quite a bit of time in the doctor's office and hospital labs the last two weeks.  I just haven't felt right.  I have a horrible headache, my chest is tight and uncomfortable, and I have very little energy. 


Friday morning I did about five hours of tests at the hospital and the doctor said the EKG looked good, nothing that would indicate any blockage or abnormality.  The other test results will be back sometime this week.


I am ready to feel better.


Heard a funny story the other day.  There was a young woman who decided her cell phone was causing her head, eyes, and ears to hurt so she got a prepaid phone.  Now she wants her old phone back!  Ha HA Ha HAHA!  What an idiot.  Now I'm sure the pain has moved down to include her pocket.


There is a mediation hearing scheduled for Noble's care in the future.  I have decided to testify for CPS and Noble's current care givers.  I feel he is in the best possible place.


Well, pray for a rain blessing!


FATHER, thank YOU for all YOU do.  We ask for YOUR rain blessing.  We continue to pray for our crops.  FATHER I ask for healing and to feel better.

Happy Fourth

Happy Fourth!


Slats and I ran late yesterday in order to take today off.


We got the spray coupe out and sprayed the home place, then about four we moved to Wastella.  I had waited on spraying Wednesday, thinking it might shower, but yesterday I just dared it to rain.


The replanted cotton could sure use a little pick me up rain blessing!  Two to four tenths would be great!


If the botanist ever figure out how to make the cotton grow like weeds, we will be in the driver's seat!  Good golly, you can't believe how quickly the weeds have come up and out grown the cotton.  We put a yellow out, but that doesn't control devil's claw, cockleburr, or white weeds.  So we hit it with a power max roundup with traverse mix.


I honestly believe the best investment we have made was the sprayer.  Is it the Cadillac of sprayers?  No.  But simple economics will not justify a bigger sprayer (or a different color one).  As long as we can spray a hundred acres an hour I am quite satisfied.


We picked up the 8310 from the guidance shop.  We had dropped it off for the upgrade to the GeoSteer to be installed.  I may wish I had traded the outback guidance system out of the sprayer.  It would sure be nice if it was RTK.


Slats and I sat in the 8310 for about 20 minutes, looking through the manual.  Finally I reached around behind the screen and clicked on the power.  We got a lot to learn!


Worst part is that none of the history (meaning rows from the other unit) downloaded.  So we are going to have to either wing it the rest of the year or go back and build our data base, one farm, one operation at a time.


I am very pleased with the installation..  Jody did a good job.  This new system will do so much more than the old one.  Plus we will have access to the Russian glasnost  satellites in addition to the American we are already using.  This should stop the problems we have had with sun spots and such.


We have had a very laid back day so far.  I am fixing to run to the pharmacy.  (I was surprised they are open today, but I got a text saying my Rx's were ready.).


Be safe and be smart!


FATHER, thank YOU for this great country.  Be with our leaders and the leaders the world over.  FATHER, I realized yesterday, I am just as good a farmer as you allow me to be.  YOU are good.

Replant finished

Well, we completed the replant.  All of Wastella and parts of the section.  Around 400 acres total.


All of it weather related.  Wind, hail, rain, and sand at Wastella and standing water and sand at the section.


I hate replanting.  I just felt it was the right thing to do.


Makai had her knee surgery.  The doctor was so positive of what he would find he didn't do an MRI.  When he got in there her meniscus was not torn.  Grrr.


Merrit is moving again.  Yep, let's show CPS some more of that stability and consistency they want to see.  She called yesterday with cops at her door for delinquent probation fees.  Pay now or go to jail. $422.28 later she was a free woman for another month.  If I understand it correctly all she owes now is $299 and it can't be laid out in jail.


I have been trying to cypher Merrit and her Mother's relationship.  I have about decided they are codependent.  They can't stand each other, but they can't stand not to have contact.  Probably not real healthy.


This one says that one steals meds.  Then the other one says the same about the other.   This one owes that one money, that one has this one's television.  Aaaargh!


When Doug died, Merrit spent a lot of time researching statements and such, tracking down insurance policies from draft information, locating agents and filing lost policy claims.  I don't see anyone else going to this much time of trouble to hold those insurance companies accountable.


Maybe they both need to sit in the corner.


I would like to clarify a couple of things about my post the other day.  I realize Merrit's mother misses a relationship.  I will be the first to say that Doug was a perfect match for her.  He handled the finances and saw that she toed the line.


If Bruce is her match, more power to her.  But I will not sit back and allow Bruce to strike of spit on ANY of my kids.  That is not a threat, that is a straight forward promise


LORD help us if we ever get Merrit raised.  At 32 time is running out..






My personal thoughts are that Bruce would like to alienate my kids mother from all of her kids.  But that is just my observation.