YOU CAT LOVERS WILL HATE ME FOR THIS POST!!!

When I first started on Xanga and filled out my profile, I wrote "I'm granny to every kid in the area.  I'm Mom to 3 grown children....2 boys, and a girl."

A few days ago, I thought maybe I should update it.  When I clicked on my profile it said, :
"I'm "Granny" to every kid in the area. I'm "Mom" to 3 grown children.... 2 boys, and a girl."    What does it say when YOU click on it?  More than THAT, I tried to correct it by deleting the junk stuff, and it wouldn't let me do that either.   Can't figure this out.

I must be getting older.  There I go complaining again.    O.K.   I'll stop.

Woke up again, today, at 2:30 A.M.   Finally gave up on sleeping and got up about 4:45. Had a cup of coffee and a muffin, then began sorting farm bills.  I finished the ledgers (to date) last Saturday, so I need to make a pre-tax-appointment with the accountant today and check in with him.

My shed cat came to the door yesterday morning.  It was Sunday, so I knew the vet wouldn't be in, but she has a horrible gash on one of her front legs.  Don't know if she got caught on something, or got it ripped by another animal.  Need to check her today too, and probably take her in to have it checked.   Trouble is, this cat will NOT just let you pick her up.  She wants to tease, and turns away from me.  I then, grab hold of the thick part of her tail and drag her toward me.  I'm not being cruel.   She just seems to WANT me to do that.  I wonder sometimes, if her back feels like mine, and it just feels good to get it stretched.  

She really has a mind of her own, and I dread trying to get her into a pet taxi.  Maybe the vet will have a suggestion.  For years, she wouldn't let anyone catch her, and pick her up except me.  She's FINALLY gotten to where she'll go up to Dale and two of his helpers, out in the shed.  I have to coax her like CRAZY, to get her to even come into the house.  If I coax her, she'll come in for just a very few minutes, to eat or get a drink, but then goes back to the door and cries to get out.  She's on full feed in the shed, but in the winter, when it's really cold, she will sometimes come in to get a drink of water, or a special treat.

I'll go out to the shed to fill her continuous feeders (lasts about 3 weeks) and it will be really quiet.  When I start to pour dry cat food in the feeders, I'll hear a thump above me in the loft, then a slight "Meow", then I'll hear soft footsteps in the loft and down the stairs.  She hops up on the shelf where the feeder is and gets right between me and the feeder I'm trying to fill. 

This cat is 12 years old.   (Yes, I looked it up, Monica)   Her pregnant mother just showed up, out of nowhere, one day.  Dropped 4 kittens.  Jeff's sister took two, THANK HEAVENS, (still has them as house cats) and that left two that we couldn't get rid of.  The mother, shortly after weaning them, disappeared.  When the two remaining kittens grew almost old enough to mate,  FOR SURE not wanting any more cats, (didn't even want THOSE) I managed to catch them and get them into a pet taxi to get them spayed.   That took two trips 15 miles away, because I couldn't catch them both at the same time.   The clerk at the vet's office wanted to know their names.   (o;   I told her they didn't have any, they were just shed cats.  After all these years, this cat STILL has no name, but when I go out and say "Kitty Kitty" in a high pitched voice, she comes running.  After spaying them, the vet called out here and asked if I wanted them to have all their shots.   I said, "Heck no!!   I don't care if they die, I just don't want a gob of kittens we can't find homes for."   One cat is fine...OUT IN THE SHED.... but that's enough. 

One morning, about a week after having them spayed, Don and I were drinking coffee, and looking out the kitchen window.  It was raining, and one of those cats was just lying out in the lane IN THE RAIN!!!   "Dumb cat!!"  I thought.    We came to realize, the cat had crawled up on the warm motor of Dale's truck, the night before, and when he'd left, it had been hit with the fan blade on his truck motor, and dropped out dead, on the driveway.     AFTER  we'd spent the money to get it spayed!!!   FORTY DOLLARS DOWN THE DRAIN!!!   So all this time, this cat's never been back to the vet, and she's been the healthiest animal we ever had on the farm.   Till now, with this leg tear.

One night, not long after Don died, I was in the utility room, folding clothes.  I was still pretty spooked about having to live alone.  All of a sudden,  I heard someone bump on the little window, about face high.   TALK ABOUT SCARED!!!!   I HAD GOOSEBUMPS UNDER MY TOENAILS!!    Not wanting to let them know I'd heard it, I folded a couple more things, then proceeded to turn off every light in the house, so I could sneak back in that room, to look out and see if I could see who it was, because the pole light was on, down at the bins.   What a relief!!!   That cat had jumped up on the window ledge and was just sitting there.   I opened the door and coaxed her in.  Ever since then, she knows, if I'm in that room, and she bumps that window, I'll come and open the door and talk to her.
O.K.   I have to fess up.   She's a sweet cat.   I'll miss her when something happens to her.

FLOODS, INSECTS, DROUGHT, MOLD,

The last time we had it this bad, was in 1967.  We were driving in ruts axle deep, trying to get our crops out of the fields.......Many times, hooking on to a truck with a tractor to pull it out.  Much of the corn had blown down into the mud.  In some cases, we had to wait till the ground froze to be able to get through it with the picker, but then the ears of corn froze down too.  We rotate the crops...soybeans one year, and corn the next, in the fields.  The next year, there was so much volunteer corn, you could hardly see the soy beans in places......before the days of chemicals to kill it, and we got out there with weed hooks and WALKED the fields, cutting volunteer corn and weeds.  I was teaching a bunch of high school kids at church, at that time, and hired them to come help.   Don had a crew too, and they'd walk in one field, and our group would walk in another. 

Dale finally got started harvesting again last Sunday....he already had 160 acres of beans combined, but that's all.    Now, with the grain not drying in the field, as it usually does, many farmers, including us, are not putting it in their own bins at home, for fear of spoilage, but hauling it straight to the elevators where they dry it and we pay storage on it until the first of the year BUT............that's another problem....They can't dry it fast enough, so they've been closing around 10 or 11 A.M.    Dale then cuts beans, until late in the evening, because we CAN put that in the bins, blowing air on them with large bin fans.....then fills the trucks with corn after dark, and gets them in line at the elevator, before it opens in the morning, so he'll be sure to be able to get them unloaded before they close.   HOWEVER........

I was listening to the Farm Report on the radio, before getting out of bed this morning, and I was thinking, "With all the frustrations we've had this year and last year, I'd STILL rather be in farming."  At least we wouldn't have to worry about getting laid off, or the job we were working, being sent totally out of the country, and putting us, the AMERICANS,  OUT of a job."  I think that's SO WRONG!!!   We need to keep the jobs in THIS country, so OUR people can make a living.
O.K.   I don't know why I said it.  The Farm Report just got me to thinking, I guess.

Spent an hour practicing this morning.  Playing the organ tomorrow, for the church I attend regularly.  The organist is busy helping her husband with their harvest and can't be there.  The pianist and I practiced yesterday, and worked up a couple of duets, at the church.

I worked on bringing the farm books up to date today, and have everything ready for a pre-appointment with the accountant.  I could have probably been done by noon if I could have stayed with it, but for some reason, I kept getting distracted.

Settled with the insurance company yesterday on the house fire.  Bugs me that you have it insured for a certain amount, and paid premium on THAT amount, but if you have replacement insurance, and tear it down, instead of re-building, they deduct at least 10%.   Something wrong with that picture, if you ask me!!

I keep my costume jewelry in little plastic divider boxes.  (tackle boxes have good ones, or craft boxes)  It had become a real mess......pairs of earrings separated, more than one set of earrings in one section, necklaces in with pins......you get the picture.   Well, today, after doing the bookwork, I decided it was time to organize that, so that's done.

 Am I allowed to rant about one more thing?   How many of you got all of your clocks changed back last Sunday?   It took me all week......I THINK I have them all changed now.  I wish "they" would pick which time "they" want and just stay with it the year around.  Do YOU like daylight saving time?

I rarely go to them, because my computer's slow to begin with, but it
irritates me to go to sites some Xanga folks have recommended, then can't read it if I'm not their "friend".  Heck with 'em!  I think this "Friends Thing" is so rediculous and useless anyway!!!  If they don't want someone to read it and comment, then don't write it in the first place!!   If you know their site requires being their "friend", then don't waste our time by recommending them and sending us there!!!    I write mainly for my diary.  If someone wants to read it after I post it, fine....Have at it!!!  You don't have to be my friend.    O.K.  So now you'all know I'm not always nice.    (o;   Bet  'cha didn't already know that, didja?   Don't answer that, SouthForkCheerMom, and Meowcat!!!!

And by the way, Meowcat........How come you just read and never write an entry?

The  K.C. organization in a town about 14 miles away, has a steak supper the first Saturday of every month.  GOOOOOOD eats.  So I went to that tonight.   Good salad bar, baked potato, and a big steak, cooked to your liking.   Don and I used to go, but I think this is only the third time I've been there, since he died, over 9 years ago.  Don't know why.....just haven't.  As I went in, and was paying for my meal, I looked up to see Monica (Meowcat) and Darrel waving their hands off, in the back corner, to get my attention, so I sat with them and Rachel. I was glad to have someone I knew, to sit with.

Well, THIS entry went all over the place.  Sorry.   

Got a busy day tomorrow....play for church, then out to eat with friends, then to the funeral home for a visitation, and a gospel concert at a local church tomorrow night.

Bedtime, and I'm tired........Good night.

IT'S TURNED INTO WORRY AND FRUSTRATION

This rain situation is AWFUL!!!  Almost ALL of our crops are still in the field.  The corn's not drying.  To put it in the bins without moisture worry, needs to be about   15 - 1/2 %.  Some of it is still about 25 %.   The beans still aren't dry enough either.  Dale only has about 160 acres combined.   Can't remember the name of the mold, but many farmers in this area, have it in the corn crop.  Dale thought we didn't have any, but upon checking again yesterday morning, we have that too!!   And now ALL THIS RAIN!!!   The creek is out over my road today, so I'm homebound.   Being homebound today, doesn't really bother me. I'm really tired anyway, but OH HOW WE FARMERS ALL WISH IT WOULD STOP ALREADY!!!!!!!!   We usually have EVERYTHING in the bins by Halloween, and this year, we're hardly started!!!.

I had MaLayna (3) overnight because Jeff & Wendy were taking care of her while Kirstie worked, but Jeff got sick with the flu, had to go to the E R, so we got the kids out so they, hopefully, wouldn't catch it too.  That's ANOTHER thing.   This flu thing, in our area is TERRIBLE!!!   Several schools in this area have been closed for a few days at a time.    Darrel and Monica, and Rachel, were all sick, then now, Jeff.  He's better today.  He hasn't been sick since they moved down here from Rockford, so he didn't even have a doctor!!!  Around here, it takes forever to get into one, if you're not already a patient of theirs. 

MaLayne was up before daylight this morning and came into the kitchen where I was.   Just at daybreak, she was looking out the kitchen window. 
"GRANNY!!!   Look at all dem boids!!"    The blackbirds were so thick in the sky and the trees, they looked like huge black clouds.   I told her to keep watching, and maybe she'd see some deer.     Several minutes later..................

"GRANNY!!!   LOOK!!!!  Sure enough, first the mother and one of the young twins.   Then a few minutes later, the other twin came out of the trees.  Then appeared a large buck with BIG antlers.  She was so excited!!   They scampered and played and ran in the soybeans for a short time.  We decided Uncle Dale wouldn't be happy about that if he knew it.

About noon, her Mom came to pick her up to keep a doctor's appointment for her and the baby.  Both for checkups and shots.  When MaLayna found out about the shots, she wanted to stay here.  (o;    Anyway, the creek was already over the road, but not so deep she couldn't get through it with the car, but now, there's no way she could get back in.

A few days ago, Muzwah  recommended  thetheologianscafe.  I popped over there and read it.  Some serious thoughts to ponder.....what WOULD I do if Xanga closed?  I think I'd probably not really blog anywhere any more, if that happened. I thing I'd write a letter, post it in my diary, then send it to  folks who'd been my special Xanga friends, via, e-mail.  I too, miss some folks who seem to have gone somewhere else, and have not blogged on Xanga for quite some time.  I enjoyed reading about their families and daily lives.

Since OnStar notified me a few days ago, that it was time to rotate my tires, and told me I had two that only had 28 lbs., and that it should be 30, and since it was overtime for an oil change, I went to town yesterday to do that, and a bit of shopping.   Needed mouse poison, groceries, cat food, and  the sinus Dr., early in the summer  had advised me to get a Neti Pot, so I bought one of those.  Haven't tried it yet, but SouthForkCheerMom has one and says it's amazing for cleaning out your sinuses.   I wanted to get one of those traps for these darned Halloween Beetles, but they were out of them.    That brings me to another giggle about those....

Monica called a bit ago, and said she'd gone for a massage.  The therapist told her they were run to death with those beetles too.  She got so angry with them that she was in the kitchen vacuuming them and    (how do I clean this up to tell it on here?)    in the process said something like "I'LL GET EVERY ONE OF YOU LITTLE BA*****S ONE WAY OR ANOTHER!!"    A bit later, her little daughter came down the stairs and said "Mom, here's two more of those little ba*****s in here too!!"     (o; 

O.K.    I'm gone.   Bye. 

I FEEL AS IF I'M LIVING IN THE
LAND OF THE DAMNED!!!!!

Those Halloween Beetles are driving me CRAZY!!!   I'm really dreading MaLayna's birthday party this coming Sunday!!  I blow them with the leaf blower, out on the porches and walks, and them nasty creatures, must have GLUE on their feet.  Can't even blow them loose with the leaf blower!!!    I sweep them almost every day, out of the garage.  The very next time I go out there, they're EVERYWHERE again!!!  You can't get in through ANY DOOR IN THIS HOUSE, without them getting all over you....in your hair, crawling on your scalp!!    SCREEEEEEEEAMMMMMM!!!     When you open the big garage door to put the car in, they fall EVERYWHERE.   On the floor, you'd swear they're dead but they're ALIVE!!!!   EVERY ONE OF THEM!!!!!!

I think, next week, I'll plan to go look at assisted living retirement homes!!!   Let somebody else sweep them suckers up!!!  There's a beautiful one about 12 miles west of me.  I'm seriously considering that one!!!!!!!!!!!  Wouldn't have to mow, wouldn't have to mulch leaves in the fall,  wouldn't have to spray spiders, wouldn't have to spray for weeds, wouldn't have to cuss Dale for not moving some of this junk, wouldn't have to cook if I didn't want to, (they serve meals too) they have a garage for your car.....GOTTA HAVE A CAR!!!   Might wanta go on another Xanga trip.  Wouldn't have to have my house cleaned....they do it for you.  Me 'n Sue could just run around, instead of her helping me clean.  Gotta get two bedrooms.  I want to take the piano, and organ, and COMPUTER!!!   GOTTA HAVE THE COMPUTER!!!! 

O.K.   Gotta get to work.  Got 4 things done on my list, but that was just the beginning.

"MY OTHER KIDS"........................

Still have troubles.  I'd mowed yesterday afternoon, so I went to bed early.  About 9 P.M. the phone rang.   It was Monica, and she sounded TERRIBLE!!!
"Hi Mom, Whatcha doin'?"
"I'm in bed.   You sound TERRIBLE!   Do you need me?"
"Yes, Darrel is horribly ill with this stuff now, and I've taken two pain pills for a migraine, and I wondered if you could come sit with me." (She's been suffering with horrible migraines for several weeks now, and among other things, it's caused her to have double vision.)  They can't find what's causing them.  The pills made her feel faint, quivery, sweaty, light headed............scared................

I jerked on some clothes, and headed for the car.  When I got to her house, she was in tears.  The pain pills had done CRAZY stuff to her, and Darrel was too sick, coughing his head off, with Bronchitis to stay in the room with her.  She and I sat in lounge chairs all night.....never went to bed.  The funny meds began to wear off about 2 A.M.  By that time, her headache had subsided too.  About that time, 12 year old Rachel came out of her room holding her tummy.  Monica told her what to take for that, and after a little while, she went back to bed.  I heard that clock strike EVERY QUARTER HOUR, ALL NIGHT, and I'll just BET Monica heard most of them too. 

This morning, Rachel got up and got ready for school.  I waited till time for her to go, took her to school, went to the Phillip's 66 station to get Monica and Darrel some 7-Up, took that back to the house and came home.    I called back down there a few minutes later, and she said Rachel had gone into the school, when I dropped her off, a wave of diarrhea had hit her, she'd called home, and Darrel had gone to school to pick her up.   WHAT NEXT!?!?!?

I got busy and am in the process of making a HUGE POT FULL of vegetable soup.  Going to take some down there for them to snack on, I'm going to eat some, and let the rest of the family know I have it too.    SouthForkCheerMom....ya' readin' this?

Looks like we're going to have two days of good weather.  Dale's in the field, harvesting about 12 miles from here.  I called to ask him if I needed to bring noon lunch to the field, but he said they were near that town, and they'd send "Joe" to pick up lunch for today.

Soon as the soup's done, and I get it delivered to M & D, I'm gonna take a nap.

Oh yeah....one more thing.....I looked out the kitchen window this morning, while drinking my coffee, and here are two adult deer, and a set of twins...'bout half grown.  They came right up by my back door.  Looked as if they were eating acorns.   I have BILLIONS of those, this year!!!