Yes, I have been missing in action. This month has been a strange one. And, I have really messed up my back this time. Generally my chiropractor, who by his own admission is very good, and he also does sports medicine is having trouble getting me going again. It went out when I was loading up old metal to be recycled. I think it could have happened though when I slid/fell/not gracefully from the silage bag. There is also maybe 15 to 20 other things that I jerked on or lifted that could have contributed to the cause. Man though is it uncomfortable. Thankfully Judi and the kids are very good at running things without me.
I have been able to still do twitter when I was awake or not laying on the floor/bed/heating pad. I just have trouble concentrating at the computer. We also have been having an adventure with the cows this February. Not too bad just different. Last year was a 100% calf crop and went pretty easy. It is evening up this year. We really have some nice ones on the ground, but it is either real easy or an adventure.
Once again I am just thankful I have great support around here. They probably are glad I am not outside “driving” the events. I am seeing just a small amount of improvement, just getting older. I do not bounce back as quick as I used to. Or as Garth Brooks says “Much too young to feel this damn old”. One too many not cooperating young calves on the other end of a halter. Or one too many falls from a piece of equipment. Maybe it was the old sow that ran over me 20 years ago. Or all the bales I have bucked or bolts we all have tightened. Judi just says “You have about 40 days to get ready for spring planting so do it!” I will guarantee you we will be ready to plant corn on time.
Dad (he is 87, Mom is 86) did buy another 80 for us to farm this year. They have really slowed down in the last few years, but hey at that age they are still living in their farm house and getting around. I wonder if I will still be buying farmland at that age? And since I am on a “Garth” kick they have had one heck of a “Dance” in their lives.
Dad is a WW2 combat veteran and Mom was trained as an Army nurse even though the war ended before she had to serve. She was trained by the government as a nurse and as her training ended the war ended and since they did not need as many nurses she was “let go”. Dad joined Company C 134th Infantry Regiment 35th Division southeast of Bastogne in early January 1945 as a replacement after the 35th had been pretty tore up. He then made it all the way to the Elbe River carrying a BAR. He received a Bronze Star along the way which is a story for another time. Mom grew up on a poor farm during the depression and Dad had a little more colorful life when he was younger, but they have done pretty good for themselves. Mom would not let them hardly ever borrow money, she did not want to go through what her parents did. So they worked hard and saved and saved to do pretty well for themselves. They were what we called English farmers, not German farmers, and I do not mean where they were from or their ethnic background, just how they did it.
Well back to February 2013. I will remember this month for awhile. And do not worry 
about us. Overall we are doing really well, just pray for my back. Bella started taking 2 college courses this semester, even though she does not graduate High School until Spring. Theo is in driver’s ed, yes that will make 3 teenagers behind the wheel around here. Maybe they can drive the old crippled man around??? Zadok is going to be busy the next 3 days fitting and clipping cattle at the Beef Expo, even though we are not showing this year ourselves. I just bought him his own set of clippers just like he wanted and his own clipper box.
We did have a heifer that one of our partners in cattle sold do real well. We own half of her mother. She was calf champion at San Antonio. Yes we are not that close to Texas, but some of our cattle do make it down there. Congrats to that young man and his family. And yes we will have a number of carbon copies on the ground this year and yes they are for sale. If my back is better Judi and I may go down to Houston.
And, since I have been having trouble motoring around, and I generally take the late night shift during calving seasons, we purchased yesterday a camera to put in the calving shed. Hooked it up to a small TV and shazam I could watch cows in the house. And since one of our very good young cows ( 3rd place bred and owned purebred Simmental north central regional 2011) decided to twist her calf that was in her right horn of her ovaries over to the left side of her left ovary – see I said it has been interesting. We have kept her alive after an emergency c-section Tuesday morning after we found her almost dead Sunday morning. Calf was dead in her, fluid circulation was cut off as she had twisted everything up tight. So we now watch her just about 24 hours a day now on TV. We have done about all we can, now she has to keep wanting to live. I cannot begin to list what we have done/been through. Glad we raised her, because the vet bill is going to be worth the price of a good show heifer. Three different times we have given her IVs of fluids for one example. It seems this never happens to just a not very good one. Vet says he sees one twisted ovary maybe a year and we probably have had the only one we ever will have. But then, this is February 2013. She was right at death’s door Sunday morning.
“I ain’t got a dime but what I got is mine, I ain’t rich but Lord I am free.” We are no where this bad off as George Strait has said many times. Actually last year with all its trials with no water (drought 2012) we ended up financially pretty well. Maybe there needs to be a song about how crop insurance saved the farm.
Well time to sit on the heating pad. I hope I do not jinx it, but my back is better tonight. To quote George again “Cowboys like us sure do have fun”. It is fun around here, and I sure do enjoy farming. And if I had to do it all over again I would. Maybe change a thing here or there, but then who wouldn’t? I would still marry the girl I did and have the same kids. I also would probably take better care of my back.
Thanks to the Daily Cowman for the idea on incorporating country music into a blog post. If you have the time check his blog out. He’s the real deal. Just be careful mentioning “Hot Tub Time Machine” around him. He may spit out whatever is in his mouth if you do. LOL Larry
