New Life Old Farmers

My Loving Spouse continues to mend for which we are both quite grateful.

The farm has returned to ‘normal’.  The three cows managed to get into the barn one night and threw themselves a colossal party.  They ate and pooped and pooped and ate.  I am quite sure, that they had the time of their life.  This gave the girls the opportunity to take a break from their other two main pass times, pooping on the pathway to the barn and ruining the chicken house.  When the cows have an itch, they like to scratch it.  Their favorite spot to scratch is on the chicken house.  The poor chicken house has not wintered well.  The snow brought the ‘patio’ roof down and the cows scratching has taken off at least one nesting box door.  Saturday’s forecast is sunny with a chance of chicken house repair.  (Note to self, finish the darn water line so the cows spend next winter in a different location!)

We have continued to be loved from far and near by friends, family and prayers and please know that we so appreciate each and everyone!  It is taking time, but we are also getting our ‘Thank You’ notes out…with a grateful heart and a bit of humor.

We appreciate you each.

Although this blog is filled with ‘my’ words, it has been your words, response, fellowship and prayers that have carried me through the last few days and where I have found my ‘rest’.My Skinny Cousin’s prayer with scripture attached allows me to reread and repray and rest in God’s word.My dear wise friend that simply stated…she gets exhausted during times of suffering…and I can better accept the tiredness I feel.I acknowledge that sewing soothes my soul and pick up a scrappy quilt I’d started…Instead of waiting for each night…I start praying out loud with My Loving Spouse each morning…My Loving Spouse is let go from his job…they feel they cannot wait for the time it will take for him to get better…and so I sew.Chocolates and cards come in the mail…

My Loving Spouse turns the heat on in my sewing studio, so when I get home from work it is warm…and I rest…in my creative place…I now call this the ‘Waiting Quilt’… as I learn to rest…and to ‘wait’…

Isaiah 40:31

 “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength…”

The ‘poopmomitor’ is my farm way of measuring snow.  Yesterday’s snow fall was sufficient to  cover all current poop on the ground.This makes the farm look white and clean, when in reality as soon as it thaws a bit…well, let’s just say, it will not be pretty.

This is how I am feeling as well.  I look pretty good on the outside, but underneath not so great.  The thaw from the trauma has set in and I have run out of steam….my emotional tank is empty.

Our community has bathed us in prayer, meals, chocolate, wine and the non-winning Power Ball ticket, which must mean that we used up all our luck beating the chain saw.

My Loving Spouse is looking pretty good considering the accident was just 7 days ago.Unfortunately, the side effects from the surgery have caused other problems and we’re almost on a first name basis with everyone in the ER, (I hate when that happens).  Friday’s doctor appointments were 3 hours to the East and tomorrow’s doctor appointments are 2 hours to the West…. and I don’t want to complain, because My Loving Spouse had a ‘tussle’ with a chain saw and is still here.  This makes us really fortunate because he will, (hopefully soon) be pretty much okay.

The truth is…I am very grateful, because it could have been so very much worse and still I will admit that I am ’empty’,  fragile and feeling an awful lot like snow-covered poop.

It could have been worse.  It could have been a lot worse and so, we are very grateful.

Recently Spokane had a major wind storm knocking down trees, like no body’s business.  Number One Son and Number One Wife had a 100 foot red fir that needed to come down.  It would be cheaper for them, if the tree rounds did not have to be carted off and as we heat with wood, we were happy to come and cart them off.  Cheaper wood for us, plus we got to see THE Grandson, win-win.  We arrived in time to watch some football and eat some lunch.  It was then time to don our boots and get to work!Positioning the truck and trailer in the Kid’s alley for the tree rounds round-up, My Loving Spouse got to fulfill one of his ‘Grandpa’ dreams…driving with THE Grandson on his knee, just as it was done with him.These were some happy drivers!

We started into work, rolling heavy rounds into the trailer.

A set of rounds were not cut all the way through and we were unable to roll them.  My Loving Spouse took the chain saw to cut them free.  The chain saw cut through them quickly and kicked back through the air hitting My Loving Spouse in the head.  Time stopped.  I thought I had witnessed My Loving Spouse’s…end.  Those few seconds keep replaying in my mind, and it is horrific.  Within seconds Number One Son (an EMT Firefighter) had my Loving Spouse’s head in his hands.

He said, “Call 911”

Which I began screaming….

Number One Wife ran outside and scooped up THE Grandson who was standing not far from the still running saw.  I managed to dial my phone and hand it to her…as I went to help hold My Loving Spouse’s head.  The moment Number One said,

“It is not too bad…. we can take him ourselves….call the dispatch off.”….is when I think my heart started beating again.

We loaded up and went to one of the finest hospitals in Washington just a few miles away…with My Loving Spouse bleeding through everything we had, as my guys were beginning to joke already.

Whisked past the ER paperwork like nobody’s business…the artery that was cut was clipped and the damage began to be assessed.As specialists came quickly into his room, it was clear…we were so lucky to be in this space…Providence Hospital.   A CAT scan, an Ophthalmologist surgeon…

“His glasses saved his eye.”

The facial plastic surgeon took him to surgery, installed a small plate over the skull fracture, stitched and sewed and stitched some more….

His words before surgery…

“You’re modeling days are over.”

I sat in the dark waiting room on this Sunday night, stunned, worn out, tears streaming down my cheeks at the near miss we had… grateful for knowledgeable hands to be on him so quickly…and that he was able to survive what could have been a different outcome.

Wrapped in loving arms…

As My Loving Spouse was discharged that night from the hospital, we spent the night at Number One Wife’s Parents home….met with loving hospitality…our needs meet with toothbrushes and clothes and a bed to lay our heads…

Grateful to lay our heads together still…

and we are blessed.

We’ve had a bit of snow.  The great thing about snow at the farm is that it hides all the animal poop, so for a while there is the illusion of a clean, white, tidy farm.  It is quite beautiful…until it thaws…then it is a bit ghastly.

There has been a bit of snow at school as well, which is no surprise, as my school is just 3 miles down the road.The snow changes up stuff at school.  Stuff we never knew about in California schools.  For one, rules get added:

1.  No throwing snow balls!
2.  No eating snow!

Except, not all the kids obey these rules, can you imagine?

There is a trail of wet gloves abandoned by kids all over the school.  Getting kindergarteners and First Graders ready to go out to recess takes a LOT more time, as they struggle into and out of hats, coats, gloves and/or snow pants.  The older kids have wised up to the whole snow at recess situation, so they come to school dressed in snow pants and boots.  Outside, they are ready to play…inside…they are just noisy.  Very noisy, 450 children clomping up and down the halls in snow boots like a herd of snowmen, and snow pants?  Swish, swish, swish, every time a child moves they make noise.  If I could invent a quiet snow boot, I’d make a fortune!

When the kids are ‘suppose’ to be sitting quietly, so we can read to them in the library, those snow pants are loud!  I spread the kids out and tell/instruct/boss them to get comfortable and be quiet.  My Mom always said I was bossy, like it was a bad thing…it is finally working for me…as my Christmas gift from My Librarian proves:I love my job, and snow, and kids and kids in snow (I don’t even care if they eat it)…but snow boots inside on clomping kids…not so much.

We ended 2015 with some very cold weather!  Numbers like 2 and 3…and weather reports that said things like:

‘feels like -‘ as in minus, as in Bad British word it was/is cold.

However, we also ended the year with Number One Son and his family here, so our hearts were warm and full!  It wasn’t just the humans that were happy to see them.  Our old boy Snickers, wiggled with doggy glee to see Number One and everyone ignored the ‘no dogs on the couch rule’, which was not the first time these two have gotten away with this infraction.

Our home had a few hundred or so icicles adorning the roof eaves.  Some icicles made it all the way to the ground and many icicles melted into other icicles making what one could only call…very giant icicles.  I learned that icicles should be removed as they can cause an ice dam.  I still do not really know what an ice dam is, but I do know that it is not good.  My Loving Spouse was going to go out and ‘take care’ of the icicles, but I persuaded him to leave them until Number One Son showed up.  Ever since he’s been a little boy, Number One Son loves to whack stuff.  Getting to whack stuff that needs whacking and getting to do it with your brother?  Well, that is even better!  I only mentioned the icicles once and those two were on it!This Grammy was in heaven having THE Grandson here!  THE Grandson knows what he likes.  He does not like to go on the sled.  He did not really want to go on a saucer.  He does like all the animals, but especially likes cows!   (Oh, be still my heart!)  The fact that we have a banana eating cow named Agnes does help.  THE Grandson, who is just learning to talk, was soon saying ‘Agnes’…which did sound a bit more like ‘Ayisss’ and wanting to take her a ‘anna’.  I know!  HE is brilliant!All anyone had to say (mostly me), ‘do you want to take Agnes a banana?’ to him and he was quickly grabbing boots for me and for him…then it was hats, coats and gloves.  It almost took us more time to get ready to go out than it did for us to get our work done, while we were out.  Part of our routine was to keep the walk ways clean so we shoveled a bit after each cow visit.Up each morning (5:30am) to spend some Grammy time, letting Mommy and Daddy sleep in, we read books, drank coffee and looked out the dark windows to see if Agnes was up yet…

Yep, for sure, for sure…I am blessed!

My memory filter is mostly a positive one, and for that I am grateful.  It is especially positive when I look back on Christmas days.  Perhaps, that is part of the magic…

We remember the year I made the Christmas breakfast casserole with flavored creamer instead of milk, because I just could not take myself off to the store one more time, and breakfast was awful!  I set a new low for Christmas breakfast that year…

With just four of us at the farm on Christmas day, it was quieter than the norm.

My Loving Spouse made me a gift for my desk (The Realm) at work.  I plan to keep it far away from all the little hooligan’s hands.It was finally time to give Number Two Son a special gift from me and his Papa.  My Dad in winter could often be seen in his favorite hand knit sweater, bought on a trip to Ireland.  Mom had to add leather patches on the elbows where Dad had worn them through.  She also had to add a name label in the collar, so the sweater could be returned to Dad after the multiple times he left it at the golf course.  This picture could be called ‘Classic Joe’.Number Two Son has grown big enough and his Papa loved him so much…Number Two also stated he’d love some ‘tap shoes’ for Christmas, so My Loving Spouse made him a pair.We were quietly playing cards when our neighbor called.  He had his toys out, did we want to play?  We all quickly decided that the card game could wait, especially as some of us were loosing badly.  There is nothing better than a neighbor with fun toys who wants to share!

Most of us had never been on a snow mobile before.  It was a high-pitched squealing good time and my neighbor’s ears may still be ringing!Oh, my it was a little bit like flying over snow.  I now nod much more enthusiastically when My Loving Spouse repeats words he’s been saying for a few years….

‘We really need to find a snow mobile.  They are so much fun!’Two snow mobiles and a big open field, just mind you do not run into the cows.We piled into our neighbor’s house to thank them for such fun!

“We’ve never been on a snow mobile before!!!”

A Sister-in-law looked at us oddly and said,

‘Where did you come from?’ 

“Southern California…near the Rose Bowl”

‘Oh, that explains it…’  I believe she was thinking we might have landed from Mars.

We returned home, to be beaten by My Girl in our card game…invigorated, happy and blessed.

I’ve had my Christmas tears this morning and now I feel better.  Go ahead try it.  I don’t think there is anyway around it, at this point in life…

Christmas past… I miss my Mom and her letting me know 2 days in advance that she’s ready and the dinning room table is set.  Miss my Dad and him telling me that he’d finished the grocery shopping, (a fete I did not appreciate the significance of until I had to do it).

I miss my funny family of days gone by.

Christmas present…I am sad for My Loving Spouse that his kids will still not be here on Christmas morning.  I am sad for My First Spouse that he will also not have his kids with him on Christmas morning.
…and I am grateful for today…  For baking with Number Two Son who added black dots to the gingerbread men’s eye balls so they did not look like Zombies….for playing Christmas music I liked and frosting trees, lumpy reindeer, pink pigs and the new addition to the Christmas cookie line up…Black Agnus Cows (complete with udders)!I am blessed…by the love of Our Lord and the meaning of Christmas…

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and even a tear or two.

God Bless.

A Christmas treat came early for Number Two Son this year!  We returned to work on the ‘half’ (done) bath in the attic.  Our goal…hot and cold running water!  Woo hoo!  After 4 trips to the hardware store…(Note to Southern California…the snow on the wreath?  Yes, it is real.)

As the school-house sink stands out from the wall a bit, My Loving Spouse was not quite sure how he was going to get the plumbing attached to the faucets.He did have a plumbing brainstorm and used 4 sets of braided plumbing line to reach from the faucets out the back wall.  Yep, he is handier than pockets!

When Number Two Son found out what we were doing, he quickly offered to help.  The prospect of brushing his teeth upstairs was tantalizing…to say nothing of a bath!  Number Two is just like his namesake, Papa Joe Fisher who loved to read in the tub.  Number Two was soon learning some plumbing skills installing the drain works.My jobs remained the usual…’Step and Fetch It’.  We still need another trip to the hardware store, but for now there is both hot and cold running water!Number Two can brush his teeth and as long as he doesn’t splash (since we do not have the tile up), he can even have a bath!  I am focusing on what is done and doesn’t it look fabulous!  Love that sink and those faucets!!!  Love My Loving Spouse who was willing to deal with ‘that bloody heavy sink and those expensive faucets’ believing in my vision for this bathroom!

Number Two Son quickly enjoyed the first bath upstairs…he had everything he needed!Hot and cold running water, no splashing, a bath mat, bath bubbles, and a cordless drill…?

Yes, we are blessed.