Soapweed
Well-known member
My journal entry for Saturday, January 13, 1968
Since today was Saturday, I had set my alarm for 5:00. Dad took pity on me and told me to grab an extra 40 winks of sleep, so I didn't roll out until 6:00, just in time for breakfast. I'll be getting softer than heck on that kind of arrangement.
After breakfast, Lloyd and I started on the daily routine of feeding hay. We loaded on a half stack and fed the cattle around here close. Then we went up to the North Meadow and fed the cows there a full stack. In the process, the bolt holding the tongue of the hay sled broke, so we had to drag the sled along with a chain.
When the cows were fed, we headed home around by the branding corral, as the shortcut over the hills could very easily become a disaster without the tongue on the sled.
On the way, we loaded on the butt of our first half stack so we'd have some hay to finish feeding with, and also something to start out on tomorrow. While shoving snow away from the hay, the chains on one big tractor tire fell off. We put them back on, loaded up the hay, and headed in to a belated dinner (by half an hour).
A car salesman from Martin, Dick Bair, was here trying to sell Dad a pickup. Dad thought Lloyd and I were stranded some place up north, so they headed up there to get us and also to try out the pickup. They got stuck, and in getting out to look over the situation, Mr. Bair slammed his hand in the door. They got home about five minutes after Lloyd and I did, and we all sat down to a hearty dinner.
Since Sandra had to go to a sledding party at Cottonwood Lake, she rode into town with Dick Bair. Lloyd and I went out to resume our hay pitching, and Dad had to look after a heifer that was calving. All three of us loaded the sprayer on the horse trailer [a home-made affair with plywood sides], to be ready when nicer weather comes. Doc Johnson from Gordon showed up then to perform a caesarean on the heifer. Both the cow and calf have pulled through so far.
Lloyd and I repaired the chains on the tractor, did chores, and quit for the night. I did my "good deed" for the day, and reminded Lloyd before he left to not forget his billfold.
Dad and Sybil showed up around 6:30, from going to town after Sandra. The three of them made it just in time to help me push Lloyd and his car out of the garage. He filled his outfit up with gas (he has his own gas barrel) and started spinning his way to Valentine (where his mother lives). He made it past the first hill for sure, and as he hasn't walked back yet, he must have made it.
We watched most of the Lawrence Welk show on television, and then went out to pull another calf. These two calves today are the first of the season, and are so far half bulls and half heifers.
I'm just loafing until I hit the sack.
Since today was Saturday, I had set my alarm for 5:00. Dad took pity on me and told me to grab an extra 40 winks of sleep, so I didn't roll out until 6:00, just in time for breakfast. I'll be getting softer than heck on that kind of arrangement.
After breakfast, Lloyd and I started on the daily routine of feeding hay. We loaded on a half stack and fed the cattle around here close. Then we went up to the North Meadow and fed the cows there a full stack. In the process, the bolt holding the tongue of the hay sled broke, so we had to drag the sled along with a chain.
When the cows were fed, we headed home around by the branding corral, as the shortcut over the hills could very easily become a disaster without the tongue on the sled.
On the way, we loaded on the butt of our first half stack so we'd have some hay to finish feeding with, and also something to start out on tomorrow. While shoving snow away from the hay, the chains on one big tractor tire fell off. We put them back on, loaded up the hay, and headed in to a belated dinner (by half an hour).
A car salesman from Martin, Dick Bair, was here trying to sell Dad a pickup. Dad thought Lloyd and I were stranded some place up north, so they headed up there to get us and also to try out the pickup. They got stuck, and in getting out to look over the situation, Mr. Bair slammed his hand in the door. They got home about five minutes after Lloyd and I did, and we all sat down to a hearty dinner.
Since Sandra had to go to a sledding party at Cottonwood Lake, she rode into town with Dick Bair. Lloyd and I went out to resume our hay pitching, and Dad had to look after a heifer that was calving. All three of us loaded the sprayer on the horse trailer [a home-made affair with plywood sides], to be ready when nicer weather comes. Doc Johnson from Gordon showed up then to perform a caesarean on the heifer. Both the cow and calf have pulled through so far.
Lloyd and I repaired the chains on the tractor, did chores, and quit for the night. I did my "good deed" for the day, and reminded Lloyd before he left to not forget his billfold.
Dad and Sybil showed up around 6:30, from going to town after Sandra. The three of them made it just in time to help me push Lloyd and his car out of the garage. He filled his outfit up with gas (he has his own gas barrel) and started spinning his way to Valentine (where his mother lives). He made it past the first hill for sure, and as he hasn't walked back yet, he must have made it.
We watched most of the Lawrence Welk show on television, and then went out to pull another calf. These two calves today are the first of the season, and are so far half bulls and half heifers.
I'm just loafing until I hit the sack.