Wet, wild, and on the bus
It wasn't raining when I first woke up this morning, but it started soon after.
I had called W J yesterday to ask him if he might come and buy my calf. I had been trying to ship this calf via Robyn for a few weeks, but mechanical problems kept plaguing her ( he's too big for me to haul in any of my vehicles, so I am at their mercy).
Walt said he'd come by in the morning to take a look at him.
So I had planned the morning: to get to the ranch early and gather him up and put him in a corral, so Walt could check him out. Since it was raining, I thought I'd be smart and bring 2 extra dry shirts. I donned dry coveralls and a hat and Abby ( dog) and I headed out.
Of course when I got to the ranch that calf was as far from the corral as he could possibly get and still be in the field. To get to him I needed to cross a flooded road, so I drove down to the end of the field and let Abby out. Bless her little pointy head she ran right out there while I sat in the warm dry car, and she pushed him all the way back into my pasture. From there I drove back around to the front.
I got out and helped Abby push the calf and most of the sheep ( he thinks he's a sheep). Meanwhile I hear the town siren go off, and I can hear the ambulance leave the garage in town. It gets closer and closer and I can tell it's coming down my road. I had a feeling it might be coming for Pat as she has been having a lot of trouble breathing, and has been on oxygen 24/ 7 for quite a while. When Ted was working on the power lines the other day and I went in her house to tell her we'd be cutting the power off for a second, she didn't look good, sprawled on her couch, too tired to get up. It's very sad to watch people get old.
So Pat was having trouble breathing ( according to Pat's friend) and she can't hardly move, so they took her in the ambulance. I am now in charge of her little dachshund; last time she had to go to the hospital I managed to let the dog out and she ran off. Good job, eh? ( I left the door open and was thrilled when I found the dog a few days later on the couch)
So there I am , in the pouring rain, pushing the herd through the muck with all this going on at Pat's house. Flashing lights and all.
I put the calf in the corral and went and changed into dry shirt #2 and did my chores.
And I see that the calf has jumped out of the corral and is out and I have to do it all over again. Dry shirt #3.
So I get him in the front pasture ( where he can't get out) nad Walt shows up and we discuss the plan. We'll try to get the calf to jump in through the side sliding door of the stock trailer.
I get the calf in the small pen, sort the sheep out and Walt and his grandson back the trailer to the gate.
Walt is SURE that that calf won't jump up into the trailer ( about 2 1/2 feet). His grandson and I think we should at least give it a try. We are standing in the POURING rain this whole time.
Trailer backed in, gates set up, door open, and it only takes 2 goes at it and dang if that calf doesn't jump right in. Bye bye.
So ends my career in cows. I am a failure with cows. If I have any sense at all ( debatable) I will never ever have another cow.
I had called W J yesterday to ask him if he might come and buy my calf. I had been trying to ship this calf via Robyn for a few weeks, but mechanical problems kept plaguing her ( he's too big for me to haul in any of my vehicles, so I am at their mercy).
Walt said he'd come by in the morning to take a look at him.
So I had planned the morning: to get to the ranch early and gather him up and put him in a corral, so Walt could check him out. Since it was raining, I thought I'd be smart and bring 2 extra dry shirts. I donned dry coveralls and a hat and Abby ( dog) and I headed out.
Of course when I got to the ranch that calf was as far from the corral as he could possibly get and still be in the field. To get to him I needed to cross a flooded road, so I drove down to the end of the field and let Abby out. Bless her little pointy head she ran right out there while I sat in the warm dry car, and she pushed him all the way back into my pasture. From there I drove back around to the front.
I got out and helped Abby push the calf and most of the sheep ( he thinks he's a sheep). Meanwhile I hear the town siren go off, and I can hear the ambulance leave the garage in town. It gets closer and closer and I can tell it's coming down my road. I had a feeling it might be coming for Pat as she has been having a lot of trouble breathing, and has been on oxygen 24/ 7 for quite a while. When Ted was working on the power lines the other day and I went in her house to tell her we'd be cutting the power off for a second, she didn't look good, sprawled on her couch, too tired to get up. It's very sad to watch people get old.
So Pat was having trouble breathing ( according to Pat's friend) and she can't hardly move, so they took her in the ambulance. I am now in charge of her little dachshund; last time she had to go to the hospital I managed to let the dog out and she ran off. Good job, eh? ( I left the door open and was thrilled when I found the dog a few days later on the couch)
So there I am , in the pouring rain, pushing the herd through the muck with all this going on at Pat's house. Flashing lights and all.
I put the calf in the corral and went and changed into dry shirt #2 and did my chores.
And I see that the calf has jumped out of the corral and is out and I have to do it all over again. Dry shirt #3.
So I get him in the front pasture ( where he can't get out) nad Walt shows up and we discuss the plan. We'll try to get the calf to jump in through the side sliding door of the stock trailer.
I get the calf in the small pen, sort the sheep out and Walt and his grandson back the trailer to the gate.
Walt is SURE that that calf won't jump up into the trailer ( about 2 1/2 feet). His grandson and I think we should at least give it a try. We are standing in the POURING rain this whole time.
Trailer backed in, gates set up, door open, and it only takes 2 goes at it and dang if that calf doesn't jump right in. Bye bye.
So ends my career in cows. I am a failure with cows. If I have any sense at all ( debatable) I will never ever have another cow.
posted by sarah at 12:31 PM
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