2 in a row

Not only is LN "going out" with a boy at 13 yr old but now

last night another rite of passage started.

Can't say what cause she'd be pissed if I did but ladies use your imagination.

Really losing my baby but

gaining a beautiful young lady!

Not Ready

I am not ready for this turn of events.

It would seem my 8th grade, 13 yr old child has a boy interested in her.

LN is "talking' to a boy she goes to school with.

I'm not ready at all.

She's my baby and I'm not ready for this.

She says "going out" is stupid because at their age they don't actually go anywhere.

They talk in the 1 class they share and sometimes at lunch.

She says no biggie Mom but I don't know about that.

Seriously not ready.

R was a bookworm and shy so didn't "go out" with guys till high school.

Z was a "ho bag" as they say and hell on wheels so dated since he could crawl, seriously!

I can't remember when he didn't have a girlfriend.

LN has been all sports and scholastics so far.

She is very outgoing but cautious.

So not ready for her to take notice of guys yet.

Guess I'm going to have to keep her busier.

I'm slackin... 

 

In the barn I saw some mucous on the south end of the older nanny so the watch is on.

I have been getting up to check everyone at 3:30 am.

S checks about midnight or 1 am before he comes to bed.

Hopefully tonight we have some healthy kids.

 

Still hitting the gym.

Still sweating through every pore.

This better work.

So want a cheeseburger and a coke.

Can't and Won't but Wanna...

Sigh...

Soup Sunday

 

MamaPea @ A Home Grown Journal asked bloggers to post

soup receipies on Sundays.

Today I decided to make soup at 4:00pm.

I don't use receipies.

I wing it.

It's a Potatoe/Vegatable Chowder?

I cut up half of a large onion pretty fine and soften it in a maybe a tablespoon of butter in a stockpot.

 I chopped up 2 pieces of celery and added to the onions.

After allowing them to cook a few minutes I added 6 or 7 medium potatoes that were cubed.

I added water just to cover and put over medium heat and brought it to a boil.

I gently boiled it till potatoes softened.

I had part of a 5# bag of frozen veggies (corn, carrots, peas & beans) so I added a couple of handfuls

and stirred them in till it looked proportional ;] to this I added some chopped bacon.

After allowing veggies to gently boil about 8 or 10 min I added 1/2 pint of cream.

I turned heat to low so cream didn't boil but heated through a few minutes.

 

Done and Yum

No it was not on my "diet" plan with the cream and butter involved so I only ate a small bowl.

It was good.

I worked out yesterday and today at home.

Saturday I did 60min on inclined treadmill at a  fast enough walk I had to hold on.

Then I did my crunches.

Today I only did 30 min on treadmill but I did crunches and leglifts as well as

some bicep curls and dreaded pushups which I suck at.

I ate healthy except soup so I am pleased.

 

This is my clothes lines on New Years Eve day.

 

Got it all washed and put away!

 

Decorations and all!

Yea me!

I can see out the windows (at leaast through the dirt ).

Oh well that's for another time.

 

 

 

Hi

Just do not want to post.

but here goes...

Hi

plain enough?

 

I will possibly say more when I feel better about owning animals,

losing weight or getting in shape,

decluttering while living with a hoarder,

ordering seeds for the "definently I'm planting a garden this yr" albeit a lil smaller,

and whatever else comes up

plain enough?

 

Bye 



So Far

So far 2013 sucks

LN found a dead ewe 1st thing this morning.

She was older one who has lambed before with no issues.

Looks like she prolapsed and died.

Showed no signs of distress last night.

Rotten start to year.

Happy New Year

Answer

Carolyn commented on my last post with this...

 

Non-cattle chick here....
What does it mean to "fit" a steer? Does he have somewhere fancy to go and needs to squeeze into a size 30 pair of slacks?

 

I figured a post would be more appropriate than a reply so...

 

Fitting cattle involves washing them and rinsing very good. Leaving any soap/shampoo in will cause flaky skin or hair loss among other things.Rinsing with vinegar helps with skin ailments.

After bath the animal is blown out using  blower that is similar to a giant hair dryer. Some have heat choices and different speeds or power settings. You blow against the natural hair growth pattern which usually means everything is blown forward and slightly up. This promotes more hair growth in the long run but makes hair more workable in the moment.

From here fitting starts with clippers. LN's steer head was clipped down fairly close too and blended in at the neck which was clipped down but a lil less than head. One reason each is clipped is to make rest of body appear bigger/stouter. It also emphasises masculinity in the frame. A females is clipped to show its femininity too. Each in a different way.

Body hair is trimmed of loose, long pieces and shaped and worked to show a boxy, more square frame.

Tail is clipped/shaved part way down to allow butt or rear view to appear bigger and wider.

Tail end is clipped off near knee joint. Why? I don't know just is ;^]

Top line (hair along ridge of back) is trimmed to end slightly up at the back end to create a nice line of sight.

Leg hair is blown out and products used to enhance it's depth to make natural size of legs look even bigger.

Products are used on hooves and hair coats to shape and define everything.

It's a process that takes hours and lots of months of prep.

Cattle are given regular (every day is ideal) washing or at least rinsing  to promote hair growth.

The colder the animal is kept the better it grows and maintains hair needed for fitting.

In winter we leave the side of their pen open but protected from elements like rain and in the summer we put fans turned on them all day.

Colored animals are kept inside during days so their hair color doesn't sunburn.

 

There is tons more info but this is a very short condensed accounting of the fitting process.

 

If I didn't bore you to sleep...

 

Happy New Year!!!

 

Cold Day Stuff

 

Think she's bagging up?

Almost time ;]

 

Bellies are full ... soon

 

What else to do on a cold, windy day but wash and fit a steer?

Doesn't LN look happy?

Do you like your washing outfit? 

 

Her BIL S2 and his friend were coming to clip and fit her steer.

Time to see how he's doing.

Gem's in the background eating as usual.

 

Of course the steer moved as I shot the picture.

S2 and LN were setting him up for C the fitter to assess.

He weighed 770# so I'm doing my job creeping him along slowly.

Plenty of time till July.

 

Today between few hours cleaning steer pen & helping wash the beast

I set up lambing jugs and most of kidding pens.

S finished his goat door but didn't set up fencing needed.

He did replace the board a steer tore up 2 yrs ago though.

Why rush things ya know?

He also finished washer repairs from last month so I have hot water again if I want it.

He tried to level it but it doesn't seem to be the case.

I hate that washer.

It always throws up codes which shuts itself off mid-load and drives me nuts.

I had to split a regular load the other day and re-wash each one.

The amount was what I normally have been washing for the last 5 years.

It finally finished 2 small loads today w/o issues after S cleaned trap that noone tells you about

but his buddy whose machine genius showed us.

He pulled 3 bobby pins and 2 small metal things so I would think that wasn't it but who knows.

Computer boards are for the birds!

Gym

Nothing makes you feel old like going to the gym with your 13 yr old that is an active sports freak who wears a size 00 or on her fat days maybe a 0.

Seriously who decided to make 00 or 0"s?

Some sadistic man I'll bet since their pant sizes don't have a 0 they start around a 30!

Anyway we went this afternoon and she had to outshow or outwork me without breaking a sweat.

I did go and do my hour of cardio and sweated my *#@ off as usual.

LN wants to go back with me.

Hmmm she is motivation when there isn't a trainer so....?

She loved the elliptical imagine that.

I tend to HATE it, just saying.

But I did 10 min on elliptical, 30 on treadmill, 15 on rower and 12.5 on bike.

She laughed at me and said "lets keep going".

Told you she's crazy.

I'm glad I went and I feel accomplished.

Now I can shower and relax ...

except for animal chores, dinner, laundry and then maybe knit on my new project.

Tomorrow's another day...

Wish this was here but no snow just more rain and mud.

Snow was less than an hour north of us.

Go figure huh?

 

Checking in

 

I'm still upset over goat and kids deaths,

The ewes and other nannies are due Jan 1 until ???

I put buck and ram in on August 1st.

I know 1 nanny that looks ready to explode. I'm betting on triplets from her.

She isn't a "friendly" nanny, more like "leave me alone I'll get the job done".

Sounds like her primary caretaker to be honest :^}

She is a seasoned vet so I'm not worried just anticipating.

Another nanny is Wendy our 1st nanny , she is 10 yr old.

The best Mom ever but this will be her last kids.

Mary is the last  nanny but has never kidded, she's 2 so I'll watch her pretty close .

I did make decisions about the older 3 nannies but S decided he would breed 3 young ones against my wishes. I do better than 90% of the work with animals but that didn't matter.

Can you tell I'm a little bitter?  Senseless deaths piss me off.

Anyhow the ewes are all due but I don't have much individual bits on them.

Sheep are more independent and although I walk through them and feed and care for them

they could care less about me. I still like sheep best though. Again like their owner!

Thankfully all lambing and kidding will be over before cattle deliver in March and June.

I have some prep work to do to get ready but I started with LN putting the sides on ewes inside pen.

I lock them in at night if I suspect someone is close although they prefer to stay out.

It makes night time checking easier and I have caught a few in time to jug them before delivery.

I have a few jugs in a stall that I put if-y looking ewes in at night just to separate a bit

and give  community pen more room for remaining ones to spread out.

If noone delivers I turn them all out each day.

S cut a hole in the barn to the goat area we use at kidding time.

Before we had to lock up steer/heifers to move nannies and kids outside during days and reverse process at night. I ask him to cut a hole and create an alleyway so there is a more direct route the goats can come and go. He started it and cut hole but stalled after that.

Hopefully this weekend he'll finish up before kidding starts.

For now goats have 2 calf hutches in the front lot where I can see them during the day.

I don't like those finicky creatures there at night if they kid.

They don't seem smart enough to bring kids in and I don't want frozen kids.

I'll lock them in pen at night starting Sunday or Monday I think.

Getting up during night stinks but necessary. I can't afford cameras but am considering a baby monitor if they are powerful enough. I wonder if they come with 2 sets besides base?

I could put one in goats and other in sheep.

Hmmmm I wonder???