That was what my husband told his sister last night as I was tarping the truck when he was done for the night. She wanted me to know that he said that. I told her that was the nicest thing he's said to/about me in awhile--almost brought a tear to my eye. I was busy with a little bit of everything yesterday. We had a bin to clean out (every time I clean out a bin I think about how when I left home I swore I'd never clean another grain bin), a combine header to fix (J sprung a leak in a hydraulic line at quitting time the night before), fueling to be done, combines to clean later as they were done with the lentils, another move to make.
Once they finished the hailed on lentils out west, M moved back to my mom's to try the mustard while J stayed out west and started cutting the wheat there. M's sister, Pam, and I and Uncle Bud got him moved over and C came to get a sample to test. It was under the limit of the moisture tester so it was definitely a go. Pam and I had time to go have a little visit with my mom (and use her bathroom). Uncle Bud was in the truck but it wasn't filling very fast. Jared had been with J but needed to go home (school starts for him today) so he came and picked up his grandpa (our Uncle Bud). They got the truck backed in to the auger and then headed home while I dumped it. I also swear I don't do augers anymore--wonder how long that will last. I took the truck back to the field and then had time to finish my book--it was a good one! (One day I had no 3G so couldn't play Words With Friends or get on Facebook AND the battery on my Kindle died--talk about bored!)
Pam has been here about five days and has gotten in on cutting wheat, lentils and now mustard. She's been a lot of help and has had a lot of time to bond with her brothers. That's a good thing....I think?!? I always wonder why she'd want to come for harvest but I guess it is good family time when we all come together for a common goal. One evening she helped me chase some calves in and fix the fence. All we could find to fix it with were some tarp straps. She was totally impressed by my ingenuity. I'm not sure M was so impressed when he went to fix it properly the next morning. It did the job.
Sadly, we haven't seen much of her granddaughter, Makennah, who has been hanging out with her great grandparents. She is almost 5 and wasn't impressed with the field work but has been having a great time playing outside and having some freedom for a change (those poor city kids!). We left Pete with her a couple of days and they wore each other out! I have a hunch that great grandma may be worn out by the time the visitors go home tomorrow. We are going to be so sad to see them go!
There is a chance of showers today so things may not move very fast. M let me stay home this morning to catch up on some things. I need to make a list so I get it all done.....wash jeans, make iced tea, pay bills and get them in the mail, empty the dishwasher, fold the laundry I did three or four days ago and put it away, make a plan for supper........I know I'm forgetting something!
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Friday, August 17, 2012
Plugging Along
We continue to make progress in our harvest, slow but sure. R and I agreed that Tuesday just kind of sucked. No major problems, just a series of little things like trouble with truck tarps and augers, etc. Sad thing was that was his last day of work and I still have weeks to go. We were in what we call the hell-hole and I was not having fun with the hills and grass coulees and no straight strips. I said whoever broke up that land must have been crazy. It was M that broke it up, and I knew that. It always raises our best crop so he thinks I'm crazy! I think they all had a good laugh at me being lost when it got dark. All those grass coulees looked alike and I didn't want to dive into one that I shouldn't have. They had about 40 acres left when they ran out of trucks so couldn't finish. We had rain that night so everyone had a chance to sleep in at least.
We always have a long "if it rains" list. M sent J and C to haul a few loads of wheat to the elevator in Wolf Point. R worked on packing and I got a haircut. When I saw there was rain in the forecast I called my hairdresser and asked if she could get me in if it rained. Thank goodness it worked out. M's bale pickup was being worked on so he rode to Scobey with me to get it. We also took Pete along since he was due for his shots.
We didn't get started cutting yesterday until after lunch but worked until 10:00 pm so still put in a good day. We made a series of short moves which broke the day up a bit. There was a flat tire on one truck so C was busy working on that which meant I had to load the semi trailers myself. I don't like to do it because I don't judge the "piles" very well. I get different instructions from everyone so I'm never sure if I'm doing it right. I seem to have a tendency to load them too heavy in C's opinion. J covered for me yesterday and told him that M loaded the truck and pup. I always ask why they make those trailers so big if you can't fill them up.
R headed back to South Dakota yesterday so we are back to our bare-bones crew. We had hoped that our nephew could come for a couple of weeks, but it doesn't look like that will be happening so neither C nor I will get any relief. Gotta run....duty calls!
We always have a long "if it rains" list. M sent J and C to haul a few loads of wheat to the elevator in Wolf Point. R worked on packing and I got a haircut. When I saw there was rain in the forecast I called my hairdresser and asked if she could get me in if it rained. Thank goodness it worked out. M's bale pickup was being worked on so he rode to Scobey with me to get it. We also took Pete along since he was due for his shots.
We didn't get started cutting yesterday until after lunch but worked until 10:00 pm so still put in a good day. We made a series of short moves which broke the day up a bit. There was a flat tire on one truck so C was busy working on that which meant I had to load the semi trailers myself. I don't like to do it because I don't judge the "piles" very well. I get different instructions from everyone so I'm never sure if I'm doing it right. I seem to have a tendency to load them too heavy in C's opinion. J covered for me yesterday and told him that M loaded the truck and pup. I always ask why they make those trailers so big if you can't fill them up.
R headed back to South Dakota yesterday so we are back to our bare-bones crew. We had hoped that our nephew could come for a couple of weeks, but it doesn't look like that will be happening so neither C nor I will get any relief. Gotta run....duty calls!
Monday, August 13, 2012
Hurry Up.......and Wait!
I have been having a really hard time dragging myself out of bed lately. Partly because I don't want to go to the field and partly because, well, I'm just tired. I don't get quality sleep since my back/hips hurt whenever I try to roll over. So, I keep wondering why I have to get up with the guys when they won't need me for an hour or two. One day I could have stayed home until noon and not have been missed at all since we had a rain shower as soon as we got to the field but I was out the door at 7:30. Another day we left at 7:30 and by the time the guys had augers moved, trucks dumped and the combines serviced it was 10:00. This morning we again had a rain shower as soon as we got to the field and didn't get to cutting until 11:00. These "short" days are going to make for a looooonnnggg harvest!
I have been a bit apprehensive about getting back to the grain cart but finally had to do it. I guess it's sort of like riding a bike. It all came back to me. Of course, I still get different instructions from different people on how to load the trucks. R and I agree that the hardest part is reading the minds of the combine operators!
Friday was a day that worked out pretty perfectly. We finished cutting lentils in one spot, moved, and finished the rest of them before dark. K brought out pizzas and John Deere cupcakes to celebrate J's birthday which was on Wednesday (I've been asking myself what I was thinking having a baby during harvest. Poor planning on someone's part!). It was a beautiful evening so we sat outside and ate and watched a storm gathering to the north. Just as we headed to our respective machines the wind came up...a lot! We moved the combines and grain cart back to the wheat we were going to start on and went back for one last truck so it was about midnight by the time we got to bed. We had rain early Saturday morning so we all got to sleep in, thank goodness.
Everyone but R, that is. He was up at 5:00 am to get to Great Falls before noon to pick up fans and auger flighting for our new bins. He was back home by 5:00 pm and ready for bed by 6:00! I finally had time to catch up on laundry before we all ran out of underwear.
We hope to get some of the more remote areas done while R is still here, but his days are numbered...we'll only have him for two more days. It's been so great to have him home for awhile. I'll miss his smile and sense of humor (although he is almost always giving me a hard time) and his cooking! He was home before us one night and made us the most amazing chicken and fettucine alfredo. So good!
We weren't sure if Jared was done for the year since he started football practice, but he showed up today. He has two practices a day but plans to come out in between. That means that I am off duty until 5:00 when he has to head back to town. More time to do laundry......
I have been a bit apprehensive about getting back to the grain cart but finally had to do it. I guess it's sort of like riding a bike. It all came back to me. Of course, I still get different instructions from different people on how to load the trucks. R and I agree that the hardest part is reading the minds of the combine operators!
Friday was a day that worked out pretty perfectly. We finished cutting lentils in one spot, moved, and finished the rest of them before dark. K brought out pizzas and John Deere cupcakes to celebrate J's birthday which was on Wednesday (I've been asking myself what I was thinking having a baby during harvest. Poor planning on someone's part!). It was a beautiful evening so we sat outside and ate and watched a storm gathering to the north. Just as we headed to our respective machines the wind came up...a lot! We moved the combines and grain cart back to the wheat we were going to start on and went back for one last truck so it was about midnight by the time we got to bed. We had rain early Saturday morning so we all got to sleep in, thank goodness.
Everyone but R, that is. He was up at 5:00 am to get to Great Falls before noon to pick up fans and auger flighting for our new bins. He was back home by 5:00 pm and ready for bed by 6:00! I finally had time to catch up on laundry before we all ran out of underwear.
We hope to get some of the more remote areas done while R is still here, but his days are numbered...we'll only have him for two more days. It's been so great to have him home for awhile. I'll miss his smile and sense of humor (although he is almost always giving me a hard time) and his cooking! He was home before us one night and made us the most amazing chicken and fettucine alfredo. So good!
We weren't sure if Jared was done for the year since he started football practice, but he showed up today. He has two practices a day but plans to come out in between. That means that I am off duty until 5:00 when he has to head back to town. More time to do laundry......
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