Dogs, Kids, and Grandkids,….Oh My…..

The 2 wood stoves that keep Jurneez End Farm warm.

Today’s entry will be various subjects. Last night I was visiting a couple of Blogs that I like to read, even if I don’t log on. The Old Fart is one I always enjoy for he finds such wealth in life in his daily existence. I like to believe we should all give 30-60 seconds of gratitude when we wake up in the morning or go to sleep at night. It is this gratitude that awakens us to a more spiritual side of life.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have a totally blissful life, I attract the same daily thorns as others. Last week my toilet seat cracked and there is nothing like getting bitten by the seat at night. My accomplishment is I went to the local Home Depot, bought a replacement and then put three coats of polyurethane on it, then installed it by myself. Although my proud feather in my cap was blown as I discovered told by my dearest friend I put the washers on the wrong side. Re-installed.

Dogs: Well, my newest shelter rescue Mya, has been here 4 months now and really is a little leaping gazelle. Smallest dog I’ve owned in 20 years at 50 pounds. She’s inquisitive and nosey but as cunning as a jackal. She bounds past my legs and gets out on me all the time.

Training? Well, it’ll be a long time. She’s defiant and stubborn. Pate is still mostly the good ole boy he has been except for separation anxieties. Upon coming home from work one would think I’ve been gone for 3 days. Jeeeese, give it a break, will ya.

Kids:

Daughter- Laura has moved back to the country and lives rurally near here now as does her brother. She’s working with horses still and running a life that seems to be 90 miles an hour all the time. I look at that and think “Was I like that?” “Did I have 101 things to do every day?”.

I certainly couldn’t now, I come home from work and the sweats are the first thing to go on.

She explained this morning, graphically I might add, which I will leave out some of the details here, so save your skirmish stomach, how she had to medically assist her horse last night. It appeared the guy has been standing and looking uncomfortable with shifting feet etc……so she had to enter him up to her elbow and retract some private areas to apply some medication. Long story short, it doesn’t look good for the horse, might be cancer. I have greatly softened the adjectives used here.

How she does this is beyond me. She has medicated large wounds, inches deep, with the steadiest hand. She should have gone to Vet School. Perhaps, when she comes into her own with her kids grown, maybe she’ll investigate that avenue. I applaud her. I am proud of her knowledge and whom she is.

Son- Ryan has always lived near by and is a steady reliable source for me. He has his own family but none the less always carries a strong emotion for family ties. He is a strong devoted father and husband with children to teach. I am also proud of him and the man he has become. He has an unending source and ability to help others. What a wonderful attribute. He’s sometimes driven nuts by his teenage daughter, but then I remember doing that to my folks. Harmones. That early teen thing….pheew, am I glad I’m well past that (by decades) with my kids……

This sounds like my boasting but actually it’s my gratitude showing.

Grandkids- What can I say…..some drive, some don’t.

How remarkable to see them. They each individually learn, grow, and behave so differently. I see many elder family members, who have passed on, in them. Funny how cycles happen. Just nature.

Farm – With still living here, I do need assistance now and again with chores and this year I called upon Jimmy, Laura’s son to help dig and clear a ditch that is about 100 feet long. He toughed it out all day. Of course I paid him but I’d like to pay no one else than my own grandchild. We named the ditch “Jimmy’s Ditch” that way I can call him every year. He politely smiled, but inside I’m sure he grimaced.

As for winter prep, one can read any Fall post and it’s always the same, bring in the wood, stack nearby, clean the chimney, etc. etc. and it goes on and on.

So Fall for me is a work period for 5 weeks as is Spring, but ya know what, so isn’t summer. Actually, winter is the only time I can slow down and do some stain glass or work on the train table.

Be Safe,

jurn

Winter is a blessing for giving us the slower pace in life.

Excuse me, I see something shiny over there and need to go investigate and play.