Day three

7/3/06 Monday
The pain in my right hip is still there but not as bad as yesterday. Many of my physical problems will be making themselves known as I begin to work this body that has not been active since I woke from the coma. It is now that I regret not following up on working out at the YMCA after we got the scholarship. I’ll be getting into shape now. Farm life should be good for me if the pain can be kept at a manageable level. The hip thing showed up when I was running after spraying the bee’s nest. I moved faster than I usually do but I was motivated.

On our first day at the farm a pickup truck pulled into the driveway. A big big guy got out of the truck and asked “Do you know who owns this property?”. “I do” was my proud response. It felt good to be able to say that. The guy told me his name was Larry. For some reason that put my guard out. He was interested in purchasing the land. When I told him I didn’t know a thing about farming and had much to learn. It seems he was a new farmer though I am not sure. Larry said he was fencing in his fifty six acres to raise cattle. As he said this a vision came to my mind. When I said this guy was big I mean in a champion body builder sense with the addition of a few pounds that were not muscle. I could just picture in my mind this guy getting upset at a cow that got out of the fence and picking it up and throwing it over the fence.

He offered his help in any way I needed, a very generous gesture, saying that is what neighbors do. We will need to get used to this culture where folks are friendly and willing to help a stranger. Sure there is that in Toledo but it is harder to find. Here a guy, heading to the movies with his family, sees us as he drove by and turned around to come back and check us out. At first Larry was kind of checking us out to make sure we belonged. Throughout the day we observed many pickups slowing down as they passed to see who this was on Minnie Lee’s farm. That’s good to know and adds to our sense of security.




As you can see I am mowing my lawn. Got to do it the old fashioned way. Gee, I got all of twenty square feet done and only a thousand more to go.



There is no question we will need to purchase a tractor or something with some kind of bushwacker attachment. Beats me what’s out there. In Toledo I saw a few small old Farmall tractors with attachments. I suspect I will find my best deals in the areas surrounding Toledo as the Midwest is Farm country from way back. Out here in Texas there doesn’t seem to be much that is small. The farms often cover large expanses of land. You know what they say, “Everything’s big in Texas”.

I would like to find a way to mulch all this. These are tumbleweeds by the way. Some will grow to be four foot balls that will break loose as they reach maturity and go rolling across the prairies, blown by winds that sometimes reach speeds of fifty miles per hour.




How’s this for a mowed lawn. Do you think maybe it needs watering to get the grass to grow? Oh, there’s no grass. Lots of work to do.


Before


We are piling the garbage from the house out here on the porch or veranda (Whatever you call it). This is just from the living room.

After


We have lots to try and do today. With it being the fourth of July weekend I am sure many places will be closed. We would like to get the electric turned on and get the pump working. It would be nice to be able to use a bathroom. That isn’t a problem with me being a guy as I have little inhibitions. However that doesn’t work for Cherie. She hung on like a trooper but eventually we had to travel the twenty or so miles to the hotel to get her some relief.

I had a rough slow down at Walmart on Saturday. Cherie had to lead me out of the store. She was frazzled and also needed to get out. We needed to make a list of what we needed. Without a list I got pretty confused.




There is much life to be found out here. I disturbed this Horney Toad while chopping the tumble weeds. Cute isn't he? Click on the picture to see it a little better.






Here is our bunny rabbit. (he's right in the middle of the picture) Cherie loves this guy and talked to it. You know, the "Oh, your so cute" stuff.





I think the tortoise ran out of water.

Time to get moving. Going to Denny’s for breakfast and then we start on the list for today.