...isn't all fun. I do so enjoy it most of the time, but once in a while there are unplesant duties...like putting a cow down.

I rotated the cows this morning. As I came up to the gate I noticed that the old cancerous cow was laying there under the first tree inside the north side. She just cocked an ear at me and slowly glanced over her shoulder. Normally she gets up when the truck comes around. All the other cows filed past her into the south pasture. She tried to get up several times, but never quite made it up.

Once all the cows where by, I drove in and stopped next to her. I thought she looked kind of sad as she looked at me. I walked closer to her and the notion that she probably was finished solidified itself into a conviction. It was clear to me from the way the grass was flatted out that she had been trying to get up earlier and only managed to scoot herself around in a circle. Her back was bleeding (I have no idea why), she was breathing heavy, and she was listless.

I got back in the truck and came to the house--I had to get Savannah, because I couldn't shoot the cow with one hand--even with a pistol or revolver. We called Daddy and he gave us the instructions on how to properly (i.e. the quickest and thereby the kindest way) put the bullet in her.

I cranked up the tractor and Savannah took the truck. One well-placed shot and the poor old cow was out of her misery. We hooked the body to the tractor and drug it to the 'graveyard'...there was no way I was going to leave that poor animal's carcass out by the road.

I almost cried...I liked that poor sick critter...she always seemed to be a nice cow (some of them aren't!) So...that's when ranching isn't fun. Could I have pulled the trigger myself? Yes...but then I probably would have cried.

        Racheal

 
There wasn't supposed to be a part 2....

Wednesday I started the mowing in the pasture. First I had to jump the tractor...I managed to put another stratch on the pickup truck. I took off and started mowing and did pretty well, only scalping the earth in a couple places as I got the hang of it. The worse one is right in front of the barn (of course). After about an hour and a half, maybe more, out of the blue, the tractor died. Huh? Well, what with phone calls, a miles walk (total), the wrong wrenches, a little elbow grease, a bucket of sweat, some growls from the engine, and some smoke, it was determined to leave the tractor sit in the field overnight. Daddy called Carl who came out the next day and fixed it and returned it to the barn.

Returned it to the barn? Yes...by Wednesday night the strange tightness and stiffness in my shoulders and neck that I ignored that morning had settled in. I should have listened to my mother and taken it easy that day. As it was, I was down with the old viral infection again that leaps on me occasionally. I'm still getting over it. I have a bit of the 'head' feeling still but I am having difficulty being still...Rest is the main thing to do for this.

I am fully planning on going to the A.'s tomorrow night for the SCV meeting (I have an invite!), so I really want to make sure I feel good. I also am going to go vote tomorrow, headache or no. I also have to get Granddaddy some more banana's :D

        Racheal

 
No, I haven't exactly been AWOL....

I came down with a cold on Wednesday and spent the next four days propped up in bed reading mysteries and writing a story (which isn't finished yet.) I like reading mysteries when I don't feel good. Normally I grab an Agatha Christie off the shelf, but I think I may have read them all already (at least the ones down here). So I read three Dorthy Sayers instead. Lord Peter Whimsy is a interesting character. I like Bunter--his valet--even though he normally doesn't feature very prominately. 

Yesterday we stayed home from church because three of us were sick (Daddy, Momma, and I--Savannah has it this morning.) It was probably the oddest Lord's Day ever. (I've said that before...) Really though, we didn't get around to listening to a sermon until afternoon! I spent a majority of the day writing that little story (I don't know if is falls under the 'short' story category or not really.)

Katherine made a very wise observation yeserday afternoon: "It is providential that you got sick because otherwise we wouldn't have been here yesterday or today." It's true to...Saturday had been planned as a Church cleaning day--it got canceled due to the sickness in this family. Saturday, Grandpa was throwing up and not well. Since we (leave me out--I didn't know what was going on until 1 or so) were home, we (everyone else) was able to take care of him. Daddy was on and off the phone with a nurse all day...the ladies coaxed food and drink into Grandpa...etc. Mama thinks that the Prilosec which he was given for his ulcer (they found that on Tuesday during his upper GI endoscopy) was reacting with his Gleevec (for his cancer). Now he is acting like he's going through withdraw--even though he was only on the drug for three days! (He was taken off the Prilosec, by the way.) I hate drugs...

Daddy and I will go down to where my horse around 11:30 because Matt (the wonderful pro horse trainer who has helped me some--he is a great teacher) is coming out to worm Snip. (Last time he was wormed was the very day I broke my wrist--also Pearl Harbor Day.) Daddy doesn't feel so good today, but he wants to learn how to do it. Snip has gotten somewhat more ornery this winter--he's got to quit it. I plan on talking to Matt about getting the bit into Snip's mouth (how do I retrain him to stop acting an idiot about it!) and the slide stop business. (I'm tired of damaging myself trying to teach him to slide in on his back feet.) Maybe once I'm all over this cold I can ride this week--we'll see :)

        Racheal

P.S. CHECK OUT KATHERINE'S BRAND NEW BLOG!!!