I've been here on the couch for over an hour debating the most serious of my life's vexing quesions. And really, the only answer, go to bed.

I have nothing to read, I don't own a tv. It's freaking COLD out (O.K. mid 40's but that feels cold NOW) And it's been raining at a nice steady pace for the lst 2 days.

Crawling under an old quilt sounds nice about now.

Goodnight, and sweet dreams

I just read JL's blog about hugging. I commented thaat it made me sad in a strange way. I think I know what she means but I think we sometimes read too much into what is a really an uncomplicated act.

I saw a co-worker today who lost his 5 day old baby girl last week and I didn't have words. I just reached out and hugged him. And now, here I am wondering if that made him feel worse. It was completly instinctual for me. I guess I am a hugger.

I think for me a quick hug is a nice way to remind myself that the socially induced "bubble" of personal space needs to continue to be broken down. We keep getting farther and farther from each other. We have all these fears of germs. I say Bring them on!

I remember one of Garrison Keillor's tales from Lake Wobegon on the Prarie Home Companion radio show that really touched me. The pastor from the local (lutheran of course) church was visiting one of the elderly norwegian bachelor farmers. The farmer was at the center of a local ruckus because of the old cars littering his yard. As the pastor got up to leave he reached out to hug the old farmer. The old farmer started to cry and the pastor asked him what was wrong. The old farmer said that he as crying because he couldn't remember the last time anyone had touched him. That made me real sad.

I guess you could put me down in the pro-hug catagory.

But yet so nice to see some oft missed names.

So...the water IS turned off to the house (Really...I'm not THAT gay!)And I would rent a trencher and do it all over excepting two details. The buried power line seems to zig zag across the path of the pipe and I'm broke.

So I would use my sump pump to get the water out except it feels like 40 degrees out and I think JL might be right. It will just freeze into a big blob and I can skate on it.

So for now, two blankets a couch and trusty laptop.

But now the fucker keeps filling up with water. Why doesn't J do in instructablog about hole digging?

Oh yeah, the big fat power line for the house is right in the middle of the hole filled with water.

Sigh

digging a hole is hard work. I have to go down about 50 inches and I'm only at 25.

ugghh

Lets try, NEVER BUY AN OLD FARM.

So this week it's the water line between the pumphouse and the house. The line has developed a leak and guess who has to dig the leaky spot up for a repair. At least it's a nice day for a dig. About 70 and cloudless.

Now if I could get these chickens to leave me alone. Wherever I am they are sure to be hovering, clucking away.

Have a great weekend

I was without my computer for almost 3 weeks. I got so much done around the house. Funny that.
When the repair man showed up today I had a photo of a very naked man with a very hard erection on the screen. I tried to quickly conceal it but I know he saw it. By the way, I know what Santa does for a part time job.
Well, it's after noon and I've been on the computer for three hours. So bad.

Now that BM is back and dummy knows how to post his own pictures and J is showing his evil wicked side I figure it's time for a little depot update.

I've just been damn busy. An evil fox keeps getting in and killing chickens. I have a new dog here on "trial" it's a 50/50 right now. The garden is growing gangbusters. I like having my own "all you can eat" salad bar. Today was baby yellow zuchini, pea pods and broccoli. Yummy and good for my fat ass.

one of theose fund raising bike rides passed the farm today. I am always filled with pride for those hundreds of people peddling their asses off (and into a stiff headwind today) I get a little teary eyed for the ones who are passing the house hours after the pack. Usually older, or bigger or even differently mobile but the grit and determination makes my eyes a little moist because I love a fight. And I have a big heart for the underdog. GO you grandmas and grampas. Keep fighting into the wind!

I have always been critical of large lawns. They really are an enviromental disgrace. That being said.....mine just keeps getting bigger and bigger! I took the tractor out in the field beside the house(It hadn't been cut in 20 years)and it's so damn pretty I want to keep it cut like MORE lawn. I have a 48" deck (making sure I used an e instead of an I) on my lawn tractor and it still takes me 5 hours to mow.

I think part of my problem is this is a way for me to feel like all this is mine. It seems sort of odd to have all this land....being a city boy for so many years.

On other farm news the guineas are getting BIG. When I went down to feed them this morning they were all lined up along the top edge of the box they are in.....so proud. They are 3 weeks old and a beautiful gray blue color. I got 45 new chicks yesterday but 5 have passed on to the big henhouse in the sky. A little sad about that. I tried.

Later peeps.

First woodtick (well...we could skip that one)
First "peepers" in the pond.....yeah
First delivery of baby chicks. Loud fuckers but they are guinea hens
First thunderstorm....oh how I love a good thunderstorm
First asparagas peeking out......yummy
First...whats that tickle on my sock...DAMN

Second woodtick.