Well Shiver Me Timber, but Don't Blow Me Down

Currently the temperature in my area is. . . 6F. Windchill fells like -16F. And I thought it hurt to work outside yesterday.

This summer we were talking with our horse neighbor, he told us that a friend of his a few miles out, had fallen and broken his back. He fell from a moving tractor. It was mentioned that he would have to crop share to bring everything in, my husband told the horse neighbor to tell his friend that we would be happy to help out. We know how to work a tractor. We never heard anything until a month ago. Our horse neighbor informed us that his friend was selling his green wheat for $30 a round bale. Oh baby! That's it? Are you serious? The cheapest I have found it was $45 a bale for prairie hay, and it was poor prairie hay at that. Luckily Dexters aren't picky eaters. Later that day, the green wheat seller and his 15 year old son was at the horse neighbors house. My husband talked to him, and we, um I should say, my husband and our squatter picked up half a bail. 2 weeks later, they went and picked up a full bale. My husband didn't mention it until the other day. But when he bought the full bale, he overheard the wife say something to the effect of, at least this will buy us a few groceries. The husband and wife are both disabled, and live on what they get for their green wheat. I plan on going over there with a basket of fresh bread and jams, some eggs and what ever else I can scrounge up and see what the situation is. Maybe help them in getting some chickens at least. Let's see how the visit goes.

We went and bought a bail of green wheat yesterday. My husband paid for 3 bales out of his Christmas bonus. Merry Christmas my Ladies! We still don't have a truck yet. Mine is still sitting in the front yard, and the other one is behind the motorcycle shop. I got a letter from Ford the other day, recalling my trucks because of possible fire. Should I call them and say, too late. The engines are fried? But it wasn't a fire that caused the damage, just the cheap junk that ford puts out. I digress, it was cold yesterday! Our good neighbor took my husband to pick the bale up. I made coffee and waited. Once they arrived home, I ran out to help. oh my! By the time we were done, my jaw wasn't working correctly. I came in and warmed up, but was forced to go out and finish up some other chores. Today is more of the same, only a tad colder. Hand milking cows in this weather is for the determined. So goes homesteading.

Last night around 630 pm, Dora the Angora died.

We tried. But the wounds where more than we could deal with. A vet would have put her down sooner. She didn't seem to be hurting, if she was, she was very stoic about it. At least we learned some things from her. She will be missed. Poor Donkey, the milk goat wants nothing to do with him. Dora was his only friend. He has been baaing like mad looking for her these past two days. If we can survive here until spring, we will have to find him a friend, be best to find another sheep. Goats aren't as needy. You can read about us getting Dora here.

Today we will head into the city. We have some folks to talk to, help save this place without using the money. But time is running out. We got a letter from the bank Saturday. It said we had options to stay in our home and to look at the brochure enclosed. There was no brochure. And the phone number to call to talk to someone about our options was the same number we called in the first place, the one that told us that there were two options, all or nothing.

After everything that has been happening, and with the Kansas wind a blowing, I was expecting a micro burst to rip through our home yesterday.