Sudokuaholics Anonymous 11

I am prepared to meet my Maker. Whether my Maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter.
Winston Churchill

The epidural was a doozy! One of the worst ever. The doctor figured that the back was more inflamed than usual. This one should work miracles.

I just looked at our weather forecast. Of the next 14 days, they're predicting rain 12 of those days. It's going to be REALLY muddy!!!

They're predicting one month's rain in a day here. It's was so nice to wake up and hear the rain. It has been fairly widespread up here in Queensland and northern NSW, but I'm not sure how far south it's heading. Still not drought breaking but enough to bring a smile to most people. The water supply in some towns had dried up. Hopefully this will at least partially fill their dams.

Glad the epidural was a doozy, Heidi!

What a great TOPP, Heidi!

I'm so glad the epidural was a doozy! I hope you can take it easy for at least a few days, preferably longer, though it may be difficult if you'll be getting two weeks straight of rain!

CynB, I'm very glad that you are getting rain and hope it's enough to at least partially fill dams in many towns!

I'm about to head to bed. Thinking of everyone and sending healing energy, powerful and positive thoughts, , prayers, and {{{{{HUGS}}}}} for all!

The calves are tryng to con me into thinking that they're starving, since I'm not feeding them. But since I know Mike IS feeding them, the con isn't working. When they see or hear me, they come runnng up to the gate, bawling. Silly critters.

Now they're calling for the rain to turn to snow tonight. At least they say there won't be much accumulation.

Heidi, that's interesting about the calves. It never occurred to me that they would be so 'wily' and attempt to get an extra feeding or two.

I guess it's good that the rain will change to snow. The good news is that there won't be a large accumulation.

I hope everyone has a good weekend! Thinking of everyone and sending lots of {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, positive thoughts, healing energy, , and prayers!

I apologize for typographical errors. Yesterday our keyboard decided it didn't like the letter s, whether upper or lower case. Today, we're trying a different keyboard, which seems to be smaller, so my hands aren't always on the right spot.

They lied. What they called light flurries is now turning into a snowstorm. Everything is white, and there's over an inch on the ground already. Considering so much of it melted initially, since the ground was well above freezing when it started snowing, we've had quite a bit. Local schools have even been closed.

I am ecstatic!!! I just weighed myself, and I'm down to 199 lbs! FINALLY got below 200!!! Tomorrow I celebrate by saddling up a horse and riding..... despite the mud.

Wow, Heidi, sorry about so much snow and adding to the mud!

Fantastic news, Heidi! Congratulations on going under 200! We're so proud of you! Enjoy your ride tomorrow!

Thinking of everyone and sending , positive thoughts, prayers, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, and healing energy! Enjoy the weekend!

I'm back to feeding the cattle again, tho' I'm being very careful not to overburden the back. We moved the cow herd into the front calving pasture... and just in time. Mike's calf #2 has just been born, a nice black heifer. None of mine are due for almost 2 weeks, but they're on clean, non-muddy ground with plenty of fresh grazing and a shed to get into.

I didn't get to ride today. I slept until nearly 2 pm, and once I got up I had to start feeding. And it started up with more snow flurries while I was feeding everybody. At least it'll be a LOT warmer tomorrow.... mid 50's and sunny.

Congratulations on getting under 200lbs, Heidi!

We're having such good rain here, I think most of the fires have been extinguished. I know the one near Suzy has been. The firies can finally relax, go home and get back to their day jobs. Now for the rebuilding of property and lives and the funding to do so!

Heidi, please take it easy while working with the cow herd and feeding! Hooray for Calf #2 for Mike. It's good that the calving will be spread out a bit, though it will take longer to be finished. At least you hopefully won't have 4 or 5 calves born in day.

I hope you'll have a chance to ride tomorrow, or at least in the next few days! You've worked hard to get to this point!

CynB, that's wonderful news that you're getting a good bit of rain and that most of the fires have been extinguished! Good news for Suzy, too, I hope the thought of rebuilding isn't too daunting for the people facing that challenge! I suppose there will be some who choose not to rebuild and would rather relocate, which is also a challenge. Sending prayers and positive vibes for all!

Thinking of everyone and sending positive thoughts, healing energy, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, , and prayers for all!

The next week or so is looking extremely busy, so I doubt if I'll be able to drop by on a regular basis. I'll get here when I can. Take care, Everyone!

In case I don't get back here before Valentine's Day, I'd like to wish everyone avery Happy Valentine's Day!

'They' lied about today's forecast. The prediction was for the mid-50's and sunny. It's only 2˚ above freezing, overcast and windy. I'm confining myself to feeding and checking cows for labor. And staying warm inside. Rain is predicted for the next few days..... again.

So sorry the weather prediction was so wrong, Heidi. Here's hoping you'll have a warmer and sunny day soon!

Just popping in to say Hello and Good Night.

A few hours early, but.....

Heidi

Raining today, but that's OK. I've been doing some painting. After I feed everybody, I've been invited for supper with the family of my best friend. They always give me such love. It will make today perfect.

My first calf of the season has been born... a lovely red bull calf sired by Duke!!! I plan on keeping him as a bull since he's a purebred Red Angus out of a good cow, and my only Duke son. Another of Mike's cows had a red heifer calf, as well.

I know that these are Duke calves because we didn't turn Mike's bull in with the herd until May 29th of last year. So any calves sired by him won't be born for at least 2 more weeks. And 3 out of 4 are red. If they were sired by Mike's bull, only 1 out of 4 should be red.

Heidi, congratulations on the new additions to the herd.

I got a new toy for checking the cows after dark.... night vision goggles. I'm thinking of trying them out tonight.... tho' I don't think any of my cows are due tonight. Mike thinks one of his might be, tho'. I've offered to tag his calves if I spot them first, but he says he prefers doing it. So today, I called him as soon as his calf hit the ground. I MAY call him if his cow does give birth after midnight, but I may just tag it myself and let him change the tag the first time we work them instead of waking him up and having him drive out here. He lives 5 1/2 miles away, works hard and needs his sleep.

I'm more and more impressed with this bull calf of mine. Most calves avoid contact once they're up and running. This guy likes me to pet and handle him. Very calm and friendly. I like those qualities in a bull. His sire (Duke) and maternal grandsire (Rede) both had excellent dispositions and loved being petted. Unless he grows up really ugly (unlikely) he'll be a good bull to keep. He's got nice conformation and excellent muscling, as well as a big pair of testicles already.

Heidi, got a couple of chuckles out of your posts today.
I love the idea of the night vision goggles, but had visions of you using them like a ninja stalker! Lol.
And the big pair of testacles, while obviously being a good thing in a bull calf, gave me an immature giggle.

After all the drought and all the bushfires, we've now had rain for more than a week. While it is much needed and it's great seeing green grass and before/after pictures of former drought areas, it would be so nice to see the sun. Someone who live a few suburbs away said they've had 450ml (18in), I think we have had about 350 or so (14in). More to come, there's a cyclone out near Noumea, it probably won't hit our coast but will bring us more rain.
My dog is not happy, now that she's older (12) she doesn't like to get wet but she wants to go adventuring - great until the first wet foot and then back to the dry comfort of her bed.

I'm glad Col and I did our cruise last year. Won't be doing another. Not sure if you've seen it on the news in the US but there are Cruise Ships stuck in Asian ports (Yokohama and Hong Kong) that are quarantined because of the Coronavirus. The passengers have to stay in their cabins. That's bad enough but if they have a balcony cabin but at least they can go out into the fresh air. If it had happened to us, well Col did get quarantined for the last day in our Ocean View cabin - no balcony, just a window which didn't open. We missed a balcony cabin by one day when booking! Then there's the interior cabins, usually with 4 bunks and only artificial lights. I would get such claustrophobia! And every day there's another couple of people found to have the disease.

Interesting morning so far. I got up to my dogs going nuts outside. I hurriedly got bundled up (it's freezing outside) and went out to investigate. A stray dog was outside my fence trying to get my dogs to play. As I watched, he slithered under my fence and got in with my dogs!!! To my surprise, they just played with him..... no fighting! Fortunately, he had his owner's name on his collar, so I put a leash on him, loaded him into my truck and took him home. I think what attracted him is that Ruby (smooth collie) is in season, and this was an intact Kelpie stud dog. Fortunately, the Catahoulas kept him busy and didn't let him near Ruby.
No new calves so far today. Or yesterday, fortunately. I spent most of yesterday either in bed or throwing up. I don't know why I felt so lousy.

From the Westminster Dog Show.

Pink Looks For Three-Peat At Westminster Dog Show


https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7999417/Border-collie-Pink-flies-agility-course-3 0-seconds.html

Don't miss the expression on the dogs face, during the slo-mo replay at the end. The concentration is nearly beyond belief...

I really don't think the weather forecasters have a clue. Today's prediction was for cold and sunny today. They got the cold part right, but it snowed all morning.

That cow of Mike's, that he thought was going to calve yesterday, hasn't calved yet. I think she's going to hold off until tomorrow (Saturday) or Sunday. The calf doesn't look like it's dropped into position to be born yet, and she's not completely bagged up.... but close.
I was going through the feed room in the horse barn and discovered my kid goat dehorner and disbudding box. The disbudding box is a box you put the kid in, with it's head sticking out on a metal holder to keep it steady, and a platform under the belly to hold them still, with a door on top, so the kid is 100% immobilized while you burn off the horn buds. It's the quickest and safest way to dehorn a goat, and they only feel anything for 8 seconds. I offered the box and disbudder to Mike and he was thrilled. He already had a disbudder, but he didn't have a box and really wanted one. They're very hard to find, and mine was in like-new condition. A farm Vet is the perfect home for that box.

In the past week, we suddenly started going through triple the normal amount of cat food, or more. So I get a raccoon trap yesterday. Last night I caught a huge raccoon in the barn. My cat Raleigh will be relieved.

At least it wasn't a skunk. A friend had to trap a bunch of them...

I used to have a hopper feeder on the window sill, outside my kitchen window, for my 'semi-feral' cat. One night I walked in the kitchen and turned on the light. Dad, Mom & 3 kits were lined up, in order - Dad up front. They left post-haste. When I opened the door, mom was on the lawn, just off the porch. She didn't leave. Seems one of her kits had hidden, on the porch, behind the door. When it scurried off, she left, also. No kit left behind. Good mom...

I left out that the 'visiting family' was raccoons.

Good. I thought you were talking skunks.

Tomorrow I take my last 2019 steer, and Mike's 2 steers to the good sale barn. We'll be left with heifers to add to the breeding herd only.

Mike and I took a close look at his ''grandma'' cow (#79) who he thought was gonna calve yesterday. I think she's gonna calve either late tonght or tomorrow. In my opinion, she's now fully bagged up, although the calf still hasn't dropped into delivery position. Mike knows her a LOT better than I do, and thinks she's really close, too. He also thinks that this will be her last calf. He was very surprised when she turned up bred this year. That means I do a thorough after midnight cow check tonight. Oh, well.
''Laird'' amazes me. He's my new little bull calf by ''Duke''. Every single day he either lets me come up to him, or he comes up to me to be petted! I've never had a calf like him (except for hand raised bottle calves, and he's not one). And he gets prettier as he fills out, too. Mom (#17) has plenty of good milk. I'm thinking of him as my miracle calf. Mom was the only injured cow that survived the attack by Smokey the Malinois. She was seriously injured and Mike was doubtful if she'd be able to breed back or deliver with all her wounds and scar tissue. Instead, she gave me an outstanding bull calf to replace Duke.

I fell sound asleep and didn't get out to do the midnight cow check. I'm off now.

**** BOPP ****