wait. wait. wait. wait. wait. Okay, go. No, wait.

I'd better start by saying that I do love harvest. I can think of many reasons why I do, but right now, I'm frustrated.

All "backups" get frustrated. I mean, I have to be on call at a moments notice, so I can't start anything that I can't jump up from. My kids have no routine - currently they're going to Grandma's - maybe. I don't even know if I should be making supper. We have to call the bus driver at night to tell him where the children are so he can pick them up the next morning. And then last night, I probably could have taken them home, but I wasn't going to disappoint two little girls who have their hearts set on a sleepover.

Yesterday I was in the middle of trying to stew tomatoes when the call came. Threw the lid on the pot and finished those up around 1 a.m. I really can't start a darned thing!

So, I'm dressed for harvest, but could run to the soccer pitch if I don't have to truck. Probably not adequately attired for either. And if I do have to do soccer, the kids will be fed frozen pizza. Because I won't have much more notice than that. If I lived closer to a McDonalds, tonight would be a happy meal kind of night. Since nothing is definite, I'll leave the suitcase at Grandma's until 8 p.m. - hopefully we can make a decision by that point.

But, I suppose I'd better head out to the field. I have to be out there, but still have Charli on board - will have to run home really quickly and drop her off if I'm trucking. If I'm not, she's just hanging out with me until I have to run to grandma's and pick Jo up off the bus. It was just easier to send the bus there - since I don't know where I'll be, yet.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery ... but is still kind of disturbing

We had half a tenth of rain overnight. Ran until 2:30 a.m. and got a bit more done, so that was good, but have not been able to get back at it tonight.

That's okay. I have a bit of salsa to do.

Now, that picture was taken about twelve days ago. So, you can imagine what all is ripe now.

I did up two batches today. Just waiting for them to seal. Still have some stewed ones to do but I'm not starting anything now. Dale has gone out to "feel the swath". Not sure how this is going to go - if he decides to combine I will have a major shift of household to do. I'm somewhat prepared, but hesitate to do anymore towards that as it is really close to bedtime.

Anyway, while I was working on salsa today, Char decided that she needed to have a desk. So she made one.
Note the coffee cup, the cramped quarters and the basket with books in it. Please ignore my desk behind her. But you might notice some similarities. Hers is neater, but she does have some of my habits.

After I took the picture, Char proceeded to embellish her desk. She needed more space (oh, what a surprise!) She gathered things up from downstairs that she needed to work, and borrowed a few things from me.

By the time I had finished up chopping more tomatoes, the "desk" looked like this:

I'm a little creeped out. She has mini-wheats. She has a coffee cup, my stapler, has used another coffee cup to hold scissors (guilty), borrowed my picture, picked up my sticky notes and has annexed both my stool and my chair for her "stuff". If you could see under the stool, there is still a box of books there.

By the time the salsa was done she had brought up a stacking stool as well. She had more room than I do!

And, while I hesitate to draw too many comparisons (maybe she was just trying to be cute), did you see the stress ball she put on the side of the fridge?

I guess she has a good imagination. But somehow, this is still a bit disturbing. Perhaps I need to set a better example...but then again, a messy, eclectic desk would not be a bad thing for a creative child like Char.

Anyway, big thank yous to Mom & Dad for spending the last little while out here keeping the household going while I am the trucker. We appreciate the help more than you know. However, the reading of three bedtime stories each night...not so much. I just got told that "Granny read all of that..." Poor little kid, she's back down to one tonight!

Today was filled with scenes from Cars

So, yeah, just got home after a long day of work. But, the mandatory 5 cups of coffee are keeping me a bit awake yet, so thought I'd share my day with you. Actually, more like my night.

See, work started about 8:30 this morning, but it didn't look like I was going to be needed this afternoon. After shuttling vehicles, augers, tractors etc. to the next field, I went home, made Dale a lunch and prepared to go to Brandon. I wanted to go so I could try on some Carhartt for Women lined bib overalls

Yeah, they're glamourous, I know, but after last night freezing my tooshie off because there was no way that I could put on long underwear out in the field (and no way to pack it anyway) I decided that I wanted to treat myself. These have definite practical benefits for me - number one being that I don't screw up my skipants by wearing them at harvest. Also, because they're not a set of coveralls, there's actually a chance they could fit my short frame.

Anyway, making Dale's lunch. Phone rings. Dale says - hang on, don't go yet. Okay. Checked out the website so I could have contingency purchasing plan (as by this point the girls are ready to hop in the car and go). Granny is on standby to go either way, Grandpa will go if I can't (cause Granny is still suffering from the sinus thing and really doesn't feel up to driving in). The overalls aren't the only thing we need - we're running low on coffee. And that has to be on hand all the time right now. And we need more coffee cups (disposable, for the combiners) and coffee filters. A theme, perhaps?

As I took Dale his lunch, he told me to go back and change into farm clothes...I'm trucking again. So, made myself a lunch, sent the family into Brandon and started in on the oats. There seems to be a lot of these, and while we haven't had an official test yet, they look pretty good.

Things were pretty quiet until it got dark. Then they're still quiet, but I've been on the truck for nine or so hours and my sense of humour starts to get more warped. Perhaps it was because I was starting to drift off between loads. Anyway, I'm parked at the end of a swath, waiting to pick up the load, and just the way the combine was angled he looked just like Frank. I couldn't back up, as my father-in-law had parked his Chevy Silverado behind me. I can't go forward, as I'll run into the swath (and that is undesirable, it makes it harder to pick the grain up off the ground). Fortunately Frank turned...and my heart rate returned to normal.

So, I pick up the load. And take it to the auger, in a darkened field with tractors. It just seemed a little surreal. As I stand there in the oat dust unloading, my slightly tired mind is looking at these things and wondering how to tip them...oh well, can't figure that one without a hill.

Yesterday, I could have tipped the tractors. Felt like I was going to tip the truck. Side hills are a pain at the best of times, but I got to take a fill on the side of a hill - that had to be one of the most uncomfortable loads of grain I have ever tried to deal with. It is tough to drive a truck when you're holding onto the door for dear life, leaning at what seems to be a horrible angle...This, in a truck that resembles Mater in so many ways - the blue covered by rust, the broken door, it is a 1970's series International Harvester but hey, it still has a hood.

The kicker tonight though has been my father-in-law's truck. This little machine has every feature you could ever want...except a headlight dim switch. Whenever he comes at you from across the field, you feel like you see the Ghostlight.

My glamourous life as a trucker

Last week (I think - Days are blending together - I think that is caused by long workdays) my sister asked me why I don't want to travel more. I didn't answer her properly then, but I will now.

Because I travel so much with work.

Hey, it may not be chic travel. It may not involve public transportation of any kind (plane, train, bus...) But my job requires lots and lots of travel. Specifically, driving.

Take today as an example.

Part One - the half ton. (Payload capacity: 1500 lbs.)
Woke up this morning before five a.m. to get into the half ton and drive to Saskatchewan. Took two cups of coffee, three mini packages of froot loops and copious quantities of chewing gum.
Ran out of coffee just before Wolseley. The only place open was "Weird Willies". Now, normally, that wouldn't be a choice locale, but the washroom was clean, the staff was friendly (for seven a.m.) A chocolate milk & a package of Brownies and I'm on my way to Regina.

Why? Because Regina has Tim Horton's, so I can fill my coffee cup and eat breakfast again. I'm sorry to say that my famous Tim's radar was a bit out of whack, as there was actually a new Tim's on the north side of Highway 1 that I missed on the way in. For those of you who don't have Tim's radar, there is a neat trip planner available on the website.

Anyway, got my breakie, and back on the road. Destination? Kronau. Not the one in Germany, but still, it was somewhere new. While in Kronau I picked up 1400 lbs. of grain rings. Then I picked up Highway 48 for a change of scenery, and visited such picturesque places as Montmartre and saw the famous red paperclip town of Kipling.

I pretty much headed straight home from there, making reasonably good time (2:30ish arrival - nine hours driving and loading, 730 kilometres, 18.3 miles to the american gallon.) Called Dale, he asked me to bring the grain rings up to the Morgan farm where he was trucking.

Part II - Princess Rosie (10 speed tandem highway tractor with grain box)
Upon arrival at the Morgan place, I was asked to start trucking. It was explained that if all three men (two grandpas & Dale) put together the grain ring, it would go more quickly. Okay. I knew there was a reason I put the trucking boots on this morning (but couldn't figure it out at the time.) Anyway, tied up my hair, hopped in the truck and proceeded to grind my way to the combine. I'm out of practice. And this particular transmission is supposed to be one that you don't have to use the clutch for. Which isn't a bad thing, since I can't really reach it that well anyway even with big boots and the seat adjusted. After six or seven loads I was finally starting to be able to upshift fairly smoothly, and was almost finding a gear when downshifting.

The problem was that Granny had Char for soccer and Jo was coming home on the bus. And nobody was home...everyone else was in the field. We haven't got a full time secretary at the school, so if you don't call in a change of plans early, the child may or may not get the message. Rather than chance that, I called my neighbour and got her to pull Jo off the bus (and Granny got her after soccer).

Finally it looked like Dale would be able to take over on his truck. But, by this time, the combine was far enough over on the piece that the combine was full before the truck was unloaded. So, I switched to the other truck, Dale drove his (and Grandma brought supper.)

Part Three - Old Blue (Automatic ancient tag-axle IH grain truck)
This quirky machine is relatively easy to drive. Automatic is a bit of a misnomer, as shifting is necessary, but this time there isn't even a clutch pedal to tempt you. And easy is dependent on a) being able to locate the centre of the truck underneath the unload auger of the combine; b) not getting into any wet spots (for fear of getting stuck); c) managing to steer a truck with 10 tonnes of grain on it; d) avoiding the ditches in the field and potholes in the road as this particular truck isn't going to survive too many hard bumps.

Keep in mind that each time the truck goes out to the field, it picks up two loads of grain from the combine. Then the truck goes back across the field, out the approach, down the road, down the lane, into the "yard" and has to back up pretty much exactly into boards set up in front of an auger. Without stalling, running over anything, spilling the grain, backing into anything. And when only one truck is running, that has to be done quickly. Of course, it is much easier to do it when three men (who have all taught you to drive at some point in your career) are watching your every move...

Once you have the truck backed in, you have to start tractor and the auger, open the tailgate, ensure the grain is going into the auger hopper, turn on your PTO on the truck for the hoist, raise the hoist (but not so much that you spill the grain) and get itchy. Barley is itchy. Oats are itchy. It is mostly due to the chaff from the grain, but the little dusty bits are quite uncomfortable. This particular field is yielding very well (the quality is awful, but the yield, exceptional.) So, there are more trips to the auger. And more dust.

Part Four - 17 (Red GM 3500 Diesel 5 speed)
About ten p.m. we were ready to go onto the next piece. Only one grain truck needed for that. But, the combine would need fuel. And the men needed coffee. So, I got to jump into 17, go fill the diesel slip tank and stop by home to pick up the coffee etc. that Granny made. This particular truck is quirky in its gearing - you shift the thing at about 3000 rpm...making for a loud trip. Whipped home, grabbed all of the stuff I was supposed to bring and went back to the field. I got to take 17 home...Dale will bring his half ton when he comes back and the grain trucks will remain up there for tomorrow. Not sure when Dale or the combine operator are planning on sleeping...

However, I'd better get showered and to bed. Have to be up early tomorrow, because today, when I left early, Jo missed the bus for the very first time. So, I know that somehow I am needed to make sure that mornings happen. Even if I hate getting up, I guess someone has to!

Trends…

VFMK is hosting yet another guest blogger entry... enjoy! :)

The seasons are changing… and the end of summer is not always a smooth transition on the farm. This was readily apparent when it began raining and turned cold this past week. Unfortunately, for those who are making a livelihood from the produce of the land, this - quite nicely - is crappy. I would use stronger adjectives but in a public forum (and based on my abhorrence of bad words) it seems to be pointless. I am learning that there are many things I cannot change. The weather, it seems, is one of them.

My sister thinks that she can change the weather. She, I have learned, is highly superstitious. How to avoid the rain:

1. Take the laundry off the line
2. Clean out the eavestroughing (even in the middle of a rain storm)
3. NEVER wash the car
4. Don’t kill spiders
5. Always make sure that there’s nothing to water
6. NEVER water your garden if you want it to rain
7. NEVER say it doesn’t look like rain
8. Pull up all the root vegetables
9. Don’t look at the weather; look at the weather every two seconds
10. Curse the weather network. Sit at your computer obsessively clicking the mouse and telling weather systems to dissipate. Little did I know that my sister (who hasn’t read Harry Potter) knows incantations. She uses them on the computer. They’re not in latin, they’re in Lindaese and I dare not repeat them here lest I unleash some weird weather system somewhere in the midst of Northern Alberta.

Bad weather for most of us means griping. I am not immune to this as I do my share of complaining when I’m stuck four inches in mud due to a downpour on my long weekend camping trip. For farmers, showers mean stress. Lots of stress. The swathing that had been ongoing for over three days nonstop was adjourned completely. The crops are currently in amazing geometric patterns across the field getting wet. This is bad. Very, very bad. Thousands of dollars in loss bad. The words disastrous, tragic and agonizing come to mind. And there’s nothing to do but hover over the weather reports hitting the refresh button a hundred times in 10 minutes.

On that note, many people write laurels on the multi-tasking mom. The multi tasking mom is nothing in comparison to the multi-tasking farm based mom. I have watched my sister be meteorologist, mechanic, operator, book keeper, business manager, co-ordinator as well as domestic engineer (which, as we all know, involves a myriad of talents and abilities… and in her case it means growing a large part of the produce she uses in her meals as well as organizing all of the extra-curricular activities her daughters are involved in). It’s nothing short of impressive. We were stuck in one of many black outs (storm related) and yet she was still in charge of multiple forecast assessments made by looking at obscure colour blotches reminiscent of an impressionist painting.

School in Sentimentality

Last week highlighted the first day of school for my dear niece Charlotte. I was, admittedly, sentimental to see my niece in her first day of school outfit ready to go off and join the ranks of kindergarten. I don’t have to reconcile with this emotive spirit – it’s who I am when it comes to big benchmarks… particularly things like school. There’s no doubt that I was very excited along with my Char about her next adventures… but the fact that she’s already making a transition into school is something to reflect upon. I myself realized that this was the first time since I was Charlotte’s age that I was not returning to school in September. I have decided that I am institutionalized (and nerdy… I love school supplies and the smell of pencils.)

Salsa (because it’s not Wednesday, it’s Tomatay)

We’ve stewed tomatoes. We’ve made Greek salad. We’ve covered the tomatoes a quilt of mismatched blankets to protect them from frost. Yes, we must protect the tomatoes. At all costs... save the tomatoes!!! I believe that we’ve only harvested approximately 300 of them and that – apparently – just isn’t enough. Evidently it takes 30 pounds of tomatoes to make one batch of Linda’s tomato sauce. That’s like a John and a half (though that sounds so wrong). But that many tomatoes is just that wrong. After watching veggie tales I feel somewhat sickened to be part of the tomato carnage. I do not want to see another fruit after this experience. Ever. And forget apples. But that’s another post.

Saunahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

I have thoroughly enjoyed my sauna experience here on the farm. As I was not here for construction, I cannot give the details about that. I can, however, provide a photo as well as a description – Sauna = contentment.

This could be a post that would involve you being the recipient of a *prize* for decoding the trend in this entry. I, being the letterphyle that I am, can’t help but make this an alliteration based blog post. I just can’t help myself.

retail therapy

I generally don't subscribe to the idea of retail therapy. I have trouble believing that spending money will help me feel better.

But today, I'm a convert. Going to Brandon to spend a little money that I don't have to fill a few holes.

Yesterday was a totally crappy day. I was trying to organize a fall session for skating and as such, phoned the coach to let her know where things were at. She was having a horrible day - one of the thirteen year old skaters that she coached (and had been coming to this fall session we're trying to run) had passed away unexpectedly at home the previous night.

Whoa. I phoned a few of the ladies from around here who would have had girls who skated with this little girl but then, I couldn't do much more. My day had been planned to phone all of the skaters to line them up for the fall session - and since everyone will know this girl, all attendance is up in the air. So keeping busy with that was out of the question.

And keeping busy with harvest is out of the question - it keeps raining. The stress is kind of getting to me. So then I thought I would cook. And my waffle iron broke down. And my waffle batter stuck to the frying pan because it is not good pancake batter. That was when I got my sister to take over in the kitchen and I gave up.

I'm also on a diet these days - have to give some "fun" samples for the lab, so I'm preparing for that. I've had some pain in my side for a while, but it is getting worse, so I'm trying to minimize that with a softer (less fibre filled) diet - that is tough when Mini Wheats and dried apples are my favourite snacks.

I can't really start any projects - we live in limbo waiting for the weather to change and I don't want to start into anything that I can't drop at a moments notice.

So perhaps I'll go buy myself an iPod, and get out and exercise. Or maybe a new waffle iron will help in my quest to feed the world.

But no matter what, I sure hope to get harvesting soon. Otherwise, it is bound to cost a good chunk of change!

joyful, joyful! School is in!

I sent my little girl off to kindergarten today. She was so excited that she didn't want to smile for the bus picture - she just wanted to get on. And get going!

I have watched my friends post their status updates bemoaning the fact that their babies were starting school. I don't get that sentiment. Charli was so ready to go to school that her four year old year was brutal. I frequently wished that I had the option of putting her in school last year as I would if I lived in Ontario or Alberta.

And really, she's not a baby. Perhaps it is the reality check of having my two "spirited" little nephews here, but I don't really miss that stage. I am so glad she is a happy little girl ready to start into her own life. It doesn't mean that we can't cuddle on her days off. It doesn't mean that we won't have happy times - perhaps having the freedom to get a few things done on the days she is in school will help make the days she is home more fun.

This year is going to be interesting socially for both girls. Joelle is going from a class of five girls, of which she is definitely one of the alpha females to a class that has twelve girls. And ten of them are older than she is. The jump between seven and eight is a big one, so I am hoping that she can still maintain some of her innocence and happy nature in this new environment. I don't worry at all academically - the mixed 3/2 class will be a real bonus for Jo in that way, but I don't know if I'm actually ready to deal with boys/makeup/cliques/attitude royale. As long as she is having fun, I'm sure it will be fine.

Maybe I need to be more sentimental about the milestone of starting school. I don't really think so, however - I have had lots of time to adjust to the fact that my girls are growing up. And while the first day of Kindergarten is a milestone, next year with full time school will actually be more of a life change. For tomorrow, when I wake up and put Joelle on the bus, there will still be little Charlotte at home, ready for me to save her from her boredom.

Anyway, I'm off to enjoy the rest of my day. I have had a lovely shower this morning (bathroom door open, no interruptions), I plan to have some pizza for lunch, and maybe a guilt-free cookie for dessert. Well, I'd better hop to it! Soon enough they will be home with dishes for me to wash, paperwork for me to fill out and stories of their first day of school!