My Day

Yesterday Blue-the-cat, Gabe-the-schnauzer, and I (Donna-the-human) went on our usual walk to the edge of the woods.  When I turned around and started back to the house, Blue didn't seem interested in joining us, even when I called him.  I don't think it's more than a quarter-mile back there, so I figured the silly cat would come home on his own.  He surely knows the way, since he's made the trip several times. 

Three hours later he still hadn't come back, so I put Gabe on the leash and we went north through the pasture again.  When we got near the turnaround place, I began calling Blue; he came right out of the brush and was ready to follow us home... finally.  I should have left him back there, because I'm almost positive he'd have come home by 4:30; that's when I feed the cats their canned food.  Food is mighty important to Blue.  But any time he's missing, I picture coyotes or foxes feasting on him, or an eagle flying off with the cat in his claws.  Since Blue is an outside cat, I see that gruesome picture in my mind quite often.  Old Mama Kitty is at least 13 years old, and she's still around.  Surely Blue will make it as long.  But I worry.

Because I took two walks yesterday, I'm paying today with sore knees.  No walk today, and I only spent 15 minutes on the exercise bike.  I have had a productive day, though.  I had a tiny roast in the freezer:  one pound, six ounces.  I told Cliff it was a two-person roast, although it was a wee bit too much for us at one meal.  I made mashed potatoes and gravy and heated up green beans.  While the roast was in the Insta-Pot, I made rice pudding.  Cliff was pleasantly surprised.

This morning I wrote my sister a much better left-hand letter than the one I was going to send.  I needed the practice, right?  I thought I did my best job yet on her letter, so later when I was getting ready to send a payment in the mail, I thought it was time to try writing a check left-handed.  First, though, I used my left hand to write my return address on the envelope.  I used a pen writing the return address first.  But I'm not as proficient with a pen; it's as if they have a mind of their own.  After seeing my poor attempt at writing a return address, I realized I'm not ready for prime-time yet and used my right hand for the check.   

What's Cliff doing on these beautiful days?  Well, he got everything done he intended to do with the "parts tractor"he turned into a working one, so he parked it and got the other 880 Oliver out; this is the tractor he bought with intentions to fix up.  Everything seems to be working on it, except that it needs a rear end.  The man who sold him the tractor told him he had no idea what was wrong with it, but it makes a loud noise when it's put in reverse.

I don't know where he'll get another parts tractor.  He saw a cheap one Monday on Facebook Marketplace, but it sold before he had a chance at it.

That thing between the hose on the left and the stool on the right is a power takeoff (PTO).   I'm sure my readers will find this fascinating.  

I guess we are still looking for a used Kubota 7040.  And now, to find another 880 parts tractor and hope my husband resists the urge to get it running.

The two cats are at the door demanding their supper, and it's almost that time.

And that's what's happening today at Woodhaven Acres.