RUG HOOKING BLOG

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I'm a mother of four grandmother of seven and great grandmother of three. I live with my husband in the house that we built with the help of my brothers and will have been married for 57 years this February.

Tuesday, December 11, 2018

NOVEMBER HAS BEEN UNUSUAL IN MANY WAYS.

November came fast and brought us winter and has been rather eventful...  It snowed a lot and it's been colder than I can remember in years, for November... I got 6 calves born in November so lots of extra work.

On November 5th, we had a huge power outage because of a  heavy wind storm. 40,000 household and businesses lost power. It took days to restore power to everyone. It affected our farm big time.  We had power surges that damaged equipment in the milking parlor and fried the deep well water pump, leaving our cattle without water. We have a large generator that we hook up to a big tractor to generate electricity to milk the cows and run feeders and other equipment.

 We managed to get water by hooking several garden hoses to my sister in law's well pump. It had less pressure and it took longer to fill the many water throughs and water bowls. Washing equipment, etc, etc... It would take too long to describe all the repairs that needed to be done. Industrial electricians, equipment repairmen from another town and an industrial plumber were needed for some of the repairs, etc...

We had a new calf and the mother needed to be milked in the can so her calf could be fed colostrum milk.  I had to bring all my equipment, bottles, etc. home to wash and I took everything back to the farm in the back of my Nissan Rogue. Since there were two vehicles parked in front of me, and I didn't want to run over the water hose in case it would puncture on a rock or something and causing more problems, so I  backed out to return home. It was already late at night and it was dark and for some unknown reason, my backup camera didn't come on as usual and I backed up against the hitch piece of the big 8-foot snow plow that was parked next to the farm driveway, close to where my car was parked... It damages my bumper and reflector. I had it assessed even though it's just cosmetic damage and it would cost me $1200. to have it fixed. It's not going to happen...



Somehow, our big bull hurt his hind leg badly and the vet told us to sell it for beef. He was put in a pen in my section of the barn so he could be picked up in a few days and I took care of him. He's not used to drinking from a single water bowl. He's used to drinking from a cattle water through. He must have gotten irritated to having to push the spout with his nose to get water and he broke the water connection with his powerful head.

When I came in the barn early on Saturday morning, November 10, the area where I keep the feeding hay was being flooded and I wanted to keep the hay from getting contaminated with dirty water from the pens. I tried to move the remnant of the round bale by pushing it to a higher incline in the alleyway. The bale went down but I lost my balance and fell in the water but I saved the hay, hehe. Yes, I got wet. What I wouldn't do for my calves.

Although I fell ever so gently, my body weight fell on my already damaged right shoulder. I could not lift my arm from the pain and had to call my son for help. His phone was in the kitchen so he didn't hear it ring. I called my husband and he came to feed my older calves and heifers and I fed the little ones since I didn't need to lift my arm to feed them.

Then, a week later, on Saturday morning on November 17th, I found a new baby calf with the dry cows. I went to call my son Vaughan for help, my foot got caught in the hose he had put on the floor to thaw the night before. I went flying face down on the cement floor and broke my nose. I bled like a pig. Luckily I keep a big roll of Bounty paper towels in the old fridge. My cap and my glasses flew. I'm lucky that my glasses didn't break or got scratched. They landed opened on the frame.


This is a picture I took with my Canon camera, of my cell phone selfie.  For a technical reason, Google thinks that someone is hacking into my cell phone when I tried to send it to my computer because I won't have my ID for my computer until December 20th. My computer doesn't recognize my cell phone or something like that. The bruises were more purple in the next few days. My nose was swollen.


Then came the yellow. I apologize for the very poor pictures. My nose still very sore and swollen.


The bruising still visible but fading away.

Five days after my broken nose accident, on Thursday, November 22nd, my daughter Christine came for a 5-day visit with Daniel. I picked them up at the airport and she was horrified when she saw me. I didn't tell her about my injuries before because I knew she would have worried a lot. There is one thing about me that I know. I don't care whatever anyone thinks, it won't stop me from going in public. I went grocery shopping, banking and to church looking like someone had taken a baseball bat at my face. The only ones to ask me, "OMG, WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU? " were those who really know me well, the rest were too polite to ask so I tried to put them at ease.  After all,  it was what it was, an accident and nothing else. I guess the majority of people with such injuries would choose to stay home and hide. To me, the truth is what it is and I have nothing to be ashamed of. Today, my bruising is all gone but my nose is still very tender.



While my daughter Christine and the rest of the family was here, we celebrated my 72nd birthday, and my granddaughter Jordyn's birthday and also my retirement from working at the barn, all in one celebration... On my first day of retirement, I went on a trip home to the annual family Christmas party for 5 days and had a great time visiting, and came home on the bus, but that's another story for another blog post...


My lovely granddaughter and her 72 years old bruised grandmother.
My face is healing but still yellow from the bruises and my chin still a bit bruised.



Jordyn and I cutting the multi celebration cake. Two birthdays and a retirement.


We played the present game while everyone was here. I think we had 52 presents in all for the game.



I'm sorry for the length of this post but November has 30 days and I left a lot out, believe me...

I hope that December is kinder than November.
Stay warm and safe.
Hugs, Julia

20 comments:

  1. Julia, I am so happy you are retired from the barn.I am so sorry you had to go so much grief and pain this season already. I also have a broken nose from years ago.mFarming is a tough business. Enjoy your retirement my dear Julia. You deserve it more than anyone else I know. I have slowed down no too. Hugs and love Grace

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  2. OH MY WORD JULIA! you are so lucky you didn't get a major head injury from that! So glad you are taking time for you from the very hard labor and enjoying family. I hope you now get time for all the wonderful things you love to peruse.
    Happy Retirement and Birthday
    Cathy

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  3. Oh, Julia, what a month! I will start feeling grateful that the things that went wrong in my house last month (failing camera, failing freezer, leaking toilet, leaking roof, large accumulation of mildew, etc.) were almost trivial, relatively speaking! The fall on your face must have been wicked. I hope you can stay out of harm's way in December (and beyond!).

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  4. Ouch. What a month. Love your spirit. After I planted my face in the road a few years back (and looked like the wrath of God) I refused to hide away as well.
    I hope that the coming month is filled with celebration and no more mishaps. And thank you for your visit to my blog.

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  5. Yowie! Sounds to me like your retirement arrived just in time! May you enjoy many years without another fall or bruise!

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  6. WOW! Talk about the November from hell!!! So sorry about your Rogue but even sorrier about your shoulder and nose. And all the problems due to the power outage. ARGH!
    But on a happier note, you are retired. No one is more deserving than you ������. Quality time with your family and a birthday spent with them. I love the picture of you and granddaughter cutting the cake. Making more memories.
    HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY and here's to a happy and healthy 2019.
    xoxo
    Lauren

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  7. Oh my! November was NOT a good month for you and your family. So glad that you have retired from barn work. It is just too dangerous. Who will be doing the work with the calves now or are you selling the herd? I hope your retirement gives you lots more time to spend with your family, do creative work and just plain rest. Happy Birthday, with wishes for many more!

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  8. Oh my goodness, sweet Julia what a November you had. The weather has not been kind to you now for several months. I so hope and pray your December and all the coming year will hold nothing but good things for you and your family. I am so happy you have retired from the barn and I hope you enjoy every minute of retirement. Happy belated Birthday to you and your sweet Jordyn. It does look as if you had a very fun and nice time with family before November came to an end. Sending you lots of love and hugs sweet Julia and I hope you are all healed from that awful fall very soon. <3

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  9. Oh my gosh Julia! I am so glad you are so much better. You were so busy in November. I am glad you are retired and I am glad you got to spend that time with your family. It sounds so nice. Happy birthday to you. I am so sorry I missed it. I hope December has been very quiet.

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  10. Dear Julia,
    Sending hugs. I am so happy you are healing. You are one of the strongest people I know. My goodness.
    Congratulations regarding retirement. Happy Birthday and much more.
    Sending lots of hugs,
    Carla

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  11. Oh my goodness, I hope too that December is MUCH better to you than November was! You amaze me...I'm thinking that 52 is a good age to retire from the barn, and you kept at it until 72?!! Congratulations, and well deserved!

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  12. Oh my goodness Julia, it really doesn't rain but it pours! So many catastrophes for you this month. I am so sorry you have been so much in pain and difficulty. Your poor nose and face (and shoulder!) - you are so brave to put up with so much and just keep going. Yet, you are still smiling wonderfully in your photos with your wonderful family. You are SUCH a worker. I know you have said this on so many occasions, but you are incredible how much you have done. You deserve this wonderful retirement- I do hope it will be a time of rest, peace, enjoyment and fullfillment for you. SO nice to see your lovely smiling face with your family. You humble me with your dedication.
    Wishing you a belatedly happy 72nd birthday!!!xxx

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  13. Holy smokes you could write a book about all your adventures in farming and weather and accidents! I'm glad you're healing! That was a nasty fall. You should tell folks that if they think you look bad, they should see "the other guy"! I'm very happy for your retirement..you've earned it! Somehow I don't think you'll be sitting idle eating bon bons and reading romance novels all day! Your Granddaughter is beautiful and her hair is amazing! I sure hope December has been better so far! Merry Christmas!

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  14. You are one incredible woman. I will think of you when I feel like I have too much to do and that will end my feeling sorry for myself for sure. Does the retirement from the barn mean you no longer have to do many of the things you describe in here? I sure hope so. Take care my friend.

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    Replies
    1. Yes Inger, I'm retired from working at the farm. However I still work in the office which is at home. My son has taken over my chores at the farm. Retiring takes a bit of adjustment but I enjoy staying in bed in the morning.

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  15. Oh my goodness JULIA!!!! I think it is well past time for you to have a break...........not literally, but you need to have a vacation from all this craziness.

    So sorry that the weather has been so nasty. It's awful early in the season to be so snowy and bitter cold.

    Hope things go so much better.

    Hugs and loves!

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  16. Oh my goodness Julia! You poor girl! What a crazy month for you but I'm glad to read you are retired and by the looks of it, it was a great party full of fun and family!! I'm also glad to see your bruising has subsided, hope the tenderness of your nose heals fast. Your granddaughter is a lovely girl and is a lucky one to have been able to spend her birthday with her beautiful grandmas's retirement!! I can't wait to hear about your trip home and the Christmas party! I'm sure it was full of fun and excitement!!
    Take care my dear friend and stay out of that barn haha
    X0X0
    Saimi

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  18. oh my gosh Julia! so sorry this happened, so glad it wasnt worse and even happier that you have mended well! looks like you had some nice family time! i bet your Daughter was so upset when she saw you! ouch! so glad you have retired from the barn altho i know you will stay very busy!

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