What Would Michelle Do?

I lead two lives.
There.  I said it.

For the past 4 years, unbeknownst to moi, I have been known as "Rachael" to the English speaking folk of the farm, and "Michelle" to the non-English speaking residents.

I can't say that they speak Spanish.
I just can't!
I bring people here who speak Spanish just to translate for me, and you know what??
They don't comprende'.
Whatever.

And it's "Mee-Shell" ifyoumustknow.

Know how I know?
Knowknowknowknowknow.
I'm done now.

I told my workers to do something yesterday..nothing confusing..just to "let group 2 outside after you milk them, then bring them in the next morning".
Si?

An hour later I get a phone call from a lady who called me "Mee-shell", asking me to explain the instructions to her so she could translate for them.

So I have had my suspicions for a while now, because when they come to talk to me they mutter something first...
What did they just call me?
Rashell?
Michelle?
But the lady on the other end of the phone spoke very clear English and clearly said "Mee-shell".

So hey, I'm Michelle, it's nice to be here today.
You look great!  Have you lost weight?

Michelle is very bohemian-Idon'tcarebutIdo-girlie.
She is everything I am not...good at drawing, singing, building...listening.
She is compassionate...like the Humane Society commercials that make you wanna jump off a bridge.

Michelle is left-handed which, in all of my years of livin', I have noted to be a trait that outstanding people possess.

She always says the right things.
Always waves and says "hello"..that's for Tim.

She doesn't bite.

Mee-shell for president!

OK, I'm finished.

Anyone else have an alter ego?

Love,
MisunderstoodCowLady

Did You Know...

I have more un-published blog posts saved here than published?
Sometimes I'm too skeered to publish what I write.

I have made Sweetapolita's Campfire Delight cake 3X this.month.

I can make other things too!

I am seriously tossing around the thought of competing in figure again.
I won the only two times I competed...this creates quite a lot of pressure on myself.

My blog hasn't been the same for a while, and I know this, and I apologize.
There has been a lot on my mind lately...but it's coming together:).

Eddie is stilllllll not back at work, which means I am stilllllll doing his job and mine.
I'm finding it harder and harder to put "real" clothes on after I make it home and shower.
Must be nice in Eddies world.

Chuck might be getting us a dining room table today!

I guess this one wasn't cutting it anymore...

I agreed (wholeheartedly) to make dessert for my Churchs' Sportsman Expo coming up!
...they are planning on a minimum of 100...
I see 8 lbs of butter cream in my near future:).

I have been thinking a lot about forgiveness lately.
I am not sure why, but it has been on my mind.
Why is it so hard to forgive?
If He forgives us for doing the unspeakable/unthinkable/unimaginable...then why can't we forgive each other?

 I am making PWs steak fingers and gravy tonight for dinner!!!
...about that competition....
...and peach pie...

I narrowly escaped death-by-tractor last week.
Twice.
I'll just walk, thanks.

I made an X-Cow today....

It's a long story.

This here blog hit 20,000 pageviews!!
Woot!

We are inundated with furry little love-button-cutie-sugarpies!

I love them all.
So do the cows.

Who give them baths.
The cuteness will never end.

Promise;).

Love,
GonnaEatPieAndNotCompeteCowLady

The Past Eleven Days

Oh! There you are!
Wow...it hasn't changed much around here.
There definitely haven't been any new posts..sheesh.
Wait. I can explain.

The last time I have had time to do anything was Mercys b-day.  Daaaaaw!
Please forgive me.
This may be a long post, but we have SO much to catch up on.

So...around eleven days ago we started chopping corn silage...wait...TIM started chopping corn silage.
Then it rained.
And rained.
Andrainedandrainedandrained.

During which time Chuck, my baby cakes, agreed to go have Dr. BossMan take a look at his back.
He does backs ya know.
BossMan that is.
Never mind.

It only took 8 months 1 day of threatening asking to get him to go..he's good to me like that.
Anyway, we booked our his appointment with Hammer, and I drug chauffeured Chuck to dads office.
Chuck got to meet all of the ladies who run the show at dads office, and he had x-rays done of his lower back.

Then we waited.
And waited.
Andwaitedandwaitedandwaited.

Then dad, or Dr. BossMan, came in, didn't say one word to me, and made Chuck do a number of stretches.
I removed myself from the room since, obviously, my expert opinion wasn't needed.

Chuck was diagnosed with spondylolysis.
(Click on that yellowish word and you will see what I mean.)
Basically, and without using all of the medical jargon I am accustomed to using on a daily basis, he is missing a bone in his back.

Like, it never formed.
Ever.
Duuuude.

The only thing that will fix it would be a spinal fusion, involving rods and pins and duct tape and twine...and probably some tractor grease.
OK...no tractor grease.

Soooooo....he got fitted for a brace...that is just.like.my.dads.
Minus the clay mud.
Next thing you know they will be...talking.

After the Dr.'s visit, I returned to work just in time for a psychoanalysis from my therapist...Tim.
Sure, he chops, fixes things, says "s" instead of "th", and he's a therapist.

Let's just say that day didn't end well.

OK...fast forward two days...Eddie starts his "vacation" during which time he has Skip put into "foster care", and we start chopping. 
Like rock stars.

Now, normally it's Tim or BossMan chopping, Eddie hauling and moi packing.
WAIT!  Eddie's on "vacation" so whatdowedo????

Enter: Mercylicious.
17 year old, dump truck driving prodigy.
He's a ramblin' man.
6 wheels and a ton of corn are all this dude needs to put a smile on his face.
Oh, and Little Debbie cakes.

So the driver is covered..but what are we gonna do when CowLady has to, oh I don't know, do HER WORK AND EDDIES???

 

Enter: LuckyChuckey.
AKA "Leader of the pack".
When the dump truck's still haulin' and the cows are a bawlin' who you gonna call?
Chuck-y!

But for real, he helped me so much this past week.
Then he got 4 days off..er...I mean, he had to go back to work.
Before this year he had never driven a tractor, now?
Shoot!  He has some mad skills.

He came to do the packing while I fed calves, and cows and did a number of other things including pulling the biggest calf I have ever pulled.
For.Real.
Monster.

It was a bull, and I think he had a mustache and was paying child support when I finally got him out.
My hands still hurt.

All things considered it was a great week!
We got the first 150 acres chopped, and it all looks good.
I even got to go to Church today!!

Now, we wait for the rest of the corn to mature enough then it's game on, and I have a lot of catching up to do:).

Thank you for not forgetting me!!

Love,
BlessedTiredDeliriousCowLady

17 Shades of Mercy

Innocent.

 

Rhythmic.

 

Heroic.

Ambidextrous.

Yucky.

Misunderstood.

 

 Lucky.

 

 Symmetrical.

 

Awkward.

 

 Cuddly.

Tall.

Strong.

 

Dependable.

 ...Different...

Loving.

Unique.

Loved.

Happy 17th Birthday Mercy!!!!

Love,

Your BossLady

21 Beenie St.

She may not be loud, 

Might prefer to blend in.

But behind those blue eyes,

There's a storm brewing within.

She's not the type to make drama,

There's value in simplicity.

But she stands up for what she believes,

Not forsaking authenticity.

She's the girl you want on your team,

Always there when you need her.

She brings strength and intelligence,

Born a true leader.

Blessed are the meek,

For the earth will be theirs.

Rightfully so,

She's not putting on heirs.

When you become a big sister,

The responsibility is great.

The choice of a sibling is not yours,

It's all left to fate.

I had the opportunity,

21 years ago today.

To hold a newborn baby,

Praying for God to pave her way.

She has grown so much since then,

Becoming her own person now.

Words cannot describe,

What feelings can allow.

Love, pride and protection,

Those are what I feel.

She will always be my baby sister,

No other bond could be more real.

I love you Beenie!

Happy Birthday

Lord of the Calves

Hey, hi, happy Sunday!
Did you have a great 4th of July celebration?

 

Ours was great, very low key.  Family grilling out and playing corn hole...that's what it's all about.
Oh, and apple pie.

 

Nothing says Amurica like corn hole and apple pie, savvy?

One thing is for sure, it's hotttttt out.
You know what a great example of 'humidity' is?
Letmetellyou...humidity is when it rains on a Thursday, then doesn't rain for 2 days BUT there are still puddles on the ground.
THAT, friends and neighbors is humidity.

I have had to really up my water intake, because we all know the 6 liters/day isn't gonna cut it.
I now start the day with 1.5 liters, which I'm pretty sure I sweat out by 6am.
Hydration is key.

I finally got 13 homeless calves in hutches,I still have 5 who need homes and 2 just born today.
That brings me to a grand total of 31 calves on milk...Ideserveamedal.

By the by, you know what happens when you allow calves to be raised by a cow, with freedom to roam about in the barn as they please?
Have you ever read Lord of The Flies?
It's just like that, except they don't wear loin cloths, kill each other or become cannibals.
Other than that, it's very similar.

I am convinced these calves practice for the Olympic hurdles at night because it's dadgum impossible to keep them in their hutches.
Today is the first day I haven't been greeted by 3 bandits when I have gone to feed.

You know what else I deserve a medal for?
Converting Chuck to the dark side.
By 'dark side' I mean going to bed when it's still light out.
That doesn't make us old does it?
I mean, we aren't hitting up the Early Bird Special at the Picadilly cafe or anything, but we are in bed by 9.
It's awesome.

He is now on day shift so he has to get up when I do...imagine that!
That hour does exist!
Granted he does it for 4 then off 3, but still we are kinda on the same schedule.
I like it.

I now have more time to force him to spend with me, which opens up a whole new box of witty comments.
I'm dipping into the auxiliary sarcasm reserves!

It does help that he is working during the day now, because on the days I don't go to the gym I hit the trail in Maryville and run....during the hottest part of the day.
...I hear ya.

I have taken to texting him things like;
"Pink shorts and black tank top"
"If I am not back in 32 minutes I'M DEAD"

Speaking of....a girl, or lady I should say, was killed this past week when a tree fell on her.
She had the SAME NAME AS ME.
I won't lie, it weirded me out especially when I got textesesses, calls and messages.
I felt bad for her family and what they had to be going through...what a tragedy.

Maybe this is bad, and I shouldn't say it, but the calls and messages reminded me of how lucky I am.
To know, and have been able to know so many people from every stage of my life and to have a few of them send me a message to tell me they were "glad I was OK".
That touched me.
While I pray that the other Rachaels' soul is at peace, this Rachael is gonna take a few steps back, look around, and say....
"Thank you".

Love,
EverPerspiringCowLady

Whoopie!

Hi!
So it's the 4th of July and I am sure you have a fun-filled day of pooling, lakeing, grilling, drinking, or maybe just chilling in store for you.
I'm pretty excited for ya...for real.
No, I am!

I think after I tell you about my plans, you will be jealous, and that's OK.
I mean, you shouldn't be jealous, but it's understandable.

What am I doing today?
I'msogladyouasked....

Remember those 14 calves I told you about?
You know, the 14 I have with 5 mommas in the calving barn to save them from the triple digit heat?
Yeah.  They are going into hutches today.
It's only supposed to be 95-ish, which Skip Eddie informed me was a "cool down".
But really there's no more room at the inn and, due to the growing number of babies, there's some baby confusion.

I spent a good party of yesterday readying the gravel pad upon which the hutches will sit...that is, when I wasn't equine-vetting.
Yeah. 
Equine. Vetting.

Remember when Gus, Chuck's faithful stead, tried to commit suicide by slitting his heel above his hoof on the barbed wire fence?
He done did it again.
Yup.

This time he isn't limping, however he cut an E-normous chunk on the side so that it's kinda hangin' on, kinda not.
Time for Dr. Ishouldhavebeenavet to bust out her wrap, topical medication and antibiotics.
Because I need something else to take care of.

I think we need an intervention...Gus somebody has issues.

Today will be filled with blood, sweat and chasing baby calves around.
Just the way I like it.

Oh, but Chuck's manning the grill tonight and I made these bad boys for dessert...

Red white and blue whoopie pies!
Whoopie!

Red velvet cakes, with cream cheese buttercream in the center and some blue sanding sugar around the edges.

It is Independence Day after all :).

       " We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

God Bless America.

Love,
ProudAmericanCowLady