I can’t believe Spring Break is almost over. Wednesday, we went out to Clear Lake to mow, plant some plants and fix some little things. We were actually pretty successful. I have a request out for kids to mow on a weekly basis. It will be cheaper in the long run than going down there every week. We got home pretty late, though.
Yesterday, I got up and rode Sarge again. He did pretty good and I worked him into a lope. He still fidgets a bit when I first get on, but he’s getting better. It is also a bit of a production getting him saddled. He shied away from me at one point and I didn’t have him tied. I had to follow him around a bit to get close enough to grab the reins, but he never ran away from me. This is only going to work out if I ride him a lot more frequently than I do. I will probably start feeding in the afternoon and riding after work.
Mike and Shannon and their kids came in Wednesday night even later than us. We finally got started on our project around lunch time and then Nathan and Denise and their crew came in. (These are all cousins from Austin area, for those of you who don’t recognize the names). We had six kids from ages infant to 14. We put them to work and they did good, but our crew kept getting smaller. In the army, we have learned that you can’t get a lot done on a travel day, which was what this was for a lot of people. Furthermore, those of us that didn’t travel got in pretty late the night before.
Our project is to clean up the area around the horse barn. There are stacks of old tin and usable tin; old wood and salvageable wood; brush, metal, and a huge cattle guard with trees growing through it. There is also a giant tree that has been down since hurricane Rita. It is astonishing how fast progress can be made when you have a lot of people. It is also astonishing what happens when you get a bunch of smart engineers on a problem.
The burn ban is still in effect and I expect it will be indefinitely. The rule is that you can burn stuff as long as the fire is covered so sparks don’t fly out. Nathan and Mike had the idea and constructed a burn box. They put some t-posts in, wired some tin to it, and laid some tin on top with one tin up at an angle facing the wind. This should meet the law’s requirements and we should be able to burn brush in it. We are testing it out today. Of course, a picture will be posted of it in use. My only stipulation on its construction was that it be not too close to the house, but close enough to be reached by the water hose. That could prove important.
The puppies are still a delight. I will miss them when they are gone, but they must be gone. Put the word out! They are still in the cute phase. I am positive that they were indoor dogs at one time because they are almost completely house broken. Whenever we take them outside, the first thing they do is go to the bathroom. In a week, they have only gone to the bathroom in the house about four times and that is only because we have been forced to leave them inside for extended periods. So, take the puppies. It is becoming part of our greeting to people. “Hello, I’m Jason, this is my wife, Anna. Are you interested in a house in Clear Lake or some puppies?” We are thinking about throwing them into the yard and making the whole thing a package deal. You want the puppies, you have to buy the house. You want the house, the puppies will be in the yard after you close.
Dad is coming in today and bringing the flat bed. We will be hauling off some heavy old farm equipment, but I will probably keep the cousins on the same job they were doing yesterday. I’ll let you know.
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