Good Sister, Good Books

My sister recently gave me a pile of books. I love to go to the library and check out new authors, old favorites, and do-it-yourself type stuff. My sister enjoys the same, except she buys hers from the bookstore. Very convenient for me!

Last time she brought books she got me hooked on Picoult. Good stuff. Although the twist at the end of Nineteen Minutes was a little... disturbing, I really enjoyed My Sister's Keeper. Actually, I cried through the whole thing.

The time before that she sent me Twilight. I nearly drove to Columbia just to get the next two volumes.

So, as you can see, she rarely steers me wrong.

In this stack where two books by Mitch Albom. The first is entitled One More Day, and was good. It was better after I finished it, though, if you know what I mean. The second is Tuesdays with Morrie. I had, of course, heard of the novel, but never checked it out. My mistake! I loved it! I will admit that I am not in the category of people who claimed it changed their lives (like the ones on the first page of the book), but it is certainly worth your time. It has inspired me to think less of what the world expects, and more about how I can really matter to others.

So, maybe I should take back my previous statement. I guess it sounds as if it has changed me, after all.

Today

The little guy woke up a bit early today, which, at first, seems like a bad thing. But THEN, Brian said he'd take little guy with him. For two truck rides!

So I made breakfast, packed lunch, dressed him in his farm "workin'" clothes and sent him out the door.

Whoo Hoo!

I worked out and never paused the DVD. I showered till the hot water was almost gone. I ate my breakfast on the couch while reading a book. I cleaned both bathrooms and never told anyone not to touch the toilet bowl brush or stop eating bathroom cleaner. And now I am on the computer with only one person in the chair.

The only problem is I keep startling every time I think I hear something coming from the little guy's room.

When he leaves for college, do you suppose I'll get used to it?

My Truck

This summer Brian had the opportunity to purchase another Dodge diesel. Since we already own one, as well as a restored ’86 Chevy, he had a little… convincing to do before I was ready to accept this addition to the farm. The talk turned to the fact that it would be my pick-up. I could use it to take meals to the field and save wear and tear on my car. Seeing as how he was going to buy the truck whether I liked it or not, I figured this was my best deal and I took it.

Don’t know why I bothered.

To date I believe I have used the truck three times. Once to garage sale in (I was looking for equipment for Sunday School), and twice to drive my tables and scrapbook paraphernalia to the Fall Festivals. I have yet to have it at my disposal for driving meals to the field, helping to move equipment, or anything else I was promised. My car, however, still has a nice fall display of corn stocks wedged in the front bumper.

I’ve still got my fingers crossed though. It needs a new paint job.

Maybe I’ll get to pick out the color.

January

What exactly is it that farmers do in the winter? I'm often asked this question; I think people expect me to say something like, 'it's our slow season, Brian doesn't do much.' Which shows me that the average American truly is removed from the farm, like statistics tell us.

Yesterday hubby got up at 6:00 AM to haul soybeans to the Processor. He was able to fill the semi from our grain bins (see pic), drive to KC, wait in long lines, unload beans, and drive back again twice. Lots of times he tries to get three loads delivered in a day, but yesterday he had to help haul hay for the cows as well. He got back at 7:00 PM. And that, my friends, is the slow season.

Depending on what grain he is moving, sometimes he gets a Saturday off. Or, at least, a half day. This is the biggest difference in our family between harvest or planting and winter or late summer.

That, and the little guy can ride in the semi-- no problems.

Maybe winter will turn out to be my slow season!

Confession #2

Okay, I'll admit it. I signed up for a Facebook account. That should bring my total number of hours on the computer up to about eight. Per day.

But I couldn't help it. Brian has had an account for almost a year now. He keeps up with friends from college, from camp, from church, even work (and he sees them everyday...). We contacted camp counselors by looking them up and posting wall-to-wall requests for them to come. He finds out all kinds of information before I do. AND... he gets to look at flair whenever he wants to.

And, that, my friends, was the cherry on top.

I love flair.

Oh, and friends. Yes. I love friends. And family. Yup.

And flair.

So, I can't write anymore right now. Its been almost 12 hours since I read through the top 21 pages of flair buttons. I'm going to Facebook now...

Travel

It is always the phones. In December we took our son to the Lake of the Ozarks. Big hotel, indoor pool, but what does he want? The phone. We had to disconnect it within three minutes of check-in, for fear we'd be charged a call to Taiwan.

And this week! Another conference, another hotel, another indoor pool. But our little guy... sigh. He wanted the phone.

I guess we could just save a lot of money and stay at home this summer. We could buy a new phone.

F.R.M.S.

Today we leave for a conference. Farm Risk Management Services is our crop insurance company. Each winter they host select clients to attend seminars by marketing experts, insurance lobbyists, farm radio show hosts, and talented speakers. It's at a nice hotel in Kansas City and they cover meals-- what more could you ask for? Brian will learn bunches and little guy and I will swim often. Lots of good times and all because we are such good clients.

Or because Brian's brother is our insurance agent.

Whichever.

Oops...

Yesterday my hubby calls and wants to know if I can look some information up for him.

Sure.

So I get out the binder labeled "Marshall Farms" and find the page dedicated to '09 January Beans. Then I read the list of contracts off to Brian. And read them again.

"Hummm," hubby says. "I don't have that big contract. Whats the price?"

I read the contract price off-- the second best price he sold grain for all month.

"I don't have that one. I'll have to call Cargill."

An hour or so later I get another phone call. Am I sure that's what the binder says? Is that really the price? Cargill can't find it anywhere. In fact, they have no record of any contract for that much grain; for that high of a price.

I double check the binder-- nothing has changed.

So last night Brian went through every piece of paper on his desk. He never found a contract. Apparently when he spoke on the phone to create this contract he wrote it down, but Cargill never did. And that was like a year ago, so there is no way to prove he talked to someone. Especially since that employee no longer works there (and now we know why...).

Even better is that Cargill is overflowing with beans. They don't want the grain they already contracted for. So even if he could sell beans for anywhere near that good of a price (he can't) he would also have to get Cargill to let him deliver them in January (they won't).

Needless to say, I have a very upset husband.

The big sigh of relief here is that I had nothing to do with it.

Finally

It has finally happened-- a moment I had begun to dispare would ever come to pass. Harvest. Is. Over.

!!!%*M$YY**#!!!!

Roughly translated that means I'm happy.

The beans are in the bin, the corn is completely picked, and the combines are even in their sheds. Over, over, over!

No more meals in the field! Brian comes home at night! I actually get to see him in the morning! He tucks the little guy in with me! He can even babysit at home! Stress, pressure, worry, gone!

At least for a few months.

Planting starts in March.

Sharing Christmas

I've been busy this last week organizing, arranging, and printing all of my photos from 2008 (see Designs of Mine: Done!) and now, last but not least, I've finished the slideshow for posting!

I hope you all had a wonderful Holiday Season!

Good Intentions

Well, everybody is doing it, so I guess you could say I've given in to peer pressure, but regardless, I'm printing up goals for 2009. And no, jumping off a cliff along with everyone else is not one of them.

First there is the usual:
Organize and clean several areas of my house
Workout four days a week
Add more veggies to our evening meal

And then there are the unusual:
Finish reading "When All Plans Fail" and create an emergency plan for my family
Finish reading "Fit for the Kingdom" and make more nutritious meals
Keep a tighter watch on my budget and the farm's

Mix in the more personal:
Schedule more Scripture reading time
Keep family scrapbooks up to date

And the child training:
Be consistent about stopping that back-talk noise
Brush his teeth twice a day
Schedule more play dates
Read Bible stories before bed each night

So there you have it. Goals, resolutions, plans, and good intentions. Published on the Internet now for all the world to see. You'll keep me on track, right?