SSDreamin Blessings and curses

[Denim Deb]

Think we've all been there. Hope you're feeling better.

 

[SSDreamin]

Today I'm feeling some better. I ate a light dinner last night and it stayed put, so
Somehow, when I milked Ice Cream yesterday, I lost the itty bitty, weird sized rubber gasket to the milker. Crawling around on the barn floor, the washroom floor, and hunting turned up nothing. Can you say needle/haystack?! This morning, I tried to 'rig' it with a piece of yarn. Epic fail! Switched to the hand pump. Wouldn't work. Finally hand milked. Gave up when both of us ran out of patience! Put Flank in there to finish up for me. Now, I need to figure something out to rig it up for tomorrow. I wonder if a thin bead of silicone would be flexible enough to slide the lock cup over it, yet still keep a seal? Then, there's the concern of it coming off if I locate replacement seals? Hmmm...
Finished waxing the wheel of cheese yesterday, just in time to make another batch today. I've been thinking I might can up some milk too - for cooking once she tapers off or when we dry her off. We drink a LOT of milk but, even with her issues, Ice Cream provides 7 gallons/week, more than we can drink!
I am really surprised at all the changes in the remaining animals since we butchered chickens and sent Ferdi to freezer camp. The barn is so peaceful and quiet. The neighbor's dog hardly ever barks. The horses go in their run in a lot more often (I thought it was the noise of the rain on the roof that kept them out, but they must've disliked Ferdi's beating on the barn/posts/gates). The chickens that are left seem very calm and happy - they aren't skiddish and have been laying more. The ducks have been moved to the meatie hutch, and seem very happy with the extra space. Guess I didn't realize what a ruckus Ferdi was making, or how mean the old biddies were being.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Oh no.... so sorry about the gasket. I'll bet silicone would work...and it's usually not that hard to pull off of something... maybe... Anyway - good luck with that.

 

[hqueen13]

I always say a prayer to St Anthony when I lose something and I almost always find it! I hope you do!
So glad everything is peaceful now!

 

[SSDreamin]

DH flipped out when I mentioned silicone, so we went with rubber bands. Works, but not great. I found the 'motor' portion online, hunted for replacement gaskets, and they don't sell them!! WHY?!! Weird. I ended up buying a replacement 'motor' - guess that's why they don't sell gaskets: They make a LOT more money forcing people to buy the whole unit

 

[Britesea]

Aanndd now, you'll find the missing piece.

 

[Marianne]

That's the truth around here, anyway!

 

[Denim Deb]

That's the way it is w/most things. I had an electric chainsaw that I loved! Had some stupid little part break on it, and you can't find that piece.

 

[SSDreamin]

DH took the gasket from the new motor unit to our local hardware (love that place - family owned, super nice people) and found one that works - so he bought 10!

I had been spending time working with the horses. We found a treat April loved, to use for clicker training. Alfalfa cubes. I had Jim greeting me at the gate, playing 'touch the ball' and becoming comfortable with being 'caught'. He has really started to trust me much more - he even laid his head on me while I curried him, and let me give him a hug the other day!! Yay!
April was really learning - I had taught her walk on, whoa, gee, haw, touch the ball, follow the ball, back, stand for lead. She was doing great - then, colic. I can only guess, but am pretty sure it was the cubes. She's doing better, but still not back to 100%. Back to the drawing board for treats.

Ice Cream is doing good. DH seems upset that she behaves/milks out better for me. I sing and hum hymns while I milk her - she likes it, what can I say?! Flank has taken to training quite well, although was messed up a bit. He will lift his feet to have them checked, ONLY if his lead is on! No lead, no patience! He's eating hay/calf starter + calf manna very well now. DS#2 gets upset because he (Flank) runs over to me for lovin's but backs away from DS - I once again explained that I am in there with him, at least three times a day, every day. I work with him every day. I don't just show up once in a while and expect him to interact. DS#2 doesn't seem to grasp the concept of building trust with an animal. He thinks that, because all the animals trust me, they should trust him. When I tell him that he must WORK to establish trust, on his own, with each animal - which means daily interaction - his teenaged mind seems to fog over!

I tried canning milk. Epic fail. Will try again, some other time. I'm just too busy right now.

Spending some time OFF the 'farm'. I'm going to visit my brother today - he just had back surgery. Saturday, I'm going down to where we used to live - our old neighbors are having a 50th anniversary party and I wouldn't miss it for the world! This past Tuesday, we had to go to my DH's Uncle's funeral.
On an 'up' note from that, after hearing the preacher who spoke at his Uncle's service, DH said he'd be interested in going 'some Sunday' to hear him preach!! We have been to his church once before, for a music concert. I am very glad to hear DH say that - he struggled after DS#1's accident too, and has - up until then - flat out refused to attend any church, for any reason! He said he liked that this preacher spoke to you, not at you, and used examples from his own life to show everybody falls short. We may go this coming Sunday!

 

[Denim Deb]

That sound hopeful!

As for the colic, has she been drinking enough water? Stormy doesn't always drink enough when the weather is crazy, then he ends up colicking.