WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES ...

Midnight
56 degrees F

7 AM
19 degrees F

Don't you love Illinois weather?

Thanks to Steve for his weather site at Marshall,Illinois

http://www.ai9t.com/weather.html

Daddy's Hands

If there was any song I would wish someone could sing at Dad's funeral, this is it. But I don't know I could stand to hear it right now.

Daddy's Hands by Holly Dunn

Hear it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Q_E6pUwySg

I remember Daddy´s hands, folded silently in prayer.
And reaching out to hold me, when I had a nightmare.
You could read quite a story, in the callouses and lines.
Years of work and worry had left their mark behind.
I remember Daddy´s hands, how they held my Mama tight,
And patted my back, for something done right.
There are things that I´ve forgotten, that I loved about the man,
But I´ll always remember the love in Daddy´s hands.

Daddy's hands were soft and kind when I was cryin´.
Daddy´s hands, were hard as steel when I´d done wrong.
Daddy´s hands, weren´t always gentle
But I´ve come to understand.
There was always love in Daddy´s hands.

I remember Daddy´s hands, working 'til they bled.
Sacrificed unselfishly, just to keep us all fed.
If I could do things over, I´d live my life again.
And never take for granted the love in Daddy´s hands.

Daddy's hands were soft and kind when I was cryin´.
Daddy´s hands, were hard as steel when I´d done wrong.
Daddy´s hands, weren´t always gentle
But I´ve come to understand.
There was always love in Daddy´s hands.

Daddy's hands were soft and kind when I was cryin´.
Daddy´s hands, were hard as steel when I´d done wrong.
Daddy´s hands, weren´t always gentle
But I´ve come to understand.
There was always love .....
In Daddy´s hands.

Richard C Bumpus

We lost Dad Saturday night about 10:45 PM. I kind of browsed my digital photos of Dad. and this one of him talking to Danny Gard seems the most natural. It's probably not a real good picture, but it really was Dad ...

edit: Rather than start a new post I'l just add to this one

I got this mail:

"Mike, what is going on?? I'm drawing conclusions that I don't want too so I must have missed something in the past few weeks. "

Well, I have a little time so I'll give the long version. Dad is one of those people who never had a hobby. He farmed. From when he was in grade school until just the last few months Dad farmed. 5 years ago this fall we were working on a culvert in a field entrance and when he (a young 69 year old) bent over to pick up a log chain he almost passed out. We convinced him to go to the doctor. He was anemic and some tests didn't look right. A colonoscopy discovered polyps in his colon. Further testing showed them to be malignant and a kidney was involved. More testing got the Dr's really concerned. It seems the cancer was advancing toward the heart.

Quickly they scheduled surgery to remove one kidney and all the cancer they could. Testing showed this to be a kind that did not respond to any chemo at the time. Hopefully they got it all, because if not there was nothing much to do about it. After he recovered enough from that surgery they worked on the colon. It was found the cancer was too close to the anus to reattach, so they did a colonostomy.

The next year a retired neighbor helped me on the farm, which was great. I'm a lousy boss. If I have to tell you do this and then do that and then do something else ... I'd just as soon do it myself. Dale had been a farmer so I could say "we need to do this..." and turn him loose. If he saw something needing done he did it. The fall of the second year my son-in-law came to be a part of the farm. Which worked out well because Dale had taken to driving a school bus and just loves it. Just like Dale, I didn't have to boss, just point him in the direction. Dad recovered, but was never as strong as before. He did some field work, but did not spend all days in the tractor. He helped, and when he got tired he went home.

I'm going to skip to more recently. A year ago next Wednesday tests showed the cancer was back. However, there was now a new experimental drug that was supposed to be effective. It was "only" $46 a pill and you took 4 a day. Fortunately Dad qualified for a clinical trial that got the meds for a LOT less.

We noticed a change in Dad all through November. He was cold all the time, less active. The last half of the month he lost his appetite, had trouble keeping food down, just quickly declining. He developed a cough, and one day commented something had popped in his side. He suspected it was an old hernia. But we could not get him to have it seen about.

For Thanksgiving he said all he wanted was a few mashed potatoes and some noodles. We got one of his favorite cooks from the local restaurant to fix him some. He ate a couple bites of mashed potatoes and 3 bites of noodles. And they didn't stay down. Last Monday Mom got him to step on a scales and he weighed 138 pounds.

Mom finally called Doc Steve (Steve is a GP MD who was raised across the field from Mom and Dad). He told Mom just by how she described Dad's condition it sounded like an infection, but he really needed to be in the hospital. I got the local ambulance to quietly come get him and we took him to the hospital.

His diagnosis was there was a leak between one lung and the chest cavity, he had an infection, and his kidney was not functioning well. By mid week it became apparent he was not strong enough for the surgery. Also his blood pressure was too low and his blood was too thin for dialysis. The final outcome was pretty much assured. We all discussed his condition and his wishes and Mom signed a DNR form with the sons all agreeing to it.

He declined rapidly. From Friday morning, when his condition gave a glimmer of hope he might recover, to late Saturday evening when we lost him, was a quick and sudden slide. We had just late Saturday signed the papers for hospice to take over his care. I'm not sure anyone from hospice but his admitting nurse even saw him.

In retrospect it seems like sometimes you want to be careful what you pray for because you might just get it. I watched a couple other guys go through a long drawn out slow decline to the end and have to admit praying that Dad be spared that suffering. It also comes down to whether you actually believe all this faith stuff you've been talking about all your life. If I really believe it, why am I delaying Dad getting there?

So it has been a tough week. Actually a rather challenging 5 years. And for the first time I am facing a Spring with no safety net. It was just over 3 years ago Dad's Dad passed away. Now this. We all know this time will come ... but it doesn't make it any easier.

Oh! Arrangements:
Visitation Monday 5-7 PM
Funeral Tuesday 10:00
all at Prust-Hosch

update from the hospital

Things are not looking good. Dad has a leak between his lung and chest cavity, his kidney is not working properly, and his blood is so thin and blood pressure so low that neither surgery nor dialysis are possible.

That's all for now

From the hospital ... Mike

Rough week

It's been a rough week so far and not looking any better right now. We took Dad to the hospital Monday. He was unable to keep food down, was losing strength, etc. They diagnosed a problem with one lung, poor performance by the kidney, etc.

More when I know more

Mike

We're Done!

One of our goals for years and years has been to finish fall tillage before the start of shotgun deer season. We did it! I finished plowing yesterday and Aman and I put the plows in the shed today. We still have to put everything else away, but we are done.

The rumor mill says the Illinois 1 Restaurant has been sold. It's sorta accurate. I spoke with the potential buyer this evening. They have reached a deal, but the financing is not fully arranged yet. So It is sold ... sort of.

I need to get the camera out and take a few new pictures to post on here. My phone camera is OK, but not that good. So, if you don't have good photos at least have good subjects, right?

Plowing

I really need to be out the door, but thought I'd post a couple plowing photos taken with my cell phone camera. I remember Dad buying this plow new in 1975. I've dragged this thing around for 33 years.

Gotta run. More later

We're Done!

I should have posted this earlier this week, but it has still been a bit hectic. We finished harvest Monday...finally. Here is Aman working in the last field, just before sundown.

Here is a photo I found on my camera I had forgotten about. It's Dad disking with the big tractor during wheat planting. Thought we would never see that again. He didn't stay in very long, though

Oh, and last Friday Dorothy and associates stopped by for a minute

Some places I go

I thought I would pause to invite you to a few other places, some blogs, forums, web sites I visit frequently.

Dale Kimberly is a preacher in Payson, Arizona. The more I read of his writings the more I think "I could have said that!" Except he does a much better job. Visit his blog at http://onedaysoon.blog.com/ or visit the church web site at http://www.paysonchurchofchrist.com/

Old Dad is how Scott Gamel is often referred to. In the early days of CompuServe bulletin boards and UseNet newsgroups, he was "Theo Logix." Eventually, Scott decided that name was cheesy and cumbersome, so he set out to find a new one. When his wife got pregnant with their first child, they were a little bit older than the other first time parents in childbirth classes. Scott was known as the "old dad", and it kind of stuck. Visit his blog at http://fiercegrace.wordpress.com/

One of the problems doing this is I get side-tracked so easily. I've been 2 hours so far writing this! I decided maybe while I was doing this I should update my cheat sheet. Yeah, now I have to stop and explain that.

WAY back when, when I first got started in sales, I started a notebook with a page for each contact. I was dealing with farmers, so I would enter name, address, directions, wife and kids names, dog's name (very important!), kind of tractor they had, etc. It made me look good to quickly review all that before pulling into a place I hadn't been in 6 months.

I started a similar thing with the online forums I am on. I have one for NewAgTalk, Community of Faith, etc. The biggest trouble is keeping them current. So I am doing that while doing this.

I wanted to put a link to Mic's blog, but it appears his addesss has been hijacked. When I click it I get a couple seconds of his blog then a page of links that ... well, I don't think a preacher would prefer them. Cautiously try http://micmarshall.blogspot.com/

Brian has a blog at http://viewfrompleasanthill.wordpress.com/ It's one of those you read and go "Oh .. I don't think I could handle all that" For instance on Oct 3 he wrote"On August 29. I had another stroke, which has kept me down since. In the interim, my wife has been diagnosed with a tumor on her eye , which wil be removed and biopsied on October 6"

Bob Warren has a blog at http://insipidgarbage.wordpress.com/ Oh, and he posted a link to his friend Norm's blog at http://remarkablycalm.wordpress.com Well worth the read.

Well, I've blown 2 hours on this and still not near done. Here are couple forums I frequent:

http://talk.newagtalk.com This is a farm forum, one of the biggest going. Supported entirely by donations, no advertising, no corporate sponsorship, no graphics. If Mike SE IL, or Flatlander, or Chris SE IL, or bmac, or BobTN or any of several folks seem familiar ... probably a good reason.

I am on the Community of Faith Forums ( http://christiansonly.proboards77.com ) a lot. You can be too ... eventually. It is a limited access forum. If you don't register you don't post.

Of course, there is the church web site. www.wucc.us

And I'm on the Tribune Star forums frequently http://community.cnhi.com/groupee/forums/a/cfrm/f/7371021 It's probably the most diverse of any I post on.

Well, that is plenty for now. I still have to go clean up my cheat sheets a little.

Why I can't vote for Mr Obama

As many of you know, I've been struggling with this election. I am not comfortable with either Presidential candidate. I got this email, and after looking at what Snopes.com says about it, it appears legitimate. It says what I am feeling better than my own words do.

Huntley Brown is a concert pianist, a man of God and a black man. I was unfamiliar with him until I received this, so I did a search on him. Very interesting man, extremely talented musician. Go to his web site http://www.huntleybrown.com/ and view the video. I have seen some fantastic pianists, but never anyone who could play a piano like this man!

Snopes asked Mr. Brown if the email was indeed legitimate. In his response he said it was, and made this comment:

"I have problems with both candidates, but the differences I have with Senator Mccain are pale in comparison with the ones I have with Senator Obama"

That pretty much sums up my feelings. This election I feel it is a choice between not so good and not any better.

Why I Can't Vote For Obama
By Huntley Brown

Dear Friends, A few months ago I was asked for my perspective on Obama, I sent out an email with a few points. With the election just around the corner I decided to complete my perspective. Those of you on my e-list have seen some of this before but it's worth repeating...

First I must say whoever wins the election will have my prayer support. Obama needs to be commended for his accomplishments but I need to explain why I will not be voting for him.

Many of my friends process their identity through their blackness. I process my identity through Christ. Being a Christian (a Christ follower) means He leads I follow. I can't dictate the terms He does because He is the leader.

I can't vote black because I am black; I have to vote Christian because that's who I am. Christian first, black second. Neither should anyone from the other ethnic groups vote because of ethnicity. 200 years from now I won't be asked if I was black or white. I will be asked if I knew Jesus and accepted Him as Lord and Savior.

In an election there are many issues to consider but when a society gets abortion, same-sex marriage, embryonic stem-cell research, human cloning to name a few, wrong economic concerns will soon not matter.

We need to follow Martin Luther King's words, don't judge someone by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I don't know Obama so all I can go off is his voting record. His voting record earned him the title of the most liberal senator in the US Senate in 2007.

NATIONAL JOURNAL: Obama: Most Liberal Senator in 2007 (01/31/2008)

To beat Ted Kennedy and Hillary Clinton as the most liberal senator, takes some doing. Obama accomplished this feat in 2 short years. I wonder what would happen to America if he had four years to work with.

There is a reason Planned Parenthood gives him a 100% rating. There is a reason the homosexual community supports him. There is a reason Ahmadinejad, Chavez, Castro, Hamas etc. love him. There is a reason he said he would nominate liberal judges to the Supreme Court. There is a reason he voted against the infanticide bill. There is a reason he voted No on the constitutional ban of same-sex marriage. There is a reason he voted No on banning partial birth abortion. There is a reason he voted No on confirming Justices Roberts and Alito. These two judges are conservatives and they have since overturned partial birth abortion. The same practice Obama wanted to continue.

Let's take a look at the practice he wanted to continue

The 5 Step Partial Birth Abortion procedures:

A. Guided by ultrasound, the abortionist grabs the baby's leg with forceps. (Remember this is a live baby)
B. The baby's leg is pulled out into the birth canal.
C. The abortionist delivers the baby's entire body, except for the head.
D. The abortionist jams scissors into the baby's skull. The scissors are then opened to enlarge the hole.
E. The scissors are removed and a suction catheter is inserted. The child's brains are sucked out, causing the skull to collapse. The dead baby is then removed.

God help him. There is a reason Obama opposed the parental notification law.

Think about this: You can't give a kid an aspirin without parental notification but that same kid can have an abortion without parental notification. This is insane.

There is a reason he went to Jeremiah Wright's church for 20 years.

Obama tells us he has good judgment but he sat under Jeremiah Wright teaching for 20 years. Now he is condemning Wright's sermons. I wonder why now?

Obama said Jeremiah Wright led him to the Lord and discipled him. A disciple is one in training. Jesus told us in Matthew 28:19 - 20 "Go and make disciples of all nations." This means reproduce yourself. Teach people to think like you, walk like you; talk like you believe what you believe etc. The question I have is what did Jeremiah Wright teach him?

Would you support a White President who went to a church which has tenets that said they have a ...

1. Commitment to the White Community
2. Commitment to the White Family
3. Adherence to the White Work Ethic
4. Pledge to make the fruits of all developing and acquired skills available to the White Community.
5. Pledge to Allocate Regularly, a Portion of Personal Resources for Strengthening and Supporting White Institutions
6. Pledge allegiance to all White leadership who espouse and embrace the White Value System
7. Personal commitment to embracement of the White Value System.

Would you support a President who went to a church like that?

Just change the word from white to black and you have the tenets of Obama's former church. If President Bush was a member of a church like this, he would be called a racist. Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton would have been marching outside.

This kind of church is a racist church. Obama did not wake up after 20 years and just discovered he went to a racist church. The church can't be about race. Jesus did not come for any particular race. He came for the whole world.

A church can't have a value system based on race. The churches value system has to be based on biblical mandate. It does not matter if itʼs a white church or a black church it's still wrong. Anyone from either race that attends a church like this would never get my vote.

Obama's former Pastor Jeremiah Wright is a disciple of liberal theologian James Cone, author of the 1970 book A Black Theology of Liberation. Cone once wrote: "Black theology refuses to accept a God who is not identified totally with the goals of the black community. If God is not for us and against white people, then he is a murderer, and we had better kill him.

Cone is the man Obama's mentor looks up to. Does Obama believe this?

So what does all this mean for the nation?

In the past when the Lord brought someone with the beliefs of Obama to lead a nation it meant one thing - judgment.

Read 1 Samuel 8 when Israel asked for a king. First God says in 1 Samuel 1:9 "Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do."

Then God says

1 Samuel 1:18 " When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day." 19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king over us. 20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles." 21 When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the LORD. 22 The LORD answered, "Listen to them and give them a king."

Here is what we know for sure.

God is not schizophrenic

He would not tell one person to vote for Obama and one to vote for McCain. As the scripture says, a city divided against itself cannot stand, so obviously many people are not hearing from God.

Maybe I am the one not hearing but I know God does not change and Obama contradicts many things I read in scripture so I doubt it.

For all my friends who are voting for Obama can you really look God in the face and say; Father based on your word, I am voting for Obama even though I know he will continue the genocidal practice of partial birth abortion. He might have to nominate three or four Supreme Court justices, and I am sure he will be nominating liberal judges who will be making laws that are against you. I also know he will continue to push for homosexual rights, even though you destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for this. I know I can look the other way because of the economy.

I could not see Jesus agreeing with many of Obama's positions. Finally I have two questions for all my liberal friends.

Since we know someone's value system has to be placed on the nation,

1. Whose value system should be placed on the nation.

2. Who should determine that this is the right value system for the nation?

Blessings, Huntley Brown

Pass the Alka Seltzer

I keep telling myself Romans 8:28 still works. Maybe this fuzzy chart ( from http://quotes.ino.com/chart/?s=CBOT_S.X08&v=d1 ) will help explain.


September 24 beans were just over $12 on the CBOT. (Local cash price the 24th was $11.21) This afternoon they closed at $9.21 (The local elevator would not offer a cash price this afternoon. Can't blame them, since beans closed down 70 cents) {EDIT: The local cash price Tuesday morning was $8.75. That is a drop of $2.46 per bushel.} Down over $2 in 10 days. To put that in perspective, let's say I have 500 acres of beans averaging 50 bu/a (I like numbers I can do in my head). That would be a loss of income potential of $50,000 in 10 days. So there is no need to wonder why I am up doing this at midnight instead of sleeping. I'm not worried, Romans 8:28 still works (God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God) but I do get bothered a bit at times.

Let's think about something else. Back in March I took some photos of the old garage at the Prust place. Mill Creek is undercutting the building and there is not a whole lot that can be done. Here is one looking at the west side from the north


Looking at it from the south end of the building it looked like this

We were over there last week and the west wall had caved off. I decided it was a safety hazard and bumped it a time or two with the loader. Not hard, just a couple bumps. Here is a view from the north side looking along the west wall again taken September 30


I guess I should have asked the landowner first, but it looked like too much of a liability to leave. Some one could have been walking around inside looking at it when the thing gave way. Here is a view from the front. See how the roof is just hanging off on mid-air?


Oh well, I should try and get some sleep. It could be worse. Here is a photo I was sent by email last year.

Takes talent.

OK, so odd things interest me

BOY! this site is slow and sluggish this evening. I just about fell asleep waiting on it to load...oh yeah, id that earlier this week. Chair fell over backwards on my trash can, cut and bruised my hand, woke Sue up!

Anyway, here are qa couple shots of a big anthill I found in Gramp's yard.


It is about 3" high and 3" across.
Never saw any ants, though.

Did see some birds this week. Those white spots are long-legged white cranes setting in the trees.

This is about 600 feet away, which is about as close as I can get to them.

Got Lyman's pump house replaced this week
We have almost caught up with the dry soybeans. Becky has some photos on her web site.

Harvest has finally started

Today was the start of what promises to be a long fall. We started milo harvest. Last year we had been done for a couple weeks. Neighbors a mile north cut milo a couple days ago. Green bean harvest is supposed to start first of the week.

Isn't that pretty?

Just as a reminder, here is how the combine looked last year around this time...

Itty bitty school bus

Today was a momentous day. My grandson rode the school bus home. I know, sounds like an over enthusiastic grandpa. There is a lot more to the story.
David was born way too early. Like 1 pound 3 ounces earlyEverything has been a challenge for David. From eating (he still has a G-tube) to muscle coordination, which affects walking and talking. He bounces from being fearless to petrified by the feel of a new texture. In most social situations he is the little kid. Last year Mom took him to pre-school every day and went back and picked him up. And she did the same this year until today. Today she let him ride the Pre-school bus home. I guess David had a blast. Mom didn't meltdown, but came close. David enjoyed it so much he had to call Grandma and tell her about it.
Not that she understood what he said.

So much to talk about...

So much to talk about ... so little time. It's been a bit hectic recently. That is probably self-inflicted. We finished roofing the crib, We took down the car port and Lyman's irrigator pump house. I went to the dentist twice in less than a week (second time got in in 4 hours), cleaned wheat. And that is just up to Wednesday!

I mentioned the roof. Isn't this pretty?


The crib roof has leaked ever since we moved here. Aman and I worked on it years ago ... I think it was before he and Becky were married. Joe Riggs worked on it. I worked on it again. Always had a leak. This spring the wind damaged a major portion of it and insurance paid for some repairs, so we decided to re-roof the entire south side. We figured 2 - 2 1/2 days of work. We had to rip off the lower roof clear to the rafters and deck part of it. It took us over a week. Now, we are not professionals, and usually didn't get on the roof after late morning because it go too hot and risked damaging the shingles. But it was a lot longer than our schedules allowed. So that is all done but the cleanup.

We then took down Lyman's irrigator pump house
He is putting up a metal carport structure. It is a lot bigger than he needs, but it is what he wants.

Then we started on our carport. It was here when we moved here. Over the last year or so it has gotten "wobbly". Then we noticed the south west corner was lower than the rest of the structure. And it was more "wobbly" ... you could push on a post and shake the whole thing. We did a bit of estimating what it would cost to repair the structure. If the posts had not been surrounded with concrete it would not have been so difficult. By the time we built supporting walls and re-roofed it it made more sense to replace it. We ordered a new metal carport when we ordered Lyman's new pump house. Which means this one had to go. We stripped the aluminum siding off, cut a couple middle posts, and gave it a shove.


If you look closely I put red circles around the bottom of the posts on this side. It shows how badly the posts were rotted off.
"Course, now we have to clean this up too. Should be a roll-off dumpster here this morning.

Oh, I mentioned the dentist. I went last Tuesday for my semi-annual cleaning and checkup. No problem. A few days later Istarted to notice a bit of discomfort on the right side. Monday night it was bad enough I couldn't sleep Tuesday morning I gave up and called the dentist's office. I got in a 230, they looked. poked, prodded, took an X-ray, made me an appointment with the edontics doctor who did my root canal in '02 and gave me a prescription for penicillin. They aren't sure what the problem is, but penicillin and ibuprofen seem to be controlling it.

Aman and I cleaned wheat yesterday. Without Dad. That is a lot more significant than it sounds. The seed cleaner is dad's baby. This is the first time it has ever been used he was not the one running it. He was not involved at all. Once we got done and I sat and thought about it ... well, it was a bit difficult.

Anyway, better run.

About done roofing

With any luck we will finish the corn crib roof today. It is late May, correct? That was when I hoped to be done with it. Oh well, we did 3 roofs at dad's and this one. This one became a much bigger job than we anticipated. Now all I have to do is pick up all the ... I hesitate to use the word trash. Construction residue?

I'll try and post a photo later. Off to climb on the roof.

A A A D D

I got this in an email, and it has been forwarded so many times I have no idea who the original author is. It is way to true to be funny ...

A.A.A.D.D. - Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder.
This is how is manifests itself:

I decide to wash my car. As I start toward to the garage, I notice that there is mail on the hall table. I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car.

I lay my car keys down on the table, put the junk mail in the trash can under the table, and notice that the trash can is full.

So, I decide to put the bills back on the table and take out the trash first, but then I think that since I’m going to be near the mailbox when I take out the trash anyway, I may as well pay the bills first.

I take my checkbook off the table and see that there is only one check left. My extra checks are in my desk in the study, o I go to my desk where I find the can of Coke that I had been drinking. I’m going to look for my checks, but first I need to push the Coke aside so that I
don’t accidentally knock it over.

I see that the Coke is getting warm, and I decide I should put it in the refrigerator to keep it cold.

As I head toward the kitchen with the Coke, a vase of flowers on the counter catches my eye–they need to be watered.

I set the Coke down on the counter and I discover my reading glasses that I’ve been searching for all morning.

I decide I’d better put them back on my desk, but first I’m going to water the flowers.

I set the glasses back down on the counter, fill a container with water, and suddenly I spot the TV remote. Someone left it on the kitchen table.

I realize that tonight, when we go to watch TV, we will be looking for the remote, but nobody will remember that it’s on the kitchen table, so I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs, but first I’ll water the flowers.

I splash some water on the flowers, but most of it spills on the floor. So, I set the remote back down on the table, get some towels and wipe up the spill.

Then I head down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to do.

At the end of the day; the car isn’t washed, the bills aren’t paid, there is a warm can of Coke sitting on the counter, the flowers aren’t watered, there is still only one check in my checkbook,

I can’t find the remote, I can’t find my glasses, and I don’t remember what I did with the car keys.

Then, when I try to figure out why nothing got done today, I’m really baffled because I know I was busy all day long and I’m really tired. I realize this is a serious problem, and I’ll try to get some help for it, but first I’ll check my e-mail.

Do me a favor, will you? Forward this message to close friends you know, because I don’t remember to whom it has been sent.

Don’t laugh - if this isn’t you yet, your day is coming! And if I have sent this to you before….well, now you know why you’re getting it again.

It's been HOW long since I posted?

OK, so I've been lax. I'm still working on my June to-do list. We just got back from teh family reunion. It was some of the finest weather we have ever had there. Not too hot, not too cold (well ... maybe a bit cool but NOT cold). Mosquitoes were almost nonexistent.

Too many people had conflicts this year, but turnout was still not too bad. We had folks from Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. I'd posts photos but my camera died. I've tried new batteries and memory cards, nothing works. And I've been trying to think where I put the receipt and manual. Hope I find it, because it should be under warranty.

Well, I'm wornout, so I'll post this now and do more in the near future.

Anniversaries

Today is our 33rd anniversary. Last night I came home and told Sue "Let's do something impulsive. Change your clothes, pack 1 outfit, and let's go someplace tonight." So we did just that. Stopped by the new Lion's Den Restaurant in Marshall (they moved) for supper, then took off north. We ended up in Danville, Illinois. I know, not the romance capitol of the world. But we enjoyed it. Stayed the night, then wandered around Danville some. Interesting town. I'd kind of like to do some research and explore it properly some time. There is a lot more there than one might think. We went east and south. Drove through Covington, Veedersburg, Perrysville, Cayuga, all the big cities. Found a very nice little place to eat in Cayuga called the Covered Bridge Restaurant

I told Sue I wasn't sure we could eat there as we were not driving a van. I think there was a couple baseball teams there or something. Good food, a pie list to drive miles for. Including sugar free pineapple and sugar free lemon. Oh, and yucky Gooseberry as well as Rhubarb if you have lousy taste in pies.

Yesterday was also the third anniversary of my grandson David's coming home.

Jill said "So, the story just kind of stopped. Assuming it ended, or "all was good" or something." Sorry about that. I had to step away from the computer a little while so I just posted it and forgot to come back and polish it up. Here is a photo of David last week
God is good

What is your definition of a "better" life?

What is your definition of a "better" life? On a forum I frequent Kay asked that question. It is one I have been pondering, especially considering the year we have been having. After spending way too much time waxing philosophical (and no, it still doesn't shine) I define a better life as one just a little better than your parents had.

I really don't think I can accomplish it, especially if I throw in my grandparents. Both my grandfathers lived well into their 90's. They started with nothing and ended life with something to pass on to their kids.

I don't know much about what my mom's dad started with, other than I heard him make various comments over the years about not doing business with family. He worked hard all his life. He picked apples in a local ordhard until he was ... I think 88, at least 85. Not because he had to in order to survive, but because he enjoyed it and wanted to.

My dad's dad was raised poor. He commented one time he was 16 before he knew you could buy new nails. They always straightened and reused old ones. We never were sure if he was joking or not. We suspected not. His dad just never had the gift of financial success. He left home about 16 with little more than what he was wearing. Two of his brothers had moved north to south central Illinois to find work, and he went to that area and found work on a farm.

The first tractor he ever owned he paid for twice. They had saved the money for it, and between the time he ordered it and it came in the bank failed and lost it all. He was able to borrow the money from his in-laws to pay for it. When he died he owned almost 450 acres, had put 2 daughters through college, had another daughter married to a successful farmer, and seen his son be successful farming. He had enough cash (in more than one bank ... I think at one time he had money in at least 4 different ones) he didn't have to worry about paying his bills. Here he is standing in front of the old home place near Mt Vernon, Illinois


I've had an easy life compared to them. But when I look at what they accomplished and what my dad has accomplished, I have my doubts I will qualify as a financial success the way they did. Perhaps my success will be measured differently.
So what is your definition of a "better" life?

I've got no problems

Every time I get to feeling a bit blue about this year I get smacked up side of the head with the realization things are not so bad. 4th of July the local Fire Dept had a booth set up at the festivities at the Park. It was Dave's idea, so he ran with it, pretty much using the "Do It or Have It Done" philosophy.

I was there off and on, and met a couple young ladies who worked with his wife at McDonald's. One was a very nice red-headed young lady. She was there with a local church youth group setting up a booth. Sue and went to McD's over the weekend and she was working. Once it clicked who we were we talked a bit. The Marshall Ambulance had a run this evening I heard while I was putting a wagon in the shed. Woman had collapsed. Dave called me later in the evening. It was this girl's mom. The girl was feeling ill and stayed home from work. She took a nap and when she woke found her mom on the floor. She didn't make it.

I've got no problems.

Brother called. His son is home from the Army for a couple weeks. Because of some of Illinois' screwy Driver's Ed rules and his age and stuff He had never gotten a driver's license. He got his today. Brother said, well, let me copy an email he sent later:

He wrecked my truck tonight, HE IS OK !!!!!!!!!!......... Truck's not, it's toast, we had a hard rain tonight and he went threw a low spot and the truck hydroplaned, he was only going about 45 but ended down a ditch and hit some trees He has a sore leg, nothing broken ,one of the boys that was with him has some scratches from the glass and the other has some neck and back problems, It wasn't his fault , just one of those things that happens

I've got no problems

edit: Here are a few photos

David's Swallow Test

I don't know who reads this that might not be familiar with my oldest grandson, so a quick explanation then a copy of what his Mom wrote on her family blog page. David was born way early. He was 1 pound 3 ounces at birth. Yes, that caused a lot of difficulties. Here is a photo from early on in Riley's ICU.

But things are steadily improving. He is an active, healthy 3 year old.

He went for a test yesterday that should be another step toward his eating solid food. Here is Becky's post:

Thursday, July 3, 2008

David's Swallow Study!!!

David did his swallow study today. He did great! It was so cool to watch the video of him swallowing. It was a little scary looking through David's head. You could see his glasses and the little metal circles on the glasses strap. When Aman started feeding David he couldn't get any liquid out of the sippy so they took the stopper out of the sippy . The liquid went down with no problems. David kept pointing to himself and when he did you could see through his finger. He didn't want to eat but Aman got him to take a bite. When he got the food to the back of his mouth he kind of gagged on it. Stacey says he probably gagged because of the taste of the barium.

Stacey said to try thicker liquids like milk or V-8 Smoothies. Next week we are working on Sprite with orange juice, and ice cream.

OK, my patience is wearing thin ...

I finally got my internet service back today. We only had 65 messages to download. 21 were from the same person ... I have had to set up a filter to put email from him in a separate folder. Do not be surprised if I change ISP's the next week or so. If I do the cell1net.net address will at some point fail to work. The ARRL.net address will forward to the correct mailbox as well as the firehousemail.com address.

And yes, it is 12:25 AM as I type this. I was upgrading my Open Office and fell asleep at my desk waiting for it to do its thing and now am not sleepy. Its been a challenging day

The backup light on my truck do not work. They don't work because we stole the fuse from them to use in the combine. The combine needed it because the parking brake was locked on.

Oh, you want an explanation?

My son-in-law was running through the field cutting wheat when the combine made a terrible noise and lost all forward motion. It was like someone threw the parking brake on. We could not get it to work right. If you put the transmission in 1st gear you could get some forward movement out of it. This was 5:30 PM. Dad came to take my place in line at the elevator while I looked at the combine. I got back to the field, yep, still looked like a combine. We looked it over, and finally called the service dept about 10 before 6. Everyone had left but a salesman who was no help at all.

Elevator was open until 6, so SIL jumped in the full truck and headed for town. I went back and changed with Dad. I finally got unloaded and put my truck away for the night. Wife helped me get stuff in. We were setting there contemplating when Dad called and asked if we had checked the fuses. SIL popped the fuse cover off and started looking at the diagram to see what fuse it might be. He got this funny look when he discovered the parking brake and the air pump for the driver's seat share a common fuse. He realized he had been pumping up the seat when the combine stopped. We stole the afore mentioned fuse from my pickup and VOILA! he was back in business.

I mentioned challenging? We tried one field this morning and it was too wet so we went to try another. Combine almost didn't start. So we changed fields, it too was wet. We cleaned the battery terminals on the combine, then set up an auger on a bin to put wet wheat in.

OK that is not from today, but it might give those reading this that do not understand "farmer talk" an idea what I mean. If you are reading this and do not understand the significance ... you are fortunate. Putting wheat in a bin now means sometime in the next month you will need to get it out. Combine physical labor (running a scoop shovel or powered equipment) inside a closed circular metal structure with summer heat and you have a setup for heat exhaustion. Nobody likes the idea of wheat in a bin. So we get it all set up, ready to take wheat, I plug in the spreader in the top of the bin ... and trip the circuit breaker.

Fortunately, after we get the first truck loaded I take a sample to the elevator and it has dried enough we can take it directly to town. This is an idea it seems everyone else had as well.

Anyway, broken bolts, blown fuses, non-working devices ... by the way, I forgot to mention I found the big green tractor has a flat tire on it after we got it to the field and a load on the grain cart.But Hey! Yesterday afternoon for fun I talked to the IRS, the insurance company, and of course my internet service provider customer service folks. This is a piece of cake

Well, I've been at this about a half hour and am beginning to get drowsy again, so see y'all later.

The perfect is the enemy of the good

Jill posted something on her blog that hit me "I'm lazy. And because I'm a perfectionist." A lot of people don't realize that is why many people don't get things done. I for example, am a closet perfectionist. (I keep it hid pretty well) One of the ways it manifests itself is I tend to put things off until I can do them "right" I hate starting and them stopping and then starting and eventually finishing. The downside is I tend to put things off until I "have time" and they don't get get done.

I have a framed quote on the wall from Eugenio Najera, President of Seminis Vegetable Seeds. I have no idea who he is, but the quote is a reminder to me

We have a saying in Spanish-
El perfecto es enemigo de lo bueno

The perfect is the enemy of the good

If you are waiting for something to be perfect, you are wasting time.
You will never be perfect, so don't wait.
Implement practicality, maybe not at 100% perfection, but something like 80% is good enough

I need reminded of that at times. My typing sometimes looks like it.

Sorry I've been away ...

well, not really away, I've been here. It is just my ISP has been ... less than responsive. The 19th sometime mid-day they made a change in their system, but forgot that necessitated a change in my equipment. I left a message on their voice mail Thursday night. It was Monday before someone had a "V-8 moment" and realized I was off-line. They Monday fix didn't work. It was Tuesday afternoon before we were up and running properly.

I had stopped by a friend's Sunday and checked my email, dumped a lot of spam. When I got home Tuesday I only had to download 57 new messages. So I've been a little slow about a new blog entry.

Anyway, here are some photographs showing one of the places I have been this week

Now, that MIGHT tell you something if you know where you are looking. Maybe this will help? (hint, it is on top of Grandpa Neal's barn) Notice I am looking down at it?
OK, the first one was looking east, the second was looking west. Here is where I was looking down.
Aman said it was my turn to get in the bucket. I was fastening down sheet metal on the roof. I forgot the camera but at least I had my phone.

Anyway, we are hoping to cut wheat this week. Tried a couple fields, but they were too wet.

Luke 12:22-26 Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

I’m trying, I really am. But if I am accomplishing it why am I up at 4 AM when there is absolutely no reason for me to be?

Let’s see …. Dad’s taking chemo fighting recurring cancer, which when they first operated on him to remove the doctors said this kind did not respond to chemo ... I have a grandson who has been fighting challenge after challenge … It is almost June 10 and I’ve had around 500 acres under water the past few days … we are obviously going to have to replant beans and the seed supply is so tight there may not be any … I have at least 150 acres of corn that may need replanted at this late date … we are maybe 2 weeks from wheat harvest and every field has either standing or running water in it … I contracted too much wheat if we have a lousy yield … I had an exceptional year last year and bought a couple things that looking back from this perspective I could have gotten by without ... historically a weather pattern like this is followed by a drought … our church has gone from nearly 180 to just over 80 and lots of hurtful words have been said … I thought maybe writing them out would help but I’m not sure it does. And there are more private concerns I would not list.

You know, thinking about it the last one is probably to hardest for me. Seeing what has happened at church really bothers me. The farming stuff … we’ll make it. Things will be tough for a while. But we will make it. If not we’ll just find another way of supporting ourselves. But the division at church REALLY bothers me.

I don’t understand how we got to this point. I understand why some held such strong positions. But I don’t understand how some could just up and leave just because they had a difference of opinion. And it is opinion. Nobody has opened their Bible and said to me “Here is what is being done wrong”. Well, let me clarify that. I don’t recall anyone doing that and being willing to discuss it. They just want to tll me what is wrong and not consider that fact they might be wrong. There is a lot of “I feel” and “I believe” and “I just don’t understand”. And yes, there has been some “This is wrong”, but very little really trying to understand the other person.

It is times like this we need faith. Hebrews 11:1 says Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. That sure describes where I am now. I know it will all work out. I have seen Romans 8:28 proved time and again in my life And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. But there are times it really takes faith, that being certain of what we do not see, to get through it.

I like to include a photo of some kind with these blogs that illustrates the thought. Here is one that may need some explanation.


I heard a preacher one time say someone complaining the conservative old farmers in his church didn't have faith. He told him to take all the money he had or could borrow and bury it and then tell him they didn't have faith. To me seeds are the ultimate expression of faith and hope. You take something that does not look alive and put it in the ground. Usually you put a fair amount of money with it, in machinery, fuel, herbicides, fertilizer. Sometimes you do that and the river takes it away. I'm still working on the faith and hope stuff.

Oh, and I mentioned one of my worries was my grandson? He stood and walked on his own last week! Not far, but a start. God is good.

9.25 inches

9.25 inches. That is how much rain we had from 5 PM Friday until 5 AM Saturday. A real interesting wind storm came through first, then we got rain. and it sat on top of us and just continued to rain. Here are a few photos.

This shed has a history. Dad had a barn burn in 1965. They replaced it with an aluminum sided pole building. About 15 years ago after Dad decided to put in an irrigator and the shed was in the way. He sold it to a neighbor who jacked it up, put it on a sled, and moved it about half a mile. When that neighbor quit farming my cousin Don bought it. I told you all that to show you this. Friday evening we had some incredible straight line winds that picked up the building and tossed it.
9.25 inches makes strange things happen. Tiles run backwards...

water ponds in places it never ponded before. This is looking north in Walnut Prairie. This is not a creek or river, not flowing water, just surface water
If you look near the left edge of the next photo you can see the blown apart building I showed in the earlier photo. This is flowing out of my milo field on the left into my soybean field on the right.

Here is a scarier photo. It was taken at the Raccoon Creek bridge on Illinois Route 1 just south of West York. When these vehicles were abandoned early this morning the tops were just out of the water. Water was flowing 2-3 feet over the top of the bridge bannisters. The strips across the road are not speed bumps. They are pieces of asphalt from the edge of the road. The water was flowing so fast it picked up the asphalt strips and tossed them. Here is a shot of the edge of the road where they came from.
It's been a challenging year and not getting any better.

I'll add this. The National Weather Service put out this rainfall map of the event. It shows Illinis counties and amount of rainfall by color. We are the dark blue: