This has been a very long summer. Mikaela and I have been in school for most of it. First it was spelling camp, then it was catch up from what we did not finish by the end of the school year.
Poor Dad has been left to do most of the work around here by himself. Heather and Skyler have helped to some extent.
So far this year (besides the Cemetery), Dad has worked hard on the office. Sanding off all the rust and then painting the office a cream color (the can read it was Case White for those who are tractor buffs). We still have half the office to do. Dad cut off the tops of the poplars, still lots of work there to do. I want to take out all the poplars and replace them with lilac bushes. We put in a well, which meant digging ditches to get the water to the house. Does anyone remember digging the hole for the pool? Well there was about 20 feet of solid Basalt. So Dad and Brad (mainly) with the help of some others, spent 3 days chiseling away at the ROCK. I might mention that it was more like a jack hammer and then a bobcat with and rock breaker on it to get the job done. Finally they broke through all of it! Now it was what are we, going to do with all of this rock. As it ended up Brother Steinbach invited us to dump it on his place in a gully. Thank you Brother Steinbach! Then it was off to the Cemetery to get dirt to take the place of all that rock they took out. So Dad and I worked at hauling off the rock and then hauling in all the dirt. When most of that was done Dad was off hauling in several loads of gravel to put in our driveway. Then Brother Joe Norman stopped by and needed some help burying a dead animal. So Dad took the time to go help him. Some vacation! Today is Sunday so Dad gets to rest. But tomorrow it’s back to the grind stone. Brad is leaving and we still have to finish filling in the ditches, painting the office plus Dad wants to repaint the house (Case White), the shed needs to be painted and the trim on the house. We are tearing down Grandpa’s Dodd’s okie shack, and rebuilding it here and there are some shingles to replace on the house, the shed, the garage, and some hay to haul. We may not have enough summer. It’s too much for one man to do! For as old as Dad is he can still out work and complain less than anyone of his kids. By the way Jim is on our well also. Jim is planning on moving this fall and we hope to be buying his place. More work to do.
Everyday, I am more grateful for my dear Husband than I was yesterday. How blessed I am!
I am planning surgery this fall on my left knee. I was thinking the first of October would be when I would do it. Then I thought the middle of October after the weather gets a little colder and I can't go carting as much. Now I am thinking that the end of October I need to do grape juice. So now I am undecided as to when to do it. We go through a lot of grape juice, and we only have about 4 cases left from last year. That means we have gone through about 8 cases this last year. So whenever grapes are done I’ll do surgery.
I use to think that when I got older and did not have all the responsibilities of children I would have more time. I am finding that it is not so. I can’t hobble fast enough to get everything done. I do not know how your Dad does it. Maybe it’s just that I am moving slower.
I am impressed with how kind, caring, and giving your Dad is with each one of his children.
Mom
1 comment:
That's my DAD!!!
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