Fixing Progress

It was a busy enough day but not the most eventful.  Bruce did an initial check of the fences around both the cow and heifer pastures to get an  idea of what needs to be done.  He didn't find anything major to fix but as always there are a few insulators that need replacing and a few posts to straighten up that are tipping. One section has a row of willow trees that are starting to grow too big next to the fence and dropping branches on it.  That will require some trimming with a chainsaw and he also has to splice the fence together where he cut it this winter when the snow was deep.  Cutting it makes it a simple fix compared to having and the weight of snow  tear it off and cause extra damage.  For the most part the cow pasture fence is about 3 years old.  The heifer fences are in the 5-10 year range so little by little they need a bit more attention.  I was gone today and came home to the tallest part of the lawn mowed.  I was pretty excited about that, not only because Bruce did it but because the fact that it was done meant that a spark plug fixed the mower and it started!   I am really pretty easy to entertain and we don't really need any more repair bills right now.  Yesterday we ran to town and picked up a water heater for the milk house.  We will have a plumber install it as early as we can next week.  As normal, we should have had it replaced awhile ago but now we have to get it in.  While we were traveling we checked on the tractor.  They are waiting for a couple more parts and it is possible that we can have it back by the end of next week.  Bruce is excited about having his 4 wheel drive tractor back.  We aren't as excited about the $6000-8000 bill that will be coming with it.  According to the weather reports this is the coolest and wettest spring since 1996.  Can't say we were surprised by that information.  The start of May is already tomorrow and we have not seen anyone in the field, even in the areas that are sandy and generally two weeks ahead of us.  With the help and equipment we have we can get all our crops in the ground in about a week with cooperative weather.  Hopefully spring will show up soon.  Tonight, for the first time in what seems like months, everyone was milked into the tank.  We are still sanitizing milkers after 4 cows until we get the culture results back but we have NO special needs cows.  Very Nice : )