Where the Milk and Words Finally Flow

I have sat down here probably six times in the last two months.  I have tried to type words.  I have.  But nothing.  I got nothing.  I feel like I'm in Senior Comp class again with Mrs. Emerson and I have a paper due. So like I did my senior year, I'm just going to throw out something and hope for the best.

Soooo.....where to start?

 Last we left, I was getting a part time, temporary job to pay for LASIK.

Done.

 I worked.  It was.....chaotic.  The lessons I learned from being a working woman are for another blog post.

But I got the LASIK.   The LASIK,  people!  Get THE LASIK!  Because I am for sight.  It's all Glory and Hallelujahs and Amens.

Honestly, it was a wonderful experience (minus the 6 hours I had the Valium in my system which might have involved lots of incoherent speech and drooling and paralysis and lip smacking).

One week later I walked into a metal pole and broke my nose, suffering a minor concussion.  Apparently the LASIK hadn't had it's full effect.

During this time we continued to plug away at school.  And finish up our first year of Classical Conversations.  My thoughts about CC and what we learned there are for another post as well.

OK.  I think that catches us up.

And since school is out and we apparently have nothing to do, our latest endeavor?

The Family Cow.

I was sold a bill of goods this sweet thing and two babies a few weeks back.

 As you might remember, we got our first calf a year ago.  We learned a lot that year about the care and raising of cattle then, but a dairy cow is a whole new ball of wax.  Now I could take the easy, smart, rational approach and just let these calves feed off the mother.  It would be simple.  It would be beautiful.  But no.  I chose the road less traveled.  And I am certainly losing sleep over it.  I am trying my hand at milking.

Dramatic pause as you contemplate my idiot plan amazing talent at homesteading.

And I have to say, so far no one has died from parasites or a kick to the head.  We have taken many more showers than usual.  Because the poop situation going on here is off the hook.  I've also learned more than I ever wanted to know about mastitis, fly control, and pasteurization.  Plus, the vocabulary in our home has been effected by it.  Sweet Yahoo keeps saying the word 'teats' over and over again.  And amazingly the boys are fixated on the feel and look of her udder.

But I wouldn't change it for anything.  I love every day I go to the barn and get to take my Granny's milk strainer with me.  Her milk strainer.  The one she used for years milking her own cows.  The one that cleaned the milk that she offered me when we would stay at her house.  The milk that tasted sweet and creamy and good.  Full of her goodness.

The Yahoos are loving helping.  At least for now.  And we know how slow and tedious wonderfully efficient it can be when 4 kids want to help.  But it is fun and I am blessed and this is what I want my kids growing up to know.  Work and appreciation for the land and the Giver of it.

So there goes.  Words on virtual paper.  I hope you are easier on me than Mrs. Emerson was.