After a shower and morning chores, picked Jackie up and off we went to Fayette, Ohio. Missed the exit to stay on I-27, so turned around in Jackson where we saw a TJ Maxx and a Five Below and I spotted a Panera Bread. Back on the right road, we got to the farm, only to discover they were out to lunch. Would have helped if we'd known that earlier. Went into the town, tiny, but they had a robot (traffic light in American) which is more than we have in Saranac !
Couldn't find anywhere to eat, they didn't even have any fast food joints, so we went back to the farm to wait. Their guy arrived out of one of the sheds and loaded us, one conbine wheel with a loader into the back. I couldn't get the tailgate open. Jackie paid the man, got her receipt and off we went back home. Stopped back in Jackson, to Five Below as Jackie wanted a mini iPad case for her sisters' Christmas present. I bought 2 car charges for our phones, the one in the truck wasn't working anymore and I didn't have one in Noddy. Yippee, could charge my phone without having to remove the protective cover. Everything was $5 each - can't beat that :). Then popped in to TJ Maxx. I found some tea, chocolate (Italian Baci and Swiss Toblerone) and thermal Winter socks for Herbie and 2 little pairs of socks for me. Had a late lunch at Paneras', courtesy of Jackies' dad. Had soup and a sandwich, chicken noodle for Jackie, French onion for me, turkey and avo sandwiches for both. I had 2 espressos and a cheese danish, coffee and a chocolate chip cookie for Jacks.
Back in Ionia, filled the truck with diesel, we were at 280 miles traveled for the day and ½ a tank of fuel used. Jackie gave me a cheque feom her dad, plus she gave me some cash for fuel, the first money I've earned for doing something in a long time. Went to off-load the wheel, drive along the side of the cornfield, carefully only bashing down a row or two of corn. But we had to go to a different place. Jackie had called Gary for help to off-load it, but we managed to get it off without help, which was just as well as Gary hadn't left home yet. I got the tailgate open, tied a webbed rope around the wheel after tying it to the combine ladder, then drove a little way until it was off. Experienced as that's how I get the hay bales off the back. We picked up some of the downed corn for our chickens and went to take Jackie back home. Called Mike before leaving there, yep, he could load me. It was dark already but he loaded the 2 bales of hay fine. He had his corn drying in the silo. A rather noisy process. Back home at last, after 6pm so out for 8 hours. Before taking my shoes off, closed the chicken coop, gave the dogs and cats their treats, went to switch off the lights for Daisy May and Eleanor. Gave her 3 additional buckets of water into her trough and topped up her hay. Discovered the tap on the instant water heater is leaking so set a bucket under it and when I came into the house turned off the tap leading to the lower barn. Need to remember to turn it back on before milking tomorrow otherwise I won't have water down there. Damn, not sure how to fix that.
Herbie will take Noddy to work again tomorrow so I can off-load the hay for the beasties. He told me how to take the tailgate off, need a 13mm spanner and must be careful not to drop it. Wonder how I'll do ?