DH surprised me with breakfast this morning. Toast, very well done just like I like it, cheese and an egg, sunny side up, the white well done, the yellow still runny, a slice with peanut butter and maple syrup, sliced tomato and peach and bacon. And of course a cup of earl. He said I was up sooner than he thought, otherwise he would have brought it upstairs to me in bed !
He'd also fed all the beasties, had to remove his socks after getting them covered in cow poop while looking for Mabel, not knowing that I'd moved her with mum out to the pasture yesterday afternoon. I prepared the milk parlour, then went to fetch Bambi. They say a little jog is good for you, don't they ? Bambi was not interested in coming in for milking. DH was putting the barley on the shed floor into those large 2,000 lb bags when I went to get her, and then came out to help. Watching 2 older folks chasing cows around a field is rather funny, him cursing and shouting at them, me just trying to keep my breath. I went to fetch the buggy, find a rope (not that she allows me close enough to actually attach it) a bucket with grain and the bell, when DH was shouting, he'd got both Bambi and Mabel out the pasture, but the gate was closed to the lower barn, so she baulked and went running back to the pasture. Mabel slipped under the electric fence, went back to the others so we just had Bambi. After chasing her around the back yard a few times, got her into the enclosure. She is a silly girl. She knows what is expected of her, she just doesn't want to comply. I went into the shed, down the ladder into the milk parlour, opened the gate as I saw her in the entrance to the lower barn and went to switch the milking machine on. Next thing she shot up into the parlour, but was standing sideways with her back to me and stress-pooped, splattering the wash bucket and me. What the ?? Then saw DH who had hit the ground with a stick. Thanks love, now I have poop to clean. She was really skittish and I had to talk soothingly to her before she'd start eating her grain. She was OK to clip her to the wall, gave just over 1/2 gallon milk and then wanted out without even finishing the grain. Dipped her and let her free. That quick-release latch works so much better on this girl. DH took her back to the pasture while I cleaned the mess she'd made and the equipment.
Ordered the oval to round flue for the wood cook stove together with the adapter from 7 to 8 inches needed to attach it to the chimney pipe and they only wanted $9.99 shipping. Spoke to the insurance company yesterday about having the 2 wood stoves being installed in our house, one in the diningroom, the other in the basement. Seems that they will still insure us with them and it'll only be an additional $100 for the year, but there is a 2 page questionnaire we have to fill out and return. Think our clearances may not be sufficient and the fire-proof backing board has to be 1 inch away from the wall, will see.
He asked for a massage with the oil I mixed for him yesterday to ease his sore body. It's a nice warming one which should keep him warmer today. Nice to have the massage table in the guest bedroom.
Think I'll go an process the cauliflower that needs blanching and freezing, maybe can something and tackle the family room which once again has papers on the ground.
3 pair of trousers and 2 pairs of socks for me today, this muddy / poopy farm is really hard on clothing. Went to shut the one gate to the chute in the cow pasture that DH opened when we were catching Bambi, and sank into it. Yuck. Back to clean and dry clothes.