Woke up at 10:40 A.M.
No flying today. I'm still waitin' on the twin. It's nothin' new. I wrote a few days ago that it wasn't supposed to be up until Friday, but just keepin' the updates fresh! It has now been 12 days since I've even been in an airplane! That needs to change real soon!
If I didn't have this work out in the country, I might have gone crazy!
Headed out to the farm around 1:00 P.M. I hit the tiller again. This time I tore apart the fuel pump and cleaned that out. The carb was clean, the fuel line was clear, but she still wasn't gettin' fuel. This was my last option. I opened it up, and wow...a lot of nasty old fuel gunk. So I cleaned that up.
Put 'er back together, and wouldn't ya know it! She fired right up and ran great! The Horse is back in business! That's always a great feeling to have! There is somethin' to be said about bein' able to see progress and completion in your work.
While I worked on that, one of the "kids" (he's 16) finished digging the trench. We had rain coming in a couple of hours, and we wanted our trench to be ready!
The rains came, and the trench worked perfect. Flowed out to our drain, then headed out towards the pasture. No more ponds in the back of their yards. Sometime soon we'll have to rock and tile those trenches to wrap up that project.
I had some great fun today, too. We headed down to an old barn on their property to feed some animals....GOATS. I walked into the barn, and I have never seen so many goats in my entire life! Between 120-150 of 'em! All sizes! We threw 'em some alfalfa, and I thought I got excited at dinner time! They were jumpin' on each other, nailin' each other in the heads, and fightin' for the hay! Quite a sight!
Well, after watchin' 'em for a bit, I hopped over and challenged one of the billy goats to a duel. No lie. (Anyone else have the flashback of that Mountain Dew commercial where the guy fights the mountain goat?!). So I grab his horns, and start pushin' on him. He starts pushin' back. We're locked in now. I push harder. He pushes harder. He's not movin'. But neither am I...
At first. Then I push harder! And he pushes back all the more! Me feet are starting to slide backwards now! I need spikes! I push some more, and I knock him back a bit, but he will have none of that...he takes it to me! And I'm sliding backwards! The goat is kicking my butt! We go at it several different times...it's quite fun!
The truth of the matter is I LOVE BARNS. Especially old ones. I feel at home in them (isn't that scary?!). I love the smells, I love the work, I love the whole idea of 'em. Something always has to be done. We stayed down there for about 30-40 minutes, then headed back up to the house.
Had an exquisite supper yet again. Home-made mashed potatoes, some type of chicken covered with home-made broth, home-made gravy, superb croissant rolls, some more tea...and after two helpings I was quite full yet again. You know, I was sittin' at the table tonight thinkin' to myself...I travel to Lambert's all the time to experience good-ol' Southern-style home-made cooking. And here I have had it every single night this week! The restaurant was made off of houses like these. It is simply amazing to me. I have never seen such consistent and huge home-cooked meals anywhere!
And as if that wasn't enough...then came tonight's dessert. HOME-MADE ICE CREAM WITH STRAWBERRIES!!! I love this place. I simply love this house and this family! They have redefined hospitality. So I had two bowls there, too. Some of the creamiest ice cream I've ever had. We exchanged recipes...she uses a lot more thicker ingredients than I do! And 10 eggs! Wow!
Left there a little earlier tonight...around 8:00. Took one of their friends home...and I learned a bit about her life...drugs, jail, $50,000 bonds, etc. I'm sure that story is repeated a thousand times over here. Small-town life...everyone has a story...
Talked to a local friend tonight. I asked her about our Girls With Kids Theory, and without hesitation, she responded so matter of factly that I might even be convinced myself...
"It's in the water."
