Update: MacGregor 3; Peter Rabbit 0. I am starting to get the hang of this!
A few weeks ago my brother and nephew were down. We did some skeet shooting with our .410. My nephew didn't know how to miss. My brother was so-so. I couldn't hit a thing.
This evening there were rabbits in my garden. Same .410; different shooter. 2 in, 2 down.
Our oldest sow Red gave birth early this morning despite the thunderstorms. She had 11 live births.
Great job!
Oremus pro invicem!
More thunderstorms last night and more damage to the corn. We will try to do something today to save it.
I don't have a picture, but the overnight thunderstorms dropped a lot of my beautiful corn. I will be spending time tomorrow (had to work today) propping it up to see if I can save it. Of course the weather attacked the best of it.
Oremus pro invicem!
I probably make this same post every few years ... planting seeds is an act of faith or hope?
As I finish planting our vegetable garden this week, I am always anxious about if seeds will germinate and poke out of the ground.
I should be full of confidence as our corn (planted with year-old seeds) is going gangbusters. But still I want everything to grow. We always have a plentiful harvest, but sometime one thing or another doesn't work. Will it this year?
Oremus pro invicem!
We had quite the hail storm yesterday. We got golf-ball sized hail. Rock Hill got softball-sized hail!
I was afraid for the corn, but it looks unscathed. (A cherry tomato plant was stripped of leaves by the hail - but one of 60 is not bad at all!)
Oremus pro invicem!
This week we are putting in tomatoes and lots and lots of cherry tomatoes. We planted some squash by mistake (I thought is was eggplant) and some Swiss Chard (a little late.)
I am hoping to plant flowers today. (More on that and the LOTS of cherry tomatoes later.)
Son Connor is becoming a prolific writer over at Catholic365.com with a new article appearing practically every day for the last month or so.
Semesters at my colleges are winding down with only a few weeks left. Can't wait to be home full time - although I can't complain, I am only away from home 2 days a week this spring.
We have a couple of young visitors at our house. It has been a while since we have taken in "visitors". I am reminded of the energy need to chase 1 and 3 year-old around - energy I am slowly running out of....
Oremus pro invicem!
We put some brocolli, romaine, brussel sprouts, and cabbage in the ground last week. I thought it a little late, but none seemed to fair well in the cold but not frost nights we have had recently. Maybe they will recover....
Today I put in our sweet corn. Corn can take a light frost, and in any event, we may not even have another frost.
Last year I did have to replant a few times (the corn) because too much frost got it. I am hoping this year is different, but we take our chances.
Oremus pro invicem!
Patch did farrow last night. Unclear to me how many she had, but it is looking like 6 or 7. Will update later.
Oremus pro invicem!
This was taken 2 days ago. You can see her underline is getting full. This morning it was almost twice as big. I suspect we will have new piglets within the week.
Oremus pro invicem!
I came across this picture from last summer today. We are right now in the midst of planning the spring and summer garden - itching to get some seeds and plants in the ground. This picture inspires....
Oremus pro invicem!
I admit it, many years ago I was a runner and pretty good at it too, despite bad knees. Once I got married, I put on weight; running and bad knees are not compatible - so I did nothing much. About 23 years ago, I tried to take up running again in the peace of the early morning hours in our neighborhood. It lasted 6 months or so, then never again.
I was never a competitive runner, but ran to keep in shape, alleviate stress, and to think.
It turns out walking can do the same. Charlie is often talking about the benefits of walking, and I have to concur.
I have been walking off and on for some 20 years now (more on than off). I can't stand a treadmill (which I was subjected to three times a week during my heart rehab), but I love walking through the woods or in neighborhoods. I can think, pray the rosary, meditate, or just enjoy the sights.
Over the years I have done a lot of backpacking with my sons, but my last trip was 3 or 4 years ago. Walking is good training for backpacking (although there are no hills to train on around here.)
I never really liked running, it was just a means to exercise. Walking is that, plus enjoyable.
Oremus pro invicem!
We thought about building a small greenhouse this year to extend the growing season (both ways.) We never got around to it, but amazingly, we picked our last broccoli in the middle of January. We have never had broccoli so late in the season.
We also had some Brussell sprouts late. Amazingly, some of the lettuce and other greens survived until the cold snap a week ago.
Cabbage was a disappointment, we never really got a single good head.
Now its time to start thinking about spring planting ... only a month or so away.
From the small holding in Bethune ....
Oremus pro invicem!
Here is a video of Little Red and her piglets. They are now (not in the video) 2 weeks old. She has been a great sow so far.
Oremus pro invicem!
I was in MA for a few days to help bury my brother - may his soul rest in peace.
Coming home I thought I would be coming to warmer temperatures - but no, it was getting just as cold here overnight as in MA. I woke up this morning, and it was 49 F in the house before I got the wood stove fired up.
Everything was still here in place. We had a new litter of pigs (see below) and no burst pipes.
Thomas has returned to his final semester of college at WCC, but I leave a picture of him just after he felled a dead cedar tree over this Christmas break. The cut is so high because of metal in the tree he wanted to avoid.
Oremus pro invicem!
January 19th, just days after the feast of St. Anthony of the desert (patron of swine herders), we have another litter.
Praise be to God! Oremus pro invicem!
It has been very busy around here. Monday we dispatched our last Jersey steer. He was less bony and more solid than most Jersey steers we've had. Today we spent the morning butchering the front quarters (mostly for hamburger meat and brisket.) The rest we will age a bit more.
Yesterday we had a pretty strong storm (cancelling my first day of class at both colleges). Lots of limbs down in other places. Our neighbor lost a tree, taking his fence down. This afternoon we spent cutting up the tree (poplar, I think) and bringing it home to start next year's wood stash.
We have weaned a bunch of pigs and trying to sell them, while waiting for 2 litters to drop any day now.
We still have Thomas home for a couple more days, then he's back to Wyoming to finish his senior year.
Oremus pro invicem!
It was one year ago today that I went in for a precautionary heart cath and didn't come out for 10 days.
It has been a strange year. It started with me being an invalid, but thankful for life and my family who rallied around me and Mrs. Curley who took special care of me.
Since coming home from the hospital after 10 days in, I progressed from recliner, to sofa, to bedroom. From needing help just to get up, to PT, to OT, to feeling jut about fine. I know I am lucky to both be alive with virtually no long-term bad effects.
I hope I learned something. I am thankful. It could have been much worse. Looking back, it is hard to believe what January through March were like.
My oldest son sent me a message today wishing me a happy 2nd chance day. I hope I take good advantage of it!
Oremus pro invicem!
Typically on Thanksgiving we and any visitors we have name a few things from the past year we are thankful for just before digging into the desserts.
This year my brother's family was down from NH to celebrate the holiday with us. As we went around the table, there were a number of mentions of being thankful for Ebenezer. This refers to the Wednesday night supper which featured the last steaks from our steer Ebenezer.
Oremus pro invicem!
We bought a couple turkeys from a local farmer a couple months ago. Both were probably in the 12 pound range at the time.
We processed the Thanksgiving turkey on Saturday - it dress out at 35 pounds!
My brother and family are here for the feast. My nephew, I am told, can pack away some food - he will have plenty of opportunity!
Oremus pro invicem!
Saturday night! I was returning from NC when I got the call that Red was in labor. Here are the pics.
Praise be to God!
Oremus pro invicem!
If one of your parents or grandparents was suffering from thirst, would you offer them some water? How about your siblings? How about your neighbor or co-worker? What if you saw a stranger suffering from thirst, would you offer them a drink?
For all these, yes!
Now, these same people are suffering in purgatory. Do you offer them a drink through your prayers and mortifications so they can get refreshment in Heaven!
O gentle Heart of Jesus,
ever present in the Blessed Sacrament,
ever consumed with burning love
for the poor captive souls in Purgatory,
have mercy on them.
Be not severe in Your judgments,
but let some drops of Your Precious Blood
fall upon the devouring flames.
And, Merciful Saviour,
send Your angels to conduct them
to a place of refreshment,
light and peace.
Amen.
Oremus pro invicem!
Last weekend I was in NC roasting a large 1/2 hog on a grill. We put it on at 10 PM and I was sleeping on the ground outside, waking up every hour to put coals on. There were some teenage boys also sleeping outside. One in particular asked me every time I put coals on "When is the pig going to start to cook?"
I kept explaining the hot coals I was putting under the grill was cooking the hog.
At 3:00 AM this boy woke me and said, "Mr. Curley, the pig is really cooking now!" I looked up to see the grill engulfed in flames and billowing black smoke. Apparently enough fat from the pig has fell on the hot coals to make some flames leap, and thus set the pig aflame.
We did get the fire out, and after an inspection determined that only the outside was burnt. The inside still needed cooking. We cooked it and feasted Saturday night. A thing saved.
During the battle (with the blaze) somehow my wedding ring slipped off my finger and has not been found. This is the first time I have lost it. I dug through dirt and ashes, but no ring. I was reminded of the play The Jeweler's Shop when one spouse tries to sell her ring back to the jeweler - who won't accept it as her spouse is still alive. A thing lost.
Oremus pro invicem!
I have been struggling all week with a bad wheel bearing assembly on the truck. I got a new one, but could not get the old one out. Finally, I went down the hardware store and bought a 2-foot pipe wrench; combine that with the back end of a splitting maul, and after 20 swings or so, it came out. After getting it out, I was in the garage putting a tool away and noticed my own old 2-foot pipe wrench hanging on the wall.
I don't even know what tools I already own!
Later I removed with much less, (but a little) trouble a second wheel bearing assembly. Am I to be hailed? Ur, no. I had to remove the new assembly I put in because I realized have spending an hour unsuccessfully trying to put the calipers back on the rotor, that I put the dust shield on backwards - so it all had to come off.
Am I finished? No. I damaged the outer tie rod boot during the whole process, so have to replace the outer tie rod. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to get the old one off after about an hour of heat, cheater bars, pry bars, etc.
Done for the day!
But I leave you with this more pleasant picture - a late pumpkin. I am hoping it will turn before the first frost.
Oremus pro invicem!
Well, it is not here yet, but we got much of the fall garden in today. Broccoli, lettuces, Brussell sprouts, cauliflower, etc. We still have some planting to do, but a good start.
We moved our 2 gilts in in with Eddy the boar this week. Red is already bred. One of the gilts was in heat the day before we moved her. I don't know if she got into the pen in time, but not a problem, we aren't in a hurry.
From the small holding in Bethune...
Oremus pro invicem!
As said before, we are back from Wisconsin. The homestead was in great shape thanks to our caretakers. Now there is much work to do.
We have some gilts saved for breeding which we need to move to the boar. The other large hogs need a new pen after a week of downpours. (Only rain from Idalia.)
We need to prepare the garden for the fall crops, romaine, spinach, broccoli, turnips, etc. We are still picking a few cucumbers and peppers. Our late crop of green (bush) beans has been disappointing. We have one pumpkin left to pick. There could be more, but it depends on the weather.
There are also some volunteer cantaloupes from an old pig pen.
Back to school! Am teaching again this fall. My fall schedule is usually heavy, spring light, and summer non-existent. It is actually a good schedule for the homestead, following the business of the garden and work that needs to be done.
We got a load of meat bird (day-old chicks) last week - so they will be ready to process in October.
So a lot going on, not to mention that I really should put up some more wood for the winter, even though it is getting late.
Finally, I finished a book (writing) this summer about our first 19 years on the land. If it gets a publisher, I will be sure to let you all know.
From the small holding in Bethune....
Oremus pro invicem!
Much has happened since the birth of my granddaughter. Son Matthew was married in Wisconsin last weekend near Soldiers Grove in an Extraordinary Form Mass. It was a beautiful wedding in a beautiful country.
I haven't written for publication in several years, but this changed this week. I had an article published in the August edition of Oremus Press Newspaper .
More to come - maybe some wedding pictures!
Oremus pro invicem!
"O Lord, the woman who had fallen into many sins, perceiving Thy Divinity, fulfilled the part of a myrrh-bearer; and with lamentations she brought sweet-smelling oil of myrrh to Thee before Thy burial. 'Woe is me,' she said, 'for night surrounds me, dark and moonless, and stings my lustful passion with the love of sin. Accept the fountain of my tears, O Thou Who drawest down from the clouds the waters of the sea. Incline to the groanings of my heart, O Thou Who in Thine ineffable self-emptying hast bowed down the heavens. I shall kiss Thy Most Pure feet and wipe them with the hairs of my head, those feet whose sound Eve heard at dusk in Paradise and hid herself for fear. Who can search out the multitude of my sins and the abyss of Thy judgments, O Savior of my soul? Despise me not, Thine handmaiden, for Thou hast mercy without measure."
3rd grandchild born early this morning!!!!!! Everyone doing well. Praise be to God!
********************
Precious Cantaloupe
I have told the story before about our cantaloupe seeds. We planted some this year, but few seeds germinated. We got one fantastic plant, but so far only one fruit, which I didn't spy until today, as you can see why. It is wedged in and won't budge. Should I break the cinder block?
My fault for not paying closer attention. UPDATE: I freed it from its bonds!
From the small holding in Bethune we praise God this morning!
Oremus pro invicem!
Well, the bounty from the garden continues. Usually, I get some projects done while Mrs. Curley is away, but there is soooo much produce to put up I haven't had much time to start anything. Some things are starting to slow down. We have picked most of the spaghetti squash. The green beans are slowing down as are the tomatoes and cherry tomatoes. But not the cucumbers. We are picking an average of 30 a day plus the ones I missed from the day before which are only good for the pigs.
We did cut some wood today and Monday and split and stacked it. It is a little late in the season for doing it, but I want to make double sure we have enough for the coming winter.
While Mrs. Curley has been away, in the evenings I have been trying my hand to finish a book about our life here I started a few years ago. I have 24,000 words and think I am just about 'done', whether it is finished or not. I have some organizing to do and must figure out a decent way to close it out. Other than that, I don't think I have much more to say.
We have a litter of pigs for sale. About half are gone. Usually it takes only 24-36 hours after advertising to sell them all. But the days have been so scorching hot, that I figure folks don't want to spend the time making a pen in this heat.
From the small holding in Bethune ....
Oremus pro invicem!
It does bear repeating over and over: Phil Lawler says it again with respect to Cardinal Dolan's recent examination of conscience:
So the People of God were denied the sacraments. Sinners were not shriven, lovers were not married, babies were not baptized, the dying were not anointed. How many souls were lost because of that lack of pastoral care? How many strayed from the Church— and have not returned— because they were encouraged to accept the government edicts that religious worship is not an “essential” activity?
***********************
Yesterday I made more cherry tomato pasta sauce, blanched and froze more green beans, shredded and froze more squash.
Over the weekend I pureed and put up several bags of tomatoes.
Today is ketchup day. Ironic as I don't eat ketchup either. But what to do with all these tomatoes?
The corn is done. The squash keeps looking like is done, but then one plant revives and puts out another patti pan.
I am starting to pick spaghetti squash and eggplant now.
And the cucumbers just keep coming!
From the small holding in Bethune ...
Oremus pro invicem!
Daughter Bernadette made 31 jars of pickles this weekend! As she was in process I brought in another couple dozen cucumbers from the garden. She looked daggers at me. "Look" I said, "I don't even like pickles. You are to one who made me promise to grow tons of cucumbers!"
I spent my share of time in the kitchen also this weekend, making another batch of cherry tomato pasta sauce, pureeing several gallon bags of tomatoes and freezing, and freezing trays of cherry tomatoes.
I think I have enough green beans to blanch and freeze another bunch. Plus I am still behind on the tomatoes, having four baskets full to put up, not to mention the patti pan squash. So I know what I am doing today!
We have been getting short rains and it looks like more today.
We also sold some ducks and one pig.
From the small holding in Bethune ...
Oremus pro invicem!
Mrs. Curley is out of town for a couple of weeks trying to help our 3rd grandchild be born, at least helping out.
Of course this means I have lost my produce-putting-up partner. Beans I handled no problem. Freezing whole cherry tomatoes, no problem.
Making cherry tomato pasta/pizza sauce, big problem. I can follow a recipe, but since I can't stand any type of tomato sauce, I have no way of knowing if what I made is any good. But I made a quart plus of it yesterday anyway. Gregory says it's great, but anything edible is great to him.
The cherry tomatoes are plentiful. I am picking 4 or more pints a day. What to do with them all? It was fine when they were dribbling in, but now? I am thinking of putting up a sign out front to sell them.
Last night I also started putting up the patti pan squash. I have much more to do, but I think the plants are starting to wind down.
But today we put up more corn. We probably won't have more to put up after today, but will have a few more meals.
From the small holding in Bethune -
Oremus pro invicem!
Yesterday, we finished our novena and installed my grandmother's Infant of Prague statue in the shrine with song and prayer. It was a long time coming.
We have been picking produce in increasing quantities over the last couple weeks. Today we had the most green beans and cherry tomatoes and cucumbers of any single day yet.
I blanched the green beans for freezing after supper tonight.
Mrs. Curley is away helping with preparation for our 3rd grandchild, so I am doing the kitchen stuff. She left me instructions on how to deal with the tomatoes. Will be doing that tomorrow.
As to the cucumbers .... and we have tons even after Mrs. Curley pickled as many as she could before she left ... my youngest daughter needs to take care of these. I can't even stand the smell of pickles.
From the very blessed smallholding in Bethune,
Oremus pro invicem!
Some few years ago I made a promise to erect a shrine to the Infant of Prague on our property. Every year it was a "priority" which never happened. I think this is going to change tomorrow.
The site is ready for the statue to be enshrined tomorrow. Son Gregory has been helping me all week to prepare the shrine.
Despite my procrastination on keeping my promise, our Lord has blessed us tremendously anyway.
From the small holding in Bethune ... Oremus pro invicem!
One of my next books for Requiem Press before we went under was a short life of St. Thomas More. It was part of a larger collection on the 40 martyrs of England and Wales published many years before his canonization. The two volume work was edited by Dom Bede Camm OSB, but I believe the particular account of St. Thomas More was by a nun.
In any event, Requiem Press did not survive. Sometimes I think we should resurrect RP in a digital format. Hmmm.
I have a pretty extensive collection of works on the 40 martyrs. Some I can't even read. One is in Latin, another in French. Now I took both languages in high school and a little in college, but it doesn't seem to help me now.
I don't really don't know what to do with the collection. I have read all of them that I can actually read.
Today, in honor of the feast day, I reread the account of St. Thomas More and St. John Fisher contained in the first RP book: Witnesses to the Holy Mass.
Oremus pro invicem!
Mrs. Curley and I drove to Akron, OH and back this weekend. Number 2 son and wife live just outside Akron.
It is about a 9 hour drive without stopping, but of course we stopped. The Ford E-350 had just turned 300K miles last week, but it performed like a champion, even increasing its mpg during the trip..
We had a lot of fun. Wished our kids lived closer. We got to confession, heard Mass at a beautiful church on Sunday, found a couple great breakfast spots, went for a couple walks, and overall had a great time.
On the way back, we contemplated taking a long route through Columbus, Dayton, Cincinatti, and (I think) Knoxville, but ended up opting for the shortest route. This allowed us to visit the Tamarack marketplace in West Virginia which we have never stopped at before.
We saw some interesting crafts. It looks like wooden cutting boards must be the rage because we saw many, many of them.
It is really good to be home. It is raining, today which should help the corn finish out. We are picking tomatoes and peppers and squash and brussell sprouts, and beans, and .... The harvest is plenty.
No more travel for me for a good time now.
Oremus pro invicem!
I was out of town for a few days for a family funeral. I am back and am welcomed to a new litter of pigs, our first patty pan squash (many, many of them), our first green peppers and our first banana pepper ... AND plenty of catch up to do. Much weeding and time to put trellis' up for the pole beans and stake the tomatoes. It certainly looks like we will have a bumper crop of tomatoes.
I was grateful to spend a good amount of time with my 90-year-old mother and other family members I have spent much time with in the past few years.
I am also grateful, that while I drove up, Mrs. Curley flew up at the last minute and we were able to drive back together at a somewhat leisurely pace.
Oremus pro invicem!
a man should always carry.
I can't believe I haven't posted this before. I searched though and couldn't find it.
1. A pocketknife. The knife I carry is bigger than a typical pocketknife: a Buck 110. I can and do use this knife for almost every chore and task requiring a knife except butchering and sticking a steer and the largest hogs. (Buck 110 pictured)
However, a much smaller knife will due; for instance, the Shrade 330T, which has 2 blades is great for all small jobs.
2. Handkerchief. You never know when you are going to sneeze, when your child will have a runny nose, when you will happen across a weeping lady, or when you just need to wipe sweat off your brow. Personally, I prefer bandana types as they are most versatile.
3. A rosary. Need I expound on this?
Note that all three items may be useful to yourself and to others. So, in the final analysis, it is the charitable thing to do to have these items AND to use them!
Oremus pro invicem!
I am reading a book now on Catholic homesteading. It is interesting that the first part of the book justifies or gives reasons for moving back to the land. It brings me back to our own move.
I remember our path to our homestead (all 1.93 acres of it) and all the research we did. At the end of the day, I was convinced that for us (our particular family), this was the best way to live, the best way to become close to God, the best way to raise our particular children. I felt if we didn't make the move when given the opportunity it would go against what I knew was right - it would going against my conscience.
Oremus pro invicem!
that is, rain! Steady sprinkle for a few hours today. It is supposed to rain for about 12 more hours tonight and tomorrow.
We finished doing our first batch of chickens (the last 6) this morning. It was a good morning for it - cool and breezy. It almost didn't happen. When the alarm went off early this morning, it was touch and go on whether I would actually get up and get fire started to heat the water to scald the chickens. But wisdom prevailed and sloth was conquered! (at least for today.)
I have my last cardiac rehab session tomorrow. I need to start some occupational therapy. I still have nerve damage in my left hand from the surgery. I either need to see if it can be fixed, or how to live with it.
******
I don't count on teaching work in the summer. I am usually scheduled for a course or two, but they often don't make enough students to hold the class - as is the case this summer. What to do with all the time? You either have time or money, but seldom both.
We have a lot of work to do around here. We have started a renovation on the feed house, but it finishing and painting.
I would love to get my shop (the garage) cleaned out so I can start working with wood again. It is one of the things I like to do most. It is ironic that my favorite homestead chore is cutting and splitting firewood and that my other favorite thing is to make things of wood.
Oremus pro invicem!
The garden is finally all planted, a little later than usual, but I figure I have an excuse. But we need rain. It has been a few weeks since our last sprinkle. I usually rely solely on rain, but I have put a sprinkler on a few of our critical crops the past few days.
Our brocolli crop has been great. Mrs. Curley and I blanched and put up a bunch last week. Salad, spinach, Swiss chard is going gangbusters.
We put our first meat birds of the season up last week. For the first time we used a chicken plucker (borrowed from friends) to process the birds - a game changer!
Several weeks ago we put one of the Jersey steers down. Number 2 son came down and we got it done. Friends helped us butcher the following week. I tell you, Jersey beef is the best!
Things are looking pretty good here. God is good! no, God is great!
Oremus pro invicem!
Thought provoking article here on whether goods have a just price. Public Discourse article
Here is the gist of it:
As everyone at the time knew, any individual who buys a good to resell it for a profit was worthy of great condemnation. For example, the sixth-century Roman statesman Cassiodorus declared that merchants were an abomination. Similarly, in remarks falsely attributed to St. John Chrysostom explaining why Christ cast people from the temple in Matthew 21, we read: “He that buys a thing in order that he may sell it, entire and unchanged at a profit, is the trader who is cast out of God’s temple.”
Condemnations like those in the preceding paragraph strike the modern ear as rather odd. After all, reselling products is exactly what retail stores do all the time. To understand why the activities of the merchant are inherently problematic, we need to look back at medieval economic theory, beginning with the idea of the just price. All goods have an inherent price; the price of the good is, in essence, a property of the good, much like the color and shape are properties of the good.
The author goes on to discuss Thomas Aquinas and what others have to say about this. Read it yourself.
My own thoughts. I believe the technical definition of profit is that money gained in selling a good over and above the cost of the materials, labor, and a share of the overhead.
I know when I sell weaned piglets, for example, I do sell generally for what the market will bear, considering also how quickly I want to get the pigs sold. Prices go up with feed prices. Prices also generally go up during recessions. However even then, I don't think I ever make a profit. I may (I believe I do) cover the costs of conceiving and raising the pigs, plus a little. But I probably don't cover labor at a reasonable rate in daily feeding, watering, moving them, etc. We commonly (amongst ourselves) talk about how much we "made" on a litter of pigs, but in no way am I making a profit. If I wanted to make a true "profit" I would never get pigs sold around here.
At times I am tempted to bring a load of hogs to an FDA certified butcher so I could sell pork of the farm or at a farmers market. To cover costs and labor, I would have to be selling a pound of sausage at about $7 or $8 a pound; pork chops at $9 or $10 a pound. No profit here, just covering costs and labor. People do this. I can't see my way to selling pork for that much, even if it is a superior product to the supermarket.
Since we process ourselves, we are eating pork and chicken for much less than the prices quoted above.
Oremus pro invicem!
The media has been claiming that inflation is at 9 or 10%. Not where I am looking. I saw a breakdown on the news the other morning while treading at cardiac rehab where they claimed groceries were at 10%.
Lies!
Okay, so we don't buy meat. At this time of year we are buying vegetables, as what we put up last year is running out.
Most items we buy at the grocery store up up 50 to 100%. There are exceptions. Laundry detergent seems to be up only 10-12 percent. But bleach is up over 100%. Coffee is up 50%. Eggs - well everyone knows about them - up 400 to 500%.
Our overall grocery bill is close to double what it was a year or a year and a half ago - not sure when it all started.
So maybe the stuff that hasn't gone up in price is stuff we don't buy.
Oremus pro invicem!
We put in a small section of sweet corn yesterday. ("We" is an exaggeration - I just watched). It is a chance, but corn can take a light frost, and if it makes it, we will beat the yearly drought and get a good crop.
Putting broccoli and brussel sprouts in today. We buy started plants from a nearby greenhouse.
We also expanded a pig pen yesterday and fixed the wipers on the truck. Only the last "we" includes me.
Oremus pro invicem!
I don't like to dwell too much on my surgery and recovery, but what else is there? I still have trouble concentrating enough to read deep. But I am still thinking, but still occupied with the whole experience.
So, do I recommend it? That is do I recommend open heart surgery? More accurately, was the fun I had for 58 or so years clogging my arteries worth the pain of Cbbg X 4 and the current ongoing recovery.
I guess it is analogous to our life and Heaven vs. Hell. We can chase pleasure, power, wealth and (supposed) happiness for our 58 or 93 years or whatever time we have on this Earth and consequently suffer Hell.
Of course surgery and recovery is not eternal, so the analogy eventually breaks down.
But going forward, I certainly will try to avoid a repeat even if I need to suffer a little bit more. I am finding out that many of my elderly neighbors have had multiple open hearts. Not sure I am man enough to go through it again.
Oremus pro invicem!
So here I am more than a month out. I am walking a lot (on my own and in Cardiac Rehab). I am driving a very little. And my upper body muscles I am sure are atrophying - I am not allowed to do much with my arms.
My left pinky and ring finger are numb most of the time and my left arm is either numb or in pain much of the time. I am told by various sources that this is just expected collateral damage OR this is very rare. I am told this may take a month to heal; I am told this may never go away - depending on the source. Not sure what to believe.
Good days and bad days, but happy to be alive. Each good day is better than the last good day; each bad day is less bad than the last bad day.
Not recovered enough to be back at work completely, but in this online world, I do have some work I can do.
I have always respected the work nurses do, but my 10-day stint in the hospital in December just enhanced that respect. At first I thought my human dignity was being stripped away as the nurses and techs took control of all my functions and abilities. But by the time I left the hospital I realized that instead of stripping my human dignity they were preserving it by taking care of my every need when I couldn't. God bless all nurses and techs. (Of course, Mrs. Curley was staying with me and taking care of me too.)
Oremus pro invicem!
I walked about a mile yesterday, in quarter-mile segments. Over to the neighbor's; talk for 1/2 hour; walk home. Repeat.
When I first got home, I was having trouble reading, or concentrating, or maybe comprehending. I think that is getting better.
Not sleeping well. I have to sleep on my back-which has never been my habit. I am still not used to it. At least I can now get up without help!
Sounds like I am doing lots of complaining; but really just trying to keep track of things for the future.
Doctor said I am clear to begin driving again tomorrow (1 month out from surgery), but I am NOT ready. I love driving, but even as a passenger, I am uncomfortable now. I will give it at least another week or more before I venture behind the wheel.
Good news! Another Curley wedding in the works. This time it will be in Wisconsin. I need to be ready for the road trip in a few months.
Oremus pro invicem!
So today is the first day I have actually put on a pair of pants since the 16th of December! I have been in pj's or sweats (their equivalent) everyday.
I usually won't even drink coffee unless I am fully dressed, so this past month has been a real anomaly for me.
Earlier in the week Thomas and Bernadette put down a pig while I sat inside doing nothing! Today they are butchering it. I have been out to do some consultation and light cutting, but Mrs. Curley sent me in as she felt I was violating doctor's orders on some of my movements.
Read about Cardinal Pell this morning. My his soul and all the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace!
Oremus pro invicem!
During pre-op I finished a book my son had loaned me: The Unbroken Thread. It is a book about tradition. The final chapters are about death and acceptance (my third warning. The first was Fr. Kirby's All Saints Day homily; the second was advice from a priest during confession where he reminded me - sort of out of the blue - that I would not live forever!)
Now that I am on semi-rest regime (I can walk all I want, but can't lift anything or do anything useful), I thought it would great time to catch up on years of reading. Yet, I am having a hard time concentrating when reading. In the hospital post-op, I couldn't even concentrate enough to watch TV. I have "progressed" to movies now at home, but still have a hard time reading.
I hope this will change.....
Oremus pro invicem!
Well, contrary to what I thought a few weeks ago, I was home for Red's litter. She gave birth to 10 healthy pigs on 12/30.
Here they are.
Oremus pro invicem!
Merry Christmas!
I am home! Surgery a great success and "miraculous" in the words of the surgeon. Without going into too many details, 4- 100% blockages successfully bypassed, when initially, it was questionable if a by-pass would even work. Doctor didn't understand why I was still walking around especially being so active.
Now, some may say it is all the bacon and sausage I consume, but not only do we not eat so much of that, it is more the food I consume when I am off-farm which has gotten me. (I love doughnuts!).
In any event I have been given further chances in this life. Very interesting reading this week. Hopefully more on this later.
Oremus pro invicem!
