Tale of Two Thursdays

I was up early today and both my parents were on their way out of the house, actually the Big T was already out and gone to work and Mother was going to meet her chums for an activity and then a walk. Breakfast was going to be a me issue and I had to manage the dogs for the morning, which means letting them out once before I leave to enact my own plans. Before I could do that I had to eat. I decided to help clean up some items they didn’t want in their freezer anymore. One such item was frozen hashbrowns which were discovered buried in the bottom. I must have been feeling whimisical because I brought to life the vision I’d had when I learned of the hashbrowns. This visually fun meal was two of each of the ingredients and was a joy to eat. I did have to reheat the egg based on timing of everything else and it spoiled the perfect aesthetic but otherwise I was happy with the effort.

Just as I was starting to dig into this marvel the phone rang and Big T wanted me to help him with a favour. In classic fashion it was a reasonable request. He was looking for me to drive him down to the Farm to pick up the farm truck and move it to our place so Jacko had a means to get down there at a certain part in what they had schemed up together. Often they both create independent plans for the day and then clash where their ideas do. I was starting to get the impression that Big T assumed I was on staff and worked for him again. I agreed to the caper. I had to let the dogs out before I left and the old girl Coco went out and came back as bidden but the smaller dog, Titi did not return but was barking his damn fool head off at the south end of the house. I was in something of a rush so I donned my Crocs and went to investigate. He had cornered a chipmunk in a chunk of dislodged drainpipe by chasing it in there and then biting one end closed. Apparently he’s done this before. He was barking frustratedly at the rodent who was just out of his reach. I picked up the tube and decided to shake it out into the cedar hedge on the right of the below photo (which is a still from a video). He was snapping at the open end until I got it out of his reach. Eventually the chipmunk escaped and I could swear it was the very same one that I had granted a reprieve to from the trap. Incredibly luckily I was around. I got the ferocious beast of a dog into the house and brought the Big T. Naturally we had to make a pit stop along the way, one he easily could have done afterwards.

There was no additions to that simple caper and I was finally able to escape into town. There is something that I did around Christmas that I very much enjoyed and haven’t been able to do since. I went to Canadian Tire and just walked around the store. I didn’t have anything in particular that I needed, I’d highlighted some sale items I could use but was just there to shop. I walked nearly every aisle in the entire store. I filled my cart. Most of the items were for others, either Mother, the Farm or friends. I did get some stuff for myself too. I didn’t use my $75 worth of gift cards, mostly because I forgot but also because I didn’t buy the battery for the boat on this trip. I’d spent too much time wandering to go ask for help with that. I fielded a couple calls from the Big T. I also tried to convince him to buy a leaf blower but they flatly refuse, not using their imagination to see how many applications it would have for their operation and how much easier it would make their life.

I got home before lunch and spent some time showing Mother my prizes. I also gave her the things I’d purchased for her, some for outside and some for inside. Jacko was out at the combine working on cleaning the wheat out of it before they started into the oat field. I put some things in the cab and showed him what I’d picked up to help make their lives easier. I was starting to help and get dirty but was still wearing my town clothes so went in to change. Mother had lunch ready, it was the last of the cheddar broccoli soup and an aggressive amount of watermelon. In reality it was just a half of a watermelon left over from my birthday but it sure stacked up high in that bowl. She challenged me to finish it before I left in a couple of days. It capped off a decently relaxing morning.

After lunch I decided I’d better take a truck and clean up the building pile of brush that I’d been stacking in front of the bin so life would be easier for them. I had the two big piles I’d generated and one that was there since I got there in the wheel barrow. I loaded it all into the truck and didn’t bother tying it down, something I’d regret a mile in. I had to go about one third of normal speed the rest of the journey. I unloaded it and tried to put it on the top of the pile. There was one little straggler branch at my feet once the bulk was out and when I reached down to get it while looking at the big pile and generally not paying attention I got nipped. I’m not exactly sure if it was giant hogweed but it sure looked like it. I brushed the stem not the drying flower and it scratched me in a couple places. I didn’t feel any pain but there was a blister within minutes. I got home and rinsed it with cold water and then washed it gently with soap and water and then flushed it again before repeating the process. I did this on the other wrist too where there were two smaller blisters. I didn’t like the uncertainty. There was no pain and it didn’t spread in the sunlight, but did expand outwards, which was gross. I repeated the washing routine and then donned a pair of bandages and went out to help.

The plan was to start into the field North of the house and it was part of the oat program so the local crop consultant was involved. He came to take samples again, as he had with the other field. Big T must have been excited for that because he tried to put the auger out while it was still in the shed and as a result he smashed the auger up pretty good. It still turned okay and would work but it didn’t move on it’s own. They wired something in the bin to keep it permanently out, which looked stupid but allowed the operation to proceed. I was low man again, had to run get stuff on whims, generally not well considered ones. I swept out the shed again, nobody noticed. I also put the repaired tire back on the sprayer for them and generally helped out. After a couple of hours the wire broken and we had to resort to a much more bush league solution. I used a ladder to push the auger out and Big T stood in the filled wagon to hold it, then asked me to go get the spool of wire. Why we didn’t get the tools before I’ll never know. And why he decided to hold it in place for no reason that whole time I was fetching the wire I’ll never know either. Logistics aren’t his strength. He was angry when I returned with the wire and Jacko and was trying to order us around. Eventually, through some high tensions, we got it wired in place using a crazy amount of wire. This allowed them to continue. When it was done I went back in the house, a little miffed by the wiring procedure.

Mother was eating some cardboard pizza she’d prepared. I polished off what she didn’t and dinner was done by half five. I was satisfied to allow the two brothers to continue to run their busted machine but they kept asking for help. Eventually I went out and helped Jacko set up the auger and dump wagons. It didn’t feel right to sit in the house while he was working. He had to leave around eight to go see his grandkids or something so I took over running wagons. I was out of practice but was able to dump the last one. Big T tried to help me hook up another wagon in the field and I nearly crushed his hand, rookie mistake of using the brakes. We brought everything back when the oats got tough and put everything away for the night in case the ten percent chance of rain was a lie. It looked like the competitor’s fungicide he used didn’t do much for rust. The combine was turning orange.

Big T crushed a massive dinner that Mother had laid out and then started to work on his little dog. Titi has another parasite in this back. They had the notion that they could suffocate it by submerging the little guy in the tub for long enough that it would pop it’s head out and try to breathe. He couldn’t keep the dog under long enough, it seemed the little codger liked being in the water but he was just too small, if it had been on his side again maybe they’d have had success.

I’d had enough after getting blamed for Big T spilling his water bottle and went to bed around ten.