Progress made!
This weekend was a busy one.
My enterprising father arrived unannounced, and decided to put me to work.
We built a portable loafing shed (three sided structure that is put into the pasture to act as shelter for the horses). Measuring 12′ x 16′ x 8′ and set upon a heavy steel frame, this bad boy seems like overkill… the portability factor is questionable. It took all that the backhoe had to drag the thing into our front paddock and cleared any snow, slush and horse manure that was in the way.
The horse and pony in the front pasture (naughty pony Hyacinth and her Appaloosa sidekick, Brumby) have been without shelter since we were forced to move them from the back paddocks where they continually escaped. Well, the pony escaped. Since they have the same nutritional requirements - both being air ferns - and get on well together, they were moved as a pair. They are blanketed to protect them from the elements, but really it is not enough. If Hya had only deigned to stay in the paddock where she already had a lovely shed and an automatic waterer…
As I write, they are in their new shed munching away at hay. Hooray for progress!! I am learning to appreciate the feeling of admiring work done with my own hands. There is something about the tangibility of this kind of work that appeals to me more than I thought it would.
Of course, we only put plywood on for walls, not having enough steel here at present, so it looks like a ghetto loafing shed. There is only so much one can do, and traveling to town for steel just didn’t seem like a good idea given the dense fog today. Perhaps next weekend we will finish the project so it is not so hideous to behold.
We started work on the tractor too, but need different tools that Dad forgot to bring to get the radiator off so we can gain access to the water pump. Now the poor thing is partially disassembled in the shed. I miss driving my tractor! It is a really fun piece of equipment to have. I find the backhoe too big and scary to drive, which is why I choose to use the sled.
A friend just stopped by to let me know that my significant other type person has been trying to call for the past half hour. Kevin was on his merry way home from Chicago (where he was visiting his hospitalized father) and was involved in a 140+ car pile up just south of Madison. I have spoken to him myself just now, and learned that while both he and the new car are without any damages, he was quite nearly plowed into by a semi, and literally jumped out of the car into the snow. The cars in the adjacent lane are all smashed to hell. One fatality has been confirmed and multiple injuries. There is no knowing at this point how long he will be stuck there, as the debris-strewn highway is blocked for miles.
My, how something like this brings home the fragility of the human body. I am glad that the weather is at least warm, so those involved are not being subjected to hypothermia. I can’t imagine what the experience must be like. Kevin likened it to something from a horror movie. I believe him.
The sled and I are heading out now to feed the horses. Just being around them is very calming. I could use a sedative.
anonemoose said:
I am sure there is something very comforting about seeing the results of your own handiwork. So what if it looks like a ghetto right now, all things come in time, right? Besides, do your horses really care what their new shelter looks like?
I hope your dad helps you with your tractor soon. It seems like that would be a helpful piece of machinery to have around.
moose
January 12th, 2008 at 9:12 am #