Training Day

8/03/06 - 5th Day - 4:40 a.m. Time to train Ami. We're up this morning to begin the process of eventually milking Ami. She is not actually a milk cow, and she has lived her whole life as part of a large longhorn herd on some big properties. This "people" thing is new to her. A couple weeks ago we got a halter put on her, and we have walked her a few times with a lead attached to it. This morning we will bring her into the milking area, tie her up, give her some sweet grains and try to get her back legs tied off where she can't kick. If we accomplish that, then we will have succeeded. I want her to get used to coming in and going through the process, and used to liking it.

Let me say that our cabin temperature was at 88 degrees at midnight last night. Not much opportunity to sleep. At 4:30 the temp had dropped to 84. Neither Danielle or I got much sleep last night.

I got Tracy up (she's 13 now) and she starts what will be her normal morning ritual... heating some water to wash Ami's udder, and preparing for the milking. I filled up the bucket with sweet grains, cut off some sections of rope to tie off her back leg(s), and headed over to the corral. The cows are out in the pasture, and it is pitch dark. I put some range cubes in the bucket that I use to call the cows in. Walking out into the pasture in the dark was somewhat disconcerting. It is not only dark, but there are likely little cow "packages" placed about that you might step in. I rattled the bucket for a bit and shortly I could hear hoofbeats from up the hill as the cows galloped towards me. But I could not see them. I shined my flashlight up the hill and I saw four sets of eyes moving very rapidly towards me. And, I might add, that Longhorns have very large, sharp horns. I know how gentle they are, but it still can be frightening to see them charging at you.

Well, Ami got to me first and she followed me somewhat patiently back to the corral where we separated her from the herd. I gave her the bucket of grains and tied her off to one of the mesquite poles in the corral. I talked gently to her and scratched her back and sides to calm her. My goal was to get her feet tied off to a post so that she couldn't kick me...

WHACK!

Too late. Right in the kneecap. Good shot Ami. She got me good too. She didn't even pause from gulping down the sweet grains. She's going to take some work. So we spent a good 20 minutes letting her eat and scratching and petting her so that she knew we weren't up to no good. Not bad for a first morning... except for the bruise on my kneecap. I got back to the cabin and emailed out the text/notes for Galatians, part 6. Last nights sermon went well... I thought.

We went about 6 months without a flat tire, and we literally have had about 11 flats in two weeks. We had four flat tires in 3 days. So I finally threw in the towel and decided we needed to go to Abilene (they have a Sam's Club) and buy new tires. So we did. Mark, Mihai, Myself, Tracy and Sarah went to the big city and did some shopping. $120 dollars for two tires with mounting and "hauling fee" (though we kept the old tires?). $130 in groceries and supplies. $75.00 in gas to fill up the truck. Hmmmmm..... Got home and we had received about $300 in donations. We're not getting ahead in our desire to get a well, but we aren't going further behind either.

Our friend from Austin is going to stop by here in a bit. It is the 5th day and Danielle always does laundry on this day. I received a couple of emails from people who had read Galatians, part 6. Maybe it did some good. One more chapter to finish the commentary.

Burgers tonight when Danielle gets home from the laundry. Should be soon.

God Bless you all,

Michael