Christmas eve work...

The weather lied about it snowing on Christmas eve, so we went outside to work - splitting firewood. Here are the worker bees.

Here is the supervisor and his loyal dog.

Notice a few things? The new machine, the size of the wood rings, and the cold temperature.

After a little hard work, the coats came off as the sweat started to flow. This ring was big (36" by 30") and heavy, and required some human intervention once the 27 ton hydraulic ram made the initial split.

The nice shiny new log splitter? My early Christmas present from me to the family.

I no longer need to borrow or rent a log splitter. It will pay for itself after only 14 days of usage.

I appreciated the willing help from my two oldest sons. (The day after Christmas, they and two of my sons-in-law helped cut and split a giant red oak near the stream).

This is the last of the white oak which died in our backyard and had to be cut down. Very heavy and solid firewood.

The boys still have to occasionally wield the 8 pound maul to do some manual splitting.

Later on Christmas eve, I appreciated my two youngest boys doing a Good Turn by playing Christmas wood elves. They split some more wood and delivered a surprise gift to a neighbor in need. It was a great way to get ready for Christmas morning.

Merry Barfy Christmas

Twas the weekend before Christmas, and most of our children and grand children were arriving from far away.

Unfortunately, a nasty flu bug also arrived, striking somebody new every day. Notice the clear plastic bowl next to the couch?

This is my bathroom AFTER I cleaned it. An hour earlier, K7 made it to this point in the doorway before becoming a human shotgun. Yes, it was as bad as it sounds. In addition to spending time on my hands and knees cleaning, I had to throw away all tooth brushes and several rolls of toilet paper. It's a good thing I love him.

K6 thought wearing an old gas mask would protect him. He was wrong - it got him a few days later, on Christmas morning. 

Hairy guy coming through the door

K2 arrived home, and the family came up with a list of very different descriptions of what they thought he looked like. What's your adjective?

West Texas Art

K8 and I visited this famous landmark just west of Amarillo. Many years ago, a farmer buried a bunch of cadillac's in a line along Interstate 40.

Over the years people have been spray painting the cars. I remember seeing them back in the day before the graffiti started - at one time I thought they were all pink.

No, I didn't really paint this message. People just throw their paint cans on the ground, so K8 and I picked up several and carried them to a small dumpster. 

K8 took this shot out the back window.

We saw lots of irrigation pipes in Texas and Oklahoma where they grow cotton, grain, and grass for hay.

The new fence is about to begin

We picked up our first load of woven wire - four rolls - and dumped them up on the hill.

K7 and K8 helped as usual.

They were heavy, so we pushed them out.

Went back into town for the second load. Notice how much room there is above the back tire...

...now look at it after the weight is lowered into the bed - heavy.

K8's job was to keep our neighbor's German shepherd entertained. She won't be able to come on our pasture once the fence goes up.

Wonder what they are talking about?

K7's work uniform.

K8 and I had to go into the "big city", and enjoyed a Japanese dinner. 

Go west young man.

K8 and I took a road trip to Texas 13-17 December. Check out gas prices in Oklahoma that weekend! Wow!

The Texas panhandle is fairly bleak compared to the Ozarks.

But you do see something interesting every few hundred miles.

A rain storm headed east.

Sand storm blowing in the distance.

Visited Texas Tech University in Lubbock to attend the commissioning of a former student and wonderful young lady as a 2nd Lt in the Air Force.

K8 and I were on the 5th floor.

Checking out and headed home after a quick visit.

Had strong winds the whole trip.

Occasional sand storms.

Many hours and miles of big sky, and flat, unbroken horizons.

Interesting names of towns in the middle of nowhere.

If K8 wasn't talking or counting "slug bug" cars and "banana" cars, he was sleeping, or...

...watching a movie. I did have him do a few chapters of math home work

We saw lots of these in western Oklahoma.

4 hammocks and only 2 trees

Where there is a will, there is a way - to get it done!

Preserving the cabin...

Finally stained the front and back porches. Next step is to install gutters - starting next week on the front, so people and steps don't get wet all the time, then on the back of house and barn as money comes available. 

This was a big job, so I paid wages to the crew.

Money really motivates K8. He started going out on his own, early in the morning.

And he kept going out.

Most of the work is now done. They just need to touch up and clean up here and there...to get their final paycheck!