As you can tell by my heading, that is what we are contending with again! We had about an inch of rain today. Ardmore asked me yesterday if he should take the bean header off the combine and park them both. My answer was no yesterday, today, I'm not so sure that was the proper answer.We will need some very warm weather with wind to be able to get back in the field, but we live in northern Minnesota and it is the middle of October so...
Breanne and Josh celebrated their first wedding anniversary today. Michelle had little Damen. She said she had to take him out of church because of his screaming. He loves to hear his voice so every once in a while, just screams. No crying, just screaming! It was so funny when I was talking to Breanne yesterday, every once in a while Damen would scream. She said it is so loud it pearces her ears.
It seems like Michelle's life is so busy, even on what should be days off. Take yesterday as an example. She had three piano lessons up in Valley Springs, which is about an hour away. Besides being a full-time student she teacher 10 piano lessons each week. Thank goodness she doesn't have any small children under foot.
My knee is so stiff today. I try to flex it but it is just too sore. I did walk about a mile and a half, but no cycling tonight or rocking in the rocking chair. I am swimming about 5 times a week, which seems to help with the stiffness and the range of motion. My goal is to be able to sit in church and put my foot up on the cross-bar at the base of the church chairs. This is going to be an accomplishment. I find that walking down the stairs has been easier this past three days, and doesn't cause me pain behind my knee until the last three stairs in our split entry home when I go to the lower level.
I made some Romagrotte for Ardmore this evening. This is a Norwegian treat that is enjoyed by the people in our area. I make this in the microwave.
Microwave Romagrotte
1 cup milk
1 cup cream
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
1/8 cup sugar
Salt
Place milk and cream in a 1 1/2 quart bowl and heat to scalding, add the sugar and a little salt. Melt the butter and add flour, mix to paste and add to milk/cream mixture and mix well.
Cook on high stiring every minute until like a pudding. Top witha a little butter and sugar-cinammon when you serve it. This was commonly served by the pioneers as it was made for ingredients they had in their homes and it was quick.
That's all Folks!
Life on the Haugen Farm
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Hurrah, the newsletter is about done
After spending the past week, off and on, working on the historical society newsletter, today it went off to a board member to do the final editing. Tonight, I found out that something needs to be added so will have to do some more editing tomorrow but it can be printed and sent off on Friday, I hope.
The hot tub at the pool was still not working this morning. The owner ordered a part and said it should be here today. He wouldn't stamp my card today either. I hope the part came as the hot tub really is great for my stiffness and helping me work on my flexibility. I am surprised how much my flexibility has improved though. Before I had to go back and forth on the bike many times before I could finally cycle, now I just go back and forth about three times and over and after about 10 rounds I am going smooth as can be. Not any pain either. I ice for about 20 to 30 minutes following the exercises. Hurrah!
Picked up a new library book today by Richard Russo called Nobody's Fool. It starts out well written so it should hold my interest.
The hot tub at the pool was still not working this morning. The owner ordered a part and said it should be here today. He wouldn't stamp my card today either. I hope the part came as the hot tub really is great for my stiffness and helping me work on my flexibility. I am surprised how much my flexibility has improved though. Before I had to go back and forth on the bike many times before I could finally cycle, now I just go back and forth about three times and over and after about 10 rounds I am going smooth as can be. Not any pain either. I ice for about 20 to 30 minutes following the exercises. Hurrah!
Picked up a new library book today by Richard Russo called Nobody's Fool. It starts out well written so it should hold my interest.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
What to do in the middle of the night...
What a busy day yesterday was, the time went by way too quickly. I had PT at nine and Mickie and I went for coffee afterward, then it was work, work, work. (Well, not quite, Roseau Electric had their customer appreciation lunch, which Mickie and I gobbled down. Delish, hot port sandwiches!) First we had to get the info on our upcoming lunch movie out to the public and then I spent the day working on the newsletter. When my phone alarm announced that I had a 4 o'clock appointment I was shocked. After my massage I spent an hour swimming and headed home to Ardmore. The house was not welcoming, it was dark outside and dark inside, he was fast asleep and it was only 7:30. I think the rain does that to him. He is probably disgusted about the fact that the soybeans are still not ready to be harvested and we have rain AGAIN.
We decided we need to purchase another fan for another grain bin, this is the fifth fan so now all the bins will have fans! Hurrah, no more worries about that, we could use another bin dryer though. I guess $1,800 more is a little more than we should spend until we know the soybeans are off.
I'd like to be positive about things right now, but with the way grain prices are falling, wheat's gone from $7.22 on September 22 down to $6 yesterday, that is a drop of over $18 since January 2008, Canola is at $13 after being $25. I can't fee optimistic about our future farm earnings. All I can say, is thank goodness we don't owe a whole lot of money. Well, maybe with the insurance that we have had to pay this year, that is not totally true, I think we have about an $11,000 crop insurance bill, that will be due soon, along with our other payments. Farming is not for the faint of heart...
Well I better try to get some sleep not, it has evaded me for the past three hours, but at least the pain in my knee has subsided. I had decided to try and sleep in the king size bed with Ardmore, bad move, too hard and my knee became very painful so I moved back to the bed downstairs. TKR must be taken care of or it will not take care of you!
We decided we need to purchase another fan for another grain bin, this is the fifth fan so now all the bins will have fans! Hurrah, no more worries about that, we could use another bin dryer though. I guess $1,800 more is a little more than we should spend until we know the soybeans are off.
I'd like to be positive about things right now, but with the way grain prices are falling, wheat's gone from $7.22 on September 22 down to $6 yesterday, that is a drop of over $18 since January 2008, Canola is at $13 after being $25. I can't fee optimistic about our future farm earnings. All I can say, is thank goodness we don't owe a whole lot of money. Well, maybe with the insurance that we have had to pay this year, that is not totally true, I think we have about an $11,000 crop insurance bill, that will be due soon, along with our other payments. Farming is not for the faint of heart...
Well I better try to get some sleep not, it has evaded me for the past three hours, but at least the pain in my knee has subsided. I had decided to try and sleep in the king size bed with Ardmore, bad move, too hard and my knee became very painful so I moved back to the bed downstairs. TKR must be taken care of or it will not take care of you!
Thought for the day
It is difficulties that show what men are. -- Epictetus
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Thoughts from past and present
This weekend is general conference. I have listened to several of the talks yesterday and today. Several times, I felt the Spirit whisper, listen, this will help with what you are physically enduring. I was reminded to pray more often. There was also a documentary about President Monson today. It was so interesting. I marvel at the caring he has given the elder that he served as a bishop and a stake president. He never forgot one of the elderly widows in his ward at Christmas.
I feel I am finally making progress on my range of motion. I went in again yesterday to work out in the pool. The hot tub was a cold tub thought which was not good, in fact the pool was warmer than the hot tub by several degrees. I hope that it is warmer the next time I go. The hot works wonderfully with the flexibility exercises, but overall exercises are great in the pool. By the time the evening rolls around, I need to massage my legs to get to sleep though. A small price to pay for a good nights sleep.
Michelle told me that she went swimming but that it was so difficult with her sore ankle. I wonder if she is massaging it? I think that would help with the circulation and help it heal faster.
Our neighbors have started combining soybeans; this can cause a mixed emotion in one who is not sure if his crop is ready or not. Ardmore decided to try to combine and after one truck load decided that our crop is not ready. He also decided to transfer one of the electric heaters that go on the bins from a bin with wheat to the bin he is going to put the soybeans in. It is an excellent chance that the wheat is dry in that bin anyway.
It is always a little stressful when we get this late in the season and find we are up against the weather. Looking at the radar, it will rain before morning. I hope it is not much, we have had enough this fall and don't really need any more.
PT with ultra sound again in the am. I think I will do that this week and ask if we can give it a try without it.
I started reading The Host by Stephanie Meyer this past week. She is a BYU graduate and Brian recommended the book. It is a gripping story of how a group of spirits take over the bodies of humans as hosts. Different from anything I have ever read before. I highly recommend it.
I feel I am finally making progress on my range of motion. I went in again yesterday to work out in the pool. The hot tub was a cold tub thought which was not good, in fact the pool was warmer than the hot tub by several degrees. I hope that it is warmer the next time I go. The hot works wonderfully with the flexibility exercises, but overall exercises are great in the pool. By the time the evening rolls around, I need to massage my legs to get to sleep though. A small price to pay for a good nights sleep.
Michelle told me that she went swimming but that it was so difficult with her sore ankle. I wonder if she is massaging it? I think that would help with the circulation and help it heal faster.
Our neighbors have started combining soybeans; this can cause a mixed emotion in one who is not sure if his crop is ready or not. Ardmore decided to try to combine and after one truck load decided that our crop is not ready. He also decided to transfer one of the electric heaters that go on the bins from a bin with wheat to the bin he is going to put the soybeans in. It is an excellent chance that the wheat is dry in that bin anyway.
It is always a little stressful when we get this late in the season and find we are up against the weather. Looking at the radar, it will rain before morning. I hope it is not much, we have had enough this fall and don't really need any more.
PT with ultra sound again in the am. I think I will do that this week and ask if we can give it a try without it.
I started reading The Host by Stephanie Meyer this past week. She is a BYU graduate and Brian recommended the book. It is a gripping story of how a group of spirits take over the bodies of humans as hosts. Different from anything I have ever read before. I highly recommend it.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Politics & the VP debate
Ardmore and I watched the VP debate tonight, he watched CNN while I was looking at Fox. Both of us are republicans, I don't like the controversy and there isn't much on Fox but CNN is far too Democratic. Ardmore was upset before the debate even began. Palin was finally herself. It was interesting to listen to her talk and to see Biden's reaction. She is a middle class working woman who has traveled in political circles most middle class women don't have the opportunity to even connect with much less travel with. I wonder, how did she got chosen for the VP position? Where were the powers that be during the time the McCain was looking for someone? I don't think we would be in the position of questioning a VP's platform if Romney would have been chosen instead. Somehow, sometime, somewhere, a decision was made that will either break or make the republican 2008 campaign. Was Palin chosen because Hilary was not? I don't think we will ever know. I know I vote for the platform, knowing that the President has to listen to his cabinet and others who know far more than he could possibly know.
This afternoon was Roseau's customer appreciation day with a dinner held in the city center. There was a great crowd. I hope I can get the count.
Two of our children are laid up now. Well Michelle sprained her ankle last week. She is out of the boot now and says it is only painful at night. She attended all of her classes and even taught her students right from the day after she sprained.
James took a tumble on his bike after a 20 mile ride and fractured his collar bone. Tomorrow he sees an orthopedic specialist. I hope it isn't too bad.
Pool therapy went well this am. There were three young people in the pool when I arrived. It was fun to watch the interaction between the two young men and young lady. Therapy went well, I was very stiff in the morning so needed it desperately. I hope this helps with my stiffness and range of motion.
This afternoon was Roseau's customer appreciation day with a dinner held in the city center. There was a great crowd. I hope I can get the count.
Two of our children are laid up now. Well Michelle sprained her ankle last week. She is out of the boot now and says it is only painful at night. She attended all of her classes and even taught her students right from the day after she sprained.
James took a tumble on his bike after a 20 mile ride and fractured his collar bone. Tomorrow he sees an orthopedic specialist. I hope it isn't too bad.
Pool therapy went well this am. There were three young people in the pool when I arrived. It was fun to watch the interaction between the two young men and young lady. Therapy went well, I was very stiff in the morning so needed it desperately. I hope this helps with my stiffness and range of motion.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Electric Heat
Well, I gave in and turned on the electric heat this evening. For the past two nights it has been in the low 30s to 40 and when I wake up I can't get back to sleep because it is too cold. I will not have that tonight, by 4 it will be warmer on the floor.
I started pool physical therapy yesterday. I am not sure if my range of motion increase today is from the ultra sound treatments or from the pool workouts but my range had increased and I was able to walk down the city center stairs without pain after my workouts. By the time 3 o'clock rolled around, I needed ice though. it might help if the leg was elevated on my computer, it is on the floor so it can be used for that purpose. I am enjoying the pt at the pool immensely. I probably should have done this sooner. It really is painful when I first do the flexing at first but it is amazing how much it helps.
Yesterday Breanne and I talked on the phone. She said Damen is crawling all over and pulling himself up on everything. He tries to climb upon her lap when she is sitting, by pulling on her pants. I wish I was there to see this.
I've been spending a fair share of time working on the newsletter at work lately. Today my newspaper article took precedence though. Tomorrow the newsletter will take precedence.
Ardmore has finished chisel plowing the fields where the crop is off. We must be lucky as may people can't do their fields as they are too wet. This evening he was picking rocks.
With our government in Washington not making any decisions on bailing out the banks, the stock market and commodity markets have been hit hard. We have seen wheat go down by $3, Canola by $5, and Soybeans by about $4 in the past month. It is harvest time so this isn't so unusual but it would be nice to see it be more stable. I'm not sure what should be done to take care of our financial situation. We live on borrowed money and a bail out of 70 billion is going to be a big chunk, although the economists say that the stock market 700 point drop cost trillions. Something has to be done to level us out. It will be interesting to hear but goes on over night.
I started pool physical therapy yesterday. I am not sure if my range of motion increase today is from the ultra sound treatments or from the pool workouts but my range had increased and I was able to walk down the city center stairs without pain after my workouts. By the time 3 o'clock rolled around, I needed ice though. it might help if the leg was elevated on my computer, it is on the floor so it can be used for that purpose. I am enjoying the pt at the pool immensely. I probably should have done this sooner. It really is painful when I first do the flexing at first but it is amazing how much it helps.
Yesterday Breanne and I talked on the phone. She said Damen is crawling all over and pulling himself up on everything. He tries to climb upon her lap when she is sitting, by pulling on her pants. I wish I was there to see this.
I've been spending a fair share of time working on the newsletter at work lately. Today my newspaper article took precedence though. Tomorrow the newsletter will take precedence.
Ardmore has finished chisel plowing the fields where the crop is off. We must be lucky as may people can't do their fields as they are too wet. This evening he was picking rocks.
With our government in Washington not making any decisions on bailing out the banks, the stock market and commodity markets have been hit hard. We have seen wheat go down by $3, Canola by $5, and Soybeans by about $4 in the past month. It is harvest time so this isn't so unusual but it would be nice to see it be more stable. I'm not sure what should be done to take care of our financial situation. We live on borrowed money and a bail out of 70 billion is going to be a big chunk, although the economists say that the stock market 700 point drop cost trillions. Something has to be done to level us out. It will be interesting to hear but goes on over night.
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