Good Monday morning from cool and waterlogged Knolltop!

We had rain all weekend. Yesterday it just came down in sheets and I wondered if we were going to have to get the ark out. But I see we are much better off than those in Ike’s path.

I have an immediate prayer request just for today. JW is in the middle of his judging contest in Harrisburg, PA. If you would say a prayer for him when you think about it throughout the day, I would be so thankful. Of course, I’m not praying that he do his best, I’m praying that he wins the contest…..remember the free treadmill? He will know how he did tonight so I will give you the results in the morning! Thank you in advance for your prayer!!!!!

Time to take the kids to school!

It’s raining on the Knolltop. I think we’ve got remnants of Ike, but thank heavens we don’t have hurricanes in Michigan!!!!!

Yes, the SBH in his comment yesterday was correct, I was a member of the “Chain gang” last night at the football game. And it was so much fun! There were many comments made and strange looks from the officials as they came up and asked where the clip man was and they pointed to me. After they realized it was no joke, they offered me a handshake and asked if I knew what I was doing. Bobby assured them the newest crew member had been trained and knew what to do. Even though I didn’t really know exactly….yet.

After the first play of the game, I figured out just exactly what my role was and it was a riot standing there on the front lines watching the game and listening to the opposing team coaches talk to each other, discuss plays and tell their boys what to do.

They were all very courteous to one another and to me. I knew of couple of the boys on the team, so I made small talk with them, but then I had to turn from “Clip Man” to the Official Mom.

For the most part the players were very nice and treated their water “girl” with respect. But there were a couple of boys who were very demanding and forgot their manners. When I witnessed this I totally forgot what I was doing and turned into a mom. Before I could stop myself I said, “Hey, you need to be nice to her, she doesn’t have to be out here doing this, she’s serving this team and you need to remember your manners with her. Don’t you treat her like that!”

After watching their expressions change from big strong football players to scolded puppies, I remembered my job and that I wasn’t signed up to be the team mom, so I turned and shut my mouth. But I’m sure if their mothers had seen their behavior, they would thank me for what I did.

The rain held off for the most part and homecoming was a success. Although the Juniors who built their float in our barn, forgot to make arrangements to transport the float from our place to the school. So there were only three floats at halftime. That’s okay, their float was down right awful anyway! Oh and we lost 36-0. It wasn’t pretty.

It’s a foggy wet morning here on the Knolltop. I think the hurricanes are affecting us way up here.

Last night we went to Waldron for Luke’s JV football game. They did a great job and beat the Spartans. Luke played quarterback the whole game, when he wasn’t on defense. I know I’m his mom…but really, he’s a great player!

Jake was the ball boy on the side lines and while he was standing there the boys who were running the chains and the down marker were visiting with him….of course. One of the boys said, “Man, that number 16 is awesome, he should be on varsity!” If that didn’t make Jake swell up with pride… all pumped up he said, “Yeah, I know, that’s my brother.” What a hoot!

Now there is something else I need to get straight. While sitting with my BFF Sue, her mom and my parents at the game we were all discussing the use of “BFF.” Sue came up with a different meaning than the original use which is Best Friend Forever. She said she thought I was saying Big Fat Friend instead of the real meaning. Now, I’ve never called her fat and have no intention of calling her my fat friend. Mostly because she’s not and I would never call anyone fat….unless I had some pit bull coming out and I needed to use it for effect.

Nonetheless I had to get that straight just in case anyone of of you who read this thought I meant Big Fat Friend.

The salsa is done but my column is not….so you know what I’m doing this morning. Tonight is homecoming and JW will miss it because he’s headed to MSU to give five sets of reasons before they leave for Harrisburg, PA this evening. I get to help Bobby run the chains tonight, which means I get to be on the sidelines of the opposing team listening to all their interactions…I can’t wait! Full review over the weekend!

It’s another cool morning on the Knolltop.

Last evening I travelled with my BFF Sue to Sarah’s first volleyball game. They lost. In two games they lost miserably. I think they are too excited about their very first homecoming dance on Friday. As 7th graders they now get to do so much more and dances are just one of the many exciting happenings. What’s funny is, that when the boys lose, they are bummed and it takes a while to get over it. When the girls lose, they don’t dwell on it, they bounce back to the locker room, change their clothes and are looking forward to what the concession stand has to offer!

I finally got my salsa made and was ready to put it into jars last night after the game. When I went to get the lids….no lids! You know lids are one of those things you buy here and there thinking you might need some this year. And then you realize you have enough lids for a small army so you stop buying. And then all of a sudden… no lids!

Needless to say, I’m off to the store this morning for lids and have a couple of other stops. I might even stop at the bakery…I’ve had a hankerin‘ for a big fritter!

Luke has a game tonight so I will start chores with Bobby, JW will take over for me and I”ll go to the game while they finish up and then Bobby will come when he’s done with the milking and leave the rest to JW who has been the best help this fall! Now I know why we had children……they are a great workforce!

It’s a cool, sunny day here on the Knolltop. The winds of Fall are beginning to blow, it was only 44 this morning! I wore shorts under my overalls but I didn’t take my sweatshirt off at all, which means it was cool..very cool.

Okay, yesterday Pryorvu told us something that doesn’t seem to have the rest of the cow world stirred up as much as our news over the weekend. My sister, the horse breeder, music teacher, homeschool mom, choir director, mother of five…..boys….. wife of a cabinet maker and over all wonder woman is now a milkmaid! Well, that makes her sound like she runs around in a skirt with an apron milking cows, which is highly inaccurate.

I told you about her wonderful little retail business where she milks her cows, puts in in jars and sells it to her food co-op customers for $7.00 a gallon. This business began with her middle son and one 4-H cow, like so many dairies around the country, and has now grown to a small herd of Ayrshires, a real live milk house, two commercial size refrigerators and I don’t know something like 200 glass gallon jugs! Not really that many, but there are a lot of jugs!

My parents went out a few weeks ago for a visit and my mother, who loves and appreciates a well designed, clean, efficient milk house, has talked about nothing else since she’s been back. (Another slight exaggeration)

But now the real news is….THEY BOUGHT A HOLSTEIN! I’m so glad they’ve finally seen the light and gotten a real milk cow! (I know, I know, I’m asking for it now!)

The amazing thing is not that they have a Holstein and we have two Jerseys but it’s that we both grew up on the same farm where we had Holsteins, Jerseys, Brown Swiss and Ayrshires. My sister, Ginny choose music as her major in college and went off to be a teacher. I went to college to be an animal science and ag com major and was going to be… well, a wife and stay at home mom. And here we are years later both stay at home moms, with husbands that are both self-employed and we are milking cows! Now that’s a hoot!

I’ve got salsa to make…and I’d better get on it!

All I can say today is WOW..those little brown cows can stir up more action in one day than Sarah Palin!

Because all they had were numbers for their registered names, they will now be affectionately referred to as Francis and Pat. And they went out for the first time last evening….JW actually had to touch them. They enjoyed their first time outside with the big girls, but kept to themselves. Thinking we would have to chase them around this morning to get them in, we got up early, but after all the Holsteins came into their places, F & P came in together and with less wrangling than the rodeo we had when the arrived on Saturday, we got them in their stalls successfully.

I loved all the comments yesterday, but one of the most profound one was when the confederates of Bobby’s family said it was like Colonel Sanders eating pork. That was about as true as it gets. And Jake feels the same way still today. On Sunday evening when Bobby had to run into the gas station he was in a hurry and told Jake he couldn’t go with him. When Bobby got out of ear shot, Jake curled his lip, squinted his eyes and said disdainfully, “Jersey lover!”

Okay, I’d love to write even more but it will all have to wait until tomorrow, I have a Holstein Association board meeting to head to and a conference call on the way I have to prepare for and I haven’t even showered!

Thanks for all the great comments and isn’t that Russell Gammon a total HOOT?! If I ever get my book written, I’m hiring him for my publicist!

Where do I begin? First of all, let’s get this political stuff out of the way. I’m thrilled that all of you who commented would feel the freedom to share your views. Thank you so much for allowing the rest of us a peek into your lives. And just like my BFF Julie (that’s best friend forever, Julie) has never let me down, she continues with sharing her strong liberalism. I thought time and children would wear her down and bring her to the right side of things…but I see she is still her Father’s daughter…a true Democrat! HA! Like I told her older sisters at Palmerton’s sale on Saturday, George Robb would be proud of his youngest daughter!

But what amazes me is for two friends who have grown up together and shared so much of our lives with each other, we are at opposite ends of the spectrum in our political views and we still care so much for each other. Now that’s what I call reaching across party lines! HA! I love you Julie!

Now for the fun of the day. On Saturday we did something I never thought I’d ever see my husband the Holstein Junkie do….we bought two Jersey’s at the Hapalson dispersal. As we sat there and looked over the cows, it was strange to see Bobby, the pedigree wizard at a loss when it came to knowing any of the pedigrees on these cows. He was so lost he was asking ME what I thought! At the end of the day two fresh cows arrived at the Knolltop and that was the beginning of the end of family harmony. The boys are in an uproar about these brown “goats” in our barn. They can’t believe this is happening and refuse to recognize that two of our stalls are now, half filled Jerseys.

But the real fun was Russell Gammon’s response to the boys reaction. Remember, Russell is the Executive Secretary of Jersey Canada. He offered some wise advice that I just have to share with all of you! He sent the following email to me:

To completely quell the nausea, despair and hurt threatening to overflow in the lives of your two eldest children let me just say that Jersey calves especially in the first three months of their earthly existence are THE ULTIMATE BABE MAGNETS. We are actually convinced that they can whop a basket full of playful puppies or kittens! The dudes should consider this deep in their hearts!
One peep that there are Jersey calves and any of the young frauliens worth knowing will be swarming all over the Knolltop! If that doesn’t do the trick, and it will, tell them these precious words:
A. Suck it up!
B. GET OVER IT!
C. Let it go!
D. Let go and let God!
E. If you can’t beat them thar pesky l’I’ll brown cows, join em!
F. Just be thankful you got a pair before demand is so extreme there are none left available!
G. Y’all have done arrived!
H. Now, yer joy is complete!
I. The cheering for y’all is deafening!
J. It was only done to honour the Palmertons! Although the same family will likely hold a heifer sale someday!
K. It would warm the heart of an elderly man to have a picture of JW and Luker planting great big kisses on the snouts of the new brown ladies!

This is FAR too much fun! As you can see!
Okay I WILL stop-for now!
As I can now say to you: JERSEY ON!
Big cheers! The Rman!!

Is there no end to this Russell mania?

Good Morning from a foggy Knolltop!

Today is the big sale at Palmertons in Fowlerville. They will disperse a herd of cows they’ve milked for I don’t know how many years and I’m sure they have reservations. But next week when Patty can enjoy sleeping in….I think she’ll wonder how she milked cows for so many years!

We’re headed to that sale, Sarah has a volleyball scrimmage, JW has a judging work out at Nugentdale Farms and Jake is at a friends house. So just Luke, Bobby and I will head to the little brown cow sale. And who knows….we may come home with one or two! Yikes!

Good Friday Morning!

It’s a cool, cloudy Knolltop and boy do I like it.

I spent last evening in Camden, my home away from home….where the Farmers’ Advance is based and where I had my first editor’s job. Anyway, I was at Luke’s game and boy was it a good one. Luke played several positions and did a great job. He played quarterback part of the time and carried the ball…the announcer called it a quarterback keeper….who knows? But anyway, he would keep the ball and run instead of throwing it or giving it to someone else to run it. And then he threw it for a touchdown in the last quarter. I was so proud of him! I know, I know..that’s a big newsflash!

He was happy with the way he played and they won…18-0. The announcer for the game also worked at the Farmers’ Advance as a salesman. Rick Clark is retired now but really should pick up a new career as a sports commentator…he’s so good! Of course he said hi to Bobby and I over the microphone and announced during the game that Luke Hart out there on the field playing so well was Bobby and Melissa Hart’s son. That was a bit embarrassing…especially since right after that, Luke got an off side’s penalty called him!

Tonight is a home varsity game and JW and Bobby will run the chains and Luke will march in the band…which he is dreading. I’ve still got to make some salsa today, run some errands, I just wrote my column…yes about the attributes of lipstick and the heifers are waiting for their baths.

I just got my email fixed…it wasn’t sending any emails out. So all week I’ve been sending emails out and no one has gotten them! Technology is so wonderful…..!

And thanks for those who posted comments about Sarah Palin…but there are still some who are holding out on me….let me hear what you think!

Okay, it’s time to get into politics…..I want your opinion on Sarah Palin and her debut last night. I don’t care what side you’ll vote for, I want your honest thoughts on Sarah and her speech.

I stayed up last night just to watch it. I know, I’m a bit of a political junkie….I have a few friends who I email back and forth and we discuss politics in one or two sentences….it’s fun to speculate and listen to the spin doctors. Today I will pay for staying up past my bedtime, but I really wanted to hear her speech for myself and not just bits and pieces of it. I have to say, the lipstick joke was great. She nailed it right on the head with that one….I don’t think there is a mom worth while who couldn’t relate to that comment. And I think that’s what I like best about her….she relates to me in areas where no man whether black or white, old, young, handsome, ugly, conservative, liberal…..could ever come close to relating.

Today is writing day and I’m formulating a column all about lipstick….we’ll see if it sticks or not! HA!

Then Luke has a football game tonight…I”m looking forward to that. But now it’s time to head back out and work with the show string!