Go to bed at night thinking you know cows. Next morning the cows make you look like an idiot!

[jkwilson]

Had a hauling job last week that was scheduled for 0600. Didn't much care for it since it was supposed to rain the evening before and I wanted to be hooked up and ready to roll before I went to bed. I got a reprieve when the guy called and said they had an equipment problem and couldn't be ready before 1000. Went to bed while it was raining knowing it would be dry in the morning to hook up and I'd have time for a cup of coffee and a shower before hitting the road.

You know what they say about the best laid plans!

Woke just after daylight to the sound of a calf bawling way too close to the house. Jumped up, got dressed and rolled out the door to a multi-channel surround sound cow-calf bawling experience. Since the boss lady was out of town, there was no one to blame for the gate "somebody" left open.

I hopped on the 4-wheeler and pushed a group through the nearest gate and took a head count. Three missing cows and three missing calves. One cow and calf in the woods behind the hay barn, one cow and calf in pasture that was going to be cut for hay, and one cow and calf on the neighbor's pasture where I'd left a gate open in preparation for moving some cows that evening. The cow gods decide to mock me by making sure that each of the missing cows was isolated with the wrong calf! Needed to push a cow and a calf nearly a quarter mile away from the animals they wanted to be with just to get started. Finally got in behind them and started trying to push. Time after time the calf got by me while I was trying to hold the cow. Then I ran out of gas and they both got by while I switched to reserve. Ran it back to the shop to gas up and then repeated the cycle several more times.

Finally got done and headed back to the house. Didn't even grab my phone when I ran out, so I had no clue what time it was. Went in the back door to find it was after 0930. Grabbed my phone and wallet and jumped in the truck to hook up. When I got on the road I was soaked through from sweat and hadn't had my coffee. Got there 7 minutes late.

Normal day around here

 

[puzzled in oregon]

I think you earned a high five from those "cow gods"

 

[4hfarms]

Murphy is in control!

 

[MurraysMutts]

Who needs coffee when ya have the cows to wake you!

Bet u were wanting that coffee the whole way there....

 

[farmerjan]

AHHHH, normal day around here!!!!! Always when you plan things.....

 

[Ky hills]

Been there a time or three or more.

 

[Dave]

I solved that problem when I moved here. There is always cows out and nobody cares. A couple days ago the wife was headed out the driveway. Some guy headed up the road flagged her down. He said there were cows on the road about a mile back. She told him, yep Gary's road cows. It is open range we just slow down and watch out for them. He said about 2 miles back there was a bunch of calves on the road. She said they are out all the time, the owner knows about it. We just slow down and watch for them after all it is open range. He said but there are fences. She didn't bother to explain what open range means.

 

[greybeard]

I solved that problem when I moved here. There is always cows out and nobody cares. A couple days ago the wife was headed out the driveway. Some guy headed up the road flagged her down. He said there were cows on the road about a mile back. She told him, yep Gary's road cows. It is open range we just slow down and watch out for them. He said about 2 miles back there was a bunch of calves on the road. She said they are out all the time, the owner knows about it. We just slow down and watch for them after all it is open range. He said but there are fences. She didn't bother to explain what open range means.

I remember those days. Back in the 60s tho. Open range here ended in the early 70s.

 

[Brute 23]

That's why I hate scheduling people, trucks, vets, etc. If things go south you have to deal with all that. When it's just me and my dad or son or a helper if it goes south we just work thru it. If we run out of daylight... we start over the next morning.

 

[jkwilson]

That's why I hate scheduling people, trucks, vets, etc. If things go south you have to deal with all that. When it's just me and my dad or son or a helper if it goes south we just work thru it. If we run out of daylight... we start over the next morning.

Now that I'm retired from the bill-paying job, I dislike scheduling more and more! When I had to go the job, my Outlook calendar ran my life. 5 or 6 events a day and always a few things came up to consume any spare minute. I Practically had to check my calendar to see if I had time to use the bathroom.

Now I really like having a general idea of what I'm going to do and then wing it based on weather, supplies, mood or whatever the day presents. I still get plenty done, but my stress level is way lower.