A Week on the Farm

Tuesday, October 26, 2004
I woke up early to get my husband and Laurel out the door. They needed to put up Bush/Cheney signs along the route that the president would take as he headed through Wisconsin. Unfortunately, none of the signs could be put up ahead of time because there had been a lot of vandalism done to the signs put up earlier—we would have had to post a guard!

I drove the distance to help work at the Cuba City visit. The whole family as well as Daniel and Peter (extended family) helped. We helped direct people into the bleachers and get those who could not stand in the middle of the gym a place to sit. One child standing near me was feeling faint. As I started to offer to try to get some ice or water there was an explosion of cheers and clapping, and there they were! George W. and Laura Bush were on the stage. What fun to see them and hear his speech live. We all were surprised at how much the same it was to see him there in front of us as when we saw him on TV. George W. is George W!

It was said that there were 1,000 people in that small gym. We had heard many of his lines before in other speeches and in the debates, but it was fun to have him there in front, so close to us. I think he must be exhausted, though, to be going from place to place, giving speeches and working so hard. What a system we have set up for the election of our presidents!

After his speech, he came down to shake hands and see some of the people closest to the front. We all took lots of photos and the children collected posters. What fun!

Saturday, October 30, 2004
Early morning chores found Laurel’s Kiss Me, Too very ill. The mother cow, Kiss Me, died this spring, and Laurel had grieved her friend’s loss, but had taken the newborn calf into her care by bottle feeding her, cleaning her pen, and going for romps in the yard with her. The tears! KM2 and gotten too much corn and was so bloated that I feared we would lose her. As she lay in my daughter’s arms, I could see that the calf could barely breathe. Dad pushed a garden hose down her throat to relieve her of some of the bloating. We medicated her. We prayed. The vets were all out on call, and we began to think that we would not be able to get one here soon enough. Then one of the people at the vet clinic was able to get her husband to come (a vet at another clinic). That poor calf had 15 gallons of water and meds down her throat, was given an IV and was stuck and prodded… but she lived. It was not until 2:00 a.m. that she finally began to clean the corn out of her system. We now wait to see if there has been any other damage done to her internal organs. It is good to go out to the pen to be greeted by an alive, little, bloated, black calf.

Sunday, October 31, 2004
Today was Reformation Sunday and Confirmation Sunday for Laurel and JM. JM said that the worse thing about the day was that he had to wear something that looked like a tablecloth in church! Grandmas and grandpa, and our cousins all attended and then we came home for a meal of lefsa and meatballs. I am pleased that my children are growing in their faith. It is wonderful to have children grow up and become wiser and so helpful; it is hard to contemplate that they will grow up and head out for a life of their own.

Monday, November 1, 2004
Today we heard that one of the families in the church of our Amish neighbors was in a terrible car-buggy accident. The mother (of 10 children) and one of the children were killed and they had to med-flight 4 others to Madison. We grieve with them.

Tuesday, November 2, 2004
Election Day. Please get out and vote!

--------------------------------------------------------
I do not have the ability to post photos here yet. I am getting ready to post my best ones of the president’s visit and of our children’s confirmation on my website. I will try to get it up soon. I’m having difficulties figuring out WebEasy, my web page program. Click on Fairview on the main page links to check and see if it is up. Jean