Anybody that knows me will allow that I am basically a wedge-ass and don’t like to spend money.  BUT,  but when I’ve had it with something, get it done, hand me a bill and I will hand you a check.  DONE!

I’m at that point with tree limbs and trees.  I’ve rented man lifts and trimmed trees.  I’ve hauled limbs numerous times every year.  I’m done!  I’ve had it!

I had a tree trimming crew come by and give us an estimate.  This crew has worked for some other wedge asses that I know.  They are working in the area which keeps travel costs down.  It is WAY cheaper than what was going on the end of January and the month of February.  It is still more than I want to spend (which is ZERO), but I am out of time and my patience with trees and the resulting damage caused by falling limbs AND…AND I am sicking of spending my time and Duke’s time hauling off tree limbs.  It doesn’t take me long to calculate the rental of a man lift, time spent, chainsaw usage, time spent cussing the project, time spent being cussed at by wife for doing it wrong, dead trees, chainsaw blades, time spent wishing I would have paid somebody else to do it, YES, It has to be this weekend because it is the only time that I have to do it and I don’t care if the wind is blowing 35 mph it has to be done NOW because that is when I paid for the lift rental,  time spent hauling limbs….DUDE sometimes you just ante up and get the crap done..and pay somebody to do it. Save the marriage.  Still like your favorite son.  Not have to buy a new chainsaw.  All of a sudden this deal looks cheap.

Which brings us back to showing goats.  I can understand why some people would rather pay somebody to buy their goats, somebody to clip/shear said goats, somebody to give showmanship/feeding lessons and help on getting them ready at shows.  Hell, if you ain’t sure and don’t have time it is cheaper to just pay somebody that KNOWS what they are doing and just be done with it.  Then momma and the kids are happy.  Jeez, I want to hire somebody like that.  The problem….there ain’t many that know what they are doing.

But, it has to work like the tree trimming crew.  This crew looked like tree trimmers in NW Oklahoma.  I’m pretty sure that they don’t have a degree from a forestry college on proper tree trimming and maintenance.  They may have gone to Oklahoma Panhandle State University or West Texas A&M school of forestry.  (Both great schools, but if you don’t find the humor then…well, I apologize)  The owner dang sure needs to handle the PR work.  Very polite.  But I loved it when he met Duke.  His crew was behind him at the pickup.  Yes, there were numerous visible tattoos.  Okay.  That’s fine.  One or two may be recovering from an addiction or two.  He asked Duke what grade he was in?  Duke replied “Sophomore.”  One of the crew shouted out, “Dude, stay in school otherwise you will end up trimming trees the rest of your life.”  There’s some sound advice.  Unless you like that work and there is money to be made.

Have a good day, a better tomorrow and pray that fires don’t come near you.  Tammy and I lost a house to flooding decades ago, but nobody was in harms way.  No animals lost.  I wouldn’t wish a fast-moving fire on my worst enemy.  Pray for those that have been hit.

P.S.  Several years ago, I listened to Barney Fowler talk about a fire that had spread across their place.  They had lots of scorched ears and such.  Lost some kids.  But, at first, they thought that most of the does had made it through the fire.  But then they realized that udders had been seared.  Then they started losing hooves off does from the hot ground.  It took weeks to realize all that they had lost.  I don’t know of any goats lost in this latest deal, but there are lots of cattle that have been lost.  Some people replaced 50 miles of 5 wire barb wire last year and got wiped out again.  Lots of hay has been lost in a drought stricken area.  It’s agriculture and prayers will be offered and people will survive.  It is what we do.

P.S.S.  After using Eucalyptus Oil on my chest, around my nostrils and in the humidifier, I have spent the last 13 days, lying there on the couch, late at night, trying to breath and all I could think of was “I bet koalas don’t get much congestion since all that they eat is Eucalyptus leaves.”  I know.  I’m retarded.