Saturday, November 28, 2009

Farm Daze

This has been about the most hectic week I have spent in quite a while. Last Saturday, we had our last CSA pick up of the season (we go on for a really long time), as well as our regular winter Farmer's Market in Davidson. That means I got to pick all day Friday and it was COLD! I have to get down on my knees to pick lettuce and other baby sized greens, and since the ground was still wet from the rain just a couple of days prior, I was damp and muddy in no time. Only thing that kept that day from being totally miserable is that the greens I was picking were so beautiful, it was easy to focus on them and kind of meditate my way thru this chore.

Because we were trying to get the last CSA pick up arranged at a time that everyone could have some stuff for Thanksgiving from the Farm, I scheduled the last pick up for the Tuesday groups to be on Monday, to accommodate travelers, etc. That means I had to pick on Sunday, which I don't ordinarily do, but this time it was necessary. Problem was that it rained most of the day and it was only about 50 degrees. I nearly froze!!! Hypothermia is possible in 50 degree water and I might has well have been in that situation. Once I was done and came into the house, it took me hours to warm up, even with a wool blankie tucked around my feet and some serious Chai Tea.

On Monday, I went out twice to do CSA pick ups, one in Huntersville and one in Charlotte, so Tuesday was mostly an all day thing. I left my house around 8 am and got in for the night around 7 pm. It was misty, moisty, not so cold so I was able to sit in my car, waiting on members to pick up and read the better part of a Belva Plain novel. I don't ordinarily read that kind of novel, but it was the only thing I had in the car with me, since I forgot my bookbag in my rush to get out the door Monday morning.

Tuesday, I spend the entire day (8am until 7pm, again...) at doctor's appointments with The Farmer. PET scans, CT, MRI and then on to the doctor to have them read and to talk about how things are going with The Farmer's cancer treatment. Some problems showed up and we have to go back next week for another indepth consult and more tests.

On Wednesday, I marketed, cleaned up some and worked on prep for Thanksgiving dinner. Mostly I ended up running errands because I forget how hectic things get off the Farm sometimes, especially around holidays and it took 4 times as long to do everything from go to the bank to picking up chicken feed. It was nice, too, in a way, because everybody was friendly and wanted to chat instead of the usual blank faced stares and/or non-committal comments I often notice. I am not really down with Thanksgiving in the spirit it was created but I do love it when my fellow citizens of the planet are imbued with the holiday spirit. Seems like they are a little kinder, a little more thoughtful and a little more aware of other people. Although it sounds cliche, of course, I wish it could be like this 24/7, 365(6). Maybe the world wouldn't be in such a state.

Thursday was the holiday so that doesn't need much discussion. It was nice to be with the family and the dinner was excellent. Wish everybody could have been there, but we'll get the rest of them at Christmas.

Friday, The Farmer has a nosebleed that started Thursday night and wouldn't stop, so we spent most of yesterday (it is Saturday as I am typing this)in the emergency room at the local hospital. The nosebleed thing is not related to the cancer or its treatment in anyway, but is just adds a lot of misery to an already uncomfortable situation. The poor doctor on call at the ER was alone, except for the nursing staff, and he was running ragged. Kudos to him for being the doctor who worked yesterday. There had been two relative serious auto accidents earlier in the a.m. and he had dealt with that as well as the usual "day after eating bad food" customers in the ER (remember, not everybody is a good cook) as well as some people who were just plain sick.

Anyway, we got the nosebleed taken care of and have an appt. to get more treatment on that on Monday, so I am hoping that the rest of today and tomorrow proves to be a little more restful because besides taking The Farmer to the ENT on Monday, I have a meeting at 1pm, and getting my windshield replaced on my car in the afternoon. I neglected to mention that on Monday last, while sitting and waiting on my CSA members, a big truck flew by and popped a big rock onto my windshield and it cracked all over...can't be repaired, has to be replaced.

So, that was my week last week...thought it would be good to let you all know that life on the Farm is not always as peaceful and idyllic as it might seem, although if you notice from this post, all the chaos happened off the Farm....