Thursday, June 19, 2008

Raked



The hayfield got raked yesterday. It is so thick it kept clogging the rake. Woohoo!

I'm very excited about this hay, can you tell? We planted it last spring, and even then got three small cuttings. Now in the second year, it is going gangbusters. Somehow, making my own hay makes me feel like a farmer. I don't know why, even having a herd of livestock didn't make me feel like a farmer, but the hay does. Maybe because now I am anxiously watching the forecast, scanning the sky, going out to the field and checking it. Is it dry yet? Before, I just bought hay for the winter, and didn't directly worry about it.

I think it might be like going to the supermarket. You just take for granted that everything is going to be there, at a reasonable price. Produce prices go up because of a freeze in Florida or California, and there is an outcry. But not for the orange grove farmer who just lost his crop for the year.

Sorry for the rant. Did I mention I was a little anxious?

Mom slid out of bed to the floor around 3:15 this morning. I heard her doing her little singsong noises, and was in bed wondering if she was getting up, or just singing a little. Then I heard "Oh please please please" so I jumped out of bed and ran to her room. I expected her to be sitting on her bed singing. It was dark, and the singing was coming from the floor. When I turned on the light, there she was sitting on the floor, her back against the bed, singing and folding the sheet that had followed her to the floor. Except for the "oh please please please", she never stopped singing. She wasn't injured, obviously. Getting her back up proved to be a challenge. She seemed content to sit on the floor a while, playing with the sheet. I tried to get her to roll over onto her knees, thinking she could help get herself up, but she couldn't or wouldn't follow my directions. Nope, she was playing with the sheet, then her shoes, so leave her alone! In the end, I just put my arms under her arms, clasped my hands behind her back, and picked her up. I got her to the bathroom and finally back into bed around 4:30.

Did I mention I was a little anxious?

4 comments:

Cindy said...

I cannot fathom how you could avoid being anxious. Thankfully, Mom wasn't hurt, but you lost sleep because she fell out of bed and because she fell.out.of.bed. The hayfield looks beautiful. When you work in the fields, how do you keep track of your Mom?

rilera said...

That sounds so familiar, the falling out of bed part. Mom did that a lot last summer and fall and she couldn't understand what I was telling her about how to get up. I hate this disease so much!

I'm glad the haying went well! I can understand your anxiety.

Annie said...

Cindy, my neighbors are doing the work. They are baling as I type. I will get involved later to stack it in the barn.
I try to do all my outside work when Mom is sleeping or watching Tv or coloring. I now have the long range monitor which has made my life so much easier. If she is up and about, she is usually singing. So I listen for singing, then head back inside the house.
It can be a challenge.

Robyn, this is my first experience with it. I'm just thankful she continued to sing throughout.

Anonymous said...

Annie, my Mom "fell" out of bed as well. Many times. I finally ditched the bed frame and put her box springs and mattress on the floor in desperation to keep her safe. This disease IS challenging. Just when you think you know the rules of the game, they change.

Thinking of you both.

The field looks beautiful! I'm happy for you in that regard!