Friday

The Friday before the three-day Labor Day weekend tends to be something less than the most productive day of the Summer.  I really need to get a couple things done to lessen the worry on the trip to Harvest Path.  But ya gotta Live Like You Were Dyin'.  (LLYWD is a new official acronym for the blog.)

I was reminded this week of a small reality of our life on the farm in the old house.  We never had potable (drinkable) water in that house.  The running water was from a cistern near the house that was filled by either runoff water from the house, ground seepage or trucked-in water from a hauling service.  (Keeping in mind that a cistern is distinguished from a well that taps into groundwater or the aquifer.)

For all of our years in the old house (that I can remember), for drinking and cooking purposes, we had a 10-gallon milk can that we filled at the gas station in town 2-3 times a week.  There was a 2-3 gallon metal water bucket on the sink in the kitchen that was refilled as needed that had a community dipper for every one's use!  (That was obviously before my germaphobe stage!)  I don't think that is was until the "new" house was built in the mid '70's that there was drinkable water from a faucet on the farm.

(Speaking of water,  another example of our "country" living on the farm was the absence of hot water from the tap in the house.  We actually had hot water in the barn several years before a hot water heater was acquired for the house.  The milk inspectors required hot water for washing and rinsing the milking machines, so Daddy got a water heater for the barn to comply with Grade A milk rules.  It must have been an electric heater because I can't remember an LP gas tank near the barn.)

So we have football season off and running.  Even our local high school teams began play last night.  I struggle with mustering much enthusiasm for it.  (Yes, I am going to Iowa City to see the Hawkeyes tomorrow, but that is happening mostly because of the invitation from my pal Dr. Doug.)  Between the colleges playing games on Thursday nights as well as Friday and Saturday, and the NFL playing Sunday, Monday and now Thursday, there's way too many games for a person to track.  I now recognize the names of fewer and fewer players, I can't keep conference members straight, and which TV channel is broadcasting which game is a mystery.  Classic country radio on DirecTV channel 808 is my go-to option.  Bring on the crossword!

Just putting out here some of the older pics on my computer for a not-so-far-back TBF.

Hope it is a good weekend for all in the Peanut Gallery.

Maybe some from the road in Minny.

BCOT