We did get some rain after a long summer of none, so things are greening up. It also made things a little slick, and I couldn’t get the hay truck out of the bottom pasture after I took bales down to the cows, so I left it there.
When Watson called to see how his cows were doing, I mentioned the bald tires (because it’s the truck, not me, right? LOL) and the rain and the fact that it might be still sitting in the pasture. (I walked home, just for the record, too.)
He said, “Just get in the truck, back it up along the creek, put it in fourth, and floorboard it. If you get a good enough run, it’ll go up the hill, no matter how muddy it is. Don’t cut the corner so fast you roll the truck over.”
I heard, “Climb the Empire State Building and jump off it.”
So, anyway, I decided if he wanted his (dumb, old) truck out of there, I would do it my way. (I actually had to get it out because the cows were getting hungry, and 16 is in that herd, and if they get out, she’s coming for me.)
Okay, I decided I really didn’t want to die, and I kinda feel like I’m going to if that old truck goes any faster than about 5 mph (I’ll go 10 if it’s empty and going uphill) just because the brakes aren’t the best and the steering is hard, and I’m always watching for snakes to crawl out of holes (and there are a lot of holes, just saying). (Have I mentioned the copperheads around here?)
I don’t want to be going so fast I can’t jump out.
Anyway, I have my youngest daughter get behind me and push me out with the tractor.
Julia was supposed to be standing by with her usual job, but she was busy taking pics, I guess.
It was okay, though, because it went off without a hitch. Pie did a great job, and no one died. (That reminds me. We had a cousin staying here for a while. She and Pie are the same age and have been best friends since birth. I think she had a really good time. At least she called her mom to ask to have her stay extended three different times. For some reason, she didn’t mind us putting her to work, the poison oak that swelled her eye shut didn’t seem to bother her—I let them eat ice cream and watch TV, which might have had something to do with it—and the last night she was here, they were swimming in the water trough until almost eleven. When she left, she gave Pie a hug and said, “I’ll miss you. Please don’t die while I’m gone.” IDK if that’s a normal farewell or if my family is just weird. I’m leaning toward the second.)
Actually, I know we’re weird! What about you? What makes your family weird? : )
USA Today best-selling author Jessie Gussman writes sweet and inspirational romance from her farm in central Virginia. Having attended, but never graduating from the school of hard knocks, Jessie uses real life on the farm to inspire her cowboy, rural and blue-collar fiction.
When she’s not chasing kids, cows and the occasional roll-away haybale, Jessie enjoys wading in Naked Creek and not cleaning her house. Most of the time her main goal is to keep from catching herself on fire…again.
If you enjoy fun stories with vivid characters showcasing strong families with a ribbon of faith tying everything together, you might enjoy Jessie’s books.
Football season when ever there was a get together. My grandfather and his oldest would be in one room, there middle son in another room and my father the youngest yet in another room all with the TV’s on to the same football game.
Haha! Can I just say there’s something about football that causes all men to become weird? Lol! Live it! Thanks.
oh another exciting day on the farm. thanks for sharing your adventures with us. I am so not awake right now LOL but our family of seven was always a bit weird. to start with my three brothers and I looked European with the fair skin and red/blonde hair while my sister (the youngest) got the features and coloring of the Cherokee from my moms side. Mom got a lot of snide remarks about April. but April turned into a true beauty. she even went to modeling school. but a more compassionate and lovely woman would be hard to find. ok I am a bit biased, but that is ok.
Ha! Genetics are a funny thing. So amazing that your sister is beautiful and kind as well! Thanks for sharing!
I could write many books about my crazy family!! I would have to change the names to protect the guilty…lol
Haha! Sounds interesting! I’d read a book like that. : )
Yep. My family is weird. I think everyone’s families are weird in a lot of different ways, though. LOL When I got married, my husband’s family were not huggers at all. They are from West Virginia. I’m from Oklahoma. I don’t know if that was the difference or something else, but I just went about hugging everyone. LOL Some of them didn’t know what to do. By the time we moved from WV back to OK, I had them trained! They knew to expect a hug. LOL And yes, I even had to train my hubby! I could go on, and on, and on…
I loved reading about other weird stuff from someone else’s family, though! Great post, Jessie!
Haha! I love that and I agree – I think we’re all weird in different ways. Lol. Super neat that you had to train his family! Thanks!
I have three sons. Weird comes with the territory.
Haha! I totally get that! Thanks for the laugh!
My husband is mechanically minded and he was equal opportunity with teaching 5 daughters and 2 sons how to work on cars. My girls also know how to put a vehicle in 4-wheel drive and how to drive it. Which lead to interesting situations like getting a call in the middle of the night with my daughter stuck in the snow with 2 boys that he had to go dig them out. To this day it’s more often the daughters calling about car questions than their husbands.
Haha! I love that he taught your daughters and your sons! You know our girls are younger and now they’re driving tractors on the farm. Ha!
Jessie, I laughed out loud at your blog’s title. You have such a gifted way of telling a simple story about a truck stuck in the mud, and your niece’s line about not dying was funny and so-o endearing!!
My family is perfect, of course. (LOL) But I have a family member who has unmarried children in their thirties who still continue the tradition of spending Christmas Eve at her house (they live in town), sleeping in their childhood bedrooms, and then early on Christmas morning sit on top of the steps like they did when they were little, waiting for her to tell them Santa came, and then they could go down and open their gifts.
It’s an endearing tradition for them, obviously, but . . .
Haha! I knew your family was perfectly normal! Lol And you tell a great story too – I can see those middle age kids sitting on the steps and waiting for mom and Santa…lol!
Right? 🙂 🙂 🙂
This post had me laughing so hard! What I see in your family is JOY! Thanks for making my day and being such a fun family for us to embrace. Copperheads …. I would not like at all!
Haha! I’m glad our love of fun shows! I’m so glad we could share a laugh today! (I am not fond of snakes at all!)
Lol Thank you for this wonderful post Have a great day!
I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks!
Hi , I think all families have a little weirdness in them which makes families not boring at all. I enjoyed reading your post. Have a great long weekend and stay safe.
Hello! I agree with you. Families are more interesting if they’re a little weird! Thanks for your comment!
Hi Jessie. You tell the best stories! That’s one reason I love your newsletter so much. Yes, my family is weird. But, then so am I. But, we all share a great love for each other. Watch out for the Copperheads.
Aww! Thanks! : ) I’m so glad you enjoy my stories! And I absolutely agree with your point about love – that’s what makes families wonderful!
Our children are grown and have their own families now, but we have a long history of not really acting along the norm. A rock climbing son that one doesn’t watch if you have a weak heart. Out West, when he was about 15 he climbed (no ropes) to the top of a sandstone spire and jumped to one next to it. Only 6+ feet apart and 150+ feet up with a landing area about 3 ft square. He wobbled when ha landed, but denied it later. I haven’t watched him since. We all have a tendency to get over involved and end up with things getting very much out of hand. Kids and husband show up with all sorts of animals, some injured to rehab, some babies needing to be raised, some that become pets. The only rule I had was nothing poisonous or dangerous. Unfortunately, animals don’t always listen. Our son was attacked by a bear in our back yard. I was bitten by a snake while doing a presentation to a 6th grade class. It got my point across – they are wild animals with an important job in nature. Leave them alone and let them live.
Our family trips always seemed to evolve into adventures both good and bad. When we moved from Northern NY to Colorado Springs on New Years Eve, we hit thunder snow (a first and long before it became a Weather Channel thing), blowing ground snow, and were trapped in a blizzard in Iowa for 3 or 4 days. Had to unload 10 cases of canned veggies in glass jars, house plants, a dog, cat, and 2 elementary aged girls. It was -100 degrees with the windchill. Never got above 55 in the motel room and the snow blew in around the door. We had to carry the dog out to do her business so her feet wouldn’t freeze on the ice. The girls remember it fondly. There was a diner connected to the motel and they had kids meals with ice cream sundaes every day.
Vacations never went smoothly, still don’t. I melted the soles of my sneakers climbing an active volcano and dodged flying ash and hot rocks at another one I climbed. Was cool looking down into the center of the crater at the red steaming core between eruptions. (Those were when I was young and stupid before I got married) We raced hurricane up the Maine coast into Canada with a pop-up camper , a 1 1/2 and 2 1/2 year old. We were setting up the camper at a campground in Quebec at 2 in the morning in driving rain and wind. We had the brakes fail going down the hill in the Bay Of Fundy. Our son was stalked by a mountain lion at Mesa Verde NP. We have picnicked with rattle snakes – get out of their threat range and just sit there calmly. They won’t feel threatened and will just sit there watching you. My husband and daughters went fishing on San Francisco Bay and all got so sea sick they could barely climb the ladder to get off the boat. (I was home with a 3 month old at the time. I don’t get sea sick.) We have cut and hauled our firewood at 9,000 feet and hiked 25K at 8,000 ft. when I was 8 months pregnant. We have hiked, caved, canoed, camped, and climbed from one coast to the other and one border to the other. We have danced in pow wows, participated in Highland Festivals, gone to rodeos, gone whale watching, made lemon soda with carbonated water fresh from the ground, hiked among the Sequoia. We have had some great experiences and come out mostly in one piece. It seems our children and their children are continuing on with the tradition. There is so much to see and do out there we will never get bored and never stop exploring.
Wow!! I absolutely love your stories! You should write a book about them! Thank you for the awesome entertainment. Your family sounds amazing!
Loved this! My family is a LOT weird. My whole childhood was filled with stories like this and now my husband gets to experience it. My kids have inherited the weird gene also. I’m so proud!
Haha! Sounds like life is full of fun and adventure at your house as well! I love it!
Jessie, I love your posts and emails. You always make me smile no matter how bad my day is. Thank you. I cannot think of anything weird about our family. Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you. Please stay safe.