Saturday, July 5, 2008

July 4, 2008


View of the day-Al picks up on the go from the combine.

Happy Independence Day!

We got started a little later than usual, the humidity was high and the clouds looked like they could form into something. It didn't take long before they all burned off and we had another great day.

Marilyn is always amazed at the variety of plant life on the run...particularly the various weeds. Upon closer examination...no touching, mind you...she discovers...well, you can figure it out. Weeds...yes...weeds, growing wild in the ditches, in the pastures...now that's where happy cows come from.

We finished the field we had started yesterday night and then moved over to our last 35 acre piece. The other crew that was working for our farmer was across the road from us working with two JD combines. With bigger headers and no terraces to speak of, they finished their 100 acres the same time we finished our field.

Marilyn got the header loaded on it's trailer then moved the combine up to the bins where the trailers had been parked. Al took the last load into the elevator and Marilyn got a ride back to the field to bring the tractor and cart back to the bins. We managed to get everything cleaned, loaded and hooked up, ready to head north tomorrow...well, that was the plan...

We had talked to the farmer up at the Kansas/Nebraska border and he had 150 acres that he thought were ready to go, so we figured we better get loaded up ASAP. Once we got everything done, we went back into Great Bend for supper...this time real food. It was 10pm and the only place that seemed to be open on the 4th was Applebees, which we were going to boycott after last year's rude service that we had gotten there. We decided to give them a second chance, and seeing as there were only three cars in the lot, it seemed like service wouldn't be a problem. We got a window seat, which helped us to see all the fireworks going on in town.

Earlier, when we were driving back from the field, the whole skyline of Great Bend was lit up from north to south with fireworks being blown off. They were allowed to go until midnight, but we are still hearing the occasional blast at 1am...we just can't imagine the amount of money that was spent on fireworks in town...it wasn't just bottle rockets and firecrackers either.

Al got to talk to the farmer up north after we had supper and it turns out he will be doing the acres himself, so here we are loaded up and ready to go...but where? South Dakota is our next stop and that is probably two or three weeks away.

Guess there's time for laundry now...

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