Friday AM in Day to day life from a woman that turned 60 in Oct 2014 and who lives on a farm and Retired on January 2, 2016. I plan to do more sewing, work outside in the yard and just enjoy my retirement.

And January has began!! Possible rain and freezing rain for the weekend. I and J will stay safe and snug at home. Don’t need anything from the store and am content to stay here and do some things.

God Is Good!! Yesterday the crew arrived for New Year’s Dinner/Lunch. The temps were cool but not enough to keep the kids from wanting to play outside. Ruby and family got here just in time to eat and we all ate way too much. Didn’t have any leftovers of the smoked jowl and I had ordered 5 lbs. Course some of that was the rind, but all in all it came out about right. We were cleaning the kitchen and the kids had all gone back outside. Raylee came running up to the door and said something that I didn’t hear, and A was putting on her coat and out the door in a flash. Norm, Ruby’s hubby was right behind her. I still didn’t know what was going on but a few minutes later I head kids and pond and the chill of horror went all over me. Let me mention here that an ice hockey game had peeked their interest on TV but never gave it a thought until then. All of my grandchildren and nephew had walked across the road, climbed through the fence to get to a small pond that is for the cattle to drink. Yes, the ice has to be cut when it gets cold and stays cold but never ever has our farm ponds been used as a skating rink. Most are spring fed which means they may be frozen on 98% of the surface but there is that 2% that may look frozen but not be frozen as thick as the rest thus leaving a chance for a cow to fall through the ice. That is why when the cattle are in that pasture the ice is chopped so the cows don’t walk out on the pond and drown or get stuck. Well it seems that the kids decided to walk across the pond and on the way back Jack fell down next to the edge. His shoe got stuck in the mud and since Makayla was walking with him she was trying to calm him down cause he was cold. Raylee and Owen had started back to the house, but Raylee hearing Jack upset went back and saw the quandry. She ran toward Owen to have him come to the house to get help. He refused to go get help as he didn’t realize the dire situation. So Raylee ran to the house and that is when I saw A racing out the door. Norm carried Jack to my garage where my little electric heater was on to remove his muddy and wet clothes.

Once the realization actually sunk in I gave the grands a very serious no holds barred talk about never ever to go to the pond, no matter the weather without an adult. Then I told them we were going to have a prayer and thank God that He kept watch over them and that nothing any worse had happened. That IF the ice would have broken while they were walking across the pond that no only that kid could have drowned but anyone who tried to help. Thank You Jesus for watching over these kids. If you think violent movies are the only thing that can influence a person you might rethink that a bit. I don’t think they would have even thought of going to the pond if they hadn’t been watching ice hockey. Our area does not have ice hockey even though 100 miles north or south of us does. A frozen pond that is spring fed is not a good ice rink for anyone. Whew!!

So that was the afternoon. I washed Jack’s clothes, A had Owen go to the trailer and get Jack some of his clothes to wear while the wet and muddy clothes were being washed and dried. They then went to A’s house with her and watch a Lego movie and Robot movie. Ruby and Norm went over the Game Stop to see what they had and Dude, J, and I just visited. All was well until I went to bed and a not so good outcome of the pond thing kept running through my head. I did finally go to sleep and thank the Good Lord, no dreams or nightmares.

This morning the tree comes down and will do more laundry (it never seems to end) put the new fleece sheets on J’s bed and piddle around. May even start cutting piece for Dude and Dudette’s quilt but not sure yet. Oh and Dude helped me flip my mattress yesterday so since I had to take everything off the mattress to be flipped it had freshly washed sheets on it when I went to bed. If the flip doesn’t help the uncomfortable springs I will have to get a new one soon. I HATE to buy a new one as there are so much prices and kinds. My uncle and aunt bought THREE before they found one they liked and I can’t afford to do that.

Guess I’ll refill my coffee cup and get the day going. Stay safe, take care, and know that God watches out for us. God Bless