Dove, all the sounds and the stanchions/gates construction remind me almost exactly of our milking "parlor" barn, back when I was a teen. We will play this on the tv screen for my ddad - I think he would enjoy it. The cows would always let their milk down for my ddad, and refuse his older brother, even to the point of stopping milk flow when he walked into the parlor. There would be a chorus of voices for him to get out! LOL! Cows are very particular that way, so having zero people around might be their first choice! I have never seen a cow scratcher like that but they would love it - better than tree bark or fence! Do we know where this was filmed? Oh, I see it now - Oxfordshire. I notice the herd is diverse! Darling little Jerseys right in with the Holsteins! Would have been frowned upon for us, but would have meant more butterfat. In US, herds are almost always one breed.
Lots done on my declutter and focus today. HRH passed through and I would not let him leave until he made some decisions! Result is much better use of his drawer in master vanity. That helps.
You can wear normal jeans, Indiana? I can't! Tell me you have elastic in yours - mine have two kinds!
Iceland has always been a place I'd love to visit, Elizabeth.
Elizabeth: Helsinki is a beautiful city to just walk around on your own if you'd like.
Dh and I walked for the mail.
The barn isn't completed yet but it will be an automated milking barn. They put chips on the cows so the machine knows which cow is coming in and there are treats dispensed by the machine for the cow to train her to come in. Because she is chipped, the machine knows if the cow is coming in too often for treats and will push her back out again without milking if she comes back for seconds! Dh was very impressed.
Updating the calendar is my next to-do item.
Edited to add: Dh watched the video and said that there were two of the same brand of milking machines in the barn he saw today. He recognized the name as well as parts.
Dove - I enjoyed watching that video! Thank you for sharing it. I love several aspects of the newer dairy technology - especially how it test the milk before reaching the tank and automatically diverts any bad milk. I have spent many many hours "in the pit" milking cows using manually mounted automatic milkers and automatic feeders. It was hard, demanding, nasty (at times) work, but there is something about it that makes it remain a good memory.
Our family has zero dairy operations now. DNephew is still trying to find his place in the work world. He grew up on the dairy and has always worked it.....and always assumed he would until he retired like his dad and grandpa did.
DMom's appt went well and it was nice to visit with DParents.
Next up -
** set up puzzles for LO to do while I cook
** make supper
** package satellite to send back (when i cancelled our service they sent a box to return the receiver).
Home from work. Dr appt was fine, no issues found that would indicate any recurrence of cancer. Not very productive day at work, seemed like every think I picked up to review had issues. Lots of temple emails today and a bad day with temple secretary, who takes offense when it's not meant. I have had a headache going most the day so need to wear the night guard tonight.
Will try to stay up to watch the big SEC game tonight - I have trouble rooting for AL and I'm kind of thinking that LSU beat them once and it would be totally unfair of AL to win tonight.
Love the dairy cow discussion. Somewhere there is a photo of me and my sister sitting on the back of a dairy cow! Now and then while I was growing up we visited my dad's family in the Rogersville, TN area - they had dairy cows and grew tobacco back then.
Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better [wo]man. Ben Franklin
I'm still at payroll, but am printing out Helsinki tours. The Ice Bar Winterland sounds like fun and so does the Stroll Through Helsinki. Maybe we could do both? My friend cannnot come to dinner tonight, so I am probably going to have cereal. It will be nice to get home to a clean house. I am going to start working on the sewing room and try to have a place cleared off by the end of the day. I have gotten very little done at payroll today.
My evening has been completely unproductive. Sigh.... All I got done was arrange pre/post cruise-flights hotel and parking.
The cruise included air fare but not from our city, so we had to drive to Toronto (4 hours.) Since our flight leaves in the morning and returns in the evening, that meant a hotel room at either end, and adds 2 days to our time away from home. Being winter, I wanted our parking to be at least covered to make it easier on the car. So that added to the costs as well, but I found a hotel with covered parking and 15 days parking for each stay. The hotel, parking and gas will cheaper than trying to fly down first thing in the morning (and less stressful since it is winter) or returning very late at night. This is the longest we've left the Prius unused but at least the batteries will be well-charged from the long drive before we park it for 35 days. On the bright side, we won't have to worry about mice nesting in the car like they did last year!
I still have to clean up the kitchen since dh cooked. He's watching a movie. I have to be out of here tomorrow by 8:45 so I'd better get ready for bed soon.
I'm not getting much done tonight my back started acting up this afternoon so much that I skipped my walk and that almost never happens. Dgd helped me get laundry out of the dryer easier for her to reach in there! She was a gem when we bagged up leaves saying "my turn" then "your turn" good job we are almost done don't think I would have been able to do that last bag of 'em with out here there!
H. cleaned up his stuff after dinner. so the kitchen is good, no calls on the house phew that's a relief!
Just exercised for 65 minutes. Yay, me. Can't honestly say I wasn't in anyone's way, since HRH was definitely ready to take my place in the viewing situation when I finished the video, but it's worth a little inconvenience.
Dd13 was stumped on math (slope? something algebraic on a graph) and we were so lucky she realized it before bedtime at her sister's household. I heard her voice go up high with relief "Oooohhhhh" so I was very glad crisis averted. I am just not a math teacher, but dd31 can do it, with, literally, one hand holding a baby and the other the phone. She can teach what dd needs in seconds without even seeing her face, paper, or having anything in front of her. A blessing - just a faraway one.
Happy for you, Twins Mom. I just knew you'd be putting that out of your mind soon.
Children are wonderful for reaching, Nancy! Feel better.
I'm very pleased with the extra time on declutter today.
Quickly peeking in but have to stop & cheer --Yay, Indi!! It was wonderful to read your good news ! You are so loved, & greatly missed when you are not here. ((Happy Hugs))
It was wonderful to read your good news 