A few things have been going on here at SteeleFarm and around.

Sunday: We had a great anniversary.  We went to a Nebraska baseball game with Mark and Chris. The game didn’t take long so we drove around the countryside for awhile and ended up at Denton for dinner.  Then, of course, we went to Pla Mor to dance.  Chris and Grace brought cupcakes and everyone congratulated us.

Monday: My boss announced that we were hiring a chef to bring in a special ordered meal for all of us each week.  I say for all of us, but it really has to do with competition.  Apparently computer programmers, support help, etc. are in high demand right now and our business is growing pretty quickly.  So we are in the process of hiring at least two more people here shortly.  Since we have moved to our new office, which by the way has a kitchen, breakroom with TV, a patio, a deck with two grills just to mention a few things, we have fed the “boys” every Friday by either ordering pizza or grilling out.  I guess this is the trend, to treat your employees to lunch.  HUDL, a new business downtown, orders food for their employees everyday.  Thankfully, we haven’t gone that far, yet!  I’m in charge of the weekly menu which could put me in an stressful position.  I have always believed that if someone else is picking up the tab, or if you’re sitting at the table with your family and Mom and/or Dad has spent some time cooking a meal, you like what you get or go without.  We have already heard, but  I don’t like shrimp . . . we’ll see how it goes. I may have to sound like Mom when they start complaining.

Tuesday: Pretty uneventful

Wednesday: Well on Wednesday afternoon, Ken and I went horseback riding.  It was a great evening and Brandy was even behaving herself.  But then I decided she needed a little more exercise, so at the end of our ride I sent her on a gallop along the fence on the south line.  She did her usual little bit of bucking, or at least I thought that.  I let up off the tension on the reins thinking this was just the usual and then she really started in.  She got her head down too far for me to try and bring it up and she was going right along the fence.  At some point when you’re looking down in front of you and you can’ even see the horses ears, you know it’s time to give-it-up.  She tossed me almost over the fence.  I did get hung up on it and tore one of my most comfortable shirts.  But I got away with a few superficial scrapes, a couple of bruises, but the worst part is a sore butt from bouncing up and down so hard in the saddle.

Of course the rule is, you have to get back on and ride again.  So I did.  We rode into the corral and I made her do some figure 8’s.  When she started throwing her head around and acting goofy again, I smacked her upside the head and told her to settle down.  No problems after that.

I’ve decided that I need to learn something from this little episode, something that will make me a better rider and riding a better experience. I’m getting her a tie-down so she can’t throw her head so much.  And to hopefully not be so complacent when riding.  It has always been fun to ride a spirited horse, Lacy used to be that way.  But there’s a difference between spirited and headstrong.

Thursday: Ken call me out to the garden.  Two of the apricot trees were blooming and the bees were thick.  It was so cool to stand there and listen to the hum.

Ken decided it was time to put manure on the garden and start tilling.  Ruth was looking for grubs.

Friday: Thursday evening Steve Gildersleeve had called and asked if Ken and I would like to go to the fish fry at North American Martyrs with he and Megan.  So as soon as we got home from work and got chores done Friday, we headed back to Lincoln.  There weren’t nearly as many people there this year as there was last year when we went with them.  The food is very good and we always get more than enough to eat.  Many times Megan sees some of her students and former students there.  You can tell that she is really liked by the students and the parents.  One little boy named Johnny came and sat with us. Megan introduced him and he stood up and held out his hand across the table to Ken to shake hands with him.  We’re talking 2nd grader here. He was a very enjoyable young man, loves to tell jokes.  Megan encouraged him to tell some of his and of course, Ken had a few to share with him.  Another one of Megan’s students and his family sat with us also.  I think Megan found her calling for sure.

Then we headed to Crete to do a dance demo and teach dance for the Rely for Life event that was going on at Doane College.  The kids were great!  Most of them catch on quick, they love to joke around with you and they are always appreciative of any help you give them. Then we went out for food and drinks with all the dancers; for us just a beer since we had eaten so much at the fish fry.

Saturday: We got up pretty early for a Saturday and headed to Fairbury.  There was a big auction there that I wanted to go to and we brought along our fishing gear in case we didn’t find anything at the auction. Awe, but we did.  Ken found a good pan for frying cinnamon rolls and donuts, I found the perfect big wooden box to put in Aaron’s old room to store blankets in.  It also works good as a bench. I found an old picture of a young boy beside a pond with an English setter that looks a little like Sadie.  And, we bought a bunch of salt & pepper shakers for the new addition.  We stopped by to talk to Dennis for a bit and then headed home.

Since we didn’t get to go fishing in Fairbury, after chores we dug some fish worms in the garden and went fishing over at Stagecoach Lake.  I was the only one that actually caught something. A big snapping turtle.

Ken drug him up out of the water. He wasn’t hooked by the mouth so I think Ken thought he could get the turtle untanged from the line.

Ken told me to I try and  to get him to bite my stick so that I could stretch his neck out far enough so Ken could get the line out of the folds of skin around his neck.

He clapped down pretty hard one time and just as I was getting his neck stretched he let go and I ended up on my butt.  The hook was probably in his skin somewhere around his head so Ken decided to just let him have the hook and little line and sent him back down into the water.

This was an eventful week.  We’re headed to Colorado on Wednesday evening to help Jillian and Ben move. Then drive back on Saturday since we have to usher at Church on Easter morning (I love Easter morning) and to Fairbury for Easter dinner.  Maybe we’ll have something to report next week as well . . . all good I hope.