Rainy Day Blues

It seems I'm singing the same song day after day lately.  "It's raining.  Wa-a-a, wa-a-a, wa-a-a."  It wasn't that long ago that we were all doing a rain dance and looking for clouds in the sky, but honestly, enough is enough already!  Weather Guy said that the snow pack in the Sierras is 178% of normal, so we're covered for the next year.  I'm ready for some sunshine big time.

It was raining yesterday, but not too hard, while tending the chickens and on my way to the barn.  Then, while milking, a huge clap of thunder sounded right overhead and shook the ground.  (I wasn't sure for a moment that the tree hadn't fallen.)  The skies opened up, rain pounded on the roof, and the thunder rolled.  Needless to say, I was a sodden mess as I squelched my way back to the house.

Milking doesn't take as long now since Inga has finally decided to call it quits.  She's been a heavy milker for more years than I can remember and was almost impossible to dry up even when I wanted her to.  Inga has more than earned her keep and is due for retirement.  From more than a gallon a day, she's down to about a cup and it's not worth her time or mine to continue for such a piddly amount.  It seems very strange to carry just one bucket to and from the barn.  The girls will live out their days here, but they're very expensive pets.

Drop-ins are very rare here, so I was surprised when the doorbell rang in the afternoon.  "Hi, I was in the neighborhood and thought I'd stop by."  It was my long-time friend Tom and his visit was a bright spot on a gloomy day.  It's hard to believe that his daughter, for whom they'd bought milk since she was a baby, will be going to high school next semester.  Yes, I guess it has been that long.

Rain or not, my Kids are coming up today so I know it's going to be a good day!