Adjusting

It has taken a week to get used to always being hot and sweaty, but I feel like I have acclimated.  Yesterday it was 78 F, and the wind felt incredibly cool because it was not 90 F.  I have also realized how incredibly beautiful the clouds are in Florida, especially the purple, billowy ones with heat lightening flickering inside like flashes of magic.  You don't see such clouds in other places.

It has been a week and a half since we returned, and it seems like we've gotten so much done.  The plumbing is unblocked.  The garden is nearly ready to recieve the corn.  Ethan went up on the roof and fixed a broken spot.  It wasn't leaking inside yet, but it is contributing to the mold problem in my house.  Lots and lots of rotten wood was pulled away, including a rat's nest and a massive carpenter ant nest.  And I had been wondering where the ants were coming in from.  I think they owe me rent after all that.

 The calves are weaned again, which means we have to shout at each other over the noise at the farm.  The calves are putting up a big fuss, but the mamas seem happy.  They were very glad to come and be milked.  We were thinking we weren't going to milk Geranium this year, in case Ethan has to travel, but she looked so tragic and disappointed when we left her behind, I took pity and milked her after Matilda with Ethan's help.  Nutty is almost as big as the mamas.  Not exactly "robbing the newborn of it's mother's milk," as the popular saying goes.  More like "Giving mama cow a break from huge, half-grown, milk-guzzling baby."

New strictness at mealtimes seems to be working.  I didn't introduce the idea in a mean or bossy way.  Just matter-of-fact.  I think that goes a long way with animals and children.  Heck, other people, too.  We respond to the confidence of matter-of-fact, and you can still be nice.  It always amazes me how people glom onto confidence, no matter how bad of judgement goes along with it.

In any case, everything is much better.  Much less whining and screaming, and I feel happier and more calm.  Clothilde managed to fall off of her high chair while it was not in use.  She was climbing on the side of it, but she caught herself fairly well, and that was the only casualty so far.  It makes so much sense to have everyone set their own place, I can't believe I didn't think of it sooner.