The guys went to get some wood from some real good friends of ours yesterday. The town cut some elm on them and they let us have it. There is just nothing to beat free wood, and we are staying nice and warm on the strength of it. The fellows did get to talking and get home late, which is understandable. Farmers hardly ever get to see their friends to visit with because they always have a pile of chores waiting at home. I am glad they got to catch up on the news. We didn't get out of the barn until 8:30, but the boss is taking a bunch of calves to the sale today, which will give us earlier nights from now on for a while.Seems to take forever to warm milk in this weather. Last year we had so many heifer calves we are still struggling to house them. This year it looks like the bulls are going to make up for it. Three in a row now. Only one was by an AI bull, Ocean-View Extra Special, who came out with a very disappointing proof, so it isn't such a bad thing I guess. We have nine yearlings in one pen, with two more needing to go in there, calves in the sawdust shed and in every empty cow stall in the barn.

Alan got his new chainsaw tuned too. They have to adjust the choke after ten tanks full of fuel and he had reached that point. I worry about him using it, even though he is old enough to drive, or will be soon. Still he is getting the box elders all cut down and made into wood, which makes the place look a world better. They are such scrubby trees and crop up everywhere.

We love the woodstove, but it added an awful extra lot of work on the boss to keep enough wood ahead heat this huge place and run the place alone (except for us) too. It makes a huge difference when Alan can cut up a bit when it gets busy.