Thank you feral opposum lady

It is ladyliz. She shows up just two posts back asking why I am not writing her. I am trying. Please help.

Deb! I need help!
There are two ladyliz. I sent to one, then I am reading the threat and I see the other one was the one I am to write to. She has a block for everyone older than two years younger than she is. I want to write to her. Please send help!

I am in. Pick me a winner!

Thank you all for the prayers. Please keep me in your prayers today. The Lord is closing doors, I ask to be able to see the ones that are opened.

I am in need of prayer today

He with a capitol H is all of the above.

Do you think there is one person living or who has ever lived that knows every word in the Bible and its meaning?

Do you think perhaps there is a good reason for that?

We here at the Mission are blessed with several great teachers. One of the men who comes in every other week to teach the men is Pastor Glen Miller. He is a walking Bible. There seems to be no passage of the Bible that you can mention without his being able to tell you not only the exact wording of the King James, and the address, but he can also cross reference it against the other versions of the Bible. he can also tell you what other verses contribute to the same idea.
Pastor Glen Miller is a wonder to me. He seems to have mastered both the old and new testaments. I listened to him recite two chapters from the book of proverbs one afternoon. He could have kept going I am sure but he felt like he had made his point.
One of the tricks that Pastor Miller taught us for learning the Bible as thoroughly as he has, is to read your Bible each and every day.

Britty put forth the question: When were you aware that you believed in God, what age?
When did you think about God, what age? Did something prompt those thoughts?

I cannot remember ever having not known that there was a God. I was taught from the very start that God sees you when no one else is around and that we always need to be acting in accordance to God’s will.
I remember wondering what the Lord had in store for me. I started out at an early age to feel like I was being trained and prepared for a task. It just seemed to me like I was being asked to do things that those around me were not being asked to do. These extra chores I was asked to do all seemed to be educating me and getting me ready for some big job that the Lord had for me. I still feel that way. I seem to be able and willing to do things that others around me are not able or willing to do. I know that the Lord has not used me yet for all he has in mind for me.
I mark the time of my “salvation” my allowing God into my life and taking Christ as my savior as the time after I had lost most of my hearing and with that my wife and son.
In 1993 I was part of an event in the fire department I was working for that took about 90% of my normal hearing away.
When I was able to hear as others do, I was able to get along, I felt, on my own strength. When I lost my career, my friends and my family to an accident in the fire service that took most of my hearing, I found I was not able to make my own way. I needed some extra outside help. That help came in the form of my salvation and allowing the Lord to guide and direct my ways. Before I lost my hearing I was content to do my own guiding. I can see now that I was, even back then, being directed by the Creator.
As time passes and my body gets older, I find the work the Lord has for me changing. He never seems to let me know what is coming next. He does however give me a peace of mind that He will be there with me and will guide and direct me through whatever He has me do.

Red alert! We re on page 49 All take your battle stations, Red alert! We are on page 49!
Britty, Feral Cat Lady... we are on page 49!

I hate when that happens. I hit the "Post Topic" key and nothing happens, when I hit it again, I posted twice. I hate when that happens.

Today is the first Monday of 2008. Let’s make this a good day! What do you say? This is a day the Lord hath made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.
I am learning to love all of you.

Ya! Don't take all the milk!

Do you think the feral cat lady and I look something alike?

Sure is hard to beat Genesis. I love the whole book.

Interpretation of hell
As I read the Bible, listen at church and talk to my Christian friends, I see that the Lord our God has set in motion a creation where there are just and unjust consequences. If we live as God would have us live, I think we can have some of heaven right here on earth during our short time alive. If we choose to forsake our God and live according to idles and other false gods, we will experience some of what God describes as much weeping and gnashing of teeth, or hell.
As I face a new day, I pray the God will work through me, that I can be used by Him to make the world more like He would have it be. If there is someone He would have me talk to, if there is something He would have me hear, I pray that that comes to pass. This prayer seems to stave off hell for the day and brings on some sort of paradise.
The only one who can save us from a life of death and gashing of teeth is a saving knowledge and faith in Jesus Christ. He alone can keep us from the lake of fire, the ultimate consequence for our unbelief.
As Bitty said, this deserves more than an off the cuff response. I gave my best shot at a first thing in the morning, off the cuff reply. I can see as I read this over that it needs more thought and to be considered more deeply. Hell to me is a consequence, for now that will have to do.
It is my prayer that all who come here will have some pleasure in their day, that they will not be crying out for Lazarus to come and dip his finger in water for them for their thirst for what is right. I pray that they will ask for knowledge of what is good and what is ungodly and will choose to bring honor to our Lord.

Up Stream
Thank you Lord for so nice a day. That was the thought going through Josh’s mind as he listened to the birds and watched the scenery of the day go by. One hand on the tiller, the other hand held his pipe. The scenery of the C&O canal passed him by as the canal boat he was on made it’s way up the channel. He was thankful that he had run in to his friend in Georgetown. The boat was nicely loaded with a backhaul load of carefully crafted chairs and desks, all bound for the world out west. The furniture was not heavy, it filled the cargo bins of the boat, but didn’t make it sit low in the water as they worked their way back up the canal towards Cumberland for another downstream load.
On the towpath up ahead, were three of his most cherished beings. The rear mule is Lil, the mother of Shane in the stable on the bow of the boat. Lil had been pulling boats up and down the canal for 24 years. She knew this waterway better then Josh.
The fore mule was Adrian, named after Josh’s mom. She was in her prime, just 9 years old. She had been working the boats up and down through the locks here between Virginia and Maryland for 7 years. She just loved to work, given the chance she would pull till she dropped. As the fore mule, it was her job set the pace. Hers was a good fast walking pace. She kept them going upstream just below the speed needed to make a wake. They were making good time.
The third one on the towpath was Jake, Josh’s brother’s boy. Nine years old, and as full of goodness as the Lord could make him. He was the rookie on the trip. This was his first summer to work on the boats. Not that he didn’t know a days work, he had been out west and back. He liked the work on the boats, it was like a vacation to him.
Jake had left for California four years before. His father, Josh’s brother, Tom, had run out there looking for gold. The whole family had made the long hard trip out there. The trip had cost the family most everything. Now they were back. Jake was the only one of the family ready, willing and able to work. Jake loved his new job. He tended the mules and guided them along the towpath for most of the day. He knew and loved mules, and he had four now that he could look after and get to work as if they really enjoyed pulling a boat up and down the canal.
Josh held the rudder, centering the boat as it past a family of ducks along the shore. The towrope pulled off to the side, the rudder kept the boat out in the center of the channel. Locks 16 through 20 were not too far up ahead. They raised the level of the canal up as the canal passed by the Great Falls of the Potomac River. Locks 16 and 17 were tended by Willie and his family. The Thortons who lived and worked in the Inn at Lock 20 tended the top three in the five lock series.
Josh watched the northern bank of the channel as they came around the next bend. He was looking for a tree bent out over the water. There were not a lot of trees left along the canal. This one had been spared by all the firewood gatherers. It made for a good landmark. It was just a bend below Lock 16. Josh always made it a habit to blow the trumpet horn just as that tree came in to sight. It was from that spot that the almost deaf Lock keeper at 16 could hear the horn. Blowing it there would give them the best chance of having the lock low when they got up to it.
It wasn’t the landmark tree that came in to sight first, rather it was another boat making it’s way down. From the color of the boat, the shape and the little girl leading the mule team, Josh knew it to be Oldman Green. The splash of red on the towpath with his mules must be his youngest daughter, Kimmy. She was going to be a knock out in another few years, Oldman Green would be wise to keep close track of her. She was only about seven now, but she was a looker, even at this age.
As Kimmy and Jake drew closer on the towpath, Jake asked Adrian to “step over”. Adrian and Lil slacked off on their paces, the towrope grew slack leading back to the boat. The wiffletree dragged on the ground for several steps before Jake told Adrian to “Hoo up”. Both Lil and Adrian came to a stop on the side of the towpath away from the water’s edge. Jake patted both his mules as he waited for Kimmy to bring her two along the working part of the path.
Jake saw a dandelion off to the side of the towpath. He told Adrian and Lil to stay, much like one would a dog. And he put the lead rope over Adrian’s ears and quickly went over and grabbed the yellow blossom. With Jake’s towrope slack in the water, Kimmy was able to lead her team over it and continue down stream. As she passed, Jake held out the yellow flower for her. She giggled and took it.
As soon as Josh had seen the other boat coming down stream, he had started to work his out further off the bank. The remaining headway he had was enough to bring the boat off the bank and over to the far side of the canal.
Jake watched his towrope as Oldman Green’s fully laden boat approached it. It was very important to have that towrope as slack as possible. With their boat over on the far side of the stream, the mules had to be kept just ahead of the bow of the boat. This would give Oldman Green’s boat room to float over it. If the towrope was to catch on the downstream boat, Jake would have a true emergency. The towrope to his team would go tight, and start to pull his team back. The reaction of the team would be to pull. It was always best to be sure that never happened.
Josh waved to Kimmy on the bank as she made her way down past. On the bow of Oldman Green’s boat was Sally, Oldman Green’s wife. She was working on putting out some wash.
Josh waved to her and called over, “ Keeping him in line, Sally?”
“ Wish I had the power! He has got the gold bug in him now, wants to sell the boat and take off out west. Talk to him Josh!”
Sally passed by and the 94 feet of Oldman Green’s boat came down along past. Oldman Green was at the tiller.
“Sally says you have gone mad? Think you can go strike it rich? Have a talk with my brother before you start out!”
Oldman Green puffed on his pipe and looked at Josh. “I can do better then what he did. I know where to go. I got a map.”
“Talk to my brother Tom before you make it a done deal”
Oldman green and his boat passed by, hauling their load of coal down to the carriage shop in Georgetown.
As soon as the tiller on Oldman Green’s boat was clear of the line, Jake told Adrian to “Hep”. Adrian gave a half step, and Lil felt the harness pull forward on her, she too took a step. Jake said a gentle, “come on up” and the two mules fell into step, the towrope still slack in the water behind them. Josh’s boat had lost almost all headway as the heavy boat had passed. He was all but dead in the water now. As the towline comes taut Jake says “Hoo now”. Just as she feels the line become taut, Adrian gives a push into the harness, then comes to a stop. Lil does the same. The furniture-laden boat comes along a bit, Jake says “Hep”. The team steps ahead, and just as the line again comes taught Jake commands Adrian to “Hoo”. Each time the boat gains momentum. This is called bumping, it will get the boat moving without straining the team. With three short stoppages, Jake has Adrian and Lil leaning into their work, starting the boat going along at the steady walking clip. .
Josh takes the trumpet horn from the peg rack it set on. He gives two short honks much like a Canadian goose. Then he takes a good lung full and blows a long hard steady blast of the horn. The two shorts mean he is coming from downstream. The long blast means get out there and do something about it. Josh gives the same horn blasts again. Oldman Green’s boat has just come downstream, so the lock is low now. If the lockkeeper, Willie, hears another boat coming up, he will leave it low.
Josh thinks of Oldman Green. Going out west had been his brother’s obsession. He was back now. Tom had come back from his experience with the gold rush a broken man. Now he didn’t amount to much, wouldn’t even come on the boat. Much less get one of his own.
“Honk, Honk, Honk, HOOONNNKKK!” Josh heard the call of an answering trumpet horn. Three short blasts meant someone was coming downstream. They would have the right of way. Josh had signaled first, in an ideal world that would mean he was let through the locks first. More then likely the downstream gates were being closed. The lock would be allowed to fill with water, and the upstream gates would be opened. This would ready the lock for the loaded boat to pass through first.
As Lock 16 came in to view, that was indeed what had happened. The gates were closed. That was all right, Josh would slack off well below the lock, giving himself plenty of room to get a good straight shot at entering the lock. His boat was 12 foot six in the beam. The Seneca sandstone walls of the lock are only 14 feet apart, to get the 94-foot boat in the lock, it had to go in straight.
“That’ll do!” Josh called out to Jake.
“Step over now” Jake ordered Adrian. Both Lil and Adrian slacked their pace and stepped to the side of the towpath away from the water. They ambled along at a slower pace, leaving the towline slack behind them. Josh worked the tiller to bring his boat over to the northern side of the canal.
Up ahead the lock keeper Willie was on the towpath side and Hank, his hired hand, was on the north side of the lock. They opened the keys and let the lock fill. Then both Willie and Hank leaned their weight, each in to a gate, and swung the upstream gates open. As soon as the gates hit the walls, in sailed King Henry 5. It was Charlie Howe’s boat. His team of roan colored mules was lead by his son Dan. Josh could see the name of the boat, in big red letters, on the forward stable cabin of the boat as it pulled into the lock. Hank and Willie each closed the keys in the upstream, now, open gates, readying them to hold back the water of the cannel when they let the water out. They then walked down the 100 feet length of the lock to the downstream gates.
Dan and Charlie hoped off the boat, each with a line in hand. They wrapped them each three times around a synching post and brought the boat in close to the northern wall. Dan’s brother Tory hoped off the boat and went over to take his turn at leading the mules. Tory was Jake’s age, he waved to Jake down along the towpath.
“Lock ready?!” Called Dan.
“Lock ready,” said Willie as he and Hank each turned a key part way in the down stream gate. King Henry 5 started to sink down between the red sandstone walls of the lock as the water gushed out from the valves at the base of the lock gates.
“Open her up?” called Hank.
“Lock ready” answered back Dan and Charlie in unison. Hank and Willie opened the four keys to the full open position. The water at the base of the gate gushed out full force and the King Henry sank between the walls of the lock.
The water slowed coming from the valves.
“Ok to open?” Hank barked.
“Open when ready” answered Charlie. Both Dan and Charlie unwrapped the lines from the synching posts and hopped on to the roof of their boat. Hank and Willie leaned on the ten by tens of the lock gates, and slowly the big down stream gates opened.
Taking a fifteen foot pole from the roof, Dan stood in the stern and pushed off, anchoring his push pole on the mortise at the base of the up stream gate. The 12-year old boy pushing on the push pole was able to push the fully loaded barge boat out of the lock.
The loaded King Henry 5 came out of the lock. Tory got his mules going along down the towpath. As soon as Tory had his tow line clear, Jake started his team. Bumping the boat three times, each giving the upstream boat more momentum, till the boat was headed up into the waiting low lock.
“Come on now hard!” Jake asked his team to give an extra pull to give the boat the headway it would need to glide upstream into the lock. As the towline came up to the lower lock gate, Jake gave Adrian the command to “Hoo now” The towline went slack as Josh guided the boat up into the lock. Jake lifted the line over the lock gate, he then rapped the leadline from Adrian’s halter to the hitching post along side of the lock.
Josh took the stern line and Jake the bow line, each wrapped three wraps on the synching posts. As the bow of the boat drew up to the upstream gate, both Jake and Josh pulled in the slack on their lines, bringing the boat tight against the sandstone wall of the lock. Hank and Willie put their weight on to the gate arms and the downstream gates swung shut to meet in the center. As soon as the gates were closed, hank and Willie walked the length of the lock, up to the up stream gate. Each with a key in hand, Willie asked in a loud voice to be heard over the sound of the water, “Lock ready?”
Josh raised his hand and waved as he responded, “Lock ready”
Both Hank and Willie feathered the valves open with the big iron keys. The water came rushing through the up stream gates. Willie and Hank knew just how fast to let the water come in. The faster the Locking threw was done the better for all concerned. There were two more boats waiting up stream to be locked threw. Every one was on a schedule, the faster the locking through was accomplished, the happier everyone would be. But it was no good to open the valves too fast. That could damage the boat. If the valves were to be opened very fast, the lower gates to the lock could be harmed, that would shut down the lock, and thereby shut down the entire C&O canal. Joshes boat raised up as the water lever rose.
When the level was about a third of the way up, Willie raised a hand and asked, “Lock ready?”
Josh simply waved his response. The sound of the rushing water would have carried away the voice if he were to yell. The boat came up fast now.
As the water level in the lock came even with the water on the upstream side of the gate. Willie and Hank both leaned on the arms of the upstream gates. They swung fully open and came to rest in they’re recesses in the lock wall.
Josh got on the stern of his boat, and took the long pushing pole. Placed it on the base of the down stream gates and started to push his boat out of the lock, upstream. Jake when to Adrian and Lil and brought them up, stopping to raise the towline over the upper lock gate. As soon as Josh had the boat out of the lock, Jake had his team in the right place to bring the line taught. As the towline came tight, Jake gave Adrian the command, “Hep”. The boat was already under way from being pushed out of the lock, there was no need to bump it to get it going. Josh steered over to the northern side, way from the towpath. There were two boats waiting along the towpath side of the canal to go through the locks.
That was how they did it. There were five locks in a row to be locked through. That would take about three hours. It was not hard work, each person knew what they had to do, and like clockwork, they all did their jobs.

The lord hath given us yet another day. This is a day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. Be ever thankful as we bring glory to the Lord.

Milking
Let me try to tell you how to milk, or at least how I do it here at Walter's dairy. There are two ways to milk. You might think, the right way and my way. This is not what I was thinking. There is the morning milking, and the afternoon milking. 2am and 2pm.
Let me start with the morning milking. The alarm goes off at 1;32am. It is important that I go to the bathroom. If I skip this step, like most any step in the milking process, the whole thing will not work smoothly. Then I get in to my morning milking cloths. I have morning milking cloths, and afternoon milking cloths. They have some common garments, but for the morning milking it is very cold outside, and also dark. So extra layers of warm cloths, and the rechargeable flashlight has to be picked up just before I go out the door, but I am not ready yet to go out the door. I need to pour my coffee. The big cup is there and the coffee was brewed five minuets before the alarm went off, so it is all ready. (I awoke to the smell of the coffee if I missed the sound of the alarm. When the coffee maker comes on, a fan also starts. Between them I wake.) This has to be preset before I ever go to bed. So coffee in hand, and all dressed for the cold, check the time, if it is too early yet, good time to read just a little in the Bible and maybe pray, if not in writing on the computer, at least one-on-one with the Lord. 1;55am I head out the door.
Grab the rechargeable flash light on the way out the door and go straight over to the milking barn. Turn on the lights to the milk room. Check to be sure the pipe is set to go in to the tank, not still in the wash and circulate position. Check to be sure the bucket was taken down to the pump, and the stainless bucket is down in the milking parlor, ready for use. Check the cooler and make sure the hoses at the bottom are connected. These things should have been done the night before, but it is best to check and be sure everything is in its place. I go through the door into the milking parlor room, turn on the light. The door to let the cows out has to be opened, so after they are milked they won't run into a closed door. Then down the stairs, check the pump, valve in the milking position, and the short white cork in place, the bucket is ready to catch the milk when clean up starts, all seals good, look for anything out of place. Then I head down to the milking area. My coffee cup goes on the chair after a big swig. Then I push the "remove" button of each of the twelve milkers, six to a side. Open the two doors the cows come through from the holding pen. In the morning all the suction cups should be in the ready position, they where all made ready the night before. I check, look for anything out of place. Check the gates; the gates to leave the milkers has to be shut on both sides, and the two to let the cows into the milkers have to be open. Then I go out in to the holding pen, walk along the side, make sure all the gates are open for the cows to come in. As we milk we push the cows forward and shut gates behind them, they all have to be open to start the milking. I turn on the incandescent light as the florescent lights are not working. Then I head over to the dry cows. I'm looking for new calves, mothers about to calve, or anything out of sorts. It was at this point that Bob saw the lights on over at Rick's trailer and went over to investigate. I look for anything not as it should be at two in the morning. This is an area where the flash light comes in to play. It is a lot like the night nurse coming around, making sure everyone is asleep and where they belong.
After checking the dry cows, it is back to the mouth of the calve pen. Every gate has to be open so the cows can go right in. Now we are ready to herd the cows in. I whistle in order to move the cows, Bob shouts, I whistle, always have, it works for me. In the morning the first tune I whistle is always revelry. I work along the west side, going north, whistling as I go, check the waterer at the north west corner, whistle to the cows and make sure they all get to their feet as I pass. Along the north side working to the east, over to the fence, before I cross the fence I make sure all on this side are headed in. They know where to go, we do this same drill every Morning at 2am. Then check the waterer straddling the fence, cross the fence and whistling an upbeat sort of tune, push the cows along towards the barn. Flashlight in hand, always checking for new-borns. They don't belong over here, but sometimes a calf will be born in the production cow’s pen. I also check the heifer pen as I work back south along the east side, The heifers are all bread, they are supposed to go to the dry cow pen to have their young, but with fifty bread heifers you’re wise to look for newborn calves. Whistling as I go, there is always a group at the hay manger on the south east corner, make sure they are headed in, these are the night owls, the ones who like to go get a late night snack. They realize by doing this just before milking that it will get them into the barn last. There are some cows who like to be last, and there are others who are always waiting for me to open the gate so they can be first in. Whistle while you work, a joyful tune as they all head in to the barn. Checking always to be sure none are behind you, and nothing out of place. This is a good time for morning prayer. It takes practice to be able to whistle and pray at the same time, but I assure you it can be done.
With all the cows in front of you, looking forward to getting milked, get through the holding pen gate, shut it and chain it. They won't be up against it now, but after they are milked, it will hold them from coming back in, and it is a safeguard, if the electric line doesn’t hold them in. Next the eclectic line, Billy always puts it away in the wrong way, but it is there, stretch it across and check the charger to be sure it is live. Then I walk along the walk way at the edge, past the waiting cows, down in to the milking area. Check to be sure there are six to a side. Close the gates so they won't back out and no more will come in before I need them.
I then head up in to the milk room, double check be sure the pump is all ready, check the out going door, make a mental note to turn on the water as I return, is everything ready in here?
In the milk room I double check the pipe, make sure the milk will go in the tank and not on the floor, as it would if the pipe was left in the clean out mode. Turn on the water to the cooler. I have to get a bucket to stand on to do this, the bucket will come in handy right there later anyway. Then back to the parlor, turn on the milking pump, three way switch, don't want to turn it to wash. It is on the off mode when I get there. Turn it to Milk, to the west. Then turn on the water, down the stairs, check the pump, the receiver, the out going door, a swig a coffee as I pass, and we are ready to milk.
The first cows to be hooked up, have a little different procedure then other others to follow. The milkers are all hanging upside down with no strings attached. They have to be removed from the hook, inverted and I place the suction cups on the tits, doing the far back one first and the far front one next, the near rear and the near front. The reason for the order is kicking. You put the cups on first witch will make the cow kick on the far side. It saves me from getting kicked. Attach the string, and on to the next cow. After all twelve are hooked up, go along and hit the Auto bottom on each of the units, the red and green lights will come on, this will pull the milkers off when each cow is finished being milked.
I then go up to the milk room and be sure the milk is not going on the floor, check the cooler and be sure the milk coming out is cooler then the milk going in, the water is turned on, check to be sure nothing is out of place, there shouldn't be, but I check just in case.
Then it is back to the cows. It isn't a requirement of milking, but every morning at this time I have a big swig of coffee, it seems to make the whole process go better.
As each cow is finished, a light will go off on the unit, showing there is no longer a flow of milk, then the unit will continue to milk her for 30 seconds, then the milker will be pulled off by the string, the suction will stop. When this happens I have to go and check the cow, feel each of the four quarters and be sure she has milked out, if not, put the milker back on, if she is milked out I spray the utter with iodine, enough so it will drip from each of the four tits. The whole side has to be done before they can be released. If there is extra time it is a good time to spray feet with tetracycline, a spray for foot rot. Also in the last week I have been trimming the tails, making the cows look better, and cleaner, and it makes it a lot easier to get at the utter. A Pair a scissors is there for the purpose.
When the side is all finished, checked and sprayed, open the out-going gate and release them. Wait till all are out, close the gate, go open the in coming gate, and about a third of the time six will come right in without being asked, if they don't go out and convince then to come in and get milked. As it gets later, and the more reluctant cows come in, it takes more convincing.
As the cows come in, watch for specialty cows. These are new mothers still giving colostrum, and medicated cows, they have an orange grease crayon mark on their utters and a red leg band, medicated cows that can not under any circumstances go in to the tank, have two leg bands on each leg. If a specialty cow comes through, also know as a bucket cow, the bucket has to be placed between the unit and the cow. This is done by removing the milk hose from the unit and placing it on the bucket, then taking the hose from the bucket and placing it on the unit. This will simply let the milk drop in to a bucket before going into the pipeline to be taken to the tank. After a specialty or bucket cow, the milker has to be rinsed out, and the bucket removed. The bucket has to be emptied if there are more going to go into the bucket.
The cycle continues for 136 cows, or until there are no more, as it gets harder to get them to come in, go out and push them forward with a whistle or a shout and close a gate behind them. It is good to talk nicely to them in the catch pen, they are about to be milked and the happier they are the more milk they will give. Hook up the suction cups, far ones first. Check each cow, all four quarters, replace the milker as needed, and spray all four quarters with Iodine, watch for leg bands and any sick cows. The cycle is a pleasant one going on for about two hours. There is time for contemplation and prayer. Plenty of time for witnessing if anyone is in helping me milk.
During the milking, it is good to hold back the right number of cows so at the end there will be a full six to get milked, this is done by closing the out going gate and keeping back the desired number of cows. Then at the end you are left with twelve cows. Some new milkers and others that are reluctant to go through for their own reasons. With a full parlor the cows can't move around with the milkers on, if you try to milk less then six on a side there is nothing to keep them from backing up. This wouldn't be a problem with the early cows, who all seem to look forward to being milked and getting back out. But the late ones will back and play games if given the opportunity.
When I get down to the last set, six to a side, I start the cleaning process. One with many steps. Each has to be done in order. The first step is, as each milker is finished being used, it gets hung upside down from a hook, making sure it is positioned so it will drain. The washing cups are put on each of the suction cups. This will allow water, soap and chlorine to circulate through the system and clean it. The milkers must be washed down as the washing cups are being placed.
One concern when thinking about hooking up the wash gear, don't forget the cows. Every cow still has to be checked, and the milker replaced if need be, and each quarter needs the iodine spray. It is easy to forget about the last cows, and concentrate of hooking up the wash cups. The cows are the livelihood, the bed and butter, they all need to be checked, and these last ones are often new milkers and cows in pain for one reason or another, that is why they are last, so it is important to check them before hooking up the washer.
After all twelve milkers are hooked to the washing cups, the last twelve cows can be released. The gates have to be set, the out going gates closed, and the in-coming gates open, ready for the next milking. The doors the cows come in have to be closed, as well as the man door into the holding pen. Then pick up the Stainless bucket and the coffee cup and head for the tank room. The stainless bucket is placed near the cooler, two buckets are places under the cooler, the water to the cooler needs to be turned off. The hose under the cooler needs to be separated and drained in to the waiting buckets. Then back to the milk pump on the other side of the door, hit the receiver empty switch, hold it till you hear the receiver empty, and then hold it another ten seconds or so. Now turn off the main milk pump, it is on the same panel. Then I go back in to the tank room and take the top off the stainless bucket, place it in the sink with the hose hooked to the suction port. I put the plug in the sink and turn on hot and cold water to fill the sink. Then back out in to the Parlor, hit start on each of the units, and come back to the receiver. The valve is turned straight up and down for the wash position and the filter is removed and the filter chamber washed and put back together. The black bucket should be full of milk now if everything is going right. The milk in the black bucket is what drained back down the pipeline when the pump was turned off. Grab that, and the filter with spring and end, and bring that with you back to the tank room, on the way turn off the water to the parlor. Place the black bucket under the cooler. The sink should be nearly full, if it is full turn off the water, then climb up on the tank and remove the pipe going into the tank and refasten it to the circulate line. Bring the pipe with you to the sink. Then check your self, you are going to start putting water through the system, make sure everything is in place, the pipe is in the circulate mode, the valves under the cooler are open, the return for the wash water is in the far sink, is everything ready to wash? Get as many calf bottles as you need and fill them before the wash water dilutes the milk. Fill them with colostum from the stainless if you have it. Then go out to the pump panel and turn the pump to wash, to the east. The water in the sink will be sucked through the lines, through to milkers and will come out into the far sink. Empty the black bucket into the calf feeding buckets, and place it under the return line. Stand by the cooler hoses, when the water comes through is will come with a blast, with the milk coming first. Make sure it goes into the calf feeding buckets, and then when the return comes, soon after, make sure is goes into the black bucket, this will be milk first, it will be the last milk you will get to feed the calves. When the milky water is clear, turn the hoses under the cooler off. As the rinse water is going through, take the cup from the sink and fill it with soap from the closet, the middle tank in the closet is the soap. When you get back to the sink with that all the water should have been sucked up. Go and shut off the wash pump, came back and take the cork out of the sink, drain it, and replace the cork. Turn the water on all hot. Take the cup and go to the closet and fill it with chlorine, the tank to the east, place that on the hand washing sink, and finish filling the calf buckets. When the sink has enough for the pump to suck, make sure the return hose is back into the sink with the water in it, and go turn on the wash pump. As soon as the water starts returning, and the water is circulating, turn off the hot water, take the calf buckets and the bottles and go feed the calves. This is the heaviest part of the job, taking two full five gallon buckets across the yard to the calves. The bottles can float in the milk. Put the Buckets down at the near end of the calf hatches, before doing the bucket feeding, place the bottles in the bottle calves milk buckets, this way you won't put milk in there bucket as you work along the line, it also gives the shoulders a chance to rest after carrying the buckets across the yard. Then came back and take a bucket, put about a quart in each calf bucket. There is enough in one five gallon bucket to do the front row and three off the back row. Then return and get the other bucket, start where you left off, and finish out the back row, or till you get to the weaning calves. If you have given the right amount to each, there should be a few inches of milk left in the bottom of the bucket. Go over to the hydrant and fill the bucket with water, diluting the remaining milk. Take this and feed it to the weaning calves.
Then return the bucket to the starting point and go and feed the bottle calves, always trying to teach them to drink out of the bucket. When they are done, I am cold and wet from the spilt milk. Then return to the tank room with the bottles, caps removed, in the five gallon buckets. Look at the thermometer in the wash water, if it is down below 100 degrees, the return hose can be moved to the drain sink, and the out going water can be used to rinse the two five gallon buckets and the bottles, and the stainless bucket and the black bucket. The bottles go back in the other room on the window sill, and the stainless gets turned over and put on the draining rack. Use the drain water to wash the floor, any spilt milk, fill the buckets and use that water to wash all behind the tank and in the alley. The five gallon buckets get turned over on the drying rack. When the water in the sink gets down so the pump won't take any more, go out and turn off the wash pump. Return and pull the cork in the sink, drain it and start the water on hot and cold. Place the return hose in the drain sink. Put the waiting Chlorine in the sink, and when it is full enough for the pump to take water, turn on the wash pump. The system will fill with water/chlorine mix, when the water starts coming out the return, turn off the water. Use the chlorine water to wash down the dairy. When the sink is down where the dump won't suck, turn off the pump. Pull the cork in the sink. Make sure every thing on the sink will drain, the hose on the top of the stainless bucket, and the pipe for the tank, then go out to the far end of the catch pen and turn off the incandescent light, come back and turn off the parlor light, grab the coffee cup (witch has been washed at some point in all this) and turn off the tank room lights, return to the house, and before getting too far in to the house, replace the rechargeable flash light in the plug. Then take off the milking cloths, keeping them separate from any other cloths, and it is time for a shower.
Afternoon milking
The Afternoon Milking starts at 1:45PM. Once again I have to be in the right cloths. They are not the heavy, cold weather, cloths of the morning milking. The outside layer is composed of the same manure covered shell. I have to be all hydrated when I go out. There is no coffee in the afternoon milking.
I go out to the Tank room first. The barn is not set up like it is for the morning. I have to put the pipe in the milk tank and connect the hoses under the cooler. The spring to mount the filter on is in the sink. I have to get a new filter, from the rack next to the door, and install it on the spring with the ends witch is also in the sink. I put the top on the stainless bucket; take the Stainless the filter and the black bucket down to the receiver pump. On the receiver pump there is a cylinder for the filter. I have to dismantle that, put the filter in and reassemble it. Then I have to go along the milkers and take the cups off each of the four suction cups on each of the twelve milkers, six to a side. Then go back through and hang the washing cups, then go through one more time and hit the “remove” bottom on each of the twelve units. I open the in-coming doors for the cows, and make sure to out going gates are closed. The in-coming gates have to be opened. Then I go out through the catch pen, opening all the gates so the cows can come right in.
I then go over to the dry cows, any new calves have to be taken to the calf hutches, and their mothers have to be brought across and banded on the legs. This can take some time with all the gates that have to be moved to bring a cow across. If there are no calves it saves quite a bit of time in the afternoon.
I am now ready to herd the cows in. I open the last gate between them and the holding pen, and make the same pattern I make for the morning milking, today being Sunday I whistled the songs we song in church. One good thing about whistling for the cows, I haven't yet heard a complaint. I check for calves in the heifer pen, as well as any in the production cow’s pen. In the day I am less apt to find a calf, it is light and someone else would have most likely seem it before me, and cows don't usually have their young in the day light hours.
I make sure I got them all in. It is again a good time to practice whistling and praying to God at the same time. There are the snow caped Rockies for a back drop as well as the Big Thompson River working it's way down the valley, there is much to be thankful for.
With all the cows in the holding pen, the gate closed and chained, the electric wire across, I head back to the milking parlor. I close the gates behind the cows in the milkers. Make sure there are six on each side. Then go down through the parlor. Turn the valve on the receiver to the “milking” position, horizontal. Open the out-going door so the cows can get out after being milked, and go into the tank room. Check to be sure the pipe is going into the tank, don't want milk on the floor. Then I turn on the water to the cooler. I go out and towards the parlor, on the way I turn on the milking pump, make sure it is on “milk” and not on “wash”. Then I turn on the water for the parlor. I am now ready to milk. The first twelve are like the first twelve in the morning. Each has the milker inverted in the washout position. It has to be inverted. The 'Start' button pushed and the suction cups placed on the cow's tits. The far rear is placed first, working to the front and near. The hoses have to be hung on the movable hook. This will line up the milker, and keep the hoses out of the way. Then the string has to be put on each milker. If the string is forgotten and the 'Auto' button is pushed, then when the cow’s milk stops flowing, the suction will stop to the suction cups and the whole milker will fall on the floor under the cow’s rear feet. With all the milkers on the cows and all the strings attached, it is time to go check the tank room. The most crucial thing is to check if the milk is going in the tank, and if the milk is being cooled by the cooler. Then I head back down to the parlor, and go through hitting 'Auto' on each of the units. I check to be sure the strings are attached as I push the button.
We have only one bull. He does not need to be milked, but he does come in and go through the parlor with his girls. He is most often one of the first twelve to come through. So if he comes through, it is a good idea to take the milker down just like you are going to milk him, and put the string on it, don't put it on him, he wouldn’t like that, but make sure the milkers is ready like the others so it won't be an anomaly later.
As a cow gets finished she needs to be checked out. Feel all four quarters, make sure she has been milked out, any milk left in there runs to possibility of spoiling and giving the cow a condition referred to as mastitis. Each of the four tits needs to be sprayed with iodine, enough to make each tit drip. At the bottom end of each tit is the aperture where the milk comes out, if there is a drip left there, it will be right where the hole is, and do the most good. All the iodine that is sprayed on the utter does very little good, it is the droplet on the end of the tit over the opening the milk comes form, that does all the good.
When a side of six cows are all finished, checked and sprayed, I open the out-going gate, make sure they all get out, close that gate and open the in-coming gate. If I have some thing else to do, I do it while the cows come in. If I am waiting for them, I go out and hurry them along. Then I close the in-coming gate, and start placing the milkers. The incoming gate can wait to be closed. Often I start putting the milkers on before all six cows are in place. The incoming gate does have to be closed however before the out going gate is opened. If they are opened at the same time, or if the in-coming is mistakenly left open, and the out going is opened, the cows will come in, and keep right on going. They will pass right through the parlor and never get milked. Once they are through and out with the already milked cows, it is all but impossible to tell witch ones they are, or to get them to come back in without getting everyone to come back in. So it is a good idea to milk them all, make sure your in-coming gate is closed before you let the cows out.
The pattern repeats, time and again, for two hours or more. I keep an eye out for specialty cows, ones with leg bands or orange marks. There are a few cows who only have three working tits. When one of these come through, a cork has to be placed in the extra suction cup. The extra cup is them put over the others to keep it out of the manure on the floor.
Bucket cows need the bucket placed in the line so the milk won't go into the pipe line leading in to the tank. When ever the bucket is installed in the line, the 'Manual' button must be depressed. The milk is bypassing the sensor that activates the release mechanism. The units will sense there is no milk coming, and it will drop the milker. With the Manual button pushed, you have to come along and hit the 'Remove" button for the milker to come off.
In the after noon, after clean up, it is always a good idea to make sure everything is as ready as can be for the morning milking. One day a week, Bob does the morning milking, He wants to find everything all set and ready to go. If any thing unforeseen should come up, and he should do the morning milking, it is good to have it all as it should be. At the pipes in the ready position, all the valves set to go, any thing like the filter for the milk, that can be done after milking, is done before the job in finished.
Afternoon milking happens at 2pm. There is a good chance that company will be there for at least a part of the milking. Even if a friendly girl comes to see how it is all done, be sure it is all done before you leave the barn for the afternoon.
The calf feeding in the afternoons is warm and delightful. It is a good time to get pictures of the calves learning to feed and of me teaching them to drink from the buckets.

Lord, I thank you for concluding 2007. I thank You that we have been blessed with another year. I ask that this year be a year where I can grow and become better, not just grow older and decay. I ask, Lord, that You find ways to use me, and that I might be able to find ways to serve You and bring glory to You, Lord.
Looking forward to 2008 I ask, Lord, that your will be done. If I am to be with someone, I ask, Lord, that You guide our paths so we might meet. If there is a mission’s trip in store for me, Lord, I ask that You make that come to pass. I give myself as a living sacrifice as it reasonable so to do.