I think I just upgraded to the new blogger and I'm afraid to check the view because my site designer had it just perfect. Knowing my luck, it's totally screwed up.

Weeeeeeelllllllll, it's been an interesting week around here. The weather is the biggest news -- it's in the 40's!!! The only problem is the wind, it's still high and brings a chill when you're out there. But you can just *feel* the warmth of the sun and you know that if it weren't for the wind, it would be a perfect spring day.

I've kind of sunk into a depression. It hits me about once a year and normally doesn't last very long. I can normally kick my ass out of it with some motivational books, deep thinking, and long walks. The problem is that I've tried all that and it doesn't seem to be working. Hopefully it will be over soon. A lot of it is that I can't get warm - even surrounded by my bricks at night or wearing several layers with a heater blowing on my during the day. I can get momentarily comfortable but not enough to get up and do something. Which leads to guilt and depression because I'm getting nothing done. It's a viscious cycle and certainly aint pretty. I just know that as soon as I'm able to get outside and actually DO something it'll pass.

I am quite confident that Moo is pregnant. No one else is and Ed thinks I'm crazy (is that different than normal?) but *I* can tell. She would be about 6-7 months along and I noticed the other day she seemed quite round first thing in the morning -- she's normally only that roun after grazing all day. I watched her eating and determined the regular movements of her tummy from breathing and eating and then saw several little bumps like movement that were very irregular. I'm sure Dr. Galle would tell me I am a brick shy of a load, but I'm quite comfortable determining my cow is preggers. As we've called the neighbors to see about buying a calf from them in a couple weeks, it would make for three this spring and that sounds wonderful.

I called the local livestock auction place and lucked upon a wonderful woman who answered every one of my silly questions regarding purchasing calves from such an event. We'd like to keep a bull at some point as well as add to the cattle herd each year. I'm comfortable transporting goats in my trusty van but not calves so that will have to wait until we have a trailer. But I think I will head down there some Thursday, wander around, and pretend like I know what I'm doing while evesdropping on every conversation to learn how it all works. In addition, we've started an "auction" fund to build up each week so this year we will actually be able to bid at the auctions we attend. I'm shocked at how cheaply some great equipment goes for at these events and we could use stock tanks, feeders, pig shelters (don't ask, I'm *this* close to getting those piggys), fence posts, gates, and other such implements. But my next purchase is going to be a pitchfork because with Moo wintering in the barn to make room for horses in the fenced pasture, it's offensive to my delicate nose and needs a good cleaning out during an upcoming warm weekend.

I just looked outside and it's so beautiful with the bright afternoon sun. It's nearly melted all the acres of ice and I'm wishing for a giant squeegee so I could get all this water into my dried up pond. I never thought I'd be so glad to see mud again in my life. But mud means melted water and I'm all over that right now.