Shingles, gophers, haying, mosquitoes and fence

I finished carrying the final 21 bundles of shingles up onto Bob and Jan's house roof. I planned to get over there earlier before it got hot but I didn't get there until noon and it was almost 80 F by then.

Josh was still sleeping. With the money he made from carrying the shingles Saturday he went out and partied. By the time he came, well over an hour later, I had carried all the shingles onto the roof myself.

Josh is a character. His girlfriend of about a year gave birth to his son last Monday. Josh lives in a very small travel trailer in the neighbor's pasture. The neighbors have gotten rid of their horses this Spring but all those horses left plenty of manure. Josh lost his previous job installing fences because supposedly he failed a drug test. He had spend 8 years in and out of the State Pen due to drugs. He says he has been off meth for three years now. He seems to be a nice enough guy, but is direction less and probably seeks the easy way.

I was soaked in sweat by the time I was done with the shingles. I had no more ambition in the heat and I sat a while and chatted with Bob before heading home. Later my lower back was a little sore. I think sitting in my soft chair didn't help it. Oh, by the way, Bob agrees that my cut finger will produce a scar.

I checked my gopher traps. I had three sprung traps but no gophers. Two traps may have missed their target but the conibear trap was well outside the tunnel entrance. I wonder if a hawk dined on the gopher? The gophers have spread into my neighbor's pasture. One sits on a large pile of dirt and chirps at me when I am checking my traps. *grrr!* And not only me, I've noticed that when the cattle are in a certain part of the pasture a gopher chirps and chirps warnings.

While Wyatt has cut his pasture he hasn't cut mine. I spoke with him Sunday about it. The weather has a 30% chance of thunderstorms Tuesday afternoon and evening. If my field is cut it will rain for sure. Wyatt will wait till later in the week. *sigh* Every time I have my hayfield cut it is the same: waiting and wondering. Between the weather and being lower in the totem pole for priority it can get aggravating.

I worked on my fence some more before the mosquitoes chased me in. They are persistent. Even during mid day when chatting with Bob I swatted the mosquitoes as I sat in the shade. I have my fence poles and posts built. What is left is to build a small gate. I found some old small posts I can use for the gate to keep the theme of 'round'. Now to design and build it.