Sunday, August 31, 2008
As Time Goes By ...
AS USUAL, it's been a while since I last updated this.
My son's unit returned from Iraq in May, 2008. While on this deployment they suffered no casualties.
My youngest is now at MCRD Parris Island, SC. She will graduate late this summer.
Work has been busy, the clinic split their orthopaedic practise and moved half of the physicians to our facility, so our workload has increased dramatically, much to my boss' relief.
We've started to add bookshelves to our back bedroom, getting some of the mass clutter under better control. I'm currently building a set of shelves for the basement to do the same there and expect to complete them this weekend (Labour Day).
The hurricane season finally broke our drought here, remnants of Fay gave us much-needed rainfall. While I doubt there will be another cutting of hay, the pastures and hayfields may be saved — it has been so dry that farmers are now feeding hay in August, something that usually doesn't start until late November. Many are sending stock to the slaughterhouse early, dairy farms will be scrambling for hay for the winter. Because of the drought, prices of milk are bound to rise. Beef may drop briefly, due to early slaughter.
To put this in a dollars-and-cents perspective, we're seeing truckloads of hay being hauled in from places like Iowa where they have had enough rain to keep the cuttings going. We're on the East Coast, so imagine what 1,500 or so miles of freight costs will do to the cost of hay. It's not going to be a pretty fall and winter for farmers and stables. One patient told me that hay was now going for seven dollars a bale (this is a "square bale") in nearby Bath County. Earlier this spring, hay was in the $4/bale price range.
Locally, we've had a lot of apple trees dropping fruit because of the drought. Cider prices may drop a bit, but fresh apples are likely to be expensive, or at least more expensive than anticipated. As this is a major crop in the area, it's a big financial hit.
We've been fortunate so far as things go with fires, although the local fire season starts in October, the rainfall from Fay will, it is hoped, help with keeping the forests wet enough that the understory isn't a tinder box waiting to flare.
That's all for now.
My son's unit returned from Iraq in May, 2008. While on this deployment they suffered no casualties.
My youngest is now at MCRD Parris Island, SC. She will graduate late this summer.
Work has been busy, the clinic split their orthopaedic practise and moved half of the physicians to our facility, so our workload has increased dramatically, much to my boss' relief.
We've started to add bookshelves to our back bedroom, getting some of the mass clutter under better control. I'm currently building a set of shelves for the basement to do the same there and expect to complete them this weekend (Labour Day).
The hurricane season finally broke our drought here, remnants of Fay gave us much-needed rainfall. While I doubt there will be another cutting of hay, the pastures and hayfields may be saved — it has been so dry that farmers are now feeding hay in August, something that usually doesn't start until late November. Many are sending stock to the slaughterhouse early, dairy farms will be scrambling for hay for the winter. Because of the drought, prices of milk are bound to rise. Beef may drop briefly, due to early slaughter.
To put this in a dollars-and-cents perspective, we're seeing truckloads of hay being hauled in from places like Iowa where they have had enough rain to keep the cuttings going. We're on the East Coast, so imagine what 1,500 or so miles of freight costs will do to the cost of hay. It's not going to be a pretty fall and winter for farmers and stables. One patient told me that hay was now going for seven dollars a bale (this is a "square bale") in nearby Bath County. Earlier this spring, hay was in the $4/bale price range.
Locally, we've had a lot of apple trees dropping fruit because of the drought. Cider prices may drop a bit, but fresh apples are likely to be expensive, or at least more expensive than anticipated. As this is a major crop in the area, it's a big financial hit.
We've been fortunate so far as things go with fires, although the local fire season starts in October, the rainfall from Fay will, it is hoped, help with keeping the forests wet enough that the understory isn't a tinder box waiting to flare.
That's all for now.
# posted by Curmudgeon @ 13:11 
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I'm glad your children are safe and well. My only offspring chose college and a dual major of Education and Accounting. She got a good job, post graduation, for that I'm grateful.
My siblings are all military. Something to be proud of.
Myself. . pilot for the government in some secret squirrel operation, now a total career change using the college degrees, but still working for Uncle Sam at half of what I could make in private industry. But I'm proud of what I do.
Prayers for your family, and hope that their future will be bright.
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My siblings are all military. Something to be proud of.
Myself. . pilot for the government in some secret squirrel operation, now a total career change using the college degrees, but still working for Uncle Sam at half of what I could make in private industry. But I'm proud of what I do.
Prayers for your family, and hope that their future will be bright.
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