It has been so busy Up and Down the Gravel that I haven't had time to sit and
write about it.

The past three weeks were really filled with car problems and hay problems. 

Hattie's car had some major issues.  It wouldn't idle, but instead, it would die
every time the brake was pressed.  As providence would have it, our most trusted
and talented mechanic was at the beginning of a two week vacation the day it first
acted up.  The mechanic shop we took it to diagnosed it first as a mass airflow sensor,
then as a fuel pump problem, and then again as a mass airflow sensor.  After more
than two weeks and many phone calls and trips to Doniphan and the Bluff for
the car, we finally had it towed to our regular mechanic, who was off vacation.
He had it diagnosed and fixed within a day.  The actual culprit was the map sensor.

Whew.  So glad to be on this side of that problem.

The hay problems are exacerbated this year because it has been so very dry.  We
have had to start feeding hay and that means that we will go through more than
usual.  To top it off, we were quite low on hay to begin with.  We have some hay
from Papa's field, and were able to buy one load from the Baker outfit.  But
we still needed a lot more.  Tyler helped us to find some  that was north of Cape
Girardeau and Kent took an afternoon and evening to go pick up a load.  Then he
found some from a local farmer, Mr. Beal.  That is enough to get us through
much of the fall and winter.  It also helps that Joel finished fencing in his 3 acre
field.  Also, Kent bought a protein block for them.  The combination of all this has
made life a happier thing for the cows.  The bellowing has stopped.

Bill and Stacey and kids came for a flying visit from the Big City this past
weekend.  On Saturday we divided and conquered.  Stacey, Natalie, and I took
the girls and went to garage sales.  Kent and Bill kept the boys.  Jenn wasn't able
to go with us because she had a fall at work on Friday, and on top of that she
was feeling quite icky from the pregnancy. 

We girls found treasures and had a nice time, but at the last place we visited, we
left the air running because the little girls were too tired to get out of the van again. 
There was a lot to look at and when we got back in the van to leave, the battery had
gone down, and we had to have the van jumped.   We were at the home of a former
neighbor, Paul Smith, and she called her daughter's boyfriend and he came and gave
us a jump. 

Later in the evening we had a deck party at Papa Bob's house.  The kids always
love to go there.  Wilbur especially loved following Papa around and saying,
"Papa Bob...Papa Bob."  There is something about that name that is really
fun for kids to say.

Papa Bob went to the Big City to take Beth to a doctor visit last week.  While
there he saw Becky and gang (Anne and Trenten and Wyatt were in town too)
and Billy and gang.  They all went to Old St. Charles and wandered around the
riverfront and Katy Trail. 

While they were together Anne asked Papa what his favorite number was.  He,
off the top of his head, said, "Five."  Then she said, "No, what is your REAL
favorite number?"  He is really pretty clever and he caught on and said, "My
real favorite number is 17!"  They are expecting in June and that was her way
of letting us know. 

Mike and Debby are working furiously on the house.  They should start laying
tile this week.  They are hoping to eat Thanksgiving Dinner at Fernnook Lodge
this year.  All of their kids and their families will be here. 

We did get a short but lovely rain today.  I went and sat on the porch and just
drank in the smell of the cool rain hitting the warm earth.  The leaves were
floating down and the wind was blowing.  It was really, really nice.