Dad on Duty

It’s funny how things work. This past year was Isaac’s last in 4-H. Don’t get me wrong, he had a great career in 4-H and I would not trade the experiences he had for anything. However, I must admit that I did entertain a couple of entirely selfish thoughts about how much easier (and cheaper) it was going to be with only one child showing livestock this year. Half as many animals, half as much feed I reasoned and most importantly half as many chores. Was I ever wrong.

The reality of my situation did not fully occur to me until this week. Tatum left to go work on her sewing with Grandma, leaving me (at least for the morning chores) by myself with the entire show string. OK, before I draw a lot of flack I know our show string is not nearly as big as some of out there but for a moment allow me to whine. It also gives me a greater appreciation of just what Tatum does every morning.

I was left with a very long, very detailed list of chores from child number 2. First thing, catch the steers, tie them up and allow them to eat their feed. Any of you who know me very well know that I have a mental block when it comes to haltering and especially tying animals. I know it is stupid and any “normal” person would have caught on after all these years. Well, I guess I am special. My lack of knot tying is legendary and has led to many escapes over the years. I guess that is why I was involved in 4-H and not Boy Scouts.

I am proud to report that three days into my solo chores with only two left that we have not had an escape. Yes, I know there is plenty of time and much of my success may be because at this point the steers are too lazy and fat to really want to go anywhere but their shady spot under the fans in the barn. Stay tuned, the next column may be about my adventures tracking and catching two fat, lazy show steers.

While the steers are eating (and hopefully still tied up) it is time to feed the show lambs. Remember how I talked about smaller show string since I had half as many kids showing. That was a pipe dream when it came to the steers, two steers do much better than one and I should have known that. However, when it comes to the sheep somehow, we went from two kids and eight sheep to one kid and, yes, drum roll please, eight sheep. How does that work?

After feeding the gaggle of show sheep, my attention again turns on the steers. They are rinsed, brushed and blown before being tied up. Tatum does all of this prior to and right after summer weights and her response to my whining is not very sympathetic. In any case, the rinsing, brushing and blowing take forever to do her way but I don’t dare do it any other way. Following the spa time, the steers are tied up under their fan with their favorite teeny bop music (this week it may have been classic country music, I have my limits) blaring over the radio. Thank goodness for a complete pen of four panels to make up for my lack of knot tying ability. I rather think the steers like being loose and are much more stress free, at least that is what I am telling myself. At that point morning chores are over and I can get on with my life.

I know, it is not that bad and could be much worse. In the spirit of full disclosure, I probably ought to come clean and let you in on another secret. While Tatum was gone, Jennifer took over the exercise program on the show lambs and implemented it after she got home from work along with the evening rinsing, brushing and blowing of the steers.

Don’t tell anyone in my family, but I really don’t mind and I kind of enjoy the 4-H animals. In a little more than a year we will be winding this whole 4-H show thing down and I know at that point I will be a little more nostalgic. I know we will miss this whole routine when it is gone and I am so grateful that my kids got to experience it. There is one nagging question that does continue to run through my beany little non-knot tying brain. Maybe I am just a little gun shy since the show string did not reduce when my number of kids was reduced by 50%, but I wonder just how many animals and chores I will have in two years.