Who has time for a cold???

Conditions at 6:00 am: 3 ' and overcast
Expected later: the same 3' and some sun and cloud

Yesterday I felt pretty awful when I went to work. I did  my morning runs and got back to the office around 10:00. . I went upstairs  and Abbey and Craig both said I looked terrible. There were more concerned that I might share my germs with them, so they sent me home. I wouldn't have done that if I hadn't felt so bad,  but I did. I made a couple of stops in town and did some errands I've been meaning to do, then went home.  I ate the sandwich I'd made for lunch then went to bed. I slept from noon till 4:00 and I felt better when I got up. So much better that I decided to tackle putting the yarn on the loom. I threaded it through the reed, then started feeding it though the heddles and I decided it was a job that was better suited to two people. So I called my trusty sidekick Brenda and she came over and helped.

I have  a feeling there's probably a right way for this to work and I'm not sure we had it. We had quite a tangled mess at one point but we managed to work through it. Now I am pleased to report that the warp has been put onto the loom. Now I just have to find a bobbin winder or figure out some other way to do that so I can actually get started weaving. The nice thing about it now, is that I can just go and work at it when time permits. There's nothing to put away or take out each time, I can just sit and weave. I think I'll call my neighbour Sheila and see if she might come by one evening and have a look and see that I've got it all set up properly. The loom I have is a different style than the one I used at the mini mills and I know that Sheila down the road is familiar with this type. So as Bernie would say, it's all good!

We didn't finish until 10:00 and I'm very grateful to Brenda for all her help - I really would not have been able to do it without assistance.

For the rest of the week she's driving the bus for her neighbour (and ours, as they live down by our land off of Five Houses Road). Tragically Jimmy and Pam had a barn fire on Tuesday morning and the barn and some equipment were destroyed as well as 20 cows. I can't imagine what it must be like to know you have animals in there but you just can't get to them, no matter how hard you tried. What a devastating experience that must be.

Fort Augustus family reeling from devastating farm fire

Guardian photo by Brian McInnis

Beef farmer Jimmy Dunn surveys what is left after a fire destroyed three barns and some cattle. Dunn said he was partially insured and there is nothing that can be salvaged.

Published on April 5, 2011

FORT AUGUSTUS - A well-known Fort Augustus family is reeling from a devastating fire at the family farm early Tuesday which killed 20 heavy cattle, and destroyed a number of buildings and equipment.
"It's a big loss," said owner Jimmy Dunn.
Dunn said his son Brad heard some popping noises just before 1:30 a.m. and investigated only to find several buildings already fully engulfed in flames.
The East River Fire Department near Mount Stewart were notified at approximately 1:30 a.m. and battled to keep the flames from spreading.
The cattle lost in the fire were all close to 450 kg. (1,000 pounds) and were getting ready to be shipped. Their value alone is estimated at more than $20,000. The cattle were not insured, said Dunn.
"Beef prices are just starting to improve and we were hoping to finally make some money back. And now it's down the drain," said Dunn.
Three barns and a shed were destroyed in the flames. A considerable amount of equipment, including tractors, a snow blower, grain crusher, round baler, seeder, sprayer and a heavy lawnmower were also lost. The total loss is well over $100,000.

There was partial insurance on the buildings and equipment.
The Fire Marshal's office was on the scene by 3 a.m. and was investigating the cause and origin.
"They have been sifting through the rubble for three hours now," said Dunn at midday Tuesday. He said he didn't know what might have caused the fire.
P.E.I. Fire Marshall David Blacquiere said later Tuesday that the investigation is concluded but he has failed to determine a cause. He believes, however, that there is a "high probability'' that the fire started in electrical system of a tractor.
 "The level of damage is so great that we can't be sure of that,'' he added.
 The family did save most of its beef herd. Some 35 animals in another barn were saved, while 55 to 60 animals were outside in a nearby field.
Dunn said that his son attempted to use a tractor and bucket to smash down a wall to save the doomed animals but nearby diesel fuel tanks close to the flames forced Brad to retreat.