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I have been so busy with my consulting job that the month of March has completely snuck up on me. February is typically a busy time for me and my team. There is a large looming EPA deadline that consumes my every thought for the last two weeks of the month of February that I am totally unable to even think far enough ahead in to the future. Now that the deadline has passed, I am trying to catch up on everything else in my life. Yesterday I traveled to my company headquarters, giving me four hours alone in the car. My brain was on fire! I did the math and realized there are only 28 days until I need to have everything ready for North American Alpaca Show. AHHHH!
The problem isn't just getting stuff ready for North American, I mean I am only bringing one critter, but there is everything that goes along with it.
-update the critter care manual for the farm sitter
-ensuring the farm sitter has enough wood in case the house gets cold
-notify neighbors and neighboring farmers that we will have a sitter so they can back her up in case there is an emergency
-schedule the vet to come and get health certificates, which includes making sure all our other farm vet stuff happens on the same day to cut costs (that includes annual rabies and discussing who needs to be gelded and when)
-finish our marketing materials and display materials.
-order products to sell at our display area
-figure out whether or not we are bringing the camper and if so, prepare meals for the weekend
Now that I look at this list it doesn't seem too overwhelming...but then there is all the other stuff going on in our lives that needs to happen at the same time:
-finish taxes. I got to the 90% mark in January then put them down. Now I have to go back through and make sure they are set to go before April. Otherwise my Accountant/Mother-in-law will have my hide!
-prepare for a two day trade show for my consulting business. Lest we forget I also have a full-time gig as an environmental scientist
-continue snow removal as it seems we have been getting at least two feet of snow a week for the last three weeks straight.
-replace the control arm on the right front tire of the tractor that I broke in the middle of this weeks storm. Cannot forget to call the tractor company today to ensure they ordered the part
-install the barn doors (Okay I know...this is not a priority)
-do some trailer maintenance before we leave for the show - must always do a complete system check after the critter hauler has been setting for the winter - test brakes, lights, flooring, doors etc
Ah, then there is the whole critter thing!!! I totally forgot that I need to put Wawiobwan on halter between now and showtime so he isn't so freaked out at the show. He has already been halter broken, but we really haven't strung him up in a few months. With all this darn snow we haven't really had time or space to drag him around on the end of a leash. Of course I also have to make the time to clean his fleece and top not a bit. (Just pick out the big bits of contamination, like hay, seeds pods, the neighbors toy poodle, the keys I lost - I am sure they are in there somewhere...)
I know there is something I am forgetting, other than keeping up with this farm journal, other items will pop up. Inevitably they do...things we did not plan on. I think I will print out this list as a nice starting point and meeting agenda for me and the huby [Farmer Steve] tonight.
DIVIDE AND CONQUER!
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