My guys work really hard 7 days a week so we try to keep things as quiet as possible on Sunday. With 34 cows, a bull, 6 calfs etc it never really happens but we do try.
Cows have to be milked every day, rain or shine and we start about 4 am. By "we" I mean "they". I have yet to make it to a morning milking. There really isn't anything for me to do except stand around looking sleepy. After milking and preparing the cow feed breakfast of Cream of Wheat and boiled green bananas is served. About this time Milito heads out on the bicycle to cut grass for the day.
Felicita has been driving the truck for grass all week so today is my day so she can have a day off. I head up to the field after a late breakfast and pick up Felix to get a load of grass. In between loads I got a coat of varnish on the new door I finished last night for the feed shack. We were able to get two good sized truck loads before 12 so we could all take it easy for the afternoon. As I left for lunch, Milito was camping out on a chair for a nap with his radio playing in his lap. Felix was washing the bicycle and Alberto was standing around grinning like he always does. Lunch for the field workers was same as it is every day for everyone in the country: rice and beans.
I like more variaty in my diet so Felicita made me a nice lunch of a chili sandwich and a tuna sandwich. I like pickle relish with my tuna but we can't seem to find it locally. My wife, always a good improvisor, bought a jar of pickles and ground them up as a substitute It's funny the little things you miss down here.
After a nice little siesta, I take the motorcycle up to the field to spend the afternoon in the woodshop. With Felicita driving the truck most of the time now, I finally have the time to get some work done in the shop. During the last few days, I got the cabinet frames and concrete countertop put in, a tabletop glued up, and a door built. I spent an hour or two oiling all bearing surfaces and waxing the cast iron work surfaces. The tropical humidity makes machine maintance crucial.
Soon Felicita arrived with the children and they all ran off to play with Alberto's kids to play up on a little grassy spot at the top of a hill. Later, while visiting me in the shop, they collected the large curly wood shavings as I hand planed down a massive 2 inch thick table top. Soon they were off watching Milito saddle up the horse to go for a ride while Tiny (my dog) barked wildly at the horse. In the meantime, Bonehead galloped in a panic around the field in fear of haveing to do some work for a change.
Felicita and Milagros (Albertos wife) headed off in the truck to get some treats for the evening while Felix and Alberto start the evening milking. Since the generator is running for the milk machine anyway, I take out the palm sander and start sanding that big table top. Meanwhile the kids are playing car over on a palm log. The one in the front is the driver and they keep moving up until the person in front falls off and goes to the back. A little while later they start up some wiffle ball. Soon, the ladies return with soda, salami, crackers and chips and we all sit looking at the sky, relaxing, and eating snacks.
Soon it is dark and I head off on the motorcycle, trying to dodge the giant helicopters they call insects down here. By the time Felicita gets back home in the truck, James is sound asleep.
It is always good to take it easy on a Sunday.