While Mom was out of town...

I was lucky enough to be able to go out of town for the I_Blog Conference this past weekend.  I had a great time, learned some new things, spent time with old friends, met new friends and stayed at the most amazing hotel (which I'll write about another time).  As a dairy farmer and mom, it was wonderful to get away for a few days and not have to get up to milk.  

Another dairy mom and I managed to get to our destination without any glitches.  Maybe the two GPS systems and the map quest directions helped a little.  The conference sessions were very informative and I was absorbing new information the best I could.  Saturday morning came and I got up...at my regular time that I would at home; in time to milk.  I tried not to think much about it and decided I'd get to bed early that night.  Then I noticed I had a call from home around noon - usually not a good sign.

To save everyone from reading a long, drawn-out post, allow me to summarize what happened while I was out of town...for less than 24 hours:

One our cows calved; one of the automatic waterers was acting up; the heater in the milk barn wasn't working; all of which would have been fine, if all else had gone according to planned.  While getting parts, hubby took the boys with him and he went into the hardware store alone.  When he came out of the hardware, the boys were gone.  (Please keep in mind they are 19 & 13 years old)  They'd wandered over to the pawn shop where our oldest decided he really should get his own rifle.  It's okay, we live in the country, hunting is a normal thing where we live and he's old enough to decide how to spend his own money.  (After I tell myself this over & over, I may accept it)  But we aren't to the fun part yet.

While hubby was working on the heater in the barn, one of the boys came in to inform him that the dogs had found something under the compressor unit outside.  He told them to leave it alone and for pity's sake, be sure to put Mom's dog back in the house - remember that part.

Interesting fact you may not know:  If you toss a lit smoke bomb in an enclosed area, you might just flush out a very angry skunk.  Angry skunks usually come out spraying and dogs that are barking at them are usually the first target, who will in turn run to the nearest person for help to get the smell off.  Even if that person is in a closed barn working on a heater.  Oh, and skunks don't care if it's the outside or Mom's inside dog.

Yep, it happened.  I had to tell hubby over the phone where to find the skunk "recipe".  I've included it just in case you might need it someday.  For your sake, I hope you don't.  By the time the boys "flushed" the skunk out for the second time, he was multi-colored from the smoke bombs and I don't think he's coming back.

I finished the conference, made it back home with only one missed flight (due to mechanical problems) and even with my luggage after a change of flights.  (I'm really sorry about scaring that lady at the airport baggage claim when I shouted with happiness when my bag actually showed up)

The only down side is that I need to bathe the dog again.  Soak, that's the one thing they didn't quite get right, you gotta let it soak.  Of course hubby says I'm not leaving him home with the kids ever again.