Lights out

I talked to Garry last night before going to bed- that way I get him first thing in the morning in Ukraine- and he told me that the power had gone out the night before while he was sleeping. He assumed that lines were down as there had been freezing rain falling when he went to bed. He told me that he woke up when someone was banging on the door around 5 am and had a terrible time trying to get dresses and get the door open as it was pitch black. A few of Maxim’s friends were at the door and recited a rhyme about New Years. Garry got the car started and drove around and put it in the barn so the ladies could see to milk. Luba told him he should give the boys some money, and they were still by the door when he returned to the house. It turns out it was Old New Year (did you know that Russia stayed with the old calendar for a long time in the Julian- Georgian calendar debate.) It was raining at that time, since it had warmed up overnight.

So I talked to Garry a few minutes ago, and it was almost 4 in the afternoon and the power had just come back on as they were trying to get water to give the cows - they had been unable to drink since 3 am, although they had about 88 liters of milk at midday – Garry says they are up to 280 liters a day with production going up on 18 cows since he started feeding some sunflower meal after he got back with the brewers grain still unavailable (they used the last of it over a week ago- but the guy who delivers it hopes to be able to get a load soon.)
Garry had visitors today- Victor brought out two couples from the left bank church who wanted to see the farm, he said they brought food with them, and Victor went over to the summer kitchen where the milker ladies live to heat some water for tea (they have a gas stove- ours is electric.) One of the guys from the village came over- one of the guys who did the drywall in the house- he had a heifer who was having trouble calving, and had been unable to pull it out (and all the neighbors had been drinking too much to help- since it was the holiday.) Turned out that it was a big backwards calf, Garry was having trouble getting it, so the visiting men got to help pull a calf. Amazingly it was a live heifer calf- hopefully both mother and calf make a full recovery from the ordeal.

So Garry will be able to relax after he finishes feeding the cows and his visitors go home in a house with lights, a working stove, and televsion, since he said the satelite was finally turned back on yesterday evening- just before he went to bed.