Brad and William liven things up.

Sometimes it's not the cows that make a day exciting.

There I was, peacefully watering my strawberries in the 'strawberry trough forever'.

I find watering plants very relaxing.  

It was then that I heard the sirens start up in town and a few moments later I saw some emergency vehicles racing along the state hi-way and then turn down our county road.  'Someone's got themselves in pickle', I thought.


Yep, I'd just been reading how bad stress is for people with auto-immune diseases and so there I was all chilled and relaxed, minding my own business... until I started walking towards the house and saw something that put me on the stress scale from a 0 to a 10.  Those emergency vehicles, with their flashing lights, were way the other side of our field (over near the ditch) where Brad and William were working!!

I started making tracks towards the house, where I'd left my phone.  Because of the distance, and the fact I wasn't wearing my glasses, I couldn't make out what kind of vehicle they were.   They were parked by one of the irrigation pumps, next to Brad's pick-up.  You know how your mind starts racing and you start thinking of all the awful things that might have happened.  Well, I had a lot of time to think of many horrible things as I covered the distance between the 'strawberry trough forever' and the house, because I can't move very fast!  

As I dashed along, I recalled how, years ago,  Brad stuck a screw driver into the electric panel of the pump and he turned into a bright blue flash before my eyes.  He was lucky he didn't kill himself.  Was I a widow or down a son?  They can't be fire trucks because I see no smoke.  Why would be there be two ambulances then?  Does the town even have two ambulances?  Wouldn't they put them both in the same ambulance?  It must be Brad..because William wouldn't be working on electric stuff...but then that must be why they need emergency vehicle...because Brad let William work on electrical stuff.  

Thank goodness the house wasn't any further because I would have drove myself mental.

I called Brad and he answered... Oh dear, it must be William!  I just shouted "What happened"?!!  Both were fine and they had tried to call me, knowing what I'd think if they didn't.  

Here's what happened:

The next day they were pouring cement pads for the center pivots and thought they would use some of the cement to repair a dam near the pump.  They set fire to the tall dense weeds that were covering the dam and suddenly the wind picked up and the fire got away from them.  When fire gets into the rough terrain it is hard if not impossible for the fire trucks to get to it, and so before it got there William called 911.  Brad operated the shovel, keeping the fire from burning the pump panel and William soaked his sweater in creek water to beat the flames to show them who's boss.  The volunteer firemen showed up in about five minutes.  It was easy to put out and there was a lot of light hearted banter afterwards.  The firemen said it was the first brush fire of the year.  That made me laugh and I asked William if they get a prize.

I saw no smoke when I first noticed the scene because the fire was already out and they were already enjoying the light hearted banter part.  (And people wonder why I'm a gibbering idiot).

We finally got a picture of Teddy smiling.  This how she greets us when anyone of us comes home...even if we have only been gone five minutes.  William was ready with his camera.  She walks low to the ground, head down, eyes squinty, showing her upper gums and teeth.  We think it's really cute and I read that it's an Australian Shepherd thing.

The famous Australian Shepherd grin, demonstrated by Teddy.