OH MY ACHY BACK

          This being old and getting older with each breath I take is certainly deflating whatever masculine prowess I still have remaining in this old body.  I can hardly believe that just a few years back, I was in pretty good physical shape and hardly ever took a deep breath, no matter how physically active I was.  Since my lower back has definitely become a problem and is never going to get better, what with five compacted disks and arthritis continually devouring my spinal column, each little nip hurting more and more, I'm now definitely forced to take it somewhat easy.  Hell, ever since about a week ago when the old back bone started pinching my sciatica nerve, making the upper part of my left leg numb, I can't believe how much my weak back is forcing me to slow down.  This morning, after what I thought was an appropriate enough time to take it easy, give my back a chance to heal, I attempted to lay the floor in the baby-barn.  But hell, there I was down on my hands and knees, barely started stapling the vapour barrier down, when I felt a burning sensation in my left hip.  However, desperately wanting to get something done to show that I'm at least making a little progress, ignoring the pain, I pressed on until after screwing down three 4'x8' sheets of plywood to the floor, I was forced to give up - just didn't want to risk the chance of really harming my back any more than it already is.
          Life here on Golden Unicorn Farm is still great despite my old back - wouldn't matter where the hell I was; it's not like I can leave the pain behind.  I'm enjoying it here at the base of Green Mountain with the chickens scurrying around, scratching here and scratching there and the goat forever complaining and trying to eat the dog's food whenever old Luki turns his back or runs along the fence line chasing a passing car.  I notice a couple of small songbirds have taken over a swallow's nest in the woodshed and I see the trees are budding now - soon be sprouting brand new leaves and blossoms.
          A friend of mine, Gary Stairs is bringing me an established grape vine in a few days, which I'm really looking forward to planting - mmmmmmm - grapes taste so good and I love to make grape wine - not much of a wine-drinker but I'm sure Sarah will enjoy it.  (Me, I'm kind of a beer-drinker, always have been and I guess I always will be.)  I don't know if the grape vine will produce any grapes this year; kind of depends on how much it gets traumatized being replanted.  Of course, living out in the country, even if the vine should produce a good crop of grapes, I understand raccoons and birds could be a problem; especially those masked-coons - they'll devour all the grapes in just one evening.  I'm hoping, even though the spot I've chosen to plant the grape vine is somewhat exposed, that the scent and barking of the dog will deter any grape-eating critters from hanging around here - haven't seen one yet.  I understand coons can be hell on the chickens too if they get into the chicken coop; kill every dang one of them.
          The sun has been trying to shine, despite the clouds that are scudding along; the wind is somewhat fierce and a touch cold too.  It's that time of year where the temperatures can climb quite high and drop just as low - go from sweating to shivering in a matter of minutes.  However, even though we had a slight skiff of snow over the weekend, spring has finally arrived.  I've swatted a few mosquitoes over the last couple of days but I have a feeling they were just scouts for the horde that will soon be attacking us and also harbingers of the black flies; boy, are they nasty!
          Even just sitting doesn't seem to alleviate my back discomfort for very long, can feel a bit of pain creeping down my left leg and my skinny butt is beginning to feel a little numb too.  Time to give up writing this blog and find something else to do, like collect the eggs and make sure all our farm critters have enough to eat and some fresh water.  Might even make a wee attempt at working on the baby-barn before supper - it seems my back actually feels better if I'm somewhat mobile.  Yup, I do believe it's time to stop whining and get on with the remainder of the day - cheers, eh!