The Native Iowan

Weather has shifted, a bit, for a day or two. Would be good if it were to be fine n dry for a week or two. Technically we are heading into our annual “dry season”. Last year we didn’t get a dry season at all. Nope, we got a wet season then we got an even wetter season.

In our modern world, in this AI influenced and computer driven existence, the one thing we can not do is control, or even predict the weather.

Weather influences everything in our lives. Our mental health is very severely influenced by the weather.

In my “retired” life I make a hobby out of what I used to consider work. Being retired means I should not really be working too hard on my hobbies. I should not be stressing too much, worrying too much on anything.

And I dont, really, very much, unless the weather is against me.

The weather has been against me for a couple years now.

I was talking the other day to a heavy-equipment contractor that does a lot of work for me. Dave is a guy that owns a big tipper, a roller, a bob-cat, and a raft of add ons. He builds roads, does hard seal, cuts building sites. He does a great job.

Recent heavy rains ate up my roads here on the farm, so I need Dave to come fix things up. But not soon, not now… not before this wet, wet, wet weather slows down. And I need to install more drainage. Hydrostatic forces demand adequate drainage.

Dave tells me sad stories… When I met Dave he had a partner, Ben. That was months ago. Ben has fallen by the way side. Couldn’t survive as a private business dude, as a sole-proprietor. Nope, the weather and the insane hours and the long wet spells with no income did not suit Ben, so he dropped out, went back to being a salaried mechanic.

Ben had thought, had hoped that he could make being a private business dude work. When the weather is good you make it look easy. But when the weather is against you… you get a long week off because of rain, then have to work 30hours a day to catch up. Ben is a young guy with young kids. Dave is older. The frenetic, unpredictable life style and income did not suit Ben at all. He’d hoped he could fly with the business birds, but life and security and familial demands clipped this wings.

Another guy, a genius motorcycle mechanic that has done heaps of work for me, was flying high in the business world. Building a reputation. Busy as he wanted to be. He helped me with two of my vintage bikes – before he had his first kid.

His business was growing. Mama and baby ran the front, sold T-shirts and coffees while he wrenched in the back. Then they had a second kid. Not long after that the needs of the young family changed. Mama needed more security. She sent him down to the local Toyota dealership to get a “real” job. She still sells coffee and T-shirts in the shop, but no mechanical work done any more.

Welcome to the world of being a business dude.

A while back, not far from my farm, an elderly gentleman-farmer was out checking his stock. He got stuck in the mud, bogged down, trapped. Could not get himself free, out, unstuck. Over 24hours later a neighbour came looking for the guy. He was alive but in a bad way. He later died in hospital. Death by weather?

Being a farmer is a high risk occupation.

What am I waffling about? TTSIA… the title says it all…

I can see clearly now, the rain is gone
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-shiny day
It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-shiny day
I think I can make it now, the pain is gone
All of the bad feelings have disappeared
Here is the rainbow I’ve been prayin’ for
It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-shiny day
Look all around, there’s nothin’ but blue skies
Look straight ahead, nothin’ but blue skies
I can see clearly now, the rain is gone
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-shiny day
It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-shiny day
It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-shiny day
It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-shiny day