A trip to WI...

We have been having a lot of discussions about when we will make the trip back to WI. Our last trip was in November, so really, it has only been four months. Grandma Cihlar's 90th birthday is in July so we will for sure be making a trip then. That means to split it up we should go home in March/April if we want to make it back before July.

Well, ranching makes that a little difficult. Life revolves around the seasons of ranching/farming. And although the season of winter which has stuck around long enough this year generally restricts much travel I am talking about the other seasons we have around here.

Calving season: March/April

Planting season: May (give or talk a week in April/June)

Haying season: June-August and hauling hay home well into the fall

Harvest: August/September

And then there is the feedlot. The animals need to be fed each day.

Planning a little getaway to see my family in WI suddenly becomes an intense strategic planning session with pens, paper and calendars flying everywhere along with numerous phone calls to find out schedules: are any cattle scheduled to be delivered or shipped out; can FIL feed cattle while we are gone; double check with MIL to make sure they have no plans so FIL can actually feed cattle; do my folks have plans; will my brothers (and their families) be around certain weekends; can I convince my sister to drive up and visit that weekend; will my workaholic husband be able to enjoy the weekend without worrying about what is happening back home depending on what season we happen to be in the middle of.

The hope was to go back to WI for Easter, but we will still be heavy in calving season. Pushing it off until May means we could squeeze a trip in between calving and planting maybe, but probably not.

Sounds like we won't be making the trip until July.

That is unless I leave the hubby at home and take off with the girls!