Cows come and go, but grands are the diamonds in this life!

Never trust a visitor to close a barn door or shut a gate. Visitors are not usually farm folks and they just don't understand the problems caused by such things. You can spend many hours redoing what was undone by the simplest thing, you know, like looping the chain around the post. The grands have the run of the place and they are careful about such things, but their friends are "visitors."

The feed room door was left open, and you know an old cow who has been fed many times from that place would find the opportunity to enter the forbidden and indulge. She tore open numerous sacks, ate some and moved on to the next one. She messed all over the ones she didn't tear open and stood at the door bloated and appearing to have swallowed a weather balloon!

That cow was in the lot because her calf was scoured, and we kept them up over the weekend to be sure the calf was well. She, the calf, is fine; but her mammy is in dire straits! I have a trocar in my tools and, yes, I know how to use it. I first had to move her into a chute and that required help. The offspring came and shoulder shoved her into the pen, and we decided not to try to move her into the chute as she was standing perfectly still with eyes rolling around!

I dropped a garden hose down the throat without any trouble, and the escaping gas could have destroyed a haystack if so directed. It was an explosion and a relief to said cow! She shook for a moment and then laid down. We drenched the glutton with a quart of mineral oil and left her there. They got the calf into the lot with her and, by the evening, she was doing OK. The calf had sucked, and the expulsion of most of the feed had occurred!

I again warned the grands to check all the gates and doors as they travel around with nonfamily members about the place. These sort of things must be handled with kid gloves because I want them to bring friends anytime. Being careful to make the warning sound peaceable is sure 'nough important!

It is my opinion, and everyone has one, grands are one of the very best things that ever happen to a feller in a lifetime. As babies, the first time they wrap their fingers around yours, you are hooked; and, when they suddenly say a word and apply that to mean you -- Gramps, Pop, PaPa or whatever they want -- you are never the same! I am blessed and thank the Lord every day for ours, and I pray you fellers have some too. Cows come and go, but grands are the diamonds in this life!

Bill is the pen name used by the Gravette area author of this weekly column. Opinions expressed are those of the author.