It's "hurry up and wait" time at the farm.

"Hurry up" because we (and every farmer in our county) want to get the corn planted. "And wait" because it is too wet to get in our fields.

It seems like we go through this at least once a year -- sometimes at planting and sometimes at harvest. But whenever, there is one guarantee. It is always stressful.Years ago, I thought it would be a perfect time for my new husband to start a new project -- like redo the kitchen. Or maybe we could go away for a few days. How about helping me clean the house? Or the garage? Maybe go for a drive? No, none of those turned out to be good ideas.

You see, during "hurry up and wait," you have to do just that -- and that only. Wait. And watch the ground dry. (And you know a watched pot never boils!)

My husband has missed various social occasions during the years, including my cousin's (first) wedding because he needed to stay and see if the ground dried. It didn't. In fact, he really didn't miss much -- the cousin and his new bride had already called it quits before the ground did dry that year.

Oh, my husband keeps busy enough -- mostly running from field to field waiting and watching for that first rite of spring -- a dry field.

And when he finds one (and he will eventually) like a firefighter rushing to put out a fire, we must be ready.

I make fun, but the truth is the later we are planting corn, the later we will be with all of our other work this summer. It also means we'll have to find a way to pack more hours in less days, because we never know when it will rain again. It means we, and all the farmers in Saline County, are in for a long spring and summer.

So this year I've decided maybe I could use "hurry up and wait" to my advantage and a few days rest before the big "rush." After all, I too will drop everything when the ground finally dries. I'll jump on a tractor to work the ground before hubby puts the corn seeds in the ground.

"Hey honey, what's for supper?" my husband asked the other day."Leftovers," I replied.

"Again?"

"Yes, again. I'm afraid to start a big dinner -- the ground might dry and then what would we do? I'd have a half-cooked dinner. What a waste. You don't want me to waste food, do you?"

Mumbling what might be unprintable and unspeakable words, he went back outside.

Next came in my oldest son, home from college."Mom did you get that laundry done?"

"Well I would have," I explained, "but I was afraid to go downstairs."

"What?"

"Well what if I went downstairs, and then the ground dried? Then what would I do? You'd have clothes half clean and I wouldn't have time to put them in the dryer."

"So I guess you'll just have to go back with your dirty clothes. Isn't the grunge look still in anyway?" I asked, trying very hard to look serious.

"DAAAAAD," he yelled, before stomping off to tell his Dad what I'd done. (Okay, tell him what I had "not" done!)

Not long after that, I was popping another bon-bon in my mouth, when my youngest son came in.

"Mom, I need a ride to town for practice."

"I'm sorry, I can't leave right now."

"Why?"

"I'm waiting for the ground to dry. What if it gets dry when I'm gone? It'll slow down our planting progress. You don't want to do that do you?

"DAAAAAAD," yelled the second son, stomping off to find his father!

I know eventually they'll figure out a way to get me back to work. But for now, I think I'll keep enjoying my chocolates -- and my free time.

Now if only "Hurry up and Wait" would work on my editor.