.JPG)
I am giving thanks today for rigid-foam insulation board--why? you might ask...
Well, it will allow the toilet nearest my bedroom to remain above 50 degrees this evening. Many of you have gone a long time since you've used a privy...let me tell you there's a lot of positive things going on with indoor, heated plumbing.
Here's an actual conversation with Handyman, from earlier this summer:
"Well, now that I've ripped out the oil tank by the front door AND the sidewalk; and we've enjoyed that gravel sidewalk all winter, I need about $500 for materials to re-do the sidewalk in the bluestone that we picked out.
Me: Okay, I think I can come up with that...
Him: (Gazing over my head at the front of the house.) Well, before I put in the new sidewalk, I should tear off the roof because I could back the dump trailer right up to the front door and you wouldn't want to do that with a new sidewalk...
Me: (Mouth falling open--for once, speechless)
Him: (continuing on)...and if we're going to tear off the roof, WHILE WE'RE AT IT*, we should put in those dormers that we have been saying we want...it would be silly not to do that at the same time...
* The most expensive four words in remodeling
Me: (Mouth still open) gaaaaa...I guess so.
So, the dudes who tear off roofs for a living, came and only one of them fell off, outside #1's bedroom window, breaking the deck, but not his arm. And then the contractor came and added two wonderful dormers, one in the master bath and one over the front door. Now we can see out to the driveway from the landing at the top of the stairs. How it should've been all along, I think.
Handyman, being the can-do guy that he is, decided to go against one of his earliest statements upon moving here: "That roof is too steep for me. I'll pay someone to put a new roof on it."
And so with the money we saved from the roof, we went to a building materials auction and bought kitchen cabinets, for my birthday! Handyman and I met at an auction, so it is always enjoyable to return to our roots.
We spent all day in a giant, filthy warehouse, but got a terrific bargain for our efforts. Everyone around us agreed! 28 brand new kitchen cabinets, no particle board, some with beveled glass in the doors, for $2100!! Woo hoo!
And just to keep the entertainment level at peak, we brought them all home in a horse trailer! The Clampitts get a kitchen!
Showing posts with label winter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label winter. Show all posts
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Thursday, March 4, 2010
I haven't been posting because..........
because I gave up complaining about the weather for Lent! It's true. One of my daughters gave up wearing pants (which is wearing a little thin with her at this point.) I couldn't really think of anything I relished that I could possible give up, without harming someone else..."I won't clean the chicken house for Lent".
Then it dawned on me. I love to complain about the weather. It is the one thing I allow myself to complain about. I complain heartily. I complain about the weather with regularity. It is the outlet for the sarcasm I try to banish from the rest of my speaking day. I had to admit; I LOVE complaining about the weather.
And this state gives me so much material to work with. So, I gave up complaining abou the weather for Lent. It is a big sacrifice this year, because of the ridiculous statistics we are racking up here. But, I shan't go into them now.
Our life is roller-coastering right now as Handyman's father has been in the hospital since Valentine's Day. Two times he was sent out to rehab (after having a feeding tube put into his stomach). And two times he has been rushed back to the hospital. Today he is being moved to hospice. It is not going to be a long stay.
I am confident that he answered the call of Christ in the recent past and can rest assured that he will be free from his failing physical body soon.
Then it dawned on me. I love to complain about the weather. It is the one thing I allow myself to complain about. I complain heartily. I complain about the weather with regularity. It is the outlet for the sarcasm I try to banish from the rest of my speaking day. I had to admit; I LOVE complaining about the weather.
And this state gives me so much material to work with. So, I gave up complaining abou the weather for Lent. It is a big sacrifice this year, because of the ridiculous statistics we are racking up here. But, I shan't go into them now.
Our life is roller-coastering right now as Handyman's father has been in the hospital since Valentine's Day. Two times he was sent out to rehab (after having a feeding tube put into his stomach). And two times he has been rushed back to the hospital. Today he is being moved to hospice. It is not going to be a long stay.
I am confident that he answered the call of Christ in the recent past and can rest assured that he will be free from his failing physical body soon.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Menu Plan Monday--AGAIN!
Well, I'll keep it short...I did find the world's best Mac'n Cheese recipe, from Fine Cooking, and have made it twice. Not so hard and so rewarding to make something everyone ooh's over.
But today was Pancakes and Bacon! Costco has a new mix from Krusteze that is whole grain, with flax seeds. They were pretty darn good. Made a big batch and put some in the freezer.
Tuesday: I'm thinking Baked Potato Soup with Salad.
Wednesday: It is pizza night at Awana this week, so we'll be eating there! Yea.
Thursday: Salmon Patties and french fries
Friday: Chicken Parmigiana or Fettucini Alfredo from Pioneer Woman. Depends on whether I can find chicken in the freezer or not.
Gotta go watch the weather now, but at least I have a basic menu plan down for the week. What about you??
But today was Pancakes and Bacon! Costco has a new mix from Krusteze that is whole grain, with flax seeds. They were pretty darn good. Made a big batch and put some in the freezer.
Tuesday: I'm thinking Baked Potato Soup with Salad.
Wednesday: It is pizza night at Awana this week, so we'll be eating there! Yea.
Thursday: Salmon Patties and french fries
Friday: Chicken Parmigiana or Fettucini Alfredo from Pioneer Woman. Depends on whether I can find chicken in the freezer or not.
Gotta go watch the weather now, but at least I have a basic menu plan down for the week. What about you??
Winter blues
Well, the firefighter came and plowed out our driveway for us--first time ever to have that done. And it is appreciated. The piano teacher came zooming up the driveway in her little sedan, lamenting about customers cancelling. She said this is nothin' compared to northern Illinois. We must have gotten about 8" last week. It is pretty, I'll say that. And a ton more coming in tonight.
But I'm done with it. And now the Colts have lost. And Handyman is in Connecticut, via truck, not plane. And then there's this...in my chair, in my office, this morning...and on the floor. (Okay--I took the picture on my phone to send it to Handyman and then I cleaned it up and I don't know how to send it to my computer.) IT was a mouse, in a couple of pieces on the floor next to my chair and IN my chair, was barfed up more mouse with a big wet spot and a pile of erp. Aren't you glad I don't know how to send it from my phone. I'll be happy to send it to your phone if you like...
This never happens when he's home. Either the vermin sense his missing presence and they stridently march in, or the cats are just lazy when he's here, thinking he'll cover for them. Either way--it NEVER happens during the day. And that means, mice are running around here at night!
Where's my Lysol? Where's the sun? It's 8 degrees this morning and I have the Superbowl Blues. My favorite commercial--probably the Google ad, followed by the Underwear in the Office people. The Who (who I never liked, never listened to and was shocked that they were chosen), was undoubtedly the WORST halftime show EVER. They should have gotten Garth Brooks or Tim McGraw AND Faith Hill or Billy Joel and Elton John or someone who could sing! And what's a pinball wizard? That was the only song I had even heard of.
But I'm done with it. And now the Colts have lost. And Handyman is in Connecticut, via truck, not plane. And then there's this...in my chair, in my office, this morning...and on the floor. (Okay--I took the picture on my phone to send it to Handyman and then I cleaned it up and I don't know how to send it to my computer.) IT was a mouse, in a couple of pieces on the floor next to my chair and IN my chair, was barfed up more mouse with a big wet spot and a pile of erp. Aren't you glad I don't know how to send it from my phone. I'll be happy to send it to your phone if you like...
This never happens when he's home. Either the vermin sense his missing presence and they stridently march in, or the cats are just lazy when he's here, thinking he'll cover for them. Either way--it NEVER happens during the day. And that means, mice are running around here at night!
Where's my Lysol? Where's the sun? It's 8 degrees this morning and I have the Superbowl Blues. My favorite commercial--probably the Google ad, followed by the Underwear in the Office people. The Who (who I never liked, never listened to and was shocked that they were chosen), was undoubtedly the WORST halftime show EVER. They should have gotten Garth Brooks or Tim McGraw AND Faith Hill or Billy Joel and Elton John or someone who could sing! And what's a pinball wizard? That was the only song I had even heard of.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
My New Year is just getting started...
Due to family illness and the glorious weather, our holiday season dragged out for quite awhile. Which isn't always a bad thing. It was fun, there was lots of food and I got a boot dryer!
What woman doesn't want/need a boot dryer?! Any woman, like me, who treks to her barn and henhouse four or more times a day, needs a boot dryer. I also had to pull out the YakTrax I got last year. These are stretchy traction devices for the bottoms of my boots. My chickens are envious, but I think their little toenails would get in the way.
It wouldn't be winter here at Netherfield/Neverdone if we didn't have a chicken in the kitchen and this year is no exception. One day last week, I was setting out the little banty hen who has decided to go broody (it's winter you moron!)and I discovered she had been sitting on/in a broken egg. Ugh. It's way too cold for that. At first I set her outside to get some water, thinking I had pulled out all the egg bits. But a Rhode Island Red came over immediately and started pecking at the little gal, so it was off to the kitchen for a grooming session.
Keep in mind that we do have a slop-sink bathroom off our kitchen, so I am not talking about bathing a chicken in my kitchen sink! And what morning would be complete with bathing a chicken. Chickens are not big on bathing, even when they need it and this little gal was no exception. She was fortunate to get a warm water bath and I discovered her entire belly is completely bald! She has made a big brood patch on her belly to keep the eggs warm!
So then I got started blow-drying. Other than becoming alarmed when she could see herself in the full-length mirror, she LOVED being blow-dryed on low. She almost sprawled out on my lap to help! And there's no better smell for your kitchen than a boot-dryer on high with a little blow-dried chicken on the side!
Every day is another mind-numbing routine of busting and refilling water bowls for chickens, barn cats and horses. There is a heater in the horse water tank that runs on a timer and this week I have been shoveling clean snow into the tank. If it would ever get warm enough to melt just a little, the snow on the steel barn roof will melt and channel into the tank. But for now, it's easier to shovel powdery snow than to haul water out there.
The barn cats sit faithfully on their little heating mats and eat their canned food quickly. Whatever freezes in their dish, I give over to the dogs to remove! Keeps them busy and entertained.
Then there's the never-ending process of emptying the muck tubs of their frozen loads. The colder it is, the more the horses stand in the barn and fill their stalls. I got in a little bit of trouble last year for breaking too many muck tubs by dropping them on their sides to dump them. Cold and plastic don't always work well. So my solution this year--always have Handyman dump the muck tubs. It's worked great so far.
What woman doesn't want/need a boot dryer?! Any woman, like me, who treks to her barn and henhouse four or more times a day, needs a boot dryer. I also had to pull out the YakTrax I got last year. These are stretchy traction devices for the bottoms of my boots. My chickens are envious, but I think their little toenails would get in the way.
It wouldn't be winter here at Netherfield/Neverdone if we didn't have a chicken in the kitchen and this year is no exception. One day last week, I was setting out the little banty hen who has decided to go broody (it's winter you moron!)and I discovered she had been sitting on/in a broken egg. Ugh. It's way too cold for that. At first I set her outside to get some water, thinking I had pulled out all the egg bits. But a Rhode Island Red came over immediately and started pecking at the little gal, so it was off to the kitchen for a grooming session.
Keep in mind that we do have a slop-sink bathroom off our kitchen, so I am not talking about bathing a chicken in my kitchen sink! And what morning would be complete with bathing a chicken. Chickens are not big on bathing, even when they need it and this little gal was no exception. She was fortunate to get a warm water bath and I discovered her entire belly is completely bald! She has made a big brood patch on her belly to keep the eggs warm!
So then I got started blow-drying. Other than becoming alarmed when she could see herself in the full-length mirror, she LOVED being blow-dryed on low. She almost sprawled out on my lap to help! And there's no better smell for your kitchen than a boot-dryer on high with a little blow-dried chicken on the side!
Every day is another mind-numbing routine of busting and refilling water bowls for chickens, barn cats and horses. There is a heater in the horse water tank that runs on a timer and this week I have been shoveling clean snow into the tank. If it would ever get warm enough to melt just a little, the snow on the steel barn roof will melt and channel into the tank. But for now, it's easier to shovel powdery snow than to haul water out there.
The barn cats sit faithfully on their little heating mats and eat their canned food quickly. Whatever freezes in their dish, I give over to the dogs to remove! Keeps them busy and entertained.
Then there's the never-ending process of emptying the muck tubs of their frozen loads. The colder it is, the more the horses stand in the barn and fill their stalls. I got in a little bit of trouble last year for breaking too many muck tubs by dropping them on their sides to dump them. Cold and plastic don't always work well. So my solution this year--always have Handyman dump the muck tubs. It's worked great so far.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Spring must be coming...
UPDATE: Red-wing blackbird on my front walk today!! They are one of the first nester's to return in the spring! I saw robins awhile back, but many of them do not migrate--so this is a definite!! Just like all the buds the deer have eaten off my tulip poplars...
Reno has started shedding. I remember he did this last February too. I was shocked at how early it started. But I suppose when one's hair is 3" long, one must use the time wisely. This must be the reason he rolls in mud everyday. I dutifully use my old pin hairbrush to break up the solid masses of mud caked on top of his back. Much of it ends up in my mouth, no matter how hard I try. I dig and rake and spit. And the next day, it's the same. On the same side. Even as far as his cheek. I do not brush his cheek while he is eating or three pounds of dust falls into his bowl. When I am "done" (a relative term), I see a silhouette of dust outlining us on the ground.
Yesterday was warm and sunny--my favorite combination. So I did what all spring-lovers do--I emptied the horse water tank, scrubbed it and refilled it. Here's the "plug" that comes with the tank heater. Plastic (read fragile), and tough to get at. Also, recently tightened by Handyman (read impossibly tight for female hands.) How do you get at that thing?!
Enter my new favorite tool:(besides my Muck brand boots and my 20-year old ATV. And the lids that snap on my 5-gallon buckets. And my dog that cleans the kitchen floor for me.)
What do you do with that thing--you ask??
Open says-a-me! Voila! Ah, there's nothing more cheery than 15 gallons of COLD water filled with 4 months of hay detrius, horse spittle, old leaves and some vile form of algae that can grow in antarctic conditions. My assistant for the day was PRINCESS--the large pony who thinks she's a dog.
She did the requisite shove against my bum while I was leaning over a tipped-up tank, almost sending me headfirst into the fence and muck that was pouring out. Then there was the lipping of the sleeve. The request for carrots and the sniffing of the empty tank. She is such a charmer. But what a gut! This gal has bellied up to the hay bar a little too often. I don't think there's a wii fit board that'll work for her.
When I brought out the clean water, she was all about sipping each dose as it was added. Handyman needs to do a little adjustment on that fence section behind the tank. The bottom plank is too high to set the bucket on unless I want to pour it down the waistband of my pants. The top plank is literally 1/2" too close to pour the bucket between the planks. So it works out like this. Open the bucket on the ground. Lift carefully to waist height and pour 1/2 between the planks. Then tell Princess to get her big mug out of the tank or be doused. Then lift the bucket to chest height and pour over the top of the entire fence. Now do this eight more times!
Gives the old reconstruction a workout! Everything held--don't worry! ;)
And the better news: My handy-dandy tool has a little brother:
Then again, it might make a terrific crop!
I wanted to get this task out of the way because there is rain forecast for today and tomorrow and then snow for the weekend. If the tank's going to refill on its own, thanks to Handyman's ingenuity, I wanted it to be clean. Princess gave her opinion on the clean water with a happy lip curl--"Weird Mom! It doesn't taste like fermented hay anymore?!"
Today's job--empty muck tubs and clean barn. Did I mention there was another barn "invasion" this week. This time it was #2 who left the people door open. When we drove in, I could see the big guy in the barn aisle. When we got there, he was wedged between the hayloft ladder and the people door (blocked by #1), with the worktable immediately to his left. The saint let me squeeze by him and unlock the big sliding door. He wasn't sure about jumping out, but gave it a shot and thought it was so fun, he bucked too on his way by. I love that horse!
There had been an open bale of hay on the 2' high stack of rubber mats. The bale was, of course, scattered all around the pile of mats. And there were two piles of poop on the mats! I wish I had a camera going in there; watching them standing on the mats like circus ponies. I guess I need to start showing in trail classes.
Reno has started shedding. I remember he did this last February too. I was shocked at how early it started. But I suppose when one's hair is 3" long, one must use the time wisely. This must be the reason he rolls in mud everyday. I dutifully use my old pin hairbrush to break up the solid masses of mud caked on top of his back. Much of it ends up in my mouth, no matter how hard I try. I dig and rake and spit. And the next day, it's the same. On the same side. Even as far as his cheek. I do not brush his cheek while he is eating or three pounds of dust falls into his bowl. When I am "done" (a relative term), I see a silhouette of dust outlining us on the ground.
Yesterday was warm and sunny--my favorite combination. So I did what all spring-lovers do--I emptied the horse water tank, scrubbed it and refilled it. Here's the "plug" that comes with the tank heater. Plastic (read fragile), and tough to get at. Also, recently tightened by Handyman (read impossibly tight for female hands.) How do you get at that thing?!
Enter my new favorite tool:(besides my Muck brand boots and my 20-year old ATV. And the lids that snap on my 5-gallon buckets. And my dog that cleans the kitchen floor for me.)
What do you do with that thing--you ask??
Open says-a-me! Voila! Ah, there's nothing more cheery than 15 gallons of COLD water filled with 4 months of hay detrius, horse spittle, old leaves and some vile form of algae that can grow in antarctic conditions. My assistant for the day was PRINCESS--the large pony who thinks she's a dog.
She did the requisite shove against my bum while I was leaning over a tipped-up tank, almost sending me headfirst into the fence and muck that was pouring out. Then there was the lipping of the sleeve. The request for carrots and the sniffing of the empty tank. She is such a charmer. But what a gut! This gal has bellied up to the hay bar a little too often. I don't think there's a wii fit board that'll work for her.
When I brought out the clean water, she was all about sipping each dose as it was added. Handyman needs to do a little adjustment on that fence section behind the tank. The bottom plank is too high to set the bucket on unless I want to pour it down the waistband of my pants. The top plank is literally 1/2" too close to pour the bucket between the planks. So it works out like this. Open the bucket on the ground. Lift carefully to waist height and pour 1/2 between the planks. Then tell Princess to get her big mug out of the tank or be doused. Then lift the bucket to chest height and pour over the top of the entire fence. Now do this eight more times!
Gives the old reconstruction a workout! Everything held--don't worry! ;)
And the better news: My handy-dandy tool has a little brother:
Then again, it might make a terrific crop!
I wanted to get this task out of the way because there is rain forecast for today and tomorrow and then snow for the weekend. If the tank's going to refill on its own, thanks to Handyman's ingenuity, I wanted it to be clean. Princess gave her opinion on the clean water with a happy lip curl--"Weird Mom! It doesn't taste like fermented hay anymore?!"
Today's job--empty muck tubs and clean barn. Did I mention there was another barn "invasion" this week. This time it was #2 who left the people door open. When we drove in, I could see the big guy in the barn aisle. When we got there, he was wedged between the hayloft ladder and the people door (blocked by #1), with the worktable immediately to his left. The saint let me squeeze by him and unlock the big sliding door. He wasn't sure about jumping out, but gave it a shot and thought it was so fun, he bucked too on his way by. I love that horse!
There had been an open bale of hay on the 2' high stack of rubber mats. The bale was, of course, scattered all around the pile of mats. And there were two piles of poop on the mats! I wish I had a camera going in there; watching them standing on the mats like circus ponies. I guess I need to start showing in trail classes.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Clowns, comedy, kids, crazy horses, mud
Aren't these cute? We had the largest snowfall in about a decade--or these girls' lifetimes--a few weeks ago and this is what resulted. Now, while you're oohing and aahing, I just want to say that those eyes are not coal. We don't have any coal laying around up here. But we do have thousands and thousands of frozen, dark blobs dotting our landscape. Well, various, selected parts of our landscape. Including the garden area just beyond where these were taken. It all originated with one of my many horse catalogs. There was a t-shirt with a little boy building a snowman, and standing off to the side was a cartoon horse saying, "Hey! Little boy! Those aren't lumps of coal." Need I say more...
Yesterday, #3 was practicing her phonics/reading with some cards with three-letter words. One card had the word "wax". She dutifully sounded it out and said the word. I was duly impressed as this is not a common word for a child. She was excited by me and yelled, "Like earwax!" with a big grin. Yeah, like earwax. Ewww.
Although the beautiful snow is now gone, leaving lots of mud in its wake, I did turn out horses a couple days ago, when the ground was just starting to go soft. Unfortunately, I left the "people door" open on the north side of the barn. I had tossed out some hay and begged the horses not to run around wildly and they had agreed. When Handyman drove out for his daily sabbatical to Menards, he saw no horses. Upon investigation, he found two horses INSIDE the barn, pooping in the gravel, carefully avoiding the workbench in the center of the aisle, but dragging their blankets onto the ground and making complete nuisances of themselves.
Now I expect this from Princess--the large pony who believes she is a dog--but not from Reno. Reno is 25 years old, 16 hands and 1200 lbs. To get into the barn, he had to climb up two rather small steps (the top step being less than 24" across), squeeze through a three-foot door and navigate around a table on sawhorses, a stack of barn siding and a stack of rubber mats. He is also completely besotted by the large pony and cannot bear to be out of her sight. He was willing to risk all for love...
Of course, when Handyman arrived, even as he headed for the large sliding door to send them packing, the guilt hit with a vengance and they weren't going to wait for a horse-sized escape. They whirled and headed again for the people door where they both leapt out beyond the steps and proceeded to run hysterically pell-mell around the field. I, of course, received the chastising phone call for leaving the door open, along with threats of spanking.
Needless to say, when I went out later to feed, the field around the barn and beyond looks like a meteor shower happened, with horse divots EVERYWHERE. So much for maintaining grass. I guess the vitamin supplements are doing their job.
This was just too cute to leave out...
Friday, February 6, 2009
It's over, it's over, it's oh-oh-over!
Yeehaa! Today it will climb over the 22 degree mark and not be back for at least four days! Yeah! The snow on the barn roof will melt into the water tank. The horse doots will thaw enough to be picked up without the fork splaying into useless forms! The chicken heat lamp will be turned off and the chickens will get to enjoy darkness while they sleep for the first time in two weeks. I will begin paying down my electric bill--if ANY money arrives in my mail box. The horses will not have frost on their whiskers and ears. I will be able to feel my pinkies and not have to chop ice every morning. I will be able to wash my fleece-lined jeans (both pairs), that now stand in the corner at night, and the frozen snot on the backs of the thumbs on my gloves will now thaw and have to be washed out. Ewwwwwwwwww.
MOM ALERT: Here's a great website when looking for good reading material:
Teen Lit Review: Real reviews for the Christian Parent
I love it already!
MOM ALERT: Here's a great website when looking for good reading material:
Teen Lit Review: Real reviews for the Christian Parent
I love it already!
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Balmy!
This is just to remind me that I don't live on Hoth.It's so cold and has been for so long that today's high of 22 with sunshine made me feel happy enough to go to the barn sans hat! I got a giant bag of frozen carrots in the garage to give Reno hope for spring. He can smell 'em a mile off. In fact, I had put two little carrot stumps into my coat pocket several days ago and forgotten them and when I was putting on his blanket the other night, he started backing away from me as I was trying to buckle the front. He never does that and he was not stopping and then I remembered, or thought I remembered that there might be some carrot stumps--He knew it! He smelled those old wilty things and wasn't taking no for an answer. Good thing I found them or I could have become the victim of a stall rage incident.
Today, I whipped off the horse blankets and shoveled that water tank full of snow (turning on the heater, of course). The poop is still frozen solid and the hay supply is dwindling, but I saw a huge flock of robins near the henhouse and I am thinking we're about to turn the corner. Well, except for that entire month of February. The dark doldrums lie just ahead...after the Cardinals kick some serious steel batootey tomorrow!! Gotta go make some chili, make some velveeta rotel dip and start on my taxes...
I've got my Gurney's catalog laying on the dining room table and I am still trying to figure out why we live this far north. We're lovin' Netflix here in the sticks, although I miss the librarians, a little. We've watched Tropic Thunder, The Mummy--Curse of the Dragon Emporer, Becoming Jane, Dark Knight (not me), IronMan (not me) and tonight, Mad Hot Ballroom (it's about middle schoolers.)
Time for dog dinner!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
How cold is it?
I hate the cold. I really hate the cold. There hasn't been much wind and we're way behind on the snowfall; but I really hate being cold. Thank goodness my MIL bought me the second pair of fleece-lined jeans or I'd still be wearing the pair I put on in November. Once they're on, I can't bear to part with them. I am a poster child for effective winter gear. I was selling fleece-lined jeans to some lady at my chemo treatment six weeks ago! I have cuddle-duds. I have Muck brand boots. I have a down-filled coat from LL Bean that MIL gave me before I got married (!!), that I still wear when it is colder than all get out. It's the best. I have smart wool socks. I have these fleecey pajamas that actually make me almost too warm. I have a bed heater. The only thing I don't have is a butt-warmer in my car. Handyman got used to one in a truck he uses on occasion and I think we'll be having one in our next truck, whenever it comes.
In fact, Handyman appears to be weakening on the whole seasonal-demeanor issue. He seems to be suffering this year more than ever. I never noticed it too much. It was always me whining and complaining. He is the one who taught me about great outdoor gear. He made sure I acquired all the right stuff. I made sure we got a good bed warmer. But this year he has been whiney and slow to get outside. I may be making headway with the whole "let's retire further to the south" thing.
But back to the headline--how cold is it? It's so cold that I bedded my stalls with straw last week. Seeings how I have next-to-no sawdust left and it was going to be -15 overnight, I felt they had to have something more than their blankets between them and the ground, so I used a couple bales of free straw that came home from a shoot. Looks great, makes a big mess to clean up.
It's so cold that Handyman broke three muck tubs trying to empty them. This brought on the "don't fill tubs with wet sawdust when it's zero degrees outside" lecture. Also noted that the $17 muck tubs from Tractor Supply did not break. Only the $6 from Menards. (Note to self.)
It's so cold that my plastic muck fork doesn't really cut it since the piles are rock hard. So, the effective method is pick them up...by hand. Grab one dooper with your (gloved) hand and the whole pile comes with.
It's so cold that Reno had frost forming on his ear hair. It's so cold that the snow on the barn roof won't melt so we had to haul water twice last week. It's so cold that the heat lamp has been running in the chicken house 24/7 for more than four days.
It's so cold that my million-dollar geothermal furnace has been running on "auxiliary" (read BIG BUCKS) power for four days plus. It's so cold that all my gloves have frozen snot on the back of all the thumbs.
It's so cold that we're burning through the hay and will be needing to get more--of course. Of course the RCI vacation guide came in the mail this week...wonder how much a horse-sitter charges for January, if I provide all the polar fleece you can wear?
Dear Old Dad had to haul water for me yesterday and today he is bringing SAWDUST! I can't remember the last load of sawdust we got! Unfortunately that means I have to remove all the sodden straw that I had to use this past week...so out to the barn I go to muck, on this one glorious day of temps above 35--it's a divine gift to give me hope that there are better days coming!
I might lay on the asphalt just to pretend it's summer!
In fact, Handyman appears to be weakening on the whole seasonal-demeanor issue. He seems to be suffering this year more than ever. I never noticed it too much. It was always me whining and complaining. He is the one who taught me about great outdoor gear. He made sure I acquired all the right stuff. I made sure we got a good bed warmer. But this year he has been whiney and slow to get outside. I may be making headway with the whole "let's retire further to the south" thing.
But back to the headline--how cold is it? It's so cold that I bedded my stalls with straw last week. Seeings how I have next-to-no sawdust left and it was going to be -15 overnight, I felt they had to have something more than their blankets between them and the ground, so I used a couple bales of free straw that came home from a shoot. Looks great, makes a big mess to clean up.
It's so cold that Handyman broke three muck tubs trying to empty them. This brought on the "don't fill tubs with wet sawdust when it's zero degrees outside" lecture. Also noted that the $17 muck tubs from Tractor Supply did not break. Only the $6 from Menards. (Note to self.)
It's so cold that my plastic muck fork doesn't really cut it since the piles are rock hard. So, the effective method is pick them up...by hand. Grab one dooper with your (gloved) hand and the whole pile comes with.
It's so cold that Reno had frost forming on his ear hair. It's so cold that the snow on the barn roof won't melt so we had to haul water twice last week. It's so cold that the heat lamp has been running in the chicken house 24/7 for more than four days.
It's so cold that my million-dollar geothermal furnace has been running on "auxiliary" (read BIG BUCKS) power for four days plus. It's so cold that all my gloves have frozen snot on the back of all the thumbs.
It's so cold that we're burning through the hay and will be needing to get more--of course. Of course the RCI vacation guide came in the mail this week...wonder how much a horse-sitter charges for January, if I provide all the polar fleece you can wear?
Dear Old Dad had to haul water for me yesterday and today he is bringing SAWDUST! I can't remember the last load of sawdust we got! Unfortunately that means I have to remove all the sodden straw that I had to use this past week...so out to the barn I go to muck, on this one glorious day of temps above 35--it's a divine gift to give me hope that there are better days coming!
I might lay on the asphalt just to pretend it's summer!
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
"Tree" house progress
Well, the roofing came in this week and we wanted to try to get it on before the snow fell, so #1 got her first lessons with drip edge...
You can see the full height of the place on the left side of the picture. That's an 8' green ladder below. On the other side of the house, it is only about 4.5 feet from the ground to the porch floor. That is where the "swinging" bridge will connect. The peak is about 12' from the porch deck.
While they were installing roofing, the building-permit guy came floating by...
Okay, not really, but we were totally surprised when this came over the back of our property. They were CLOOOOOOOOOOSE and so vividly beautiful.
This is the last piece of roofing going on for that side, and I had my camera set to night-shot because it was pretty dark. So, we're only half-done, but that's better than none-done.
All afternoon, while the construction was going on, I was doing "ultimate Fly-Lady". This is where you haul waste wood from the trees rows around your house and BURN them completely up, thus de-cluttering in the most intense way. It was very therapeutic. I was cleaning up the place, keeping warm and making sure Handyman didn't plummet off the side of his little obsession without supervision.
You can see the full height of the place on the left side of the picture. That's an 8' green ladder below. On the other side of the house, it is only about 4.5 feet from the ground to the porch floor. That is where the "swinging" bridge will connect. The peak is about 12' from the porch deck.
While they were installing roofing, the building-permit guy came floating by...
Okay, not really, but we were totally surprised when this came over the back of our property. They were CLOOOOOOOOOOSE and so vividly beautiful.
This is the last piece of roofing going on for that side, and I had my camera set to night-shot because it was pretty dark. So, we're only half-done, but that's better than none-done.
All afternoon, while the construction was going on, I was doing "ultimate Fly-Lady". This is where you haul waste wood from the trees rows around your house and BURN them completely up, thus de-cluttering in the most intense way. It was very therapeutic. I was cleaning up the place, keeping warm and making sure Handyman didn't plummet off the side of his little obsession without supervision.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Think I'm ready
Well, since I start chemo this week, I tried to get all the little things wrapped up for the animal/winter scene in advance. I got the heater in the paddock water tank. Both tanks are full-to-brimming from last week's rain. I got all the plexiglass put in the chicken house windows. Handyman and #1 carried in the saddles and brought up the medicine box from the barn. And, Handyman brought home some mouse traps for the hayloft. My mom has repaired the mouse damage in Reno's blanket, so it is ready to roll. And this week, while I'm "laying around", shedding--Handyman is going to get going on the stall mats and then the south outside wall. Yea!
I can't wait to have level flooring in the stalls, with no pee holes! Hoowhee! I know, it takes all kinds. Everybody has their dream--mine is a stall floor with cushy bedding and no pee holes.
The hens have finally caved and started laying again. We're getting 4-6 eggs per day--up from ZERO for a month! Yikes. It's not a henhouse, it's a "fowl" nursing home. #1 will be fashioning little walkers for them. Lemme tell you, they are SICK of apples. Now that they live in an orchard, it was fun in the beginning. They refuse to look down now. It's denial.
I can't wait to have level flooring in the stalls, with no pee holes! Hoowhee! I know, it takes all kinds. Everybody has their dream--mine is a stall floor with cushy bedding and no pee holes.
The hens have finally caved and started laying again. We're getting 4-6 eggs per day--up from ZERO for a month! Yikes. It's not a henhouse, it's a "fowl" nursing home. #1 will be fashioning little walkers for them. Lemme tell you, they are SICK of apples. Now that they live in an orchard, it was fun in the beginning. They refuse to look down now. It's denial.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Yeah, yeah...
I know I should be getting a lot of grief over the whole "I know spring is coming" post last week. Today, after I filled the bird feeders, there were at least 20 goldfinches! They were everywhere. Handyman said "they're like rats"; he was joking. They are just the teensiest bit more yellow. But then again, they were all at my bird feeder because there isn't anything else to eat within 100 miles!! I cut down some suckers growing off an apple tree stump a couple of weeks ago and now when I look closely I can see that some little somebody has been gnawing that bark to a fare-thee-well. Everybody's hungry. The starlings have shown up too.
I have a love/hate relationship with starlings. Of course, you've heard that they are not native to North America. They were brought into New York by some idiot zealot who decided that every bird mentioned by Shakespeare should be brought to the US. So he arrived in NY with 20 starlings and let them loose. Can you believe it? Those hideous creatures blot out the sun on occasion.
So what's my love/hate? Well, I tell my kids everyone deserves to eat, even if you're ugly. But then, they don't just eat, they chase everyone else away, they eat all the food and then they try to nest in our gutters, under the gutter covers. They don't just nest in our gutters, they trap the females in the gutters and refuse to let them out. Sort of an avian version of a burka. I hear them scrabbling and fighting, INSIDE the gutter in the spring. Then the downspouts are clogged, and eggs must drown.
So Handyman usually shoots a bunch of them every spring. Today when he saw them he said, "Go back to wherever you came from." I said, "They're like illegal aliens." No papers, no birdseed. What was funny about it was that Handyman had just read about our legislature considering an illegal immigration legislation and it said that other states that had passed this legislation had seen a tremendous drop in their IA population. The illegals had literally fled those states. Those states' school populations had dropped; their welfare had lowered, etc. It didn't take ugly raids, just inhospitable environments. I don't know how that works at a birdfeeder.
At least I don't have to provide education and healthcare.
I have a love/hate relationship with starlings. Of course, you've heard that they are not native to North America. They were brought into New York by some idiot zealot who decided that every bird mentioned by Shakespeare should be brought to the US. So he arrived in NY with 20 starlings and let them loose. Can you believe it? Those hideous creatures blot out the sun on occasion.
So what's my love/hate? Well, I tell my kids everyone deserves to eat, even if you're ugly. But then, they don't just eat, they chase everyone else away, they eat all the food and then they try to nest in our gutters, under the gutter covers. They don't just nest in our gutters, they trap the females in the gutters and refuse to let them out. Sort of an avian version of a burka. I hear them scrabbling and fighting, INSIDE the gutter in the spring. Then the downspouts are clogged, and eggs must drown.
So Handyman usually shoots a bunch of them every spring. Today when he saw them he said, "Go back to wherever you came from." I said, "They're like illegal aliens." No papers, no birdseed. What was funny about it was that Handyman had just read about our legislature considering an illegal immigration legislation and it said that other states that had passed this legislation had seen a tremendous drop in their IA population. The illegals had literally fled those states. Those states' school populations had dropped; their welfare had lowered, etc. It didn't take ugly raids, just inhospitable environments. I don't know how that works at a birdfeeder.
At least I don't have to provide education and healthcare.
So much to blog...
so little time. I've been limiting my time online, since I limit my kids' time online, it seemed a little unfair that I could jump on at the drop of a hat/chore, while they had to complete all day's worth of works before they can get on. I would love to blog lots more, because goodness knows I have a lot to share and I'm sure it's all worthwhile!! ;)
Raining slop here today. Lovely, as usual. I have my little beach calendar hanging nearby so I can gaze upon it and go to my happy place. My poor kids look at it and say "what's that?" It's a beach, Honey. Where the wind always blows and the sun is out, a lot and there is no snow or big, dripping boots.
Handyman cut my hair yesterday. What a scare/relief. It turned out fine, just what it needed. But the process was a little stressful. His fingers barely fit into the scissors and he was determined not to hold it flat between his fingers like a real hairdresser but to just press down and cut straight across my back. He did do two layers, so that was a help, and it does look much better. I wanted to put the hair out for the birds, but we've done that before and watched hair (ours and the dogs') rot in the flower bed for months.
I have almost paid off our Menards bill--it only took a whole month of sending some amount of payment every day by online bill pay. It's kind of fun and very motivating to check the balance every day and watch it trickle down. It will be paid off this week and then I'm onto the next highest one. I have Dave Ramsey's smiling face looking down on my computer, encouraging me to push on. I can't wait to be out of debt and it will be awhile, but I think about the things we will be free to do when we are not enslaved anymore. I am looking forward to buying flowers for my gardens. Not hand-me-downs (which are great and appreciated), but specific items that I would love to have. With our situation, we should be buying one evergreen a week for the next ten years to get our perimeter more established. We will buy a bigger ATV with attachments too. We could certainly use that. And it will be fun to buy it without signing our lives away.
#2 passed her Hunters Education test last week. I am so proud of her. It was 100 questions, multiple choice, the same test adults take to get their hunting licenses. She did not go out in the hall to have it read to her, but did the whole thing herself and passed with an 85! I had a moment of homeschool mommy-panic when I realized she had never taken any test like that, let alone that long, but she was a trooper!
4H will be gearing up soon and we've signed up for several new things, foods, cake decorating, gift wrapping and this year we'll have two dogs in the dog program. Gift wrapping sounds like a "sport" for the grossly precise but #2 wanted to do it. I love to wrap, myself, having been a wrapper for a book store for many years at holiday time. But I don't know if it's necessary to be judged on the basis of straight edges, seams and corners...
I have been working very hard to not leave laundry in baskets, sitting around for--weeks. It's my downfall. I don't mind doing laundry one bit. I like the warm clean smell when it comes out and I don't even mind folding. But I have some kind of completion issue. Flylady says not to even start a new load before unloading the previous one, but I can't go that far. I have too much piling up. So I've been through about a week without stalling out.
We are getting ready to stake out the riding ring, whenever the slop isn't hip deep. It will require cutting down several old, overgrown apple trees, so I want to get that done ASAP, or I will hear "we can't cut down apple trees when they are blooming..." and then it will be June before we even start. We were going to get bees this year, but held off to get our debt paid downs some more. So there isn't a bee excuse (they need the blossoms). Of course, I love apple blossoms too, but I want a place to ride more, sooooo, they gotta go!
Homeschool convention is coming up too. I always look forward to that. I think I am taking #1 with me this year, for the first time ever. I think she will enjoy the exhibit hall, a lot.
Well, it's time to feed, again. Reno stood out in the rain for too long last night and is still a little damp. I don't want him doing that again. I put a new bale of shavings in their stalls last night because we're about out of sawdust. This morning both of them had shavings stuck to the sides of their heads! So cute--it lets me know that they were laying flat out in the new bedding. I love to see that. Resting peacefully lets "mommy" feel good.
Snow's flying again, but I read a post at Kate's blog where she talked about spring arriving in South Carolina and how she was enjoying the flowers and that gave me a little hope. Now that the eyesore is gone from our "backyard", I am hoping to get some lilacs planted in that spot. Handyman and I sat down in the living room last night, gazing out to the north, watching the snow and it was so relaxing not to see that icky reminder of what our home used to be.
Well, this turned out to be quite the hodge podge of a post. I'll try to be more together next time. Time to eat!
Raining slop here today. Lovely, as usual. I have my little beach calendar hanging nearby so I can gaze upon it and go to my happy place. My poor kids look at it and say "what's that?" It's a beach, Honey. Where the wind always blows and the sun is out, a lot and there is no snow or big, dripping boots.
Handyman cut my hair yesterday. What a scare/relief. It turned out fine, just what it needed. But the process was a little stressful. His fingers barely fit into the scissors and he was determined not to hold it flat between his fingers like a real hairdresser but to just press down and cut straight across my back. He did do two layers, so that was a help, and it does look much better. I wanted to put the hair out for the birds, but we've done that before and watched hair (ours and the dogs') rot in the flower bed for months.
I have almost paid off our Menards bill--it only took a whole month of sending some amount of payment every day by online bill pay. It's kind of fun and very motivating to check the balance every day and watch it trickle down. It will be paid off this week and then I'm onto the next highest one. I have Dave Ramsey's smiling face looking down on my computer, encouraging me to push on. I can't wait to be out of debt and it will be awhile, but I think about the things we will be free to do when we are not enslaved anymore. I am looking forward to buying flowers for my gardens. Not hand-me-downs (which are great and appreciated), but specific items that I would love to have. With our situation, we should be buying one evergreen a week for the next ten years to get our perimeter more established. We will buy a bigger ATV with attachments too. We could certainly use that. And it will be fun to buy it without signing our lives away.
#2 passed her Hunters Education test last week. I am so proud of her. It was 100 questions, multiple choice, the same test adults take to get their hunting licenses. She did not go out in the hall to have it read to her, but did the whole thing herself and passed with an 85! I had a moment of homeschool mommy-panic when I realized she had never taken any test like that, let alone that long, but she was a trooper!
4H will be gearing up soon and we've signed up for several new things, foods, cake decorating, gift wrapping and this year we'll have two dogs in the dog program. Gift wrapping sounds like a "sport" for the grossly precise but #2 wanted to do it. I love to wrap, myself, having been a wrapper for a book store for many years at holiday time. But I don't know if it's necessary to be judged on the basis of straight edges, seams and corners...
I have been working very hard to not leave laundry in baskets, sitting around for--weeks. It's my downfall. I don't mind doing laundry one bit. I like the warm clean smell when it comes out and I don't even mind folding. But I have some kind of completion issue. Flylady says not to even start a new load before unloading the previous one, but I can't go that far. I have too much piling up. So I've been through about a week without stalling out.
We are getting ready to stake out the riding ring, whenever the slop isn't hip deep. It will require cutting down several old, overgrown apple trees, so I want to get that done ASAP, or I will hear "we can't cut down apple trees when they are blooming..." and then it will be June before we even start. We were going to get bees this year, but held off to get our debt paid downs some more. So there isn't a bee excuse (they need the blossoms). Of course, I love apple blossoms too, but I want a place to ride more, sooooo, they gotta go!
Homeschool convention is coming up too. I always look forward to that. I think I am taking #1 with me this year, for the first time ever. I think she will enjoy the exhibit hall, a lot.
Well, it's time to feed, again. Reno stood out in the rain for too long last night and is still a little damp. I don't want him doing that again. I put a new bale of shavings in their stalls last night because we're about out of sawdust. This morning both of them had shavings stuck to the sides of their heads! So cute--it lets me know that they were laying flat out in the new bedding. I love to see that. Resting peacefully lets "mommy" feel good.
Snow's flying again, but I read a post at Kate's blog where she talked about spring arriving in South Carolina and how she was enjoying the flowers and that gave me a little hope. Now that the eyesore is gone from our "backyard", I am hoping to get some lilacs planted in that spot. Handyman and I sat down in the living room last night, gazing out to the north, watching the snow and it was so relaxing not to see that icky reminder of what our home used to be.
Well, this turned out to be quite the hodge podge of a post. I'll try to be more together next time. Time to eat!
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
I know you'll laugh...
but I've seen the signs. Spring is definitely coming. My bear-skin horse, RENO, is shedding. I thought it was just wishful thinking, but he is definitely letting some loose and today #2 and I both noticed that the goldfinches are just the teensiest bit more yellow than they were last week. It was sunny here today which is a real treat. We shovelled off the paved part of the drive and played outside, even though it barely went above 20. Tonight is bitterly freezing, but we were able to see the lunar eclipse from inside the house--spoiled!
Anyway, horse blankets are back on tonight, but he is definitely shedding. He has more faith than I do, anyway. His blanket--which would cover any normal couch in my house--is toasty, roasty, I must say. It was a bargain from State Line Tack, for $59 plus shipping. When it came, I almost cried because I thought there was no way it would fit. It is gargantuan! It came the day of a precipitous temperature plunge and I was so worried that it wouldn't arrive in time. Then when I opened it and laid it across three dining room chairs I was about beside myself with dismay.
#1 suggested we just go try it on him...the giant cat is now laying across my forearms as I try to type. My elbows are sagging under the weight and I feel sensitivity leaving my finger tips. Anyway, we lugged the monstrosity out to the pasture, trying to keep it clean, since I knew I would have to send it back. He came wandering up and we heaved it up over his back. He had measured exactly 82, so I had ordered an 84, just to be sure. Well, sure enough, it was a teensy bit too long at the tail, but is a high neck cut, so I have to leave it loosely buckled so he can get his head down to eat. Buuuuuuuut, the belly straps just barely made it under and I had to remove the hind leg straps altogether, because I could tell they would rub on his mega-hairy inner thighs!
I kept loosening the belly straps and loosening some more! He looks like the biggest hunter green sofa you ever saw! Because of the high neck style, his topline looks much higher than his 16hh height. Pretty hilarious really. The blanket quality is great for the price. Much better than what I had originally purchased for him on Ebay. It was a great deal because it was "butt ugly", tan and teal plaid! Handyman told me to spend more money rather than get that, because he is all about the visual--hates ugly. Fortunately for him, the "leisure suit" as I dubbed it, didn't fit and had to be returned.
So now I have one horse that looks like a giant green sofa and the other looks like an LL Bean duffle bag. Princess' blankie is hunter green with black skirting around the bottom. I think I'll have my mom add faux handles to it this summer, just for fun!
Anyway, horse blankets are back on tonight, but he is definitely shedding. He has more faith than I do, anyway. His blanket--which would cover any normal couch in my house--is toasty, roasty, I must say. It was a bargain from State Line Tack, for $59 plus shipping. When it came, I almost cried because I thought there was no way it would fit. It is gargantuan! It came the day of a precipitous temperature plunge and I was so worried that it wouldn't arrive in time. Then when I opened it and laid it across three dining room chairs I was about beside myself with dismay.
#1 suggested we just go try it on him...the giant cat is now laying across my forearms as I try to type. My elbows are sagging under the weight and I feel sensitivity leaving my finger tips. Anyway, we lugged the monstrosity out to the pasture, trying to keep it clean, since I knew I would have to send it back. He came wandering up and we heaved it up over his back. He had measured exactly 82, so I had ordered an 84, just to be sure. Well, sure enough, it was a teensy bit too long at the tail, but is a high neck cut, so I have to leave it loosely buckled so he can get his head down to eat. Buuuuuuuut, the belly straps just barely made it under and I had to remove the hind leg straps altogether, because I could tell they would rub on his mega-hairy inner thighs!
I kept loosening the belly straps and loosening some more! He looks like the biggest hunter green sofa you ever saw! Because of the high neck style, his topline looks much higher than his 16hh height. Pretty hilarious really. The blanket quality is great for the price. Much better than what I had originally purchased for him on Ebay. It was a great deal because it was "butt ugly", tan and teal plaid! Handyman told me to spend more money rather than get that, because he is all about the visual--hates ugly. Fortunately for him, the "leisure suit" as I dubbed it, didn't fit and had to be returned.
So now I have one horse that looks like a giant green sofa and the other looks like an LL Bean duffle bag. Princess' blankie is hunter green with black skirting around the bottom. I think I'll have my mom add faux handles to it this summer, just for fun!
Monday, February 11, 2008
I'll try to be fair
Since I started off the day by complaining and whining, I will try to balance it out somewhat...I abhor it when my progeny complains, so I need to work on my attitude a little.
I am excited that the days are getting longer! I can tell that they are! This is not a positive reflection on my state, since it is the result of my longitude or latitude or GPS or something. But, I know that they are. I was able to feed, empty five muck tubs using the poop cart (no snow for the sled), and muck out before dusk!
I broke two muck tubs (Handyman will be unhappy.) I was just a little upset that not only do I have to endure this life on Hoth (thank you #1), but the muck was actually frozen into the buckets. Give me a stinking break! It's not enough that the hens have frostbite on their combs, even though we lubed them up...not enough that the horses have frostsicles on their whiskers, the poop is frozen into the tubs. So I dropped them and kicked them and heaved them around until I broke two of them. Then I complained that they were cheap.
I think I was supposed to be mentioning things that I'm glad about...what were they? Oh, I am thankful for the anti-viral medicine that makes my COLD sores go away. Way thankful. I was glad to see a glowing orb in the sky today, albeit briefly and it gave no heat. I am glad for orange extension cords that go for miles, even under flowing rivers of ice. I am thankful for sawdust and the friendliest pony in the world who wants to bite the handle of the poop fork while I'm using it. I am thankful that my horses are so gentle that I can move all around them without concern, unless I have a shred of carrot left in any pocket in which case I could be knocked to the ground and mauled.
Did I mention that my husband has been out of town for months? Okay, three days. He's on his way home now. I'm so glad because I'll probably have to haul water tomorrow and it's snowing tonight, again. Oh, my parents called from FLORIDA, so I could go through their mail for them. And they're not going to be back until a few days later than originally planned. Hey, no problem! Their dogs are eating the frozen doots about as fast as I can bring them up from the barn...
Gotta go put on those blankies. It's a balmy 19.2 here. I've been wearing these same jeans (fleece-lined) for two days now. Nowhere near my record.
I am excited that the days are getting longer! I can tell that they are! This is not a positive reflection on my state, since it is the result of my longitude or latitude or GPS or something. But, I know that they are. I was able to feed, empty five muck tubs using the poop cart (no snow for the sled), and muck out before dusk!
I broke two muck tubs (Handyman will be unhappy.) I was just a little upset that not only do I have to endure this life on Hoth (thank you #1), but the muck was actually frozen into the buckets. Give me a stinking break! It's not enough that the hens have frostbite on their combs, even though we lubed them up...not enough that the horses have frostsicles on their whiskers, the poop is frozen into the tubs. So I dropped them and kicked them and heaved them around until I broke two of them. Then I complained that they were cheap.
I think I was supposed to be mentioning things that I'm glad about...what were they? Oh, I am thankful for the anti-viral medicine that makes my COLD sores go away. Way thankful. I was glad to see a glowing orb in the sky today, albeit briefly and it gave no heat. I am glad for orange extension cords that go for miles, even under flowing rivers of ice. I am thankful for sawdust and the friendliest pony in the world who wants to bite the handle of the poop fork while I'm using it. I am thankful that my horses are so gentle that I can move all around them without concern, unless I have a shred of carrot left in any pocket in which case I could be knocked to the ground and mauled.
Did I mention that my husband has been out of town for months? Okay, three days. He's on his way home now. I'm so glad because I'll probably have to haul water tomorrow and it's snowing tonight, again. Oh, my parents called from FLORIDA, so I could go through their mail for them. And they're not going to be back until a few days later than originally planned. Hey, no problem! Their dogs are eating the frozen doots about as fast as I can bring them up from the barn...
Gotta go put on those blankies. It's a balmy 19.2 here. I've been wearing these same jeans (fleece-lined) for two days now. Nowhere near my record.
Sick of winter
I know, I know, I say it a lot. I hate winter and I'm not to keen on this state. I have lived in this state, mostly, since 2nd grade and I just feel no loyalty to it. It isn't beautiful. It is completely inconsistent weather-wise and it doesn't seem to have the best of any world.
It is my strong desire to move away from here for our retirement, if not before. I want to go to southern Virginia, or North Carolina and I might consider Tennessee, haven't look into that too much. I would like to be able to get to the ocean in a reasonable time. At least hurricanes give you several days warning! My MIL told me last night, "don't move to TN, all those people just got killed in tornados." I asked her if she had ever known anyone who's been killed in a tornado? "No." Well, I don't think I can write off an entire state because they had some folks killed in a tornado--especially since we had tornado warnings here, LAST WEEK!! In February!
Only in this ridiculous state can you have 55 degree days, 0 degree days, snow storm warning, flooding and thunderstorms in a 10-day period. Absolutely ridiculous. No wonder my parents went to FLORIDA for 7 WEEKS and want to move there.
To make me feel better on this Monday morning, I will post pictures of my garden site, which instills hope in my shrunken-frozen heart:
It is my strong desire to move away from here for our retirement, if not before. I want to go to southern Virginia, or North Carolina and I might consider Tennessee, haven't look into that too much. I would like to be able to get to the ocean in a reasonable time. At least hurricanes give you several days warning! My MIL told me last night, "don't move to TN, all those people just got killed in tornados." I asked her if she had ever known anyone who's been killed in a tornado? "No." Well, I don't think I can write off an entire state because they had some folks killed in a tornado--especially since we had tornado warnings here, LAST WEEK!! In February!
Only in this ridiculous state can you have 55 degree days, 0 degree days, snow storm warning, flooding and thunderstorms in a 10-day period. Absolutely ridiculous. No wonder my parents went to FLORIDA for 7 WEEKS and want to move there.
To make me feel better on this Monday morning, I will post pictures of my garden site, which instills hope in my shrunken-frozen heart:
Doesn't that just get you excited for spring?? Me neither.
Have I mentioned that my husband is gone. He will get home tonight, hopefully before the snowstorm. Need I remind you that I have four dogs, three cats, two daughters and a teenage girl who is sure she's adopted, and two chickens living in this house!
I think it's obvious that I haven't made coffee yet this morning. Oh, I hear a rooster crowing--in my kitchen!
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
The Poop Sled
Yeah, it's not a real inspiring title, but it's reality here. Last winter when the snow got too deep for the lawnmower to pull the trailers full of manure to the garden, we had to come up with another way to haul that black/green gold to the tomato beds. So Handyman being the genius that he is, came home from Menards with a large, heavy, plastic sled. The tag had a lovely illustration of a deer carcass haphazardly slung across said sled, but we had bigger plans! Hitch up two children and numerous small dogs and voila! Poop sled! Yeeeha!
This year, it's gotten even better. Now we have an ATV! I swear, we must look rich to the outside world. We are just the grateful beneficiaries of terrific friends, who have cool stuff! Handyman's friend Mark races ATV's with his son, who has now gone away to boarding school. Their very first, little-guy ATV was lonely and unloved in the barn next to the big, manly, racing ATV's. So Mark sent it to us, for free! It's perfect for us girls! It has electric start and no clutch. We love it. It's so little, it kills Handyman's tail bone when he rides it further than 20 yards, so he has to kneel on the seat. He sort of looks like those one-legged skiers.
Anyway, now we throw the rope of the poop sled over the back of the ATV seat and away we go. We had to convince #3 that she really shouldn't ride the poop sled when it's full. Her head is about as high as the top of the muck tubs and with all the joyous high-speed bouncing, her hat can get a little, well, you know. Sooooo, she rides the sled back to the barn, after it has unloaded its glorious cargo.
I was hauling and emptying the sled all by myself the other day and wondering if we should do some kind of cool paint job--a la "Primp" my ride. I know that's not the real title, but I am not going there. I called Handyman and asked him if anyone would go for a show called "Primp" my poop ride. He did not get it at all. What? What does that mean? My wicked humor was lost on him. I don't know if those flame painter guys could do flaming manure piles or something on my itty-bitty ATV. Too bad you can't see it!
This year, it's gotten even better. Now we have an ATV! I swear, we must look rich to the outside world. We are just the grateful beneficiaries of terrific friends, who have cool stuff! Handyman's friend Mark races ATV's with his son, who has now gone away to boarding school. Their very first, little-guy ATV was lonely and unloved in the barn next to the big, manly, racing ATV's. So Mark sent it to us, for free! It's perfect for us girls! It has electric start and no clutch. We love it. It's so little, it kills Handyman's tail bone when he rides it further than 20 yards, so he has to kneel on the seat. He sort of looks like those one-legged skiers.
Anyway, now we throw the rope of the poop sled over the back of the ATV seat and away we go. We had to convince #3 that she really shouldn't ride the poop sled when it's full. Her head is about as high as the top of the muck tubs and with all the joyous high-speed bouncing, her hat can get a little, well, you know. Sooooo, she rides the sled back to the barn, after it has unloaded its glorious cargo.
I was hauling and emptying the sled all by myself the other day and wondering if we should do some kind of cool paint job--a la "Primp" my ride. I know that's not the real title, but I am not going there. I called Handyman and asked him if anyone would go for a show called "Primp" my poop ride. He did not get it at all. What? What does that mean? My wicked humor was lost on him. I don't know if those flame painter guys could do flaming manure piles or something on my itty-bitty ATV. Too bad you can't see it!
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