Bathroom Renovation: Day Gazllion

Well, it seems like a gazillion days have gone by since we started this project. Or at least a thousand.

Initially it had been one setback after another, until we got the "bones" fixed, and then started on the cosmetic. The end is in sight, and all that we do now provides an instant visual gratification. Laying tile was exciting, grouting was even more exciting. I skim coated the walls, and that was very gratifying, as it provided a light and airy backdrop for the bathroom-- something that the cement board did not provide. I am removing traces of grout from the tiles tonight, and patching the holes in the ceiling that remained where we removed framing. After that, I will prime and paint the walls and ceiling, and then put up the wainscoting. As soon as the wainscoting is trimmed out, then we can put the fixtures back in. We are hoping that it might be Thursday, but realistically it may be Friday. And dammit, I have reserved the bathroom for about a 90 minute soak and assembled the necessary accoutrements for said soak (in Kismet fragrance, thankyouverymuch)!

I imagine the soak will come even before the final touches are put on the room!

I am continuing to document with photos!

Let there be light!

And Hope!

After a month and nine days, the power is back on in the barn! It is so helpful, as with daylight savings time, it's getting darker much earlier. And we have a doe due to kid at the end of the week (she could go anytime), so if it gets cold, her kids will need a heat lamp and warming, which will require power.

The electrician came today and spent the entire day here. We have all new power hooked up outside, and 100 amp service! Yay! He said I could get a dishwasher tomorrow... :) (hear that B?) We have a new breaker box in the basement, and L does not have the breaker panel in his room anymore. That always made me nervous.

The bad news is that we seem to have a propane leak, which we obviously will get fixed asap, and we have a water leak in the crawl space. It's always something...

The better news is that we grouted the bathroom tile tonight. So we should be able to move fixtures in on Wednesday. I can't wait to soak in the tub. I will soak until the water gets cold.

What an amazing program!

It is amazing to see that there are still small companies out there that do the right thing...


Rolling Hills Bank Heifer Project

Babies Soon!

We had the vet out on Friday, and he ultrasounded all of the girls. All are pregnant except one, and most are having twins except for the two smallest, and they are having singles. That is good. So we should have 10 babies by spring, if we don't have a kidding season like last year.

They all seem to be due on holidays, too, or very near. The dates are:
November 16 (next week!)
December 26
December 30
January 2
January 24 (B's Birthday)
February 12 (right after L's b-day, and just before Valentine's day!)

The last doe that was not bred was with the buck this weekend, and if she doesn't come back into heat, she'll be due April 4, which does not fall on a holiday.

Can't wait for kids!

Bathroom Renovation: Day 5 Recap

Well, we are nearly finished with the wallboard. It looks great, and progress is being made! The big problem now is that life is going on: teacher conferences, doctors appointments, assignments that require mom and dad's help, etc. We blocked out a few days that we did not do anything, but B goes back to work tomorrow and I go back on Thursday. It has taken us so much longer than we imagined it would take.

I may take a break tomorrow from the work and clean up. Laundry and dishes continue to need attention as does the vaccuming and some grocery shopping. I am really torn, but I know that in time it will get done!

Off to bed, to get up and do it all again!

Bathroom Renovation: Day 5 Prognosis

Well, today is a little sunnier than yesterday, and not just in the sky. We made a LOT of progress yesterday, and finished most of the flooring. B has it so sturdy and level that an elephant could use the toilet without issue. The floor needs one section of plywood installed and then will be ready for Durock cement board for under the tiling.

I removed a boarded up window (and the siding on the other side), framed in the opening to accomodate the slightly smaller new (old home salvaged) window, and installed the window. Then I insulated the room with some mold-resistant insulation. It's ready for sheet rock now.

Today we will put up the wall boards, and maybe prime and paint. Wouldn't that be nice?? We could also put up wainscoting if we had the time, and then install some of the "cosmetic" things, like the medicine cabinet and connect the lights. It would be good to have a light in there, however, we do have a lovely window, and for the first time in a lot of years, that room is basking in the eastern sunshine.

So am I.

the light of day

Sometimes just the sun coming up offers you a new perspective! Today the drain in the basement "became" unclogged (with a little help from me and Liquid Plumber) and we are now able to take showers in the basement. If you have ever seen our basement, you know that this is one step above showering outside in the cold, and if it were summer, might even be a step below. However, it has hot and cold running water, a shower curtain, and a sprayer. But, it feels good to be clean!!!!!

And now, the time setbacks don't seem so significant. We both have more days off and will work hard to get a lot done in that time. Of course, the $$$ setbacks are still painful, we haven't found a remedy for that yet.

Off to work...

renovation update

It's 2:30 am, not yet giving ourselves our "extra hour" today. We have still not started constructing anything, and spent the day doing damage control. We had two water leaks, including one on the water heater. It was truly a sprinkler squirting out of the pipe. Thankfully B is very skilled at fixing plumbing leaks, and while it did take him a while (the leaks were in awkward places, and they were on curves and elbows, etc.) he did get them fixed perfectly.

We cut out all of the rotten subfloor, and some of the plywood on top of it. We need to replace the subfloor under where the toilet will go, but we can't really replace it and the plywood until we have had a fan on it and let some of it dry out. Apparently our previous tub leaked, and had been leaking for a matter of years. We suspected this, and that's why we tried to renovate asap. There is only superficial damage to the top layer of plywood, and we bough some to replace it. We cut it out and need to air out the subfloor. B is now finishing the day by scraping the old vinyl off the floor.

Hopefully tomorrow (today?) we will begin constructing. It is exciting to think about-- the hex tile pattern I picked out, the perfect light fixture, how we are going to eliminate the disgusting overhead light (without a cover) and exhaust fan combo that collected ladybugs and box elder bugs inside of it. It hung halfway out of the ceiling and looked terrible. We have a beautiful pedestal sink that looks perfect in the room, and a period faucet. I have picked accessories that will be perfect in the room, and have collected them for a few months now. We will put up wainscoting and paint the walls a light shade of blue. Thinking about all of the cosmetic things-- including that clawfoot tub-- is making me about drool, especially when I think that tomorrow we will be still stuck on putting in new floors. Tiling and grouting are going to take a matter of DAYS to complete, so that will also put a wrench in the plans. But putting in the floors needs to be done, and we are that much closer to a long soak in the tub. :)

Tomorrow will be a better day. Night.

i totally lied

This has been the worst day. When I reported this morning, all was going well, albeit slow. That continued to be the case until we discovered two leaks and rotten subfloor around the toilet. B stepped on it and nearly fell through the floor-- boards fell into the basement. We had to drive again to the home improvement store, spent 4 hours out, and are now back doing damage control.

But there has been no forward movement, just a lot of damage control. And a lot of lost time and LOTS of additional money.

Yuck.

I keep telling myself that bathrooms reap 100% return should you ever sell your house. And the mold in this room was causing me to worry about the health of my family. I was embarassed about how disgusting it was and how much it smelled. So this is really an investment in my sanity. Well, a LONG-TERM investment in my sanity, because for this short term I am out of my f-ing mind.

Keeping my fingers crossed for forward movement tomorrow... and we are working into the wee hours tonight.

Cranky

Well, today begins day 3 of our bathroom project. We have not even completely finished demolishing the room. It is very discouraging, and I am cranky. We have no bathroom facilities indoors, except for sponge baths in the sink and the sawdust toilet, both of which are not sufficient for more than a few days. B goes back to work on Monday, and I go back on Wednesday. Tiling the floor will take significant time-- both in the tiling process and in the curing time.

My husband is an amazing builder. He is very meticulous and precise-- both traits that I do not appreciate enough. Instead his lack of speed frustrates me. As I write this I know that I would not have it any other way, since I want a quality job that we can be proud of. But I am freaking out about the time remaining, and he continues to work very carefully and slowly, assuring me that we will get done in time. I am not so sure.

To our defense, the time we budgeted would have been enough, even with the few issues that came up unexpectedly (a broken water pipe, nonstandard size [of course!] that needed to be repaired), etc. However, the fire burned all of our tools. While we purchased the tools we knew we'd need, when things arose or we had forgotten about something, we had to run and buy more tools. It has also caused us to be majorly over budget. So I am cranky and bitchy today.

I know I will be much better when the bathroom is done! I probably will not blog again until it is finished. You don't want to hear me bitch! Not only that, but here I am typing and not working! I am taking pictures along the way, though. No exciting finds, except for the fact that our house is in nearly pristine shape. I am gobsmacked at how beautifully crafted this home is. She is amazingly sturdy and enduring. No mold, no damage, even a noticeable lack of spider webs and dust. It's almost divine.

Today we frame out a window (more marriage enrichment!) and put in the insulation, cement walls and flooring. Tonight we tile. If all goes our way.

On a positive note, all the girls are pregnant except one. We should have 10 babies by spring, if we are lucky.

Ever peed in a sawdust toilet?

Well, our house is Redneck Central for a couple of days. We are renovating our (only) bathroom, and during the chaos we have bathtubs outside, toilets elsewhere, sinks on the ground, etc. It’s quite the display of refinement, let me tell you.

While we can all get away with skipping a shower for a day or two (as long as we don’t go into town), it’s a bit tough with the toilet. November is a bit nippy around here, so it’s not like we can just go find a tree. The boys do that, but they look for any excuse to pee outside.

After reading how some of the hard core homesteaders live, we decided to implement the sawdust toilet. It’s really quite ingenious, actually. You take a 5-gallon bucket and fill it with a bit of sawdust. Put a toilet seat on top of the bucket, and each time you “go” you add a bit more of the sawdust to the bucket. It is the perfect height and the seat fits great. It doesn’t smell in the least.

So what could have been the worst obstacle to this whole project has been quite easy. Now we just need to hurry up because soon showers will be a big issue! Can't shower with sawdust.

The bathroom renovation is a true renovation—we have gutted the room down to the studs, are replacing the subflooring and all of the walls. The only fixture that is not being replaced is the toilet, as it is relatively new. We have a refurbished clawfoot tub as well a new sink, and of course the décor will be completely different. We can’ t wait for it to be finished, it has been a long time coming, and a sore spot for too long!

I promise to post photos—I’m documenting as we go.

Gotta get back to work!

P.S. In the midst of the chaos, the vet will come today and ultrasound all the girls to see if they are pregnant and date their pregnancies! Definitely more on that later…

Sold!

Today we sold our soybeans at over $9.00 a bushel! Last year they were going for about $5.50 a bushel. I was worried because we committed to alternating crops in that field each year between corn and soybeans. Our farmer asked us if we were still on track to switch back to beans, and we said we were, even though last year we got such a good price on corn and prices continued to rise on corn. We noticed that just about everyone planted corn this year, we thought our bean field looked a little loney, but we were hoping that it would pay off because everyone and their brother were planting corn. Sure enough, it did! This year corn is much lower, right now it's going for $3.25 a bushel.

For once we did it right! Mamma needs a new pair of shoes!

Well, really, the goats need a new scale and a heat lamp.

help these animals displaced by the fires

What a good cause, those poor creatures

Home

I went into our tiny little town today to do an errand. I decided to wash my car at the car wash/laundromat, and as I was hosing off my car in the new facilities (they just put a carport over the drain at the car wash), I was watching the people go by. I saw the 7th grade boys walking home from football practice, folks walking their dogs, parents coming out of the IGA with the ingredients for supper. I smiled when I saw a combine go by, just driving down the main street of our little town. Nobody's head turned, not any big deal at all. It was a comfort-- somehow that big combine driving down the street, turning nobody's head just made me smile and snuggle up into my community. Strange, I know, but that's me. :)

I am in my homestretch of my busy time with work. It is easier this year as I am taking medication for ADHD and am able to focus on the important things and put pen to paper and work on the tasks at hand. My medication is not a stimulant, however, and provides the added benefit of "taking the edge off of the anxiety" as my psychiatrist so eloquently pitched it. And it does.

I have alternated between feeling comfortable enough to rely on my experience at my job (aside from the time off when the kids were smaller, I have done this job since 1990), and feeling the old pangs of anxiety. However, I am not in the fetal position! I have not shed tears! That may seem like baby steps, but it's progress over last year, and I will take it!

Think of me these last few days of this week. I'll be busy, out of town, out of the safe, snuggled community that I love, and away from the family that means everything to me. My client is not my favorite, has been highly critical in the past, but it looks to be an exciting and successful event-- this side of it. So, though I am swimming upstream, the end of this week marks the end of my crazy month at work. And I look forward to some R&R next week.

Keeping my eye on the prize...

The Wave

It’s an interesting subculture living in the country. It’s an unwritten rule that if you live in these parts, you wave at folks on gravel roads. It’s kind of ridiculous when I actually talk about it, but it’s a real thing.

The wave is varied, depending on how well you know the “wavee.” Your hand doesn’t leave the steering wheel if you don’t know them. It’s like you just raise your pointer finger off the wheel at them (did you find yourself trying that out as you read it?). It's about a 50/50 response rate, as you might be waving to someone who doesn't know how all of this works, and they may not wave back.

If you do know them, then you take your hand off the wheel in a full-on wave. But you never wave “vigorously” at a farmer. They don’t have time for that. It’s ridiculous and childish. You still wave more than just a “lift a finger” wave, but you don’t get all excited about it.

In-between are those people that you know, but don’t know. Neighbors that you see outside, but you might not have actually been introduced to. Instead of just your finger leaving the wheel, you can lift up your four fingers. But it's not a full-on wave, and your hand still doesn't leave the wheel.

It's amazing, you don't forget to wave, and you don't wave on pavement. It's just second nature after a while.

Going north of my house you venture into another county, where they don’t really wave. Stuck up, they are. You also don’t wave on paved roads. You encounter folks who don’t understand the wave. But here on my road, you can wave all you want. Just be sure that you DO wave. Otherwise you might be mistaken for an outsider.

Hanging in there

It has been a difficult week, as you can imagine. We are exhausted, and the new week is demanding our undivided attention. I have yet another two meetings this month (the last of the year), so tomorrow the plan is to hit the ground running. It is not just me, but B has the same time demands.

Still, we are attending to the task at hand. We have been listing all that was lost in the shed fire, discussing plans and costs with our electrician, and spec-ing out new pole buildings. We are optimistic that by the end of October we can have all evidence of our current shed and contents cleared away and begin construction on the new building. We need to be done by winter.

That is all for now. We are tired and there is not much to report.

The Unthinkable

On Tuesday I left for an annual convention that I am in charge of planning. I called B just as I was about to get into town to the hotel, as he should have been close to arriving home to meet the school bus, which is my usual role. He assumes that role when I am gone.

Instead of his cheery voice, I was greeted with news that knocked the wind from me: our machine shed was struck by lightning and was burning.

What I can describe now in a very concise timeline, actually unfolded in a maze of facts, misstatements, confusion and assumptions over the subsequent 8-hour span.

A horrible, fast-moving storm sped over our area, and lightning struck a transformer on our property at about 1:45 pm. A fireball was propelled from the transformer down the power lines and into the shed. It immediately lit on fire, and was consumed within a matter of minutes. A wonderful neighbor passing by saw the fire and called 911, after bravely moving our farm truck which was parked just outside the shed. I am not certain I would have been so brave. (And say what you will, but I am thankful that we leave the keys in that truck!)

The fire department was there within 8 minutes, but the fire was so hot and intense that the roof had already fallen in, and the building was a total loss. The flames were 20-30 feet high, and came within 5 feet of our propane tank. Treetops were scorched, some trees were even burnt. Plastic trim on our house was melted as was our picnic table. The fire department fought it for a couple of hours, leaving when they felt that it would burn itself out. The rain was torrential, so I can only imagine what could have happened had it not been raining so hard.

At 4 pm the kids got home from school, but B was not yet home. In the few minutes between those two times, L saw the shed on fire and immediately burst into tears. He frantically went to the pump to get water, only to find that it was not working (the electric company had cut the power lines to the other buildings on the property, including the well pump). In his distress, he ran into the house to get a mixing bowl, futilly filling it with water and dumping it on the inferno. I can only imagine that scene, but it plays over and over in my head. My heart breaks every time I think of it.

As it was, B had to call the firefighters back about 7 pm as the flames became more intense. The crew arrived within minutes with two tanker trucks, and worked in the rain until late in the evening. They were still there when I called for a 10:30 pm update.

I was able to have replacements come to work my meeting so that I could come back home to be with my family and assess the damage. We lost so much that we have worked to build up over the last three years here. B and I moved to this farm with a push mower and four screwdrivers, and maybe a hammer, and we thought we could be farmers. We have collected equipment and tools specifically for the needs we have on our operation. I remember how little we knew and how little we had when we first started on this venture together. It feels like we had climbed halfway up the mountain and have fallen back down to the bottom.

We lost all of the chickens and all of the hay we put up for the year. Hay went for upwards of $10 a square bale last year, and we paid our hay guy 70 cents per bale to cut and bale it for us (of course, we did the stacking and putting it up). But we will never find it for that cheap.

Losing the chickens is devastating, too. Thinking of them suffering is hard to stomach.

The worst part about the fire is the sense of security that is lost. Your home is where you go to escape from these things—ours especially is tranquil and peaceful and AWAY from the cares of the world. While are are not naïve enough to think that it doesn’t happen here, I suppose we do operate in a manner that can’t fathom that sort of thing happening. Our home was broken into when I was a teenager, and it is the same sort of feeling.

At the same time we are feeling blessed—we have incredible neighbors, adequate insurance, and a shitload of tenacity. We will do it again, and better, faster and cheaper this time.

For now we are sad. We don’t even have a shovel to scoop up the trashbin that melted into a puddle.

My Hero, Redux

Yes, once again B proves that he's my Major Dude. The dryer has been on the fritz forever, until recently when the motor literally blew up. With a pop and a puff of smoke.

We knew it was limping along all summer, but we didn't need it for much, since we hung clothes out all summer. Now, with fall around the corner, it was time to get it fixed. So we ordered the part, and B set out to play repairman. I did not notice if he was showing excessive buttcrack, as I was busy working on a task I was dreading.

Plumber pants or whatever his secret was, he had it running within a couple of hours. It's humming along, very quietly, with no signs of struggle. I never thought I would appreciate the sound of laundry being done.

Alas, now time to tackle Mount Washmore (stole that one from PW).

P.S. GREAT NEWS!!! The Slatterys are moving!!!! Sadly, they are getting a divorce. I would not wish that on anyone, and imagine their lives are in turmoil. However, I am glad they will no longer be our neighbors! Nor will their pack of wayward dogs!

Feeling my age

I work with three young women, in their early 20’s. I could most certainly be their mother. I would have been young, but it would not be a stretch. One of them is my assistant, S. I adore S, she is sweet, and extremely competent, pushes herself to do and learn more, and has an incredible work ethic. One of the other women, K, is also fabulous. One of the quickest learners I have ever known. She is sweet, with a soft side, but can run with the big boys. I am proud to know her. The other, J, is new, and I don’t know her well, but she seems to be cut from the same cloth as the other two young women.

Tonight is homecoming, and M has a date with her just-a-friend, who I believe is truly more-than-a-friend-now-that-she-is-in-high-school, J. So we had to find a dress. Not just any dress, not just a nice dress, but a FORMAL dress.

M hates shopping, and does not have a good sense of style. She definitely knows what she likes, but she is like a raccoon: she loves anything shiny, with sequins, or garish. Picture a 14 year old Joan Collins. So her style can’t be trusted, at least for Homecoming. She was attracted to the gold lame and the saucer-sized rhinestone brooches.

So I called on my young friends at work to help me out, and they came to my rescue. Not only did they clue me in to what was in style, but told me the cheap places to shop, and we got a great bargain on a dress, shoes, and jewelry. I believe we got it all for less than $50. And an Oleg Cassini dress, to boot. Very Jacqueline Kennedy-esque.

They helped me out, and were happy to share their expertise. I work very hard to share my knowledge with them at work, and even though it seems silly that they would have been excited to share something as benign as fashion tips with me, I truly feel like they were happy to finally be able to impart some wisdom to me. They are very innovative and savvy at work, but their ideas always need to be checked or validated before they can use them. This time I was lapping up their wisdom like a puppy!

They have told me before that they don’t think of me as old, they at least acted shocked when I told them that I was only a few months away from being 40.

At the moment, I feel 39 and 4 months. And it feels just fine.

Happy Anniversary!

Today is a double anniversary! First, but not foremost, it is the 3rd anniversary of my blog. I have been less than faithful at updating recently, but I do enjoy "penning" my thoughts. Hard to believe that three years ago I was trying to figure out how to get the mice out of my house! (not successful)

Secondly, and foremost, it is the 20th anniversary of the day that B and I met. :) We met in college at a party, so we didn't really have a "first date." But I tell you, he swept me off my feet that day, and I am still floating. I am so lucky to have him in my life, and I thank God every day that we are together. He is my best friend.

Happy Happy Anniversary!

It's Hard to Look Cool When Your Car's Full of Goats

Isn't that a great line? I stole it from a book with a similar name.

Anyway, it's hard to look cool when you have a car full of goats. But people sure do stare.

Wanna know how I know?






Pssst! I gotta secret! Wanna hear?

Great Goats!

You gotta check out this website! I kinda-sorta "know" the shopkeeper...

You'll love the stuff, I promise!

Another Fair

The last one of the season! We pick the goats up today.

L showed his girl, and as usual, he brought home the blue and the purple. I am so proud of him, though, he is SUCH a good sport. He is always nervous, and is always blown away by winning. And he always hugs his goat.

L also showed one of my does, a young one, one of the January kids that we pulled. Hard to believe they are grown up and ready to show!! She got first in her class.

Then, M showed an older doe. She is a nice doe, and I like her type (big and bulky and wide), but I wasn't sure if the judge would. Sure enough, he loved her and she got the blue.

So there I was, two kids with blues, showing against each other in the grand champion drive! This was not something I had contemplated!! I even had to borrow a lead rope for them!

So what happend? How did it come out??



The 2007 Grand Champion Fullblood Boer Doe is on the left! Reserve champion is on the right.

So what did the boy do? 1) hugged his goat. 2) shook hands with the winner.

I am so proud of him!

Her, too, as it was her first time showing. So it was wonderful that she won GC. However, she won't let it lie! She keeps reminding him that SHE beat HIM. He keeps rolling his eyes and saying, "It was MOM's goat!" Remember, he also won GC with HIS goat. Thankfully he doesn't really care. But I think that they will both be caring when we pick up their prize checks today. :)

My Girl

I always take pictures of the goats, and sometimes people (but bad photos of them), and I am always questioned on why I don't take pictures of my kids. Well, I take photos of the boy, he is photogenic and easy to capture. We have tons of pictures of him. But the girl, she hates to have her picture taken, unless it's on her terms. She has autism, and her smiles are usually forced, or she refuses to smile.

I have a new-to-me camera (thanks Dave!!) and it is fabulous for taking pictures of people (in addition to pictures of, well, ANYTHING). My dad is here now, and we went out on a tour of our county, taking in all of the local attractions. While we got some great photos of the sights, I managed to snap a few pictures of my beauty when she was laughing naturally. Finally, she figured it out, and rolled her eyes. Oh, MOM!!

You can see the sequence of events here.









Isn't she stunning?

YOU KNOW YOU GREW UP IN RURAL WISCONSIN IF...

-You know how to polka, but never tried it sober.
-You know what knee-high by the Fourth of July means.
-You know it is traditional for the bride and groom to go bar hopping between the reception and wedding dance.
-You know the difference between "Green" and "Red" farm machinery, and would fight with your friends on the playground over which was better!
-You buy Christmas presents at Fleet Farm. (What's wrong with that? I would love anything from Tractor Supply for Christmas!)
You spent more on beer & liquor than you did on food at your wedding.
You hear someone use the word "oof-dah" and you don't break into uncontrollable laughter.
You or someone you know was a "Dairy Princess" at the county fair. (Does Corn Princess count?)
You know that "combine" is a noun.
You let your older siblings talk you into putting your tongue on a steel post in the middle of winter. (Or maybe you were the older sibling...)
You think Lutheran and Catholic are THE major religions.
You know that "creek" rhymes with "pick".
Football schedules, hunting season and harvest are all taken into consideration before wedding dates are set.
A Friday night date is getting a six-pack and taking your girlfriend shining for deer.
Saturday Night you go to your local bowling alley.
There was at least one kid in your class who had to help milk cows in the morning... phew!
You have driven your car on the lake.
You can make sense of "upnort" and "batree". (OMG, reminds me of my grandpa teaching me how to overhaul my car!)
Every wedding dance you have ever been to has the hokey pokey and the chicken dance.
Your definition of a small town is one that only has one bar.
The local gas station sells live bait.
At least twice a year some part of your home doubles as a meat processing plant.
You think that the start of deer season is a national holiday.
Pop is the only name for soda.

My Secret...

I have a new blog-crush*! It used to be dooce, and I still adore her-- and subscribe to her RSS feed and read her the second I am notified of her post. However, I have found the dooce of the farm! Her name is Pioneer Woman, she has a huge following, and she is my new hero! Go check her out. She puts my writing to shame, so hopefully you'll be back after reading her.


*Blog-Crush defined (courtesy of Sizzle)

So, I've been asked what technically IS a Blog Crush? It'd likely include some, if not all, of the following:
A) You can't wait to read what they post next.
B) You want to be friends with them.
C) You think they are the cat's meow. Meow!
D) You might find them attractive- physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, whatever floats your boat.
E) If you met them in person, blushing might occur.

I've been reading, reading, reading her archives. I can't think that I would find her attractive, but I do love her writing. And I would not blush if I met her in person. But I'd offer to take her to lunch just to listen to some of her crazy tales!

She was a presenter at the BlogHer convention this past weekend in Chicago, which I wanted to attend, but life (and goats) got in the way. Maybe next time.

I hear banjos...

You might be a redneck if...

... you haul your goat to the show in the back of your SUV.

... you don't have your sportscar parked in your garage because your chickens are housed inside (the garage, not the sportscar!)

... you have a clawfoot bathtub in your backyard.

... you have had livestock in your home.

... your son can play a pretty mean tune on the jaw harp.

... your animals' groceries cost more than your family's.

... your spouse has shooed away children or dogs in his underwear (with or without a weapon).

... someone has paid you for services with livestock.

... your technical term "rotational grazing" really consists of you moving fences to ensure that you don't have to mow your lawn.

I am screwed.

"Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss" or If You Were a Fly on Our Wall

B: (as he takes out a DVD that I have rented from Netflix) Oh, look! A movie about GAY people! That's novel!

Me: What do you have against gay people?

B: What do YOU have against STRAIGHT people?

(I like to rent movies that are recommended to me from Netflix, and many of the arty flicks have gay people in them.)

Well, we've been watching the flick for all of 10 seconds, and the first line is "I am a homosexual."

For the record, I have nothing against straight people.

an exasperatin' day!!

Well, it was one of those crazy days. Goats needed to be checked in by 10. Piece of cake, right? Well, normally, but when you stay up too late and oversleep, it becomes difficult. I NEVER oversleep. Well, until it’s a big day—on which I don’t want to let my son down. So I roared out of bed at 8:00, in an attempt to get him to the fair by 9:30. Chores, packing, showers, and we were there by about 9:53. Before 10.

We stuffed our supplies and goat in the back of my SUV and headed down there like the Klampetts. Total newbies at this.

The superintendent was nice, and told him how to go about doing things, and he listened and acted accordingly. Cindi was behaving, and looked great, actually.

The judge must have thought so too, as she came away with the first blue ribbon and trophy: senior doe, first lactation. He noted that she was a bit on the overconditioned side (That means fat. Nobody in my barn or house is starving.). She is not fat at all, but she is too conditioned for a dairy goat. She looks skinny to me next to the boers.

So he thought she was great, and only remarked about her condition. OH, and the fact that her udder was soft. DUH! The boy’s STUPID MOTHER told him to milk her before the show!!! DUH DUH DUH! His mother should be beaten with a 2x4. I have no idea what I was thinking. So she shows up with a soft udder and the judge thinks she looks great, but wonders why she doesn’t have much milk. No problem, she still steals the blue.

Second show was the grand champion drive, where they show all of the 1-2 place goats in their respective classes. She took grand champion senior doe, beating all does in milk. That was phenomenal, as there were several large Saanens there that were in heavy milk. Some are reputed to give 4 gallons a day!!

Third class was “grand champion goat” and it was basically a class of all the winning goats. Basically a grand champion drive of all the grand champions. She walked away with that trophy and purple ribbon also!

Then it was on to junior showmanship. I was convinced that L would not do well, as he has not practiced showing much. He does spend a lot of time with his goat, and she trusts and adores him, but he does not work with her enough. I was proven wrong when he again took the purple ribbon and the trophy.

Lastly he had to participate in “master showman” which was basically the grand champion drive of showmanship. He just could not outshow the older kids—some 17 & 18 years old. But I was proud of him, as the judge gave him some pointers in the previous class, and he put all of them to use in this class. So it sank in.

So, he came home with 5 trophies, 3 purple ribbons and a blue ribbon. Woo hoo!

The greatest thing of all? He is always shocked that he wins. He looks like Miss America out there when he wins! He always looks at me with his mouth open, like he can’t believe it, and then he ALWAYS hugs his goat. : )

Tomorrow we go back for the milking competition. Once again, I think we may not win, but hell, I have been proven wrong this entire day. Go Cindi!

Show Day

L shows his goat today. Wish him luck! I'll post later today on how he did.

lazy

I must have a hearing problem. All of my life I have heard (what I thought was) folks referring to the “lazy days of summer.” You know, the Country Time Lemonade commercials with people sitting on their front porches in a swing with a glass of icy lemonade?

Well, it ain’t happening here. I think that I must have misheard. The expression is actually the “CRAZY days of summer.”

Don’t get me wrong. I LOVE summer. I adore the birds singing me awake every morning (even if it is a bit too early for my tastes). I love not having to take 5 minutes to dress myself before going out to do chores. I LIVE for spending breezy nights on the hammock.

However, the to-do lists become much longer in the summer, just because the days are longer and the weather is more cooperative. Pens need to be built, fences need to be shored up, there is much cleaning to do. Plus, there is the preparation for winter—baling hay and weatherproofing the barn.

Of course, there is still the inside work, even though we try and take it outside if we can. B built me a great clothesline, and we have enjoyed our line-dried clothes immensely (and our $50 electric bills!). But that does require more work. Not a huge amount more, but still more than popping it “next door” to the washer into the dryer and pushing the button.

And there are the paying jobs, which do not cease.

And the invitations to picnics, cookouts, zoos and attractions that are much more fun in the summer than in the winter.

For goats, it is show season, which not only means spending your weekends at the shows (which seem to always require hours of travel and overnight stays), but the weekends that you are not showing involve preparation for shows—hoof trimming, bathing, clipping, training to lead, etc. And there is the insane obsession with your goat’s condition, of course. For what it’s worth, we have decided not to show this year, with the exception of L showing his goat at the county 4H fair. Which happens to be coming up this Wednesday. So guess what we did this past weekend?

My days start at 5:30, except for the weekends, which (though they should actually start EARLIER so I could cram everything in) start at about 8:00, if I am staying home. Each morning I usually check my email and my calendar for the day, dress and head out to the barn at 6:00. I spend about 45 minutes in the barn, feeding, milking Cindi (nobody else is up that early to help), feeding, moving animals to the correct outside pens. We have the goats, of course, still have Joe Llama, and the horse and cats and geese. We now have the 2 Maremma dogs that we are training, and we are working them and ensuring that they are bonded with the goats, so we place goats accordingly. We also have the chickens, which need food and water 2x a day.

I finish that at about 6:45am, and hit the shower. Truthfully, I try to be on the road by 7:05 and most days do pretty well. No earrings or much makeup for me! No time! I am to work by 7:45, though I am supposed to be in by 7:30. I work until 3:00, or a little later in the summer. During the school year I leave promptly so I can be home to catch the bus when it gets here.

I get home about 3:45 or 4:00, and usually finish up any work that I brought home from work. Sometimes it’s a little or none, sometimes it takes me the entire evening. By 5:00, B and I are planning supper, and I try to take some time to tidy up the house. It doesn’t always get done, but this is the plan anyway.

He comes home with supper, and we fix it and eat, and are done by 7:00. Time to clean up from supper, and do anything else that needs doing—laundry or dishes or vaccuming.

We go out to the barn about 7:30 or 8:00, and usually take more time in the evenings. We love on the animals, discuss plans for moving pens, put our hands on them to make sure that they are healthy and sound, etc. We spend about an hour outside, usually. The kids help milk and also love on the animals.

We come in and the kids go to bed, and I am usually back to work in some way. Lately I have been working on websites for other people, so that consumes time. For whatever rreason, we seem to not be able to get to bed before 11:30.

Then it’s get up and do it all again.

However, it seems as though every day is some type of deviation from this. Today B worked late, and it’s 8:15 and he is just now coming home with supper. We’ve been collecting our things for the show, so nothing has been done around the house this afternoon. The kids and I spent some quality mom/kid time in the hammock. It was worth pushing everything back!

A good way to spend a Monday. Not a lazy day, but a few lazy moments.

Don't Piss Off the Goat!

B and I lived in Chicago for years, and have eaten at the Billy Goat Tavern. We were more Sox fans than Cubs fans, but we knew about the curse. However, I had never heard the entire story until I read it on the restaurant's website:

(from http://www.billygoattavern.com)

The Curse of the Billy Goat

The Cubs were born the Chicago White Stockings in 1876, one of eight inaugural teams. The team would go on to win the first National league Championship and would become one of sports first dynasties by winning six of the first eleven championship titles (1876, 1880-82, 1885-86). The modern day "Cubs" would come into existence in 1903, and continue their success posting a record in wins in 1906 with 116 games won. This would also be their first pennant win as the "Cubs." The World Series title would be lost to their cross town rivals, the White Sox.

The following year, after a repeat pennant, they would go on to win their first World Series title in 1907. They returned the following year to win their second (and last) World Series becoming the first team in baseball to win back to back World Series Titles.

The Cubs continued their success capturing pennants in 1910, 1918 and an astounding four pennants in a ten year span (1929, 1932, 1935, 1938). The Cubs would play in the World Series in each of those years. Their final pennant would come in 1945, the year the Cubs faced the Detroit Tigers and a local Chicago saloon owner named William "Billy Goat" Sianis with his goat, Murphy.

From 1876 to 1945, The Chicago Cubs were one of the most successful baseball teams in the country. They would post a 5475-4324 (.559) record, with 51 winning seasons, 16 first place finishes, and 16 pennants and World Series appearances. They would win two World Series titles and six Championship titles in that span. This would come to a screeching halt in game four of the 1945 World Series. 1945- "Who Stinks Now?"

October 6th, a sad day in Cubs history. The Cubs entered game four of the World Series leading the Detroit Tigers 2 games to 1, and needing to win only two of the next four games played at Wrigley Field. A local Greek, William "Billy Goat" Sianis, owner of the Billy Goat Tavern and a Cubs fan, bought two tickets to Game four. Hoping to bring his team good luck he took his pet goat, Murphy, with him to the game. At the entrance to the park, the Andy Fran ushers stopped Billy Goat from entering saying that no animals are allowed in the park. Billy Goat, frustrated, appealed to the owner of the Cubs, P.K. Wrigley. Wrigley replied, "Let Billy in, but not the goat." Billy Goat asked, "Why not the goat?" Wrigley answered, "Because the goat stinks." According to legend, the goat and Billy were upset, so then Billy threw up his arms and exclaimed, "The Cubs ain't gonna win no more. The Cubs will never win a World Series so long as the goat is not allowed in Wrigley Field." The Cubs were officially cursed. Subsequently, the Cubs lost game four, and the remaining series getting swept at home and from the World Series. Billy Goat promptly sent a telegram to P.K. Wrigley, stating, "Who stinks now?" For the next twenty years, throughout the remainder of Billy Goat's life the Cubs would finish each season at 5th place or lower, establishing a pattern that would reverse the Cubs luck and term the team "The Lovable Losers." The World Series would become a dream, and "wait 'til next year" would become the team's motto. From 1946 to 2003, the Cubs would post a 4250-4874 (.466) record, have only 15 winning seasons, finish in first place a mere 3 times, have no pennants, no World Series appearances let alone wins, with only four post season experiences (1984, 1989, 1998, 2003) resulting in a complete reversal of their fortunes. The Cubs were and are a cursed franchise.

1969- "Miracle" Mets or "Cursed" Cubs

In 1969, a year before he passed away, "Billy Goat" Sianis finally felt satisfied and claimed the curse is lifted, but the goat still was bitter. The Cubs began the season winning and coasted throughout the season into mid-August with a commanding first place lead. By the end of the season a surging "Miracle" Mets overtook the struggling "Cursed" Cubs to claim first place and knock the Cubs out of contention. This would become a pattern over the years.

1973- One limo, a red carpet, and a goat denied once again

In 1973, Billy Goat's nephew, Sam Sianis, with the help of Tribune columnist, Dave Condon, brought the goat to Wrigley in an attempt to lift the curse. The goat was escorted to Wrigley in a white limousine, and given a red carpet entrance to the park with a sign saying, "All is forgiven. Let me lead the Cubs to the pennant." The ushers at the entrance denied the goat "Socrates," a descendant of Murphy, yet again. The Cubs saw their mid-season first place lead whither away to another unsuccessful season.

1984- Eight outs away

The Tribune Company, new owners of the Cubs, finally invited the goat to opening day at Wrigley Field in an attempt to lift the curse. Sam Sianis and his goat finally walked the grass of Wrigley Field, and in an effort to lift the curse Sam raised his hat and said, "The curse is lifted." The Cubs won and won and won their way to their first post season game and division title in almost forty years. They continued their winning taking the first two games of the National League Championship Series against the San Diego Padres. They just needed to win one of the next three games at San Diego to finally reach the World Series. Sam and his goat waited for the call to go along with the team and ensure the victory, only to be left behind in Chicago.

After losing games three and four in San Diego, the Cubs were leading the Padres 3-2 in the seventh inning, with only eight outs needed to win the game and the ace pitcher Rick Sutcliffe at the helm. An eerie chain of events would ensue. A routine ground ball was hit to first baseman, Leon Durham, which dribbled through his legs allowing the tying run to score. An overworked Rick Sutcliffe, who dominated game one, yielded the remaining three runs. The Padres swept the Cubs in San Diego, and swept the Cubs out of the series. The Cubs were still cursed.

1989- So Close, So Far

Hoping for a repeat of 1984, Sam Sianis and his goat again walked the field of Wrigley on opening day. The Cubs again won their way to first place and their second division title in five years. But the goat was left behind once again in the post season, where the Cubs lost to the San Francisco Giants four games to one.

1994- "Let the Goat in!"

The Cubs started the 1994 season horribly, losing twelve home games in a row. Their worst home start in history. In an effort to end this streak, Sam Sianis and his goat went to Wrigley Field only to be denied entrance yet again. Amidst the chant of "Let the Goat in!" amongst the Wrigley crowd, Hall of Famer, Ernie Banks helped by escorting Sam and his goat into Wrigley. The Cubs won the game 5-2, ending their worst home start ever. A lesson learned?

1998- Bring in the Wild Card

In 1998, the Cubs finished the season with 89 wins, tied with the San Francisco Giants for the Wild Card. During the Tiebreaking game on Sept. 28th, the Cubs brought in their Wild Card, Sam and his goat. The Cubs would go on to win the game 5-3 and went into the post season as a Wild Card. But once again Sam and his goat were left behind in Chicago, while the Cubs got swept in Atlanta, and swept out of the post season.

2003- Five outs away

The Cubs ended the 2003 season in a tight race with the Houston Astros. When the goat was sent to Houston in an effort to reverse the curse, Houston lost while the Cubs won their first division title in fourteen years. The Cubs were on a roll. They would go on to beat the Atlanta Braves, winning their first post season series in almost 100 years. In the National League Championship Series against the Florida Marlins, the Cubs took a quick 3 game lead needing only one more victory to go to the World Series for the first time in almost sixty years. In game six of the series, with the ace Mark Prior at the helm, the Cubs entered the eighth inning leading 3-0. Once again the goat was left behind, and an eerie chain of events would ensue. With only five outs needed to secure a victory, a pop foul seemingly in play was interfered with by a fan taking away a sure out. That was followed by the next play, when a routine ground ball was hit to the sure handed Alex Gonzalez only to be bobbled, taking away an inning ending double play. Ace pitcher, Mark Prior, overworked, yielded the tying and leading runs, until the Marlins left the eighth leading 8-3. The Marlins ended up winning the game, then swept the Cubs at home and swept them out of the playoffs yet again.

What does the future hold in store for the Cubs? Many attempts have been made to lift the curse, yet the goat still has not seen his baseball game. One moment in time, one horrible mistake in game four of the 1945 World Series, has yielded years of pain and anguish for Cubs fans abroad. The Chicago Cubs prior to the curse were one of the best teams in baseball, and after the curse have become the "Lovable Losers." If the Cubs are ever again in a situation, where they are outs away from the World Series, will the goat get the call? For the sake of the Cubs, "LET THE GOAT IN!"

MK's Meme

In order for the black magic spell not to be cast upon MK, I am helping him out by playing along with his meme. His answers will be infinitely better than mine.


Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.

Eight Facts:
1. Three of my friends in college (two of them suitemates) are on television. One is a relatively famous actress, and the other two are reporters/anchorwomen. I have some good blackmail on the actress... ; )
2. Once upon a time I had my nose pierced.
3. I used to teach English as a second language.
4. I was detained (but not arrested) by the police as a teenager for "parking."
5. I had my tonsils out when I was 18, and I brought them to school in a jar of formaldehyde.
6. I was a baton twirler for years, and used to lead the parades every holiday in my hometown.
7. I like snakes (not for pets, but just in general). I used to catch salamanders all the time when I was a child.
8. My first car was a 1967 Camaro. My dad hopped it up for me and put a corvette engine in it. It was fun! (My children will be getting Yugos or Fiats when they drive!)

Tag, you're it.

some good news!

B went for a walk down by the creek this morning, and he said that the water was running crystal clear, and there was a small, clear pool in one section, and there were fish in it! That is fantastic news. We have seen crayfish and tadpoles there before, but it's great to know that even with all the farmland around us, that the pesticides are very minimal and life is good in the creek.

We worry about that, you know...

No haying today, still not cut. B says it's not as thick and tall as in previous years. While we are dreading the work, we'll dread it more if we're paying through the nose this winter for hay. So we need 2 cuttings. Cross your fingers.

up to lots...

OMG, it’s nearly the end of June and the month has gotten away from me! It has been so long since I have updated, and I have much to report. I don’t really know where to start…

We are all great. My mom came to visit, and we had a great time showing them the farm. My mom and I made some goat’s milk beauty products, and she wants to start selling them. She has agreed to do the work, so hey, what more could I ask for? It continues to be a fun project to launch.

L is getting ready for our county fair, in mid July. He just came back from visiting his grandparents in California today, and he has a long list of things waiting for him to do! We will clip her tomorrow.

M came back from Arizona a couple of weeks ago. It is good to have them both back, but they did enjoy their time away.

Back in May I said we had some new livestock. We have chickens! Twenty six chickens were delivered, but we recently lost three of them. So we are down to 23. They spent the first few weeks of their lives in a kiddie pool in our basement, but are now in a larger enclosed pen in the garage. Hopefully they will move outside to the yet-to-be-built coop soon.

We also have four geese. M named them Greta, Lucy, Jemima and Harriet. We don’t know which one is which, but they don’t really answer to their names anyway.

Everyone else is fine, just more of them. We have a new goat, Victoria, who is being bred to the amazing buck Diamond. We should be getting her in a month or so, when we’re sure she’s bred. Yay!

We have put in more fencing, and now have another pasture for the goats. Soon we will bale hay. We should have put our first cutting up by now, but circumstances have just prevented that, including rain. Soon we hope!

The most exciting news is that we have some new puppies! They are officially, “Cane Pastore Maremmano-Abruzzese.” Americans call them Maremmas. They are Italian sheep guardian dogs, and we were lucky enough to find a breeder a couple of states away. We visited last weekend and snapped them up. We named them Roseanne Roseannadanna (Rosie) and Guido Sarducci (Guido). You can read more about maremmas here. And I’ll close my update with a photo of Rosie and Guido. Aren’t they adorable?!

More soon!!

So Sad

This happened in my hometown. I lived in a small town nearby, and attended school in this town. I lived there for 19 years before I married B and moved away. In fact we were married in this town.

So, so, so tragic. : ( It just makes you realize how anything can happen even in your idyllic little corner of the universe.

Wisconsin Tragedy

It's gonna be hard...

As I have mentioned before, I have the flexibility to work at home when I need to. L is sick today, recovering from a upper respiratory infection, and it's my turn to stay home with him. No big deal, except I have work to do at work and at home. It's 70 degrees (on its way to 77), the birds are singing, the goats are out romping, and I hear no other sound. I am looking forward to sneaking in a work break that involves hanging clothes on the line and maybe even mowing the lawn. But, my wonderful husband, when he was home with the sick boy yesterday, put my hammock up. Curse him! (Bless him!)

So now I am on the fence. Maybe I'll take a personal day. Goodness knows after my meeting last week, I NEED one!

Wish me luck.

Oh, here are the pictures I promised of Duke.

Duke

The goat babies are being weaned now, so we are using less milk. I bought a pasteurizer (thanks to B's mom and dad for their great birthday gift-- I bought a pasteurizer and strainer and other supplies) and soon we'll be having our own goat's milk to drink. Cindi is putting out more than a gallon a day, so we will have lots to spare.

At this point, I am freezing the extra milk so that if we have any orphans, we will have some milk to give them. But the cats are also enjoying it. Initially I liked to spray it into the "crowd' of cats (it's quite a crowd with a dozen cats) and watch them lick each other in a giant feline love fest. However, lately, I have been spraying the milk into the kitty crowd, and one cat in particular is seeking out the milk stream for his own.

Here is a youtube video of Duke getting the milk:



Tomorrow I will post a funny photo of him, but I want you to see this first.

I didn't need the entire farm after all...

Woman Keeps Goat in Minivan I especially like the informative photo and caption.

Also, check out this funny YouTube Video about farming.

Yeah, it's what we do.

To Set You Straight

I have been reading a lot of things lately, forums that I participate in, as well as emails to my commercial website. And I have to say that even as a city girl (I was born in Phoenix, AZ), I am shocked at what people don't know. So, without any judgement, here are some facts that you need to know. These are things that other folks have asked about (though they have not actually asked me *all* of these questions). Don't ever say that I didn't try to edu-ma-cate ya:

1. Goats have no top teeth. If you look at your goat and it has no top teeth, there is no cause to panic or email me. They will not grow in, nor did your lovely pet grind them down to nothing. It's the way God made 'em.

2. Goats do not lay eggs. Eggs come from chickens or other types of poultry.

3. "Eggs from the farm" and "eggs from the store" are the same thing. They don't taste any different, except that farm eggs taste fresher and better. But don't say that you don't want eggs from the farm, you want them from the store. SAME THING.

4. Intact maile goats pee on their beards. Don't pet their golden beards unless you want a stinky hand.

5. If you want milk from any animal (goat, cow, sheep, whatever) you have to breed it first. No animal just spontaneously makes milk. And you have to breed it each year to keep the milk supply. Just like people.

6. Hens lay eggs with or without a rooster around. Hens make eggs. Roosters do that boy thing to 'em to make babies. Chickens have sex. No salmon-like-spawning going on. But they lay eggs with or without the boy.

7. Milk comes out white. You don't do anything to it to make it white. No strawberry or chocolate cows, either. And goats milk is also white.

8. Chickens are birds and can fly.

9. Yes, llamas really do spit. Don't ask me how I know.

10. Some chickens lay brown eggs, some lay white eggs. It depends on the breed. Both taste the same. Actually, some chickens even lay darker eggs, or blue or green eggs.

Okay, enough lessons for one day. I need to go to the barn to be skooled by my own animals.

The Old Goat's Tips For First Fresheners

The kidding doe's secret code of honor is as old as goats themselves and is ultimately the species best kept secret. This guide is passed on from generation to generation in hopes that NO goat shall ever produce a kid before its time.

Its time being determined by the following factors:


1. No kid shall be born until total chaos has been reached by all involved. Your house must be a wreck, your family hungry and desperate for clean clothes, and your social life non-existent.

2. Midwives must reach the babbling fool status before you kid out. Bloodshot eyes, tangled hair and the inability to form a sentence means you're getting close.

3. For every bell, beeper, camera or whistle they attach to you, kidding must be delayed by at least one day for each item.

4. Vet check, add a day…internal, add three! If you hear the words, "She's nowhere near ready…you will be fine, while I'm away for the weekend," then wait 12 to 16 hours and pop that baby out!

5. Owner's stress must be at an all time high! If you are in the care of someone else, ten to fifteen phone calls a day is a sign you're getting close. When you hear the words, "I can't take it anymore!"…wait three days and produce a baby.

6. You must keep this waiting game interesting. False alarms are necessary! Little teasers such as looking at your stomach, pushing your food around in the bucket and then walking away from it are always good for a rise. Be creative and find new things to do to keep the adrenaline pumping in those who wait.

7. The honor of all goats is now in your hands. Use this time to avenge all of your barn mates. Think about your friend who had to wear that silly costume in front of those people. Hang onto that baby for another day. Oh, they made him do tricks too! Three more days seems fair. Late feedings, the dreaded diet, bad haircuts, those awful wormings can also be avenged at this time.

8. If you have fulfilled all of the above and are still not sure when to have this baby, listen to the weather forecast on the radio that has been so generously provided by those who wait. Severe thunderstorm warnings is what your looking for. In the heart of the storm jump into action! The power could go out and you could have the last laugh. You have a good chance of those who wait missing the whole thing while searching for a flashlight that works!

9. Make the most of your interrupted nights. Beg for food each time someone comes into the barn to check on you. Your barn mates will love you as the extra goodies fall their way too!

If all else fails and they seem to be in constant attendance, time the delivery to when they rush to the bathroom for 2 minutes, or try to look perfectly comfortable so they rush for a "quick bite".

10. Remember, this code of honor was designed to remind man of how truly special goats are. Do your best to reward those who wait with a beautiful doe to carry on the goat code of honor for the next generation of those who wait!

–Author Unknown

Home Again

We got home on Wednesday evening. It was a very un-Murphy trip-- you know, Murphy's law didn't much apply. That is certainly a deviation from the norm for us.

We got the news Friday, and left Saturday morning at 7:30. We were in Phoenix by 10:00 am local time. All went well, we saw everyone several times, and my brother let me use his truck. It was a godsend, and saved me some cash on a rental car. We stayed with my mom, since my dad had a house full of other family members.

Gram's funeral was very nice. Well, as nice as a funeral can be. She looked beautiful-- I thought she would sit up and shake her finger at me and tell me not to cry! Her skin was smooth and she looked so peaceful. She wore the dress she wore to her 50th wedding anniversary celebration, and when she renewed her vows. She held a beautiful cross necklace and my grandpa's wedding ring.

B's mom suggested that I share my Ruth post with my family, and I did share it with my dad. He asked me to read it at her funeral, and though I really wrote those thoughts as a comfort to myself, I did as he asked and read them. We all laughed and cried, and in the end I am happy I read them. I think a lot of folks shared my thoughts about her.

I have only one grandma left now, and I spent a lot of time with her. You know, Grandmas are really special. I remember when I was little, my grandparents and I had our special little "secrets" that we shared. My grandfather called me "Ole" (nobody knows why...). He told me that he always wanted me to take very good care of my teeth. He said he wanted me to have all of my teeth when I was 50. I have only had one tiny filling in my adult teeth, so I am on track (though I do have a few years left...). He made me fried eggs cooked in butter, and then yummy toast to dunk in the butter and yolks. He called them "dunkers." He died when I was 10, and I still miss him. My grandma (his wife) and I took a vacation together after I graduated from high school. I flew to AZ and she and I took a road trip in her car through the mountains and went to San Diego. We went to Sea World and a few other places. It was a blast. Now that I am older, I treasure the wisdom that they have. I love to hear the stories that they tell. It sounds so cliche-- everyone says that. But really, she told me about when she was young, and they killed a chicken for supper. They had to go pick one out, kill it, and pluck the feathers. First they put it in water. Oh, but they had to get the water from the well, haul it up and boil it. Ugh, can you imagine? I would have had to start preparing for supper at 10 am. She also talked about how, since her father died young and left her mother with 4 children under 14, they had to sell milk and eggs for money. They bottled up their milk every day and took it into town. They had their own milk route.

My grandfather was in the Air Force, just like B. The oddest thing is that our time in Europe followed some in their shoes. While I was there, my gram and my mom came over and visited friends that they had made while over there. It was wild! My grandma gives me really cool gifts of china and dishes that she got while she lived in some of the areas that I lived. It means so much to me because we shared some of the same paths in our lives, many years apart.

She gave me her grandmother's ring when I was there. It is absolutely beautiful. I wore it for a while, but then chores got in the way. I will wear it as often as I can.

I am still jet lagged. I am so old, I can't believe how affected I am.

I missed the kids, but especially B. I missed him terribly. It's so good to be home with him.

ruth

she passed away this morning

my dad called when i hit 'pubish' on the blog

she is closer now, i suppose

i will be incommunicado for the next few days as i travel to her funeral

ruth

my gram
strongest woman i know

mother of 7
gram of 13
great-gram of 23

is dying

my parents married young
had me young
too young
children themselves

my gram was there for them
for me
raised them
while they raised me

we always lived nearby
i took her for granted
like i did my parents
she a permanent fixture in my life

as a teen
ashamed of our plain-ness
ashamed of our rural heritage i was
embarassed that we were not more
than we were

finally
a parent myself
nothing but pride
i marveled at her ability to love her children equally
regardless of their faults
through their successes, failures, addictions
a restaurateur, a truck driver, an artist, a store clerk
through boyfriends, babies, failed marriages
she celebrated family
and togetherness
with all of her prodigal children

second only to Jesus
she could make two loaves and a few fishes
(or a pound of ground beef)
feed thousands
her barbecue beef recipe is my favorite

she had a passion for family
she and i traced our tree
back to when it was a sapling
a pioneer family we were
the stuff of legends
and she carried the spirit

her strength was unrivaled
born to farmers
they divorced in the 40’s—unheard of
she had the original wicked stepmother

grew up to love her children unconditionally
to be our family’s rock
strong, wise, calm
grace personified

i last saw her in 2004
too long ago
according to everyone
myself included

she reigned over my cousin’s wedding
“The Matriarch”
sitting, dancing with her family all around her
but always graceful she
did not outdo the bride

sat by the side
of her dying husband
for two years
while he suffered with leukemia
rarely left the house
he was her life

she had big plans after he died
church with the other widows
shopping with daughters
vacations back to Wisconsin
computer classes

even had a boyfriend

it started with a bad hip
replaced in 2006
she never walked again

now she does not talk much
sits in a wheelchair
in a nursing home
muscles atrophied
battles seizures nearly every day
eyes half open
mouth half closed

waits for visitors
her children come daily

my strong gram
my rock
my role model
gone

all that is left is a shell of a woman
a great woman
my memories of her tremendous strength
and my guilt
for living so far away
and seeing her so little

i pray for her peace
and i pray for mine

Help for the Traumatized

Goat Trauma is nothing to mess with. I still have the atomic wedgie episode fresh in my mind.

Saturday

It is bitterly cold here! In the past three weeks we have had record highs, and now we are having record lows. The excitement never ends.

We are busy preparing for our new livestock, which we should be getting next week. I will definitely post photos!

I had hoped to get some spring work done outside, on the hogshed (converting it for the goats), as well as some new pens made and electric fence put up. However, the cold and the wind make me want to do nothing but stay inside. We will make a trip to town and pick up more supplies for the new animals, plus supplies for Easter! It's tomorrow. you know!

I have finished the blog changes. I hope you like them! I like them. The picture in the left margin is one of our new does, Precious. She is beautiful, and it shows in that picture!

Happy weekend, and happy Easter. Stay warm.

A Little Update

Well, I am working on a new blog template, so bear with me. It will be goat-themed, if I can do it correctly. I'm trying to push the limits on my web coding. And I am succeeding.

A lot has been going on lately. I will be getting some new livestock soon, and it is NOT GOATS!! You will have to wait to find out... less than a week.

L and I went to a big goat seminar on Saturday, it was wonderful. We both learned a lot.

We are still struggling 2x a day to milk Cindi. She is such a pill! I have been successful in getting her on the fitting stand by myself, and have just had to do it that way. I would love for her to be able to stand and eat in her stall, but she fights me so much and tries to run away, I have to tie her up. It's strange, because my milking has not bothered Precious or Tango, but seems to bother Cindi. I can't see any cuts or injuries on her udder, which leads me to believe she's just being a diva.

Spring sprung, which means that our outside to-do list is reading and waiting. We have been given an immense amount of wood from a construction project, so we have TONS of materials that were free for the taking. I bet it is $500 or more worth of wood. We are going to construct a buck pen and redo a hog house for shelter for the goats. I already have the electric fence charger, and need to just buy the fencing and t posts and put that up. We do already have some permanent fence.

I've also been toying with the idea of fencing off the front of the house. If you picture three pastures on the sides of our house-- one on the right, one on the left, and one in back. So they make sort of an angular U shape. Our house sits right in the middle of the U, closed off at the top by the road. We could easily fence off the front and put a gate on our driveway. It would isolate us from folks somewhat, but it would be more peace of mind. We are always worried about the neighbor dogs, the three "jobless" Great Pyrenees who make our farm their job. I am terrified that they will attack one of the goat kids. Also, if any goats got out of their pasture, that would be another fence that they would have to go through to get to the road and actually escape from our property. And MK thinks that we should turn them loose in the yard anyway and forego the mowing. : ) I bet that B agrees with that.

So we have plenty of projects, and as the temperature lapped at the 80 degree mark on the thermometer, we were motivated. However, as I woke up to 30 mph winds, with gusts up to 50 mph, 20 degree temperatures and flurries this morning, I just wanted to crawl back in bed with my cats and a book. Alas, there was a sassy goat and twin kids waiting for me to tend to them. And my day started.

But it's Wednesday! And Easter this weekend. Hopefully my Easter lilies that are erupting in my garden will not be deterred by this frost! Same for the lilacs.

Monday

Well, we got the plumber's snake, and got the clog out. It was not a pritchard teat, as I had suspected, but it was a dishcloth. Formerly a dishcloth-- Drano can wreak havoc on a cotton cloth.

And I managed to get more than 2 quarts out of the goats this evening.

And I had a good IEP meeting at school with M's teachers.

So, I think it is tentatively a good evening... :) Maybe my streak is ending?

Did you think it would get better?

Well, think again. It did NOT get better on Sunday.

We prayed hard at church for a more productive day, but it did not come to pass. Our first indication of that should have been when we came home from church to find our power out. It was out for about the next 2.5 hours. Fortunately, it was a gorgeous day, so the outage was mostly just an inconvenience, if a bit worrisome (food spoilage). It came back on again for about an hour, and then went out again for about 2.5 hours. It seems to be on now...

B fixed the dryer. But it has some other problem which makes it continue to stop. I think that it did need the belt replaced, so it was not a waste of effort. But we need to still babysit the dryer, and I'd like to find out what the problem is. Thermostat? Motor? Timer? It might be time to call the repairman. Not because he can't fix it, but we are wasting a lot of time in diagnostics, plus we don't want to put money into unnecessary parts.

The drain is still clogged. He did get it all back together yesterday, but the pritchard teat is still clogging (I am CERTAIN that's what it is). He went to get a plumber's snake (probably a good idea for us to get one of those), but the hardware store was closed. Of course it was. So the sink is still full of standing water.

Our church is building an addition, and they have extra scrap wood. We can use it all for pens and for fixing an outbuilding that we are planning to repair this spring. The wood is beautiful and very sturdy. There are even some 20' boards that will be incredibly helpful for building pens. The items are free for the taking. Except that our pickup truck battery is dead. DEAD. DEAD. DEAD. Won't even take a jump from my car. So we crammed as much as we could into the back of my SUV. And broke some of the interior plastic on the back of my car.

In the morning I had to rassle with Cindi to get her milked. I was wearing some low-rise jeans, which gives me plumber butt when I sit on the bucket to milk her. She reached around to give me a wedgie and tore the lace trim off of my underwear. Little brat. I can't put her in the fitting stand because she won't go voluntarily, and I can't lift her. She gives me more trouble than the buck.

So Sunday did not pan out to be very productive. I did chores at about 8:00. The kids ate at 8:30 and had to have grilled cheese because I was so miserably behind.

Lest you think that Monday would be magical, B called me from his way to work and told me that he hit the neighbor dog on his way out.

And the Fun Continues

Well, today did not pan out to be any better than yesterday. I slept too late (see a pattern here?), got out to the barn late, and again had some caprine wrestling events to get her milked (not because I was late, but because she is a DIVA). I came inside to start my list, which included some goat things and working on a website that I am creating/maintaining on the side.

I intended to tattoo the babies today. But I had no green ink, and went to the farm store where they did not have any.

I intended to give CD&T vaccinations. Except that my vaccine had expired. I did not use much before it expired, so that was a double pisser. Again, the farm store does not carry it.

I intended to worm the goats. I did not have enough dewormer to do everyone. The farm store did have that, but not the same type. I can still use it, but it's not the best option. Not a total failure...

The pipe that B attempted to fix last night did not get fixed. He came home with the wrong part. It was just in the cards-- they were stacked against him. He went this morning to get the part, and got the correct part. He got it fixed, but the drain was still plugged. He used the plunger, and burst another rusted pipe. (We can't tell that they are rusted, as the corrosion is on the inside-- the outside is shiny silver.) As I type this, he is fixing the pipes. We have been unable to use the kitchen sink for going on 30 hours. Last night we did dishes by setting the dishpans and drainer in the bathtub. We have eaten out today for every meal except breakfast. I actually think the clog is one of the nipples for the baby goat bottles. They cost $5.00 each at the farm store.

The dryer is still not fixed.

I did not get the website finished. I am sitting down to do that after this post.

We did drink last night, but B spilled his Guinness all over my ABGA herd inventory papers that I have to send back. It was a waste of a good beer, and I am bummed about the papers.

We can only hope that tomorrow goes better.

One of those days...

I thought it was going to be a good day. There ARE lots of good things about this day, one being that I worked from home, so I worked in sweats from the couch, enjoying the gorgeous view. The kids were good, quiet and didn't fight. It was a gorgeous, 70 degree day, too, and my "breaks" were spent enjoying the spring loveliness.

HOWEVER, it was one crappy stroke of luck after another.

I slept too late. Which, in and of itself was a good thing. But that puts me late to the barn, and the animals disapprove. Disapproval is demonstrated in lots of yelling and little cooperation. This morning I was treated to an uncooperative milker, who tried her best to get away from me. I couldn't lift her onto the fitting stand, and she would not stand still. Several times she stepped into the milk bucket. That ordeal over, I was ready to get to work.

I had an issue with Quark Express, which meant that I needed to reinstall the program. We had it at work, and I had to download it from our apps server-- it took me 3 hours. : ( On high speed broadband. I had to download Quark before I could do about 10 other things that were on my list.

Then I went to do laundry. To find out that my dryer belt had broken. I can't dry my clothes now. And laundry was not done by any stretch of the imagination.

So then I moved to dishes. And I found that the sink was stopped up. I used the plunger with no success. Suddenly L told me that there was a huge puddle on the floor-- my overzealous plunging had burst an ancient pipe under the sink. It was draining all over the floor. I have dishes all over my countertops and on the stove. And dishpans full of water sitting out. It's 8:15 and B is at the hardware store getting parts. So he can fix the sink. So I can fix supper. So the kids can shower and go to bed.

So I can drink heavily.

Then one of the kids noticed that one of the goats was out. I went to guide her back into the barn, and instead of going into the barn, she tried to get back into the paddock-- by going under the fence. Which is like a 4" space. So of course, she could not get back out. Was stuck under the fence by her horns. Thank GOD she did not panic, which is what I would have expected her to do. She just lied down calmly until I could manipulate her head and horns out from underneath the fence.

Next was rassling with the uncooperative milker, who ended up spilling about 3/4 of a quart of milk. I could have strangled her. We need nearly a gallon of milk a day to feed the babies, and she spilled a good deal of it. No, I didn't cry over spilled milk, but I was sure pissed about it. It's one thing if it's an accident, but she's just being a diva pill, and there is no reason for it. It feels good to her to have that milk milked out of her, and we are gentle and kind to her.

B just called. Of COURSE the hardware store in our little town was closed, so he had to go into the big city. He isn't even there yet. Ugh, what a crappy day.

However, I know that I can still find three good things today, which is hopeful. But I can find about a million bad things...

Here's to tomorrow.

Stop Look & Listen!

It's SPRING!!! I can't believe it's here already. It was a long winter, but it did seem to fly by at times, and we did get a break for most of the season. It was bitterly cold, and we did have our share of snow. But that is over!

Listen...

And it's turned green in the past 8 hours!

In unrelated events, this weekend I will be tattooing and registering the new babies. We have decided to name them Wallace Wensleydale and Wendolene Ramsbottom . (Wally & Wendy)

Happy Friday!

Country Speak Redux

Okay, I thought more of you would know the answer to this! I guess I am a bumpkin after all, eh?

Gee is the teamster's term to signal a turn to the right. If you are driving a horse, and you want him to turn to the right, you say, "gee, gee, gee, gee" until he turns as far/sharp you want him to turn. Haw is the term to signal a turn to the left. It's strange though, I have ridden and driven the same horse, but I have never told him to gee or haw when I was riding him. I don't know why you don't use the terms when you are riding the animal. He must wonder that, too. But he's so smart that he just does what he's told and realizes he's smarter than the people telling him what to do (like any good employee).

Anyway, if your road "gee-haws" at a point, it jogs left, and then jogs right. Yes, MK, the road gee haws just after you turn onto gravel, and hit the straightaway. It actually "haws" just before the Old Crow Farm, and then "gees" after it, and then goes up and down the hill. It also gee haws just past our house as you go up the corkscrew hill.

Quite a lot of them in my area. Thank God they are gee-haws and not jihads.

Country Speak

A few weeks ago I gave a friend directions to my house. I told him that my road made a gee-haw at a certain point. He said, "A jihad? There is a jihad on your road?" I explained a gee-haw, and he had never heard of it in his life. He managed to make it to my house, and avoid the jihad on my road, too.

Do you know what a gee-haw is? Is it that strange of a term?

Loose Ends

Such is my life. My mantra is always, “well, things won’t be as crazy once I get through _____ (insert Christmas, Lent, this next conference, my trip to xxx, the school year, WHATEVER is consuming me at the moment).” That is such a bald-faced lie. Because even if that were the case—that my schedule would calm down and I would have an actual LULL in my responsibilities-- all of the things that I did not do during my crazy time would be needing to be done, and I would be scrambling. That is how it works. When I am facing some critical deadlines at work, it is always, “hurry up and get this done by the deadline.” Then when the deadline has passed, it’s always, “hurry up and get caught up on your late stuff before the next deadline looms, and you have to drop everything to meet the deadline for that certain project.” And I never get caught up, so the deadline looms, I drop everything to work on the project that’s due, and then pick up the late stuff again when that project’s finished.

It is very emotional for me, someone who needs closure and completeness. Learning to cope with this is a huge part of my therapy, and frankly, it is taking a long time for me to come to terms with it. My therapist has suggested getting a different job, but I do like what I do. I don’t have the answers, though I hope that someday I will be able to live with unfinished projects and that I will never have everything done.

That is part of the increased responsibility—when I first started here, in an assistant capacity, I had a list, and finished everything on it, and could leave and go home feeling that my tasks were done. Now, however, the responsibility falls on me, and the things are never done. I do have an assistant now, but it is still difficult to offload those projects without feeling some responsibility for them getting done, even if someone else is doing them. So it’s not really offloading them 100%.

Anyway, don’t know why I am moaning today, just feeling overwhelmed.

The goats are good. Cindi is healing, we are trying to come to terms with only having 2 babies to show for our kidding season, and we will all be fine. It is discouraging, as you pay for pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, extra feed, extra medication and supplements. You put everything on the calendar, vaccinate at certain dates, build special pens, buy special equipment, watch them like a hawk, hurry to get it all done before kidding season, and most of the kids die. It is hard to come to terms with. But we will move forward!

Making lemonade

Well, we're trying to make the best of the situation, and "graft" the bottle baby kids onto Cindi. We shall see how it goes.

Lost another one

Cindi had a beautiful doeling this morning, but it was malpresented. We did everything we could, including calling the vet who claimed he was "tied up" and could not come out, and couldn't give us anyone to call instead. The baby died.

Cindi is doing as well as can be expected. I am not, nor is L.

We lost three doelings this season. I can't believe our bad luck. We do have two beauties, and are thankful for them, but it just has not been a good spring.

The Watched Pot

She's not boiling.

I remember as a teenager, babysitting until the wee hours of the morning. It was always a Saturday night, I'd watch Saturday Night Live, long after the kids went to bed. Then would come Don Kirshner's Rock Concert. Then Live at the Apollo... and then usually the people would be home by then. I do remember a few nights when I'd be up long enough to hear NBC play the national anthem and then sign off for the night.

Well, here I sit. Saturday night, and I am waiting for Cindi to kid. I am watching her on my newly-installed goatcam, which has been incredibly helpful. B saved me, once again. He is my IT hero.

It's 4:11 am. I have balanced the checkbook and paid bills. I have reviewed my Sunday School lesson for tomorrow. I have done and filed my taxes even! I have baked bread. COME ON GIRL!!

She is in early labor, up and down, up and down, her udder is very full and "shiny" (one of the signs of pending labor), and her ligaments are loose and ready for delivery. So what's the holdup, Mizzus? I'm TIRED!

Hay!

Did I get your attention? Well the price of hay sure got mine. We bale our own hay, with the help of a neighbor. He drives the tractor, and we (and usually some GREAT friends) stack the hay on the rack, and then we restack it inside the machine shed. This year we got 2 cuttings, and paid $.70 per bale.

We are out of hay for the winter now-- completely out of hay. We have to buy it from others. Apparently there is a hay shortage all over the nation from the drought, and folks here in our state have had calls from out of state wanting their hay. Also, the price of corn has skyrocketed, so those who are raising hay are going to replant with corn to capitalize on the current windfall. (As an aside, we sold our corn before the prices skyrocketed, so while we did well, it was not the windfall that others saw. Oh well... ) So the hay situation will not improve.

I paid $4.50 per bale the other day at the feed store. Our animals eat just under 2 bales a day. That is a HUGE feed bill, especially for just a few animals. We're going to fertlize the heck out of our hay field this spring and see if we can't get another cutting. I sure as heck don't want to be in this situation again next year.

The Lingo

It's funny how in just a few years the goats have really become part of our lives. Moreso than the cats or dogs. They are not just an afterthought, but often times the focus of attention and conversation. Not that the dogs and cats aren't, but they are with us so much, we don't really talk about them, we just scratch and love on them while we are doing other things. Maybe it's because the goats are a business, or because we are learning about them, or because they are so consuming. I don't know. But, I had to laugh at my son a couple of times. It still makes me laugh out loud when I remember these random comments:

"Mom, this root beer you got is really good, but it gives me frothy bloat."

"Hey, my bedhead is so bad on this side of my head, it looks like I have a scur."

I realize that if you don't know what frothy bloat is or scurs are, you might not laugh. But to me, this is just a hoot.

Frothy Bloat

Scurs

Happy Wednesday. The week's almost over, and the temperatures are a-risin. Couldn't ask for anything more (except for it to be Friday).

Ten on Tuesday

Well, I promise updates on kidding, the blizzard, and lots of photos (even video). I am also working on a barn cam, with some stills to upload. That has taken me from bloggin-- in addition to snow days, teacher conferences, band concerts, traveling with work, the animals...

But, so you didn't think I ran away from home, here is a blog meme: Ten on Tuesday:

Name Ten Things You Want to Learn To Do
1. Crochet/Knit
2. Decorate Cakes like a pro (teach me Jen!)
3. I want to learn the rules of football
4. Play the piano
5. Speak Russian
6. Joomla (improve my VERY basic skills)
7. Get my webcam to work behind a firewall!
8. Operate my digital camera (its menus are all in Japanese)
9. Make Psyanky (Ukrainian Eggs)
10. MATH! (but there is no hope... )

Happy Tuesday! What are your 10?