Ridgetop - our place and how we muddle along

Margali

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Yep! The school district can kiss my @$$ regarding their notes about tardies and missed days. They should be thanking me for not sending kid in if a sibling is already sick.

I DARE them to take me to truancy court! Once school district provided proper support for learning disabilities they are making A & Bs.
 

Baymule

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Strong storms coming through Wednesday night. Possible 2” hail. Please park the truck under the carport! Thursday will be a beautiful sunny day, Friday too. Better days for travel than getting beat up by storms on the road.

I fed the hooligans. Patches is Carson’s buddy and is snuggled up to him. Like it or not, tough luck Carson! Ruby and Pearl have each other and are snuggled together in the crate. They are a lot of work, but dang, they are so cute!
 

Ridgetop

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In Yantis since Friday night. Left at 3am Thursday and stopped right after dusk in Santa Rosa. Next day came into Yantis and stopped at Walmart to buy groceries for family eclipse weekend. Went hoe and had supper and early night.

Saturday DH and I unloaded the trailer. We dropped the old Red River rodeo corral panels next to the garden opening in a line where we planned to put them up. Then we drove back to the barn and dropped off the 2 we didn't think we would need. I checked the tack shed in the barn and found more than enough 6' T posts (left from extending our pipe fencing in California) to stabilize the corral panels. I also found enough heavy duty 7' posts for the fencing to complete the fencing for the back yard and the fencing gripples to put it up. We have a complete roll of wire and a partial roll left to do that fencing so the dogs can come in the back yard up to the house. We still have some 7' T-posts left to do more fencing if needed. We also have extra 6' posts to do more corra panels and stabilize them.

On one panel the welds popped when DS1 took it apart (damaged by rams probably) but DS1 said to bring it out since we could probably have it repaired here. I had told DH to put on gloves and got them out for him, but Mr. Macho said he "didn't need them". Naturally, Mr. Macho cut his hand on the rusty wire on one panel and said he needed to get antibiotics and possibly stitches. We went inside and I disinfected it and checked it. No need for stitches but he needed a tetanus shot. I put antibiotic ointment on and a large bandage. Then we finished unloading the trailer and dropped it. Then we went to Urgent Care where I made him get a tetanus shot too.

After Urgent Care we went to Atwoods right next door. I updated my Ag card and bought another apple tree and 2 peach trees to replace the ones that died. They were bare root but leafing out. They were $19 instead of $59 for the large 5-gallon potted trees. The $59 trees were larger and nicer looking, but since there is a chance, they might not survive, I decided it was better value taking a chance on the bare root. They were picked over, but I found a Honeycrisp apple, Elberta peach, and Redstone peach in the bunch that had a good shape. I was tempted by the raspberry and grape plants, but need to build trellises in the garden to train them on. Next year. I plan to build some cold frames in the garden too.

We went home for supper and I unpacked some of the boxes. I put the slip covers on the loveseats. DH and I decided the tan ones looked better. We agreed that we liked the dark blue and it would not get dirty as soon, but with all the oak paneling, and the blue carpeting that room is very dark. When I put down a new floor, I will choose a light color tile or plank vinyl. I did not receive both sets of tan slip covers before we left, so I removed the dark blue and packed them up to be returned to Amazon. DS1 called and said the other sets of slipcovers had been delivered. The slipcovers look ok, naturally not as great as in the pictures online, but not bad. I tried the throw pillows I brought from CA with them but the Asian style does not work with oak paneled walls and red brick. They will come back to CA and maybe Kathleen or Stephanie will be able to use them. I also wrapped up the Anchor Hocking casserole dishes I bought here at Walmart. They are too heavy, and I will trade them in CA for my Pyrex ones there. Also am bringing back the small utensil caddy to trade out for my old stone crock in CA as well as some of the heavier kitchen cooking tools that I have there. After all I am not necessarily renting out the house fully furnished. I am also bringing back the mugs that match the dishes here and will bring out more of our funny ones. I would like to trade out the Pfaltzgraff I have in California for these dishes too. DS2 and wife might have received dishes for their wedding so they will use them.

Got to fix breakfast.

DD1's family arrived at the house around 7 am Sunday - they landed at 4am, picked up their rental car - a Tesla - and drove out from DFW airport. They stopped to charge it in Sulphur Springs. DH had made sure to find the charging stations in SS on Friday night. There are 7 of them behind the police station. While charging they all napped. We went to mass at 9am together, then home for breakfast. After breakfast DD1 and DSIL1 napped. DH took the kids to the pond so DGS2 could fish. They returned in an hour or so and announced that they needed either a rowboat, or a dock. Add that to the list. However, they saw a lot of fish jumping just out of reach. Then DH and I took the boys out to help put up the fence panels.

We decided to fence off the garden so the rams can be turned in to eat down the Rye grass. It will be too late to plant a garden by the time we get out here. DH's tomatoes we planted in the front yard before leaving last time were gone, but the squash and cantaloupe seem to be surviving. DH was unsure why the tomatoes died, but I said maybe the gardener weed wacked them thinking they were tiny weeds. LOL DGD1 insisted on helping put up the fence. The Rye grass is so high that she was up to her waist in it. She looked like an explorer in Borneo - just needed a machete to hack down the jungle growth ahead of her! LOL

We put up 2 sections of corral and pinned them together. DH and I held them upright while the boys took turns pounding in the T-posts to stabilize them. We attached the T-posts to the corrals with hose clamps. I am not so sure that they are stronger than black zip ties or wire, but THE MAN made his decision. DGD1 insisted on a turn with the T-post pounder. The boys had to start it for her since she could barely reach the handles, but she did a good job. This is great soil. We put her in charge of bringing the pins and hose clamps to us. She also would carry over the heavy-duty T-posts. After building the corral fence, it was time to put supper in the oven, GS1 did homework, DD1 corrected classwork. The rest of us played Mah Jong. After supper DH took DSIL1 and the grandkids up to see Fork Lake. They were surprised how large it was. We told them that next time they came (for more than 36 hours) we would rent a boat and take them out fishing on the lake. DGS2's eyes got big when we told him about the large bass he could catch. When they returned tragedy ensued! DGD1 ran over and jumped up beside her mother and I on the loveseat knocking a full glass of lemonade over. Carpet, table, sofa arm, etc. all covered in sticky lemonade! Mass commotion as everyone ran to get towels water to wash off the sticky lemonade, more towels, etc. Bad language came out of my mouth. I was unaware that lifetime exposure to high voltage linemen could do that. I remembered why moving far from the 9 grandchildren was bearable.

After the furniture was moved, and the mess was cleaned up, we played Mah Jong again while DSIL1 snuck off to buy a birthday cake for DH. His birthday is tomorrow. We sang Happy Birthday and he blew out his candle - no birthday d=candles, but I dd find a utility candle. LOL Then we played more Mah Jong while Nelson consulted his phone and deliberated on where the best stopping point to view the eclipse would be on the way to DFW airport. Terrell was mentioned. I offered eclipse glasses - I had bought 15 pair thinking more family members would come out for it. I was told they bought their own and brought them. The boys were happy with the lens covers I had picked up for their phones so they could take pictures of the eclipse. I will store all the unused pairs in the file cabinet for the next eclipse. LOL

The grandchildren decided to sleep in the trailer. DH unlocked it and checked the trailer batteries. They were almost dead, so I found the battery lanterns I had brought out for the barn and gave them 2. I offered a third, but it was refused. Too bad as it became apparent later. The children brushed their teeth, except for DGD1 whose toothbrush was missing. DSIL1 and DD1 discussed whether it had been left behind at the airport after TSA dumped all their belongings out of the backpacks when going through the checkpoint. The 3 kids and lanterns went across the field to the trailer. DSIL1 was hooking up his computer in the kitchen, while DD1 continued to grade papers. I had just gotten into bed when the door slammed open, and a lot of childish shouting occurred.
Apparently, DGS2 Daniel had dropped his pajama bottoms in the field on the way to the trailer. He couldn't find them in the field grass in the dark and insisted that a sibling had stolen them. DGS1 David returned from the trailer and was told to help his brother look for them. David had seen them fall, picked them up and taken them to the trailer but deliberately did not tell Daniel, instead allowing Daniel to hunt all over the field and return to the house to demand assistance from his parents. In the meantime, both boys having taken both lanterns to return to the house, DGD1 discovered she had been abandoned in a dark trailer in the middle of a field and had a hissy fit. Much screaming, yelling, and tears ensued. I remained in bed reading my book. DH continued to sleep. I congratulated myself on surviving parenthood.

Next morning we sat on the porch watching the barn swallows argue over housing and had coffee. We learned that DGS1 did so well in his AP exams that he is eligible for a special college scholarship. Also that he has to get a job this summer to earn money for college. We offered him a job driving T-posts and stringing fence this summer. DH and the grandsons went on ahead to get a table while I rode with the others. Elizabeth had a tearful problem with the Eclipse shirt I bought for her. I had bought shirts for a the grandkids and one for either Nelson or Stephanie but I couldn't get a small so it was way too big. I averted disaster by knotting one side and it looked very stylish. W went to breakfast at Yantis Cafe. That will be our go-to local cafe. Good prices, excellent food, and bg portions! They will start to do dinners soon. ☺️ They have a wonderful breakfast. I get the half order - only DS1 can finish off a full breakfast order - 4 eggs scrambled with onion, ham, bacon, cheese, hash browns, with a biscuit. Gravy is optional. It covers the entire plate. :drool It turns out that David can finish off a full breakfast too. I rescinded my offer of hiring him this summer since we can't afford to feed him! We met the other person in the runoffs for the County Council seat. He is a Wood County sheriff, was born and raised in Yantis, and knows the MacDonalds. I told him he could put up his election sign in our yard too. I have decided to vote for hm since I like to back law and order candidates. DSIL1 and D1 had already left with the children to pack up to leave. DH was worried that we would not get back in time to say goodbye. I calmly told him they would wait for us. When he started to argue I pointed at David's backpack on the floor. The family took off for Terrell or Bucky's to charge the Tesla and watch the eclipse.

DH got his book, chair and eclipse glasses and sat in the yard to wait for the show. I planted my fruit trees. Just as I finished the last one I noticed it was getting dark so I rushed over and got the glasses. Then I saw DH had gone out to run the truck and charge the trailer batteries. He was by the barn. I waded across the field with the glasses and reached the truck in time to realize that he had gone back the other way to the house! I saw the eclipse at its high point then trekked back after him. We both told the other that they had missed it! LOL We sat in the yard and watched the rest of it. It stayed clear and sunny until it was over.

The expected rain still hadn't arrived, so we went back to the trailer and hooked to the truck to charge the batteries. The fridge was on, so I turned it off. Then I found 3 posts to use to tie up the newly planted fruit trees. DH and I decided what panels we could use to enlarge the corral and also to build a creep in the barn pen. About that time it started raining so we unplugged the trailer and came in the house for supper. Today we will go out to the barn and set up the creep.
 

Ridgetop

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We went out to the barn and DH charged the trailer batteries with the truck while we worked on the creep. The whole time we were out there it stormed heavily with thunder and lightening! DH and I dragged/carried 2 12' panels over from the side barn into the big barn. I removed the 10' panel and the 18" chain link panel then replaced them with the 12' panel. It is 6" too long to be attached to the 10' pane on the other side. The last of the 10' gate panels are in California, so I attached the d12' pane to a barn upright with hay rope. Traditional 4-H way. LOL Since the10' end panel is attached to a major barn support with hinge pins, I will use the 10' panel for a gate on that side. There is a walk-through gate on the other end of the pen but I had already attached the 5' creep panel allowing the with the gate on that side accessing the big pen instead of the creep. I took it off and put it back on the other side of the gate. Now the creep has a walk-through gate and the pen has a 10' gate. We need to attach the creep panel to the other panels with hose clamps so have to go to Lowes to get some more. We need a few other things for barn, yard, house repairs, so will head up there when the rainstorm is over.

Disconnected the trailer from the truck and drove back to the house. Our jackets were soaking wet just with moving panels from one side of the barn to the other, DH's socks and my jeans were wet too. I put the jackets, jeans, socks, and other laundry in the washer. We have other jackets we can wear to go to Lowes, the bank, etc. Tomorrow we will finish off the creep in the barn. I have more laundry to do tomorrow as well. I will unpack more boxes tonight. I might buy some rollouts for the kitchen cabinets at Lowes today and install them. They are not cheap, but neither are new cabinets, and the ones with roll out shelves are even more expensive. On the other hand, even a woman in her Prime gets tired of kneeling in the kitchen floor searching for stuff in cabinets. My cabinets in California all have roll out shelves and I see no reason I should not have the same luxury here! LOL

Rain has stopped - better go now before next storm hits. Only one more day to get stuff accomplished. DH wants to go back on Thursday then vet, and sheep shipping.

I got my knee partial replacement surgery date - July 8.
 

Ridgetop

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Thanks, I have considered printing off all the pages for my children when we are gone. But they will probably find it boring. LOL

The rain stopped this afternoon and DH and I went to the bank. tld him it would be closed but he insisted they would be open unti 6 pm. Nope they close at 4pm. Then we checked our new P.O.Box. The Post office closes at 3:30. We had mail! A notice from the postal service that we could change our address online. Next we drove to Sulphur Springs Lowes. Got the hose clamps we need to finish the creep in the barn, that green stretchy stuff to tie the new trees to stakes, and a new return air duct. I remembered to measure and write it down, got the right size but at home it was too large! Measured it and it was 2" larger all around than the measurements on the package. What?! I guess the measurements are for the hole in the wall not for the duct cover. I will have to remove the current return air vent, measure the actual hole, return this one that is the wrong size, and try to find one that fits. Mbe order on Amazon. I also got the some shelf supports for the 3 bookcases we moved into the living room, but Lowe's didnt have enough. I removed all of the supports when we moved the bookcases, thinking they would fall out and get lost on the trip. I put them into a Ziploc bag which I duct taped to the backs of the bookcases. When we arrived I carefully removed them and put them in a secure place. They are in a very secure place so they won't get lost. How do I know it is a secure place? Because I can't find them! I remember putting them somewhere and announcing to DH and DS1 where I was putting them for safety.
:hide They are sold in sets of 4, enough for one shelf. I got 9 sets at Lowes - I only need another 13. Once I buy them, clean off the bookcases and shelves, install the shelves, and put the books in, you know what will happen. I will wake in the middle of the night remembering where I put the shelf supports.
:barnie
Tomorrow we will finish the creep in the barn, I will wash the sheets and laundry, clean the house, make our lunch for the road, and make a salad for the Bible Study potluck. DH wants to leave early Thursday am but of course if we go to Bible Study Wednesday night, then have to hitch the trailer before we leave in the morning, a 3am start will not happen.
 
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