Baymule’s Journal

[Hideaway Pines]

YAY!!!! On your way at last! The RV went in the shop, you had the Plague House while y'all had Omnicron, the truck went in the shop, one thing after another! We can build fence and pens for the sheep. And we can run back and forth taking the last of my stuff to Groveton.

There is still some moving fun to be had, you haven't missed out on all the fun!

@Hideaway Pines wants to come have fun too, we can make it a BYH party!

Yes Ma'am, we will be there next weekend to help with fencing, and I may try to sneak away for part of a day this coming week, leaving hubby home to tend to things here (I am still working, so depends on my work week) but @Baymule just give me details on day/time and how to find you via text. see you soon!! can't wait to meet everyone.

 

[River Buffaloes]

I’ve been a member here for, let’s see….at least 10 years and have never kept a journal. My life has blown up to the moon, with the death of my beloved husband of 25 of the best years of my 66 years of life. I am Blessed to have known such pure adoration, wrapped in unconditional love, safe and secure in that love. Most people live their whole lives and never know the happiness I had.

This is us in 1996, we were married shortly after. My hair has long gone white, heck it was white then, but I wasn’t ready to deal with being white headed. LOL Over the years, his hair whitened and he had less of it, but when we looked at each other, we saw one another as beautiful as the day we met.

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I’m in a state of upheaval and change in my life. We bought our 8 acre farm in September 2014, moved on our 19th Anniversary, February 14, 2015. Our DD and family lived in Lindale and we wanted to be close to them so we could enjoy our granddaughters. They had to leave for better job opportunities 2 years ago, first in Odessa, Texas and now in Corpus Christi, Texas. Both locations are 8 hours away. I started making noises about moving closer, but staying in East Texas. BJ of course rumbled about moving, but eventually he would have caved in and followed me wherever I took a notion to go. He was always a good sport, no matter how wild or crazy of a thing I wanted to do, he piled in there with me and we did it together.

So now I’m all alone, no family, and the love of my life is in a cherry wood box on a table. I decided to move. I will put our farm up for sale in March. We had a great time. We worked hard, we lived our dream to the fullest. I raised feeder pigs and Cornish Cross meat chickens for the freezer, plus some to sell, that covered the cost so our meat was free. I raised a big garden, canned, froze and dehydrated the vegetables and shared with neighbors and friends. We bought 4 bred ewes, I couldn’t contain my excitement, I bed checked them every night at 11:00 and was out at daylight, looking for lambs. It seemed like eternity but I was finally rewarded by 2 ewes both presenting me with twins one morning. BJ ran out to see them and we held those babies, joy knew no boundaries.

I had 3 horses and a mule that we brought with us. I sold one of the horses and the mule. Later I saw a scrawny chestnut gelding, stocking legged and blaze faced, of course BJ bought him for me. We named him Prince and with care, he bloomed into a beautiful horse. One night I showed BJ a picture of an emaciated bony Tennessee Walker mare in a kill pen, slated for a one way ride to Mexico for slaughter. She was for sale. BJ named her Pearl on the spot and we went and got her the next day. Both horses were great with kids and I took the two little granddaughters with me on rides. We had a blast.

I always had chickens for eggs. I made us delicious breakfast with home raised pork sausage or home smoked bacon, with fresh eggs. We sold a few, gave away a few and thanked God for the bounty of the land.

BJ isn’t with me anymore. His smile, his laugh, his over the top personality, his never meet a stranger- in 5 seconds or less you’re best friends-in 10 seconds you’re kinfolks, is a memory of good times.

I must go on.

I did not make the decision to sell our farm lightly. I am embarking on a journey to find my place. I’m not sure just exactly where that will be. But I know it is no longer here.

My son has a house he bought 3 years ago to be a rental. It needs work. He is a crane operator and spends months being gone, sometimes moving his RV from one location to another, following jobs. He has tried to get workmen here to do what is needed, but has not had good results. Then the shutdown because of Covid, a year later he finally landed a job that barely covered the bills. Now jobs are opening up, he started a new job in Houston 2 days ago and will be moving his RV tomorrow.

He graciously offered his house as a place to stay after I sell the farm, to give me time to figure things out. It’s on 2 acres.

I gave away my hens to a disabled couple and their coops too. I sold my horses for real cheap, got tons of responses, and picked the families that I thought would give them the best homes. I’m keeping my sheep and dogs. I’ll have to build a shed to shelter the sheep and dogs, pens, etc. The property is fenced down both sides, with a fry-your-hair hot wire, it should be sufficient.

I’m here in the new-to-me house this morning, came down yesterday. I’m at the point of finishing up painting 2 bedrooms, still have to paint trim in one, then I can set up beds. I bought a twin/full bunk bed and will put the full in one room and the twin in the other.

I bought a coffee pot for this house, have been deprived on the couple of previous overnight stays. Everything goes better when I have coffee!

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I’m drinking my coffee, surveying my Queendom. What a mess. There is a pile of OSB, 2x4’s, sheet rock, ladders, saw horses with a sheet of OSB to make a work table, lumber, buckets, and everything is dirty. At least when he bought the house, the kitchen and bathroom had been remodeled, a little clean up and it will be real nice. My goal is to make this rentable. I can do a lot of the work myself. It needs outside work, now that DS is back to working like he used to, he has plans on getting that done. Together we’ll make it happen.

Never one to stay down for any length of time, I’ve hit the ground running. I don’t wallow in self pity, I carry my grief inside, it’s not for public display. I deal real well with reality.

What better time to start a journal. In a time of major change, striking a course to I don’t know where, y’all can hitch a ride on The Crazy Train and come along.

I am both happy and sad for you. You and your husband were such a good couple. You were together for 25 years and that will always stay with you. My grandparents were married for 50 years and then my grandfather died in 2015 and my grandmother was totally inconsolable, but with time and our care and support she recovered. She tries to keep herself busy by taking care of the farm my grandfather built.

It is important that you keep close to your family specially your grandkids, my grandmother always shared her experiences with me. How she lived in Bombay, Madras, Calcutta etc with my grandfather, how she raised her children with much struggle, because my grandfather was a sailor and was absent from home for better part of the year.

I am going read this whole thread in hopefully 2 days.

 

[Ridgetop]

Got large suitcase and large rolling duffel out of shed to pack winter clothes. Will do that this evening. Next, I started collecting the tools to pack. 2 medium rolling toolboxes and one larger carry toolbox. Large Bosch box with drawers for bits and drivers, 2 drills, extra batteries and chargers. Next smaller Bosch box plunge cutter, small drivers, batteries and chargers. 3rd smaller Bosch box 18 ga electric brad nailer and 18 ga compressor driven brad nailer, with assorted length brads. In larger toolboxes, small Skilsaw, sabersaw, new blades, pry bars, wire cutters, levels, plumb bobs, squares, clamps (large and small), knee pads, caulking guns and 2 tubes interior caulk, hand saw miter box, hand tools, electrical wire strippers, wiggy, 2 outlets & covers, electrical tape and wire nuts, bolt cutter, 2 extension cords, sockets and drivers, tape measures including 300' and 100' tapes, nail sets and side cutters. Work gloves. Also, large carpenter's T square, small squares, long level, and clamp on Skilsaw guide for cutting plywood. DH got house wire for new outlets so don't have to buy any. Remembered fishtapes for pulling wires through walls - 50' and 100'. DS1 loaned me his GOOD wire cutter and said I could take his favorite long level but I took the older one instead. Figured responsibility for DS1's good new side cutter was enough for me. Many family arguments have erupted over taking someone's personal tools without permission. Except mine, which apparently are communal tools.

Did not pack come along, fence puller, table saws or large nail gun. Also did not think you would need the .22 ca bolt into concrete thingy. Did I forget anything we might need? Let me know.

Just have to pack winter clothes into suitcases and duffel, throw winter boots and wellies into car, toss in sleeping bags for emergencies, pack thermoses with coffee and cooler of sandwiches for trip and drive away.

Leaving Wednesday. Realized we have appt for 30,000 check up with car in shop on Monday, then promised DD2 I would go to some sort of teacher conference about kindergarten readiness for DGD2 Wednesday am. That left time on Tuesday for Thu to fit me in to cut off my fingernails so I can do work. They have been growing since before Christmas since we had Covid and couldn't get out. I can't cut them since they are acrylic and will shatter, so have to go in. At the moment I look like an old emperor of China with claws.

Will probably take 2 nights on the road, Wednesday and Thursday. Hopefully arrive on Friday, March 11. Will come straight to either Groveton or Lindale, wherever you are - I will call when on the road.

 

[farmerjan]

2 nights on the road????? MARCH 11 th????? You lost a month there @Ridgetop

 

[Baymule]

Good grief! Are you going to build me a new house? LOL LOL

I'm in Lindale, sitting in recliner. @Lstewart86 and her husband, plus a friend of theirs, plus Neighbor Ron, and me, moved the rest of the house furniture out today and took it to Groveton. I have a recliner, refrigerator, end table with lamp and a bunch of little stuff to pack up. We had a good time today and yesterday. The house in Groveton is full! Now to build shelter for sheep and dogs, plus pens and fence.

 

[Baymule]

2 nights on the road????? MARCH 11 th????? You lost a month there @Ridgetop

She must be pitching another hissy fit!

 

[Ridgetop]

OOPS!

FEBRUARY 11.

DH said any tools we need that I didn't pack we would just "run to the Lowes" and pick them up! He was surprised when I said the new place in Groveton was 30 minutes from any Lowes. However, although we probably won't need all the tools, I always pack for any eventualities. In fact, DH and DS1 were surprised that I was ONLY taking the 3 Bosch toolboxes, and 3 other toolboxes. DS1 suggested I take the Sawzall too, but I told him we would not need it. If we decide to run water lines, we can do a run to Lowes for the PVC pipes, fittings, glue, and pipe cutter. I did pack a couple of pipe wrenches. LOL

 

[Baymule]

You just don't run to anywhere in Trinity county. Groveton is the county seat and has dirt/gravel roads. Besides the courthouse, Groveton has a half size grocery store and a couple of restaurants. There are no big stores in the county. Got to go to Lufkin or Crockett, same distance either way. 30 miles to anywhere to do any shopping.

 

[Mini Horses]

The tools issue is apparently a familial problem -- as in if parents bought, it's "family" property!! Well. Seems to be that way here!!! Past couple months, I've fought back. I took things from DS and dared him.....when he found missing, asked me, and I replied " how's it feel?", while walking away without apology or return. Brought some of that to front of brain for him. We're working through ownership courtesy.

@Ridgetop, Are we to assume DH is ok after ER run????

Sounds like fence and shelter for animals will be the MAIN need once you arrive...this month. Not next! . But most of us would love to skip Feb!!

With this crew and work.....hope someone has a CAMERA!!!??!!!

 

[Baymule]

We will definitely get pictures to mark the event!