Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[farmerjan]

Monday.... started at 43 overnight and the sun came out... some clouds and sun but decent day. Helped to dry it up a little.
We only got another .1 or so ........ So much for the "significant rain" that we were supposed to get. It helped but not what was expected.

Temps got up to 51 today... 59 in the direct sun late this afternoon... but it was really cool all day.

I spent a bunch of it on the phone with a farmer, other calls, all the stupid "potential spam" calls that kept interrupting me..... Then went to the bank, and stopped at store for a couple plastic "tubs"... needed some shallow ones for the plants to be put in so I can move them easier in the room with the washing machine....
picked up a couple cheese balls to take with me tomorrow night too. I have lots of crackers in boxes to take. Went by the local wood working shop, known them for 20 years.... he used to work on the dairy I milked on part-time years ago.,... and they bought a big shop and do some serious "high end" cabinetry and wood working and such. Anyway, spent time catching up with the wife.... and will drop off the chair and the old mirror that has come out of the frame that goes on the older bureau.... It is going to cost and I told her that they didn't need to do the mirror as a restoration so much as it just needed to be fixed so I can put it back...it is not an expensive "antique", but it is useless the way it is... The chair legs have slipped and gone sorta sideways... I don't want them to break or have it wind up down and ruined... and I cannot seem to get them straightened up to re glue... let someone that knows how to do it, fix it. I like that chair... it was an "Ethan Allen" chair from when my ex worked there part time 50 years ago.... and it is comfortable to sit on. Not doing me any good like it is so might as well get it fixed right...

Also stopped at the dumpsters on the way by and took the metal (cat food cans etc) and plastic and a 50 lb size bag of paper that I did not want to shred (lots of plastic window envelopes, slick paper stuff). Ran into a friend that used to work at the mill part time with me, then was at the PT where I went after the ankle and the knees... and we talked for quite a while.....
Went by co-op to maybe get the tire balanced but there was a line of cars... forgot it was the end of the month for vehicle inspections... so didn't even go in... I'll get it done.... not like I drive the car very far with the very slight shimmy in it.....

I also went up to the farm, brought the cow and calves in.,... fed the weaned holstein and the little black one on the other side of the barn in the bunk... and put hay in the bunk for them and left her in for the night... opened the gate for them to use both sides of the barn and the calves can go out through the creep gate... I will do them early tomorrow, so I can get cleaned up to go to a friend's house for a little while... and put her back out after eating her grain tomorrow. DS will have to take in hay tomorrow too... I haven't talked to him so don't know if he got the truck hydraulic cylinder fixed.

Getting colder out tonight... down near freezing... then temps dropping to be in the teens nights and MAYBE getting up to 30 by the weekend.... BRRRR....

Just talked to DS, he got the welding done to get the hydraulic cylinder fixed... needs to get a few different fittings to reroute the hoses but it is working for now... That's good. Said he is going to take the front of the other truck apart, maybe tomorrow... to see what he needs to get to get it fixed... since it won't be as cold tomorrow as it will the end of the week... at least get it apart....

I'm going to put a movie in and work on some more papers I am going through. Thinking some yogurt since I am not too hungry.... Oh yeah, put tea out today in the sun, need to get it made and into the fridge.

 

[fuzzi]

My parents tried to invest in good furniture. I own two Ethan Allen Essex chairs that we used growing up (dining/kitchen), and a bachelor chest which was my dresser as a child. They're all a little worn in spots, with a few scratches, but still solid enough.

 

[farmerjan]

@fuzzi .....At one time, Ethan Allen furniture was considered one of the best brands to buy. My ex worked part-time (maybe even full time for awhile, I forget) in one of the shops that made the prototypes of different designs, and then they "pictured them" in settings for the catalogs and for promotions. Got a few things over the time he was there... but this chair is my favorite.... Lasted over 50 years and several moves....

Temps are dropping... down to 40 already, which is colder than it was last night and still dropping...
Winter is coming back....

 

[fuzzi]

@fuzzi .....At one time, Ethan Allen furniture was considered one of the best brands to buy. My ex worked part-time (maybe even full time for awhile, I forget) in one of the shops that made the prototypes of different designs, and then they "pictured them" in settings for the catalogs and for promotions. Got a few things over the time he was there... but this chair is my favorite.... Lasted over 50 years and several moves....

Temps are dropping... down to 40 already, which is colder than it was last night and still dropping...
Winter is coming back....

About 4 years ago my dad came to visit, for the last time. He was 90, living in an RV, and realized he wanted to put down roots near one of his daughters.

We'd go out to thrift stores on Saturdays, "indoor yard sales", just to get out and spend time together. One day we were at the local Habitat for Humanity Restore, and my dad found two matching Ethan Allen pieces: a dresser and a desk. They had a "buy one get one half price" sale.

I splurged.

My bachelor's chest is the one on the left, darker with age. It also has twice the hardware.

 

[Mini Horses]

Rains....I got about 1/4" from those fronts, lot of wind at times. Yeah, they thought more & worse but we lucked out. My cold starts wed ... 30-40 days with 20+ nights. Brrrr. Well, it is January! Winter. Don't like it anyway our weather is a day or 2 apart. Seems our warm weeks are gone now.

 

[farmerjan]

Chilly day. started at 36 and the sun was out for a little bit. Now at noon it is 54 but the wind is brisk so feels alot colder. Heading up to feed cow then let her out... will leave calves in with grain in bunk. Supposed to get some showers later... Not a very good day to do anything outside with this wind.

Then get changed later and go out for a few hours to friends' .... I will never see the ball drop though... BTDT too many years in the past. Tomorrow will be just another day.....

 

[Baymule]

Sadly, cheaper Chinese furniture imports took over American markets and one by one, American companies folded and went out of business. Young people are not impressed with antiques or furniture you can keep for years or even generations. Most want cheap crap they can get tired of, toss it and get something else.

Ethan Allen was one of the casualties.

 

[farmerjan]

Agree on the younger generations not wanting something that will last for years.... But last I knew Ethan Allen did not go out of business. They got away from the "colonial" type furniture they used to specialize in... went more "modern and contemporary" in design.... and the company went private and no longer on the open market/stock exchange... but it is now 90 years or so since the original 2 men started the company that evolved into "Ethan Allen Furniture" company.....
My ex worked there in the early 70's..... in Conn. before I moved south....

 

[Margali]

And it is frustrating for the few youngsters that want solid wood but don’t have $1000+ per piece. I get ours from IKEA or thrifting.

 

[Baymule]

Thrifting is the best way to get fine pieces.
I used to have an upholstery business. I loved recovering old furniture.