Ridgetop - our place and how we muddle along

[frustratedearthmother]

Thanks Mike - great article!

I did hear a blurb about it on the news just a few minutes ago. I've not been watching much politics though and I was curious about Biden/Harris taking credit for it? I haven't heard anything about that and was curious.

It's also interesting that Pfizer hasn't taken any government money from operation Warp Speed in the development of this vaccine so Trump probably won't get to take credit for it either.

 

[Ridgetop]

If he loses the election (still hopeful) they will bee able to charge for it too.

Don't want to think about politics - too distressing.

The weather here is remaining cool and brisk, but no more rain so far. Fires are occasionally occurring but so far the smoke has all gone with the rain and the views are beautiful. I am just enjoying how the hills look in their summer coats of brown. I do love how they change color. Green after the spring rains, gold when the wild mustard blooms, then
y green as long as we have rain so . . . . I just enjoy what there i s when t is there.

Some of my ewes are huge! One was sprawled out on her side and her rear leg was sticking out horizontally to the ground. Her giant belly was sticking up into the air. I had to look carefully to make sure she wasn't dead. She looked like she had died and her carcass was bloating!!!

DD2 and the Maid of Honor came over yesterday evening to have me do the hem on the bridesmaid's dress. Summer is a size 6, and very tall, and she was wearing 3" heels but the dress was still about 4" too long !!! The girls wondered why it was so long. I told them it was so the bridal salon could charge a fortune in alteration fees. I really think that is where they make their money these days. When DD1 got married the alterations were included in the cost of the dress. Now they charge you for everything. I knew I should have done DD2's hem myself! I could have done all of the alterations myself, but like DD1 said, why stress myself.

Anyway, I am going to do the hem and baste it in and then have Summer come back to make sure that the length is right. The girls wanted it to almost brush the floor. Any change of shoes and it will be too long but that is not my problem. This dress is nice but almost the same as the first one that did not need alterations. Slightly different fabric. Who knows what goes in in the head of young women any more? And who really cares either!

Finally figures out a headpiece that DD2 liked. v She has also decided to put some glitter on her black hair to "make it not so boring". These young brides don't understand that the bride is never boring! LOL

Back to the sheep - the 2 "bred" ewes that I bought in May did not lamb when supposed to so will lamb covered by my backup sire. Disappointing. I should have let at least one go and put the price towards another ewe. Live and learn. However, I do like these ewes and know their bloodlines. I have a lot from this one line and they have good maternal instincts, lamb easily, milk well, and produce nice lambs. I just paid too much since they did not produce any lambs out of a different ram. I was hoping to add some diversity to my flock with ewe lambs from a different sire however, the risk you take when purchasing bred/exposed ewes is your own. Besides they often produce ram lambs anyway. LOL

DH and DS1 have decided they need to build a new hayshed. DS1 has been using our metal corral panels to fence off the front pasture for summer grazing. He removed the panels around the hayshed and redid the gate into it to keep the sheep and Josie the Mule out. The other day he went out and noticed something wrong on the back. Apparently one of the 4 x 10' 3/8" plywood panels had warped enough that Josie the Mule could rip it off the barn. We blamed poor JtM but actual evidence showed that the sheep had been squeezing inside to eat the haybales in the back for about a week! DH and DS1 did a temp fix and are now in serious discussion of building a hay barn/hay shelter. Any one remember Mommy Dearest suggesting we might want to build a new hay barn last year when DH built his retaining wall behind the tool shed? He ran out of blocks and it is not quite finished. He has done some backfilling but due to the wedding expenses didn't buy any more block. Now that project (like so many of DH's projects) has been out on hold while he and DS1 build a haybarn. he never bought more hay for the winter while prices were down since he didn't want to store it on the field. Now we are getting to the point when he must bring in another 2 loads of hay and the hayshed is collapsing.

Mommy Dearest has decided to step aside and let her big, strong men deal with this problem. Mommy Dearest is dealing with the wedding. Mommy Dearest has tranquilizers to help her through the hay predicament if necessary. Also a liquor cabinet full of wine. No $$$ but Mommy Dearest won't care after a tranquilizer or glass of wine.

DH and DS1 are trying to decide in the placement of the new hay shelter. It must be in the lee of the Connexes since that will shelter it from our strong winds and bad storms. Yes, Southern California does get hit with some very bad storms. DH and DS1 are arguing with each other over where the gate should be. It must be located so the truck and trailer can back up to unload the hay. DH's hearing is so bad now that it causes him to misunderstand and he thought DS1 wanted the gate to go in the back where the truck and trailer could not access. I had to translate for them. Poor DH! He is really having trouble with his hearing even with his hearing aids in. I suggested they use 4x4 posts and just put a metal roof in the hay shed. I am only a woman though, so apparently can't understand the difficulties of building this structure. Not to worry though - I won't share my wine or tranqs!!! So there! LOL

On the other hand, I plan to cut out and sell about 5-6 sheep, not counting the lambs that will be going to auction. My Armenian client wants a couple 50 lb. rams though so I should have those in another month or so. That will be a quick $150 each, no commission. It will buy 4 x 4's or metal roofing. The yearling and late spring ewe lambs will go to the auction if I don't get any interest from buyers after sending out my flyers. I need to call and see what prices are right now to decide whether to hold them for after Christmas or maybe send a couple now. If no one is selling much right now, I might be better off to send a couple before Christmas.

I have decided to go through my cabinets and give my daughters and daughters-in-law my buffet chafing dishes. I won't be holding big parties anymore, and the girls might as well have them as have me store them. I am also going to talk to them about my pretty serving platters and other dishes. They might as well have some if them now too. I have several punch bowls, with 30 glass punch cups, the chafing dishes, serving dishes, etc. I could give some of them as Christmas gifts this year. Money is tight and they are in the original boxes so why not? I have decided to start using my Waterford crystal for Thanksgiving dinners and then put it in the dishwasher. A good friend who inherited her mother's and both grandmother's crystal said she started doing that and nothing broke so why not. Like she said, that way she could use it and enjoy it. She had no children and only 1 niece. She said no one needed 4 sets of expensive crystal goblets so she would use them, wash them in the dishwasher, and if they broke it didn't matter. She had a point.

Eventually all this stuff needs to go to my daughters and daughters-in-law so why not now. They will eventually be holding their own large parties so should have the benefit of the stuff now while they are young and can enjoy the work fun. LOL Once DS2 and DDIL2 have their own pace I might give them some of the antique and collectible furniture. DD2 will also get some. DD1 doesn't want a lot of it since it is not her taste. Eventually I will go through my paintings too and start to give them away. That way I can see the children enjoying them. DS1 already has a couple of paintings he remembered from our old house growing up. He had asked for them for his Reno apartment and I gave them to him. They are packed and stored now. Eventually I will put them up in his room. I would like to find a place to move to that has a small apartment or guesthouse for him so he will have his own space with us. That was the good thing about the Yelm place, we would have fixed up the 2 room bunkhouse into a small apartment for DS1. Eventually he could have rented out the front house after we were gone for additional income. I can't stop grieving for the Yelm house and lost animal keeping zoning, although the thought of living that close to my sister in liberal Washington sends chills down my spine!!! LOL

Well, time to work on some more stories to submit to a couple of publications. Also a follow up to my Guardian Dog article in the Dorper Report magazine.

 

[thistlebloom]

I think it's good to gift your kids with things they can use now. My boys don't seem to be sentimental about family items, so that makes things a little easier to pare down.

I think your sheep and Josie are in cahoots!

 

[Baymule]

Why move all that stuff? Paper plates, crystal plastic forks and red solo cups are the way to go!

 

[Bruce]

I've not been watching much politics though and I was curious about Biden/Harris taking credit for it? I haven't heard anything about that and was curious.

I've heard not one thing about Biden/Harris taking credit for Pfizer's vaccine. I'd like to see a link to that.

It's also interesting that Pfizer hasn't taken any government money from operation Warp Speed in the development of this vaccine so Trump probably won't get to take credit for it either.

Of course he will.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I've herd not one thing about Biden/Harris taking credit for Pfizer's vaccine. I'd like to see a link to that.

I hadn't heard that either. That's why I hoped she could post where she heard it.

However, weddings must take precedence over politics! I hope the wedding goes well.

 

[Ridgetop]

Apparently now the CDC says when eating Thanksgiving dinner you must bring all your own dishes and silverware to eat with! And your own food to eat! And sit 6' away from each other! With Gov. Gruesom saying to wear masks while eating and no more than 3 households 9we have to choose which children we can invite), Thanksgiving sounds delightful this year!
Instead of Thanksgiving this year our family will be having a BLM rally. After eating dinner we cook here without masks on Grandma's china and silver, shouting at each other in family tradition, we will go out looting for some really good Christmas gifts.

 

[Baymule]

I want to go shopping with you!
Sounds like fun! Of course we will wear our masks!

 

[Bruce]

I read today that Gov. Newsom went to a birthday party at a restaurant with a dozen friends. Kinda "do what I say not what I do". Too many hypocrites in government.

 

[Baymule]

I read the same thing. It smacks of dictatorship.