Ridgetop - our place and how we muddle along

[SageHill]

DS1 transferred all my pix onto the computer. I took a page out of DH's book - I acted all dumb and begged him to help me. Worked well. Wished I had thought of it 50 years ago instead of learning all the stuff I did from DH so he just has me get on with it. LOL

Here is DGD1 with her Mission San Rafael
View attachment 97347View attachment 97348View attachment 97349View attachment 97350View attachment 97351.Fields with cows, Indian Tule hut with mom and child, grape vines with pickers, drying hides.

AWESOME!!!!!! (way better than the sugar cube ones)

 

[Bruce]

Maybe @Ridgetop is using internet explorer

True, I forgot about it since I haven't had to use a PC for 10 years. If she has an older computer she could be using IE, otherwise the newer version is Internet Edge

 

[Finnie]

True, I forgot about it since I haven't had to use a PC for 10 years. If she has an older computer she could be using IE, otherwise the newer version is Internet Edge

I have to admit, I was a staunch user of IE because I don’t like change. Kids were always telling me to use a better browser. When they changed IE to Edge, I took that opportunity to wean myself off IE and switch to Chrome on the desktop. But I rarely use that either. I’d say I use my phone for 99% of my internet needs.

 

[Ridgetop]

What are these things of which you speak?

I am competent on Word, but browsing? I am lucky to find anything on the internet. And although my SIL has a PhD in computers, and DS1 has a couple AAs in computers, and all my grandchildren are much more competent than I am, I have no idea what you all are talking about.

I have a new phone - DSil1 got us new Google phones for Christmas. I had just figure out my I-Phone after 5 years. Now I have no idea what my new phone is doing half the time. It keeps trying to hook me up with Google but I don't have an account. It also has Chrome but I avoid that since I don't know what that is. I suppose I will have to try to figure out some of the items. If Chrome is what I need, I will try it. My email is on aol so I don't want to switch to Google since all my business stuff is in files on aol.

Anyway, I ill have to try essing around with my phone. The worst that can happen is that I will get a tongue lashing from DS1 when he has to fix everything I do wrong. Been there, done that.

Got a phone call from the tenant in Yantis this am. He has another problem with the new house they are buiding. The contractor got the wrong cabinets and they can't be installed, have to go back. This means that the granite counter tops can't be installed. He still hoped to be out of the house by April 1, but we told him to take his time. He had a good deal to offer me though. Since he put a $1200 damage deposit down when he moved in, he will get that back when he moves out. He said instead of figuring out $40/day for any days he remains in the house after April 1, he suggested that instead of returning the damage deposit and we pay him $1400 and he will leave the almost new washer and dryer and a newer television set in the house for us. Since it would cost us $1200-1400 for a washer/dryer combo, plus having to pick them up from Lowes, wrestle them inside, and hook them up, I said ok. We were going to have to buy a set almost immediately since we would be working and living in the house and would need laundry anyway. This means I get a washer/dryer for $200, plus the TV and 2 king size beds (which he was leaving for us anyway) already in place n the house. Vikki already bought new pillows and sheets for the beds too. Since them staying in the house will also be beneficial since they will be watching after it for us, I thought this was a good deal. These are really nice people and this helps us both. He will get a new laundry set delivered and installed in the new house and not have to deal with moving it himself and we will have laundry available in Yantis immediately. Win - Win.

Doing the missions has become a tradition with our family every since DD1 did her first mission. We get excited every time the next child goes into 4th grade. Here in California it is known as The Mission Grade. LOL With the first mission (DD1) the 4th grade teacher was new to teaching and did not give any requirements for the mission. Too bad for her since we built Mission La Purisma on a 4' x 6' sheet of plywood. DD1 got so interested that we had to add another 4' x 4' piece with the outlying buildings and water system she insisted we include. DD1 and her siblings were enthralled with the miniature scenes and as each one approached 4th grade they clamored to help build another mission. None could match that first one though since the teachers had come to realize that when the Ridgetop lot did anything they really did it. You can't do as much with a miserable 24" x 30" perimeter. The only child that did not get to build a really good miniature mission was DGS 2. Hs 4th grade year was during covid, but he convinced his mother to let him build his mission on the computer using Minecraft computer legos. The Ridgetop crowd was disappointed but he was happy since he was really into Minecraft that year. DS1 also got to build a pyramid in 6th grade using sugar cubes which he thoroughly enjoyed. Every year we say that the next one will get the Mission and we wont have to worry about buiding another one. But each 4th grader wants the fun for themselves . . . .

Today the rain has cleared up and although it is a mud pit on the field, the sun is finally out. Need a hay delivery but can't take a chance on having them out today to get stuck in the mud. Their delivery schedule is full for Saturday so am waiting to see if we can get a delivery tomorrow. More rain expected next week again and lots more black clouds moving in.

This weekend we will move the ewes up from the breeding pen into the barn and creep. They are heading into lambing in the next week so we will get them into the barn where we can transfer them into jugs as they lamb. The lambs currently still in the creep are 4+ months old and will be moved into the new pen below the milking shed. That pen has plenty of cover but the feeding situation is harder. They can't go on the big field because we don't have enough feeder space for them in the big corral. I don't want them down in front because even with the dogs, there might be more access for coyotes to get them. I made up the list of ewes to move into the breeding pen now once Lewis is back the ram pen. They won't get bred now since any that get bred now will lamb in August and I am not going through that again! The ewes we sort out can stay in the breeding pen and we will move Moyboy in May, and then change out the ewes in June and maybe change the ram. That will get lambs on the ground before we make our move with the flock to Texas.

Well got to do my end of the year report for the business stuff - ugh. Almost as bad as taxes and I can't finish them since I need to have some information that DH gave to the tax preparer. Every year I ask him to keep copies of the stuff I need for the report and every year he "forgets". Since I need a copy of the tax return to submit, as well as the report I guess no harm, no foul. Next year I will have to collect the information in advance as we do the taxes.

Going to see if we can order wire and T-posts for pickup in Yantis. Hope to start some fencing this time when we go back. We will take the tractor and equipment back this time too.

Now that our truck is back, we can bring our trailer home. DH went buy to see about getting it and was given a date for next week since they had stuck it way in the back behind the stored trailers. They were not charging us for storage. DH says the trailer place where we do our 5th wheel repairs told him they are going out of business. It is lucky our truck is back and he went by to arrange picking the trailer up. The manager said they were calling everyone to tell them that the trailers all have to be off the 0roperty in 6 weeks. They are leasing the business site, and the owner of the property has decided to sell the property. He is old and has decided to sell and cash out. They are just going to fold the business, I guess. It is a shame since they were good to work with, did good work finished on time, and employed about 12 people.

 

[Bruce]

But I rarely use that either. I’d say I use my phone for 99% of my internet needs.

But you are using a web browser on your phone, right? Just not a Microsoft web browser.

My email is on aol so I don't want to switch to Google since all my business stuff is in files on aol.

Your mail is on an AOL server, AOL isn't a web browser. You may be using an AOL App on the phone to get to your mail. Otherwise you are using a browser to go to AOL.com mail

It also has Chrome but I avoid that since I don't know what that is. I suppose I will have to try to figure out some of the items. If Chrome is what I need, I will try it.

Chrome is Google's web browser. open it. You can search anything on the web. To my knowledge there is no BYH phone app so if you can get here on your phone, you are doing it through a browser. If you aren't getting here on your phone you can by typing Backyard Herds into the search box on Chrome. This forum is the first thing that will come up in the list. Click on it. Then click on the star at the right side of the bar to save it as a bookmark

That screenshot is THIS page

 

[Finnie]

Since he put a $1200 damage deposit down when he moved in, he will get that back when he moves out. He said instead of figuring out $40/day for any days he remains in the house after April 1, he suggested that instead of returning the damage deposit and we pay him $1400 and he will leave the almost new washer and dryer and a newer television set in the house for us

The only thing that confuses me about this is, how many days after April 1 do they expect to be in the house? Because if it’s the whole month, 30 days times $40/day equals $1200. So you each owe each other $1200 and it’s a wash. THEN you are going to pay him $1400 for him to leave the (used) appliances? The only way this is a good deal for you is if he stays significantly less than 30 days. But maybe that is the plan? Except you told him to take his time, so who knows what that will end up as…

But you are using a web browser on your phone, right? Just not a Microsoft web browser.

Yes! On my iPhone I’m using Safari.

@Ridgetop maybe it will help to think of it this way. People talk about “surfing the internet”. But you could also think of it as “browsing on the internet”. Then it makes sense that you need a “browser” to do that.

My hat’s off to you for learning a new phone system! My first smart phone was an iPhone. Then I tried to switch to a Samsung Galaxy, and it was just too strange for me. So I returned it and got another iPhone instead. But I still dream of getting off the Apple bandwagon some day.

 

[Ridgetop]

Their house is almost finished. They thought they would be in March 1 but the weather kept the contractor extending the date to hook up the electric. It is going in underground and the heavy rains kept collapsing the trench. If they stay there, it doesn't cost me anything since we don't pay any utilities, and they will be watching the house since we are not going to rent it again. If we were not planning to be coming out and staying in the house while we are working on the fencing etc. I might worry but otherwise no problem. If they end up staying longer then we can revisit the rent thing. Since they rented the property with us doing nothing - not even painting or cleaning the carpets, and the house needed work, I am happy to go this route. The tenant also did some work himself and didn't ask to be reimbursed.

 

[Ridgetop]

DGD5 - aka little Robert - had his family birthday cake the other night. The BIG party is Sunday April2 for both his birthday and little Nicholas' baptism. DS2 has been weeding out the "itchy weed" (a form of nettle) and planning his Trager menu.

Robert was incredibly cute as he covered his eyes with his hands then placed his hands on his cheeks in an expression of surprise while we sang happy birthday. He tried to blow out the candles himself, then enjoyed his presents and cake. Lots of personality in that one. Nicholas is 15 lbs. now and has figured out that if he kicks hard and throws his arms around he can make the automatic swing bed bounce. Then he laughs a lot. He is getting pretty cute now that he can smile, laugh and babble.

DGD3 - aka Annabel - came over for a playdate and got her presents. Hard to believe that they are both 2 years old already. DD2 decided not to have any celebration for Annabel's birthday so she got her presents yesterday.

The wind had been strong and cold the last week since the rain stopped. The wind has finally started to calm down but it is still chilly - California chilly of course. There is still snow on the mountains I can see from my office window which means that it is colder than normal. Supposed to rain again tomorrow and Wednesday but right now it is blue skies and sunny although chilly.

DS1 brought the pregnant ewes up and moved them into the barn the other day. No lambs yet, but most of them have a marking date for lambs around mid-April. I went down to remove the bars in the creep gate to allow the ewes acccess to lamb. Some are showing udders. OR8 has an udder that is beautiful and large enough to be a 12 lb a day milker. Her udder has attachments that would get her the full 50 points of the 50 point udder score in a dairy goat show. Her pen mate BL14 is huge with no udder showing yet. Both have successfully lambed before so it just goes to show udder development is not dependable in predicting lambing dates. OR8 has been showing a huge udder for the past 10 days, BL14 still has no udder. They lambed 12 days apart last year. Neither has a definite due date since we were out of town with DS1 and neither DD1 nor DSIL2 wrote down the date the ram marked them. You just can't get good help. There are about a dozen in the barn waiting to lamb. The weaned lambs are in the small pen below the milk shed waiting to be turned out with the rest of the flock. DH has stopped feeding in the morning in order to encourage the sheep to eat the green forage in the field before the May cutting deadline from the fire department. I would like to turn out the smaller weaned lambs too. Another 5 or 6 mouths eating forage would be good. Down to 211 bales of alfalfa on our pre-bought supply. Alfalfa is still at $29/bale but is supposed to go down in another month or so when the second cutting begins. The dairies all contract for the first cutting. DH and I are discussing how much we will prebuy this year. If we get to Texas by the end of the year we can get by with about 600 or so bales. Anything we have left when the sheep are transported to Texas we will arrange to bring with us. This summer we can also buy hay in Arizona on the way back from Texas but there is no knowing how much it will be.

When I went into the tool shed to get a cutter, I found a bunch of new boxes. I couldn't remember what they were for until I took one out for a look and realized that they were the boxes I had bought last year to re-box my canning jars. I couldn't transport some of them to Texas in March because the boxes were coming apart and they needed to be repacked so now I will go down and repack them in these new boxes. Next load to Texas coming up. I also want to get some boxes down off the top shelves - they hold old glass kerosene lamps that my Auntie MJ had for her house in Yelm. The power used to go out there all the time so she would use them during power outages. Although we plan to buy a propane generator since we have all electric appliances in Yantis, having the fireplace and kerosene lamps will help get us through until we can fire up the Generac. Since we will also have the 5th wheel with it's propane stove and solar power, we should be able to hold out. Of course, once we have everything set up for an emergency in Yantis, there will be no more freezes or power outages.

I have to sort and do laundry today. Now that DDIL2 is here with both kids, it seems our laundry is always going and we have to make sure to book an opening. LOL

 

[Baymule]

You don’t have to fire up a Generac , they come on automatically. I know that is a huge disappointment, because that’s an opportunity for lots of shouting, directions that nobody pays attention to, and not being able to figure out how to get it started and the house switched over to the Generac. Yep, opportunity lost. Sigh…… you will just have to get used to the momentary blip of no power before the Generac automatically comes on.

Happy Birthday to the grandkids. They are so cute at that age!

 

[Ridgetop]

That is sad since it will give Ridgetop clan no opportunity for the lots of shouting, etc. . . . .

But it will make sure that the frozen food doesn't defrost, and we won't lose any recording on stupid shows.