Ridgetop - our place and how we muddle along

[Ridgetop]

I can't believe that your doctor has hours on Saturday's.... even just to make appts. Forget that around here.

He doesn't. I forgot today was Saturday. Will have to call on the road on Monday. At least I got the number in my phone.

Went to Home Depot and found out that the blinds I wanted that showed up on their website are online order only! However, while there remembered to check in plumbing and found the riser for the shower head we needed. DS1 and DH keep bumping their heads on the current shower head. Came home and gave it to DS1 for his birthday. Went down to the milk shed and moved stuff off the shelves onto another that was half empty. Then took the shelf apart, carried all parts upstairs (2 flights), and washed all the parts. They are ready to load. Then found my 3 cattle stanchion heads that I brought home from Yelm, dragged them upstairs, and loaded them in the truck. Found a bucket of gate parts and brought those up too. I still have to bring up the paint sprayer and parts to load in the trailer. Then did a couple texts for DH (I wish he would learn to use his phone but then I get help with mine from DS1). Did a couple business emails that needed doing. Tried to make appointments for DH and found out that it was Saturday not Friday. Now have to go into an account and change the password so I can access it. Somehow it got changed or deleted. I really don't like computers - I think their artificial intelligence likes to make trouble for humans. They are probably chortling their mechanical laugh as we try to figure out what happened.


Tomorrow DS1 and I will trim 5 sets of sheep hooves. When we return, I will give Selenium shots. I need to order Epinephrine. I got a prescription from my vet. I used to keep it on hand - back in the day when you could get all your animal meds online without prescriptions. Never needed it but sure as I don't have it my favorite ewe will go into anaphylactic shock. Tomorrow I will do laundry, change the sheets, and pack our bags - not much to pack since I have already packed a bunch of clothes to wear and leave in Texas. Also have to pack my laptop and all the wires and stuff. I already have the files and docs in the computer bag for the NCRS appointment. DH will go get dry ice while DS1 and I do the sheep. Then I will pack some meat to take and wrap that cooler in insulation blankets. It better ride in the truck cab. Also pack drinks, lunches, and snacks in coolers for DS1's truck and ours.

 

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

Sandi Brock on YouTube is in Canada I think, she has a huge flock and has all her pregnant ewes together in a big barn, then puts up temporary fencing to create jugs to separate the new mamas and lambs when they give birth or shortly after. You might look at her layout and see if you could do something similar with your barn?

 

[Ridgetop]

Thanks - will do.

 

[Ridgetop]

Last post before "running silent". Had a nice birthday celebration for DS1 last night at DD1's. Pizza and 2 cakes because no one checked to see who was bringing one. (Typical! )

DS1 and DS2 went in pool with Elizabeth, Maisie, Daniel, Annabel in flotation jacket with tow strap, and DDIL2 with baby Nicholas. Robert ran around outside of pool. Told his mommy to put on his life jacket but she said he refused to wear it so no need since he was not in pool. I would have forced him into it regardless, since my theory is that any toddler or person unable to swim should wear one when laying around a body of deep water. But I'm not his mom and with dad and uncle in pool just tried to keep an eye on him. Naturally with all the splashing, jumping, diving, and uncles throwing kids around in pool he fell in. Mom screamed, uncle grabbed him, dad let go of Annabel's life vest tow strap to swim to scene. DDIL2 still holding Nicholas on steps grabbed tow strap of life vest on Annabel before she floated off. Mass confusion reigned among adults - kids did not realize Robert had fallen in until he started screaming. Robert was fine, had actually done floating procedure he learned last year at swim classes. Suggested they put him in life vest now and put him back into pool to swim a la falling off horse get - back on immediately theory but instead he clung like a limpet to mom. He remained in pool sitting on steps with her. No life vest, again, I am not his mother. However, no harm done this time so . . . .

DD2 and DSIL2 had brought their dog, 7-month-old black German Shepherd. It was running around with Sirius, DD1's 2 year old Lab. Nice dog but after DD2 ad DSIL2 left, DD1 told us the true story of how DD2 and DSIL2 (perpetually broke. and living in 2 BR 3rd floor apartment) got this dog. Story DSIL2 told DH was that someone was going to abandon the dog and was giving it away. He kindly took it for free to save it from pound. Real story is the 3-month-old puppy was offered to them by owner. They went to see puppy and said they would take it. Then owner said price is $800. Instead of saying we'll think about it, or "No", DSIL2 was embarrassed that owner would think he could not afford $800 (which was the truth) so he paid for dog. They didn't get permission from landlord to have this large dog in their apartment. DSIL2 said he doesn't want to tell manager because there is a pet fee he doesn't want to pay and may not give permission. This is why I won't rent to relatives, particularly DSIL2. Sooner or later someone in this family will end up with another dog when DSIL2 and DD2 get tired of taking care of it in a 3rd floor apartment. They have so far gone through 2 cats, 2 guinea pigs, and a rabbit, all of which they have given away because they were too much work. Now this large dog and we all know how much they cost to feed. If we were closer to moving date, I would figure that DS2 could take the dog eventually and have a nice German Shepherd for protection when we remove our Anatolians. DSIL2's half-baked theory is that he and DD2 will want a dog in Texas when they move next year and now he has one. Talk about the cart before the horse! Just when we thought he was improving he has returned to Doofus status. DD2 loves him so we will have to accept him. And he is a good daddy to his girls. We must acknowledge that DD2 is not guiltless in the lie. She carefully did not mention getting a dog for 3 months until Doofus called to ask if he could bring his dog over for a family gathering, letting the cat out of the bag.

I am doing the last load of laundry including sheets, before we leave tomorrow am early. DH "plans" to get up at 4 am and leave. He planned that last time too, and then went back to sleep and tried to blame me. Anyway, he has been watching the weather channel and showed me yesterday that the heat advisory is all along the south. That is how he plans to go since it is "shorter". I asked why we didn't just go the northern route through Flagstaff which is not having the "intense heat advisory" and he said we d=could go that way if I insisted. DUH? Why take chances in triple digit heat when we can travel in 90+ degree heat? The difference in miles? About 50. Men! We also have to toss a couple of tarps into the trailer since we may hit a few rainstorms on the way and will want to cover the furniture to avoid water damage. DH is checking the weather again.

Getting the duffel to pack now. We will have a small suitcase with a couple changes of clothes, to take into the motel at night. I am bringing swimsuits and we can stop around 7pm, have supper, and swim. Then up early for breakfast by 6 am and on the road. It takes 3 days to get to Texas, and only 2 days home. Go figure! But then I like to get to our Texas locations during daylight hours to get set up, while we usually arrive at our CA house around dusk. Now it won't matter if we pull in late to the Texas house since we have beds made up there, and can unload first thing in the am. Maybe Texas in only 2 days!

Levi (our fencing guy) went to Colorado this week for vacation. I wonder if he hit the big hailstorm in Colorado Springs. He will be back next week. DS1 is going to leave for home before we do since he will be finished unloading and doing some of the minor brush cutting around the house that DH wants to get done. There are junk bushes and small trees growing along the welded pipe fence behind the house yard, and around the barn we need to do some cleanup work. We need to replace a sheet if galvanized roofing in the barn which blew off. Levi can do it fairly cheaply for just the 1 or 2 pieces so will hire him while his guys are in the property. DH wants to extend the barn to the sides with open pole barn sides. We will do those ourselves. DH and DS1 are irritating me by telling me that i shouldn't get up to do those things. "Don't get on the ladder to get into the loft", "Don't try to move those heavy things", "You can't paint the new house because you should not be up on the ladder"! Don't, Don't, Don't! Really getting tired of this. Granted, sometimes I am not as steady on my feet on the ground, but on a ladder I can't move around so. . . ? ! And when DH watches me climb on a chair to empty a cupboard, then says I "can't" be on a ladder to paint I really get peeved! However, I have found that if I do the ladder stuff in another room or in the shed when they are not watching I can do anything I want! Even if I fall down, I can probably crawl to my feet and they will never know. After all they didn't realize the fence panel fell on me and even after I told them and kept showing them how my entire calf was purple they didn't seem bothered! Maybe it is just lip service to make them feel better since they know that I will do what I want anyway! LOL AHA and they can say "We told you not to do that"!

Heading out soon to trim hooves. Getting stuff packed. DH will go this afternoon to get dry ice. I need to go in milk shed freezer to select some meat to bring to TX. Not too much meat since it is a small freezer compartment and I need space for the Blue Bell.

DH says he wants to see about a Connex while we are back there. But first the Generac so we can bring a freezer back with meat. (Or not having AC in TX.) Don't want to take a chance on the power dying while we are in CA and losing all our meat. Not to mention the nasty business of cleaning out rotten meat from the freezer. Been there, done that on rentals. Had to drag the fridge outside, empty it, hose it out, spray it with bleach, hose it out again, spray bleach again, close door, open it hose it out again, scrub it inside and out, hose it out again and leave the door open outside for 24 hours. Final spray and wipe down with bleach before moving it back into the house. Not only did the tenants steal our well pump and wiring, but that time "someone" also stole the electric panel box!

Pack overnight bags, trim hooves, close and pack up computer, load everything for tomorrow departure. Off to Yantis!

 

[SageHill]

Definitely the north route. And why not cover the furniture with tarps before you start - if you hit rain there's no last minute scramble.
Safe travels.

 

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

Drive safely!

 

[Baymule]

Y’all have a safe trip, definitely take the cooler route. Hot tires can blow out. You don’t need that.

 

[murphysranch]

Waiting to hear from you on the other side. Safe driving!

 

[Bruce]

However, while there remembered to check in plumbing and found the riser for the shower head we needed. DS1 and DH keep bumping their heads on the current shower head.

I don't recall, have I ever mentioned HAND HELD SHOWER ON A SLIDE ROD!!!!!!

 

[Ridgetop]

I don't recall, have I ever mentioned HAND HELD SHOWER ON A SLIDE ROD!!!!!!

Yes and will do for other bathroom. The MBA has a hand-held shower sliding rod in addition to the low overhead shower. Pete McDonald had lost his foot in WWII and had the handheld installed. The riser is for the overhead shower. I have noticed though that both DS1 and DH are developing hunched shoulders so maybe I didn't need to buy the extension.

Arrived late Tuesday night. Brought in overnight bags, coolers of food, and takeout Popeye's chicken. Ate, unloaded the coolers into freezer and fridge and went to bed. Noticed that the power had gone off, because the stove clock was blinking, but don't think anything thawed since we had a large bag of ice cubes in the freezer and they were still cubes.

Tomorrow Generator Geeks guy from Greenville is coming out to give us a bid. We will be running 2 freezers, 2 fridges, the AC, heat, hot water heaters, barn lights, and all electric appliances. Need one that will run everything. Then will have propane guy come out to do his bid on installation of and filling of propane tank. Running propane to house for stove, etc. can come later if necessary.

The fence guys are finished welding and installing the corner and interim braces. Now they are driving the fence posts. The wore s arriving tomorrow morning. Sta-Tuff felt bad that they messed up the order so they paid for FedEX to deliver all 12 rolls of 6' wire. McCoys will deliver first thing in the am. The fence guys are very nice. One fellow said that he didn't wear his special T-shirt because he didn's want to offend us. I made him tell me what it said "Don't California my Texas"! LOL After chatting with him for a bit he allowed as how we were ok for Californians. Told him Baymule was trying real hard to teach me to talk Texan "fahr aints".
After they put in the wire they are running we should have a couple extra rolls which we will use on the driveway to make a second entry to barnyard/sheep area to protect dogs when opening gates.

Anyway, next morning after arrival we all loaded the stock trailer. DH and DS1 carried in the desk (2 parts) and the dresser. Then we brought all the boxes into the house, they dropped the stock trailer, and unloaded the black truck into the shed. Finally they unladed the flatbed in the barn. The fencing crews used their forklift to help remove the 24' pipe sections and the corral lids. We will buy them a case of beer. DH worried beer might offend them since we are in the bible belt. I told him this is Texas, they'll drink the beer on Saturday and go to church on Sunday, like the country song. The guy doing the welding also welded the stock trailer where DH ran into it with the flatbed on the last trip. I think we should offer him $$ for that.

While DH and DS1 were working on unloading the flatbed and brown truck, I started on the boxes. Worked from 7am to 11:30 pm unloading the trailer, bringing in the boxes, opening them and unloading into cupboards, dresser and closets. By then I couldn't walk! Oh yeah, fixed dinner too. This morning finished unloading all except last 3 boxes of cleaning supplies still to put away! I will have to rearrange all the cupboard contents eventually when we are actually living here, but for now I have almost everything put away. Just need to collapse the boxes for another load!

In a few minutes DS1 and I will go to Lowes for a couple items of hardware. I plan to buy some of that wire shelving and cut it into pieces to fit in the pantry cabinet. One side of the pantry has no shelves since it was designated for brooms. I brought a rack to install in the laundry room to hand the brooms and mops. The vacuum lives in the front hall closet. I need shelves in the pantry! I will also pick up a couple hooks for bathrobes. Eventually I will have to remove the bottom shelf of the closets and double rod everything. Mrs. McD was short, and the single rod is very low - my dress drags on the floor!

I can't install any pullouts since I forgot to bring my sabre saw or the Sawzall to remove the stationary shelves in these cupboards. The main problem with older cabinets (1972) is that they have fixed (non-adjustable) shelves. Consequently, you can't adjust the shelf height for taller items. I think some cabinet "renovations" will be in order next time. However, I am taking measurements for making the pullouts at home.

One thing I noticed is that the bathroom vanities are 24" deep. That is much deeper than standard vanities. They are also shorter. I can't get 6' vanities unless a custom order $$$ so I am thinking about replacing them with kitchen cabinets. I can then do either granite or quartz countertops or for the time being use 6' Formica stock kitchen countertops. Some of the patterns are very pretty. The straight 6' piece will be easily installed. Since the vanities are 6' I am wondering if we should bother splitting the plumbing for a double sink (good for resale) or just put in a single sink with a nice long usable countertop.

DS1 has been installing the fans, but ran into a problem with the screw lengths on the original installation. Naturally the only stuff I did not bring from the tool shed was the electrical box with all the different electrical screws! We also have to change out the plugs for 3 prong. Will pick up a contractor pack of those today as well.


Of course, I am in pain and can hardly move - my entire body is obviously angry with me! Maybe I will use one of those battery carts at Lowes!