Ridgetop - our place and how we muddle along

[Ridgetop]

DDIL2 and grandkids are home now from2 month visit to relatives in Philippines. The children have jet lag and are driving their parents (and others) crazy by waking up at night and sleeping most of the day. Yesterday DH came to bed early because he was "tired of watching cartoons all day" instead of his relentless marathon of Fox News. LOL Then he mentioned DS1 would finish loading the trailer his weekend so they could take the load to Yantis. I will stay here and feed.

I caught DH's nasty cough and went to urgent care. The doctor gave me a covid test. I almost asked why bother with a Covid test but didn't. He did a chest x-ray and said it looked clear, but he didn't like the sound of my upper lobe. ??? Put me on antibiotics though. DS1 picked them up and he had me on Amoxicillin and also included a dose of azithromycin. Not sure why both so went to call and found that they had not given me the paperwork when I left. I will take the amoxicillin first and then the
z-pack, I guess. I am hacking up nasty gunk, but hopefully in a day or two after the antibiotics will see a change. DH is better, gunk is clear, and he is coughing hardly at all. I am still in bed mainly to avoid the rest of the family, but also was dizzy and weak so figured that staying in bed and drinking hot water lemon and honey would be best. Also popping elderberry, vita C and zinc gummies.

DH wants to consolidate the ewes again on the main field. They have been running with the rams in different flocks since Thanksgiving. We can consolidate them all on the large field and put the rams together in the small field. Then we have to bring in the new sheep and quarantine them for a while before turning them into the flock. Or after the quarantine we can combine our 5 unbred yearlings with the 3 new yearlings and put them in with a ram. Possibly the new ram. The 2 new mature ewes need to regain some condition before being bred. At the rate we are going, we may as well breed the yearlings for July lambs. I don' want to hold them much past 12 months old to breed.

Have to get up to northern California and pick up those new sheep. Also have to arrange "Christmas" dinner with DS2, DDIL2, grandkids, and rest of family. Have to get better first.

 

[Ridgetop]

Covid test came back negative. Could have told the doctor it would. I have O blood and didn't get Covid even when DH and several household members got 2 years ago.

 

[Baymule]

I’m so sorry you are sick. I hope the antibiotics will do the trick and get you well.
Another load to Texas! That’s progress.

 

[Ridgetop]

I am swilling hot honey and lemon water, popping elderberry jellies, and not eating. A little dizzy but seems to be running its course faster than DH because of earlier antibiotics.

Supposed to be getting rain next week. DH said he wants to try to get out before and beat it to Texas. Hope the weather will hold for the trip there. There is food in the freezer for them. And they can go to the Yantis Cafe for one of their humongous breakfasts. They are planning a turnaround trip - go, drop off stuff, and return. DS1 hopes to take some alfalfa out if there is room in the trailer. He can unload it onto pallets in the large side of the barn.

When they come back DH and I need to drive up to get the 6 new sheep. We'll quarantine them in the barn jugs until just before we leave. I want to blend them into the flock before loading them in case there is a problem. Particularly the rams who will travel in the nose of the small trailer.

I think we will take the horses on another trip. They are not so much work to feed for DDIL2. I want to put the trailer out with hay in it for Josie the Mule like we did for the mustang. I could probably get her into the trailer, but she hasn't loaded in a while. Her words for loading don't include "Come on Sweetie" or anything like that. Instead, she loads to "D#*n it Josie, get in the trailer!". What can I say, she's a mule!

I wonder if I should take the mule and horse first and turn them out in the field. There is plenty of water in the pond, and grass. I could have someone come over once a day to feed a flake of alfalfa in the morning. They would be ok without us there for a week or so while we load another trailer and return, wouldn't they? I had the other horses all microchipped. Our property owners association arranged it in case of emergency evacuation (fire). I am not sure about Josie and Skittles though since that predated them. I will talk to the vet about doing it when they come out on the vet call for the Coggins test, Brucellosis, and health checks. I will also get all their shots.

 

[Baymule]

Bringing the horses first might make more sense.
Do yall have pens set up and ready for the sheep?

 

[Ridgetop]

Already have an inside pen and large outside gathering pen set up for the sheep. Still need to set up a separate pen for the rams. Then will have to start setting u jugs for the ewes to be moved into when they lamb.

DH, DS1, DGS1 and 2 loaded the remaining horse corral panels and corral covers that are missing the corrugated metal roofing today. They also loaded most of the pallets, the 10' pipe and welded wire gates and panels. DS1 has enough room for some bales of alfalfa. He had me call the AZ hay farm and their alfalfa is $18/bale which is much cheaper than last year and cheaper that our local guy. DS1 said he and DH will get a load on the way back since it is nicer than what our local guy brought last time.

They are leaving on Thursday for Texas.

When they get back we will get 2 loads ready to take back everything except the sheep. Maybe we will take the gooseneck with furniture and equipment and bring the horses back in the small stock trailer. I have to call and see if Cody's or Jeremy's kids would be willing to go by each day and check on them.

DH said that if I have surgery on my knee that he will stay at the ranch with the sheep while I am in California. This new surgery timewise is a real annoyance but if I get it done now, we have no co-pays and it will be finished. Judging by my original replacement I won't have any problem with anything. I think we can work this out so I can go back to Texas until the surgery date and then just come out for it. It will take some arranging but is doable. Then I can drive back to Texas in the car. The trip won't be as nice since I will be driving instead of sleeping or reading. Depending on when the surgery is scheduled, DS1 might come back with me. At this point I can't have it until after lambing season in May.

 

[Ridgetop]

DH came to bed early again. After helping load the trailer he came inside but he didn't get to watch any of his shows. DS2 was playing a video game on the TV in the family room. The DGSs were still up and playing loudly. Their shrill squeals hurt DH's ears through his hearing aids. He paid the bill for the chicken litter and discussed when he and DS1 would leave for Texas. He has to return between Tuesday and Saturday because the AZ hay place is only open those days. DS1 said he doesn't think they can make the trip in one straight drive even DH drives during the day and he drives at night. DS1 has never pulled the gooseneck. He can learn on this trip but maybe not by driving all night. So they have to figure 3 nights on the road - 1 night going to Yantis, 1 night back from Yantis to Kingman where they will spend another night. The hay place is only open to 4:00 and we always hit Kingman around 4-5pm. The hay place is about 1-2 hours outside Kingman. If we want to pick up hay we have to overnight an extra time in Kingman. DS1 said he wants to pick up another load of alfalfa in AZ because the last load from the local guy was very loosely baled and tended to fall apart. DH and DS1 have become hay connoisseurs - they don't like the dry loose hay which shatters and loses the leafy bits. In 35 years they have learned to tell good alfalfa from bad and are picky.

So glad that DDIL2 and the grandchildren came home. Now DH wants to get to Texas as soon as possible because he says he can't stand the constant noise. So much for missing the little guys! He is making plans for another trip as soon as he gets back from TX.

@SecretHaven If you read this don't tell DDIL2! He doesn't want her to know that the kids' noise bothers his ears through the hearing aids. He loves his babies.

 

[Ridgetop]

DGSs still on Philippine time - up until 11pm squealing and having fun with Grandpa and his Tickle Spider hand. Also jumping on Grandma's bed. Little darlings and at lease DH is not complaining about the squealing. As they were taken away to go to bed DGS Robert brought his dear crane and trailer in to say "goodnight". He loves this vehicle even though he dropped it and it is now held together with duct tape. His favorite dinosaur "Butch" was also held together with duct tape. His large plastic toys have a theme. The "Christmas bookshelf" still has wrapped gifts including several large sandbox size construction vehicles. Being sick has delayed "After Christmas" family celebration but I hope to be able to make the prime rib roast in another week or so. We will have to fit in the trip to Yantis somewhere in that schedule.

I am going to start packing the livestock medical supplies in the barn as soon as I am recovered. All the kidding supplies can be packed since no kids expected until May, along with marking harnesses and crayons (once the harnesses are washed). Might as well start with those then the scales, and other sheep equipment. I do want to trim hooves before we leave - probably won't have time once we get to Texas and the hooves will grow long in the softer soil. Most of the tools have to be packed to go. We will need them so we can start doing repairs to the barn, digging the trenches for the electric and water to the barn, and restringing chain-link on the kennel run frames. I think I already took the come-alongs and fencing stretchers to Texas. DS1 loaded the clamps from the oversized horse corral that he took apart and loaded in the trailer already. DH and DS1 will be leaving on either Thursday or Friday.

Still some household goods to pack like the food processor, blender, etc. and sone cookware. I am going to shop for a new set of pots and pans since the non-stick coating is wearing off my current pans. Don't want to forget to take the dough board that Daddy made me - it is actually a large sink cutout from a slick Formica countertop. I use it for rolling out cookie dough, pie crust, and noodles. Not only does it have sentimental value, but it is a perfect large size. And my grandmother's rolling pin.

This week we will pull the rams out and combine the 3 ewe flocks. The rams will go down front and the ewes will all be on the large field. We can move the new ewes into the old creep pen and pasture and the new ram can go in the smaller rear pen below the barn. The new sheep will have shelter from rain but the main flock will only have the trampoline and the teepee. It is raining now.

Had a discussion with DH about where to put the panels that they unload. Suggested that they clamp them together as they unload instead of flinging them down on the ground. That allows the grass to grow up through them and trap them like the enchanted forest. The another discussion about how I want the pens to be put u. I draw charts and explain several times. DH assures me that he understands then puts the pens up wherever somewhere else and complains that I changed my mind when I tell him he put it in the wrong spot.

I will have to draw up a detailed plan of the barn layout, the hay rolls, and exactly where to put the panels. He said he would use the 6' chain link kennel panels to close off the garden so the sheep and dogs couldn't get in there. That area is already fenced off by a fence behind the hay bales. I told him "No, I want the 6' chain link kennel panels to fence off the side yard until we can get the front wrought iron fence up." He said to use the 42" panels to close off the side yard from the highway and that would be enough for the dogs.

So inside the barn yard where the hay bales are stored, that is fence on 4 sides, we should close off end of the garden with 6' panels, but the side yard that is open to the highway is to be protected from the highway by a 42" fence? Like the dogs won't go over that if they see a predator! He said that it would be ok since it would only be temporary. Right, but it has to be a temporary 6' fence! Since he wants DD2 and her kids to come and stay with him while I come back to CA for my knee surgery a fenced in yard is a priority for the 6-year and 3-year-old little girls. Hopefully, drawing up a diagram of the barn and new fencing will show him what I am talking about. I want to have the dogs able to come up to the house if they need to, particularly at night and Rika may become a house/yard dog eventually as she ages.

 

[Mini Horses]

Seems you need to make copies of this fence diagram for DH, DS1, you, in the trailer, in the barn...

 

[Baymule]

You had better make a trip before you bring sheep and dogs. Make sure fencing and pens are ready before you show up with a trailer load of sheep and dogs that want OUT!

Take horse and mule with one truck and trailer, loads of furniture with other truck and trailer. Spend several days putting your finishing touch of pens and chain link panels. Then go back for sheep and dogs.

Anything else take you need to bring after that, leave DS1 and you and DH go back to load up and bring it HOME.