Ridgetop - our place and how we muddle along

[Ridgetop]

Cody said he has a permit and has been shooting them but there are so many he has to carry his gun and shoots them whenever he sees them. Apparently his neighbor has an area tht is a preferred breeding ground. You can get a permit to kill them, but destroying raptors' breeding grounds/nests is a crime with big penalties.

He has lost 5 years production on his cows, and considering the prices for calves now, those 5 calves would have been worth about $7-8K in another couple months. Major loss for a cattleman. He's already selling down to his minimum like FarmerJan.

Anyway, need some good news for Rachels.haven's - so while not as good as FarmerJan's or informative as Margali's (thank heaven for everyone on BYH that rallies around with info) I got the living room pretty well emptied of packing paper, bubble wrap, collapsed boxes, etc. yesterday. Got them all packed away and stacked in hall waiting for DH to return from his errands so I could load them in the Explorer and drive them out to Connex for storage. Boxed up more stuff for storage and found some more items already boxed for storage and moved them to the hall as well. Great job except you can't hardly open the door! LOL Found invalid items for after surgery which saves me some time not having to hunt them down and wash them off. AND found the big rolling suitcase that I was looking for. Swore that I had bagged it and put it in the shed but turned out it was still hidden behind a lot of boxes in the LR. That is good because I planned to use it to pack all our remaining clothing to go to Texas. I also will take the other 2 cruise suitcases to TX in case we go on a Carribean cruise. I don't want to have to make a trip to CA just for my suitcases!

DH came home and we decided to watch Fox news for a while and wait for the temp to drop to move the boxes. DS2 came home from work so I fed DH and then went to load the car. Big problem! DS2 is driving the Black Dragon while his car is in the shop and parked dead center of the driveway to the Connex. Can't even move our car to load it. So change of plans - will move the truck tomorrow and in the meantime got the Blue Barrel (city color codes trash for green waste and recycle stuff) and put all the useless boxes and cardboard in it. Then collected DH's trash from last month's mail and it went too. Just about filled that huge barrel. Watched Gutfield and Fox and enjoyed the constant replay of debate moments, comments about them, and clips of horrified faces of watching Dems - remember the films of crazies screaming with horror and dismay when Trump won? The need to make "safe spaces" for liberal Dems traumatized by the election? So went to bed laughing, but with bad backache. LOL

Today reality hits - DD2 moves in with her husband and kids. We will have 6 adults and 3 preschool toddlers in the house. And their black German Shepherd who is not gate trained and wants to be inside. DD2 said that at night she has to be inside since she is not experienced with coyotes and she is afraid that the coyotes will kill her. The yard is fenced high so ? Whatever. I think I will have them crate the dog at night. When 6 months old she ate their couch and ours is leather recliner sofa. Since I didn't train this dog I don't trust her inside. Amazing behavior difference inside the house between our large quiet Anatolians and this GS. They come in and lay down, she runs all over. The house is strange to her, and she is trying to learn her way around so I do understand that behavior. Hopefully she will settle down soon. DD2 now says she is not sure exactly when she will move back to Texas since it depends on custody issues with 6 year old. Monday is last custody hearing, and we have Annabel after we pick her up from preschool. Robert has preschool in am too so in afternoon all 3 toddlers can play in water outside. Found DD2's box of spices, etc. from apartment on floor of laundry room. Going to try to convince her to pack a lot of that stuff up to take to Texas when they move. No room in our cabinets and it will cost her a fortune to replace all the spices, etc. Spices lose some potency after time, but she can just double amounts. Decided to load all the stuff into the truck bed instead of playing musical cars, and DH will back through the gate onto the field to move everything to the Connex.

Got to call the guy to pick up the rugs for cleaning/possible sale today and arrange a date. Then need to take the tea cart and gold cabinet to DD1's. Called her and woke her up at 9am. Apparently, they had to drop the boys off at the church for camp bus at 5am and they went back to bed. Told her to call me when she is awake. Anyway, got to move all the stuff out of the hall since DD2 will need to bring stuff in.

 

[Margali]

Apparently his neighbor has an area tht is a preferred breeding ground. You can get a permit to kill them, but destroying raptors' breeding grounds/nests is a crime with big penalties.

Does decorating the breeding ground with the corpses of the slain count as destruction?
I believe it is legal for you the hang ALL the deaders in effigy if you have a kill permit.

 

[Ridgetop]

I have a pattern to make a black vulture effigy to hang around the area hoping to deter them. Got it from the University of Kentucky. It takes a black rubber 3/4" thick 3x4' stall mat. You could probably make it out of 1/2" thick black rubber matting it you have any. I'm attaching it here - hope it will attach since it is long and includes pattern pieces to cut out the effigy pieces to assemble. If not, go online to University of Kentucky Black Vulture Effigy and it will hopefully come up. I haven't made it yet, but going online and looking at the ones that are sold commercially and the reviews that said they are crap, this one would be pretty solid. I plan to make several when I go back to Texas.

 

[Ridgetop]

Well, it posted so maybe everyone can try making them. You do need power tools to drill through those stall mats. I have some old stall mats that I can use when I make mine. I used to have some thinner rubber matting that I would have liked to use but don't know if we tossed that or not. It is important to use the grey spray paint on the undersides of the wings so the effigy will look as lifelike as possible. If you have any trees or dead branches where the devils like to perch - hang one there.

Anyway, back to cleaning/clearing - got the truck loaded so now will see if there is anything else to box up for storage. I do have another large china elephant that I use as a coffee stand by upholstered furniture but I will have to cut up some boxes to make a large enough box to hold it. I want it in Texas eventually but for now it needs to store in the Connex. I will move the items packed to go to Texas into DS1's room since he is in Texas until we go back, at which time we will load them into the trailer. Good place for them now and out of the way. We still have 24 bales of alfalfa in our hay Connex, and we will bring those back with us in November for the ewes that will be lambing. Not all bales will fit but we can bring them back gradually or sell them here and buy more in Arizona, saving the gas for 300 miles of the trip. Need to check feed store alfalfa prices to see if we can get our money back selling. I think we paid $18/bale for them last load. We can hold them stored in the Connex until alfalfa prices climb this winter then sell them for a profit.

DD2 has not turned up yet so I better get on with packing and moving stuff into DS1's room.

 

[Ridgetop]

Had a very bad morning! No BYH. Went into old posts and got no ability to post, or even "like" posts that I read. I got an IM from Nifty that the emails were being bounced back to them. Had DS1 and DD2 (my resident computer nerds) on phone with each other trying to resolve problem. They finally set up a new email account on Google but still not receiving and couldn't send. DD2 finally was able to send an email on the Google address to Nifty telling her about problems. I texted Baymule and asked her to contact Nifty but she was also having problems with BYH. The problems started when I tried to go onto BYH and got that weird bright green Goat.web age coming up each time. No BYH emails since the 26th.

Anyway, got a flash notification that Margali posted so looked for the email. Nothing, but when I went onto BHY using a posting in my "old email" I am able to post and respond. Not sure what is going on.
Anyway, 7 1/2 hours on my feet yesterday doing laundry, dishes, sorting through stuff in living room, boxing up stuff to store and putting other stuff in trash or wherever. I collapsed onto bed and out my severely swollen feet and legs up. DD2 and family were moving stuff over from their apartment and had to go back to clean it. DH offered to keep Annabel for them, DD2 thoughtfully asked me and I said I couldn't do it so be sure DH knows he is going to have to watch her. 4 hours later I got up and fixed dinner for family - DD2, DSIL2, DDIL2 not home yet - DH came inside and asked if I wanted to come out and watch Annabel with him. He went back outside where Annabel was playing on patio and with water. Told him no I am fixing dinner then going back to lay down again since my back was out. A couple hours later, Annabel went down for nap and DH came into bedroom saying he was exhausted. Told him to lay down. 5 minutes later he was sound asleep for 3-hour nap. LOL
Watching toddler Annabel is not for weaklings! Or grandfathers in their Prime apparently!

DSIL2 and DS2 are working on making ribs tonight on Trager. DSIL and DD2 went to store and got ribs on sale and have invited friends over. We know the couple and they are also friends of the family since DD2 high school years. Today will be DSIL2's 4th of July celebration since he is a long line semi driver and will be driving on the 4th. DS2, DDIL2, DD2, DSIL2 and toddlers are outside now having fun.

 

[Baymule]

I sent Nifty a message and told him of your problems. Looks like it’s fixed now!
I ate two big slices of pizza and conked out for a long nap.

 

[purplequeenvt]

Had a very bad morning! No BYH. Went into old posts and got no ability to post, or even "like" posts that I read. I got an IM from Nifty that the emails were being bounced back to them. Had DS1 and DD2 (my resident computer nerds) on phone with each other trying to resolve problem. They finally set up a new email account on Google but still not receiving and couldn't send. DD2 finally was able to send an email on the Google address to Nifty telling her about problems. I texted Baymule and asked her to contact Nifty but she was also having problems with BYH. The problems started when I tried to go onto BYH and got that weird bright green Goat.web age coming up each time. No BYH emails since the 26th.

I had the exact same issue. Tried 3 different emails multiple times before it finally worked.

 

[Mini Horses]

BYH has had some "iffy" times for past week. I got msg from Nifty that my emails were being returned . I do see that many notifications haven't been received -- once I stumble onto the conversations. Technology at work

 

[Ridgetop]

Seems like BYH emails are back to normal. Several posted in my in box. Whew, I can cancel my tranquilizer prescriptions for BYH withdrawal.

DS1 called yesterday with news about sheep and ranch. No more dead lambs but one ewe did try to commit suicide (eweicide? ovicide?) by stickig her head through a 6"x6" hole in the leftover roll of wire fencing behind the barn. He was able to rescue her in spite of her actively resisting him. As soon as she was free, she ran over to the corral and stuck her head through a piece of stock panel and got stuck again. I asked if he had noted her tag number in case we wanted to cull for terminal stupidity. He said "No, because we would have to cull the entire flock!" LOL

Anyway, everything is going well, other than the heat spell, and he has been working on the tool shed and repairing the cabinets for the new kitchen island. DS1 found a tool rental place in SS where we can rent a trencher which will dig the ditch 4" wide x 2' deep for the piping. They will reserve it for when DH goes back, and they can put the pipes in them. DS1 will go to the Lowes contractors' desk and order the PVC piping, conduit, and wiring they will need so it will be ready for pick up when DH gets back there.

While I am out here I will go to Contractors' Warehouse and look for the 36" base deep drawer cabinet for the island. If I can find it here and get it we can take it back in November and hopefully complete the island. DH and I will remove the peninsula and install the island. Not sure about when to permanently install though since I may have the tile taken up to put in the new vinyl plank flooring. I don't want to lay it over the ceramic tile in the kitchen, laundry room and master bath. I need to see how much it will cost to remove the old tile. I was going to leave it but there are quite a few cracked tiles in different areas, as well as having to compensate for the grout lies if laying a vinyl plank over it. And the different in floor level when the carpet is removed to the concrete subfloor. If we don't take out the tile, we have to lay subfloor on the concrete in the other areas I plan to lay the vinyl plank. Depending on how hard the tile will be to get up, we might be able to get it out ourselves, otherwise I will have to pay to have it removed. Before doing that, I need the family bath to have a shower and be usable, then we can move the 5th wheel forward to the side yard and use it for a kitchen and to sleep in while they are working on the floors. I think we may decide to attach the
island in a way that we can remove it afterwards. By screwing the frame for the island base into the floor through the tile, we can screw the island to the base and remove it when we do the floors. We can remove the frame and either reuse it or build another when we reinstall the island after the new floors are installed.

 

[farmerjan]

Are you all that rough in the house that you have to attach the island now??? I mean, how much would it get moved around before you get the floors changed? I guess I am not used to having stuff get shoved and moved around in the house.. My mom had a small island in the house when I was growing up and it was never attached to the floor and it never "went anywhere"..... and there were 4 of us kids, a dog or 2, and my parents... 2 of the kids were my brothers ... 2 & 3 yrs younger than me... you just didn't "rough house" in the house... and how else would it get moved.....
Just asking... might be something I just don't know...