Ridgetop - our place and how we muddle along

[Mini Horses]

Sounds like your panic attack about "the move" has ended and you've come back to normal . Yeah, wrangling appliance & vehicle breakdowns is a picnic compared to a houseful of young kids!!!

 

[Ridgetop]

DS1 called this morning to say that the freezer repairman came out. Condenser is completely burned out. Not from dirt or dust since it is sealed dust tight. The repairman also said the new freezers are all made "garage ready" but the specifications say the "garage ready" ones have extra insulation.
Estimate for the freezer repair is $1024.00 New freezer, same model, is $1069.00 on sale right now with delivery! DS1 is arranging it now. He will also arrange for the locker people to keep the meat in the locker until Lowes delivers the freezer arrives on November 5. We will keep the old freezer for air tight storage of feed in the barn. We will cannibalize the baskets in the old freezer for use in the new one.

We need to be in Yantis by November 8 since I have a butcher date the next day for 2 lambs. DS1 can't get them to the butcher wth only the small car. We have to be there before the butcher date to unload the stock trailer in which we will be transporting more feeders, panels, and household goods. Should have rented a semi to move I guess, but we moved everything litte by little which gave me time to unpack stuff and put it away in waves.

Haven't heard abut the truck yet. The trees are being trimed except for the main neright outside the porch which is the one we definitely wanted trimmed because of the danger of branches falling on the roof during a winter storm. It apparently has a hornet's nest in it so the trimmers want to come back when it is cold to do it. It only took them a year to get here this time (our first call was last winter) s wh knows when they wil be back. Not paying full amount of bid until that tree is done. Also need the 2 trees on the drive way (native Pecan and Redwood) that are rotting taken down. With them gone we can gravel that area and use it for guest parking.

We need to be back in Texas NOW! On a happier note, DS2 and DH Christmas gifts are bought. DS2 needed a new Kindle - his is burning out. Have I mentioned that our family are big readers? DH discovered a new series - Joe Pickett (MOntana game warden) and I bought the entire series for his Christmas gift. I can get a few small items for under the tree. We also have to get a new Christmas tree - shorter since the new living room does not have a raised ceiling. Then I will go through the Christmas tree ornaments again and distribute them to the chidren. I think I kept too many "special" ones. LOL

Continuing with the Christmas gifts I bought Highlights magazine subscriptions for the younger grandchildren (DH's mom did that for ur kids and they loved the magazine), an outfit for DGS2 who likes to "look good", footed sleepers and toys for 3 smallest ones, a new fancy dress for DGD1 who has outgrown all those I bought her last year, also items for DS1, and others. I need to go through the containers and start wrapping before I leave for Texas since those gifts will remain here. I wil probably buy for DD2's kds when back in Texas, and have DS1 order for the others on Amazon.

GS1 and GS2 (note the omission of the "Darling") came over yesterday to work. DS2 went out and they were just standing around talking - not working - so he got on their case. Then DH caught them doing the same thing - twice. He was paying them $20/hr to clean up the field. GS2 had a billhook and would break off a stick and walk it over to the trash can then go back for another!!!! These kids don't know how to work. The upshot was when DH said he was watching them not working, DS2 said he was. DH said he didn't have photographic proof and GS2 said he should film them to prove it! I told DH that our kids would have gotten a smack up the side of the head for that bit of snotty talk. DS2 said to fire them which DH did. DS2 also said that he and his siblings would have gotten swift retribution for sass like that. DH called DD1 who was not sympathetic but had told me a couple weeks earlier that she knew her kids did not have a work ethic. At the same time she suggested that DH and I give the grandchildren college money - $1000 each every year. Not happening. We paid for our kids, they got scholarships and worked through school. No grandparent money.
More aggravation! Where did I put those tranquilizers?