Ridgetop - our place and how we muddle along

Ridgetop

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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 :ep 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. :fl 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. :he 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!!!! :somadThese 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! :thWhere did I put those tranquilizers?
 

Ridgetop

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Can't possibly save $$ with all those checks ups & dr visits in CA. Bite the bullet -- keep you butt & busted knees in TX.
We are switching to a PPO but need to find a good GP as well as all the specialists we have to see now.
I’m worried about Twinkles at Galpin. That’s the bottomless pit of no truck return!
I know, more tranquilizers! DH just called Galin and they are checking her over now. Something is causing her electrical not to charge but if that is so wouldn't she have stopped working on the trip back from TX? Or was the radio cutting out to conserve electrical charge? Sadly, Galpin has bee going down hille in the service department for several years ever since Burt retired. Burt Boeckman who owned Galpin Motors was a bear on good service. His theory was that giving customers good auto service would keep them coming back to buy cars and keep them loyal. Now their service sucks. :tongue

Anyway, this is the countdown week to the final move. This week we have to load the stock trailer with our final belongings. DH wants to load anything heavy - last fence sections, feeders, lawn furniture, etc. now since after his cataract surgery he won't be able to lift anything heavy for several weeks. I have to pack all the clothes we left here, anything we are still bringing to TX, and lastly our computers.

DS1 said to leave any tools not already in TX here in case he has to do any work on anything here. We will buy a new chop saw and a new printer in Texas.

I better make a list of stuff I have to pack and load.
 

Baymule

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Dr. Anthony Davis in Lindale is the best! He was BJs doctor and he truly cares about his patients. He will refer you to specialists for whatever you need.

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Ridgetop

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Thanks I will arrange a consult with him as soon as we get transferred to the PPO. He is in my phone. Told DH we needed to take the recliners, his desk chair, exercise machine, bedroom cabinet, and other large items but he said he does not think we will have room if he puts the fie;d feeders in the trailer. Told him the metal field feeders can ride in the truck bed. Rain won't hurt them. Also the 36" x 30" panels of "wrought iron" movable garden fencing that I intend to use for jugs can go in the truck. I have 32 of those 3' wide panels that can be used to make 16 6' side sections. They link together wth heavy rods. I have a lot of 5' Sydell panels that can be used as gates. Also with connecting pins. This will cut down on the amount of new jugs I have to buy for January lambing. :fl

He wanted to start loading the trailer this week since on Thursday he has his cataract surgery and can't lift heavy items for a while. He was fussing about it and said could lift anything which I calmly refuted :rant. I told him that DS2 said he would do it this weekend and I said we would get GS1 and GS2 to come help lift. The last 10' section of the sheep panels may be too top heavy to go in the truck bed.

I can load most of the boxes, bins, and smaller furniture myself. The recliners are bulky so I need help with the seat parts of those. DH said no problem we can come back for more stuff :somad but I am tired of living in 2 locations! Time to get as much as possible back there, particularly furniture. Still have 50 bales of alfalfa here to move later, the last 2 corral covers, and a number of 6 x 10 and 6 x 12 kennel panels. And 2 large chests of horse tack, 2 saddles, saddle stands, etc.

Not happy with the fact that our truck is not back yet. May have to move the butchering date in November later. DS1 got a new freezer to be delivered next week. He has arranged to keep the frozen food in the locker in Quitman until then. I think we will have to buy a second freezer once we are living in Texas just in case of emergencies.
 

Ridgetop

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Haven't been on since Tuesday.

Wednesday morning we were awakened by a call from DS1. He wanted to know what kind of new door knob I would like on the Yantis house. He said that he was going to Lowes to get replacement knobs and wanted style choices. Why did we need a new door knob?

There was a pause. DS1 said HYPOTHETICALLY he may have locked himself out of the house. And HYPOTHETICALLY he may have had to break back into the house to get in. However, he did not have to break the door or window to do this. Instead he got out the reciprocal saw and sawed the door knob off!

Laughing hysterically is a good way to wake up.

We watched the World Series and cheered for the Dodgers. Freddie Freeman is our hero. We decided that Otani is over rated. Wee shocked at the interference of the Yankees fans tht grabbed the Dodger's arm and wrested the ball out of hs glove! Did they really think the referees would not notice? The final game was very exciting.

Wednesday DH had a dental appointment. He needs a root canal in one tooth. Thursday we got up early and drove to the eye surgical clinic in Westwood. We left at 7:00 am to be there by 9:00 for his 10:45 appointment. At 11:45 they took him down to prep. At 2:30 pm they released him and at 4:00 pm we got home. We had to use DDIL2's Dad's spare car - a Prius. OMG they are tiny! I could hardly walk adter being stuck in that tiny car for 1 1/2 hours driving in traffic! Friday we had to go back to Santa Monica for a post op recheck wth the surgeon. DH has perfect vision now - which means I need to get a face lift!

The mechanic at Galpin called as we were driving home from Santa Monca and said that they had ordered the new alternator. Truck should be ready "around" Monday. I asked DH if they had checked the batteries because per DH "You always check the easiest thing first". He assured me they had checked the batteries and they were ok. Half an hour later the Galpin service writer called and said that the batteries were bad and needed to be replaced. When he got off the phone I had a spirited discussion with DH about the supposed "checking" of the batteries and why they had immediately ordered an alternator BEFORE checking the batteries! :rant DH amended his statement to say that they had popped the hood and looked at the batteries and said they "looked ok"! :somad The rest of the drive home was loudly silent. When we arrived at home, DH said he would have words with Galpin about not checking the batteries BEFORE ordering the alternator. Without speaking I unwedged myself from the midget Prius, went in and took several aspirin. Major headache from traffic, stress, etc.

This morning I was at Orcas Park Equestrian center for DGD1's first horse show with her Blue Shadows Equestrian Drill Team. DH stayed at home worried that the normal clouds of dust at the horse show might not be good for hs eye. I arrived with my folding chair on time. (Always bring a folding chair!) As a good grandmother who knows her duty, I bought raffle tickets ,6/$5 and a blue Shadows hat for an exorbitant price. Then I bought breakfast (eggs, potatoes and bacon) $7, coffee $1, and a donut $1.00. There are several drill team units determined by experience. The show started an hour late. After 3 announcements at 15 minute intervals to "Please stand for the Flag", the color guard cantered into the ring. Very nice performance. They left and the expectation from the crowd gradually dimmed as nothing else happened for another 20 minutes. Finally they managed to get the first drill team in the arena.

Halfway into the performances there was a bit of a thrill as one child's horse decided that trotting was off boring. He took off and galloped in a large circle around the arena, picking up speed. The various adult teachers/drill leaders called out instructions on how to slow the horse down. He was enjoying himself and I thought the child looked like she was enjoying the gallop around the ring too. The child stayed on, remained calm, and the horse finally slowed down. An adult escorted "Thunder" out of the ring, the chid was remounted, and the show proceeded. The teams performed well but unfortunately between each entry there was a half hour wait as the kids were summoned to the staging area, found their horses from the exiting group, mounted, and lined up to enter the ring. The drill team horses are owned by the stable, not the kids.

After the drill team competitions, the individual rider classes started. Each class was for the different level of their riders competing. Elizabeth competed in a single rider class where her horse tried never to leave a shuffling walk. As she tried somewhat successfully to kick him around the ring, her parents and I decided we should challenge any awards by claiming defective equipment (the horse)! As it turned out, in spite of the slacker she was mounted on, she came in 4th - not last. She got a nice rosette. She may have picked up extra points for the amount of kicking the judges could see she was using to encourage the horse to move. I decided to buy her a pair of spurs.

I found out that DH has another post op eye appointment November 15. This is the date I have for taking 2 lambs to slaughter so I will have to cancel that and reschedule. It delays our arrival in Texas by over a week.
 

Ridgetop

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I had to leave before the awards were handed out but found out today that Elizabeth's drill team placed first in every category! She was thrilled and so were we. Forgot to post photos.
IMG_20241030_094335.jpg Elizabeth polishing her boots for the competition. I remember my kids doing that - DS1 didn't get all the polish off the boots and the day of the show his paint horse ended up with black stripes across his sides. Wouldn't have shown so much in a western saddle class, but he was in a hnter/jumper class with an English saddle! LOL
-4988219777517823079.jpg Elizabeth on left IMG_20241102_102235.jpg and center PXL_20241102_165911807.MP.jpg

Finally had DGS1's family 17th birthday party - only 2 weeks late! LOL Games and supper followed by birthday cake. DD1 starting to get misty about him going off to college next year. :hugs

Tomorrow DH will find out about the truck and when it will be ready.
 

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