SuburbanFarmChic Journal - update and rant 5/5

[Ms. Research]

I do child care part time and last week I was asked by a potential client if I could please have her son reading before he went to kindergarten next year if she chose to go with me instead of a lady down the street that does a very school styled preschool. I politely told her that I didn't think we'd be a good fit and I think this was also contributing to my current mental swirly. I don't get this big push to teach just wrote memorization "reading" at some silly age. I watched a friend do it with her kid. It doesn't work. (yes, there are exceptions) But she's now going into third grade and still is terrible at sounding out words. She has absolutely no base to work from just these flash cards of words she recognizes and takes a guess at when she's reading. She sees a word that starts with th- and starts running through the possibilities until she hits the right one. Anyway. I could rant for hours about education and not get anyway realizing that here I am mostly preaching to the choir.


So we still have 3 baby buns. Haven't had time to work on much of late between cleaning out our storage unit and starting the antique store. Talked to the husband a bit about plans. We're really good at making lists of stuff we want to do. Less so with the follow through. So plans include a big property clean up once the grass dies back to so we can run some black plastic and mulch around areas that are a pain to mow/weed wack. Probably do a big dump run.


Might have found a roommate. Would be lovely if it works out.


Goats are still goating. Finally found a free day when I can take Thelma in for an ultrasound so next Thursday it is. It is shockingly hard to find time to load a goat, drive 20 min, unload goat, reload goat, drive 20 min, unload goat.

Found that I had lots of lists of things to do too. Kind of gets overwhelming sometimes all the things on the list. I've found this late in life, about time too, , that if we sit down and pick out two plans (one inside, one outside) and stick with it, the list starts to go down and things start to fall into place. Believe me, know that life throws a lot of curve balls, but if you stick to the plans, it will eventually be easier. But remember, that life list never goes away. And procrastinating just doesn't get them done. I'm very guilty with procrastinating on things I hate to do.

For example: was planning on starting our compost. But because of the rain coming this weekend, have plans to start clearing our basement. Lots of stuff that needs to be tossed, and a future home for my rabbit breeding program. We decided to keep the buns there. But need to clean out a spot, Need to make sure ventilation is correct.

Just a little suggestion on keeping to the plan and getting some of those things done on that list.

 

[daisychick]

I do child care part time and last week I was asked by a potential client if I could please have her son reading before he went to kindergarten next year if she chose to go with me instead of a lady down the street that does a very school styled preschool. I politely told her that I didn't think we'd be a good fit and I think this was also contributing to my current mental swirly. I don't get this big push to teach just wrote memorization "reading" at some silly age. I watched a friend do it with her kid. It doesn't work. (yes, there are exceptions) But she's now going into third grade and still is terrible at sounding out words. She has absolutely no base to work from just these flash cards of words she recognizes and takes a guess at when she's reading. She sees a word that starts with th- and starts running through the possibilities until she hits the right one. Anyway. I could rant for hours about education and not get anyway realizing that here I am mostly preaching to the choir.

I have done home child care for 16 years and I teach preschool to my daycare kids every year. I have never had one even be close to "reading" before Kindergarten. Good choice on not watching that one and just let them go. I only take clients that fit in with the way I run things around here. Other wise they seem to fight you on every single thing you are trying to do for their children. IT is all about finding someone that fits with your way of life, especially when you are welcoming them into your home for child care. You did the right thing!

 

[SuburbanFarmChic]

There is currently at 150lb Red Wattle cross in the back of my van in a great dane cage. We double wired all the joints and junctures of the cage so hopefully he'll continue to snooze and I won't have a mangled cage and a 150lb pig in the drivers seat when I take him to the processor in the morning. I would do it myself but ugh... I do NOT have time and we lost the scalding tank in the fire and blah blah it's easier sometimes to pay someone else $50 to do the dirty work. I totally trust this butcher and he'll be here one minute gone the next.

This is one of the things I love about what we do. Total farm to table. After the fire I nursed his sow for months until she gave birth. I delivered 7 of 9 piglets and he was one of the ones I caught. He had a rough time of it at first as there was a LOT of blood still in the cord and we kept him in a warm blanket for the first hour until he reabsorbed that blood and started to perk up. He was born with a bum foot and at first we thought he wasn't going to make it from that either. He was a little trooper though and pulled through. It was a joy to watch him run around the pasture. A PAIN to catch him every time he decided there was something on the other side of the fence that looked a little better than what he had going on and privilege to be part of his life. He was born in my lap, I knew exactly what his life was like and I know exactly how he'll exit this world. I love my job.

 

[77Herford]

Thats a great way to put it. It hard not to get some sort of attachment to your animals, even if you rarely have much contact with them.

 

[elevan]

A beautiful way to put it. Every animal deserves all the respect that we can give it during the time that it is here. Well done SuburbanFarmChic.

 

[SuburbanFarmChic]

Just got back from delivering him. He slept the whole way and we had to wake him up to get him out of the van. He took a sleepy little stroll up the ramp and was gone. Silent, quiet, respectful. I couldn't have asked for better. And not waking up to a pig eating my steering wheel just about made my morning already so this was perfect. That is going to be one relaxed and tasty piggy.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

Sounds like a perfect way to raise meat! He had a great life and was well cared for. Now he can take care of your family like you took care of him.

 

[Ms. Research]

Sounds like a perfect way to raise meat! He had a great life and was well cared for. Now he can take care of your family like you took care of him.

X2

 

[SuburbanFarmChic]

Pig roast is today. The adult pot bellies are getting picked up today. Scored about 35 bales of last years hay for free. Need to build some new rabbit hutches asap. Still working weekends and 2 of my kiddos came back full time during the week so my checkbook won't be bleeding quite as much. So tired... :/


Got almost NO sleep last night worrying about a friend's college age kid that was missing and has epilepsy and didn't have his meds with him. He's been located and I'm waiting for an update.

 

[77Herford]

Thats good they found him/her.