IThat the pool net froze solid right after scooping leaves from the pool!
Yeah I get it, you Northerners would call this balmy shorts weather, while we are huddled near the fire place, wearing winter coats indoors on top of heavy fleece, etc. But at least we dodged the ice storm.
And lest y'all forget, we were here in DFWland, a couple years back when we suffered through 71 almost consecutive (one day below triple digits) days of 100°+ days!
It has been a busy week here. It all started late last week, when the roofers showed up on Friday, to begin installing our new metal roof. This process took several days, with final work being completed Tuesday. The roof looks great!
During this time, sadly, the "living closer to nature" part of rural life reared its head, and took off our guinea Sam's head...Yep, Monkey1 found the carcass, sans head, stuffed under the tongue of the cargo trailer before noon one day. My first thought was a raccoon got him. Coons are known for indiscriminate killing of chickens if they get into a coop, and apart from the head and neck being gone, there was no feeding on the guinea. But, there is also a pack of feral cats in the woods behind us. So it might have been them, though I would have expected them to feed on the guinea.
To try to get an idea of what critter did the fowl (HA!) deed, I wandered off to Walmart and bought a small inexpensive game camera. So far, it has only caught pics of us wandering around the tree line, and the septic sprayers kicking on. That is, until this morning...
It's a bit blurry, as he was moving faster than the camera shutter. But that is Mr Wile E Coyote!
After completing the wall in the shop, DH wanted to get to work on the reloading bench. After all, the election concludes Tuesday, and he wanted to have something to do besides watch election returns.
So the paint was barely dry on the wall, before he started working on the construction of the new reloading bench. This went more smoothly than the wall build, though there were some setbacks. We found out that using joist hangers just wasn't a great idea. Call it tolerance stacking errors, or what have you, they just did not give the results we expected.
The top to the bench was finally completed. The deck on it is 2 pieces of 3/4" plywood, topped by a 1/4" finish grade plywood sheet. The two 3/4 " pieces were clued and screwed together, and screwed into the supports underneath. Then the top 1/4" sheet was just glued down. The picture below is how we ensured the glue adhered evenly, to hold down the top sheet without coming up. Yes, that is most of our kettlebell collection doing double duty to press the plywood down into the glue.
The bench top was then lag-bolted to the wall, into the studs. 4x4" legs were cut for the front of the bench top, and lag-bolted to the top. Everything was levelled during this process. The bench top itself will be stained a light oak color and coated with polyurethane for protection. The legs, made of pressure treated 4x4"s will be painted (probably white, once they dry fully). Pressure treated wood seems to be very damp when you first buy it so you don't want to paint it until later or the paint won't take.
And yesterday, after a trip to the Metromess for a orthopedic visit, I wandered over to the ReStore (Habitat for Humanity) to look for cabinets for the shop. SCORE! I found a huge stash of nice wall and floor cabinets. DH only wanted wall mounted ones, so I got two double cabinets. They were in good shape, and are just what he was looking for. I also got them at a VERY nice price!
DH mounted the cabinets while I was away this weekend at a conference. They look great. And here he is, setting the first piece of peg board! He has wanted peg board on the walls since before we met. I had obtained a large quantity of peg board in the spring, for his birthday, and now he finally has a place to use it.
We finished out the bench top last night. To say the bench is sturdy is somewhat of an understatement. I think it could almost double as a storm shelter by itself. But, since the presses to apply quite a lot of force, you don't want a wobbly bench. Of course, I didn't get to enjoy laminating down the finish-grade plywood last night. It seems I have picked up some sort of nasty intestinal bug. I have been in gut-agony for about 18hrs. Blech! At least it's not diverticulitis. I should be happy for small favors...
Late update: I am all better now, and the bench is all done and in use.
Being thankful is something that should not be relegated to a single day each year. But perhaps today is a good day to list some of those blessings, to better bring them to mind.
Things I am thankful for; my husband's good job, my family's health, the unexpected joy of chickens, our friends both old and new, our home here, and our church family. I am also thankful the election season is over.
There are many other blessings I have received, but to be honest, I am tired and well fed, and my brain is short of caffeine today. So I will just wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving .
I received this email from the head of Penzeys Spices, a company that I have enjoyed products from for several years. I am happy he made known his beliefs and feelings about almost half of the voters in this country, so that I could make a more informed decision on where I spend my hard earned dollars.
Here is the relevant portion of the email from Bill Penzey.
Racism Update: At Penzeys we believe it's not the use of tools that set us on a different path from the rest of the animal world; what has set humanity in motion is cooking. In our nearly a million years gathered together around the fire, cooking shaped our bodies and transformed our minds. Cooking unlocked our potential and gave birth to reason, to religion, and to politics and government. The kindness of tens of thousands of generations of cooks created our humanity, but racism, sexism, and homophobia can all very quickly unravel all the goodness cooking puts out into the world. As the voice of cooks, we will never sit idly by while that happens.
You may have read Tuesday Night's email. In it I said: "The open embrace of racism by the Republican Party in this election is now unleashing a wave of ugliness unseen in this country for decades. The American people are taking notice. Let's commit to giving the people a better choice. Our kindness really is our strength."
Since I ask you to read my emails, I feel it's only right that I read each of your replies. In sifting through those replies it was clear that, though not intended, a good number of people seemed to sincerely believe that in my statement I was calling all Republicans racists. In the emails of those Republicans who voted for someone other than the party's nominee, I sensed genuine pain at having the strength of character to not go along with what was happening, but nonetheless be grouped in with those who were. I apologize for writing something that caused you pain; that is not the person I want to be. You are your party's future, and you deserve my admiration and respect, and your country's as well.
For the rest of you, you just voted for an openly racist candidate for the presidency of the United States of America. In your defense, most of you did so without thinking of the consequences of your candidate's racism, because for most of you the heartbreaking destruction racism causes has never been anything you or your loved ones have had to experience. But the thing is elections have their consequences. This is no longer sixty years ago. Whether any of us like it or not, for the next four years the 80% of this country who did not just vote for an openly racist candidate are going to treat you like you are the kind of person who would vote for an openly racist candidate.
You can get angry at everyone else for treating you like you just did the thing you just did, or you can take responsibility for your actions and begin to make amends. If you are lucky and younger family members are still coming over for Thanksgiving, before it's too late, take a moment and honestly think about how your actions must look through their eyes. Simply saying "I never thought he'd win" might be enough. But if you have the means, leaving a receipt from a sizable donation to the ACLU or the SPLC accidentally laying around where you carve the turkey, might go over even better.
Or, just do what you do best and volunteer. Through our customers' support, we've given away a lot of our Penzeys Pepper, the Pepper with heart. More often than not, those we meet cooking and serving food to feed those in need are Republicans. You really are a good bunch, but you just committed the biggest act of racism in American history since Wallace stood in the schoolhouse doorway 53 years ago. Make this right. Take ownership for what you have done and begin the pathway forward.
Here is the reply I emailed to him at the email he included above.
Dear Bill Penzey.
Thank you for your recent letter following the 2016 election. I am glad you chose to make your opinion of nearly half of the voters in this country known. Alas, since you believe I am a racist homophobe, I must point out that you in fact voted for the racist candidate, in Hillary Clinton. She holds up Margaret Sanger as a personal hero, Sanger, who openly embraced eugenics and sought to eliminate those she saw as lesser races.
Since I believe my political beliefs are incompatible with yours, I will no longer be doing business with Penzeys. I will not denigrate you for your political beliefs, but I will vote with my pocket book, and take my business elsewhere.
There are other companies selling quality spices. In fact, there is a competing family business in the Penzey clan, one that does not concern itself publically with politics. So, if you are disturbed at being called a racist, or other political flashpoint names by someone you have never met, based strictly on how you chose to vote, I urge you to carefully think of how and where you spend your hard earned dollars, because publically denigrating a significant portion of your customer base has consequences too.
For a long time, DH has wanted a nice shop. We had one 14 years ago, back in Kansas...but in the Metromess, we just did not have space. We never were able to even park a car in our garage there!
But now, we have a nice 24'x30' shop. Back in April, I got DH a gift he has longed for, for decades. A giant pile of peg board. You know, those 4x8' sheets of material with all the holes in rows? You put 'em on walls to hang tools on. He has always wanted to be able to organize all his tools this way. So when I saw a pile of peg board for sale, I snagged it.
Well, this past week we started building out the shop, just how he wants it. It's sort of a learning process, at least in building walls, for both of us.
One can hide a multitude of carpentry sins with chipboard! But at least we have learned more, and the next set of walls should be much improved. We had thought about insulating behind the walls, but it was cost prohibitive, and without insulating the entire shop, it wouldn't make a difference in temperature control.
DH is handy with a screwgun!
Me? I'm in charge of painting.
Secret messages in the paint.
All painted!
Next up is building the reloading bench. It will be mounted to the wall you see, for stability. This bench will be a huge upgrade for us on space. Our old bench was approximately 8 sqft. This new bench will be 22 sqft. It will also serve as a template for the bike work bench, unless we decide to buy a commercial work bench for the bike area. Where you see the ladder above, will be the bike storage area. They will hang from brackets we will mount on the wall we have yet to build.
I remember stories from my Dad of growing up in Liverpool in the '30s, and begging a "Penny for the Guy", on a long-ago today...of the bonfires the neighborhoods built at the end of streets, not to burn down the 'hood, or cause destruction, but to burn the effigy, and roast potatoes wrapped up in foil and placed in the coals.
As long as I can remember, I have known about Nov.5th, at least as it related to English history. This website, has a good summary of what happened long ago on this day, and what happened to those responsible for the treason...it wasn't pretty then, and it isn't pretty now. But treason never is...
With our own country's elections concluding next week, I know this is a divisive issue. I only ask that you pray we, as a people, choose thoughtfully and wisely whom we would have lead this country for the next 4 years.
These are growing in the empty lot across from our house. The way they grow, they remind me of corals, or brains... Either way, I find them strangely beautiful.
The question of the day is "What sound does a 17 year old Kenmore dryer make? "
Answer: You might describe it as the screeching cube of squeezed cats. Or perhaps the shriek of tortured metal that refuses to die? Either way, it was positively painful to be in the house while it was running!
Being who we are, neither DH nor I are unwilling to get our hands dirty, especially if it saves us some coin. We bought our dryer back in 2000, when we bought our first home together. The washer long ago succumbed to its age and wear despite our efforts to keep it running, as did its replacement. But the dryer ran on, and on, and on...
Periodically it would get noisy, a squeek that usually meant the felt and teflon glides needed replacing. This also afforded us a chance to vacuum out the 17 dogs worth of dog hair that seems magnetically drawn to the inside of the dryer.
About a year ago, we ordered a new repair kit, from Repair Clinic. It is a great resource for appliance repair for the do-it-yourself crowd. Between their onsite videos and Youtube, you can get instruction on how to fix just about anything appliance-wise! We had some trouble installing the felt and glides last year, so when our dryer began to make screeching howling noises early this year, we assumed the felt and glides had shifted and that the drum was rubbing on the frame, causing the cacophony.
We were wrong. The felt and glides were fine. In fact the unorthodox adhesive worked very well, so what was the cause of the din? Below is shown a new drum bearing plate. This is the point around which the drum of your dryer spins. It rides in a sheet metal and nylon race, bolted to the back of the dryer box.
New dryer bearing. Note the round head to it.
When we opened up the dryer last night to install the new felt, this is what we found. This was the bearing. Note the distinctly different shape to the bearing surface!
Dead bearing!
It was sitting inside what was left of the metal and nylon race. The nylon race was totally destroyed. The metal housing for it was heavily damaged too.
See how worn the metal support housing is?
This is the melted bearing race.
This is how the race and housing fit together.
Houston, we have a problem! Yes, this was the source of the screeching metal howling box of death-metal cats! Since we had the dryer all apart anyway, we replaced the drive belt, the belt tension pulley, and of course all the parts destroyed above.
Cost of a new dryer from the store: $500+
Our Do-it-yourself costs:
One repair kit from Repair Clinic: $37.91
Cost of the lesson in do-it-yourself work for the kids: Priceless!
First there was a big, Bullet-sized block head shoved into my lap. This was followed shortly by a tentative paw... or two. Just testing the waters, seeing what he could get away with. Suddenly, all 4 paws were on the couch, with the back two firmly settled on to/in to, my thigh, and a dogbutt in my lap.
Thus, the evolution of the Mom-chair!
Sunday, following our vacation to our secret little spot of Heaven on Earth with hungry bass, DH and I drove to TIRR Rescue to pick up our two remaining dogs Shiloh and Indy. We had a plan, to talk with Roy there, about adding in a third dog, to fill the hole that Ranger left with his sudden passing away
We had already talked to our local shelter, and looked at their dogs available to foster, and knew that we needed to bring ours home first. It can be hard, walking away empty handed, from a kill shelter, but we knew it was what we had to do.
When we arrived Sunday morning, there was a joyous reunion with our two. Indy spinning and dancing all over the place, unable to focus on one human to lavish his affection on. Shiloh, ever-in-control, went all wiggle-butt when she saw DH. He is her favorite human. Such a Daddy's Girl!
I'm bored with you. Where's my favorite human?
Hihihihihi! Pet me Pet me!
When they had finally settled down, we went to the kennel with Roy to talk dogs. We chatted a lot, and then went to see three dogs, in depth. One, a handsome young male, just was not ready to adopt out. There had been some "issues" when he was with Animal Control, and Roy wanted to give him time to adjust to being at TIRR, and to see how he behaved. Another, was a dog with some separation anxiety. Not uncommon in dogs, but this boy just didn't click with either of us. He was fine, around our two dogs, but that was because he was ignoring them. He really just wanted to be back in his run with his pack and best buddy. Lastly, we saw a bit older of a dog. We thought he was about 5, from looking at him. He was a stockier build, almost the same size as Indy, with the same sort of block-head. He really looks like a throwback to the early version of the breed. (Yes he is a purebred Rhodesian Ridgeback.) His name was Bullet.
It turns out Bullet came into TIRR from a west Texas animal shelter. He seems to have been a ranch dog. He is clearly familiar with horses, and undisturbed by them, nor does he harrass them. He is also, according to the paperwork Roy has on him, 8 years old next month, and was an owner surrender and seems to have always been named Bullet. For those who know us, I sort of thought that was a sign... He had been at TIRR for 11 months. He had been to adoption events as recently as Saturday, but had a history of "not showing well" because he would get upset when other dogs came near his crate. Humans by his crate were just fine.
Bullet clearly likes his humans. He is friendly and enjoys soaking up attention. He got along fine with our two, down at the kennel. Not being sure of his past, we assumed he was not housebroken. That in itself is not a dealbreaker, as we have tile and laminate flooring, not carpet. So we took him over to the house at TIRR, to see how he behaved inside a real home. And of course, he tried to mark a couple walls! BUT, the important thing is we were watching for that behavior, and caught him in the act, and verbally corrected him, and he STOPPED! Pretty soon, he flopped on the floor not far from Indy. Periodically he got up, and made the rounds of available humans, for ear scratches.
So, we have a new family member! Bullet has joined our pack. It feels good, to give an older dog a chance at a new beginning, with all the comforts of home. He has been accident free so far in the house, and has already graduated from sleeping in the crate at night to sleeping on Ranger's dog bed in our bedroom. That took a whopping 24 hrs!
First night on a dog bed uncrated. Think he likes it??
And like all our Ridgies, he is enjoying the pool deck. It is their favorite place to do their solar recharging.
Today is the annual North Texas Giving Day, where folks can donate to support any of the listed charities.
One near and dear to my heart is participating again this year, and that is Texas Independent Rhodesian Ridgeback Rescue, aka TIRR Rescue.
Donations are ongoing through midnight tonight. If you have the option, and wish to donate, please see if your company offers a matching program. Many do, and TIRR is a 501c3 charity. That helps raise more funds, and helps the dogs even more !
Here is the link to the Giving Day site for TIRR. LINK
I want to say thank you on behalf of all the hounds at TIRR, for your thoughts, prayers, and any funds you feel able to give.
Lots and none at all, going on here recently. We did have a week long break in the hot weather. But now the heat and humidity has returned. So much for Fall, eh?
The Monkeys and I have started their schooling already. We also joined the local homeschool co-op, and they get three enrichment classes on Fridays for ten weeks. I think it's pretty neat, except that I, yeah me, has to teach a class! I submitted two, and they picked the one I really didn't feel as confident in, of course. So, yours truly is teaching Intro to Ham Radio, to a group of seven 7th-12th grade boys. I think I'm terrified! Of course, being a procrastinator doesn't help me any either. Still I think I can manage, especially once the text book I ordered comes in for them.
Our chickens are all doing well. Octavia continues to grace us with a lovely little brown egg a day. They are quite tasty too, though we need to allow them more time out of the run, to free range, and eat more bugs. The Monkeys are just worried about raccoons, Mississippi Kites, and dogs/coyotes marauding through the flock, so they tend not to allow them as much time out of the run as I would like.
But yesterday was special! Yesterday, Oddball, our only Brown Leghorn, laid her first egg! We know it was her, because it's a white egg, not brown. She is the only white egg layer in the flock. Unfortunately, she chose the same nesting box that Octavia prefers. This may lead to some chicken squabbles. Soon, we expect the rest of the flock will start laying. But hopefully they will choose a different nesting box or two (we have 8) and not all try to use the same box!
Today, the Monkeys report that Octavia is sitting in the nesting box, Oddball wants in it too, and that the feisty Orpie is eyeing the boxes also! Perhaps by the time we return from church this afternoon, there will be more eggs.
Though Labor Day has come and gone, we are still using our pool. The water temp is going down, from a high of the mid 90's, to a fairly stable 85-87F. That feels chilly at first, but in reality is quite nice. Though we do fire up the spa heater, to be able to soak in warm comfort. I don't think we will actually "close" the pool at all, though we will only use the spa. And to use the spa, we have to keep the pool in service condition. They're all connected, you know. I'm actually looking forward to using the hot spa on a cold winter's night after lifting heavy that evening.
We still have several projects on tap for this fall. We are clearing out some deadwood from a friend's pasture. Taht will take cooler weather, and time. The trees that blew down are huge! Then we also have to split said wood. Not having a hydraulic splitter means we are doing it the old fashioned way--by maul and wedge! There's also the interior work to do in the shop. And landscaping work...and more! Plenty to keep us busy.
Where were you, early this morning, fifteen years ago? Me? I was sitting in my truck, outside the office, some 15min before my shift started, listening to the radio. The usual news broadcast came on, and I remember the announcer saying something about a plane hitting some big building in New York City.
I remember thinking about the time a B25 Mitchell bomber crashed into the Empire State building back in 1945...and assuming some poor soul had inadvertently flown a light aircraft into some skyscraper. Little did I know, at 07:45, 09/11/01...
My job was frustrating, annoying, and honestly I hated it. I was 6mo pregnant with our first child, and although I loved the folks I worked with, having worked with them for most of 13yrs under a different employer, I hated the new job. I was sticking it out, for the healthcare coverage, until the baby arrived. So, going inside to start work was drudgery...
There was some smalltalk floating around the cube floor, apparently others had heard something about the plane crash too... We settled in, and I flipped on a small radio. Soon it became apparent that 'something' was up--that maybe it was not an accidental crash--that it was a big jet, not some little Cessna--and then word came that a second plane had hit the other building.
Only a few folks had limited 'net access back then in the office, and the radios were so full of misinformation early on. The only TV in the break room couldn't get a picture, as the cable didn't work. We were tantalizingly, horrifyingly in the dark news-wise. Then the towers fell. I had heard a report that up to 30,000 people could have been in each tower on any given day. I knew it was going to be bad...and then we heard about the Pentagon. And then Flight 93...we wondered how many more planes...how many more souls would be lost that bleak day?
I went out to the parking lot for lunch, after the FAA had grounded ALL commercial aircraft. The sky was eerie in its emptiness. As I looked up, I saw one lone contrail, flying over Lawrence, KS, going due north, well off the usual commercial flight paths. I realized later that it was Air Force One, after I heard that Pres. Bush had been flown to Offutt AFB, SAC HQ, in Omaha, which coincidentally lies almost due north of Lawrence.
In those days following 9-11, I found the images, and news reports compelling. Dave didn't want me to see them--he was worried I would be too distressed by some images, such as those who chose to jump. I wanted to help--but at 6mo pregnant, there was nothing I could do but pray, and I was only newly come to faith, and lacked the confidence in prayer that I enjoy now.
I still find the images compelling--not in a voyeuristic way--but as possibly the most significant news event of my life. Much as my parents generation recalls Pearl Harbor, I recall 9/11. There was a tribute video done in the days following, done by a New Yorker. It uses a song by a singer, Enya. To this day, I cannot hear that song without that video playing in my mind.
I remember a couple years ago, how in Egypt and Libya, our people murdered, embassies were besieged and damaged--flags torn down and burned, crowds chanting. It brought to mind, seeing Palestinians dancing and chanting with evil joy on 9/11/01, when they learned of the attacks on America. I remember too, the crowds chanting and attacking another US embassy, many years ago, in Tehran/Teheran, when the now-Iranian President was a young well educated radical, taking our personnel there hostage. I remember watching the news with trepidation, of the so-called Arab Spring...and it occurred to me tonight between what our government is doing now, and what another government that should've known better too, achieved, when in 1938 they proclaimed "Peace in our time!" Appeasement doesn't work...when will we ever LEARN?
Perhaps more importantly, from whence will come our Churchill?
Where were you, early this morning, fifteen years ago? Me? I was sitting in my truck, outside the office, some 15min before my shift started, listening to the radio. The usual news broadcast came on, and I remember the announcer saying something about a plane hitting some big building in New York City.
I remember thinking about the time a B25 Mitchell bomber crashed into the Empire State building back in 1945...and assuming some poor soul had inadvertently flown a light aircraft into some skyscraper. Little did I know, at 07:45, 09/11/01...
My job was frustrating, annoying, and honestly I hated it. I was 6mo pregnant with our first child, and although I loved the folks I worked with, having worked with them for most of 13yrs under a different employer, I hated the new job. I was sticking it out, for the healthcare coverage, until the baby arrived. So, going inside to start work was drudgery...
There was some smalltalk floating around the cube floor, apparently others had heard something about the plane crash too... We settled in, and I flipped on a small radio. Soon it became apparent that 'something' was up--that maybe it was not an accidental crash--that it was a big jet, not some little Cessna--and then word came that a second plane had hit the other building.
Only a few folks had limited 'net access back then in the office, and the radios were so full of misinformation early on. The only TV in the break room couldn't get a picture, as the cable didn't work. We were tantalizingly, horrifyingly in the dark news-wise. Then the towers fell. I had heard a report that up to 30,000 people could have been in each tower on any given day. I knew it was going to be bad...and then we heard about the Pentagon. And then Flight 93...we wondered how many more planes...how many more souls would be lost that bleak day?
I went out to the parking lot for lunch, after the FAA had grounded ALL commercial aircraft. The sky was eerie in its emptiness. As I looked up, I saw one lone contrail, flying over Lawrence, KS, going due north, well off the usual commercial flight paths. I realized later that it was Air Force One, after I heard that Pres. Bush had been flown to Offutt AFB, SAC HQ, in Omaha, which coincidentally lies almost due north of Lawrence.
In those days following 9-11, I found the images, and news reports compelling. Dave didn't want me to see them--he was worried I would be too distressed by some images, such as those who chose to jump. I wanted to help--but at 6mo pregnant, there was nothing I could do but pray, and I was only newly come to faith, and lacked the confidence in prayer that I enjoy now.
I still find the images compelling--not in a voyeuristic way--but as possibly the most significant news event of my life. Much as my parents generation recalls Pearl Harbor, I recall 9/11. There was a tribute video done in the days following, done by a New Yorker. It uses a song by a singer, Enya. To this day, I cannot hear that song without that video playing in my mind.
I remember a couple years ago, how in Egypt and Libya, our people murdered, embassies were besieged and damaged--flags torn down and burned, crowds chanting. It brought to mind, seeing Palestinians dancing and chanting with evil joy on 9/11/01, when they learned of the attacks on America. I remember too, the crowds chanting and attacking another US embassy, many years ago, in Tehran/Teheran, when the now-Iranian President was a young well educated radical, taking our personnel there hostage. I remember watching the news with trepidation, of the so-called Arab Spring...and it occurred to me tonight between what our government is doing now, and what another government that should've known better too, achieved, when in 1938 they proclaimed "Peace in our time!" Appeasement doesn't work...when will we ever LEARN?
Perhaps more importantly, from whence will come our Churchill?
No, the sky isn't falling, but 'round here it seems the chickens are beginning to lay! Yes, lay eggs! It started the other day, when Monkey1 found a lovely brown egg in one of the nesting boxes. She came running into the house, shouting in excitement. It was funny, but the egg was lovely. Unfortunately, we did not see which chicken had given us her gift.
Our first egg! Brown, but the flash makes it look white.
Then there was a second egg the next afternoon. More excitement ensued. Then we finally spotted a hen in the box, and got egg #3 from under her. It was Octavia (she's either a black australorp, or a black sexlink)! Then Octavia gifted us with a 4th egg yesterday, which Monkeyboy promptly ate. Today, Octavia is back in a nesting box, and we eagerly await her delicious gift!
Miss Octavia
It seems to have helped that I bought a pair of ceramic brown eggs, to stash in the nesting boxes. Apparently it encourages nesting behaviour, and stimulates egg production. And if you get a broody hen, you can slip a couple underneath her, while you shanghai the real eggs for consumption.
Yesterday, she gave us a softshell (shell-less) egg. The dogs got to eat that one, as the membrane got dirty, having landed under one of the roosting bars. And as of today, we collected another small brown egg from the nesting boxes, another Octavia offering I am sure. If she's an Australorp, she is starting out quite prolific! Sex links are typically heavy layers for the first three years, and then they sort of burn out.
Octavia, out with the guineas.
Hopefully, more hens will start laying soon, so I can quit buying eggs at the store! But I am just grateful for whatever they give us. They are fun little creatures, all with distinct personalities. If you are in a position to have a few hens of your own, I highly recommend getting some!
So I though I had kicked the head cold from the weekend, until last night. That familiar unpleasant burning in the chest, the wet cough...all meant I had to see a doc today. When I get this crud, I have to be proactive and get meds adap, otherwise it gets established, and trends toward walking pneumonia.
So off to the Doc in a Box clinic, as I haven't yet gotten established with a regular doc up here. Two shots, one Zpack and an inhaler later, I got nearly all the meds I usually get issued for a bout of the lung crud. Only failed to get real cough syrup as this clinic doesn't prescribe any of the stuff that actually works for me. Oh well, since I got this quickly, maybe I won't need it.
Since our move this spring, we are no longer as close to our friends at TIRR Rescue. That makes it difficult for us to foster a dog for them, as we are 100mi from their nearest monthly adoption event. So, we joined the local humane association, and are on our second foster dog for them. Since the Lamar County shelter is a kill shelter, fostering certainly helps save a life, by keeping a dog run open for new intakes.
We took in Rudy, a little pup of the Black Mouth Cur variety. He's very sweet, and kissy, plus full of puppy jumps and nips. Luckily, he has someone already lined up to be his forever home, but it will be the end of month before he goes home. So he is our responsibility for August.
As for battles, well, let's just say it's a good thing I have to deal with the insurance company, and not my husband. They're giving me the runaround on his diabetes CGM (continuous glucose monitor) supplies. This particular company has a history of denying valid claims, often multiple times, in hopes that the patient will just pay instead. You just have to keep after them, and beat them like a rented mule.
And practice...yes, we both need it. We did get to our new range a couple weeks ago, and found it is a lovely facility! So this weekend we are hoping to get back out there and put in some more practice. I need to go get a stack of 1x2's for making target stands. I also need to decide what exactly I want to go shoot. I have an itch to go shoot rifle, but I really need to see how things work with my contact lenses reversed (rt eye near vision, left eye distance), when shooting pistol. Plus there's a desire to dust off my favorite wheelgun. And luckily, we also scored a nice stash of .22LR this week, and at nearly-normal prices too!
The other practice I'm doing involves this device, the Cabela's 3qt deep fryer!
DH found a basic recipe for Lumpia, aka Filipino egg rolls. He fell in love with them back when he was in the P.I. in the Corps. So I get to try to reproduce them. The recipe itself is simple. The hard part is going to be rolling them and frying them up I think. We bought a bunch of wonton wrappers, and egg roll wrappers to try. One makes little rolls, the other standard big ones. If you see me posting next week, you'll know everyone survived the experiment!
Update: This was supposed to have posted Saturday morning. Oh well. The update is that the ins co denied the claim, so now I have had to get his doc involved. This is just a pain...
And sadly we did not get out to the range Saturday either. But we did get the attic ladder safely and securely reinstalled... And DH's shoulder MRI is Wednesday.
