Home

That song ... Home... by Phillip Phillips - makes me think of taking a dog home after adopting it.

No Snow

Well no snow, not even a dusting.  It stayed south and east.  At least it should keep the roads clear for Mom and Dad.

It only took Mom coming back into the house two times before they left.  Once because they thought they left the Garmin and the other because she forgot her purse.  Oy.

I just found the money she left me under the keyboard too.  Thanks Mom.

I think I will get a seat cover for the front seat of my truck with the Christmas money I received.  The driver's seat is coming apart.  Not that I blame it, the truck is a 1989 model.

Rob got the present he wanted and he is tickled with it.

Good times this Christmas.  Too bad Mom and Dad were sick though.  Hopefully they make it home ok.  Wasn't to confident with Dad driving but he said he is feeling better than he was the past few days.

Now to get back to crocheting and editing.  Only another 300 + pages to go ...

Christmas

Survived the Apocalypse.

Mom and Dad are both sick now (colds or something).  So Rob and I will probably end up going to family functions without them.

Presents abound and visiting with friends and family is turning out great so far.

Windy Apocalpyse

Getting ready for the Mayan Apocalypse on the 21st.

Nah.  But it will probably be colder and snowier than today.  And it is windy today.  Like gusts up to 50 mph windy.

Dad and I put up the Christmas tree last night and the trains.  Then we all played Monopoly, the game will continue tonight.

Mom is doing her shopping bing at the grocery stores.

Just listening to the winds and the news now.

Hope everyone has a good winter season and happy new year.

Not sure what to say

With the tragedy in Newtown, CT, I don't know what to say.  Obviously condolences to those affected.  But should anything else be said?  Should there be a call for policies to be changed?

I think a more effective thing would be to be more aware of the people around you.  I can't say what the family of the suspect had tried to do, if anything, to get help, but maybe something more should have been done.

It seems like every time something like this happens it is known the person wasn't totally stable.  Makes me wish someone cared enough about them to try and get them help.  Help so that these type of tragedies don't keep happening.

Granted I get angry at times.  Provoked enough to say awful things and threaten.  But when I really examine what I would do... I can't say for certain that I would react that violently.  I like to think not.  At least not anymore.  I guess I am one of the lucky ones.

I think the paperwork for the house in Union is finally sorted out.  Hopefully everything will go smoothly until closing.  Once we get the house and get the water pipes repaired we can see if the well and septic are good.  I hope so.

Funny that I prefer hope to pray.  I don't like to pray for things.  To expect whatever it is that makes this word spin and the universe to exist to listen to the pleading of a single soul.  Especially on something this materialistic.  I prefer hope.  Hope is something you give your own strength to, something your own soul reaches for.  It doesn't require outside intervention, but if something does decide to assist it is welcome.

I know prayer is something that a lot of people find comfort in and I am happy they do.  I just don't want to be asked to beg.  To beg something or someone I know little to nothing about.  I hope for speedy recoveries, I hope for good luck, I hope for that winning lottery ticket.  If I invest just my own feelings into it and not beg for it, it doesn't seem as selfish to me.

So I hope that people find some sort of peace this holiday/winter season, from Newtown, CT to Syria, to the refugee camps around the world, and even a little yellow house in Union.

We have a contract

dream

Well we found another house with 5 acres that we are excited about.  Going to be doing some more research on any possible hitches and putting in a bid.  Mom is freaking out still but she means well.

I am worried about Allie and Jimu.  I want to help, but I don't want to interfere.

Forgot to mention that the dog Allie and Jimu found is now officially theirs.  She is a sweet dog, protective of the family and great with the girls.  I just hope she gets a more discipline because she is acting more and more like their nut mutt Bullet.  I love that they named her Ricochet.

Continuing to work on the first school story.  Luckily Jimu doesn't know much about the characters or the world and so is a wonderful guinea pig.  One issue being that he poked a hole in the main character.  The character I have just because he is human.

So yeah.  I am glad he found it and made me realize what it was but - UGH more work.  But I would rather it be a better story.

mouse

I am very disappointed that may razar naga mouse is dieing already.  I've only had it 3 years maybe and it is near impossible to use it because of how hitchy it is on the X axis.  And now the left click is not wanting to work properly.  I think I am going to give up and get a generic mouse since I am not playing WoW anymore.  I did really like the thumb pad on the razar since it gave me easy access to more buttons.  I am just disappointed the mouse didn't last longer with the price we paid for it.

In other news - it is near impossible to get Mom to stop shopping once she has begun.

I appreciate all her effort but sometimes I would like her to slow down a little.

And I just yelled at Rags and he came running to me.  I guess that works for having him stop what he was doing.  Dog of a cat.

damn you google

I delete because this is idiotic.

writing

Survived Thanksgiving.

Took a look at a few more houses but nothing is lining up yet.  I am not sure how long it will take to get our house sold.  We are thinking about taking it off the market for the rest of the winter so it will come up fresh with no days on market in the spring.  Its just very disheartening to have the house on the market for two months and only have one showing.  I have gotten to the point of not keeping the house in as ready of a state for a showing as I should.

Not only that but now I am worried that once we get a house with some acerage I won't be able to make any money as selling the veg/fruits and animals from it.  I am probably just being paranoid but I don't know what kind of market there will be where ever we end up because our price point is so low and the land requirements are so high.  Yet at the same time I know everyone has to eat so hopefully they will want what I have to produce.

Been working on the first school story.  I think the beginning has a better hook to it now.  I am wanting to tighten up the plot but as I am reading through it I am not seeing much I can do, granted I am only a third of the way through the edits.  So far most people that have read it enjoyed it, but they aren't professional editors or agents though.

I need to start outlining the third book in the series.

But for now ... off to chop wood.

Happy Thanksgiving

Hope all have a good holiday.

Mom and Dad are coming up today and we are going to terrorize the poor real estate agent and try and look at some houses.

Turkey day is at Aunt Karen's as usual.  Look forward to seeing people there.

Then more chaos and running around seeing people.  I think Dad's side the next day and on the weekend we will get together with Rob's family.  And then - collapse.

Anger

Dear Santa,

I want a conceal and carry permit and a revolver for Christmas so I can shoot back at stupid children who shoot paintballs at the windows of the car when I am driving down the road.

I can't say for sure if it was a paintball but it hit hard enough on the rear driver side window when I was on the rock road so make me think a rock had hit the window or a tire had blown or something.  By the time I glanced back and saw the goo on the window, and realized the car turning down woodson, with some fucktard staring out the window at me it was too late to cut across two lanes and still make the turn on woodson.  I think if I had time I would have come unglued and ran them off the road.  I would have totaled the car but at least I would have gotten back at them for attacking me for no reason.

And that is what really irks me - the no reason behind the hit.  It would be different if I had cut them off or something but they had come up alongside me on a fairly empty street just to do this.  Dumb asses could have caused an accident or broken the window.

anger.

scared

Scared of what people will think of me or what I create, and therefore who I am.  Scared of failure.  Failing to create something worth enjoying.  Scared of people trying to get something from me for nothing, for no other reason than to be selfish and mean.

So be brave.  Have gumption.  Try.

Push beyond the thought that people are out to hurt you, that even if you give them the very best they will try to get you in trouble and take everything else you have.

This isn't the same fear that a parent has for an ill child, or a soldier has while facing battle, but it is a fear that everyone has, and probably should have.

And some people succumb to that fear and let it rule them.  Some people don't have the physical capability of handling that fear.  Sometimes the brain's chemicals aren't properly balanced and the fear turns into something there is no possible way of facing.

And then sometimes.  Sometimes there are people who do know you and do care about you that reach into that dark corner where you have hidden and drag you out.  So that you are forced to share yourself, exposed in the light of day.  And whether or not the sharing goes well, it is the simple fact that people cared enough to drag you out.

And that is something you should relish in.

Thank you pickle relish.

It is cold

Cold horrid fall and winter.  How dare you take the warmth and long sunny days.  How dare you take the leaves and the flowers.  How dare you make me turn on the heater.

*Mother Nature flexes muscles, wiping out northeast*

Right you are!  *backs away slowly*

No go

Well the bank went with another offer on the house we were looking at, and actually I am ok with that.  I didn't want Mom and Dad in any sort of financial pinch for that house and they might have been until we sell this one.  Besides if I can find a property already partially set up with some outbuildings and fencing for the right price it means I can get to work filling those acres with a garden and livestock sooner.

And Dad bought me a tractor.  Mom is frustrated over the spent money.

I know he is doing what he thinks is best and perhaps in the short term a tractor would be better.  But in the long term I want a team of horses to do most if not all of the things I would want a tractor for.  Simply because I know a horse will start on a cold morning without any ether or warming etc.  I know if a horse throws a shoe how to get the work done without it, unlike if a tractor's tire goes flat and there is no quick way to fix it.  I know what to do if a horse comes up lame, and don't have the first clue as what to do if a tractor won't start.
I know horses eat all the time and a tractor only needs fuel when used, but at least with horses most of their 'fuel' can come from the land they live on.

There are the old ground driven farm devices that can still be found and some three point implements can simply be towed behind a fore cart.  And if there is something that must have a PTO I would prefer having an engine mounted on the fore cart to power it.

On another note ... I just emailed off my story to an 11 year old.  I am not sure how wise that was but her parents assured me she was allowed to read it.  Now all I have to do is wait for the scathing reviews .... hehe.

Voted

Hope everyone voted.

It was a chilly overcast day here with intermittent showers.  The neighbors were having their roof redone and it is now covered with a tarp until the weather clears.

I have officially switched into cold weather mode.
Crochet, writing and other indoor activities are taking precedence.
I enjoy being outdoors, so long as I don't have to be constricted by too many layers of clothing.

Going to start trimming the first school story book I suppose.  It is one of my better works but it wasn't planned out and so the story kind of wanders.  I don't think it will take much for it to tidy up.  At least I hope not.

I hate to change the beginning since that was the hardest part for me to figure out in the beginning: introducing people to the world I would be drawing them into, but I suppose a little more excitement might help with explanations to follow.  I will see what I can dream up.

Apple bread

Got this recipe from the in-laws and made some for the "pumpkin fest"(late halloween) party.  To quote: "This is Oh My God stop the wars and get some of this bread, good"

I mis-read the apples and thought it said three apples and not 3 cups but I had put in 5 apples because that is what my mother-in-law told me (and gave me from their picking trip).   

Follow directions exactly! Mix the wet and dry ingredients in separate bowls for best results.

Ingredients

• cooking spray or Criso
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
• 3 cups apples - peeled, cored, and chopped
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups white sugar
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Prepare 2 loaf pans (8 1/2x4 1/2-inch loaf pans) with cooking spray or Crisco.
2. Mix flour, baking soda, salt, walnuts, and apples in a large bowl. Whisk oil, sugar, eggs, and cinnamon together in a small bowl; add to flour mixture and mix until just moistened. Evenly divide mixture between prepared loaf pans.
3. Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 90 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

Patience

I guess we are finally going to make that offer.  We will see.  I seriously doubt the bank will take it but I'm ok with that because to get all the outbuildings and the land cleared would take a lot of work and money.  If this doesn't happen I am just going to sit back and wait for our house to sell.  There is no reason to look and get worked up over a property if there is no way to afford it.

I pulled out my crochet now that the weather has turned and I am beginning to work on Christmas presents.  I might actually put up a few things on etsy or something and see if anyone bites there.

Allie and Jimu found a lost dog wandering around their place and Allie finally caught her after 3 days of patience.  The dog seems very friendly now that she is in a home.  Before she was skittish, I think because she was alone (although they did say she had a boy dog with her at one point) and without any security of a home.  She looks amazingly like their other dog Bullet.  She went right up to the girls, seemed very comfortable with children.

I honestly think she is someones pet.  She doesn't seem like she was abused, she isn't worried about being hit.  She doesn't fight a leash.  I am worried they are becoming attached to her too quickly before they find out if she is micro-chipped at least.  They are already working on a name for her.  I hope, for their sakes, that no one claims her.  But if it is someone's dog their are few other people you would want taking care of it until you could find it again.

Oh - and here is hoping things aren't too terrible for the east coast with Sandy.  I know there will be damage, its already on the news, but hopefully no one will be hurt or killed.

Negotiating

When dealing with a bank give em a center hit fast ball at 27k.

See if they at least swing.

Believe the Little Lies

Justice, Mercy, Beauty, that sort of thing.  You start with fairies, princesses, dwarves, Santa Clause, and move up from there.

Terry Pratchett is a genius and here is a exerpt:

The hole speech on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIILp0jiXGs

WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF YOU HADN’T SAVED HIM?
’Yes! The sun would not have risen just the same, yes?’
NO.
’Oh come on. You can’t expect me to believe that. it’s an astronomical fact.’
THE SUN WOULD NOT HAVE RISEN.

She turned to him.

’It’s been a long night, Grandfather! I’m tired and I need a bath! I don’t need silliness!’
THE SUN WOULD NOT HAVE RISEN.
’Really? Then what would have happened, pray?’
A MERE BALL OF FLAMING GAS WOULD HAVE ILLUMINATED THE WORLD.

They walked in silence for a moment.

’Ah,’ said Susan dully. ’Trickery with words. I would have thought you’d have been more literal-minded than that.’
I AM NOTHING IF NOT LITERAL-MINDED. TRICKERY WITH WORDS IS WHERE HUMANS LIVE.
’All right,’ said Susan. ’I’m not stupid. You are saying humans need ... fantasies to make life bearable.’
REALLY? AS IF IT WAS SOME KIND OF PINK PILL? NO. HUMANS NEED FANTASY TO BE HUMAN. TO BE THE PLACE WHERE THE FALLING ANGEL MEETS THE RISING APE.
’Tooth fairies? Hogfathers? Little ---’
YES. AS PRACTICE. YOU HAVE TO START OUT TO BELIEVE THE LITTLE LIES.
’So we can believe the big ones?’
YES. JUSTICE. MERCY. DUTY. THAT SORT OF THING.

’They’re not the same at all!’
YOU THINK SO? THEN TAKE THE UNIVERSE AND GRIND IT DOWN TO THE FINEST POWDER AND SIEVE IT THROUGH THE FINEST SIEVE AND THEN SHOW ME ONE ATOM OF JUSTICE ONE MOLECULE OF MERCY. AND YET --- Death waved a hand: AND YET YOU ACT AS IF THERE IS SOME IDEAL ORDER IN THE WORLD, AS IF THERE IS SOME ... SOME RIGHTNESS IN THE UNIVERSE BY WITCH IT MAY BE JUDGED.
’Yes, but people have got to believe that, or what’s the point ---’
MY POINT EXACTLY.

She tried to assemble her thoughts.

THERE IS A PLACE WHERE TWO GALAXIES HAVE BEEN COLLIDING FOR A MILLION YEARS, said Death, apropos of nothing. DON’T TRY TO TELL ME THAT’S RIGHT.
’Yes, but people don’t think about that,’ said Susan. Somewhere there was a bed ...

CORRECT. STARS EXPLODE, WORLDS COLLIDE, THERE’S HARDLY ANYWHERE IN THE UNIVERSE WHERE HUMANS CAN LIVE WITHOUT BEING FROZEN OR FRIED, AND YET YOU BELIEVE THAT A ... BED IS A NORMAL THING. IT IS THE MOST AMAZING TALENT.
’Talent?’

OH, YES. A VERY SPECIAL KIND OF STUPIDITY. YOU THINK THE WHOLE UNIVERSE IS INSIDE YOUR HEADS.
’You make us sound mad,’ said Susan. A nice warm bed ...
NO. YOU NEED TO BELIEVE IN THINGS THAT AREN’T TRUE. HOW ELSE CAN THEY BECOME? said Death helping her up on Binky.

It is a remarkable speech and really put into perspective (for me) emotions.  You can't quantify happiness or sadness or pain but yet they are real.  You can't measure them or exert some sort of force on them but they affect us and how we act in the world and with each other.

And there is another way of thinking about each other as well.  The way we each think of ourselves is not exactly the same as what our friends or family or strangers think of us.  And each of those people in turn have a slightly different view of who each of us are and they are not any more wrong than we are right about ourselves.  I think a culmination of all those perspectives of us BEGINS to make us who we are.  Certainly I have more influence on how I am perceived but I certainly can't make someone experience me exactly as I would like.

There are invisible energies, the positive and negative forces of an atom.  We can't see those and yet they are there.  We can't see gravity and yet it keeps us from spinning into space.  (well technically we are spinning in space but I digress)

Anyways - it comes to what I was originally thinking when I decided to quote Terry Pratchett in the Hogfather. 


I was lighting the first fire of the season in the fireplace and was thankful for everything surrounding it.  The heat from it would warm the house as the temperatures drop tonight and I began to think on that invisible wave of heat and how one measures it with the flowing of mercury.  And the happiness it provided which has no measurement.

What can you not measure?

For Sale

The house is officially for sale.

burning dust

I hate turning on the furnace for the first time for the season.  It means winter is coming, it means it stinks up the house with burning dust, and it means I get sick.  Rob doesn't get sick with all his hyper-allergies.  No.  I do.

Every time.

On the bright side: it means it is cold enough to get the fireplace rocking.  And Halloween is around the corner.

Oh wait, Rob just called - he is sick too.

I hate the cold.

Changeing thoughts.

Why are people so addicted to farming games?  On-line games like farm-ville and the like.  Is it an instinctual miss of the connection with making things grow?  Or am I ready too much into the simple interaction of a person with clicking things on the computer with a mouse?  I mean - how close to having a tomato grow is it between clicking the mouse and actually planting and tending to the plant?  Perhaps it is the immediate satisfaction /reward of the game.

In the back of my mind I like to think it has something to do with actually growing things, at least a little.

Patience

I am thinking I keep putting the cart before the horse.

Need to sell house THEN look for property.

Time

When we first bought this house I thought we would probably never leave it.  In fact we have lived here for over ten years now.  But now.  Now I want to live out in the country.  I want to wake to feeding livestock and hearing their sounds, not the sounds of cars and airplanes and the small confines of a backyard garden.

But now we wait.  We wait to find out which agent we feel comfortable with, we wait for the people to come look, we wait for the inspections and paper work.  We may wait more than a year.

Before today I thought we might have to wait six months at the most.

I thought I could start looking for a new house once I got it listed but instead I may be forced to wait until we get it sold.  That hurts.

So now, I guess I will start planning my garden here again.  Unpack the winter clothes. And get used to living for awhile in a home that has no pictures on the walls.

Fall Harvest

Amazing load of tomatoes in from the garden.  I decided to pick all the large green ones to try and let them ripen inside since they hadn't ripened in the last week.  I didn't want them caught out in a frost.  I left the smaller tomatoes thinking maybe they will grow and ripen now that the plants aren't having to support all of these.  I didn't realize I had this many!

I picked some tomatillos also but I haven't begun my salsa experiment with them yet.  Also got a broccoli head and it was very good!  I hope they produce more.

Started calling agents to see about getting the house up for sale.  Big step.  Excited and scared.

Hopefully we can get the car traded in today for something with better gas mileage (nothing wrong with the malibu just it doesn't get the mileage we would like for when we move and hour out).  I hope we can get a ford focus.  The one we had before was a good little car and I think Rob kind of likes them.

I think everything is going to start coming to a head in the next week.  And then October and my favorite holiday.  Spirits up, claws dug in. FILDI

ARRRrrrrrrr!!!

Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day!

In other news: Dentist is done.  Don't want to talk or think about it again....

House is getting closer and closer to being ready to sell.  I thought maybe I would have it done in the beginning of September but now I am seeing I will probably have it done at the end of the month.

Garden is still producing.  I got two watermelons, one of which I had to pick because it split open - basically grew too big for its britches.  TONS of tomatoes on the vines, just hoping they ripen before the frost.

Ow

I hate dentist. Necessary Evil.

Unrest

Edit: Image created by jollyjack

Moment of Silence

listen

Sometimes you can try your best to help someone and it doesn't matter.  They either don't care, don't want to hear it, or think they are right.  It doesn't matter how nice or how much you do or how much evidence you show.

And no matter how much you care or think you can make a difference, sometimes you just have to take a breath and let it go.  If there isn't a reason for them to try and you have tried and tried and tried, eventually you just have to cut your losses.

Losses? Looses?  whatever.

Sometimes language bothers me and I have to just accept the fact that I don't remember all the rules and hope that those around me get the gist.

... I hope that's a word.

It is: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/gist?s=t

gist

noun

1.

the main or essential part of a matter: What was the gist of his speech?

2.

the ground of a legal action.

 

Back to the subject... Which is basically to convince myself to stop caring.  That is difficult.

 

Is it right to give up on someone?  Does it depend on how much it would affect their life, your life and those around you?

 

Sometimes I hate these questions. 

Try

The attempt of something is sometimes not always enough.  Sometimes you have to keep trying.  Maybe there is a fumble, a trip, a fall, but then there is the continuing on.  That is the victory, the continuation.  The goal is still there, and yet that goal still isn't the end.  The journey, the try of day to day life keeps happening.  And there is a raw beauty in that, a basic instinctual kinship among people.

So we keep trying and we keep struggling.  Maybe not to do it exactly right but to keep getting better.  No matter who you are or what you do, there is always that next step and all you have to do is take it. And then the next.  And the next.

Soon you will see you are closer to what you want and further from where you were, and there will be a moment of pleasure.  A sigh of relief and a weight lifted from your shoulders.  And then ... then you put your head back down, lean into that harness and keep pulling.

If you have that try, congratulations you are alive.

Edible?

Found some mushrooms growing in the garden.  Trying to find out if they are edible.

Fireflies

Fireflies : Nature's Bling

Cooler Weather

With the cooler weather the garden is starting to produce again.  Even with the water I was giving it - I think the plants were just trying to survive in the weeks of 100 + heat.  Now that it has broken below the 90s the plants are fruiting.  Even the Cherokee Purples are putting out tomatoes again.  I see two watermelons so far and the tomatillos look like they are making a go of it too but nothing substantial yet.  I am very happy to see the garden coming back after I had given up on it producing anything more this year.

My two baby watermelons - I will be keeping a close eye on them.  I think they are sugar babys.

The tomatillos are making their paper shell - kind of like an onion but their fruit is more like a tomato.

And the tomatoes - I hope the cool temps will keep them from cracking so bad.

Nevermind

So the land wasn't what I was looking for after all.  I understood that it was a rectangle lay out - I just thought it would be wider that the double wide trailer that was on it.

Parents

Parents never get enough respect from their children, especially while they are growing up.  I remember accusing mine that all they wanted was a slave and that was why they had me (I actually had it pretty darn good).  A lot of parents don't hit that correct balance of respect, discipline, and spoiling.  I like to think mine were right on - if a little heavy on the spoiling and a little light on the discipline (chores and such).

Even at 32 years old my parents are still helping me.  I would like to think I will help them more some day.

On that Path

Just have to get past that brush.

Plans

I found this nice piece of land for what I think is a steal.  It will take a lot of work but so would any other piece of property.  The only thing I am worried about is the permits and regulations from the county.

... and the real estate agent just contacted me and I am a little more encouraged that the septic could still be viable.

I really want to jump on this yet at the same time people are cautioning me.  I am worried that this deal will slip away and it will be very hard to find something like it again.

Closer

Steps closer to having the house ready to sell.  This may seem like all this blog is about, but once we find our land it will be more about working on it.
The day to day chores, what works and what doesn't, the triumphs and the tragedies.
Just the first step was deciding to do it.

No Thanks

Some days you can't say thanks for things.  Some days you just have to help each other.

Missed it?

So there was this awesome looking 131 year old farm house for sale, 10 acres, a barn and a pond.  $69,900.  I mean DAMN.

But our house isn't quite ready for the market (I still think I can get it on the market in Sept) and we weren't ready to move on any property.  So that awesome short sale farm - in a contract.  Likely not see something like that again for awhile.

But at the same time I have learned that while land isn't made anymore (except for islands etc), there is plenty out there.  There is a point where you have to trust in the cosmos, fate, god(s) - whatever - that things are going to work out for you.  If you have a plan or at least a good idea, then you can work towards something.  I'm not saying that everything will be perfect but at least you can measure success with a goal in mind.

The adage - god (universe, nature, fate) helps those that help themselves - I believe in strongly.  You may not have the resources to get something done but if you ask around you might find a way to do it.

So - getting help with painting some of the interior of the house, getting ready to get this thing on the market, and then - hopefully - finding our next home.

Cheers, good luck, force be with you - and all that.

carrots

I missed watering the carrots because I was using a soaker hose on the tomatoes, peppers, tomatillos and watermelons.  The carrots being several rows of dead or "finished" garden away.  But I gave what remained some water and it has actually rained a little the past few days.  I kind of think the over-crowded carrots died because they were stunted and the larger ones survived which might actually be great in the end - I don't have to keep thinning and the larger ones get to keep growing.

Have to get ready to take Squire to the vet again and have a final check on his anal glands.  He blew both of them out in the past 3 weeks or so and it may end up he will have to have them removed.  We will see.

watching the grass grow

Now into the grass growing business to make the front yard look better.  I hate wasting water on lawns, but it needs to be done if I want it to look good for when I sell it.  I really need to get into detail on what I want to raise when we get some land - at the same time it is difficult to decide without knowing what type of land we will end up getting.

It was worth it

The girls' faces when they saw the house and their own rooms, and the screaming and the jumping up and down and the crying was worth the work.

They Moved.

So my friends moved one mile from their apartment to their first house together.  Very excited for them.  Thankfully I didn't have to sweat much for them since they hired movers.  I did not envy those guys.  I would hate to do that much labor in dangerous temperatures of 100+ heat.

I don't mind sweat - it means you are alive and doing something ... even if it is just surviving in the heat.  What I do mind is if it gets in my eyes.

Bathroom is finally done and it is WONDERFUL!!  Rob doesn't have to duck (6'3") to get under the shower head.  We specifically raised the head of the shower when we gutted the room just for him.  It fought till the very end but we triumphed ... strange how simple jobs like screwing in a bathtub drain get complicated.

Going to help get Allie and Jimu's house ready for their girls coming home from Texas (visiting relatives).  The girls know nothing about it.  They didn't even know Allie and Jimu were looking for a house.  They will be so excited when they find out.  I can't wait to see their faces.

Trying to coax the garden along in this heat is becoming more difficult.  I almost want to just let it die.  This drought is really tough on the little garden, I can't imagine what farmers are doing when that is their lively hood (except if they have crop insurance).  You find a way I imagine.  If the garden was more important to me than just a few extra tomatoes (at this point) then I would probably put in more effort.  But most of what I grew I have harvested already or the bugs ate.

I am very glad I started so early this spring.  It meant the vegetables were done before the drought got really bad.  I can only hope Nature takes pity on us soon and lets the rain in.

Tragedy

There are terrible things that happen in the world, and some beautiful, wonderful things.  Lets not take tragedy and raise up the perpetrators into the lime-light.  Instead lets comfort each other, talk to our loved-ones, our friends and our neighbors.

Do something good, help your friend with a tough decision.  Talk to your neighbor.  Volunteer.  Try and reach out to that lonely person that might need help.  There is no way to know how important you might be in the course of world events if you do not make an effort.

I am going to adhere to Godwin's law here:

I remember reading or hearing about a sci-fi short story a long time ago that involved time travel.  I don't recall who wrote it or what it was called or where I saw it, but I think this applies.

A man wanted to go back in time to hunt dinosaurs.  There was much calculation done and preparation for where he could go and which dinosaur he could kill without disrupting the time-line. 

He was sent back in time with a guide and told to stay on a certain path.  Unfortunately he tripped off of it and crushed a bug.  He didn't dare tell anyone what had happened and so covered up what he had done.

When he returned to his present time, WW2 had happened and 6 million people had been killed.

Upon further research it was discovered he had crushed the ancestor of a butterfly that had crossed Hitler's path once that had stopped him.  It had made him reflect and come to peace with himself to not go to war and slaughter millions

So I guess what I am saying is : Be the butterfly.

Nerd Song

Yeah ... I'm a Nerd Fighter - Deal.

The Universe is Weird

Dog Drama

So my little "foo foo" dog, Squire, a rat terrier, had what appeared to be a pimple or bee sting under his tail to the side of his - you know.  Well it swelled and by noon it was weeping blood.  Trying to clean it to look at it ruptured it.  I cleaned it some more and became worried when black gunk came out with the blood.  At first I was worried that a foreign object had made it all the way through him and just at the end had made a wrong turn.

Nope - apparently their anal glands can rupture.  News to me.

It ended up leaving a pencil lead wide hole and so I called the vet Dr. Chip (who is awesome) but they closed at 12 and she had a prior appointment.  She didn't seem too concerned and said that if I couldn't get him in at another vet that she would see him first thing in the morning before her usual open time.

I did manage to get him in at a Banfield at a Petsmart (the staff there knew Dr. Chip so bonus).  They took good care of us, flushed out the rupture and sent us home with some meds.

Now Squire is passed out at my feet.  He had a long day.

What drought?

Japanese Hulless Corn
 I popped some but it came up really small - I could eat it - the kernels weren't hard at all.  I will try popping them a different way to see if that helps - I kind of just think that they will be small though.

Red and Yellow Potatoes

Cherokee Purple Tomatoes!!

Home!

Back from vacation at parent's house on Table Rock Lake.  Love it there.  Had tons of fun and was spoiled by Mom and Dad.  Our friends Allie and Jimu also got to come down for a weekend and had a blast.

Now back home and going to get back to work getting the house prepped to sell.

Oh also I have ripe tomatoes and they are yummy!  I picked my popcorn Japanese Hulless Popcorn and will be trying out some soon.  The rest of the garden suffered in the triple degree heat but I hope with a little break in the heat ... ya know in the 90s instead of 100s ... I can bring it back.

That Higgs -Boson thingy

So big new in the science world.  We have matter.  And mass.  Because of stuff.

Just nod your head and be one with it.


But in all honesty - pretty cool stuff even if I don't fully understand it.

Happy Fourth of July

Hope everyone had a good Fourth.  I did.  Fourth of July on Table Rock Lake is beautiful.

This one just looks cool even though the exposure time was too long on the shakey boat.

All the boats on the water with their lights on - again too long of exposure on rocking boat.

Corn

I only picked this one this morning and ate it this morning.  Very satisfying!  This corn - fresh from the stalk had a milkier taste to it - wonderful!  Also I think I left it on the stalk to long, there were some kernels that were already denting and harder than I would have liked.  This one was the driest looking of the sweet corn though, but also one of the largest.  I will pick the rest very soon.  Possibly take some down to Mom and Dad's.

I think when I get back I will try planting some more.  I think there is enough time in the season to grow another crop of sweet corn.

Wonderful thing, knowing that one kernel from one cob can grow a whole stalk.

I can't say for sure if this is a totally GMO free corn because it is from Burpee and Burpee is owned by Monsanto - which I didn't find out until a few weeks ago - but at least there are no added chemicals of insecticide, herbicide or fertilizers.

Onions

Honest I didn't grow it on purpose

So I had this plant growing with my tomatoes and peppers and such and I thought they might have been some surviving eggplant - so I let them grow. They did produce these odd looking tiny tiny green tomato looking things that eventually ripened to black... so I did some research.

This is what I have http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/weeds/plants/black_nightshade.htm

FYI

If you mix too much grout for a midnight grouting - loading it down with water will not stop it from drying under the water.

And then there was the septic

So the house deal may be on the rocks for my friends because of the septic not being large enough (only designed for two people).  Not to mention the electric needs work and the AC is bad.  But hopefully the seller will fix that or take it off the price of the house.  But we will see.

Did a little garden work, basically mowed down the grass and mowed over the remains of the pumpkin broccoli and cucumber.  The bugs and rabbits just decimated them.  I will probably replant some cucumber and pumpkin and try and get some sweet potatoes.  I will need to move where the pumpkin and cucumber are though; get them away from the bugs.  The zucchini is still fighting so I let it go for now but it is sick too.

The onions are looking ready to start coming out of the ground and the tomatoes are still doing well.  I keep waiting for them to start turning red.  I probably need to pull some carrots too.

The next few days will be in the 100s though so the most I will probably be doing is watering and a little picking.

Exciting Day

So Dad finally got to go home after doing most of the bathroom remodel (thanks Dad).  Of course he had to repair his jeep before he was allowed to leave the driveway....

A minor fuel line fix later he was on his way home.

Today I am going with my friends Allie and Jimu (we call him Jimu - don't ask) to look at a house they are interested in.  I am excited for them - I remember how enthralled I was with getting my first house with Rob.  At the same time I know how blind it made me.  My Mom and Dad tried to tell me the house needed some work but I wouldn't hear it.  There was a four foot diameter tree in the backyard!!!

Anyways, it wasn't totally bad that we got this house.  It has served us well.  But we are ready to move on too.

But back to the thing today - they found the house in the school district they have their girls in already and the girls are in the school Allie really wanted them in, so that is good.  This house is one that a guy bought and is flipping (has flipped) - not sure when it is officially flipped if when the work is done or when it is sold.

I haven't gotten to see the inside yet, which is what we are doing today while the inspector is there.

I will update more later.

Helpful Cat

More Rain!

Hurray we got another bout of rain!  The garden dirt doesn't have that cracked desert look any more.  Even watering it every other day it was going dry.

I got some diatomaceous earth to help take care of the bugs.  I hope it does the trick. Wasn't too bad in price too - just 9 bucks for a descent sized box.

Tomatoes are still doing well - I can't wait to see them start to ripen.

The bathroom walls are being tiled - it is looking awesome.  Dad has been working really hard on it (even on Father's Day).  Payment of beer and chocolate is being made.

BUGS!

So I went out into the garden last night and found out what has been demolishing my zucchini, pumpkin and cucumbers.  Cucumber beetles!!!

(thank you bugguide.net for the photo)

Only about 1/4 inch long.  I need to make a spray to get rid of them.  I don't know if I can save the pumpkin plants.  I know the cucumbers will need to be replanted - hopefully they can make another go of it.

The tomatoes are making a good go of it - so long as nothing eats them they should provide a good harvest.

Oh and yay we finally got some rain - but it doesn't look like we will get another storm for awhile again.

Garden update

Did some yard work today and was very happy to see the tomatoes starting to form on the plants.  I got some photos.
Oh well it added them in reverse order so the first one is the picture of the stems left from the rabbits eating some of the broccoli

Here is a head of broccoli starting - so far saved from the rabbits.

My corn.  These are the popcorn variety (Japanese Hullless) the sweet corn is very stunted.

Cherokee purple tomatoes starting!

My pepper plant - waiting for it to start making peppers.

My one raspberry (or maybe blackberry) I don't know.   I will probably pick it soon to keep the critters from getting it.

 More corn

 Watermelons which are part of my adapted three sisters model.

 Tomatillos.  The one in the middle is an original the ones on the sides I had to start over from seed.

 This was supposed to be a picture of tomatoes but they are kind of hidden behind the leaves.

French Canadians

OMG AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!11one!!
FRUSTRATION.

pant pant pant
foam froth foam

Grrrrr

and done.

woot!

So my broccoli is beginning to head!  I had thought maybe they were a lost cause because they took so long to grow bigger.  AND - my blackberry bush made a berry!!  A single berry...  but a berry!  Ok its a runt berry - but ... A BERRY!!

My sweet corn is stunted, but still trying to do something.  I need to try again with the cucumbers I think.  I will try to get in some sweet potatoes soon too.

I will try and get some more pictures up soon - hopefully one of the berry before those darn rabbits eat it.

and done

I went shopping with Allie.  I needed her moral support.  I hate shopping, even at home depot.  I am done for the day.

One with the mud

Mud, joint compound, plaster, spacling paste, whatever you want to call it; I am learning to work it.  It seems like it would be simple, "here take this mud and this spatula and slap it in between the joints of the pieces of drywall."  I have discovered there is a science to it, or even an art.  I don't mind it, kind of like it really, except for corners and balancing on the step-ladder.

Stuff is moving along though.  I am tired, didn't get much sleep, but I am satisfied.

productive

Been fighting back the weeds in the garden.  I made the mistake of not bedding it down in mulch and hay.  I think this will be my last garden here anyway.  When we get some land I will make sure there is a good thick layer of mulch.  Been selling stuff on ebay, trying to declutter the house for selling.  Plus it is less to move.  Donating books to the library, and need to put together some more boxes for goodwill that won't sell on ebay, not junk - just stuff like planters, stuffed animals, some clothes and jewelry boxes.  Junk gets put in the trash, and may I never add more junk to my life (or the landfill) again!

Dogs are resting behind me.  I think they will love it when we move.  They have part of the backyard now (minus garden) but I know when I take them to the lake they really enjoy running around the islands when we stop to swim.  I know there will be ticks and flees but that is what heart wormer and flee repellent is for.

Been trying to think how this will work out - we sell the house and then buy the land and if we are lucky there is already some sort of livable structure on it (I would settle for an old mobile home).  Then I can start mapping out where I want things and where the best location will be for the house that I want to build.  I want solar and water catchment, reuse grey water and will probably have sort of septic.  Oh and a wind turbine for dark days.  It won't be cheap up front but once it is all put together I think we will really like that we did it.  I still can't decide on rammed tires or straw bales, maybe a combination.

I just hope we find some land with a gentle south facing slope.

Zucchinis!!

Tadda!!  And more on the vines.  The heat is making my lettuce bolt and the rabbits are stealing the ration I have left.  I may pull that out and put in some sweet potatoes.  The corn is trucking along and the beans are sprouting under them for the three sisters.  I am trying watermelon instead of squash so we will see how that goes for the third sister.  Onions are looking awesome - one even has a flower bud so maybe I can save some seeds from it.

Blargh

You know those sounds ... or type written "sounds" you make to express frustration or disappointed?  Aren't they interesting?  From blargh, to argh to ugh to oy.  Its as though I don't have the energy or clarity of thought to explain what the problem is or how I am reacting - leaving it to the person I am communicating with to interpret the sound or type written "sound".

Basically just tired, stayed up late watching a debate from youtube at Harvard about raw milk.  It was interesting that they got both sides of it.  I was also packing up some of my fragile stuff in the living room while I listened.

A little at a time and eventually it will all be in boxes.

I think I still have a box from when I moved out of my parent's house.  I think it was one of the last ones I packed and on the side it says, "Life processed, 1998."

Yard work

So doing a little yard work while Rob is on vacation this week.  Removing rotting wood and cleaning up piles of limbs.  I want to try and have this house ready to sell in a few months.  It would have been better to have it ready at the beginning of summer since people usually don't like uprooting their kids in the middle of the school year but... meh - whadya gonna do?

One of the potato plants is flowering.  Don't now if it is a yellow or red.  Heh - just some I bought from Aldi's and managed to make sprout.  I'll try to keep some from this harvest to replant next year.  Will have to see how they grow.
The zucchini is growing well too.

I think I am avoiding the house work for now - scared to actually get a realtor in here and try and sell the house for what I think it is worth and not the current foreclosure-happy market.

One step at a time I suppose.

Picture Day!

Just some pictures of the rose bush I planted out front this spring and the garden.  Rather proud about how they are turning out.