Ridgetop - our place and how we muddle along

[murphysranch]

My first kid had HF&M when she was 2 and we were at a beach in No. Carolina. Miserable for her.
Second kid had it when everyone else in daycare got it. Its wasn't bad for him.

 

[Ridgetop]

Been cleaning out pantries and cupboards - packing up stuff to bring back on this trip. Decided that anything we can move on these trips is time and effort saved. Had some very small boxes in the shed I bought to use for canning jars so am boxing up the foodstuffs in them. Bottles of sauces, seasonings, large economy packages of Bisquick, etc. I am wondering if I should wrap the boxes of Bisquick, and other powdered baking mixes in plastic wrap or Ziploc bags to protect them from bugs while they are stored in Texas. I sorted out some older Tupperware bowls and lids and packed them along with some of my larger Rubbermaid containers. If I bring stuff back and put it in the cabinets during my trips back, I may be practically moved in when we do the final trip. Got to check the Connex again for more bedding and furniture I want to move. We will start loading the flatbed with all the corrals, corral covers, and panels next week. I am getting the boxes and furniture we are bringing back in the stock trailer stacked ready to load.

I am reconsidering the freezer idea. I am now considering getting an upright freezer for the utility room instead of a chest freezer. With just the 3 of us we may not need as much freezer space and a large upright will fit just fine in the laundry room space. I have a huge garage ready chest freezer already so I will just bring that one and put it in the shed. We can put the heat barrier up in the shed to help it stay a bit cooler. When we run the electric to the barn, the old refrigerator can go in the barn tack room for water and meds for the animals.

Back to packing. Still have to put final coat of polyurethane on desk today. Wil also start washing off the other tables I need to work on. Hoping the heat will drop a bit - heard it is supposed to drop a bit in July - probably back down to normal 101. Yay! LOL At least we got the truck back with the AC working.

 

[Finnie]

At least we got the truck back

Now THAT seems like a minor miracle!

 

[Ridgetop]

Yes, afraid to drive it in case something goes wrong, or DH decides it needs something!

DH just came in and hovered. Finally told e that he is upset. Seems Ozel refuses to eat unless he sits down and holds her bowl! Wants me to complain to Erick about his early training. I could understand it when we had her on that puppy chosw erick was feeding.. Great protein but the dogs hated it. Even Angel, who wil eat most any type of dog food, stopped eatung it after a couple days. We blended it with our reguar dog food. At 50/50 still didn't like it. 25/75 better. But Ozel wants to be hand fed. This alpha bitch refused to do it and gave her breakfast to Angel who inhaled it while Ozel pretended not to care. This dog can mirror a teenage indifference exceedingly well.

I am the Alpha Bitch though and not to be bested. She will eat when she gets hungry enough. I am becoming the same with Robert. That little fellow is getting naughty. Yesterday I found his toy spatula and gave it to him. He carried it c=down to the door of the playroom where his toy kitchen sits and threw it in the for. I tried to give it back but he refused to take it so I said "OK I will put it up where you can't have it if you are not going to take care of your toys". Tantrum. He wanted ME to carry it into the family room for him. Paid no attention, put it up on the sink, and left the room. Whimpering then stunned silence behind me. After dinner I brought in the can of cookies I found when cleaning the pantry. He was so excited and chose a cookie for himself and ne for his mom. Ate half and wanted another cookie. "No, you have to finish that one and then you can have another." His mother said the same. Another tantrum, so the cookies got put away up high while he threw himself onto the floor beside his half-eaten cookie and screamed. I left the room. So easy to leave the screaming children behind. I finished my evening chores and laid on the bed since my back was aching by then - all that leaning over to varnish the desk - I don't want to crouch on the concrete patio so sacrificed my back to save my knee. Took a shower and put arnica on the bruises on my leg. Big bruise still there and the blood migrating down the leg - think CSI and "lividity" mentioned in detective shows by coroners. Then decided to put it on the sore muscles in my back. Then noticed a couple twinges in replaced knee. I need to find Arnica in bulk so I can just bathe in it. Used to be able to get it by the quart and gallon at the feed stores. Probably don't sell it like that anymore- not enough profit. Finally, covered with arnica I lay down. Got up to take ibuprofen.

Watched a French detective show with subtitles.

 

[Ridgetop]

Learning from my mistakes with the desk, I scrubbed the tables with TSP and warm water, let dry, then sanded them, and stained them. Must wait minimum 8 hours for polyurethane to go on.

I also cleaned up the shelves in the laundry room and sorted out a lot of stuff I bought for the livestock. 2 gallons of apple cider vinegar for the horses, 1 gallon mineral oil for colic, 2 gallons of rinse additive for dishwashers, 1 gallon of olive oil (hidden behind other stuff), etc. I collected all of this and set it aside for Texas since the family will never use it here. Then cleaned the shelves and moved some stuff into the partially emptied pantry cabinets. I still have more closets and cabinets to clean out and identify more stuff for Texas. Tuesday I am getting my hair cut and a rinse for my naturally platinum blond hair in readiness for the Texas heat. More stuff to pack for Texas load too,

Texted Cody and found that the hay still not cut due to rain. They survived the bad storm with just a few big limbs down but their kid's school was pretty badly damaged. Lucky kids out now, so repairs over the summer. Texted Levi and he is stll working on braces and supports. Said maybe will cut fence rows next week. DGS1 is almost 16 in October so if we wait until July 15 he can go and work with us. Good for him to get away from family and work like a man. Havig him to help unload the heavy shelters and panels will be good. DH and DS1 will teach him to use the chain saws and pruner, and maybe some other jobs too. DS1 came in and said I have to remove the metal from another shelter since it has been laying upside down in the dirt for the past several years. When they picked it up the galvanized metal was all rusty. It could not be salvaged since it was so bad their fingers went through it! So 5 good 8x12' shelter panels and 2 frames. I will go out later when it cools off and remove the metal. DS1 said he is sure we will have another load for the metal yard. Told DS1 about putting the heat barrier on the panel frames and he liked the idea. It won't be hard to do before we set them up. DS1 and DH have been working outside to remove the 24' panels to load. I offered to help but DS1 said I would get hurt!
Decided to watch more of my French detective show. There was a good scene where the detective went into the rugby locker room as the guys were changing. Very nice! It's a French show after all, and I'm not dead. LOL

 

[Ridgetop]

Baby Nicholas has hand and mouth now. DDIL2 and Robert have gone camping with her sisters. Baby Nicholas is staying with his other grandparents. With bottles which he hates. Glad he is there not here. Remarkably peaceful here without the baby and toddler. Annabel will be here after DH picks up at preschool 12:30. Tomorrow, Maysie and Annabel all day. Hoped to send Maysie to DD1 to play with DGd1 but DSIL1's brother and SIL are here with their 4-5 year old. He is adopted from China and developmentally slow but coming along. Possibly infant poor nutrition, ??? Anyway, she will stay home to amuse him.

Today all of them went to Disneyland. 8 people, - 4 adults, kids 15, 13, 9, and 4 - no special (line cutting) tickets but bought with company discount - $1500.00! And they will have to buy food and drinks as well as pay parking!
Thank goodness we are past that stage.

Got a few more items collected and packed for trip back. Following my belief that the more we take on each trip the less we take in the final trips. Going out to laundry room next to go through those cabinets for extra cleaning supplies that are not open. Save money in Texas. Also some office supplies for DH's new desk. Will need a desk lamp - take a floor lamp? or extra desk lamp? Here is picture of desk. File drawers are not back in yet - tricky mechanism, but you can see how nice it is. The small part with 2 file drawers slides into the large part and the inner top rides on a rail. It can be adjusted longer or shorter to fit in a corner.
This larger side measures 5'6" x 36". It has a center pencil drawer and 2 side drawers for other necessities.
This is the smaller section. It is narrower and shorter, also sits a couple inches lower to fit under the desktop. This would be the best side to put the monitor and keyboard on for ease of typing. The larger desk portion would allow DH to spread out all his paperwork. With 3 file drawers, hopefully he will put the files he uses most often in them to make it easier for him to file his paperwork. He also has a 6' console style file cabinet with 6 drawers. The printer and the paper cutter sit on top of it but maybe in Texas I can put the paper cutter elsewhere and we can both use the console for sorting papers to file. I have another folding desk that belongs to DS2. He needed to store it somewhere and I took it to use as another desktop. We might not need to bring all 3 vertical file cabinets to Texas with this much storage.

About time to go out and polyurethane my tabletops. This is a three tier side table and needed refinishing on the top. First, I completely sanded off the top shelf finish but the middle and bottom I couldn't get very well. I went ahead and stained it anyway and was not happy because the 2 bottom shelves did not turn out the same color as the top. The top tier turned out walnut color even though the can said "Honey", while the bottom tiers that I did not strip to bare wood stayed a lighter color. BUT I liked the chocolate color better because it made the grain pop. So I took the table apart and stripped the bottom shelves down to bare wood. Now all three shelves are a lovely chocolate color and shows up the way the wood was cut. The center of the top tier has a parquet with the surrounding 4" of burled wood. The middle and bottom have straight grain in the middle and 4" of burled wood around it. Once it is polyurethaned I will post a pcture. Will try to get 3 coats of polyurethane on it. I have decided not to put it back in the famiy room. Instead it will go to Texas with us.

After returning the leather recliner that I bought (since it was not leather after all) DS1 suggested I check out how much it would cost to reupholster DH's current recliner with the wood arms. Dh got the name and number of the fellow who does the leather upholstery for our body shop. I sent him a photo of the recliner and he gave me a bid of $500. Great price! The recliner already has wood arms which DH likes since he uses them to get out of the chair. He is picking it up tomorrow. When it comes back, I will sand off the arms, restain, and polyurethane. I would do it now, but it won't be ready if he picks it up tomorrow. No problem to cover the upholstery and redo afterwards. Once he picks it up we will bring the rocking chair from the Connex. So excited about having the chair recovered in leather!

Sorting out ewes to sell. Have chosen a couple Grade 4 (very good) ewes that don't shed well to sell. Grades 4 and 5 are considered highest "Stud" quality. In South Africa and Australia "Stud" refers to a breeding operation producing quality breeding stock instead of meat animals. Also, will offer him the two 3-month-old ram lambs to raise for meat or sell. If he wants them, it will save us a trip to the auction yard. Also getting a load of 100 bales of alfalfa before we head to Texas. Will pick up a load of alfalfa in Arizona on the way back again. Hoping prices go down this year.

 

[Ridgetop]

Finished the 2 small tables yesterday and brought them inside. They look very nice.

The 3 tier table is back next to DH's chair, but I plan to cover it with plastic before Robert comes home. Next to it you can see the recliner arm showing the worn finish. The other arm is worse. I slipcovered the recliner several years ago and now it will get new real leather upholstery and hold up for years. I will refinish the arms before reupholstering. The upholstery guy did not show up to get the recliner so will have DH drag it outside so I can refinish the arms tonight, poly tomorrow, and then DH will deliver it to the upholsterer. Better than trying to do it after thenice leather is on. Next up is the dining room tabletop. Then I might tackle the old mahogany dresser my great grandfather built. It has a pullout shelf for a desk and used to have a secretary top. The secretary top got left behind on one of their moves my gammy thought, at any rate it did not show up at their house. I have the top from a mahogany desk that I got free, didn't like, and disposed of. I kept the top because it fits on the dresser - just have to trim it a bit. I will cut the top to fit apply mahogany edging and refinish it for Texas.


Another 100 bales of hay today. Prices have not gone down yet. We will pick up Arizona hay on the way back from Texas for several dollars cheaper/bale.

Went back to Ross and got my knives, and a couple other things on closeout. Also got DGD2's birthday gift. She will be 7 in August. Got her some clothes for school and will pick up a small toy later. DD2 and DSIL2 are heading back to court to try for sole custody and move away order. The birth mother is petitioning to change the child's last name to her new husband's last name. What is with them? Most moms would be delighted with a daddy that supports his child, and wants her. She is also claiming that DD2 and DSIL2 are volunteering too much at the school. ??? She herself does not volunteer any time at the school.

Playing bridge today again. We have 2 redtail hawks on the power pole every day. they either are building a nest or have just hatched some chicks in the pine trees.

I am not sure if they are youngsters that were hatched or the parents. One is significantly larger than the other so the female. She perches on the top of the power pole, while the other perches on the crossarm. They have driven off the murder of crows that usually occupies our yard. Not sure which is most annoying, the relentless cawing of multiple crows, or the constant screaming of the two hawks. One is never pleased. However, I can live with the screaming of the hawks since I like raptors and we have not seen enough of them over the past few years. Hopefully, they will continue to nest in the area - dine on the ground squirrels. Last night I heard something in the attic crawl space. I think we have either rats or squirrels. I will have to toss some poison up there. Something has been under the house for a couple years, rabbits and ground squirrels probably, but now they are taking up residence in the walls and ceiling. Time for poison. The Ratinator or Squirrelinator might fit through the crawl hole too but then getting out the live animals to destroy them may be hard. You have to tilt the cage to get it out and they could escape. Poison it will be.

Had a clog in the main toilet yesterday and DS1 finally got it unclogged. After trying the plunger and several lengths of snake, he had to rent a 35' one. He pulled the toilet and found the clog 30' down the line to the septic! That original toilet line has given us problems over the years. I think the drain line has a funny kink in it under the house.

DD2 has gotten the steps in on his patio extension. Just has to add the capstones and then lay in the pavers. He is trying to get it done by July 4th when he is having a party. He invited family and some of the neighbors. We will have to load everything going to Texas before the party since I have been using the living room as a staging area with all the packed boxes. We will need the living room open for sitting in if the temperature goes up. Right now the temps have been pleasant, but July 4th is often one of the hottest days of the year.

 

[Baymule]

Party on the patio! Sounds like fun!
Hot, but fun.

 

[SageHill]

Wow - the furniture looks fantastic. I am always amazed at all that you do - both the amount and the level of perfection. Totally inspirational. Damn wish we lived closer. Yeah - I get the 'if you are going to do something do it right' -- but lordy you are the master of many!
We've got similar days - I just had hay delivered today - but 50 bales, not your 100. Pleased with $26/bale (wow isn't that a sign of the times happy with $26 ).

 

[Devonviolet]

Or green. That was a Midwest "run to the basement NOW" warning for tornadoes when I was a kid.

I have always heard when the sky turns green to hide from a tornado. When I lived in Lake Worth (NW Forth Worth, TX) - I think it was Summer of 1982 - we had MASSIVE thunder clouds build up MILES into the sky. That night we had a powerful thunderstorm. When we saw the lightening flashing green we took the kids down into the 4 foot crawlspace under the house. We heard the classic “freight train” winds and hail hitting the garage door. An all sheet metal shed was picked up and dumped on it’s head about ten feet away. A huge branch on our massive non-bearing mulberry tree broke off in the wind. A tornado touched down in a trailer park about a half mile from our house, and destroyed several trailers.