Baymule’s Journal

Baymule

Herd Master
Joined
Aug 22, 2010
Messages
33,104
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Location
East Texas
I’ve been a member here for, let’s see….at least 10 years and have never kept a journal. My life has blown up to the moon, with the death of my beloved husband of 25 of the best years of my 66 years of life. I am Blessed to have known such pure adoration, wrapped in unconditional love, safe and secure in that love. Most people live their whole lives and never know the happiness I had.

This is us in 1996, we were married shortly after. My hair has long gone white, heck it was white then, but I wasn’t ready to deal with being white headed. LOL Over the years, his hair whitened and he had less of it, but when we looked at each other, we saw one another as beautiful as the day we met.

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I’m in a state of upheaval and change in my life. We bought our 8 acre farm in September 2014, moved on our 19th Anniversary, February 14, 2015. Our DD and family lived in Lindale and we wanted to be close to them so we could enjoy our granddaughters. They had to leave for better job opportunities 2 years ago, first in Odessa, Texas and now in Corpus Christi, Texas. Both locations are 8 hours away. I started making noises about moving closer, but staying in East Texas. BJ of course rumbled about moving, but eventually he would have caved in and followed me wherever I took a notion to go. He was always a good sport, no matter how wild or crazy of a thing I wanted to do, he piled in there with me and we did it together.

So now I’m all alone, no family, and the love of my life is in a cherry wood box on a table. I decided to move. I will put our farm up for sale in March. We had a great time. We worked hard, we lived our dream to the fullest. I raised feeder pigs and Cornish Cross meat chickens for the freezer, plus some to sell, that covered the cost so our meat was free. I raised a big garden, canned, froze and dehydrated the vegetables and shared with neighbors and friends. We bought 4 bred ewes, I couldn’t contain my excitement, I bed checked them every night at 11:00 and was out at daylight, looking for lambs. It seemed like eternity but I was finally rewarded by 2 ewes both presenting me with twins one morning. BJ ran out to see them and we held those babies, joy knew no boundaries.

I had 3 horses and a mule that we brought with us. I sold one of the horses and the mule. Later I saw a scrawny chestnut gelding, stocking legged and blaze faced, of course BJ bought him for me. We named him Prince and with care, he bloomed into a beautiful horse. One night I showed BJ a picture of an emaciated bony Tennessee Walker mare in a kill pen, slated for a one way ride to Mexico for slaughter. She was for sale. BJ named her Pearl on the spot and we went and got her the next day. Both horses were great with kids and I took the two little granddaughters with me on rides. We had a blast.

I always had chickens for eggs. I made us delicious breakfast with home raised pork sausage or home smoked bacon, with fresh eggs. We sold a few, gave away a few and thanked God for the bounty of the land.

BJ isn’t with me anymore. His smile, his laugh, his over the top personality, his never meet a stranger- in 5 seconds or less you’re best friends-in 10 seconds you’re kinfolks, is a memory of good times.

I must go on.

I did not make the decision to sell our farm lightly. I am embarking on a journey to find my place. I’m not sure just exactly where that will be. But I know it is no longer here.

My son has a house he bought 3 years ago to be a rental. It needs work. He is a crane operator and spends months being gone, sometimes moving his RV from one location to another, following jobs. He has tried to get workmen here to do what is needed, but has not had good results. Then the shutdown because of Covid, a year later he finally landed a job that barely covered the bills. Now jobs are opening up, he started a new job in Houston 2 days ago and will be moving his RV tomorrow.

He graciously offered his house as a place to stay after I sell the farm, to give me time to figure things out. It’s on 2 acres.

I gave away my hens to a disabled couple and their coops too. I sold my horses for real cheap, got tons of responses, and picked the families that I thought would give them the best homes. I’m keeping my sheep and dogs. I’ll have to build a shed to shelter the sheep and dogs, pens, etc. The property is fenced down both sides, with a fry-your-hair hot wire, it should be sufficient.

I’m here in the new-to-me house this morning, came down yesterday. I’m at the point of finishing up painting 2 bedrooms, still have to paint trim in one, then I can set up beds. I bought a twin/full bunk bed and will put the full in one room and the twin in the other.

I bought a coffee pot for this house, have been deprived on the couple of previous overnight stays. Everything goes better when I have coffee!

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I’m drinking my coffee, surveying my Queendom. What a mess. There is a pile of OSB, 2x4’s, sheet rock, ladders, saw horses with a sheet of OSB to make a work table, lumber, buckets, and everything is dirty. At least when he bought the house, the kitchen and bathroom had been remodeled, a little clean up and it will be real nice. My goal is to make this rentable. I can do a lot of the work myself. It needs outside work, now that DS is back to working like he used to, he has plans on getting that done. Together we’ll make it happen.

Never one to stay down for any length of time, I’ve hit the ground running. I don’t wallow in self pity, I carry my grief inside, it’s not for public display. I deal real well with reality.

What better time to start a journal. In a time of major change, striking a course to I don’t know where, y’all can hitch a ride on The Crazy Train and come along.
 
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Finnie

Herd Master
Joined
May 6, 2017
Messages
1,116
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Location
Hamilton County, north of Indianapolis
I’ve been a member here for, let’s see….at least 10 years and have never kept a journal. My life has blown up to the moon, with the death of my beloved husband of 25 of the best years of my 66 years of life. I am Blessed to have known such pure adoration, wrapped in unconditional love, safe and secure in that love. Most people live their whole lives and never know the happiness I had.

This is us in 1996, we were married shortly after. My hair has long gone white, heck it was white then, but I wasn’t ready to deal with being white headed. LOL Over the years, his hair whitened and he had less of it, but when we looked at each other, we saw one another as beautiful as the day we met.

View attachment 88252

I’m in a state of upheaval and change in my life. We bought our 8 acre farm in September 2024, moved on our 19th Anniversary, February 14, 1995. Our DD and family lived in Lindale and we wanted to be close to them so we could enjoy our granddaughters. They had to leave for better job opportunities 2 years ago, first in Odessa, Texas and now in Corpus Christi, Texas. Both locations are 8 hours away. I started making noises about moving closer, but staying in East Texas. BJ of course rumbled about moving, but eventually he would have caved in and followed me wherever I took a notion to go. He was always a good sport, no matter how wild or crazy of a thing I wanted to do, he piled in there with me and we did it together.

So now I’m all alone, no family, and the love of my life is in a cherry wood box on a table. I decided to move. I will put our farm up for sale in March. We had a great time. We worked hard, we lived our dream to the fullest. I raised feeder pigs and Cornish Cross meat chickens for the freezer, plus some to sell, that covered the cost so our meat was free. I raised a big garden, canned, froze and dehydrated the vegetables and shared with neighbors and friends. We bought 4 bred ewes, I couldn’t contain my excitement, I bed checked them every night at 11:00 and was out at daylight, looking for lambs. It seemed like eternity but I was finally rewarded by 2 ewes both presenting me with twins one morning. BJ ran out to see them and we held those babies, joy knew no boundaries.

I had 3 horses and a mule that we brought with us. I sold one of the horses and the mule. Later I saw a scrawny chestnut gelding, stocking legged and blaze faced, of course BJ bought him for me. We named him Prince and with care, he bloomed into a beautiful horse. One night I showed BJ a picture of an emaciated bony Tennessee Walker mare in a kill pen, slated for a one way ride to Mexico for slaughter. She was for sale. BJ named her Pearl on the spot and we went and got her the next day. Both horses were great with kids and I took the two little granddaughters with me on rides. We had a blast.

I always had chickens for eggs. I made us delicious breakfast with home raised pork sausage or home smoked bacon, with fresh eggs. We sold a few, gave away a few and thanked God for the bounty of the land.

BJ isn’t with me anymore. His smile, his laugh, his over the top personality, his never meet a stranger- in 5 seconds or less you’re best friends-in 10 seconds you’re kinfolks, is a memory of good times.

I must go on.

I did not make the decision to sell our farm lightly. I am embarking on a journey to find my place. I’m not sure just exactly where that will be. But I know it is no longer here.

My son has a house he bought 3 years ago to be a rental. It needs work. He is a crane operator and spends months being gone, sometimes moving his RV from one location to another, following jobs. He has tried to get workmen here to do what is needed, but has not had good results. Then the shutdown because of Covid, a year later he finally landed a job that barely covered the bills. Now jobs are opening up, he started a new job in Houston 2 days ago and will be moving his RV tomorrow.

He graciously offered his house as a place to stay after I sell the farm, to give me time to figure things out. It’s on 2 acres.

I gave away my hens to a disabled couple and their coops too. I sold my horses for real cheap, got tons of responses, and picked the families that I thought would give them the best homes. I’m keeping my sheep and dogs. I’ll have to build a shed to shelter the sheep and dogs, pens, etc. The property is fenced down both sides, with a fry-your-hair hot wire, it should be sufficient.

I’m here in the new-to-me house this morning, came down yesterday. I’m at the point of finishing up painting 2 bedrooms, still have to paint trim in one, then I can set up beds. I bought a twin/full bunk bed and will put the full in one room and the twin in the other.

I bought a coffee pot for this house, have been deprived on the couple of previous overnight stays. Everything goes better when I have coffee!

View attachment 88253

I’m drinking my coffee, surveying my Queendom. What a mess. There is a pile of OSB, 2x4’s, sheet rock, ladders, saw horses with a sheet of OSB to make a work table, lumber, buckets, and everything is dirty. At least when he bought the house, the kitchen and bathroom had been remodeled, a little clean up and it will be real nice. My goal is to make this rentable. I can do a lot of the work myself. It needs outside work, now that DS is back to working like he used to, he has plans on getting that done. Together we’ll make it happen.

Never one to stay down for any length of time, I’ve hit the ground running. I don’t wallow in self pity, I carry my grief inside, it’s not for public display. I deal real well with reality.

What better time to start a journal. In a time of major change, striking a course to I don’t know where, y’all can hitch a ride on The Crazy Train and come along.
Hitting the 😍 button lots of times!
 

Baymule

Herd Master
Joined
Aug 22, 2010
Messages
33,104
Reaction score
98,709
Points
873
Location
East Texas
This is what I was looking at this morning as I drank my coffee. Yeah, it needs cleaning up! Then behind me was a wall painted a ugly red, I rolled the last bit of paint out of the tray on it. Hideous. Red? No, that’s gotta go!

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I finished painting the trim in the back bedroom and opened up the boxes of bunk bed parts.

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ALWAYS read the instructions! Check out the bolts and screws needed to put the darn pile of pieces that don’t look like the picture, together so that they look like the picture. The read the instructions again. Then, thoroughly confused, you may begin.

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Included was this stupid bent hex wrench. Turning got hard on the fingers. On a regular hex wrench or key-whatever your preference to call them, there is one bend, easy to slip a small pipe over it for more leverage. I used a closed end wrench as a Redneck Invention and bent the darn thing. It’s in my pocket so I can match up the size to get another one. Still have the twin size to put together.

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I got the frame stood up, that’s the mattress in a box keeping the end from falling down while I follow instructions to get it bolted together.

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I tightened all the bolts up. It looked good. Then the bed slats, got pulled out of a box and laid down. Each slat took a screw on each end. Guess who didn’t bring the cordless drill? Had to do them all by hand.

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Then I took out the mattress in the box. Even before I got it unwrapped, it started to expand. It is supposed to go on a foundation or at least a flat board, I’ll have to put a piece of plywood over the slats. Later.

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The twin pieces were in the front bedroom. I really wanted to get it put together but needed to leave. I needed to get home before dark to feed sheep and dogs. I fed early yesterday morning, spent the night, worked today and came home. That way I don’t have to get somebody to care for the sheep and dogs. So the twin bed still needs to be put together. I‘ll assemble them as bunk beds after I move in.

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Going back Thanksgiving weekend and do more work in the house.
 

Baymule

Herd Master
Joined
Aug 22, 2010
Messages
33,104
Reaction score
98,709
Points
873
Location
East Texas
I’m back at the new to me house. Came in Thanksgiving night. DS hadn’t moved his RV yet, so we stayed in that. I woke up at 5 yesterday morning and came in the house and made coffee. The bathroom is tiny with no storage so I bought an over the toilet rack for towels. I put that together first. It looks pretty good. I cleaned the bathroom and it looks a whole lot better.

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DS was packing up his RV, preparing to move it. He greased the slideouts, aired up tires, disconnected water and electricity and packing everything up. He pulled out and left for Houston.

I worked on the twin bed, putting it together. One of these days I’ll set it on the full bed to make the bunk bed but for now they are separate. It was in lots of pieces but for once, the directions were good and the pictures were clear. I got it done and opened the Serta mattress in a box. I unwrapped it and it expanded. Shortly thereafter I had a mattress cover, sheets and a blanket on it. I slept on it last night and it’s real comfortable. I got the mattresses at Sam’s Club and recommend them if anyone needs a new mattress!

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The windows face the highway. My DD gave me the drapes they took down in the house they bought. They are worse than ugly, they are FUGLY! But at least they will cover the windows and keep people from driving by and looking through the house.

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I’m sitting in bed, propped up on the wall with pillows behind me, drinking my coffee. Made a nightstand out of a bucket. LOL I taped plastic to the floor yesterday evening so I can paint that ugly red wall. That is #1 on the list this morning. I’m leaving around noon to go to my sister’s house and will spend the night there then go home Sunday morning.

Last night my ex-sister-in-law came over and we went to eat Mexican food. I don’t have anything to do with my ex, but she and I have always remained friends. We had a good time.

I need to get some of those reflector things to put on the driveway entrance so I can find it in the dark. There is a lit up cell phone tower next door in a big pasture, that makes a good landmark, but actually seeing where to turn in without hitting the ditch would be a big help.

I hot wired a sheep pen with access to a small part of the barn, to contain Trip while I was gone. Yeah, right. Neighbor called yesterday and told me my big white dog was out. I just can’t win with this dog! Robert drove up about that time so I told neighbor to have him call me.

Coyotes were bad the night before so we figured Trip jumped out to chase them away. That’s wonderful but I wish he would stop at the fence to keep the coyotes out! Coyotes have been close and Trip has been jumping out every night, that irritates me to no end. I told Robert to put Trip in the backyard but Trip would not come to him, he must have been listening to our conversation. Trip probably jumped out last night and will be close to the gate this morning waiting for Robert to show up to let him back in. As we all know, fences only have one way jump overs, therefore he can’t jump back in.

DS is supposed to come back today and put the starter on his 75HP tractor that’s parked in a barn in his friend’s barn in a cow pasture out in Who knows where, then load it up and bring it home. Then he has this old truck that needs working on, so he’ll load that up and take it to the shop. That is, if all goes according to plan, which it seldom does.
 
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