farmerjan
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The corona virus thread got locked.... you probably need to read the last few posts/pages to get the gist of it.
Ridgetop - our place and how we muddle along
- Thread starter Ridgetop
- Start date
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Ridgetop
Herd Master
He can tow me in my non-motorized wheelchair. Or maybe I should get a motorized one with a large cargo area for doing my shopping and gardening. 
At any rate, I have been having a very worrisome several days. DH wanted to pull as much equity out of our rental as possible but that would be counter productive since the payments, taxes, insurance, and management fee would be more than the rent. Talked it over and decided to be more cautious with the amount we are pulling out. Dine the property has more than doubled in 5 years, I wonder if we should just sell it and pay the capital gains on the gain. That would give us the same amount of cash without the worry about Covid non rent paying tenants. still considering that possibility. At any rate, we are still discussing how high the payment can go to be affordable.
Next, we are getting hugely expensive quotes on the insurance. Farm bureau want us to reroof the barn and out on new siding or they won't insure the barn. They will only insure us for about 60% of the house value because it is a rental. ????? Trying to get hold of Germania. Will also call the owner and see who she is insured with and see if we can just take over her policy.
Monday was my birthday. Woke up feeling very old. The day went downhill from there.
My sick ewe died Sunday night leaving her orphan ewe lamb. I had scheduled the vet for Monday morning but should have had her come out on an emergency call Sunday. When I jump in and do an internal, there is never anything there. When I don't I have a major problem. She passed the afterbirth, so I let it go resulting in the death of one of my better ewes. And the problem of a bottle lamb.
Stupid me.
DS1 called animal pickup while I searched for and found my Lamb Lac, and nipples. Thawed 2 pints of goat milk, and made up a bottle for the lamb. Waited till the afternoon to try to bottle feed the lamb. Difficult. I used one of the nipples that go on a canning jar which I had always used for the dairy goat kids. I put Karo in the formula and on the nipple. She was not impressed. I was sticky. She eventually got about an ounce or so into her. I left her to consider the consequences of her behavior - starvation.
Then another ewe lambed and DS1 and I tried to cover the lamb in the afterbirth and get that ewe to take her. The ewe seemed like she might for a few minutes then kicked the lamb when she went to nurse. The ewe seemed very confused as to why she had 2 now when there had only been 1 before. The lamb was willing but not so the ewe. When she went to butting the lamb we decided not to risk it. Then the puzzle of why this ewe had lambed a single again instead of her normal twins was solved when the heavy football shaped 6" long x 3-4" in diameter lump proved to be a mummified fetus that had died mid term. Probably about 2 months along. I opened the thickly membraned sac to check and found a tiny skull and miniature legs, etc. Always something of interest here.
Did 3 loads of laundry. Repaired the wooden leg on the porta crib that had broken. Got the plastic baby jail panels out of the loft and scrubbed them off. Got the travel swing out for Annabel. The big swing doesn't have enough power now that she is 3 months old. Got to put it away now. Next to come out of the shed - the large Bouncy Seat. Just as large as the swing but it will stay out longer since the babies like it from 4 months old when they are proficent at staying upright until about a year when they want to walk.
We had Annabel watch on Monday. It was the first day and she took a little getting used to. She does not take good naps. Instead she takes 10 minute snoozes. I put her down and allowed her to cry it out. Out like a light in 10 minutes. DD2 feels that is harsh and fears that it will traumatize the baby. I had to explain that Annabel is very wakeful and is sensitive to any stimulation, noise, movement, etc. By trying to rock her to sleep at night they are stimulating her and keeping her from falling asleep. She cries the whole time they are rocking her to sleep. I suggested that they just put her in her crib and let her cry for about 10 minutes. I found that she was going to sleep within 5 minutes of being placed in a super quiet environment. DSIL2 tries to get her to go to sleep in her swing but that is stimulation too. I will just do it my way here. DD2 asked if that was how DDIL2 did it in an annoyed tone. Told her I had no idea but that it was what I used to do. We haven't babysat Robert yet.
At any rate, back to my birthday. DS2 came home and wanted to know what the cages were by the front door. ??? I went to look and someone had abandoned 2 guinea pigs on the porch! With a bag of food! Each in it's own completely outfitted cage! Dumping trash is bad but really?! Dumping caged pets? Or is this simply a case of homeless cavies camping in my yard? DS1 checked with our neighbors to see if anyone had lost or misplaced any cavies. No one had.
Naturally, they ended up in my laundry room. DGD1 showed up after school and immediately laid claim to the black and white cavy. DD2 and her husband arrived and he laid claim to the brown one. DD1's other children arrived and wanted them too. Excellent! I was not going to be stuck with any! My birthday was looking up!
DS2 started preparing 2 enormous chickens by a special recipe that came with his new Trager grill. DD1 invited herself, her husband and children to dinner "for your birthday Mom!" I told her no go unless DS2 had enough to go around. He sent her out to the store for side dishes. DD2 (still acting coldly toward her sister - remember the demands for apologies that were never given) announced they would go home NOW! DSIL2, still happily playing with guinea pigs missed the basilisk stare DD2 directed at him and accepted the invitation to stay and eat with us. DD2 sulked. I retired to my rocking chair and ignored everyone. I read an interesting article about Omar Sharif, the actor, who had been a fanatical bridge player.
Pandemonium reigned as always when our family gets together. DDIL2 arrived home with Robert who deigned to sit on my lap and not cry. Guinea pigs were passed around and cuddled. Babies were passed around and cuddled. DSIL1 arrived. The guinea pigs were examined and pronounced females. That settled it, they couldn't go home with DD1's family since their guinea pig was a boy. Sex can be ugly. Sadness reigned in DD1's family.
Triumph reigned in DSIL2's eyes as he was awarded custody of both guinea pigs. He had always had his eye on the brown one and now was elated that he had both. Or rather "Maisie would have a pet".
Dinner was delicious. There was a cake with candles. DGD1 helped me to blow them out. DS1 and I sang the Happy Birthday song with our own lyrics "Mom is so old, when's she donna die"! DGD1 gave me some flowers she had bought with her own money. DD1 gave me 2 puzzles, admitting that she had been tempted to do them herself then tape the boxes up again. DD2, horrified that she forgot my birthday, apologized over and over. (Actually I had forgotten it myself!) She tried to give me the guinea pigs for my birthday but I was too slick for that. I am old, not stupid or dead!
The birthday ended better than it had begun, although when everyone left the 2 guinea pigs were still in the laundry room. Got a call the next morning reminding me to feed them.
Yesterday DS1 left for reno to pick up DD1's puppy. He will stay with his college roommate. He is under orders not to bring any waterfowl back with him unless plucked, wrapped in plastic, and frozen. I did send him a text this am to stop at Tractor Supply and pick up some bags of barn lime, and 3 50 lb. mineral blocks. Also some bags of loose sale if they have any. While feeding this am I noticed the sheep crowded around the salt lick trying to bite off bits. I have loose minerals, but they need to be mixed into 100 lbs. of loose salt. He had called last night and I encouraged him to stay an extra day. Apparently, the roommate's wife Megan wants to cuddle the puppy, Before he left I found some dog dishes for him for water and food and a rug for the crate. We also ran the ewe that had not lambed and had no udder down in front with the ram. We will see if she marks. If not, then she will go out on the field or back in the jugs to lamb. This ewe is from another flock so I am not sure if she will show the normal signs. I also have to check another ewe that looks to be uddering up on the field.
Snowflake had a huge swelling on her right leg under her butt cheek. Yes, actually my sheep have butt cheeks. Anyway, I decided it was some type of injury and abscess. DS2 said we would deal with it when he got back. The morning he left I realized it was ready to burst so that afternoon, DSIL2, DH and I caught her. I lanced and drained it. I never saw so much pus come out of an abscess!!! The swelling was massive and as soon as I lanced it about a cup of puss shot out. Luckily I was holding some paper towels under it and was barely able to catch all of the pus that shot out in the towels. It took about 12 squeezes to extract everything. And half a roll of paper towels. Then I washed out the hole with iodine and mastitis tubes. From the size of the swelling and the depth into the leg it went, I think that she actually had a bout of cellulitis rather than a simple abscess. I sprayed the hole with Alumashield. There was still a hole in her leg this morning although she let me touch it and she didn't act like it was tender. Tomorrow I will try to catch her and give her a whacking big dose of penicillin. And wash out the hole again with iodine. Net time I will make sure that DH wears shoes instead of sandals. An unpleasant task was made twice as bad by the constant screams of pain from my helpers as they tried to restrain the ewe. Snowflake has grown into a nice big yearling. Heavy too, apparently.
Today the orphan lamb took to the bottle better. She is taking a full cup at each feeding. I am only feeding her 3 x a day to keep her slightly hungry. Tomorrow I will increase to 4 x a day with 1 cup of formula. I also want to weigh the lambs. Weighing her will help make sure she is gaining properly. DGD1 was going to name her Snowy The Second, but decided to call her Crystal.
It was sprinkling all day - a heavy mist that just made everyone damp. This evening the skies were dark gray with storm clouds, but I am not holding out any hope of rain. Also I noticed this afternoon that all 3 of my older rams have lost both their ear tags!!! Luckily I can tell them apart. Tomorrow I will mark them with spray marking paint and then we will have to retag them. I really hate how my sheep seem to lost their ear tags. With them all being white it can be bad. However, I have not had them lose both the flock tag and the scrapie tag before!
Set up the baby jai panels today so the babies can roll around is a large area. Annabel rolls constantly which Robert is content to wait for someone to turn him over or around! Such different personalities I guess we know who will be getting the other one into trouble. Robert will think it up and Annabel will be happy to carry out any plans. Then they will both blame their younger siblings - or possibly the dogs.
At any rate, I have been having a very worrisome several days. DH wanted to pull as much equity out of our rental as possible but that would be counter productive since the payments, taxes, insurance, and management fee would be more than the rent. Talked it over and decided to be more cautious with the amount we are pulling out. Dine the property has more than doubled in 5 years, I wonder if we should just sell it and pay the capital gains on the gain. That would give us the same amount of cash without the worry about Covid non rent paying tenants. still considering that possibility. At any rate, we are still discussing how high the payment can go to be affordable.
Next, we are getting hugely expensive quotes on the insurance. Farm bureau want us to reroof the barn and out on new siding or they won't insure the barn. They will only insure us for about 60% of the house value because it is a rental. ????? Trying to get hold of Germania. Will also call the owner and see who she is insured with and see if we can just take over her policy.
Monday was my birthday. Woke up feeling very old.
The day went downhill from there. My sick ewe died Sunday night leaving her orphan ewe lamb. I had scheduled the vet for Monday morning but should have had her come out on an emergency call Sunday. When I jump in and do an internal, there is never anything there. When I don't I have a major problem. She passed the afterbirth, so I let it go resulting in the death of one of my better ewes. And the problem of a bottle lamb.
Stupid me.DS1 called animal pickup while I searched for and found my Lamb Lac, and nipples. Thawed 2 pints of goat milk, and made up a bottle for the lamb. Waited till the afternoon to try to bottle feed the lamb. Difficult. I used one of the nipples that go on a canning jar which I had always used for the dairy goat kids. I put Karo in the formula and on the nipple. She was not impressed. I was sticky. She eventually got about an ounce or so into her. I left her to consider the consequences of her behavior - starvation.
Then another ewe lambed and DS1 and I tried to cover the lamb in the afterbirth and get that ewe to take her. The ewe seemed like she might for a few minutes then kicked the lamb when she went to nurse. The ewe seemed very confused as to why she had 2 now when there had only been 1 before. The lamb was willing but not so the ewe. When she went to butting the lamb we decided not to risk it. Then the puzzle of why this ewe had lambed a single again instead of her normal twins was solved when the heavy football shaped 6" long x 3-4" in diameter lump proved to be a mummified fetus that had died mid term. Probably about 2 months along. I opened the thickly membraned sac to check and found a tiny skull and miniature legs, etc. Always something of interest here.
Did 3 loads of laundry. Repaired the wooden leg on the porta crib that had broken. Got the plastic baby jail panels out of the loft and scrubbed them off. Got the travel swing out for Annabel. The big swing doesn't have enough power now that she is 3 months old. Got to put it away now. Next to come out of the shed - the large Bouncy Seat. Just as large as the swing but it will stay out longer since the babies like it from 4 months old when they are proficent at staying upright until about a year when they want to walk.
We had Annabel watch on Monday. It was the first day and she took a little getting used to. She does not take good naps. Instead she takes 10 minute snoozes. I put her down and allowed her to cry it out. Out like a light in 10 minutes. DD2 feels that is harsh and fears that it will traumatize the baby. I had to explain that Annabel is very wakeful and is sensitive to any stimulation, noise, movement, etc. By trying to rock her to sleep at night they are stimulating her and keeping her from falling asleep. She cries the whole time they are rocking her to sleep. I suggested that they just put her in her crib and let her cry for about 10 minutes. I found that she was going to sleep within 5 minutes of being placed in a super quiet environment. DSIL2 tries to get her to go to sleep in her swing but that is stimulation too. I will just do it my way here. DD2 asked if that was how DDIL2 did it in an annoyed tone. Told her I had no idea but that it was what I used to do. We haven't babysat Robert yet.
At any rate, back to my birthday. DS2 came home and wanted to know what the cages were by the front door. ??? I went to look and someone had abandoned 2 guinea pigs on the porch! With a bag of food! Each in it's own completely outfitted cage! Dumping trash is bad but really?! Dumping caged pets? Or is this simply a case of homeless cavies camping in my yard? DS1 checked with our neighbors to see if anyone had lost or misplaced any cavies. No one had.
Naturally, they ended up in my laundry room. DGD1 showed up after school and immediately laid claim to the black and white cavy. DD2 and her husband arrived and he laid claim to the brown one. DD1's other children arrived and wanted them too. Excellent! I was not going to be stuck with any! My birthday was looking up!
DS2 started preparing 2 enormous chickens by a special recipe that came with his new Trager grill. DD1 invited herself, her husband and children to dinner "for your birthday Mom!" I told her no go unless DS2 had enough to go around. He sent her out to the store for side dishes. DD2 (still acting coldly toward her sister - remember the demands for apologies that were never given) announced they would go home NOW! DSIL2, still happily playing with guinea pigs missed the basilisk stare DD2 directed at him and accepted the invitation to stay and eat with us. DD2 sulked. I retired to my rocking chair and ignored everyone. I read an interesting article about Omar Sharif, the actor, who had been a fanatical bridge player.
Pandemonium reigned as always when our family gets together. DDIL2 arrived home with Robert who deigned to sit on my lap and not cry. Guinea pigs were passed around and cuddled. Babies were passed around and cuddled. DSIL1 arrived. The guinea pigs were examined and pronounced females. That settled it, they couldn't go home with DD1's family since their guinea pig was a boy. Sex can be ugly. Sadness reigned in DD1's family.
Triumph reigned in DSIL2's eyes as he was awarded custody of both guinea pigs. He had always had his eye on the brown one and now was elated that he had both. Or rather "Maisie would have a pet". Dinner was delicious. There was a cake with candles. DGD1 helped me to blow them out. DS1 and I sang the Happy Birthday song with our own lyrics "Mom is so old, when's she donna die"! DGD1 gave me some flowers she had bought with her own money. DD1 gave me 2 puzzles, admitting that she had been tempted to do them herself then tape the boxes up again.
DD2, horrified that she forgot my birthday, apologized over and over. (Actually I had forgotten it myself!) She tried to give me the guinea pigs for my birthday but I was too slick for that. I am old, not stupid or dead!The birthday ended better than it had begun, although when everyone left the 2 guinea pigs were still in the laundry room. Got a call the next morning reminding me to feed them.
Yesterday DS1 left for reno to pick up DD1's puppy. He will stay with his college roommate. He is under orders not to bring any waterfowl back with him unless plucked, wrapped in plastic, and frozen. I did send him a text this am to stop at Tractor Supply and pick up some bags of barn lime, and 3 50 lb. mineral blocks. Also some bags of loose sale if they have any. While feeding this am I noticed the sheep crowded around the salt lick trying to bite off bits. I have loose minerals, but they need to be mixed into 100 lbs. of loose salt. He had called last night and I encouraged him to stay an extra day. Apparently, the roommate's wife Megan wants to cuddle the puppy,
Before he left I found some dog dishes for him for water and food and a rug for the crate. We also ran the ewe that had not lambed and had no udder down in front with the ram. We will see if she marks. If not, then she will go out on the field or back in the jugs to lamb. This ewe is from another flock so I am not sure if she will show the normal signs. I also have to check another ewe that looks to be uddering up on the field.Snowflake had a huge swelling on her right leg under her butt cheek. Yes, actually my sheep have butt cheeks. Anyway, I decided it was some type of injury and abscess. DS2 said we would deal with it when he got back. The morning he left I realized it was ready to burst so that afternoon, DSIL2, DH and I caught her. I lanced and drained it. I never saw so much pus come out of an abscess!!! The swelling was massive and as soon as I lanced it about a cup of puss shot out. Luckily I was holding some paper towels under it and was barely able to catch all of the pus that shot out in the towels. It took about 12 squeezes to extract everything. And half a roll of paper towels. Then I washed out the hole with iodine and mastitis tubes. From the size of the swelling and the depth into the leg it went, I think that she actually had a bout of cellulitis rather than a simple abscess. I sprayed the hole with Alumashield. There was still a hole in her leg this morning although she let me touch it and she didn't act like it was tender. Tomorrow I will try to catch her and give her a whacking big dose of penicillin. And wash out the hole again with iodine. Net time I will make sure that DH wears shoes instead of sandals.
An unpleasant task was made twice as bad by the constant screams of pain from my helpers as they tried to restrain the ewe. Snowflake has grown into a nice big yearling. Heavy too, apparently. Today the orphan lamb took to the bottle better. She is taking a full cup at each feeding. I am only feeding her 3 x a day to keep her slightly hungry. Tomorrow I will increase to 4 x a day with 1 cup of formula. I also want to weigh the lambs. Weighing her will help make sure she is gaining properly. DGD1 was going to name her Snowy The Second, but decided to call her Crystal.
It was sprinkling all day - a heavy mist that just made everyone damp. This evening the skies were dark gray with storm clouds, but I am not holding out any hope of rain. Also I noticed this afternoon that all 3 of my older rams have lost both their ear tags!!! Luckily I can tell them apart. Tomorrow I will mark them with spray marking paint and then we will have to retag them. I really hate how my sheep seem to lost their ear tags. With them all being white it can be bad. However, I have not had them lose both the flock tag and the scrapie tag before!
Set up the baby jai panels today so the babies can roll around is a large area. Annabel rolls constantly which Robert is content to wait for someone to turn him over or around! Such different personalities I guess we know who will be getting the other one into trouble. Robert will think it up and Annabel will be happy to carry out any plans. Then they will both blame their younger siblings - or possibly the dogs.
- Thread starter
- #1,903
Ridgetop
Herd Master
Orphan lamb has now realized that I am not a horrid monster but the bringer of delight - her bottle. Drank a cup this morning and will be giving her 3 more bottles today. Easier now she runs up to grab the nipple without me having to force it into her mouth. 
- Thread starter
- #1,904
Ridgetop
Herd Master
Yesterday DGD1 fed Crystal her bottle without any help. Yearning for the time I can just hand off the bottle to her. Crystal is now up to about 8-10 oz. 4 x daily. Might try to up number of ties I feed although would rather up the amount she takes and decrease gradually times she gets her bottle. By 1 month old she should be eating hay, and drinking a quart 2 x daily. Since she is only bottle baby though I might keep her on 3x daily until 2 months when I will wean. In another month she can join the ewes and lambs her age in the creep pen since she will be able to escape from any punitive ewes into the creep for safety.
Trying to get insurance quotes now on TX ranch. Got hold of Germania agent, as well as Sulphur Springs Farm Bureau agent that currently insures home. Hoping for better quotes. Also having to provide all kinds of information for refi on Globe property. So much work to pull all insurance, mortgage info rental agreements, etc. on all other properties!!! Wondering if we should not bother to pull any $$$ out and instead just refi at lower interest rate for remaining loan balance. Although we would lie to take the equity $$ and use it to do work on the ranch. Discussed just selling the FW house since it has more than doubled in value but with the capital gains taxes we would have to pay it would not be good financially to sell. Borrowing on the equity is better. I hate paying taxes. And Biden wants to raise the Capital Gains tax from 28% to 43%!!! Might as well sell everything off and give away the $$$ then go on welfare and Section 8!!! AAAARGH!
Have I made myself clear? Do I need more imogees?
Trying to get insurance quotes now on TX ranch. Got hold of Germania agent, as well as Sulphur Springs Farm Bureau agent that currently insures home. Hoping for better quotes. Also having to provide all kinds of information for refi on Globe property. So much work to pull all insurance, mortgage info rental agreements, etc. on all other properties!!! Wondering if we should not bother to pull any $$$ out and instead just refi at lower interest rate for remaining loan balance. Although we would lie to take the equity $$ and use it to do work on the ranch. Discussed just selling the FW house since it has more than doubled in value but with the capital gains taxes we would have to pay it would not be good financially to sell. Borrowing on the equity is better. I hate paying taxes. And Biden wants to raise the Capital Gains tax from 28% to 43%!!! Might as well sell everything off and give away the $$$ then go on welfare and Section 8!!! AAAARGH!
Have I made myself clear? Do I need more imogees?
Bruce
Herd Master
The IRS charges high-income investors an additional 3.8% net investment income tax (NIIT), which could raise Biden’s proposed tax to 43.4% for those with long-term capital gains over $1 million.
Source of the above
I suppose it it possible that the 100% increase in value of your property is over $1M. If not you can stop yelling and banging your head against the wall
- Thread starter
- #1,906
Ridgetop
Herd Master
I started to reply to that Bruce, but it turned into an anti government anti tax rant and you never know who is reading these threads.
Anyway, the weather has been very nice for August. Over the weekend it was overcast and only in the high 80's! We were supposed to have rain one day but only got a mist that got us damp while feeding.
Snowflake's huge abscess on her leg is almost healed. Shehad a hole in it for a couple days but DS1 caught her and I cleaned it out again and injected a mastitis tube into the hole. This morning her leg was back to normal!
This morning DH left very early to do errands, starting with taking the truck to the shop for an oil change. The sheep woke me up screaming and I couldn't figure out what was going on, First I thought maybe DH was feeding but it turned out he was already gone. Then the sheep stopped making any noise. I fixed Crystal's bottle and went down to the barn where I found the reason for the cacophony. The entire pen of breeding ewes and the ram had escaped and were in the barn devastating a hay bale! Back to the house for DS1. While he dressed I investigated the gates and found the large wooden gate was standing open, The latch had fallen off.
I pulled it shut - the dogs must have gone through the inverted V opening after something and knocked it open. Tomorrow I will need to find another latch to repair it. DS1 got a couple flakes of hay from the mutilated bale and led the sheep back to their pen while I followed with my crook. They all wore self satisfied smirks on their faces.
While we were doing that DSIL1 arrived with DGD1. With their 8 week old puppy that they had brought for puppysitting. The puppy was placed in the barn with the gates closed while I fed. Very cute puppy wanted to play with Crystal so I removed him from her pen He wanted to play with the other lambs in the jugs but their mamas kept charging the bars and trying to kill him. He wanted to play with Bubba who was s=wagging his tail at the gate but no time to make sure that Bubba would play nice.
Went back to the house and Annabel arrived. Or rather DD2 arrived with Annabel. She forgot to bring the extra diapers I told her we needed.![:\](/styles/default/xenforo/smilies/side.png "side :\")
Dumping Annabel in the family room DD2 made a bee line for the puppy. Since she forgot to bring extra diapers of course Annabel had 3 large messy poos in her diaper during the day! DS1 brought the puppy back from the barn, put up the baby gates, and shut the doors to the laundry room so the puppy could only get in the front hall that has vinyl flooring.
Annabel proceeded to demand to be fed all day and took 3 naps. The longest one lasted only an hour! DS1 was kept busy taking the puppy out to potty and cleaning up his messes. He is a Labrador from hunting lines Every time DS1 gave him a bowl of water he tried to paddle and swim in it! The family is going to have fun with him in their pool when he grows up.
I took a 30 minute break while Annabel was napping to take care of some business on the computer. I ended up spending most of my time dealing with a hungry, tired, or playful baby. In between feeding Annabel I fed Crystal. Sheep are easier, even bummer lambs!
DH returned home with groceries. For us? No for his two daughters. I told him he better collect the $$$ for them since he had gotten abut $40 worth for each girl. He tends to make a gift of hundreds of dollars of groceries to the girls each month. I told him we can't afford this and he has to make them pay if they want the groceries. Otherwise don't buy them. As it turned out DSIL2 paid $10.00 for his 5 lbs. of hamburger - the avocados and mangoes DH gifted to them. DSIL1 refused the groceries with thanks, so now I have an extra 15 lbs. of hamburger (which I didn't need) to separate into smaller packages for my freezer. Then he left again.
Finally Annabel's father came to the house. Not to pick her up though. He brought Maysie to visit. Maysie and Elizabeth went to the barn and gave Crystal another bottle. DH arrived home with a truck full of cement blocks for his wall. Remember the Never Ending Wall behind the tool shed? Still in construction. The 30' x 30' level area is being touted by DH as perfect for sheep (too small), a garden (to feed ground squirrels?), or plant a tree
! Anyway, DSIL2 went out with DS1 to unload the blocks. I gave Annabel to DH to feed.
DD2 arrived but not to pick up her daughter. She played with the puppy. The DGDs were trampolining. DSIL2 was stacking block. DS2 arrived home. The previous day he worked until midnight. I offered to feed hi dinner (I had taken it out of the oven). There was not enough to feed everyone.
Then DD1 arrived. She was not there to pick up her child and puppy either. Instead she wanted to leave DGD1 there until 8:30 pm with her puppy because she had to take DGS2 to his soccer game and then both DGSs to scouts. And would we feed DGD1? DSIL1 had karate that night so she didn't know if he would pick up DGD1 and the puppy or not. She thought probably not.
By now I was hoping everyone would go home and leave me alone.
NOPE! Our family loves to be with us!!!
DD1 left, DSIL2 and DD2 settled down to visit for a couple hours with DH, the granddaughters were playing somewhere, the puppy was napping in his crate, and I escaped to my computer. I heard DDIL2 and baby Robert arrive home but I stayed cowering in the office.
Don't get me wrong, I love my family, but just pick up your child and go home! After taking care of a 3 month all day I am tired and want some relaxation, not 2 hours of visiting while the baby cries.
Finally DSIL2 and DD2 left. I dished up dinner for everyone and came back to the computer and solitude.
I want to go back to Texas. In my little trailer. Maybe alone!
Tomorrow no Annabel. I pan to take down the overhead rack in the milk shed. Then I will drag the perforated plastic drain hose up to the kennel where there is a lot more of it. After that I will straighten up the milk shed and get it ready for the shelves that I will move out of the Connex.
On Thursday I will haul the large boxes containing the saddles and tack out of the Connex and move them to the tool shed until we can make a trip to Nipomo to deliver the rack, drainage pipe, and horse equipment to DS3 and his wife. After mentioning doing this to DH several times over the past 2 weeks, I guess I will do it myself. After all, he will be working on his Never Ending Wall project. At least I will only have to argue with myself about what we will get rid of!
I will have to ask DS1 for help with moving the heavy shelves to the milk shed. But he will do it for me. We also have to move some of the yearling ewes into the breeding pen with Smalley. And a few other things. Hopefully, this cooler weather (90's) will hold. No humidity so it won't feel as hot as in TX and Virginia.
Anyway, the weather has been very nice for August. Over the weekend it was overcast and only in the high 80's! We were supposed to have rain one day but only got a mist that got us damp while feeding.
Snowflake's huge abscess on her leg is almost healed. Shehad a hole in it for a couple days but DS1 caught her and I cleaned it out again and injected a mastitis tube into the hole. This morning her leg was back to normal!
This morning DH left very early to do errands, starting with taking the truck to the shop for an oil change. The sheep woke me up screaming and I couldn't figure out what was going on, First I thought maybe DH was feeding but it turned out he was already gone. Then the sheep stopped making any noise. I fixed Crystal's bottle and went down to the barn where I found the reason for the cacophony. The entire pen of breeding ewes and the ram had escaped and were in the barn devastating a hay bale! Back to the house for DS1. While he dressed I investigated the gates and found the large wooden gate was standing open, The latch had fallen off.
I pulled it shut - the dogs must have gone through the inverted V opening after something and knocked it open. Tomorrow I will need to find another latch to repair it. DS1 got a couple flakes of hay from the mutilated bale and led the sheep back to their pen while I followed with my crook. They all wore self satisfied smirks on their faces.
While we were doing that DSIL1 arrived with DGD1. With their 8 week old puppy that they had brought for puppysitting. The puppy was placed in the barn with the gates closed while I fed. Very cute puppy wanted to play with Crystal so I removed him from her pen He wanted to play with the other lambs in the jugs but their mamas kept charging the bars and trying to kill him. He wanted to play with Bubba who was s=wagging his tail at the gate but no time to make sure that Bubba would play nice.
Went back to the house and Annabel arrived. Or rather DD2 arrived with Annabel. She forgot to bring the extra diapers I told her we needed.
Dumping Annabel in the family room DD2 made a bee line for the puppy. Since she forgot to bring extra diapers of course Annabel had 3 large messy poos in her diaper during the day! DS1 brought the puppy back from the barn, put up the baby gates, and shut the doors to the laundry room so the puppy could only get in the front hall that has vinyl flooring. Annabel proceeded to demand to be fed all day and took 3 naps. The longest one lasted only an hour! DS1 was kept busy taking the puppy out to potty and cleaning up his messes. He is a Labrador from hunting lines Every time DS1 gave him a bowl of water he tried to paddle and swim in it! The family is going to have fun with him in their pool when he grows up.
I took a 30 minute break while Annabel was napping to take care of some business on the computer. I ended up spending most of my time dealing with a hungry, tired, or playful baby. In between feeding Annabel I fed Crystal. Sheep are easier, even bummer lambs!
DH returned home with groceries. For us? No for his two daughters. I told him he better collect the $$$ for them since he had gotten abut $40 worth for each girl. He tends to make a gift of hundreds of dollars of groceries to the girls each month. I told him we can't afford this and he has to make them pay if they want the groceries. Otherwise don't buy them. As it turned out DSIL2 paid $10.00 for his 5 lbs. of hamburger - the avocados and mangoes DH gifted to them.
DSIL1 refused the groceries with thanks, so now I have an extra 15 lbs. of hamburger (which I didn't need) to separate into smaller packages for my freezer. Then he left again.Finally Annabel's father came to the house. Not to pick her up though. He brought Maysie to visit. Maysie and Elizabeth went to the barn and gave Crystal another bottle. DH arrived home with a truck full of cement blocks for his wall. Remember the Never Ending Wall behind the tool shed? Still in construction. The 30' x 30' level area is being touted by DH as perfect for sheep (too small), a garden (to feed ground squirrels?), or plant a tree
! Anyway, DSIL2 went out with DS1 to unload the blocks. I gave Annabel to DH to feed.DD2 arrived but not to pick up her daughter. She played with the puppy. The DGDs were trampolining. DSIL2 was stacking block. DS2 arrived home. The previous day he worked until midnight. I offered to feed hi dinner (I had taken it out of the oven). There was not enough to feed everyone.
Then DD1 arrived. She was not there to pick up her child and puppy either. Instead she wanted to leave DGD1 there until 8:30 pm with her puppy because she had to take DGS2 to his soccer game and then both DGSs to scouts. And would we feed DGD1? DSIL1 had karate that night so she didn't know if he would pick up DGD1 and the puppy or not. She thought probably not.
By now I was hoping everyone would go home and leave me alone.
NOPE! Our family loves to be with us!!!DD1 left, DSIL2 and DD2 settled down to visit for a couple hours with DH, the granddaughters were playing somewhere, the puppy was napping in his crate, and I escaped to my computer. I heard DDIL2 and baby Robert arrive home but I stayed cowering in the office.
Don't get me wrong, I love my family, but just pick up your child and go home! After taking care of a 3 month all day I am tired and want some relaxation, not 2 hours of visiting while the baby cries.
Finally DSIL2 and DD2 left. I dished up dinner for everyone and came back to the computer and solitude.
I want to go back to Texas. In my little trailer. Maybe alone!
Tomorrow no Annabel. I pan to take down the overhead rack in the milk shed. Then I will drag the perforated plastic drain hose up to the kennel where there is a lot more of it. After that I will straighten up the milk shed and get it ready for the shelves that I will move out of the Connex.
On Thursday I will haul the large boxes containing the saddles and tack out of the Connex and move them to the tool shed until we can make a trip to Nipomo to deliver the rack, drainage pipe, and horse equipment to DS3 and his wife. After mentioning doing this to DH several times over the past 2 weeks, I guess I will do it myself. After all, he will be working on his Never Ending Wall project. At least I will only have to argue with myself about what we will get rid of!
I will have to ask DS1 for help with moving the heavy shelves to the milk shed. But he will do it for me. We also have to move some of the yearling ewes into the breeding pen with Smalley. And a few other things. Hopefully, this cooler weather (90's) will hold. No humidity so it won't feel as hot as in TX and Virginia.
Baymule
Herd Master
Your family loves you!
Baymule
Herd Master
We are on our way to get feed in Sulphur Springs. We just passed your house. We honked and waved! Have coffee ready when we come back!
Baymule
Herd Master
No coffee? 
farmerjan
Herd Master
- Joined
- Aug 16, 2016
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All I can say is you are a better person than me. I have had it with only dealing with DS, and the cow stuff.... and the stupid stuff my father is doing in NH. And work and farmers.....but none of them show up at my house and ask me to babysit their kids or dogs or want meals..... and I am looking for someone to work one day a week... to do all the "honey do" things that I cannot do and no one else seems to have time to help do.
