Ridgetop - our place and how we muddle along

[Mini Horses]

The logistics of this move are mind boggling

Adding in all the kids families and their "needs/wants" becomes heroic. But you thrive on this. I see a lot of road trips as a way of life.

 

[Ridgetop]

I’m thinking maybe next week taking a day trip over to Waco to watch the sheep auction.

Let us know about the auction. If it is worth it and we have enough lambs, maybe we can meet at the auction in Waco sometime.

Yes, logistics are bad on this. DS1 has now decided going back now is a bad idea. Birthday party on 10th December, leaving on 11th only gives 2 weeks before Christmas. DS2 wants to have small Christmas for his family on the 15th which is worth. We have pretty much decided to wait until after Christmas so we can take more panels and boxes back with the trailer. Then we can spend more time back there getting ready for the sheep. Everything up in the air between DH and DS1 discussing it with DS2 and DDIL2.

Anyway, we will figure it out - hopefully before I am dead of old age. In the meantime, my hay guy has hay for $22.95/bale so I will order another 200 bales since that is what it will be in AZ. 200 bales with the 100 delivered today should get us through February with enough left to take some to Texas to switch the sheep onto grass hay. Also enough left to leave here for the new sheep in May.

DH to orthopedist for x-ray and final check up on knee. Then Ross since Tuesday is 10% off for people in their Prime so we will stop and do some light Christmas shopping. I also have a return. Trying to go light on Christmas this year since we will have expenses for the Yantis place.

 

[Mini Horses]

What about YOUR "good knee" that was hurting?

 

[Ridgetop]

I have an appointment in January when DH goes back for his next checkup. The ortho will take xx-ray and look at knee. He says it may be just arthritis. After getting y bad knee fixed so the leg was straight, I had problems with my back and hips as my body adjusted to the change in how I was standing and walking. For a while the hip on my knee replacement side felt much higher due to the leg being straight. It is possible that the readjustment in my bones caused pain in my left knee. I will find out in January.

DH's appointment was at the hospital. They have a cafeteria that serves very good food for very low prices. We had a full dunner with drink for $10.45. That was $10.45 total bill for BOTH of us, not just one person! Then we went to Ross. DH decided to take a nap in the car while I did some Christmas shopping while we waited for the traffic to clear. Got home around 8:00 pm. Still plenty of traffic on the road!

DS1 looked at the calendar and said that we should wait until after Christmas to go to Texas to set up the pens. Then he decided that we can go before Christmas as long as we leave on Friday. He said we will drive straight through, get the work done, and come straight back. I will be packing on Thursday for an early start Friday morning. Then DH and I can go back after Christmas for a longer stay, take the trailer to transport more stuff, and get more work done inside the house.

I guess I will get my Christmas presents packed and wrapped now. DS1 said by getting back around mid-December I will still have time to do the Christmas baking. LOL He brought in the Christmas decorations while we were at the doctor appointment. I won't put up too many this year anyway.

 

[SageHill]

Wow. That’s a score on the hay. I just bought hay a couple weeks ago for $25 a bale and I thought I was doing good!

 

[Ridgetop]

It is going to go up again my guy said so I decided to get the 200 now. DS1 said we won't need it all but better to have it at that price than have to buy it as $30. Any left when we move the sheep can be loaded into the trailer and go with us, or stay until we come back for the new ewes and ram I am getting this spring from Wes. The Western States Dorper show is being held in Boise, Idaho this year so I may not go. There is always next year, or closer shows to Yantis.

 

[Baymule]

Making a fast trip to take a load makes sense. Then making a longer trip to get more stuff done and take another load makes sense also.
Will y’all spend New Years at the ranch?

 

[Mini Horses]

I'm thinking the short trip is mostly to set up pens to be ready to handle the sheep & lambs -- not much else. I hope y'all bought stock in gas companies!! You alone will buy enough to increase profits!!!

Ouch!!

 

[Ridgetop]

I'm thinking the short trip is mostly to set up pens to be ready to handle the sheep & lambs -- not much else. I hope y'all bought stock in gas companies!! You alone will buy enough to increase profits!!!

Yes, so many trips with gas price is a definite problem but using the SUV this time cuts down on price since we get more mpg and it takes regular gas not diesel. I have some boxes to take back and we will try to set up the pens to hold the sheep when we arrive. No need for the jugs back there until May, and no need for them here either except for separating ad sorting. We need to get the stock trailer backed up to the corral for the mustang. DH figures to feed him in the trailer and gradually move the hay further forward. We will need to chock the wheels tight, so it doesn't move too much. DDIL1 says we will probably need to use some sort of calming drug to load hm since she doesn't think feeding in the trailer will work. I think if the horse is hungry enough, he will go in for the hay if no one is around him. We taught our old paints to load at age 16 and 20 using that method. Of course, they were super calm and easy tempered. What should I buy for this horse to calm him down when we finally go to load him? Any suggestions? Once he is back in Nipomo we can take down most of the remaining corral panels to take to Texas.

On a happier note, we went to Costco (like Sam's Club) after bridge and I finished my Christmas shopping for the grandchildren. Got computer for DS1 (have been promising to get him one for the last 2 Christmases and 3 birthdays so when he found one at Costco and I said to get it. $500 off before Thanksgiving. DH wanted to get DD2 and DSIL2 AAA Road Service since their cars are not dependable so that is for both of them, and another small gift for each to open. Clothes for 3 youngest grandkids and some $$. Combination of clothes and books for the other grandkids. DD1 and DSIL1 are getting the electric turkey roaster as a joint gift - he does a lot of cooking. That only leaves DS2 and DDIL2 to buy for. He hates gift card gifts. I got a cute shirt for her but may have to return it. Maybe just a check for them since they will want some $$ t spend in the Philippines. I have a couple T-shirts for him, but nothing for her. She also said she is getting rid of a lot of clothes and doesn't want more right now. OOPS! Just went back and deleted what I got for DS3 and family since I remembered she reads these posts sometimes. I already got a heavy jacket for DH and a lighter sweatshirt jacket for him for Texas winters. I also got a pair of Tommy Copper knee braces - if he doesn't like them, I will use them. They will be good for winter to keep his knees from aching. I saw some gloves at Costco that were supposedly capable of working a phone or computer while wearing them. I might go back and get a pair of those for DH. And maybe me. I will wrap them for Christmas. They would be handy in the barn for using the phone.

The only things left to do when we come back will be the Christmas decorating, tree, cookie baking, and gift wrapping.

Another ewe marked today. Go Boys go!

 

[Ridgetop]

Got up early this am and did laundry. DH had taken the car for an oil change. O the way he got a call from DD1 to please come take boys to school since she couldn't walk or drive. She twisted her foot last night. He picked up boys, loaned her his cane, and then when he came home he got on the phone looking for someone to work on electrical in truck. The check engine light was not working and it needs to work for the smog test. The smog guy passed him anyway (smog checks in California are a rip off ). DH wanted the light fixed so took it in to the dealership. (Otherwise known as the Bermuda Triangle of completed repairs.) DH and the smog guy thought it might just be the bulb burned out. Nope, according to the shop it needs a whole new "wiring harness"! They can't get one because the truck is "too old". I told DH to bring the truck home since it was working fine other than that and you would think since they put in a whole new engine they might have seen the problem! Anyway, this am DH finally found someone who might be able to fix it. Otherwise, we can probably find someone in Texas to do it. Personally, I think the shop is just trying to make more money on us. Any problem with a vehicle not under warranty they tell us it needs to be replaced and they want to replace the parts with new parts at a premium price! AND it takes forever!

Next I took DH to PT and set up more appointments for him- they will only book 2 weeks out. While he was doing PT, I did 2 returns of Christmas gifts. The first return only took 10 minutes but the second store I stood in line for 30 minutes! Only one person ringing people up! Then there was a car accident utside the store. Half of the employees congregated at the doors watching. Meantime the line grew from 17 people to 30 people. Finally, after multiple complaints by several people another employee came to open another check stand. After finally getting my items returned I went back to PT and picked up DH, came home and picked up DS1. The three of us went to the dealership to get our car and truck. Came home and did another load of laundry, chopped celery, pulled meat off chickens, made chicken salad for trip tomorrow. Then packed 2 boxes with snacks for trip, and tools. Still need to pack clothes. Also pack car with boxes we are taking to Texas.

Now it looks like we will be leaving on Saturday after all since we still need to pack the car. The car wasn't available until after 3:30 pm today. About 4 pm it started to rain a little. We have boxes and bins in the shed ready to load but didn't want to load the boxed paintings in the rain. DS1 said we will pack tomorrow and leave Saturday am. He plans to drive straight through. He said we can make better time in the Explorer than in the truck and will be able to get into places easier to gas and eat. I told him we would stop at Denny's for breakfast and dinner since I get 15% off AARP and we will be better off with at least 2 decent meals. Tomorrow we will pack the coolers, load everything, and be ready to go. I remembered I should pack some extra wool blankets since it will be cold in Texas, and we only have light bedding on the beds. (And no DH to put my cold feet on! I may have to wear wool socks to bed.)

I also thought of a good Christmas gift for DS2 and DDIL2. We are leaving our king size bed behind but taking our sheets for our king size bed in Texas so they will not have any bedding. I will buy them new linens for Christmas - something they need and have not thought of. If I don't have time to get out and buy them when I get back, I can order them online.
All Christmas shopping is done! (Or at least planned and ordered.)

DD1 went to emergency urgent care this am. Doctor did x-rays and said nothing broken but she has plantar fascitis, and needs to keep off that foot. She needs to go to podiatrist (gave her a referral). Insurance would not allow MRI but podiatrist might authorize one. She can't go to work until Monday. If it is still bothering her Monday she shouldn't go back for another couple days. She has been complaining of terrible pain in her feet for months but yesterday she stepped in a hole at the soccer field and could not walk this am.

Probably won't be online much between December 2 and December 11.