- Thread starter
- #4,741
Ridgetop
Herd Master
We arrived back in Texas FINALLY! First day OK, me it to Kingman, kids enjyed the pool and spa, dinner at the Mexican restaurant across the street, early bedtime. Next day also OK, went to Meteor Crater Nationl Monument, Petrified Forest and Painted Desert. The crater took the most time, then the Petrified Forest where we stopped at the museum. Most of the things could be seen from the road - giant stone logs, etc. The museum had some skeletons of dinosaur looking creatures but they were later than the dinosaurs. Still ugly and apparently swamp dwellers. The Painted Desert was a series of outlooks. Pretty colors in the rock formations. So far so good. Girls were fine in the car eading their books, etc.
Next day, 20 miles east of Albuquerque, our truck overheated. DH immediately turned off the AC, thn pulled over to see if it would cool down. Unfortunately when we started up again the temp shot up to the red zone. I checked on my phone and at the off ram was a tire and auto shop that had coolant. We thought we might just be low. We pulled into the shop and the nice proprietor looked at the engine and told us our radiator was cracked.
We dropped the trailer at his shop and got a tow back to the Ford dealer in Albuquerque that Charles recommended. The tow truck could only take one person with him, so Charles (the shop owner) drove the kids and me to the dealership in his car. The dealership said there was a Comfort Inn down the street and I made reservations. Then the dealership drove us to the motel.
The motel was nice and there was a terrific Chinese restaurant in walking distance. There was also a Dollar Store. Since we were there for 2 days the girls and I walked over and got some cheap pool toys which they got a lot of use out of. The motel had a spa as well. DH got into the spa and realized he still had his cell phone in his pocket!
Two days and $1300 later we were on the road again. On the way out of town we stopped at Walmart and got a pound of rice. Cell phone saved. We stopped for one more night and finally made it into Yantis just past noon on the 19th.
DH was exhausted by this trip and I decided never to travel with children again. The children were quiet in the truck, read their books and were pretty good, BUT we had to stop to feed them and stop early so they could swim at the motels. We usually are on the road in half an hour (including breakfast) in the morning and drive all day. The kids took an hour to eat in the morning, then they had to load all their stuff, and at night I had to wash the chlorine out of their hair and load it with conditioner in order to comb it out. DGD1 has long straight hair and DGD2 has long curly hair. DH didn't remember how much extra work and time it takes to travel with kids. He was very tired every night and fell asleep immediately.
After we arrived DD2 took the girls to her place and we unloaded the trailer. We were still unloading two days later when they all came back. Finally done though, just in time for me to get sick and end up in bed for 24 hours.
DD2 stayed at the house and she, DS1, DSIL2 took the kids to some fun places. Then DSIL2 left for his next road trip (through Maine) and the next day DS1 and DD2 took the older kids to see How To Train Your Dragon.
Today DS1 and DH set up some corrals for the horses so we can confine them out of our way. Skittles is in season and really annoying since she is constantly wanting attention. She is also really bothered by the flies - covered in welts and scraping herself due to the itching. I got her a fly mask with ears today and will get Camalen's old fly blanket out for her tomorrow. I also got a couple bottles of fly spray. Strangely Josie The Mule isn't bothered by the flies. That is a good thing since she will not wear a fly mask. She rubs it off, then stands on it and rips it to pieces with her teeth!
DS1 finished the second electric fenced pasture. Yesterday he got the gates up on it, and we turned the sheep into it. He and DSIL2 set up 2 of the corral covers in a teepee formation again for shade. Not sure it it will be cool enough inside, but when he comes home in a couple weeks we will redo the shelters. Then today he and DH set up the sorting chute. He removed Rommel and put in Lewis Junior. We separated the next set of ewes to be bred, gave Bo-Se, and turned them into the pasture with the last group of bred
ewes. Junior will act as a cover up ram for them. None of them were marked, but I think it was the marking harness since it seemed to have ridden up on his neck instead of being in place on his brisket. Just as we started the rain poured down for about 5-10 minutes. We were drenched, but didn't care as it was super hot out and we had been working in the sun. As soon as the rain let up we started to dry off anyway.
When DH comes back we will pull Junior out, separate and Bo-Se the next group of ewes to breed, and run them in with Axtell II. Then a repeat of Rommel (the black head ram) for more commercials. We will have groups of about 12 ewes lambing each month starting in October, and going through January. I won't be keeping many replacement ewes next. year.
We moved the 4-5 months old weaned lambs back in with the rest of the herd and over the month we were gone we lost them all. DS1 is really upset. DS1 kept worming with Privermectin and Cydectin, and also treating for Coccidiosis (many of them were scouring before they were moved) but the last two died a couple days after we got back. They were all out of the same ram so it is possible that he passed no resistance to parasites. We lost 21 lambs in one month includig the little one I bught from Tennessee Tech that was supposd to be resistant. I have only one ewe lamb left and I just treated her with Safeguard. She has bottle jaw so I am hoping she makes it. DS1, DH, and I discussed the problem and decided not to go out of town next spring and summer. We are also making some changes in our breeding program and husbandry.
Payton came over Thursday evening and mowed all night long. H has tractor lights ad sid that it would be cooler that way. Two days later Cody and Paytn both came back and baled. They got 60 bales of good hay off the hay acreage. There is about 30 acres, but some of it has tree lines so a little over 2 large round bales per acre. Payton said that we hadn't had enough rain but hopefully we will have a second good cutting if we get more rain this summer. This year I need to buy another 40-50 bales. We have about 20 bales left but they are 2 years old and not very good. We will put them on the garden area, and also on any low spots in the pasture to rot into the ground and inprove the land. I would like to try burning some areas of the pasture, but will need to arrange it with the Yantis Fire Department.
DS1 leaves tomorrow for several weeks. He is driving to California and taking Elizabeth back. Apparently his brother and brother-in-law have several jobs for him to do. DSIL1 wants him to run wiring and hang ceiling fans in all their rooms. DSIL1 has pot lights in all the rooms but no central overhead wiring for a fan. DS2 also has some jobs for him to do with plumbing in one of the bathrooms.
In October we will go back and get the house ready to sell. We will list it right after the first of the year since nothing sells at Christmas time. We plan to sell "As Is". We have so much equity that we will be ok leaving some $$ in escrow for some repairs. I am o happy that DS2 and DDIL2 decided not to buy it. It is too much work for both of them and without the sheep, the fire maintenance is worrisome.
A 4'+ gopher snake showed up on the porch just before we got back to California. The Anatolians would have killed it but other than frightening DDIL2 it was spared.
Next day, 20 miles east of Albuquerque, our truck overheated. DH immediately turned off the AC, thn pulled over to see if it would cool down. Unfortunately when we started up again the temp shot up to the red zone. I checked on my phone and at the off ram was a tire and auto shop that had coolant. We thought we might just be low. We pulled into the shop and the nice proprietor looked at the engine and told us our radiator was cracked.
We dropped the trailer at his shop and got a tow back to the Ford dealer in Albuquerque that Charles recommended. The tow truck could only take one person with him, so Charles (the shop owner) drove the kids and me to the dealership in his car. The dealership said there was a Comfort Inn down the street and I made reservations. Then the dealership drove us to the motel. The motel was nice and there was a terrific Chinese restaurant in walking distance. There was also a Dollar Store. Since we were there for 2 days the girls and I walked over and got some cheap pool toys which they got a lot of use out of. The motel had a spa as well. DH got into the spa and realized he still had his cell phone in his pocket!
Two days and $1300 later we were on the road again. On the way out of town we stopped at Walmart and got a pound of rice. Cell phone saved. We stopped for one more night and finally made it into Yantis just past noon on the 19th. DH was exhausted by this trip and I decided never to travel with children again. The children were quiet in the truck, read their books and were pretty good, BUT we had to stop to feed them and stop early so they could swim at the motels. We usually are on the road in half an hour (including breakfast) in the morning and drive all day. The kids took an hour to eat in the morning, then they had to load all their stuff, and at night I had to wash the chlorine out of their hair and load it with conditioner in order to comb it out. DGD1 has long straight hair and DGD2 has long curly hair. DH didn't remember how much extra work and time it takes to travel with kids. He was very tired every night and fell asleep immediately.
After we arrived DD2 took the girls to her place and we unloaded the trailer. We were still unloading two days later when they all came back. Finally done though, just in time for me to get sick and end up in bed for 24 hours.
DD2 stayed at the house and she, DS1, DSIL2 took the kids to some fun places. Then DSIL2 left for his next road trip (through Maine) and the next day DS1 and DD2 took the older kids to see How To Train Your Dragon. Today DS1 and DH set up some corrals for the horses so we can confine them out of our way. Skittles is in season and really annoying since she is constantly wanting attention. She is also really bothered by the flies - covered in welts and scraping herself due to the itching. I got her a fly mask with ears today and will get Camalen's old fly blanket out for her tomorrow. I also got a couple bottles of fly spray. Strangely Josie The Mule isn't bothered by the flies. That is a good thing since she will not wear a fly mask. She rubs it off, then stands on it and rips it to pieces with her teeth!
DS1 finished the second electric fenced pasture. Yesterday he got the gates up on it, and we turned the sheep into it. He and DSIL2 set up 2 of the corral covers in a teepee formation again for shade. Not sure it it will be cool enough inside, but when he comes home in a couple weeks we will redo the shelters. Then today he and DH set up the sorting chute. He removed Rommel and put in Lewis Junior. We separated the next set of ewes to be bred, gave Bo-Se, and turned them into the pasture with the last group of bred
ewes. Junior will act as a cover up ram for them. None of them were marked, but I think it was the marking harness since it seemed to have ridden up on his neck instead of being in place on his brisket. Just as we started the rain poured down for about 5-10 minutes. We were drenched, but didn't care as it was super hot out and we had been working in the sun. As soon as the rain let up we started to dry off anyway. When DH comes back we will pull Junior out, separate and Bo-Se the next group of ewes to breed, and run them in with Axtell II. Then a repeat of Rommel (the black head ram) for more commercials. We will have groups of about 12 ewes lambing each month starting in October, and going through January. I won't be keeping many replacement ewes next. year.
We moved the 4-5 months old weaned lambs back in with the rest of the herd and over the month we were gone we lost them all. DS1 is really upset. DS1 kept worming with Privermectin and Cydectin, and also treating for Coccidiosis (many of them were scouring before they were moved) but the last two died a couple days after we got back. They were all out of the same ram so it is possible that he passed no resistance to parasites. We lost 21 lambs in one month includig the little one I bught from Tennessee Tech that was supposd to be resistant. I have only one ewe lamb left and I just treated her with Safeguard. She has bottle jaw so I am hoping she makes it. DS1, DH, and I discussed the problem and decided not to go out of town next spring and summer. We are also making some changes in our breeding program and husbandry.
Payton came over Thursday evening and mowed all night long. H has tractor lights ad sid that it would be cooler that way. Two days later Cody and Paytn both came back and baled. They got 60 bales of good hay off the hay acreage. There is about 30 acres, but some of it has tree lines so a little over 2 large round bales per acre. Payton said that we hadn't had enough rain but hopefully we will have a second good cutting if we get more rain this summer. This year I need to buy another 40-50 bales. We have about 20 bales left but they are 2 years old and not very good. We will put them on the garden area, and also on any low spots in the pasture to rot into the ground and inprove the land. I would like to try burning some areas of the pasture, but will need to arrange it with the Yantis Fire Department.
DS1 leaves tomorrow for several weeks. He is driving to California and taking Elizabeth back. Apparently his brother and brother-in-law have several jobs for him to do. DSIL1 wants him to run wiring and hang ceiling fans in all their rooms. DSIL1 has pot lights in all the rooms but no central overhead wiring for a fan. DS2 also has some jobs for him to do with plumbing in one of the bathrooms.
In October we will go back and get the house ready to sell. We will list it right after the first of the year since nothing sells at Christmas time. We plan to sell "As Is". We have so much equity that we will be ok leaving some $$ in escrow for some repairs. I am o happy that DS2 and DDIL2 decided not to buy it. It is too much work for both of them and without the sheep, the fire maintenance is worrisome.
A 4'+ gopher snake showed up on the porch just before we got back to California. The Anatolians would have killed it but other than frightening DDIL2 it was spared.
. Sad for the sheep loses. In typical ridgetop fashion, you survived!! Not having fun but, survived. Except for the radiator fiasco, the trip wasn't terrible. There's that.
