Ridgetop - our place and how we muddle along

Ridgetop

Herd Master
Joined
Mar 13, 2015
Messages
6,572
Reaction score
22,275
Points
693
Location
Shadow Hills, CA
As soon as we have a definite (workable) contract on the Yelm place we will be traveling in search of our ranch. We have several places we could go but Texas has our hearts. We will be looking seriously once a contract is in the works.

In the meantime, I plan to get through DD2's wedding, start going through the Connexes again to dispose of our "stuff". We have a lot of collectibles and good stuff in them so need to sort out everything and give it to the appropriate homes. The 4-H gear can go to DS3 and his boys who will be in 4-H soon. Cattle show sticks, hog show sticks, cattle halters, show lamb halters and coats, etc. I think I also have an egg scale and possibly an egg candler. I already gave them the incubator and baby chick house with the lights. A couple of our rabbit cages and some water system parts will also go to GS3 and GS4 for their rabbit breeding projects. Then I will give the rest of the kids a choice of different items that are packed away and valuable. i didn't have room for all the nice things I have (some Dresden statues, antique needlepoint pictures, etc.) in the house. I also have some cool country items (my great grandmother's washboard, antique tools and kitchen implements, etc. and other items that used to hang on the walls in the kitchen) that need to be unpacked and given to the kids for their homes. I already gave DD1 the copper pots and pans but if she doesn't want to display them, DDIL1 might want them since she has a very country style decor and an area to display them on top of her kitchen cabinets. I will check with DD1. I already got rid of some of the custom bedspreads and throw pillows I had for staging the apartments. I am starting to empty out the Connexes a bit and maybe soon DH can have one of them back for hay and feed storage. The loft over the tool shed will be next - it is mostly full of boxes of books - I never dispose of books, particularly series or authors that I really enjoy. I will have to go through them to see which I want to keep and which to get rid of - also if any have been chewed by varmints. I have too many to be able to afford to put all those titles on my Kindle!

DS3 told DH that he wanted the old metal shelves that we removed from the rented Connex which we were planning to sell for metal. DH is planning a trip to Nipomo to deliver themsince we need DS3 to sign some papers transferring his whole life insurance policy over to him. He is paying us the cash value. DD2 is also buying his whole life policy while DD1's husband told us to just cash hers in. He doesn't believe in whole life insurance, just in term. We were the beneficiaries but since they are married with children they want the policies to stay in effect. By buying their policies from us they keep the policy and change the beneficiaries to their own families. We had the policies for burial expenses which we no longer need to carry. This will give us money for DD2's wedding and also get us out from under the payments. God always finds us the extra money we need when we need it. 🙏 God takes good care of us.
My computer is down and I have to use DH's. DS1 (our tech guru) doesn't know what is wrong with it. It refuses to open for me. It is a laptop so if I have to buy another one DS1 will have to remove my hard drive and download all my files. I keep all the business files and photos on it so it is a problem. Luckily DH does all the tax stuff and personal business stuff on his. Hopefully DS1 can run a diagnostic and repair it otherwise . . . . :hu

Today or tomorrow we have to dock the 2 ewe lambs and give CDT shots to the lambs and their moms. I give a CDT booster after each lambing. That works out to every 9 months per ewe, overlapping their protection a bit. Also tetanus shots and ear tags. Since tomorrow is Friday, I might weigh again too since DS1 will be able to catch and carry for me. One week old for the 2nd set of twins will be Sunday so if we put it off until then it won't be a problem either.

Time to try to do the invitations on DH's computer. I have done these before ass well as graduation announcements so know there is a template in here somewhere - just have to find it.
 

Bruce

Herd Master
Joined
Feb 4, 2016
Messages
17,435
Reaction score
45,775
Points
783
Location
NW Vermont
DS3 told DH that he wanted the old metal shelves that we removed from the rented Connex which we were planning to sell for metal. He is paying us the cash value.
Cash value of the shelves as shelves or scrap metal? Scrap is worth almost nothing, maybe $20-$30/ton. Those would have to be some pretty heavy shelves to be worth even $1. Not even worth the fuel to take them to the recyclers unless you have a LOT more or have some copper.
 

Ridgetop

Herd Master
Joined
Mar 13, 2015
Messages
6,572
Reaction score
22,275
Points
693
Location
Shadow Hills, CA
Something must have been left out of my post. DS3 is paying cash value for his whole life insurance policy and will transfer it to himself paying and beneficiaries will be wife and sons. These are policies we had on our children when they were little to pay for burial expenses if something happened to them. A friend had lost a child and the burial expense was huge so we took out policies on them. The metal shelves we will just give him since it will get them off our property. Yes, the price of junk metal is very low unless it is copper or aluminum. We save our metal until DS1 takes it to the recycler. He doesn't get much but it leaves the property without a trip to the dump where we have to pay. DS3 has several Connexes on his property and wants the shelves for one of them. They are in fairly good condition since they have been inside the garage or Connex for 35 years.

DD2 is feeling better and was able to to to work this week for 2 days. She works freelance in Big Bear cleaning vacation condos. She likes it, is fast and thorough and the money is good. FSIL went with her and helped and they were able to stay overnight with his dad and stepmom. His parents are thrilled about the wedding and new baby. Most of his dad's side of the family are coming. His birth mom and that side of the family are not invited since they were very mean to DD2 and DSIL. His birth mom even tried to get him denied visitation for DGD2! Weird right?! Anyway, I told DH that that witch was not invited since I was not paying for her to have food and drink after the way she treated our baby girl!

Anyway, since the rehearsal dinner where DD1 got tipsy on DS3's margaritas, she and DS3 have been back to a loving brother/sister relationship. Big relief for the rest of the family. Already talking about family reunions. I am not planning them. With the wedding of DD2 my job in that area is done! :lol:

Still waiting on more lambs. 2 or 3 ewes are huge but no udders filling out yet, A couple of first fresheners are looking big too but no udders which is normal for those youngsters. Not much udder development until lambs are born and ewe starts nursing.

I hate DH's computer and can see why he has a stiff neck that he has been gonig to the chiropractor for. The boys bought him a new screen and it is huge. My neck hurts within 15 oinutes of using it. I hope
DS1 can get my computer unfrozen and the files transferred. I am gong to call my DSIL and see if he has a spare laptop that I can use that we can download my files into. DSIL often buys new laptops very cheap when he gets a very good deal and resells them. If he has one I will buy it and DS1 can go over and the two of them can trnsfer my hard drive into the new computer. To avoid a stiff neck on DH's computer I have to sit so far back that I cannot reach the keyboard! :lol::caf
 

Bruce

Herd Master
Joined
Feb 4, 2016
Messages
17,435
Reaction score
45,775
Points
783
Location
NW Vermont
Something must have been left out of my post.
Yep, the "He is paying us the cash value." sentence immediately followed the shelves topic and immediately preceded the "which kid is buying their insurance" topic. You can see why my feeble mind didn't keep up!

Yes, the price of junk metal is very low unless it is copper or aluminum.
Um, copper yes, aluminum isn't worth the time to sort it out from the regular scrap metal. I took a bunch of metal in April, 2,200 pounds mostly regular scrap metal but also a decent amount of copper and aluminum. I'd been saving out the aluminum cat food cans from the others as well as the non deposit aluminum soda & tea cans, had a BIG box worth almost nothing. The only reason the metal fins I took off the copper pipe was worth anything is because "clean" copper is worth a fair bit more than "dirty" so removing them made the pipe worth more.
 

Ridgetop

Herd Master
Joined
Mar 13, 2015
Messages
6,572
Reaction score
22,275
Points
693
Location
Shadow Hills, CA
I am glad to hear that there is help for that disease since I think I have gotten it too! ;)

Well last night the dogs were working like crazy. I was in the office working n DD2's wedding invitations, etc. Heard them barking, growling, howling, making a lot of noise in the gully. Thought there must be some coyotes on the prowl. Nothing to worry about though - it was dark but the sheep are in the night fold at night. This morning looked out the window and the sheep were all out of the night fold! It was foggy - weather has cooled off and when weather cools off the marine layer rolls in damp and makes it foggy - can't see across the field.

Anyway, I went out and counted the sheep. They were fine. The dogs did not come bounding up to greet me but if show up as I fed in the barn. They are probably tired from having to work hard all night with the sheep. Since there are 18-20 ewes that were loose o the field, it is not surprising that they had to work hard. Apparently FSIL was given the responsibility to chain the night fold shut. :rolleyes: He didn't get the chain on right and the gate was pushed open - probably by Josie the Mule in an attempt to get at the sheep's hay after she ate all hers. Or before, with mules who knows! Anyway, everything is ok. It is good for the dogs to have to work unexpectedly like that and I am confident in their ability to protect the flock with 3 of them. Rika the cunning old girl with experience, Bubba the brawny muscle, and almost 2 year old Angel, enthusiastic, energetic, and learning more all the time. Good dogs!!! :hugs

So, the invitations are all printed, the response cards are all printed, and the small cards that I will include with their wedding registry information are saved in the computer and only needing printing and cutting. A small meltdown yesterday on DD2's part as she went to pieces over when and where the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner/meet /greet new relatives party would take place. Also when all FSIL's relatives will arrive and where they will stay. She called her future step-mother-in-law and I finally had to take the phone out of her hand to discuss arrangements with Deanna. I told DD2 to be careful since this could be the beginning of the "turn" into a Bridezilla. :gig As she glowered and chewed her nails, I arranged everything with Deanna. No problems since the out of town relatives have half their families living here and plan to stay with them. Aaah, the pathos of youth, the drama, added to THE TURN OF BRIDEZILLA!

I have placed the printed invitations and the envelopes (that still need addressing) on the dining room table so I have more space to work on them. I will print and cut the small cards with the bridal registry information on them today for enclosure in the invitations. Then I need to decide if I want to hand address the outer envelopes in caligraphy or just do the labels in script font. I will use all the free return labels that have been sent to us over the years (hoping for donations to various causes) on the response cards. LOL DD2 might help me stuff the envelopes and place the return address stickers. I would place garlic around the room for protection, but I think that only works on vampires, not Bridezillas. :hide

DD2 and I are going to meet up at Ross (senior day 10% off) and she needs a good support garment for under her dress. The same ones as are selling at the bridal store for $70, at Macy's for $40, are at Ross for $12.99. HA HA over priced specialty stores! We will probably go to Macy's for a strapless bra though. Although none of the stores are allowing you to try stuff on. You have to buy it, take it home and try it on, then return it! Luckily the stores are allowing returns on lingerie. She will come over and we can work on putting the invitations together. Then at 4:00 pm DD1, DGD1, DD2, and DGD2 will all go to David's Bridal to look at Flower Girl dresses. This will be DGD1's second time as a Flower Girl - does this mean "always a Flower Girl, never a Bride or Bridesmaid"? :gig Once we get the dresses and sashes - the sashes are all sold separately now since the Flower Girl dresses are all white and the sashes are in different colors to match the wedding colors. So much easier and cheaper. Next I will go to Michaels Hobby and get artificial flowers in the wedding colors for the baskets. No scattering of petals allowed anywhere anymore so the baskets just hold artificial flowers in bridal colors.

All I have to left to do then is to call all the vendors and set up appointments, some with the bride and groom, most with the bride and me, hem the bridesmaid's dress, attach the sashes to the Flower Girl dresses, make their flower wreaths, disassemble the blue trimmed basket from DS2's wedding, replace the ribbons with the pink and soft rose ribbons, make the ring bearer pillow, order the mints on line for the table favors, deal with the paperwork on DD2's legal adult adoption, make an appointment to redo our Trust and Wills (adoption of new child requires this), wash the mirrors for the tables, deliver them to florist, arrange the rehearsal and meet/greet/rehearsal dinner with grooms relatives and ours, and figure out a date for the DDs and DDIL to all get together to make table favors a week before the wedding. This gathering will be FUN or heads will roll!

Easy peasy! Oh yes, and lamb out a few ewes in the interim. No problemo! Oh yes, I was planning to make the fuschia colored Chinese brocade into a kimono style 3/4 length jacket to wear with a pink dress or chiffon pantsuit. Lined of course!

Off to get my shower and meet DD2 at Ross. Then errands. Did I mention going to the dollar store for the kids party bags? It is are on my "To Do" list.

After this, packing up a house, barns, flock of sheep, equipment, etc. for a cross country move will be a breeze!
 

Latest posts

Top