Mike CHS
Herd Master
Of course I have smoker now but I did brisket on a Weber for a lot of years.
Ridgetop - our place and how we muddle along
- Thread starter Ridgetop
- Start date
Baymule
Herd Master
Brisket is sooooo good! Potato salad, baked BBQ beans, deviled eggs and YUMMY.
murphysranch
Herd Master
I have the smallest Traeger - I bought it used. Its a perfect size for the three of us.
- Thread starter
- #4,814
Ridgetop
Herd Master
DS2 has a Traeger but when he BBQs for a family gathering he cooks for about 30 people. He bought a second one. He is in Ca;ifrnia so having him smoke this brisket was a no go.
On Friday night I made the Meemaw rub and DH brushed the meat with liquid smoke so the rub would stick to it. Then we put cooking it in the roaster oven and let it come to room temperature. At midnight when DS1 went to bed he turned it on at 225 degrees. In the morning we checked the brisket and misted it with beer.
17" long, 15 lbs. and this was the smallest brisket.
DS1 basted it wth liquid smoke then we applied the rub. He tenderly massaged it in like DS2 told us to do.
Checking and basting 
Starting 6 hours into cooking it we sprayed it with beer every 2 hours. It never got a "crust" on it, but did get a heavy coating of the rub. We cooked the 15 lb. brisket for about 18 hours. Possibly too long? When we removed it from the roaster we wrapped it in foil, covered it in towels, and let it "rest" overnight in the juices. Now I have to figure out which way the grain of the meat runs so I can slice it crosswise. Hoping it wil be nice. I will buy another one on Tuesday when seniors get 5% off at Brookshires. Will cut the next one in half (7-8 lbs. each) and try a different recipe each one. Sent pix to DS2 who said we were "gutsy" to try a 15 lb brisket on our first go round. LOL
Done! 
After it rested overnight I cut it (electric knife is best) and it was tender and tasty.
Saturday morning DS1, DH, and I went to see the new Jurassic Park movie. Our theater has recliners for seats, and the morning showing is $4.75. We enjoyed the movie but agreed that if we had paid Los Angeles prices $18-20+) we would have been disappointed in it. Of course nothing can beat the original! Our theater is going to show the original Jaws starting August 29 to celebrate its anniversary. We will be going to that as well as the anniversary showing of the original Star Wars when it plays. This was DH and my first time at our theater. Love the recliner seats! Only fear was that DH might fall asleep. The dinasaurs kept attacking and the screaming kept him awake though.
When we arrived home Margali was there on her way back from Arkansas with her new lambs. I had missed her text that she would be arriving so was glad that she didn't leave. Pretty lambs, solid black and black spotted. We showed her around the ranch and had iced tea. Then she had to head for home with the lambs (and visit her children). LOL
While she was here DS1 got a text that the Murphy bed would be arriving in a couple hours. This was a surprise because it was not supposed to arrive for another week! It arrived before Margalli left, so after she headed home DS1 dragged the boxes inside. He and and I worked on the brisket then he worked on the Murphy bed. He got the side units built that afternoon. It took one entire day to finish the bed. DS1 had to make an emergency trip to Lowes since the attachment screws were for concrete walls (?!) Adter he got it connected to the wall, DS1 needed DH and me to help get the fold down door/mattress rest situated on the hinges. DS1 lifted the unit up and DH and I guided the hinge pins into the receptacles. Heavy as lead since it is made of pressboard instead of real wood.It was a big job. Luckily, DS1 is like his dad with the strength of 2 men! The instructions recommended 3 men to finish assembling the bed so with DS1 as 2 men, DH and me as 1.5, we had enough muscle.
Attached to the wall!
] We considered buying the hardware kit and plans, then building it from plywood and lumber. We have the tools but DS1 did the math and buying this unit ready to put together and install was much cheaper and less work. This went in in 1.5 days where we would have taken a day to cut the lumber, another 2 days to stain or paint it, then 2 days to build it, etc., etc. Plus it would not have had the side storage which we would have had to add later. We are expecting DS1's friend Leen the first of November so this worked better. In the meantime, the house would have been full of the boxes that came out of the room, and a big mess. We still need a mattress for it. By the way, the wall color finished as a lovely light celery green - really pretty. More pix later.
Today we will move the other furniture into the room. The dresser in our room will go in there, and then our dresser will move out of DS1's room into ours. That will make room for his desk to go from our office into his room. Then - anyway, anyone want to play Musical Furniture! I also have to hang the paintings that are still packed in the boxes in the hallway. Finally the boxes of books that are taking up room in DS1's closet will be unpacked into the bookcase. He will be happy about that since he has lots of his own boxes to put in his closet. LOL And finally most of the boxes will be unpacked!
Next up - emptying the tool shed, installing the cabinets, and setting up the shelving we brought from CA. Then comes the harder job of sorting and putting everything back. LOL That will get more of our stuff out of the house and into the tool shed where it belongs.
Once the Connexes arrive we will be in business! The Connexes are supposedly insulated and have breather holes. All the livestock buckets and feeders that we only use during lambing, the rabbit equipment, and cages that are collapsed can go in them. More storage!
On Friday night I made the Meemaw rub and DH brushed the meat with liquid smoke so the rub would stick to it. Then we put cooking it in the roaster oven and let it come to room temperature. At midnight when DS1 went to bed he turned it on at 225 degrees. In the morning we checked the brisket and misted it with beer.
17" long, 15 lbs. and this was the smallest brisket. DS1 basted it wth liquid smoke then we applied the rub. He tenderly massaged it in like DS2 told us to do. Checking and basting Starting 6 hours into cooking it we sprayed it with beer every 2 hours. It never got a "crust" on it, but did get a heavy coating of the rub. We cooked the 15 lb. brisket for about 18 hours. Possibly too long? When we removed it from the roaster we wrapped it in foil, covered it in towels, and let it "rest" overnight in the juices. Now I have to figure out which way the grain of the meat runs so I can slice it crosswise. Hoping it wil be nice. I will buy another one on Tuesday when seniors get 5% off at Brookshires. Will cut the next one in half (7-8 lbs. each) and try a different recipe each one. Sent pix to DS2 who said we were "gutsy" to try a 15 lb brisket on our first go round. LOL
Done! After it rested overnight I cut it (electric knife is best) and it was tender and tasty.Saturday morning DS1, DH, and I went to see the new Jurassic Park movie. Our theater has recliners for seats, and the morning showing is $4.75. We enjoyed the movie but agreed that if we had paid Los Angeles prices $18-20+) we would have been disappointed in it. Of course nothing can beat the original! Our theater is going to show the original Jaws starting August 29 to celebrate its anniversary. We will be going to that as well as the anniversary showing of the original Star Wars when it plays. This was DH and my first time at our theater. Love the recliner seats! Only fear was that DH might fall asleep. The dinasaurs kept attacking and the screaming kept him awake though.
When we arrived home Margali was there on her way back from Arkansas with her new lambs. I had missed her text that she would be arriving so was glad that she didn't leave. Pretty lambs, solid black and black spotted. We showed her around the ranch and had iced tea. Then she had to head for home with the lambs (and visit her children). LOL
While she was here DS1 got a text that the Murphy bed would be arriving in a couple hours. This was a surprise because it was not supposed to arrive for another week! It arrived before Margalli left, so after she headed home DS1 dragged the boxes inside. He and and I worked on the brisket then he worked on the Murphy bed. He got the side units built that afternoon. It took one entire day to finish the bed. DS1 had to make an emergency trip to Lowes since the attachment screws were for concrete walls (?!) Adter he got it connected to the wall, DS1 needed DH and me to help get the fold down door/mattress rest situated on the hinges. DS1 lifted the unit up and DH and I guided the hinge pins into the receptacles. Heavy as lead since it is made of pressboard instead of real wood.It was a big job. Luckily, DS1 is like his dad with the strength of 2 men! The instructions recommended 3 men to finish assembling the bed so with DS1 as 2 men, DH and me as 1.5, we had enough muscle.
Attached to the wall!] We considered buying the hardware kit and plans, then building it from plywood and lumber. We have the tools but DS1 did the math and buying this unit ready to put together and install was much cheaper and less work. This went in in 1.5 days where we would have taken a day to cut the lumber, another 2 days to stain or paint it, then 2 days to build it, etc., etc. Plus it would not have had the side storage which we would have had to add later. We are expecting DS1's friend Leen the first of November so this worked better. In the meantime, the house would have been full of the boxes that came out of the room, and a big mess. We still need a mattress for it. By the way, the wall color finished as a lovely light celery green - really pretty. More pix later. Today we will move the other furniture into the room. The dresser in our room will go in there, and then our dresser will move out of DS1's room into ours. That will make room for his desk to go from our office into his room. Then - anyway, anyone want to play Musical Furniture! I also have to hang the paintings that are still packed in the boxes in the hallway. Finally the boxes of books that are taking up room in DS1's closet will be unpacked into the bookcase. He will be happy about that since he has lots of his own boxes to put in his closet. LOL And finally most of the boxes will be unpacked!
Next up - emptying the tool shed, installing the cabinets, and setting up the shelving we brought from CA. Then comes the harder job of sorting and putting everything back. LOL That will get more of our stuff out of the house and into the tool shed where it belongs.
Once the Connexes arrive we will be in business! The Connexes are supposedly insulated and have breather holes. All the livestock buckets and feeders that we only use during lambing, the rabbit equipment, and cages that are collapsed can go in them. More storage!
SageHill
Herd Master
Drooling over that brisket!!
The Murphy bed looks FABULOUS!!! I love the finish - LOL it's the same as my kitchen cabinets.
The Murphy bed looks FABULOUS!!! I love the finish - LOL it's the same as my kitchen cabinets.
I like the green color.
Baymule
Herd Master
Y'all did great on the brisket, it looks yummy! Fun time at the theater, love those reclining chairs. Finally got the Murphy bed and got it put in, great job! @Margali called me, but since y'all didn't check with me first, I had no idea where you were! Plus you didn't answer your cell phone! Glad you got home and she waited for you!
- Thread starter
- #4,818
Ridgetop
Herd Master
Well it has has been another week of non-stop working on stuff. No time to get on-line, but was able to touch base with Baymule and Farmerjan about antibiotics for pneumonia in pregnant sheep.
After installing the Murphy bed, I was able to hang paintings and get those big cardboard packing boxes out of the way. We still don't have a mattress for the bed and considered using the blow up mattress. DS1 wasn't sure that it would be heavy enough to keep the bed down since the springs are pretty strong. DD2 is coming to stay over Labor Day and we discussed finding her shut up in the bed in the morning. We laughed about it but she only weighs about 90 bs. so . . . .
We moved the dresser from our room to the spare room and our dresser from DS1's room to ours, and attached the mirrors (these are antique dressers with the mirrors that attach on top). Then I spent hours removing clothing from one dresser to another. I hung more paintings in our room as a temporary measure to unpack them and get rid of the large boxes. Eventually we will rearrange our BR furniture in a better arrangement but first things first. While I was doing that, DS1 rearranged his bedroom furniture for a better flow. He and I moved his desk from the office into his room. It gives him a lot more room and still leaves space for his bookcases and video case. Then we moved a bunch of boxes destined for the pump shed (and eventually the conex) out of the living room and into the pump shed.
Then I repaired the cabinet doors in the bathroom. They are old, made of plywood, and the plywood layers started to separate on 2 of the doors. I was able to glue and clamb one door but one was very large and the separations was on the hinge side. I removed it and did the repair. Then I had to touch up the paint and rehang it. DS1 held it while I reattached the hinges.
I cleared up the mess left in the spare room and cleared out the closet where I had stashed all the junk. We were getting the Conexes next week so I sorted out everything to go into the pump shed and conexes. That took 2 days, then I decided to move one set of closet shelves in the spare room into the end of the closet so we could hang clothes in the closet. Handier for company. I moved all the boxes out of the end of the closet, and tried to put the 24" wide shelves in the end. After struggling for an hour, I measured the shelves and found that instead of being 24" like the other sets were these were 25". 
I decided to transfer these shelves into the office closet which was slightly deeper and move the office closet shelves into this one since those were 24" shelves.
Anyone laughing yet?
After removing all the stuff on the shelves, I dragged the shelf out of the closet and realized that I would have to move everything from those shelves off to get that shelf into the spare room. Laugh any time. Now both rooms were filled with boxes of stuff. The office was completely blocked from the doorway into the room. DH plaintively asked if I realized he couldn't get to his computer. I waved off his distress since I was on a mission.
DS1 got tractor hitched to mower but when the mower powered on it broke the shear bolts again. DS1 decided to buy new blades for it. No one had them in stock so they would have to be ordered. However, big discussion about whether to get a new 6' mower (current mower is under 5'), rent a 6' mower (so DH coud see if he liked the larger one) or just order new blades. Then more discussion about getting a "flexble" mower ??? or standard. Finally DS1 ordered the blades which will take a 2 week delay to get them. DH insisted he would go out and continue pulling the goat weed. In the meantime, the skin cancer doctor told him now to do any strenuous work because of pulling the stitches open and the wound not healing properly. DS1 and I had to ride herd on him to keep him from sneaking out in the heat.
While waiting for the blades to arrive, we needed to move the tractor since it was sitting where the conexes were going to be dropped. The tractor refused to start. After discussing what could be wrong, DH and DS1 took the battery in to be tested. It was fine. They went to a tractor shop where they were told that it might be some hideously expensive repair. The shop guy offered to show them some new tractors. The men came home and we called the mobile tractor repair guy. He couldn't come out for 2 weeks. DH had to reschedule the conex delivery. (Unfortunate since a lot of stuff that I cleared out of the spare bedroom is sitting in the living room waiting to go in the conex which was delayed.) DS1 called another tractor shop and got the number of another mobile repair guy. This fellow could come in 2 days. On Monday he came out and found that the battery terminal wire was bad. He fixed it and then checked the 'Baby'Bota" which continually goes dead when parked unless hooked to the quick conect and plugged into the side barn. He said that it was some monor thing in the alternator but that doing the repair would entail removing the steering column and some other parts. The replacement module is not expensive but the labor would be so expensive that it is not worth it. DS1 moved the tractor and disconnected the mower/shredder. The repair guy glanced at it and told DS1 that he was correct, the blades were shot. The old ones were so dull that they were just bars to beat the brush over. LOL
While DS1 worked on the tractor, DH moaned about wanting to pull more goat weed, I continued my work on the closets. I dragged some stuff out of the office doorway and was able to get the shelves from the office into the spare room. I installed the in the end of the closet, replaced stuff on them, and sorted more stuff out for the conexes. Monday night I finished up. Next up the office closet. Next week all the stuff currently stored in the closets in this house and in a pile in the living room can be moved to the conexes.Then we can empty the tool shed and get it in order so the tools currently in a closet in the hall can be sorted and placed in their appropriate places in the tool shed. 
Tuesday DS1 and I went to the VA for another stint of stitches out and biopsy on a small spot. On the way back we went to Cosco. Actually not on the way since Greenville where the VA is located is halfway to Rockwall where the closest Cosco is located. We did out usual shopping, smaller this time, but whie there we saw a leather sofa. We have been unhappy wth our fabric loveseats since they don't fit properly in the house and when DD2's daughter comes over she gets on the sofa with food and drink no matter what I do. This sofa was also a recliner sofa with which we had been planning to replace the loveseats. We sat on it and it was comfortable - some of them are too deep in the seat and hurt my back. It also reclined so far back that my feet would be elevated above my shoulders - good for swollen ankles and feet. I really didn't want to spend at that time, but it was within our budget so DH said he would come back with the truck the next day and get it. He checked to see how many they had left. At Costco if you see it you better buy it NOW since they don't usually get more in. They only had 2 left, one in a box and the display model and would not be getting any more. DH called DS1 who said he would drive out - Yants is an hour away. DH went back in to buy it. Then we sat in the car waiting for DS1 to arrive with the sofa on a cart next to our car. I mentioned to DH that it was a shame we did not call DS1 to come out before leaving the air conditioned store. We had brought a cooler wth us so we shoved our cold items into it to wait. When DS1 arrived he realized he had not removed the gooseneck hitch from the bed of the truck. We used a case of Pepsi, the boxes of diapers and baby wipes that DD2 has us get for her, to prop it up and prevent damage. Luckily a nice fellow who saw us struggling came to help us load it in the truck. Then we drove back to Yantis, unloaded it and put it together. This was long job since we had to remove the two loveseats out of the living room and store them in the newly put together spare bedroom. That room was once again beginning to resemble a storeroom but with the addition of a Murphy bed on one wall.
One step forward and two steps back.
While we were unloading the sofa we kept smellig something dead. It turned out to be a ewe in the breeding pen which DS1 discovered the next day. She had already started to mummify in the heat. Skin was like leather, wool and hair all sloughed off, and maggots having a party. He removed her with the tractor. We think she had died from the heat which was over 103 with super high humidity all week.
In Tuesday I worked on the office closet. First DS1 thought he could just lift the shelving unit in over the moldings. No go. I removed the base moldings but the shelves still wouldn't go i. The interior door mold on the closet made the opening too narrow. After measuring and shoving, and measuring, I decided I would trim off the thickest part of the molding to gain the extra space. Can you get heat stroke inside in the AC?
My knees allow me to kneel on the carpeted floor but getting up is almost impossible. I had to do all this work kneeling and constantly had to rise up to go get more tools. I plead confusion from disorientation arising from idiocy. LOL
Using the plunge cutter I cut off part of the molding to try to get 3/4" more room to maneuver the shelves into the closet. It took most of the day to do that. Then I sanded it off and tried again. I had removed the top of the shelving since it was too wide, but hoped to be able to get the bottom section of sides and base shelf in. Nope!
Next I took the shelving structure apart - it was held together with those cams and pins Ikea style. I put the side shelf in with the bottom shelf attached but when i tried to put the side on I realized that I needed an extra 2" to situate the shelf pins into the side to fit into the cams.
While Ii struggled to remove the side that I couldn't attach to the bottom shelf the side in the closet fell forward breaking the stabilizing triangle necessary to square up the shelf cabinet. Luckily no children were nearby to hear my language as I wrestled the pieces out of the closet and considered what to do. Still trying to fit the assembled cabinet into the closet I decided I could wriggle the attached sides and bottom shelf to fit in. I proceeded to shove and push the assembled sides and bottom shelf into the closet. Having wedged the pieces into the too small space, I admitted defeat. Now I couldn't get them back out. Tugging on the side and bottom shelf I heard a nasty crunching sound. The bottom shelf collapsed onto the groud having broken the pins out of the hole into which they were screwed. 
I admitted defeat and considered what to do next. With my molding chewed up by the plunge cutter, holes in the drywall, and a shelf laying in disrepair around me, I realized what I should have done to start with. First I removed all the pins. Then I measured the sides and mounted L brackets on the side pieces near where the base had been attached. I placed the side boards in the closet and put the lowest shelf on top of the L brackets. With the sides braced against the walls by the shelf I crawled into the closet under the shelf to screw the L brackets to the bottom of the shelf. Now came the problem of getting out. I had to scooch out on my back to retrieve the screws. With the shelf finally attached to the sides, I installed the top piece with the cams - the pins went into the top piece so no problem there. The middle shelf went in with no trouble and I started putting the stuff back into the closet.
I had wasted a whole day on that shelf and if I had taken it apart and installed it the way I finally did, I would have been finished in less that an hour! GRRRR! And now I have to sand off the destroyed molding, putty the drywall, and paint everything.
Anyway, the new mower blades finally arrived yesterday and today DS1 replaced them. While he was doing that I watered the sheep and counted them laying in the shade. I kept coming up short so went inside and got the list to check ear tags. There should have been 23 ewes and the ram. Minus the dead ewe removed on Sunday there should have been a total of 22 ewes and the ram. I could only account for 19 ewes. I told DS1 that I thought we were missing a couple ewes but he insisted he had counted them last night and they were all there. Couldn't smell anything dead except for the spot where the first ewe had died. I decided to count again tonight.
DS1 started up the mower and it immediately sheared off the bolts. Luckily he had bought more bolts in a multi pack. After working on the mower and calling around DS1 decided that they were starting it in too high a gear ratio or something which I didn't understand. He started in a low something and got it running. DH went out to mow the goat weed. We equipped him with two 2 liter water bottles of ice water, his hat, sunscreen, a scarf to protect his neck, and a cooling neck scarf (the kind you soak in water and it stays cold). DS1 made sure he had his phone on him while we ran a couple errands.
When we got back DH had been mowing the goat weed. I patched the drywall, and now just have to let it dry so I can sand and paint. Luckily the molding is inside the office closet. Once everything is painted today, I can put the stuff back that closet.
With the closets rearranged, the Murphy bed installed, our new sofa, and the conexes paid for and to be delivered on Tuesday I should be happy BUT DH just got a call from Jake Denby that the conexes he was picking up for us had been sold by the distributor to someone else so he has to wait for 2 more to arrive.
This evening DS1 came in and told me he couldn;t find a couple of the ewes so he walked the pen. We have 2 more dead ewes in the pen. One has been dead for several days and is in the shelter. The other one was alive this morning but not looking too happy. She is one of the ewes I bought from Travis. Another loss of the purchase price and any lambs she might have been carrying. This heat has been brutal.
After installing the Murphy bed, I was able to hang paintings and get those big cardboard packing boxes out of the way. We still don't have a mattress for the bed and considered using the blow up mattress. DS1 wasn't sure that it would be heavy enough to keep the bed down since the springs are pretty strong. DD2 is coming to stay over Labor Day and we discussed finding her shut up in the bed in the morning. We laughed about it but she only weighs about 90 bs. so . . . .
We moved the dresser from our room to the spare room and our dresser from DS1's room to ours, and attached the mirrors (these are antique dressers with the mirrors that attach on top). Then I spent hours removing clothing from one dresser to another. I hung more paintings in our room as a temporary measure to unpack them and get rid of the large boxes. Eventually we will rearrange our BR furniture in a better arrangement but first things first. While I was doing that, DS1 rearranged his bedroom furniture for a better flow. He and I moved his desk from the office into his room. It gives him a lot more room and still leaves space for his bookcases and video case. Then we moved a bunch of boxes destined for the pump shed (and eventually the conex) out of the living room and into the pump shed.
Then I repaired the cabinet doors in the bathroom. They are old, made of plywood, and the plywood layers started to separate on 2 of the doors. I was able to glue and clamb one door but one was very large and the separations was on the hinge side. I removed it and did the repair. Then I had to touch up the paint and rehang it. DS1 held it while I reattached the hinges.
I cleared up the mess left in the spare room and cleared out the closet where I had stashed all the junk. We were getting the Conexes next week so I sorted out everything to go into the pump shed and conexes. That took 2 days, then I decided to move one set of closet shelves in the spare room into the end of the closet so we could hang clothes in the closet. Handier for company.
I moved all the boxes out of the end of the closet, and tried to put the 24" wide shelves in the end. After struggling for an hour, I measured the shelves and found that instead of being 24" like the other sets were these were 25". I decided to transfer these shelves into the office closet which was slightly deeper and move the office closet shelves into this one since those were 24" shelves. Anyone laughing yet?
After removing all the stuff on the shelves, I dragged the shelf out of the closet and realized that I would have to move everything from those shelves off to get that shelf into the spare room. Laugh any time. Now both rooms were filled with boxes of stuff. The office was completely blocked from the doorway into the room. DH plaintively asked if I realized he couldn't get to his computer. I waved off his distress since I was on a mission.
DS1 got tractor hitched to mower but when the mower powered on it broke the shear bolts again. DS1 decided to buy new blades for it. No one had them in stock so they would have to be ordered. However, big discussion about whether to get a new 6' mower (current mower is under 5'), rent a 6' mower (so DH coud see if he liked the larger one) or just order new blades. Then more discussion about getting a "flexble" mower ??? or standard. Finally DS1 ordered the blades which will take a 2 week delay to get them. DH insisted he would go out and continue pulling the goat weed. In the meantime, the skin cancer doctor told him now to do any strenuous work because of pulling the stitches open and the wound not healing properly. DS1 and I had to ride herd on him to keep him from sneaking out in the heat.
While waiting for the blades to arrive, we needed to move the tractor since it was sitting where the conexes were going to be dropped. The tractor refused to start. After discussing what could be wrong, DH and DS1 took the battery in to be tested. It was fine. They went to a tractor shop where they were told that it might be some hideously expensive repair. The shop guy offered to show them some new tractors. The men came home and we called the mobile tractor repair guy. He couldn't come out for 2 weeks.
DH had to reschedule the conex delivery. (Unfortunate since a lot of stuff that I cleared out of the spare bedroom is sitting in the living room waiting to go in the conex which was delayed.) DS1 called another tractor shop and got the number of another mobile repair guy. This fellow could come in 2 days. On Monday he came out and found that the battery terminal wire was bad. He fixed it and then checked the 'Baby'Bota" which continually goes dead when parked unless hooked to the quick conect and plugged into the side barn. He said that it was some monor thing in the alternator but that doing the repair would entail removing the steering column and some other parts. The replacement module is not expensive but the labor would be so expensive that it is not worth it. DS1 moved the tractor and disconnected the mower/shredder. The repair guy glanced at it and told DS1 that he was correct, the blades were shot. The old ones were so dull that they were just bars to beat the brush over. LOL While DS1 worked on the tractor, DH moaned about wanting to pull more goat weed, I continued my work on the closets. I dragged some stuff out of the office doorway and was able to get the shelves from the office into the spare room. I installed the in the end of the closet, replaced stuff on them, and sorted more stuff out for the conexes. Monday night I finished up. Next up the office closet. Next week all the stuff currently stored in the closets in this house and in a pile in the living room can be moved to the conexes.
Then we can empty the tool shed and get it in order so the tools currently in a closet in the hall can be sorted and placed in their appropriate places in the tool shed. Tuesday DS1 and I went to the VA for another stint of stitches out and biopsy on a small spot. On the way back we went to Cosco. Actually not on the way since Greenville where the VA is located is halfway to Rockwall where the closest Cosco is located. We did out usual shopping, smaller this time, but whie there we saw a leather sofa. We have been unhappy wth our fabric loveseats since they don't fit properly in the house and when DD2's daughter comes over she gets on the sofa with food and drink no matter what I do.
This sofa was also a recliner sofa with which we had been planning to replace the loveseats. We sat on it and it was comfortable - some of them are too deep in the seat and hurt my back. It also reclined so far back that my feet would be elevated above my shoulders - good for swollen ankles and feet. I really didn't want to spend at that time, but it was within our budget so DH said he would come back with the truck the next day and get it. He checked to see how many they had left. At Costco if you see it you better buy it NOW since they don't usually get more in. They only had 2 left, one in a box and the display model and would not be getting any more. DH called DS1 who said he would drive out - Yants is an hour away. DH went back in to buy it. Then we sat in the car waiting for DS1 to arrive with the sofa on a cart next to our car. I mentioned to DH that it was a shame we did not call DS1 to come out before leaving the air conditioned store. We had brought a cooler wth us so we shoved our cold items into it to wait. When DS1 arrived he realized he had not removed the gooseneck hitch from the bed of the truck. We used a case of Pepsi, the boxes of diapers and baby wipes that DD2 has us get for her, to prop it up and prevent damage. Luckily a nice fellow who saw us struggling came to help us load it in the truck. Then we drove back to Yantis, unloaded it and put it together. This was long job since we had to remove the two loveseats out of the living room and store them in the newly put together spare bedroom. That room was once again beginning to resemble a storeroom but with the addition of a Murphy bed on one wall. One step forward and two steps back.
While we were unloading the sofa we kept smellig something dead. It turned out to be a ewe in the breeding pen which DS1 discovered the next day. She had already started to mummify in the heat. Skin was like leather, wool and hair all sloughed off, and maggots having a party. He removed her with the tractor. We think she had died from the heat which was over 103 with super high humidity all week.
In Tuesday I worked on the office closet. First DS1 thought he could just lift the shelving unit in over the moldings. No go. I removed the base moldings but the shelves still wouldn't go i. The interior door mold on the closet made the opening too narrow. After measuring and shoving, and measuring, I decided I would trim off the thickest part of the molding to gain the extra space. Can you get heat stroke inside in the AC?
My knees allow me to kneel on the carpeted floor but getting up is almost impossible. I had to do all this work kneeling and constantly had to rise up to go get more tools. I plead confusion from disorientation arising from idiocy. LOL
Using the plunge cutter I cut off part of the molding to try to get 3/4" more room to maneuver the shelves into the closet. It took most of the day to do that. Then I sanded it off and tried again. I had removed the top of the shelving since it was too wide, but hoped to be able to get the bottom section of sides and base shelf in. Nope!
Next I took the shelving structure apart - it was held together with those cams and pins Ikea style. I put the side shelf in with the bottom shelf attached but when i tried to put the side on I realized that I needed an extra 2" to situate the shelf pins into the side to fit into the cams.
While Ii struggled to remove the side that I couldn't attach to the bottom shelf the side in the closet fell forward breaking the stabilizing triangle necessary to square up the shelf cabinet.
Luckily no children were nearby to hear my language as I wrestled the pieces out of the closet and considered what to do. Still trying to fit the assembled cabinet into the closet I decided I could wriggle the attached sides and bottom shelf to fit in. I proceeded to shove and push the assembled sides and bottom shelf into the closet. Having wedged the pieces into the too small space, I admitted defeat. Now I couldn't get them back out. Tugging on the side and bottom shelf I heard a nasty crunching sound. The bottom shelf collapsed onto the groud having broken the pins out of the hole into which they were screwed. I admitted defeat and considered what to do next. With my molding chewed up by the plunge cutter, holes in the drywall, and a shelf laying in disrepair around me, I realized what I should have done to start with. First I removed all the pins. Then I measured the sides and mounted L brackets on the side pieces near where the base had been attached. I placed the side boards in the closet and put the lowest shelf on top of the L brackets. With the sides braced against the walls by the shelf I crawled into the closet under the shelf to screw the L brackets to the bottom of the shelf. Now came the problem of getting out. I had to scooch out on my back to retrieve the screws. With the shelf finally attached to the sides, I installed the top piece with the cams - the pins went into the top piece so no problem there. The middle shelf went in with no trouble and I started putting the stuff back into the closet.
I had wasted a whole day on that shelf and if I had taken it apart and installed it the way I finally did, I would have been finished in less that an hour! GRRRR! And now I have to sand off the destroyed molding, putty the drywall, and paint everything.
Anyway, the new mower blades finally arrived yesterday and today DS1 replaced them. While he was doing that I watered the sheep and counted them laying in the shade. I kept coming up short so went inside and got the list to check ear tags. There should have been 23 ewes and the ram. Minus the dead ewe removed on Sunday there should have been a total of 22 ewes and the ram. I could only account for 19 ewes. I told DS1 that I thought we were missing a couple ewes but he insisted he had counted them last night and they were all there. Couldn't smell anything dead except for the spot where the first ewe had died. I decided to count again tonight.
DS1 started up the mower and it immediately sheared off the bolts. Luckily he had bought more bolts in a multi pack. After working on the mower and calling around DS1 decided that they were starting it in too high a gear ratio or something which I didn't understand. He started in a low something and got it running. DH went out to mow the goat weed. We equipped him with two 2 liter water bottles of ice water, his hat, sunscreen, a scarf to protect his neck, and a cooling neck scarf (the kind you soak in water and it stays cold). DS1 made sure he had his phone on him while we ran a couple errands.
When we got back DH had been mowing the goat weed. I patched the drywall, and now just have to let it dry so I can sand and paint. Luckily the molding is inside the office closet. Once everything is painted today, I can put the stuff back that closet.
With the closets rearranged, the Murphy bed installed, our new sofa, and the conexes paid for and to be delivered on Tuesday I should be happy BUT DH just got a call from Jake Denby that the conexes he was picking up for us had been sold by the distributor to someone else so he has to wait for 2 more to arrive.
This evening DS1 came in and told me he couldn;t find a couple of the ewes so he walked the pen. We have 2 more dead ewes in the pen. One has been dead for several days and is in the shelter. The other one was alive this morning but not looking too happy. She is one of the ewes I bought from Travis. Another loss of the purchase price and any lambs she might have been carrying. This heat has been brutal.
Baymule
Herd Master
When it’s so hot, even fans don’t give much relief. They just blow hot air around. I’m sorry for the loss of the ewes. 
I’m glad the tractor repair was not a major ordeal and your DH could get busy mowing goat weed. I’ve been mowing it here. I hate that stuff.
I’m glad the tractor repair was not a major ordeal and your DH could get busy mowing goat weed. I’ve been mowing it here. I hate that stuff.
SageHill
Herd Master
YIPES !!!
