tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80578327257116108242024-03-16T11:53:03.051-07:00As it Happens....Sharing what I know (or don't) about gardening, mothering and livingPhoenix Hollow Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08555364511445641898noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8057832725711610824.post-44306862953797369232016-06-04T13:29:00.000-07:002016-06-04T13:29:12.492-07:00An Adventure in Putting Up FenceAbout 2 years ago, we bought a large quantity of bundled wooden fence post at an auction. They sat next to the garage all this time. The plan was to use the gas powered auger to drill the holes. Didn't happen. Why? My husband hurt his back - so bad his work let him go. There they sat. Finally, we were able to purchase an auger to put on the the tractor last fall. The intention was to start drilling holes before the ground froze and snow fell. It was a good intention, but none the less, there they sat. Then this spring, I put my foot down. I wanted those posts in the ground - NOW. We have 6 horses/ponies that need to graze and I was tired of throwing hay when they could be eating grass. <br />
Finally got the auger put on the tractor and in a matter of hours, we had 122 holes drilled. It did not go smoothly however. We broke 5 sheer pins - the first of which scared the crap out of me. Sounded like a gun shot going off. We ran over a nest of baby bunnies with the tractor. That killed 6 of the 8 little ones. I tried to nurse the 2 and they did pretty well for a few days, but they died as well. Our son got jabbed in the arm with a Hawthorne needle. We treated it, but it still ended up with a slight infection. He's fine now. This was on a Sunday. On Monday, my husband had to deliver a Hay Hut to Cleveland, Ohio so I stayed home and set fence posts. I did 34 by myself until I just couldn't shovel and scrape anymore dirt. My arms had had enough. The next day, it rained - all day. The post holes filled with water. We decided to wait a day and let the water drain out. It didn't drain out very much. We filled the holes anyway. The corners got cement and everything else got lots of dirt. <br />
It was time to string the wire. Over 7,000 feet of it. Each post gets 5 staples and 5 strands of high tensile wire. We went thru 2.5 coils of wire, 25 springs and 25 rachets and over 100 crimps. <br />
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They are happy horses now. We still a short section of fence to put up but that will happen in a few days after we get done with some hay baling. <br />
<br />Phoenix Hollow Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08555364511445641898noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8057832725711610824.post-4273061992875789722014-05-13T14:21:00.002-07:002014-05-13T14:21:52.355-07:00It has been a crazy year since I last posted. I started that new job I was so excited about and I absolutely hated it. Luckily, I left my previous job on good terms and he took me back. I've been back since September. Another reason he took me back was because 3 of the other employees he had working for him were also stealing from him. They all got fired and he had me come back because he knows he can trust me.<br />
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We had a really, really rough winter. We had more snow this year than we have had in many years. It was also colder than usual. Normally we have many days in the upper 30's and 40's. This year we so many days in the 20's it was unreal. We almost had another house fire due to a faulty furnace that was only 1 year old. Thank goodness we were home when it happened. We got a completely new system, but our electric bills were WAY too high. We are still paying them off. We are getting wood cut for this year. I want our woodlot too look like we will never run out. Even the horses were struggling. We had all the hay they could eat, but they were also looking for more so they started eating the bark off trees. All those trees are going to be cut down. The positives are that most of the trees they tried to eat were smallish so they will dry quickly and cutting them down will give the horses more room to move. <br />
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My grandfather went into a nursing home in December after a neighbor found him unconscious on the floor. He spent 5 days in the hospital then went to the nursing home. We lost him March 19. He was 97 years, 9 mos and 22 days. I miss him terribly. There's so much I still wanted to ask him, but the last couple of years, he wasn't always clear headed. We are still battling with his daughter over the estate. I have never seen someone so greedy.<br />
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We went to Puerto Rico for Christmas! Wow was that a blast! I cannot wait to go back. I have been putting money back each week in hopes of saving for another trip. We have actually considered moving there when Lliam is out of high school. What a great place. We stayed in San Juan, but are planning to stay in another town next time to get a more Puerto Rican experience. <br />
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We got into goats this year. The first one we bought was only a few days old. I bought him the day after Grandpa died. Sort of animal therapy, I guess. He's an Anglo-Nubian cross who is just as sweet as sweet can be. I adore him. We kept him the house for several weeks until it was warm enough at night to put him in the barn. We also bought Lizzie the same day. She is a Nubian and was 10 months old.<br />
We bought another goat a couple weeks later, but she was just as mean as mean could be. She was a Lamancha with no ears. She was all white and ugly so we called her Ugly Betty. After she hurt the baby goat, we traded her for a different goat.<br />
The goat we got was ill when we received her, but with some love, attention and help from my farmgirl friends, she's on the mend. We named her Moonpie because she is brown in the front and the back and white in the middle. She is a Lamancha with the tiny little ears. She is just as sweet as sugar and gets along well with the other two. She was giving milk when we got her, but we decided to let her dry up so her body can focus on getting healthy. We will breed her later on so we can have more goats next year. Loving goats! <br />
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Lliam participated in his first school sport this year. He was on the track and field team - shot put. He did pretty well for his first competitive sport. We have an award banquet next week. <br />
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We started putting in the garden on Mother's Day. So far we have planted tomatoes, potatoes, broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, onions, garlic, bell peppers, cabbage and corn. We are going to plant beans, cucumbers, squash, beets, carrots, radishes, kohlrabi, watermelons, muskmelons and whatever else I can find room for. Our goal is put up, dry and preserve as much as the harvest as possible to make our grocery bill as low as possible. I have way more seeds than I have room for, as usual. I also have a ton of flower seeds to plant too because I want a cut flower garden. Good lord, what was I thinking!<br />
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We are even going to put in a plot of Einkorn wheat to make bread and such. We bought a grinder and have ground some wheat into flour that we have used for gravy, breading and binder. So far it doesn't seem like it has bothered my stomach at all. <br />
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I have some strawberry plants, but I don't think they are going to amount to much this year. I think I need to move them to another location. I have some left over wood I can make a new raised bed from - putting that on the "To Do" list.<br />
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We tore down the old gourd arbor that had, at one time, been a swing set. It was reconstructed into a goat shed. Third time recycle - not bad. Saved a bundle of money too by not having to buy the 6x6's. We are searching for something to use as siding next. Super cheap or free is the goal. We'll see what happens.<br />
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We have some new neighbors, but they aren't super friendly. They barely wave when we see them. I don't know. We are going to have a party in July and invite them. Maybe they will see that we aren't psycho like the neighbor north of them said we were. His reason for not liking us is because I used to work for the Indiana State Police. His son died of a drug overdose and he blames the cops - hence his hatred for me. I haven't worked for them for over 4 years. He still drives through our yard on occasion. Some people are just jerks I guess.<br />
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Teaka Golden Girl is heading to the breeders this week. We are hoping to have a small litter of English Shepherd puppies to start with. If you are interested in having a great dog - let me know!<br />
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<br />Phoenix Hollow Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08555364511445641898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8057832725711610824.post-39098159602181239092013-07-03T09:17:00.004-07:002013-07-03T09:23:45.620-07:00Looking for ideas...and my view on changing what you eatDear Readers,<br />
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I love those blogs that tell about how to do stuff related to country life, farming, homemaking and so on and so forth. I would love to write about those things too. There are so many topics to cover, I don't know where to begin. So I will ask you, my readers, to share with me what you would like to read about. I don't want to be just another country bumkin blog - I would like to put a different spin on it. So offer up your ideas and I will see what kind of twist I can put on them. <br />
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One thing I think is very important is knowing about what you eat and where it comes from. I haven't always been that way. It wasn't until that last few years that I really started learning about the hazards of GMO's, toxic plastic, sugar overload, gluten problems, added hormones and antibiotics, etc. I have even gotten my family to open their eyes to the peril that the American people are in regarding their food. Stop and take a look at what the ingredients are in the foods that you buy. Do you really want to put something in your body that you can't even pronounce? I don't. <br />
All those fun, sugary cereals and sodas that we consumed growing up are now related to obesity, diabetes and scores of other problems. I am dealing with my own health problems related to this as well. I know its not just cereal and soda, its chemicals, fast food, lack of strenuous exercise and basically - not being aware of what's going on. I am trying to change that. No, my cupboards are not full of organic this and organic that, but we are trying - one product at a time, to make sure we are eating better. <br />
I've said before that we are trying to grow our own food and we shop at farmer's markets. We have almost completely quit eating out - especially fast food. Every now and then, I look forward to someone else cooking the meal and doing the dishes, though. I think Chipotle's has the right idea by showing on their menu what is GMO and what is not - that way the consumer can decide what they want. I wish more places would do that so when we go on vacation or something, we know that we are doing the best we can to eat right. <br />
One thing I am tired of is when I post/share something on Facebook about the dangers of GMO's and pesticides/herbicides and artificial crap, the cynics who have to have a smart ass comment back about how yummy it is. Listen, dork, I put the information out there for people who really want to change how and what they eat. I put the information out there so people who want to be GOOD parents can read and educate themselves and not poison their children. If you don't like what I post, unfriend me, don't read it and keep you stupid ass comments to yourself. I am doing this as a public service for people who really care.<br />
I care about my friends and family and if I can help just one person change their eating habits, then my goal has been accomplished. If they choose to share what they have learned, even better. I know for a fact that I have helped two of my friends become more aware. One friend told me she reads everything I post, but was so overwhelmed with all the information, she didn't know where to start.<br />
Start with just one thing. For her, it was cutting out soda - diet and regular. Huge step for anyone, especially if you have been drinking it for years. Take a look at what is in your fridge and pantry. What are you about out of? When you make your shopping list, pick one or two things that you normally purchase and choose organic instead. This is especially important with veggies and fruits. Work this into your budget. Next trip, pick a couple more things and so on and so forth. Pretty soon, you will realize that you aren't eating as much 'filler' and you are getting way more fiber and nutrition. Keep going. You are doing great! Choose meat that is grass-fed, free range, cage-free, hormone and antibiotic free. Don't like your choices in the supermarket, find a farmer that will sell you a side of beef or pork or some chickens. <br />
Ready to make a huge change? Try going vegetarian or vegan. I, myself, am not that far yet. We do eat more vegetarian meals, but (Sorry Jason!) I still like chicken and beef. I was raised that way. On a good note, though, we have a huge bowl of fresh fruit salad in our fridge and I have started a vitamin water jar in the fridge. <br />
In closing, I just want to say that what you eat is up to you. Educate yourself. Do the research. If you can see through the garbage and realize that most food in the supermarket is, well, artificial crap, then you can make better choices. You can tell the grocer that you want better choices. If you can grow something, do it. <br />
If you get stuck and need help - ask someone. We are all here to help each other. Phoenix Hollow Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08555364511445641898noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8057832725711610824.post-90805979372106169022013-07-02T13:23:00.000-07:002013-07-03T08:35:55.302-07:00Saying Good-bye...As my last day at my current job draws near, I have had some time to reflect on my time here. When I started here in 2011, I knew very little about coins. In nearly two years, I have learned so much more than I ever thought I would. My boss calls me the foreign coin expert, though I don't think I know all that much. I can look at most foreign coins and tell you if they have been devalued or if they contain any silver, but there is still so much more out there. <br />
I am really kind of glad to be leaving here. It seems to me that with the turmoil in the stock market and the fact that gold prices are lower than when I started here, the stores can't stay open if people aren't selling scrap jewelry. I heard the boss saying just this morning that he was probably going to close the Pendleton store because it has been so dead for over a month. He also closed his booth in the nearby flea market. I had to pull all the jewelry out of it today and reprice it for the other two booths he has. He also claims he is going to keep me on part time to keep those two booths filled with jewelry and other miscellaneous items he gets in now and then. I'm not holding my breath, but the extra cash would come in very handy. <br />
As far as the rest of the company goes, Tony is going to work out of the Fishers' store after I leave. In my opinion, he'll pull his hair out trying to answer questions about coins as it seems those folks are a little more educated about collecting coins and Tony is not. <br />
Bad Billy is going to continue to work out of the Anderson and Fishers (maybe some Pendleton until he closes it). Weave will still work at Anderson and maybe Pendleton until closed. Boss is going to work out of the Indy store mostly since he's putting Tony in Fishers and I won't be around. Sherry is going to continue to work out of the Anderson store and do running for the company like I used to. The last employee, whom I won't name, is looking at jail time for a past crime. I also found out he's on the sex offender registry list for sexual misconduct. Nice. That would be the 3rd one Boss hired. I am glad to be going.<br />
Boss is going to sell the car that he let me drive for the last year and a half. He thought is was worth way more than it really is. Of course when you think it is one model with features it doesn't really have, that kinda changes things. It's still a decent car that will make someone a nice ride, but has some issues like no dash lights at night, an odometer that can't be read, it uses oil, it's been wrecked (NOT by me), it has lots of rattles and vibrations, cigarette burns all over the place (again NOT by me), but it runs and will get you where you need to go. I thought about buying it just for a fuel efficient option over my big white truck, but I really can't justify another payment and added insurance costs especially since I only have 2 more years left on my truck. <br />
Do I feel bad that because I am leaving, Boss is having to completely re-evaluate his operations? A little bit. Why? Well, he let me in on his dream and because I essentially changed my mind about participating in his dream, he's not going to be able to go forward. He's already talking about selling out this business and revisiting the cigar store/smoke shop business. He's a smart guy, he'll figure it out without me. <br />
It's been a trip, sometimes fun and sometimes sad and a lot of bizarre, but it was worth it. I've learned a lot about myself, coins and buying scrap gold. And no, I would probably not ever open this kind of business especially since the powers that be are constantly changing the rules that govern buying scrap metal. I'll still sell whatever I find at garage sales though. <br />
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And now, on to my future....<br />
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<br />Phoenix Hollow Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08555364511445641898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8057832725711610824.post-60643305224175092192013-06-26T13:41:00.000-07:002013-06-26T13:41:29.145-07:00The rabbit and a hare....On May 14, 2013 our red San Juan rabbit gave birth to 9 baby bunnies. I was so excited. I just love baby bunnies. On May 15, I found 2 dead in the cage. On May 16, I found the last 7 all over the place - on the floor, in neighboring cages and some had bloody bite marks. I tried to put the babies back in Red's nest but she wouldn't have anything to do with them. 2 more died that afternoon. Now, I have fostered puppies, kittens and chickens, but never bunnies. I knew hand raising baby bunnies was usually not successful, but being the person I am - I just had to try. I removed the last 5 from the nest and took them inside the house. My husband just about flipped his lid, but one look from me and he shut up. He knows better than to stand between me and animals.<br />
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I parked the them in the pantry because is has a door to keep the kitties out. I put a heat lamp close to the nesting box to keep them warm but not hot. I heated up some kitten formula that I keep on hand for just these kind of emergencies. I started feeding them with an eye dropper. Things seemed to be going well for a couple of days, then tragedy - 3 of the 5 babies died. I was so sad. What was I doing wrong? Off to surf the Internet to figure this out before I lost the other 2. After reading information from several different sites, I was able to determine that I needed to add heavy cream or half and half to the formula. I didn't have exact measurements so I just eyeballed it. It must have worked. <br />
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The bunnies are happy, healthy and full of spunk. At the time of this writing, they are 44 days old. They are eating pellets, carrots, grass, organic lettuce (I had some extra and thought I would share) and celery. They also love the herb/weed known as plantain. They are growing so fast! Everyday, they get play time in the master bathroom. Why there? It has tile floor (easy clean up of bunny messes) and I can close the door to keep stalker kitties and rough-housing doggies out! They can run and jump to their hearts content without fear of being pounced on or used as a chew toy. <br />
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I had to move them from the cardboard box they called home to a larger, better secured bird cage. Now it seems it is time to move them to a more permanent home. They need a hutch. I don't have a hutch. I am not going to buy a hutch because I think they are way over priced so I guess that means I am going to have to build a hutch. It is going to have to built this weekend or next because I fear that they are going to get too big to get out of the cage! I have to keep the cage door wired shut (unless it's play time or feeding time) because they can push it open. Going to surf the net again to get some ideas then go raid the scrap pile to see if I have enough supplies. I want to see if I can do this without spending ANY money. I will post pictures of the bunnies as soon as my phone quits arguing with me. <br />
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Oh and the bunnies have temporary names Scratch -because of the terrible wound on his neck and his damaged right paw when he came inside. (which has completely healed and he has full use of his paw now.) and Spaz - I think you can figure this out. My son and I want to change their names to suit their personalities, but they will still keep their nick names. Phoenix Hollow Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08555364511445641898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8057832725711610824.post-23365762899480135032013-06-18T14:21:00.003-07:002013-06-18T14:21:45.311-07:00Cha Cha Cha Changes....Yep, things are changing. I applied for a new job much, much closer to my home and I got it! I had the 2nd interview yesterday which lasted for 45 minutes. My new boss also mentioned seeing me on television. I was embarrassed, but hey - it may have helped me! He asked me what would make me stand out while he and his boss were going over the resumes. My answer - "I'm the lady who isn't afraid to tie on the apron and get her hands dirty." He was still giggling when I left! I start July 8th. <br />
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This is kind of bittersweet though. I had to face the fact that I had to tell my current boss I was leaving. I know, I have complained about work for months, but I do like the work I do here. Oh - I'm not getting wishy-washy - I am leaving. I just find it difficult to tell someone who took a chance on me that I am moving on. I thanked him for giving me a job, car and free jewelry, but also that it was time for me to move on. We talked for about 20 minutes and he did tell me that because I told him in a professional way, didn't tell any of the other employees and that I was a good employee, I would be more than welcome to come back if the new job doesn't work out. How nice was that. No wonder I shed a couple tears. <br />
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As much as I dislike how he runs things and sometimes treats people, he has been a pretty good boss. <br />
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I am looking forward though, not back. It is time for me to move on and that is exactly what I am doing. I think it will be tough at first, until I learn the job, but I know I can do it and be good at it. Thanks for the positive thoughts and prayers. I am sure they helped me get this job. Phoenix Hollow Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08555364511445641898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8057832725711610824.post-58447548602845492342013-06-13T14:07:00.000-07:002013-06-26T12:54:54.686-07:00Feeling a bit nervousI am having a CT scan tomorrow morning. I am a little bit nervous about what it will show and what will happen. Will I have to have surgery? Is is bad? Is it something I will just have to live with? I guess most people have these thoughts when faced with the medically unknown. I am hopeful though that whatever it is will not be terrible and if necessary can be fixed with a minor surgery. Keeping my fingers crossed. I know I need to stay calm and just let be what will be, but that is much easier said than done. I'm a worrier. Always have been. <br />
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And why are so many people in Germany reading my blog?Phoenix Hollow Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08555364511445641898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8057832725711610824.post-23645291214594665002013-06-12T14:41:00.000-07:002013-06-12T14:41:04.742-07:00Are things looking up?Well, it has been a few months since my last blog. Just haven't been in the mood to type anything. Since February, we did take a cheap vacation that didn't turn out so well. My husband did get a job - that he absolutely hates - they treat him like poop. He's been in the hospital with a serious bacterial infection. We adopted 3 horses. I had a job interview on June 10th and made it to the 2nd round. That round won't happen until a certain person gets back from vacation on Monday. I am so hoping I get this job. It is only 6 miles from my house and it's 8-5 most of the time instead of 10-7 with an hour commute each way. This company also offers full benefits - which means hubby could quit his job and go into the hay cutting business that he wants to do. I know - a lot of risk, but it could be worth it. He and a neighbor are working on the detail. We took our 12 acre field out of the CRP program - wasn't happy with the requirement to spray Monsanto's Round-up products - they make enough money poisoning our food supply and I'm not going to help them.<br />
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We are currently babysitting a friend's puppy while they are vacation for the 2nd time this year. He's a sweet puppy, but he keeps pooping in my bedroom - even after we take him outside. Frustrating - thought I was past the puppy phase of having dogs! <br />
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I am currently bottle feeding 2 orphan rabbits. Their mama is a Red San Juan mix, but refused to care for her litter of 8. These 2 are the only ones left - they are almost 4 weeks old now. Starting to reject the formula because they are eating grass, pellets and carrots. I have installed a water bottle for them, too. I guess I am adding 2 more pets to the herd as I told my hubby that they were not getting sold and they were not going in the freezer. He just frowned. I've worked way too hard to keep them alive thus far. Going to try to figure out to build a hutch for them with scraps and a little farmgirl ingenuity. We'll see what happens. <br />
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I failed miserably with my seed starting this year. Oh - it started out great, until I put them outside to harden off and I forgot about them until about 2 weeks later. They were certainly crispy. Oh well. We have direct sowed many other seeds and things are growing. We have some volunteer pumpkins coming up in some very strange places, too. <br />
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Hubby built 4 raised beds for me. He also built 2 stalls in the barn and we are going to start on a 3rd one this weekend. My 2 year old horse is at the trainers for the month and so we have put off building it. We put the 10 year old in his stall and the 15 year old in her own custom built stall. She's only 28 inches tall so everything had to be built to scale for her. Seems to working. <br />
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That's it for today - getting ready to head home from work. Yes - I did this while at work. I can do things like this while at work because we are a very slow store. As long as we help customers when they walk in, the boss doesn't really care what we do. That's one thing I will miss. See ya' next time.Phoenix Hollow Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08555364511445641898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8057832725711610824.post-83729379525291126292013-02-05T08:46:00.000-08:002013-02-05T08:46:15.421-08:00Looking for change.The last few years have been a bit difficult for me to deal with. I am learning to cope and move on, but one thing I am having trouble with is change. I understand the importance of change - it is necessary. However, after many, many years of being beaten down emotionally, I am having an extremely hard time. I want to make a change, but I am scared. I realize everyone gets scared when change happens, but this is more than that. I am scared to even take a chance. I constantly ask myself what it would hurt to try. I get a sick feeling in my stomach even considering it. What if I make a change and I don't like it or it doesn't work out? What if I don't make the change - will I regret it for the rest of my life? <br />
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I am currently holding on the the hope of getting a promotion. At the same time I am not happy here. I feel like I am the punching bag for someones personal attacks and shortcomings. I have been trying to weigh the pros and cons of staying and going. I keep telling myself that it's time for me to move on and I believe it, but I haven't actually put in the effort. I have searched and I found a few things that I think I could do, but then I think I might not be good enough, after all, my current boss calls me the worst executive assistant ever. I don't even know why. I do everything he asks. I keep the stores clean and tidy. I wait on customers even when I am in the middle of something he's asked me to do and other employees won't budge from their chairs. I keep three flea market booths stocked to supplement his income. <br />
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I also want my husband to get a job. He thought he could supplement our income by doing shows and flea markets all the time, but they haven't been successful. I have convinced him to apply for a local factory job in hopes that it will lift some of the burden from my shoulders. I am hoping that after he gets a job, I won't feel so tired all the time. I want to be able to start sewing more and selling more of what I sew. <br />
<br />
Last night I got home from work and had to fix dinner because he hadn't thought about it. After I fixed dinner, I went in my sewing room and started cutting squares to make corn hole bags. I cut several, the got so tired I couldn't do anymore. I was so mad at myself for wimping out. I also knew that if I kept cutting, I would probably make a mistake. So I finished up what I was in the middle of and then cleaned up the kitchen and put on my jammies. I ended up going to bed by 10 p.m.. That worked out because Puma, my kitty, was going in for surgery this morning and had to be kept away from food. <br />
<br />
I have been trying to set up a budget we can live with, but there just doesn't seem to be enough money right now. I have also been trying to move things around to make it work, but the honey pot is nearly empty. I have to break it to my friends that we won't be going on vacation with them this year. It just isn't going to happen. Phoenix Hollow Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08555364511445641898noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8057832725711610824.post-57905734376210119682012-12-20T14:25:00.001-08:002012-12-20T14:25:58.508-08:00A lighter shade of blue....I am trying so hard not be a downer this Christmas but I'm finding it very difficult. I keep telling myself to be thankful for everything and everyone. I am trying to look forward to what the new year might bring, but those depressing thoughts keep shoving their way in like rude Black Friday shoppers.<br />
It doesn't help that I am so completely congested and stuffed up, I can't see straight. <br />
Hubs is sick - could be bronchitis don't know. He can't cough very hard because of the nerve damage in his back so he chokes a lot. <br />
Son has strep throat. He went back to school today after being home for 6 days - he had to be on antibiotics for that one.<br />
My friend in spending her birthday and Christmas in the hospital because of cancer. I want to go visit, but I know better than to go up there like this. That's the last thing she needs. <br />
My grandpa doesn't know what day it is, then he does, then he doesn't. <br />
My brother had to have a CT scan today because of a mass in his lungs that the doctor noticed when he did a chest X-ray for pneumonia.<br />
The person who gave birth to me is psycho. <br />
I have 3 lumps/bulges in my mid section that no one can seem to figure out what they are. Comforting. <br />
The young lady I call my 'foster' daughter is living in a garage. <br />
I still owe the contractor money.<br />
I am heartbroken about the families who are enduring way too much heartache in Connecticut. <br />
<br />
I try to replace these negative thoughts with better ones.<br />
I am sick, but I am not in the hospital with cancer.<br />
Hubs can still walk even though his legs give out without notice.<br />
Son is getting over the strep. He will have the next 2 weeks to fully recoup. He is also spending the night Saturday with his grandpa(my dad) for the first time ever.<br />
My friend is still alive when this cancer should have killed her already. I am glad she gets to celebrate another birthday and Christmas with her family.<br />
My grandpa thinks its 1947. That's a good thing since things were better back then, harder, but better.<br />
My brother's mass may just be related to the pneumonia, but if its not - hopefully they caught it early enough to fix it.<br />
The person who gave birth to me is still a psycho and there's nothing that can be done about it.<br />
My step-mother is going to check the lumps/bulges on Saturday when we go visit for Christmas - she's a nurse.<br />
My 'foster' daughter is living in a garage and not on the street. She has a job and is starting a better one in January. <br />
I have a job.<br />
I have a car that my boss pays the fuel for. <br />
My house is done and we are comfortable in it. I will make arrangements with the contractor to pay off what we owe him. <br />
I have my son to hug.<br />
I got a kitten for Christmas and just in time - her sister was hit by a car the next day. <br />
<br />
I'm blue, but it's a lighter shade of blue. I need some sunshine and a vacation. <br />
I promise I will keep trying to think better thoughts, but its so hard sometimes.<br />
<br />Phoenix Hollow Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08555364511445641898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8057832725711610824.post-34205038394991610912012-12-18T09:27:00.001-08:002012-12-18T09:27:50.226-08:00Reflections Christmas is almost here and another year is almost over. Recent events have made me stop and take a moment to reflect. The most important thing in life is family and friends that you make your family. I have very little of both, but I love them dearly. After the tragedy on Friday, December 14, 2012 in Connecticut, I love them even more. How anyone could murder children is beyond my comprehension. It was reported that the gunman had Asperger's. My own son has Asperger's. I've talked to him about guns and his favorite video games which usually involve soldiers and shooting. We've talked about how in the video games, when someone gets shot, they magically come back and can play again. That doesn't happen in real life. He is insists he knows the difference and he would never shoot a real person. I hope beyond hope that he holds true to that. <br />
Guns are a part of our life. We hunt and we like to target shoot. I even have a pink gun. No one is going to take my guns from me without a fight. I have that right. Guns don't kill people - people kill people. The NFL player that killed his girlfriend and then himself could have used any manner of things to do the deed. There was a Chinese man that slashed a bunch of school children with a knife. We don't need more gun regulations - we need more openness about mental health. People need to feel like getting help for emotional problems isn't wrong or bad. Maybe that would prevent people from snapping.<br />
Bring God back into schools and work and wherever He is needed. If the Atheists and naysayers don't like it - tough - don't go or don't listen or don't participate. Saying 'Happy Holidays' isn't the answer. Christ is why we have Christmas and Easter. Corporate greed is why we have gotten away from the real reasons. It's why we've become numb. Look at Black Friday - I hate Black Friday, which now begins on Thursday. 5000 people want 5 t.v.'s for $100. Why - because marketing says we need to fight over it. I don't need it and I won't buy it. <br />
People can also do evil in other ways. When someone needs help or needs to be taken care of and they just stand by and watch is evil. My mother is evil. Some might say that is a terrible thing to say. It would be if it weren't true. She is evil. My brother and I have been trying to get her to put him in a nursing home because he needs help. He is 96 and shouldn't be living by himself. He told me on Sunday (12/16/12) that he fell down the other day and hit his head. He stumbles all the time and can't see very well. He doesn't cook anymore and only eats what is in the fridge - no matter how long it's been in there. He has internal health issues like rectal bleeding and explosive diarrhea. Gross I know, but that's why he needs help. He can't always make it to the bathroom in time and makes a mess. She doesn't want to do anything because it might cost some money - money that would come out of her inheritance. She's greedy and always has been. <br />
She was out there on Sunday and was getting mad because she had to pay some of his bills, with his money and his checkbook. She had to WRITE the checks and was mad. She also got mad because I fixed Grandpa's coffee pot. She said she had already fixed it and that he just wasn't trying hard enough. Really? - He's 96, he shouldn't have to try very hard. He didn't care who fixed it, he just wanted a cup of coffee. <br />
I'm also a little bit upset with my boss. He's having a Christmas get-together at his house - his really big house in his really exclusive neighborhood. My son is ill, but taking meds. He doesn't want my son to come because he is ill. I told him the nurse and the doctor said after 2 days on the meds, he wouldn't be contagious anymore. He doesn't want him to come to his house because his girls might catch it. I guess I'm not going to to go because I don't have a sitter and I don't want to leave him at home at night be himself. I have left him alone before, but I won't do that at night. Even though he is 12, it is still scarier at night. Merry Christmas, Mr. Boss.<br />
I am trying to look forward to the new year. We are planning our garden and how we can make some money from it. We are planning on adding two or three new hives for the bees. We are planning on getting a goat or two so that we can have milk to make things from and sell. We are looking forward to the arrival of our chickens in January. We are looking forward to Lliam actually going back to Alexandria Schools and trying to lead a normal life instead of going to school in a hospital. We are looking forward to our little farm store actually getting off the ground and bringing in a few bucks. We are looking forward to earning some money from starting beagle pups on rabbits and also selling rabbits. <br />
There's a ton of things to look back on and wonder why, but there's even more to look forward to and wonder why not.<br />
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.<br />
<br />
<br />Phoenix Hollow Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08555364511445641898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8057832725711610824.post-64750046276322129842012-06-27T12:26:00.000-07:002012-06-27T12:26:24.277-07:00Having a rough dayIn the midst of everything that is going on right now, I am feeling a bit overwhelmed. I want to cry, but can't. I sit at work trying to focus on work, but can only think about that for a few seconds before life creeps in. I am stressing about hubby's health - his diabetes is out of control. So much so that we made the trip to the ER to let the doctors try to help. His back is getting worse - which makes his legs not work right. He has other problems too, but he wouldn't appreciate me speaking about those. <br />
<br />
Lliam is having more problems with attitude and fighting at school. We are reluctantly trying a new med for him. Something has to help. I can't deal with him refusing to go in the school and me having to try to wrestle him in there. My back still hurts from Monday's episode. <br />
<br />
The construction is a little behind right now. We were supposed to be painting by this weekend and now it looks like we won't be painting until next week. The contractor is also saying we are closer to the budget than we originally thought. I still can't figure out how since just about everything we ordered was way under the budget limit for that particular area. I am still trying to decide if I picked the right colors for each room. Some rooms I am certain the color is right - others - not so much. <br />
<br />
My mother is still being a pain the backside.<br />
<br />
My brother got mad at me because I didn't tell him that Grandpa made a trip to the hospital (he never goes), but everything was fine so I didn't think it was necessary to tell him. Then he didn't bother to tell me that an aunt was diagnosed with cancer. She passed away 2 weeks after the doctors gave her 6 weeks. On top of that, he didn't even tell me when the funeral was. I wasn't able to go. When I told him I had taken Lance to the ER - he didn't ask if he was ok. Really - kiss my backside, pal.<br />
<br />
And then there's work. I like my job - don't get me wrong. I just got a small raise, a car to drive and boss pays the gas, insurance and upkeep including car washes. I guess my issue is I work my tail off, do everything boss asks of me and I rarely get time off. He's let me have most of the days I asked for - Jessica's wedding, a trip to Ohio to sell at a flea market, things like that. But I don't have a regularly scheduled day off. He knows I need the money since Lance isn't working anymore, but come on. I NEED A DAY OFF! OR two or three when I don't have a single thing scheduled. I need a break. <br />
<br />
Speaking of breaks - give me one from hearing about how much natural talent his children have. Of course they do great at whatever sport they happen to be in that week. He pays for them to take lessons from very expensive trainers and coaches. He knows it annoys me to hear about it because I don't have extra money for Lliam to even play in a school sport. Hell, he can't even join the Boy Scouts because I don't have the money to pay the dues. Jealous you say - yeah probably a little. I worked at a job where I made nearly $17 an hour and that job was eliminated. I started work here at $10 an hour about a year ago and that was after 2 years of looking. I am making more now, but I still have the bills I had from the good job. That job had regular days off, vacation time, health, dental, and vision insurance. This job has none of that. Be grateful I have a job - I am. If I didn't have this job, we would have lost the house altogether. I get that he's the boss and has money, but he doesn't have to flaunt it every single day. Just today he was talking about the upcoming family trip to Disney, and the Christmas-time trip to the Bahamas. He was actually complaining about having to stand in line at the post office to get new passports. Boo hoo. I don't even have a passport. My son has never even been to Canada. I want to take Lliam to Florida to see where he was born, but I don't even have the extra gas money for that. <br />
<br />
What did I do wrong? What curse has befallen my family that I can't even take a vacation? Who did I piss off so much that my son can't play in a school sport or join the Boy Scouts? <br />
<br />
Yeah, I had a pity party for myself just now, but I am so freaking frustrated I could explode. I work and work and work and still have nothing extra. I have trimmed the budget as much as I could. We are even trying to sell my truck and the old plow truck to bring in some extra money. <br />
<br />
I know there are thousands of people out there with less than I have. There are people in Florida dealing with floods, Colorado dealing with fire, all over the country dealing with drought and hoards of unemployed people. I am sorry for them and I hope things all work out for them. But Damn it, I work hard and deserve the chance to relax once in a while. I shouldn't have the fear that if I ask for a day off, I might lose my job. I want to look for more gainful employment, but if the boss finds out I am looking, I will not even have this job. I feel like I am stuck.Phoenix Hollow Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08555364511445641898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8057832725711610824.post-32074832953684372152012-06-14T10:04:00.000-07:002012-06-14T10:04:47.743-07:00Sometimes in life a little heartbreak....My grandfather is 96. Four years from a century of being on Earth. I knew it would happen sooner or later. No, he hasn't passed on. He's losing his memories. June 9, 2012, my beautiful niece was married. After the wedding, we stopped by Grandpa's house to visit. He seemed to be doing just fine. We were carrying on a conversation like usual. Then it happened. He looked at his 12-year-old grandson and said "And who is this fine looking young man?" Lliam, being the sensitive type, burst into tears. I kept cool, but I think I was in shock. I suggested to Lliam that he go outside and try to find some rabbits. I sent his daddy after him to try to explain what just happened. Grandpa looked at me sort of stunned and asked "Did I say something to offend him?" I said no, that he had just had a long day with the wedding and all. He asked who got married. I explained it was his great granddaughter. He thought about it for a few minutes and asked again who the boy was that had been sitting next to me. I had to fight the tears. I explained it again. Then I changed the subject. I asked him if he wanted to send Jessica a check for a wedding gift. "Who's Jessica?" I explained it again. He decided he had better send one if she was his granddaughter. I wrote the check out for $50 and let him sign it. I also wrote a note explaining who, why and how much so when my mom visited next, she could explain it to him again. I also balanced his check book and wrote on the bottom of the check "wedding gift" so he wouldn't think someone had just coerced him to give them money that he didn't know. <br />
<br />
I had been given a warning about what was happening earlier in the day, but it didn't register until that moment. My brother had explained to me that when he and his son were out to visit the day before, the exact same thing happened with his son. It's heartbreaking when someone you love with all your heart doesn't have a clue who you are. <br />
<br />
On the ride home, Lliam was still weepy so I tried to explain in a way that he might better understand. Here's what I came up with on the fly. "Lliam, you know when it is really, really foggy outside and you want to pull back the fog like curtains so you can see better?" <br />
"Yeah."<br />
"Well, that's kind of how it is in Grandpa's mind. We are all in there somewhere, but he can't find us. It's sad, I know, but it happens to most older people. Sometimes it happens way before this age, but it does happen. He's losing his memories in the fog."<br />
"Oh." <br />
"You know what else I think? I think that when he goes to heaven to be with Grandma, he will remember every single thing that has ever happened in his life. I also think that when he remembers something that involves you, that's when you think of a fond memory of him."<br />
A small smile appeared. "Dad, can we go fishing when we go camping?"Phoenix Hollow Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08555364511445641898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8057832725711610824.post-78081838098990454892012-06-06T09:20:00.002-07:002012-06-06T09:21:23.341-07:00Choices - Good or Bad - We've All Made ThemYesterday at work was not such great day. Why? Our sign carrier verbally exploded. Let me back up a few and give some background on this issue. When the company owner was in the process of opening his fifth store, his maintenance guy happened upon a homeless fellow that was looking for work. Mr. Fix-it was all about the company owner hiring this guy. I questioned it. Don't get me wrong, I do not have a problem with someone who is down on their luck getting a boost from those who can give. However, we knew nothing about this person, where he came from, his criminal history (if he had one), his mental state, etc. In this day and age one can't be too careful. This wall comes from working in law enforcement for almost 10 years. I've seen and heard about an awful lot of well intending people getting hurt by those they are trying to help. Mr. Owner hired the guy to carry the sandwich boards advertising our business. Let the drama begin.<br />
<br />
The first few days weren't so bad. Mr. Signs got paid daily at the end of the day. After a few days, he started asking "Can I have an hour or two for lunch money and cigs?" Mr. Owner obliged him. Mr. Signs is supposed to be walking from 10 am until at least 5 pm. We close at 6 pm. Mr. Signs might work until 3 pm then come in and tell us he was done. Reasons? <br />
1. It's too hot.<br />
2. It's too cold.<br />
3. Going to a ball game.<br />
4. His girl was giving him trouble.<br />
5. His girl was in trouble - needed to go to another town to get her.<br />
6. Had to go to court.<br />
7. It's raining.<br />
8. Tired.<br />
9. Had enough of people making comments.<br />
10. Got in a fight.<br />
<br />
Really? One day last week another employee and I were looking at a video online of a dog riding a rocking horse - it was hilarious. Mr. Signs comes in and wants to be clocked out because he has something to take care of. It just so happened that at the same time he asked that, we laughed because of the video. Mr. Signs went postal. He started screaming at my co-worker. The f-bomb was flying out of his mouth every other word. He made threats to my co-worker, telling him he was going to rip his head off and ^&*( down his throat, f-this-f-that m-f. I tried to intervene by telling Mr. Signs he needed to take it down a notch and stop making threats. He looked at me and said "They ain't threats, they is promises." I told him that was enough and he needed to leave. After about 5 more minutes of belligerence, he screamed that he quit and stormed out the door. <br />
Just so happened that Mr. Owner pulled up and Mr. Signs went over and started yelling at him. Mr. Owner got him to calm down and insisted that he come in and apologize to my co-worker. Mr. Signs did that, but I was not convinced.<br />
<br />
A few days later, a couple of younger people came in saying that Mr. Signs was trying to start a fight outside and some woman was trying to restrain him. I went out to see what was going on. It's not good for a company representative to fight with the general public. The lady was still with Mr. Signs and insisted that the two people who came in the store started the whole thing. Mr. Signs apologized to me for losing his temper and throwing the sign on the ground. I informed him that if I got another complaint about him-whether it was his fault or not, he was done. He protested, but I calmly explained to him that as a business we cannot have this much negative activity going on as it would hurt the reputation of the business. <br />
<br />
Moving up to yesterday, it was near the end of the day when a fellow business owner entered the store. Mind you- Mr. Signs clocked out around 3:30 pm and this happened around 5 pm. The business owner was obviously very upset about something and wanted to speak to Mr. Owner. We informed him that Mr. Owner was not present, but was there something we could do to help him. He claimed that Mr. Signs was in his business parking lot soliciting business right out from under him. We asked him to explain. He said the guy in the blue shirt was telling his customers to come over to our store because we paid more. He expressed his disapproval of this practice to Mr. Signs. He then told us how Mr. Signs got mouthy and started yelling at him. <br />
<br />
I told the business owner that it would be dealt with appropriately. He said he didn't want any bad blood between the two businesses, but he couldn't let things like that happen. I told him we understood, that Mr. Signs was currently off the clock, and it would be dealt with.<br />
<br />
At about 10 minutes to closing, Mr. Signs came in the store asking if we bought a ring. I told him no one came in to sell a ring. I then asked if he had been at the antique shop. He immediately went on the defensive- yelling and screaming at me. Throwing the F-bomb every other word. Accused us of being hoity-toity rich people living in air conditioned homes, driving nice cars, taking vacations and eating out all the time and that he lived in a tent. I looked him square in the eyes and told him he was where he was because of the choices he had made and continued to make. He called me a bitch. (not the first time I've been called that - I dealt with angry truck drivers as an inspector - it's part of the job). I told him that was his opinion and that it was his choice to express that opinion. I told him that Mr. Owner had explained to him how to get a new ID card since he lost his and he chose not to follow Mr. Owner's advice. I told him that if he had followed Mr. Owner's advice about the ID card, he could have started the process of looking for more permanent living arrangements. I could tell by the look on his face that he was getting madder and madder. I suggested that he go to his tent and chill out for the evening. To that he said "F*&$ YOU, F*&$ this job and I quit." I said "That's your choice."<br />
<br />
This morning when I drove in the lot, I could see Mr. Signs sitting on the embankment watching me. Creepy! Before I could get inside the building, he was right beside me. He was begging for his job back. I told him it was out of my hands. He begged some more and again I told him it wasn't up to me. I unlocked the door and went inside as he walked away, mad. He then started calling the store phone. At first I didn't answer because it wasn't time to open for business. At about 2 til 10, I answered it. He wanted to talk to Mr. Owner. I asked him if he saw Mr. Owner's truck in the lot. He said no, but he needed to talk to him. He begged me to call him and ask if he could have his job back. I said if I talked to Mr. Owner, I might say something. <br />
<br />
I did indeed talk to Mr. Owner. I expressed my concern about Mr. Signs verbal abuse to my co-worker and me, his unstable state of mind, his paranoia, his explosive behavior, the fact that he can't follow direction, gets defensive with constructive criticism, and - most of all-doesn't know when to shut up. I also expressed concern that Mr. Signs made me uncomfortable and that it creeped me out how he watches us all time. I told Mr. Owner that it was my opinion that someone who was that violent with words and was ready to fight anyone at anytime could cause harm to me or my co-worker or worse - the customers. <br />
I now worry that Mr. Signs will start stalking us. He has said previously that he was an Army Ranger. <br />
I pity him too. <br />
<br />
Now before anyone gets their feathers ruffled - I don't have a problem with homeless people or people who have had a run of back luck and are currently down and out. However, don't judge me because I have a job, a house and a couple of cars. I have worked hard to get those things and even harder to keep them. I know about losing a job, being without money, being within a payment or two of losing everything. Then I lost my home to a fire. Thankfully I had insurance - that I work hard to pay for. When I lost my job, I lost a few friends as well. They couldn't handle having a poor person hanging around. Not such good friends. During this dark time in my life that began in 2009, I went through so many emotions. The depression was the worst and it almost consumed me. BUT I MADE A CHOICE. I chose to keep fighting for what I worked so hard for. I chose to get off my butt, get a job and get back on my feet. I chose to take responsibility for caring for my family. I chose NOT to ask for welfare or food stamps. Yes, I got unemployment for awhile. I was entitled to it. I've worked since I was 16 and I earned it. If we didn't have the money to buy something - we didn't. At Christmas, my husband and I didn't buy any presents for ourselves and used what little money we had to buy a couple of toys and some clothes for our son. We didn't go beg for toys at the toy drive. If the groceries ran low - we made do with what we had even if it was only rice and beans. We didn't go to the food pantry and ask for hand outs. It wasn't fun, but we muddled through. When we lost the house to the fire, I chose not to wallow in sorrow and self-pity. I went to work the next day - no sense in sitting around thinking about what happened. I couldn't change the fact that everything was gone. I was going to have to start over, again.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Phoenix Hollow Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08555364511445641898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8057832725711610824.post-86033763415784224742012-05-30T14:17:00.003-07:002012-05-30T14:18:27.810-07:00How's the house? Oh- going glamping, too!Well, the house looks more like a house these days. It has felt paper and ice/water barrier, it has windows, doors and duct work. The electrician has made his marks for rough in. The plumber will be out this week or next to mark rough ins for plumbing. The roofing material should be arriving soon as well as the bricks. The porches need to be built, as well. I am getting more and more excited as it moves along. How soon to move in? Could be end of summer, but most likely just before Thanksgiving. Let's hope for the earlier! I really hate moving in the winter. <br />
<br />
We have decided to paint the interior ourselves along with a few friends? (Anyone else want to join us?) Free food and beverages along with good conversation will be the pay! Thanks to all of you who are going to help! We love you. <br />
<br />
Taking a break this weekend and going glamping. Yes, I said glamping - google it if you don't know what it is. I can hardly wait. We are going with our good friends Amy and Aaron and their two boys. All told we will have 7 people and 5 dogs - what a herd. Campfire cooking, s'mores and gold panning. Sounds like fun! We don't really expect to find any gold, but it's fun trying. Hopefully the rain in the forecast won't last to long and the creek won't come up too much. (Calling for an inch or more tonight into Friday) Biting my nails.<br />
<br />
Hubs is at home trying to get the fishing gear ready - he's had more than a month to get prepared, but true to his nature, waits until the night before. I have just about everything else ready to go, just have to pack it up. Everything is staged in the corner of my bedroom. Looks like a campers garage sale waiting to happen. <br />
<br />
Speaking of garage sales - going to have one when we get back from glamping. We've accumulated at bunch of stuff a auctions that we just don't need. Those of you who know where we are living - watch craigslist for the dates. <br />
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In other news, today is hubby's last day of work at Traderbaker's Vendor Mall. He's fed up with it. He's going to set up at flea markets and such to make up for his piddly lost income. Hopefully he can make a few bucks here and there. Biting my nails, again. <br />
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Not much more to add. Just about time to go home from work. It was a pretty slow day today. Having company dinner tomorrow evening - Red Lobster - bosses choice. Yay, shrimp. <br />
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Have a great weekend and see you next week!Phoenix Hollow Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08555364511445641898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8057832725711610824.post-8189654543973092432012-05-22T14:17:00.000-07:002012-05-22T14:19:56.046-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here's the latest photo of the house. The front door looks like it has a post right in the middle of it, but that is a porch post about 5 feet out. The funky box next to that is the chimney. The room that sticks out funny is the pantry/1/2bath and laundry room. I am hoping the workers were able to put the black paper on the roof today. The contractor said they should be starting the brick any time. We meet with the electrician on Tuesday for electrical placements. The doors and windows have been ordered. Paint and trim has been picked out. I have to go to the home store to pick out paint for the exterior doors. Thought they were going to be stained, but was informed they were not!</div>
<br />Phoenix Hollow Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08555364511445641898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8057832725711610824.post-12278147961426385172012-04-26T09:18:00.000-07:002012-04-26T09:18:13.858-07:00Stressing a little bit...Stressing a little bit about all this building stuff. We have just about everything picked out - still need lights, outlet locations and paint colors. The plumbing budget made me sad. I couldn't get the faucet I wanted for the kitchen, but found one I can live with. I am getting a really neat one for the master bathroom. Looks like an old pitcher pump type.<br />
We haven't decided on all the lighting yet, but need to get a move on so it's ready when the electrician does the rough in. I found a really neat ceiling fan for the back porch that is actually cheaper than having two (like before) We've decided that just about all the lighting can be pretty plain (cheaper) except for the living room ceiling fan and the lighting in the kitchen. We also picked out 2 lights for the porch and side entry that are reasonably priced for the style. As far as the ceiling fans go in the rest of the house, we can get plain ones now and later on pick up some prettier globes after we live in it for awhile. You can't go wrong with black metal and darker wood tones. To me, these are classic and don't go out of style like shiny brass or decorator colors. <br />
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<br />Phoenix Hollow Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08555364511445641898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8057832725711610824.post-89221715033777698262012-04-18T14:23:00.000-07:002012-04-18T14:23:24.413-07:00Still mad, but token has been returned.I guess my husband telling the job boss that he didn't want to tangle with me paid off. The token has been returned, albeit in a different spot. No questions were asked, but they were warned that if anything else was stolen, the law would be called and everyone of them would be accessories to theft, regardless of who took what. Let's hope they have enough sense to leave our stuff alone.Phoenix Hollow Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08555364511445641898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8057832725711610824.post-20059680842999195832012-04-17T15:30:00.001-07:002012-04-17T15:30:22.122-07:00FRANKLY, I'M PISSED OFF.....Sorry if that offends, but someone has done the ultimate dirty deed. Remember that token that was place in the concrete for my son? SOME JACKASS STOLE IT! My husband and son went up the farm to day to check things out. The workers were placing the foundation blocks and Lliam was watching them. Lliam walked over to the area where the token was and he noticed it was gone. His rock is still there, but the token is GONE. Lance called the guy who is in charge and point blank said "I want that token returned or there's going to be a huge problem." As of this posting, we have not heard anything. I cannot believe someone would do this. How would they like it if someone stole something that belonged to their child? Honestly, I hope they choke on the damn thing.Phoenix Hollow Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08555364511445641898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8057832725711610824.post-59979832385816572582012-04-17T11:54:00.000-07:002012-04-17T11:54:52.984-07:00Hard LaborHard Labor is good for you. On Sunday evening after work, the hubs and I went up to the farm to continue moving limbs from the cut down trees. He got the little tractor out of the barn and we piled up limbs, wrapped a strap around them and hauled them to a spot in the woods. We got one entire pile cleared in about 1 1/2 hours. In the process, I knocked over my iced tea, got smacked in the side of the face and in the mouth by unruly limbs and found a hole with my right foot and ankle. Good time, good times. Lance had an episode with a limb that could have been a winner on America's Funniest Videos. Let's just say it might have felt better if he had just done the splits. He had to take a lengthy break afterwards. I cleared off the patio area of huge chunks of wood and the saw dust. We then moved the outfit to the north side and started in on that pile. I received some scrapes on my arms and Lance tripped a couple of times. We mostly just piled all the limbs up against the fence to be dealt with later. We still have several branches to move and 4 HUGE logs, but mostly everything is out of the way for the contractors to get in there and do their thing. They were supposed to put the concrete block in on Monday, but for some reason it didn't get done. Hopefully they were out there today working. <div>
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At the end of the evening, my severely arthritic knees were screaming! My feet ached and the skin on my hands was practically raw. I couldn't wait to get to the house to take a shower and go to bed. I am still a little bit sore, but overall, in good shape. And the yard looks pretty good too! Now if we can just get that house done.</div>
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<br /></div>Phoenix Hollow Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08555364511445641898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8057832725711610824.post-61607370495894706662012-04-13T09:27:00.000-07:002012-04-13T09:27:58.848-07:00Here forever....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is a Star Wars token and a polished black rock that were found among the debris after the house was demolished. The person who found the token is who poured the concrete. He thought is would be neat to put it in the cement footer. </div>
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The same day, Lliam found this polished black rock from his rock collection in the dirt and Buddy said he could put it in there too. I think it is awesome for Lliam to be a part of the construction process on the new house. I know he's been struggling with losing all of his possessions. He's had a hard time wrapping his mind around the fact that 'things' can be replaced. Take his 'Pooh Blanket', an item he's had since day one. After the fire we couldn't find it and figured it was lost forever. I got it in my head to try to find another blanket that looked just like it and I did. I even found the binding I had used too. I wrapped it up and gave it to Lliam for Christmas. He nearly cried and so did I. He loved it, but said it wasn't the same. I told him I knew it wasn't the same, but at least he had something tangible to hold on to when he wanted to remember his blanket. </div>
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Then, last week, a minor miracle occurred. During the demolition of the house, Lance and Lliam went up to watch. During one swipe of the bucket on the backhoe, a flash of pastel color appeared. Instantly Lliam knew what it was. He waved his arms wildly and yelled for the equipment to stop. Lance had to hold him back until the workers could get it shut down. Lliam sprinted up to the pile. There among the rubble was his beloved 'Pooh Blanket'. It was slightly burnt and had smoke damage, but it was intact. He was so happy! So am I. </div>
<br />Phoenix Hollow Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08555364511445641898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8057832725711610824.post-91232533080415675762012-04-12T07:43:00.001-07:002012-04-12T07:43:50.121-07:00Constructions is underway!The footers have been poured, the crawlspace dug out, and tomorrow they start laying the foundation. Today the 3 selected trees are going to be removed. It was supposed to be done Tuesday or Wednesday, but it was a bit too breezy! Today is a perfectly calm day. The sun is shining and the sky is a brilliant blue! I hope to get up to the farm on Friday to see the progress. I haven't been there since Sunday. Lance will be up there today cutting up trees after they are on the ground. Saving a bit of money that way. Yay! <br />
The saw dust will be scooped up as best we can to put in the compost pile. The large limbs will be put in the beagle starting pen. The logs will be cut up to use as fire wood and the teeny little sticks and branches are going to be used as kindling for bon fires and such. Nothing will be wasted. One good thing about cutting the trees down now is these 3 particular trees haven't leafed out as of yet. At least we won't have that mess to clean up too. <br />
As for the house, I wrote the second big check this morning and Lance is going to deliver it to the contractor today. It was strange to write a check that big! Kinda scary, too. I will try to get some more pictures to post as construction progresses. I want to get a picture of one of the footers as well. Why? Well, Buddy, the guy who tore the house down and poured the concrete for the footers, found one of Lliam's Star Wars tokens in the debris and stuck it in the top of a footer. Then while Lliam and Lance were up there checking things out, Lliam found one of the rocks from his collection (that was lost) and stuck it in there too. I thought it would be neat to have a photograph for Lliam to have later in life. <br />
When I was up there on Sunday, I found one of my strappy sandals in the dirt - I wonder if they could put that in the concrete too - lol.Phoenix Hollow Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08555364511445641898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8057832725711610824.post-1525001200218834922012-04-11T12:12:00.000-07:002012-04-11T12:28:33.624-07:00How do you depreciate the value of a pet's life?When our house burned down, I never thought dealing with the insurance company could be so blood boiling. I've mentioned how we have to write down everything we can remember that we lost and how much we paid for it. Then the insurance company will depreciate it. After that, they send us money to buy the item back, but things cost more these days. If it costs more to replace than we paid, they supposedly will send the difference. Ok so our sofa cost about $2,000 when it was new 5 years ago. I don't know how to figure the depreciation, but say they will send us $1,000 for the sofa. How are we supposed to repurchase the same sofa with only $1,000? I don't understand. <br />
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Well, how in the hell do you put a price on the life of a pet? Are they going to depreciate his value because he was 11 years old and a cat can live for more than 20 years? Is he less valuable because we adopted him? Because he was declawed? Because he was neutered? WTF? I just don't get it. He can't be replaced. Zeke was Zeke. Every pet is different their own special way. His life was priceless. </div>Phoenix Hollow Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08555364511445641898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8057832725711610824.post-6489665494238100902012-04-09T07:44:00.000-07:002012-04-09T07:44:21.272-07:00The house is no more!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, it's gone. There's nothing left except the old foundation and some concrete steps that we didn't even know were under there! We are also going to be removing 3 trees that were a little to close to the house. The tree in the picture right above this paragraph with orange paint is one of them. It was burned severely as it stood right outside our bedroom window. I hate losing any trees, but sometimes its better that way. Besides, we are going to be planting the entire 12 acres in trees and native grasses very soon, so I think that will more than make up for it.<br />
Much of the wood from the trees being removed will be used in one way or another. Since we are going to have a wood burning stove, the larger chunks will be cut and cured to use as fire wood. The other limbs and debris that is left will be put in the starting pen for the beagles as obstacles for rabbit hunting training. We want the starting pen to resemble actual forested areas where the dogs would be hunting. <br />
I also lost a Red Bud tree in the process. It's sad since they are so pretty! They were able to save one of my favorite trees though. It's also in the above picture, a little more to the right side. I want to put a bench under it for a place to rest and reflect.Phoenix Hollow Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08555364511445641898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8057832725711610824.post-77615022387617404792012-03-23T08:52:00.000-07:002012-03-23T09:49:57.568-07:00It's RainingOkay, so its raining. Big deal right? Well this rain is a good rain. It's gentle, albeit heavy at times. Still it's not blowing and its not cold. I like this kind of rain. Its a good soaking rain, which is great because we didn't have that much snow in Central Indiana this year. I had planned on planting early Spring veggies this weekend, but I don't think that's going to happen. The ground will be to wet. Bummer on that. I'm not too worried though, since the almanac says we might some more snow in mid-April. I just hope it doesn't hurt the trees. They are all flowering and leafing out since we have had such warm weather.Phoenix Hollow Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08555364511445641898noreply@blogger.com2