Read this posting at http://backyardfarming.blogspot.com/2010/07/arsenic-in-your-eggs.html and thought everyone should be aware of it.
Threw our last bag of chicken feed (and chick feed) away so can't check it but from now on ... will be checking our feed for Roxarsone ... you better believe it!
(Actually picking up more today, plus bulk oats, bulk cracked corn, and bulk black oil sunflower seeds... almost all of our livestock will eat, plus even good for us!).
= = = =
We've had a lot of storms here lately. On July 4 we had a tornado nearby and the terrible storm and hail that went with it. Tuesday night we had another horrible storm that gushed rain all over. Thinking about how to improve our critter pens so they don't get as much water, although for the most part, they stayed pretty dry. Lost a couple of raspberries, blueberries, some pumpkins, a tomato, summer squash and who knows what else. Oh, and some more of our roofing came off. Wonderful house we just bought.
Too late to replant most of what I wanted to grow. Not gonna have much to harvest this year. Next year WILL be different.... chickens scratching and pooping, goat-stall to muck and spread around... and drainage ditches dug in strategic places ... maybe even a greenhouse or two ... soooo much better next year.
Temp on Wednesday was supposed to top 67 degrees. Yup. That's all. (Sorry USA East Coast). Actually slept last night but my poor corn and tomato plants are NOT happy. And just before it started raining again (3:30 p.m.), I got some indoor tomatoes (3 amish paste and 2 purple russian) transplanted outside. Also threw some millet seed on a small area and lightly covered it with potting soil. AND placed some potting soil against a couple of patches of fence and placed some missouri wonder bean seeds then covered with about an inch more of potting soil. (We have mostly sandy loam, remember?).
Today I plan to do more beans (blue lake vining bean) along another patch of fence, using the same method I did yesterday. I'll also neatly place some potting soil on a place that is pretty bare, near the chicken coop, sow some different kinds of squash (patty pan, zucchini and yellow straightneck) that will be ready to harvest in about 60 days (please no early frosts!) and cover with more potting soil. AND by the very slow growing corn patch, plant some sonoran gold bush tepary bean seeds and in the slow-growing popcorn bed plant some black valentine bush bean seeds. THEN I'll hope for more rain... supposed to have some this afternoon! If not, I'll water heavily.
Working on the Kid's 9th grade curriculum, which he starts the 2nd week in August. Ordered some books from Amazon.com and 2 of them came yesterday. Hope he's ready to be a freshman because this year will be his hardest yet. Should be fun tho. I'm incorporating the local exhibit of King Tut (Denver) into his geography lessons. I know, it's a stretch but how often in one's life does that exhibit come within 100 miles of you?!?! Already planned the date to go, asked my mom-in-law to go, and are getting tickets. Giving the Kid the day off from school so we can spend the entire day there (Hubby's taking the day off too). Worth it.
Showing posts with label School-at-Home. Show all posts
Showing posts with label School-at-Home. Show all posts
Video of Kid and Poem
I gave him a school-at-home assignment the other day to write and make a video of him reading or talking in Spanish. He chose to read a poem he wrote in Spanish for another assignment. It took 8 takes to get one where he wasn't giggling like crazy! Here's take 5 ... with more to come as I download them so check back at THIS posting!
Take 6 was only 3 seconds so I won't put it here. So.... below is Take 7:
Funny, isn't he?!?!
Take 6 was only 3 seconds so I won't put it here. So.... below is Take 7:
Funny, isn't he?!?!
Gardeners Choice Nursery and mid-terms
If you read my posting: http://vikkisverandah.blogspot.com/2010/05/douglas-fir-holly-and-fruit-trees.html then you know that I was duped by Gardeners' Choice Nursery just because of their prices and different-looking catalog.
Long story short.... ordered 14 trees 2 months ago, received 3 unidentified trees, all three broken. Finally got a hold of GC and after much arguing with Erin, got a promise of a refund for those trees no longer available, and a resend of the three broken, plus will include those that somehow didn't get in the box.
Hmmm..
Hubby and I talked over the weekend, and we decided to cancel the whole thing. Send the e-mail on Saturday, I think. Then I tried to call this morning, and got hung up on twice! So I just now called Spring River Nursery, their affiliate, at 269-621-2259. Spoke with Wanda. Very nice customer service person. Explained what happened, and that I want the entire order canceled, with a complete refund. She said she put it through.
Sure hope it does go through.
May I reitterate.... PLEASE do not order anything through Gardeners' Choice. Check out http://davesgarden.com/products/gwd/c/928/ for more info.
UPDATE 6/15/10: Refund received. My thanks to Spring River Nursery. Doesn't change my mind about Gardeners' Choice so won't use them again.
= = = =
Meanwhile, I am spending the next few days preparing mid-terms for my 8th grader. U.S. History, World History, Science, Language Arts, Spanish, and Math. No mid-term for literature because I test after every book he finishes, and he is one of those people who freezes up doing a test.
He's got this week and next of schoolwork, then he'll get an entire week of tests, then 2 weeks off from school. Good. Will need his help in the garden and with the critters!
Long story short.... ordered 14 trees 2 months ago, received 3 unidentified trees, all three broken. Finally got a hold of GC and after much arguing with Erin, got a promise of a refund for those trees no longer available, and a resend of the three broken, plus will include those that somehow didn't get in the box.
Hmmm..
Hubby and I talked over the weekend, and we decided to cancel the whole thing. Send the e-mail on Saturday, I think. Then I tried to call this morning, and got hung up on twice! So I just now called Spring River Nursery, their affiliate, at 269-621-2259. Spoke with Wanda. Very nice customer service person. Explained what happened, and that I want the entire order canceled, with a complete refund. She said she put it through.
Sure hope it does go through.
May I reitterate.... PLEASE do not order anything through Gardeners' Choice. Check out http://davesgarden.com/products/gwd/c/928/ for more info.
UPDATE 6/15/10: Refund received. My thanks to Spring River Nursery. Doesn't change my mind about Gardeners' Choice so won't use them again.
= = = =
Meanwhile, I am spending the next few days preparing mid-terms for my 8th grader. U.S. History, World History, Science, Language Arts, Spanish, and Math. No mid-term for literature because I test after every book he finishes, and he is one of those people who freezes up doing a test.
He's got this week and next of schoolwork, then he'll get an entire week of tests, then 2 weeks off from school. Good. Will need his help in the garden and with the critters!
The Kid has a video blog
My Kid has finally typed his first posting for his movie review blog. He originally started doing it as a writing assignment, but today, begged to get started on it just because.
He'd already written several assignments by hand but I just haven't gotten around to typing them in. I hope to in the next few days ... a new posting 2 or 3 times a week.
Movies/videos are his passion. Not that he gets to watch many, but he pours over movie guides and can basically quote when a movie was made, by whom, rating, and many other details.
Anyway, he'd appreciate it if people would check it out. Here's the link: http://twainmovieguide.blogspot.com ... thanks.
He'd already written several assignments by hand but I just haven't gotten around to typing them in. I hope to in the next few days ... a new posting 2 or 3 times a week.
Movies/videos are his passion. Not that he gets to watch many, but he pours over movie guides and can basically quote when a movie was made, by whom, rating, and many other details.
Anyway, he'd appreciate it if people would check it out. Here's the link: http://twainmovieguide.blogspot.com ... thanks.
Our Milking Goat Kidded
We've been waiting for the milking goat we "bought" (ok, put half-down) to have her babies. She did! Patricia, the owner, called yesterday morning and said CM2 had her first kids. Not just 2. Not 3. But 4 kids! Three girls and 1 boy. Said CM2 took to being a mamma right away and dropped a beautiful udder.
So exciting! Our milking goat (dwarf nigerian) is producing plenty of milk and loves being a mom. That's great news.
Also, Patricia said that our goat babies, Honey and Hawk, are ready to come home. Six weeks old, I think. Uh oh. That means we need to get our barn and goat pen constructed this weekend no matter what. Hopefully on Saturday so we can get the babies on Sunday.
We might have come up with a plan for the 10-foot oak pallets that we got last weekend - they are strong enough to be the sides of the goat pen. We could use a tarp and plywood (painted for weathering) for the roof. Our neighbors in the back with goats and chickens, etc, are coming over today to help us figure out how to change these free pallets and wood planks and wire-fencing into a home for the goats. If we can't come up with something, they have offered to put up the goats with theirs while we work on it. That's really sweet. They have baby goats too!
Patricia the goat breeder also said that our goat babies are little escape artists! They are, after all, miniatures! We had already planned to scrape away lots of the sandy-soil, place chicken wire (or a heavy oak pallet) down, put the sandy-soil back, and build the pen on top of that. That way, no foxes will be able to dig in, and the goats can't get out that way. We'll also reinforce the bottom edges of the fence, and make sure there are no holes. Hmmm.. need to pick up a gate this week.
Doghouse is gonna have to wait another weekend.
= = = =
As a sidenote, we can't find the box with the next books the Kid needs to read for literature assignments. So he found some for next year, which meant I needed to move assignments around. Now he's going to read "The Two Towers" and "The Return of the King" (from the Lord of the Rings series, J.R.R. Tolkien). I need to find the study-guide I created... the Kid writes a summary of each chapter as he finishes it, setting and plot notes, characterizations, etc. so that when I test him on the book, he can study first from his notes.
He got an "80" on his test for "Animal Farm". Considering he freezes during tests, it's really good!
= = = =
A storm is expected today, and ahead of it came the wind. Seriously. A LOT of wind. We barely slept last night because the house was shaking. The attic above our bedroom was creaking. The gusts so loud we practically had to shout as we spoke of our anniversary plans for today. And as for the trash barrel the Kid took to the "curb" last night ... this morning when Hubby and I walked down the recycling barrel that the Kid forgot, it was gone. We looked around but since it was still dark, didn't see it. So when Hubby drove down the driveway and on to the street to go to work, he went slowly to see if he could locate it. Found the missing barrel 5 houses down but most of the trash bags were gone and so was the lid.
When the Kid gets up around 6:45, we'll get on our warm jackets and see if we can find the missing trash bags and lid.
Meanwhile, other damage we saw right off... the big workshop's little door had broken free and was smashing into the side of the workshop with every gust of wind. The doorknob had fallen off but we only found part in the dark. We propped a wooden pallet against the door for now.
Guess we're lucky there wasn't more damage. (She said, hoping that daylight won't reveal more.)
Yep. Gotta order those trees for the windbreak. And probably should build a trash barrell holder/lean-to for our curb so this doesn't happen again.
So exciting! Our milking goat (dwarf nigerian) is producing plenty of milk and loves being a mom. That's great news.
Also, Patricia said that our goat babies, Honey and Hawk, are ready to come home. Six weeks old, I think. Uh oh. That means we need to get our barn and goat pen constructed this weekend no matter what. Hopefully on Saturday so we can get the babies on Sunday.
We might have come up with a plan for the 10-foot oak pallets that we got last weekend - they are strong enough to be the sides of the goat pen. We could use a tarp and plywood (painted for weathering) for the roof. Our neighbors in the back with goats and chickens, etc, are coming over today to help us figure out how to change these free pallets and wood planks and wire-fencing into a home for the goats. If we can't come up with something, they have offered to put up the goats with theirs while we work on it. That's really sweet. They have baby goats too!
Patricia the goat breeder also said that our goat babies are little escape artists! They are, after all, miniatures! We had already planned to scrape away lots of the sandy-soil, place chicken wire (or a heavy oak pallet) down, put the sandy-soil back, and build the pen on top of that. That way, no foxes will be able to dig in, and the goats can't get out that way. We'll also reinforce the bottom edges of the fence, and make sure there are no holes. Hmmm.. need to pick up a gate this week.
Doghouse is gonna have to wait another weekend.
= = = =
As a sidenote, we can't find the box with the next books the Kid needs to read for literature assignments. So he found some for next year, which meant I needed to move assignments around. Now he's going to read "The Two Towers" and "The Return of the King" (from the Lord of the Rings series, J.R.R. Tolkien). I need to find the study-guide I created... the Kid writes a summary of each chapter as he finishes it, setting and plot notes, characterizations, etc. so that when I test him on the book, he can study first from his notes.
He got an "80" on his test for "Animal Farm". Considering he freezes during tests, it's really good!
= = = =
A storm is expected today, and ahead of it came the wind. Seriously. A LOT of wind. We barely slept last night because the house was shaking. The attic above our bedroom was creaking. The gusts so loud we practically had to shout as we spoke of our anniversary plans for today. And as for the trash barrel the Kid took to the "curb" last night ... this morning when Hubby and I walked down the recycling barrel that the Kid forgot, it was gone. We looked around but since it was still dark, didn't see it. So when Hubby drove down the driveway and on to the street to go to work, he went slowly to see if he could locate it. Found the missing barrel 5 houses down but most of the trash bags were gone and so was the lid.
When the Kid gets up around 6:45, we'll get on our warm jackets and see if we can find the missing trash bags and lid.
Meanwhile, other damage we saw right off... the big workshop's little door had broken free and was smashing into the side of the workshop with every gust of wind. The doorknob had fallen off but we only found part in the dark. We propped a wooden pallet against the door for now.
Guess we're lucky there wasn't more damage. (She said, hoping that daylight won't reveal more.)
Yep. Gotta order those trees for the windbreak. And probably should build a trash barrell holder/lean-to for our curb so this doesn't happen again.
Cell Phone Texting, Schoolwork,
I have another dentist appointment tomorrow. This time, with the people who did my teeth in December/January and who messed things up. Supposedly they'll fix things now but I'm even more nervous than usual. I'll try the suggested lamaze breathing and take my headset.
But that's not what I wanted to talk about.
Early yesterday morning they sent me a reminder text. On my cell phone. AND my Hubby's cell phone. I hate that. We don't have unlimited or free text messages, so the fact that someone presumed to send a text asking me to text back to confirm an appointment.... ludicrous! The receptionist just called to confirm because I didn't text back. I explained that we don't want text messages because of our plan restrictions, and she was apologetic, but still... do people automatically assume that any cell phone is fair game for text messages?
= = = =
We bought a cargo trailer yesterday. Besides saving us money on the moving we'll be doing over the next few weeks, we'll use it to move our little furried and feathered friends, and produce to possibly the market. Hoping it will pay for itself.
It's so cool ... the people who sold it hadn't taken off all of their decals, leaving on two large decals of wizards! Love it!
= = = =
The Kid is suddenly falling into a pattern of schoolwork. Perhaps I'm not assigning enough! Today he started by 9:30 and was done by 2:00, including his 10 minutes of meditation, taking breaks in between, eating snacks, and doing some chores (taking out trash and picking up the mail while trudging through snow). He did a great job with math, spanish, reading his 1 chapter in Animal Farm (he loves the book so far!) and history. I'm glad I changed to a calendar year, 12 months, instead of 9 months starting in the Fall. I feel like I can spread it out a little bit more, with smaller but significant assignments, and that it won't all "leak" out during the 3 months off. He gets days off here and there, and a week or two around holidays and his birthday. PLUS... Fridays are very easy days, with assignments in only art, music, and "life skills".
I'm very proud of him.
= = = =
The neighbors above us were at it again last night. Er, this morning. Stomping. Screaming and yelling. Running. I guess my 3 hours of sleep is better than zero but still.....
Buying this little homestead is a good thing. Moving and packing... not so much. I really hate this part. I am so very glad that we don't ever plan to move again.
But that's not what I wanted to talk about.
Early yesterday morning they sent me a reminder text. On my cell phone. AND my Hubby's cell phone. I hate that. We don't have unlimited or free text messages, so the fact that someone presumed to send a text asking me to text back to confirm an appointment.... ludicrous! The receptionist just called to confirm because I didn't text back. I explained that we don't want text messages because of our plan restrictions, and she was apologetic, but still... do people automatically assume that any cell phone is fair game for text messages?
= = = =
We bought a cargo trailer yesterday. Besides saving us money on the moving we'll be doing over the next few weeks, we'll use it to move our little furried and feathered friends, and produce to possibly the market. Hoping it will pay for itself.
It's so cool ... the people who sold it hadn't taken off all of their decals, leaving on two large decals of wizards! Love it!
= = = =
The Kid is suddenly falling into a pattern of schoolwork. Perhaps I'm not assigning enough! Today he started by 9:30 and was done by 2:00, including his 10 minutes of meditation, taking breaks in between, eating snacks, and doing some chores (taking out trash and picking up the mail while trudging through snow). He did a great job with math, spanish, reading his 1 chapter in Animal Farm (he loves the book so far!) and history. I'm glad I changed to a calendar year, 12 months, instead of 9 months starting in the Fall. I feel like I can spread it out a little bit more, with smaller but significant assignments, and that it won't all "leak" out during the 3 months off. He gets days off here and there, and a week or two around holidays and his birthday. PLUS... Fridays are very easy days, with assignments in only art, music, and "life skills".
I'm very proud of him.
= = = =
The neighbors above us were at it again last night. Er, this morning. Stomping. Screaming and yelling. Running. I guess my 3 hours of sleep is better than zero but still.....
Buying this little homestead is a good thing. Moving and packing... not so much. I really hate this part. I am so very glad that we don't ever plan to move again.
Kid Reading, House, Teeth and Misc
As you know, I assigned our 13 yr old Kid the first Percy Jackson book (Lightening Thief) as part of his literature curriculum. He read it in one week, and we went to see the movie that night (disappointment). All 3 of us decided it might be a good idea to read the entire series, with the thought of assigning all of them to the Kid. I went out and bought the rest of the books (we NEVER skimp on books). The second one (Sea of Monsters) was ok but not quite as good as the first. However, I started reading the third book (Titan's Curse) yesterday and am now at the zombie part. Zombies?!?!
Gotta tell ya... it's like Rick Riordan was trying to fit every possible non-human creature and power into his books. Zombies, cyclops, hippocampus, Siren, monsters, etc. all make an appearance. Invisibility, telephone systems from rainbows, and so on.
I decided to NOT assigned the books as required reading by the Kid. He can read them if he wants to. Meanwhile, he starts reading "Animal Farm" today.
= = = =
Found out yesterday that our loan for the house is out of underwriting and has been 100% approved and readied for our closing on Feb 25. Yippee! This is great new. After the long process, within the next month, we'll be putting up fences and barns, getting ready for chickens and more quail, and tilling up the soil.
My lentil experiment didn't go so well so I'll be ordering lentil seeds from a new supplier. Will let you know if they're ok ... should know by this Fall.
= = = =
Since the dentist messed up my mouth in December, I've been in such pain. Saw a new dentist last Friday who said I needed a root canal and 2 new crowns. Sent me to an endodontist in Parker. Saw him on Monday who said I didn't need a root canal. Probably just need the crown redone. Saw the dentist yesterday (Tuesday) who did the crown in Jan 08 and he said the pain I'm experience is probably caused by the work I had done in December... that the dentist didn't get my bite right and I'm all messed up, causing pain.
So NOW I gotta go back to the idiots, er, dentist from December, and tell them I need some work redone because they did it incorrectly. This is the dentist that made my tongue numb and feel like it was burning. Where I had the panic attack.
I am sooooo not looking forward to making this call today.
= = = =
I almost forgot. Late last night we got a phone call from the fire/police department of the town where we used to live. Remember we sold that house in September. The guy talked to Hubby so I have only second-hand knowledge of the call, but basically they were trying to find out who was responsible for the property.
Got us thinking. I hope the new owner didn't start a drug lab there. Or hope it didn't burn down with the new owners nowhere in site. Our former real estate agent said she'll drive by there today and take a look.
= = = =
As I was sorting through my seeds, I suddenly realized that some of these packets have almost no information on them. Specifically, Baker Heirloom Seeds, a company I have used for several years. I'm looking at the bulk package of new zealand spinach, and the danvers 126 half long carrot, and there's no info on there. Just the name, that they are bulk, cost, when packed for, and when germinated (I guess as a test). I glanced at the others I bought from them, and for most of them, it's the same situation. Almost no info.
So now I have to look up all of these online and find how many days to harvest, spacing, germination, etc. Even the herbs -- some of them I have no clue if they are annual or perennial so I need that info too.
I think I'm not going to use Baker again. They have okay choices but with the lack of information, and their newly revamped website that's a bit difficult to use... I think I'm gonna use seedsavers from now on.
= = = =
Guess that's it for now. I have a lot of work to do today.... I have to look at my seed packets and calculate days before last frost and when to start seeds so I can plant them on time. I have a LOT of seeds to go through! But... it's my favorite part.
Gotta tell ya... it's like Rick Riordan was trying to fit every possible non-human creature and power into his books. Zombies, cyclops, hippocampus, Siren, monsters, etc. all make an appearance. Invisibility, telephone systems from rainbows, and so on.
I decided to NOT assigned the books as required reading by the Kid. He can read them if he wants to. Meanwhile, he starts reading "Animal Farm" today.
= = = =
Found out yesterday that our loan for the house is out of underwriting and has been 100% approved and readied for our closing on Feb 25. Yippee! This is great new. After the long process, within the next month, we'll be putting up fences and barns, getting ready for chickens and more quail, and tilling up the soil.
My lentil experiment didn't go so well so I'll be ordering lentil seeds from a new supplier. Will let you know if they're ok ... should know by this Fall.
= = = =
Since the dentist messed up my mouth in December, I've been in such pain. Saw a new dentist last Friday who said I needed a root canal and 2 new crowns. Sent me to an endodontist in Parker. Saw him on Monday who said I didn't need a root canal. Probably just need the crown redone. Saw the dentist yesterday (Tuesday) who did the crown in Jan 08 and he said the pain I'm experience is probably caused by the work I had done in December... that the dentist didn't get my bite right and I'm all messed up, causing pain.
So NOW I gotta go back to the idiots, er, dentist from December, and tell them I need some work redone because they did it incorrectly. This is the dentist that made my tongue numb and feel like it was burning. Where I had the panic attack.
I am sooooo not looking forward to making this call today.
= = = =
I almost forgot. Late last night we got a phone call from the fire/police department of the town where we used to live. Remember we sold that house in September. The guy talked to Hubby so I have only second-hand knowledge of the call, but basically they were trying to find out who was responsible for the property.
Got us thinking. I hope the new owner didn't start a drug lab there. Or hope it didn't burn down with the new owners nowhere in site. Our former real estate agent said she'll drive by there today and take a look.
= = = =
As I was sorting through my seeds, I suddenly realized that some of these packets have almost no information on them. Specifically, Baker Heirloom Seeds, a company I have used for several years. I'm looking at the bulk package of new zealand spinach, and the danvers 126 half long carrot, and there's no info on there. Just the name, that they are bulk, cost, when packed for, and when germinated (I guess as a test). I glanced at the others I bought from them, and for most of them, it's the same situation. Almost no info.
So now I have to look up all of these online and find how many days to harvest, spacing, germination, etc. Even the herbs -- some of them I have no clue if they are annual or perennial so I need that info too.
I think I'm not going to use Baker again. They have okay choices but with the lack of information, and their newly revamped website that's a bit difficult to use... I think I'm gonna use seedsavers from now on.
= = = =
Guess that's it for now. I have a lot of work to do today.... I have to look at my seed packets and calculate days before last frost and when to start seeds so I can plant them on time. I have a LOT of seeds to go through! But... it's my favorite part.
Percy Jackson: Lightening Thief
The Kid just finished the book and wanted to take the test right away instead of waiting till tomorrow so he could study. I had found a quiz online at http://www.braingle.com/trivia/12242/percy-jackson-and-the-olympians.html ... wasn't sure I would find one at all. Glad I looked. He felt a little nervous because he had to try so many times with the book Watership Down but once he started answering questions, he picked up pace and lost his nervousness. Aced it! 15 questions. All correct!
Way to go, Kid! Very proud of my boy.
Way to go, Kid! Very proud of my boy.
Reading List, Land, and the Goat Tractor
Thanks for the comments about our homeschool reading assignment list. I had already gone through the list with the Kid, and he's excited about reading them. I had a few other books on the list but took them off when I found out there wasn't a Sparks Notes to go with them. Turns out there's also a Sparks Notes for all of the Harry Potter books. Good to know! It helps me prepare test questions, and helps him study.
Yeah, the Kid approved the list. He's a book hound and generally loves any books he's heard about through the PBS show Wishbone, or those he's seen in his movie guide book that were once turned into movies. He's a fanatic about movies, and can (and has) spent hours pouring over his movie guide books. All of the editions.
He is more than halfway through the Percy Jackson book. Tries to get out of his morning chores (feeding the quail and rabbit, emptying dishwasher, taking out the trash) just so he can get a jump on the day's reading. It's good to see him so involved in a book. I'm also glad he's as much as a reading-fanatic as I am. He's always seen a book in my hands; I usually have about 4 nonfiction and 1 fiction going at a time.
= = = =
I got a "Gardeners' Choice" catalog in the mail yesterday, and had such fun dreaming as I turned the pages. They have strawberries as big as a peach, and a blueberry tree? Corn that has 2-foot ears on 12-foot stalks. Tomatoes that take 2 hands to hold. Of course, these super-huge items are hybrids and mostly created by scientists, but I'm very tempted, at least with the huge strawberry and blueberry tree, to order them. Just to see. We love fruits in this house, and if an everbearing strawberry plant not only gives huge strawberries but lots of them... can you imagine our chest freezer that would burst at the seams?!? And I'd never have to remind the Kid to go harvest blueberries and strawberries .... his two favorite fruit. Of course, he might come into the house with red lips and purple fingers, and a half-filled basket. That's ok. Bottomless-Pit-Boy (which we sometimes call him) could do with a few extra calories, especially if it's organically-grown fruit!
Idea: I think I'm gonna give him the catalog and tell him to pick out two plants he wants to grow and take care of. Wonder what he'll choose?!?
= = = =
Got word today that the mortgage broker has sent our file to underwriting and they are moving along swimmingly. They have all documentation requested, and are basically just waiting for our appraiser to re-inspect the house after a few requested repairs are made. Possibly this week. The sellers are still not cooperating. They had their agent tell our agent to tell us that they can't find an apartment anywhere to move into. I guess we're supposed to feel our hearts breaking and let them stay rent free until they find something. Not gonna happen. And it turns out that they ARE still married; the divorce thing was a smoke-screen. The sellers and the seller's bank (supposedly) are refusing to get rid of the high levels of radon so I've tentatively contracted to have it done the day after we take possession of the house. That way once we finish moving in and are ready to sleep there, we won't be poisoned! Maybe we'll take those 2 days to paint too... the room the Kid wants is pink and purple and yellow... not at all fitting a 13 year old boy! I don't like the living room, dining room and kitchen colors either. But ALL of the locks will be changed within the first hour of our possession of the house.
I just realized: that means a trip to the paint store! Ooooh! I love paint samples! I think I'll also take both sets of our dishes and see if I can get a wallpaper sample that will tie them both together (one is blue and the other is brown, yellow, orange -- don't ask). Right now the kitchen and dining room are painted mauve with green accents. Ugh.
= = = =
I ordered our coturnix quail and americana chickens from our new home's local feed and hay store. Quail (10 - unsexed) and chickens (9 female and 1 male). All newly hatched. We expect them the end of April. That will give us enough time to get things ready.
Talked with our goat lady yesterday. Just wanted to see how the goaties are doing. She has 2 pregnant does. Lili has had several freshenings; last year had triplets and already this year looks bigger so might have 4 in there. She's due the end of this month. CM2, her daughter, is in her first freshening (pregnant for the first time) and our goat lady isn't sure when it happened so doesn't know the due date. Plus can't tell yet how many she has. We're putting a deposit on CM2 (so we'll have a milking doe to start) and if CM2 has any does, we'll take one of them. If she has bucks, we'll take one of Lili's does. Surely there were be a doe in the bunch!
The goat lady has been inundated with calls for milking does but since we contacted her first, we get first choosing. That's wonderful. However, we will have to wait until the new batch of kids are weaned before we can bring home CM2 and a doe so it will be mid or late May before we have goats. That's fine. That will give us time to get some grass growing in the barren dog run, build a little goat tractor (more on that later) and get used to the chicks that we'll get the end of April/first of May. If bringing the goats home coincides with Memorial Day... boy we're going to be busy! That's the time when we'll be planting much of what goes in. Especially the corn.
= = = =
The goat tractor? Never heard of one? Yeah, we didn't find much when we googled it. Well, we figure since the goaties will never be more than 2 feet high (Nigerian Dwarf - miniature), and we want them to eat and fertilize all over our yard, we'll do much like what we plan to do with the chickens (chicken tractor). We'll do the chicken tractor first, making sure it has a good roosting and nesting box, place for food and water, a way to grab eggs from the outside, and make it easy for 1 person to move. Plus chicken wire over the top so predators can't get in.
Basically the same thing for the 2 goaties: a little lean-to on one side with a platform (so they don't get their little feet wet), a water tray and tank, and covered because these little goaties could easily be carried off by an owl (a huge concern of Hubby's). Oh, and easy to move by one person.
Depending on how much they eat and poop where we move the tractor will depend on how often we move them around. And quite often we'll let them into the dog run (after we protect it's one tree!) so we can play with them and they can get lots of exercise. Meanwhile, lots of fertilizer! Now Hubby... where's that rototiller?
Hey... wonder if we could put the chickens and goaties in the same tractor?
= = = =
Just got documentation from our Lender. Turns out that even this house is worth much more than our last one, this one's mortgage is only $40 more a month. That's fantastic, isn't it? I'm so glad because our last mortgage was quite manageable. Now that we plan to stay forever in this house, we'll put a little away each month to make 1 or 2 extra payments a year. That will cut down our mortgage from 30 years ... reducing the number of years we'll be paying. We will not schedule these extra payments as part of the mortgage because that's just a scam that gets people in trouble (what if we had an emergency and couldn't pay one month's extra amount? we'd get in trouble with the lender. no, we'd rather send extra, unexpectedly, when we can).
= = = =
There are two very old junk cars on the property that were there before the current owners bought the property, and they aren't planning on taking them when they sell and move. hope i can get rid of them on craigslist. will sell them for ... uh, free. ok. give them away. first come first serve. they are right where we plan to put up the barn, pastures and greenhouse so they need to go before we fence off everything.
guess that's it for now. have a great day, all!
Yeah, the Kid approved the list. He's a book hound and generally loves any books he's heard about through the PBS show Wishbone, or those he's seen in his movie guide book that were once turned into movies. He's a fanatic about movies, and can (and has) spent hours pouring over his movie guide books. All of the editions.
He is more than halfway through the Percy Jackson book. Tries to get out of his morning chores (feeding the quail and rabbit, emptying dishwasher, taking out the trash) just so he can get a jump on the day's reading. It's good to see him so involved in a book. I'm also glad he's as much as a reading-fanatic as I am. He's always seen a book in my hands; I usually have about 4 nonfiction and 1 fiction going at a time.
= = = =
I got a "Gardeners' Choice" catalog in the mail yesterday, and had such fun dreaming as I turned the pages. They have strawberries as big as a peach, and a blueberry tree? Corn that has 2-foot ears on 12-foot stalks. Tomatoes that take 2 hands to hold. Of course, these super-huge items are hybrids and mostly created by scientists, but I'm very tempted, at least with the huge strawberry and blueberry tree, to order them. Just to see. We love fruits in this house, and if an everbearing strawberry plant not only gives huge strawberries but lots of them... can you imagine our chest freezer that would burst at the seams?!? And I'd never have to remind the Kid to go harvest blueberries and strawberries .... his two favorite fruit. Of course, he might come into the house with red lips and purple fingers, and a half-filled basket. That's ok. Bottomless-Pit-Boy (which we sometimes call him) could do with a few extra calories, especially if it's organically-grown fruit!
Idea: I think I'm gonna give him the catalog and tell him to pick out two plants he wants to grow and take care of. Wonder what he'll choose?!?
= = = =
Got word today that the mortgage broker has sent our file to underwriting and they are moving along swimmingly. They have all documentation requested, and are basically just waiting for our appraiser to re-inspect the house after a few requested repairs are made. Possibly this week. The sellers are still not cooperating. They had their agent tell our agent to tell us that they can't find an apartment anywhere to move into. I guess we're supposed to feel our hearts breaking and let them stay rent free until they find something. Not gonna happen. And it turns out that they ARE still married; the divorce thing was a smoke-screen. The sellers and the seller's bank (supposedly) are refusing to get rid of the high levels of radon so I've tentatively contracted to have it done the day after we take possession of the house. That way once we finish moving in and are ready to sleep there, we won't be poisoned! Maybe we'll take those 2 days to paint too... the room the Kid wants is pink and purple and yellow... not at all fitting a 13 year old boy! I don't like the living room, dining room and kitchen colors either. But ALL of the locks will be changed within the first hour of our possession of the house.
I just realized: that means a trip to the paint store! Ooooh! I love paint samples! I think I'll also take both sets of our dishes and see if I can get a wallpaper sample that will tie them both together (one is blue and the other is brown, yellow, orange -- don't ask). Right now the kitchen and dining room are painted mauve with green accents. Ugh.
= = = =
I ordered our coturnix quail and americana chickens from our new home's local feed and hay store. Quail (10 - unsexed) and chickens (9 female and 1 male). All newly hatched. We expect them the end of April. That will give us enough time to get things ready.
Talked with our goat lady yesterday. Just wanted to see how the goaties are doing. She has 2 pregnant does. Lili has had several freshenings; last year had triplets and already this year looks bigger so might have 4 in there. She's due the end of this month. CM2, her daughter, is in her first freshening (pregnant for the first time) and our goat lady isn't sure when it happened so doesn't know the due date. Plus can't tell yet how many she has. We're putting a deposit on CM2 (so we'll have a milking doe to start) and if CM2 has any does, we'll take one of them. If she has bucks, we'll take one of Lili's does. Surely there were be a doe in the bunch!
The goat lady has been inundated with calls for milking does but since we contacted her first, we get first choosing. That's wonderful. However, we will have to wait until the new batch of kids are weaned before we can bring home CM2 and a doe so it will be mid or late May before we have goats. That's fine. That will give us time to get some grass growing in the barren dog run, build a little goat tractor (more on that later) and get used to the chicks that we'll get the end of April/first of May. If bringing the goats home coincides with Memorial Day... boy we're going to be busy! That's the time when we'll be planting much of what goes in. Especially the corn.
= = = =
The goat tractor? Never heard of one? Yeah, we didn't find much when we googled it. Well, we figure since the goaties will never be more than 2 feet high (Nigerian Dwarf - miniature), and we want them to eat and fertilize all over our yard, we'll do much like what we plan to do with the chickens (chicken tractor). We'll do the chicken tractor first, making sure it has a good roosting and nesting box, place for food and water, a way to grab eggs from the outside, and make it easy for 1 person to move. Plus chicken wire over the top so predators can't get in.
Basically the same thing for the 2 goaties: a little lean-to on one side with a platform (so they don't get their little feet wet), a water tray and tank, and covered because these little goaties could easily be carried off by an owl (a huge concern of Hubby's). Oh, and easy to move by one person.
Depending on how much they eat and poop where we move the tractor will depend on how often we move them around. And quite often we'll let them into the dog run (after we protect it's one tree!) so we can play with them and they can get lots of exercise. Meanwhile, lots of fertilizer! Now Hubby... where's that rototiller?
Hey... wonder if we could put the chickens and goaties in the same tractor?
= = = =
Just got documentation from our Lender. Turns out that even this house is worth much more than our last one, this one's mortgage is only $40 more a month. That's fantastic, isn't it? I'm so glad because our last mortgage was quite manageable. Now that we plan to stay forever in this house, we'll put a little away each month to make 1 or 2 extra payments a year. That will cut down our mortgage from 30 years ... reducing the number of years we'll be paying. We will not schedule these extra payments as part of the mortgage because that's just a scam that gets people in trouble (what if we had an emergency and couldn't pay one month's extra amount? we'd get in trouble with the lender. no, we'd rather send extra, unexpectedly, when we can).
= = = =
There are two very old junk cars on the property that were there before the current owners bought the property, and they aren't planning on taking them when they sell and move. hope i can get rid of them on craigslist. will sell them for ... uh, free. ok. give them away. first come first serve. they are right where we plan to put up the barn, pastures and greenhouse so they need to go before we fence off everything.
guess that's it for now. have a great day, all!
Homeschool Reading List, and House Frustrations
The Kid finally passed a test for the book, Watership Down. He just didn't get the book, not until I paid for and downloaded a study guide for it. He read it and finally that lightbulb clicked and he could pass a test. He's ecstatic that his grounding is over (no TV/movies/computer until he passed the test).
Now, because he begged and pleaded and conjoled... he started reading "Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightening Thief". I can hear him laughing in the next room from time to time. His goal is to finish it and pass a test so we all can relax by seeing the movie next weekend.
Meanwhile, I'm working on his reading list for the rest of his 8th grade school year. Here's what I'm thinking:
1984 (George Orwell)
Animal Farm (George Orwell)
Cyrano de Bergerac (Edmond Rostand)
Kidnapped (Robert Lewis Stevenson)
Midsummer Night’s Dream (William Shakespeare)
Robinson Crusoe (William Dafoe)
Tale of Two Cities (Charles Dickens)
Where the Red Fern Grows (Rawls)
I might also assign another Harry Potter book, or something else that he gets really passionate about. We'll see!
= = = =
Charles P, the agent for the sellers of our dream house, is dropping the ball yet again. Even tho the inspection resolution deadline was today (remember, we found radon above the acceptable levels), Charles has barely acknowledged that he's alive, let alone working on getting an ok from the seller's bank. He's had the info for exactly one week, plenty of time for him to contact the bank and get an answer. IF he actually called them. We suspect he's got a day job and does real estate at night, because he very rarely calls our agent during the day.
AND we had the appraisal done last week. Amount was more than what we're buying the house for. However, Mr. Appraiser wants a few repairs done before he'll approve it for closing, so again, we've informed the seller's agent of these and that the appraiser wants to reinspect before closing.
Then the seller... Mr. Jim L. ... I wrote about how he took the lockbox off his front door so the inspector couldn't get in to get his radon equipment. And it's a short sale. We're thinking he's intentionally trying to sabotage this sale because he doesn't want to move, and probably thinks a foreclosure is probably acceptable when balanced with moving into a tiny apartment.
Hubby and I have notified our agent that we'll get a resolution by this Wednesday at 5 p.m. or we'll take our earnest money elsewhere. This has me so stressed out that I have had 2 migraines in 2 days, my jaw aches, and, well, a host of physical problems manifest when I'm stressed. Plus the Kid feels the tension and hears me complaining about the agents, and just kinda wants to hide in his room.
If we have to pass on this house, and sign an apartment 6-month lease somewhere else, we will do it. And get a little litigious.
Wednesday. 5 p.m.
= = = =
What you might not know is that the selling of our house this past Summer was just as horrible ... people were involved that made things VERY difficult ... how about a big shout out to: Erik Utzinger, the underwriter who took off from work during the crunch time and didn't request (from our understanding) the appropriate paperwork from the buyer right off the bat! Another shout out to The Numbers Team at Keller Williams Preferred Realty, more specifically Al Philip-Neri, whose boss is (was?) Brian Veatch. My opinion? Al was an idiot, and not very well trained at all. From what the buyer, Casey B. told me during his walk through before closing, Al didn't even tell him that there were problems with his financing or much of the other things that delayed the closing and cost us money. I have ALL of the e-mails that flew back and forth between us and our agent. We were 100% above board, and in return, dealt with Al who appeared to be dishonest. Just because he was buddies with the buyer. Horrible experience.
I just googled Al, and it looks like he's on to bigger and better things. Core Wealth. Wealth and Riches training ... training people on how to invest in real estate. Really? Good... ness. I wouldn't trust him as far as I can throw him. And I certainly wouldn't take advice from him on anything to do with real estate.
An agent we were working with when we started looking this past October decided to change companies, and unfortunately chose to go with Brian Veatch and his group. We told her we'd vowed to never work with them again, and dropped her. Sometimes we have to stick with our guns, and sometimes we have to give in.
We made way too many concessions in the sale of that house. Already we've made concessions for the purchase of this house. I think we're done playing.
= = = =
I hope we close on this new house, because we don't want to go through this again. We will move ONE more time, and then Hubby and I plan to be carried out in a box. A LONG time from now!
Now, because he begged and pleaded and conjoled... he started reading "Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightening Thief". I can hear him laughing in the next room from time to time. His goal is to finish it and pass a test so we all can relax by seeing the movie next weekend.
Meanwhile, I'm working on his reading list for the rest of his 8th grade school year. Here's what I'm thinking:
1984 (George Orwell)
Animal Farm (George Orwell)
Cyrano de Bergerac (Edmond Rostand)
Kidnapped (Robert Lewis Stevenson)
Midsummer Night’s Dream (William Shakespeare)
Robinson Crusoe (William Dafoe)
Tale of Two Cities (Charles Dickens)
Where the Red Fern Grows (Rawls)
I might also assign another Harry Potter book, or something else that he gets really passionate about. We'll see!
= = = =
Charles P, the agent for the sellers of our dream house, is dropping the ball yet again. Even tho the inspection resolution deadline was today (remember, we found radon above the acceptable levels), Charles has barely acknowledged that he's alive, let alone working on getting an ok from the seller's bank. He's had the info for exactly one week, plenty of time for him to contact the bank and get an answer. IF he actually called them. We suspect he's got a day job and does real estate at night, because he very rarely calls our agent during the day.
AND we had the appraisal done last week. Amount was more than what we're buying the house for. However, Mr. Appraiser wants a few repairs done before he'll approve it for closing, so again, we've informed the seller's agent of these and that the appraiser wants to reinspect before closing.
Then the seller... Mr. Jim L. ... I wrote about how he took the lockbox off his front door so the inspector couldn't get in to get his radon equipment. And it's a short sale. We're thinking he's intentionally trying to sabotage this sale because he doesn't want to move, and probably thinks a foreclosure is probably acceptable when balanced with moving into a tiny apartment.
Hubby and I have notified our agent that we'll get a resolution by this Wednesday at 5 p.m. or we'll take our earnest money elsewhere. This has me so stressed out that I have had 2 migraines in 2 days, my jaw aches, and, well, a host of physical problems manifest when I'm stressed. Plus the Kid feels the tension and hears me complaining about the agents, and just kinda wants to hide in his room.
If we have to pass on this house, and sign an apartment 6-month lease somewhere else, we will do it. And get a little litigious.
Wednesday. 5 p.m.
= = = =
What you might not know is that the selling of our house this past Summer was just as horrible ... people were involved that made things VERY difficult ... how about a big shout out to: Erik Utzinger, the underwriter who took off from work during the crunch time and didn't request (from our understanding) the appropriate paperwork from the buyer right off the bat! Another shout out to The Numbers Team at Keller Williams Preferred Realty, more specifically Al Philip-Neri, whose boss is (was?) Brian Veatch. My opinion? Al was an idiot, and not very well trained at all. From what the buyer, Casey B. told me during his walk through before closing, Al didn't even tell him that there were problems with his financing or much of the other things that delayed the closing and cost us money. I have ALL of the e-mails that flew back and forth between us and our agent. We were 100% above board, and in return, dealt with Al who appeared to be dishonest. Just because he was buddies with the buyer. Horrible experience.
I just googled Al, and it looks like he's on to bigger and better things. Core Wealth. Wealth and Riches training ... training people on how to invest in real estate. Really? Good... ness. I wouldn't trust him as far as I can throw him. And I certainly wouldn't take advice from him on anything to do with real estate.
An agent we were working with when we started looking this past October decided to change companies, and unfortunately chose to go with Brian Veatch and his group. We told her we'd vowed to never work with them again, and dropped her. Sometimes we have to stick with our guns, and sometimes we have to give in.
We made way too many concessions in the sale of that house. Already we've made concessions for the purchase of this house. I think we're done playing.
= = = =
I hope we close on this new house, because we don't want to go through this again. We will move ONE more time, and then Hubby and I plan to be carried out in a box. A LONG time from now!
Errand Day
The Kid just didn't like Watership Down, the book, and as much as I conjoled and begged and bargained, he couldn't get through it a second time to pass a make-up test. So I've searched online and called bookstores to find a study guide... cliff's notes, sparksnotes, whatever. Nothing. Just a .pdf file for Sparksnotes that I finally ended up getting. We printed it out, I'll punch holes in it and have him read it aloud to me Monday morning, then once we get the movie from the library, we'll watch it and then he'll take the test again.
He wants to read the "Percy Jackson" book next so that'll begin on Monday, with the rest of his schoolwork. Hopefully he'll finish it by next weekend and take (and pass) the test so we can see the movie next weekend. We'll see.
Meanwhile, I've gone through the list of books I'm assigning ... I have it all planned through the end of High School, and got to tell ya... not thrilled at the lack of cliff's notes/sparksnotes for most of these books. Gonna have to re-work this list. Plus I've writen a 5 or 6 page study-worksheet for the Kid to fill out as he reads each book, kinda like taking notes of plot points, characters, symbolism, etc. Hopefully if he fills this out as he reads, he'll have a better grasp and memory of what went on in the book.
It's been a busy day ... office max, making copies of my study worksheet, grocery, gas, library, and so much more. We're finally home, but Hubby still needs to go back to get some copies made. Fun fun!
Have a great evening, all. Vikki
He wants to read the "Percy Jackson" book next so that'll begin on Monday, with the rest of his schoolwork. Hopefully he'll finish it by next weekend and take (and pass) the test so we can see the movie next weekend. We'll see.
Meanwhile, I've gone through the list of books I'm assigning ... I have it all planned through the end of High School, and got to tell ya... not thrilled at the lack of cliff's notes/sparksnotes for most of these books. Gonna have to re-work this list. Plus I've writen a 5 or 6 page study-worksheet for the Kid to fill out as he reads each book, kinda like taking notes of plot points, characters, symbolism, etc. Hopefully if he fills this out as he reads, he'll have a better grasp and memory of what went on in the book.
It's been a busy day ... office max, making copies of my study worksheet, grocery, gas, library, and so much more. We're finally home, but Hubby still needs to go back to get some copies made. Fun fun!
Have a great evening, all. Vikki
Quail Experiment
Although Hubby and I have decided to raise quail once we've bought our mini-farm, neither of us have eaten either the quail meat or quail eggs. It's time we did, don't you think? So Hubby got online yesterday and found a someone nearby (well, within 45 min driving). We're taking a drive up on Sunday to get 2 quail birds and a dozen quail eggs. Hubby neglected to get the price and whether the birds will be alive or not so.... won't this be fun!
I'm planning on taking pictures of our cooking experiments so will post them here. Won't it be nice to know if (1) we actually like quail and (2) if I can cook them to be decent eating?! Plus, the Kid isn't thrilled about trying eggs from anything other than a chicken so... perhaps (ssshhh) I'll mix 1 or 2 quail eggs with a chicken egg, or better yet, give him scrambled eggs on Monday and not tell him they are quail.
Ah, the things mothers do!
= = = =
I have a dentist appointment in about an hour, then the Kid needs a haircut, we need to pick up more gluten-free bread at Vitamin Cottage (Montina - very yummy), and then I have a "woman" doctor appointment, after which I plan to go to target to get one of those quick blender thingies so I can make smoothies. We have one. Or two. No clue what box they are in and I don't feel like hunting for it. Them. Whatever.
My eating yesterday was excellent. GF raisin bread for breakfast. Avocado with GF crackers for lunch. Snack was pecans and dark choc kisses. Dinner was a baked potato, carrots and a turkey GF sandwich. Did have 1 7-up but mostly drank herbal tea. I was dead-tired by the time Hubby was ready for bed, and passed out quickly. Hard long day but left me with a good feeling that I did my best to be healthy.
Now if I can just get rid of the pneumonia! I've started getting nauseous in the morning too, but no it's not what you think... it's the yuck night-time accumulation getting into my stomach.
Ok... enuf grossness.
The Kid had a writing assignment yesterday "write a short story about Krypto the Superdog" which is one of his favorite characters. He's pretty much written a book... I had to tell him to put it away and finish the rest of his schoolwork. He plans to finish the story today while I'm at the dentist (quaking here). I knew today would be a long day gone so I planned for him to only do math. Hopefully finishing the story will keep him busy at the dentist. Maybe he'll take a couple of books too. I'm soooo glad he's an avid reader like I am.
I want a cheeseburger.
The "woman doctor" appointment, which is actually with a man, will not only check my breast/underarm lump, but also check my hormones, do a pap, and do an overall check to see what the hairy heck is going on since all of the tests I've had over the past 3 years show I'm NOT in menopause, and yet, I barely cycle. I'm hoping this gyn is a bit more knowledgeable and can help figure out why I'm not pregnant. I don't have much time left, seeing as I'm over 45.
I guess that's it for now. I'm excited about trying quail this weekend. The Kid is excited that today is a short school day. Hubby is excited about drawing the logo for the school. And I have more work to do for the Kid's life skills subjects this afternoon upon our return home.
Have a great day, everyone! Vikki
I'm planning on taking pictures of our cooking experiments so will post them here. Won't it be nice to know if (1) we actually like quail and (2) if I can cook them to be decent eating?! Plus, the Kid isn't thrilled about trying eggs from anything other than a chicken so... perhaps (ssshhh) I'll mix 1 or 2 quail eggs with a chicken egg, or better yet, give him scrambled eggs on Monday and not tell him they are quail.
Ah, the things mothers do!
= = = =
I have a dentist appointment in about an hour, then the Kid needs a haircut, we need to pick up more gluten-free bread at Vitamin Cottage (Montina - very yummy), and then I have a "woman" doctor appointment, after which I plan to go to target to get one of those quick blender thingies so I can make smoothies. We have one. Or two. No clue what box they are in and I don't feel like hunting for it. Them. Whatever.
My eating yesterday was excellent. GF raisin bread for breakfast. Avocado with GF crackers for lunch. Snack was pecans and dark choc kisses. Dinner was a baked potato, carrots and a turkey GF sandwich. Did have 1 7-up but mostly drank herbal tea. I was dead-tired by the time Hubby was ready for bed, and passed out quickly. Hard long day but left me with a good feeling that I did my best to be healthy.
Now if I can just get rid of the pneumonia! I've started getting nauseous in the morning too, but no it's not what you think... it's the yuck night-time accumulation getting into my stomach.
Ok... enuf grossness.
The Kid had a writing assignment yesterday "write a short story about Krypto the Superdog" which is one of his favorite characters. He's pretty much written a book... I had to tell him to put it away and finish the rest of his schoolwork. He plans to finish the story today while I'm at the dentist (quaking here). I knew today would be a long day gone so I planned for him to only do math. Hopefully finishing the story will keep him busy at the dentist. Maybe he'll take a couple of books too. I'm soooo glad he's an avid reader like I am.
I want a cheeseburger.
The "woman doctor" appointment, which is actually with a man, will not only check my breast/underarm lump, but also check my hormones, do a pap, and do an overall check to see what the hairy heck is going on since all of the tests I've had over the past 3 years show I'm NOT in menopause, and yet, I barely cycle. I'm hoping this gyn is a bit more knowledgeable and can help figure out why I'm not pregnant. I don't have much time left, seeing as I'm over 45.
I guess that's it for now. I'm excited about trying quail this weekend. The Kid is excited that today is a short school day. Hubby is excited about drawing the logo for the school. And I have more work to do for the Kid's life skills subjects this afternoon upon our return home.
Have a great day, everyone! Vikki
Eating Habits CAN be Changed
Yes, I know it's only Day 2 of my new "diet" (geez, I hate that word) but I'm doing just fine. Yesterday, here's what I had:
Breakfast: 3 GF apple cinnamon waffles with honey
Lunch: 20 rice crackers with peanut butter
Snack: handful of pecans
Dinner: GF pizza w/pesto, chicken, artichokes, onions, provolone
Snack: dark chocolate Hershey bar
Drinks: 1 quart of herbal tea, then 1 quart of instant decaf tea
Remember, my goal was to go gluten-free and increase movement. I exercised twice yesterday. Not vigorously because of being on such a heavy period, but still.... I increased my movement.
Today, for breakfast, I had a handful of pecans. A couple hours later, I had an apple. Then around lunchtime, I cooked up some bacon for all of us (and put some in the crockpot with the split peas and garlic) so I ate my third of what I fried. I ate a dark chocolate Hershey bar a little bit ago (that ole chocolate craving!), however, I'm still hungry so I think I'll get a snack of carrots, or maybe some cheese and crackers.
= = = =
It's still cold today, but clear. Perhaps a little chilly to sit on the verandah. Today would be perfect for having a fire going in a rustic stone fireplace, curled up with a snoring dog, a large mug of hot herbal tea, snuggled in my grandmother's afghan, and reading a good book.
= = = =
Hubby's off today (his last vacation day of the year) so he's taken a walk down to the library to pick up several books I'd reserved. I have to finish working on the Kid's schoolwork for 2010 (8th grade), and needed reference books on dating and relationships, manners and etiquette, and other things. Plus I can't find the box with his 2010 classic literature books, so I reserved Robin Hood and Watership Down to start him off next week. WD probably first. I loved that book, and remember writing a sequel to it. Mother lost it years ago. Bummer.
= = = =
We have no plans for New Year's Eve or Day. Just taking one day at a time.... resisting the urge to make regular brownies, or text Hubby to bring home a pack of cigarettes. Yes, bad news. I still have the urge to smoke. Haven't smoked since I gave it up before I got married 3 years ago, but I still crave in times of stress. This is definitely a time of stress: family problems, trying to get pregnant in the midst of perimenopause, waiting to buy a mini-homestead, conflict between Hubby and my Son, and now.... giving up gluten. It's not that I eat a ton of bread, just that it's a mental thing.
I know from experience that when I eat gluten items, my skin breaks out (called "dermatitis herpetiformis") and my hormones go wonky. In order to adjust my hormones so that I start cycling regularly so that I ovulate and possibly get pregnant, I HAVE to give up gluten. I just keep telling myself... bread and burgers and brownies OR a baby. Which is more important.
= = = =
I tried to read Sarah Palin's book the other day. Hubby brought it home from the library. BORING! Right wing. Anti-choice. Obvious errors in memory, recollection, etc. I couldn't force myself to read past the first few pages; just skimmed the rest. Made me almost sick. Send it back to the library today with Hubby. Not worth wasting my time. Would rather take a nap!
= = = =
I found a bunch of new recipes to try for while we're on this diet. And yes, while I'm following this regimen, Hubby has to too. Well, kinda. Gluten-free products are kinda expensive so he gets wheat buns for sloppy joes while I get potato chips or corn chips.
He's back. What books has he brought me?
= = = =
GF = gluten-free
Breakfast: 3 GF apple cinnamon waffles with honey
Lunch: 20 rice crackers with peanut butter
Snack: handful of pecans
Dinner: GF pizza w/pesto, chicken, artichokes, onions, provolone
Snack: dark chocolate Hershey bar
Drinks: 1 quart of herbal tea, then 1 quart of instant decaf tea
Remember, my goal was to go gluten-free and increase movement. I exercised twice yesterday. Not vigorously because of being on such a heavy period, but still.... I increased my movement.
Today, for breakfast, I had a handful of pecans. A couple hours later, I had an apple. Then around lunchtime, I cooked up some bacon for all of us (and put some in the crockpot with the split peas and garlic) so I ate my third of what I fried. I ate a dark chocolate Hershey bar a little bit ago (that ole chocolate craving!), however, I'm still hungry so I think I'll get a snack of carrots, or maybe some cheese and crackers.
= = = =
It's still cold today, but clear. Perhaps a little chilly to sit on the verandah. Today would be perfect for having a fire going in a rustic stone fireplace, curled up with a snoring dog, a large mug of hot herbal tea, snuggled in my grandmother's afghan, and reading a good book.
= = = =
Hubby's off today (his last vacation day of the year) so he's taken a walk down to the library to pick up several books I'd reserved. I have to finish working on the Kid's schoolwork for 2010 (8th grade), and needed reference books on dating and relationships, manners and etiquette, and other things. Plus I can't find the box with his 2010 classic literature books, so I reserved Robin Hood and Watership Down to start him off next week. WD probably first. I loved that book, and remember writing a sequel to it. Mother lost it years ago. Bummer.
= = = =
We have no plans for New Year's Eve or Day. Just taking one day at a time.... resisting the urge to make regular brownies, or text Hubby to bring home a pack of cigarettes. Yes, bad news. I still have the urge to smoke. Haven't smoked since I gave it up before I got married 3 years ago, but I still crave in times of stress. This is definitely a time of stress: family problems, trying to get pregnant in the midst of perimenopause, waiting to buy a mini-homestead, conflict between Hubby and my Son, and now.... giving up gluten. It's not that I eat a ton of bread, just that it's a mental thing.
I know from experience that when I eat gluten items, my skin breaks out (called "dermatitis herpetiformis") and my hormones go wonky. In order to adjust my hormones so that I start cycling regularly so that I ovulate and possibly get pregnant, I HAVE to give up gluten. I just keep telling myself... bread and burgers and brownies OR a baby. Which is more important.
= = = =
I tried to read Sarah Palin's book the other day. Hubby brought it home from the library. BORING! Right wing. Anti-choice. Obvious errors in memory, recollection, etc. I couldn't force myself to read past the first few pages; just skimmed the rest. Made me almost sick. Send it back to the library today with Hubby. Not worth wasting my time. Would rather take a nap!
= = = =
I found a bunch of new recipes to try for while we're on this diet. And yes, while I'm following this regimen, Hubby has to too. Well, kinda. Gluten-free products are kinda expensive so he gets wheat buns for sloppy joes while I get potato chips or corn chips.
He's back. What books has he brought me?
= = = =
GF = gluten-free
Busy Before Storm
Up early, doing a load of dishes and a load of laundry to hang on the shower rods. Made some calls to find a hospital to donate some toys to. Gathered Kid's school reference books to get his curriculum ready starting in January.
We're expecting a snowstorm tonight, bringing frigid temperatures and 6-8 (+) inches of snow. So... the Kid and I went off to do errands so my very old car can sit and be covered with snow for the days to come.
I still can't find my box of winter clothes, so I popped into Goodwill (Thrift Store) and picked up several pairs of sweat pants and sweaters while the Kid browsed the book section. No, he didn't get any because Christmas is only a few days away!
Next we went to the dollar store, right next door. I got lots of little things, like coloring books, toys, baby socks and puzzles, and those will go along with what we're collecting from others. We're delivering all of these to the local Children's Hospital next week, after Christmas, for kids when they complete a treatment, have their birthday in the hospital, or just need something to keep them busy while confined to a hospital bed. (Maybe next year I can make things to donate.)
Then we went to the grocery because the always-hungry Kid was out of cheese. He likes to put 4-5 pieces of gluten-free bread on a plate, cover with grated cheese, sprinkle on flax seeds and parmesan cheese, and nuke until the grated cheese melts. This is what he likes every day for lunch. Weird, huh. But, healthy and filling. He also talked me into buying some pumpkin eggnog (marked half off), which he has decided he loves. And I bought some beef stew meat, marked down with an orange sticker for 50% off.
Home, unloaded the car, ate lunch, then did another load of laundry (underwear and socks are the only clothes I wash in hot water and get put in the dryer; everything else gets cold water and hang to dry). After I finish typing this, I'll get back to working on the Kid's curriculum. Have to plan what pages he'll do in what workbook and on what days.
Hubby and I have a special anniversary tonight, so we're going to the Outback tonight. We'll bring home their delicious gluten-free dessert (Chocolate Thunder Down Under) for all of us to enjoy together.
No word on the house yet. Expect we won't till after Christmas. I did, however, get some bad news from back home, in Kentucky. My sister's bum of a husband asked her for a divorce the Sunday after Thanksgiving, just days before her birthday. He never has spent any time with his 2 kids, and has treated the eldest (my sis' from her first marriage) like a horrid stepchild. He refuses to move out, drinks in front of the kids, doesn't hide his porn, and expects my sis to treat him like his best friend. And she feels like she has to go along with him (except she hides the porn and liquor), or he could wipe out the bank account and empty the house one day while she's doing an activity with the kids. She stopped working years ago, per his request, is disabled and has no money and huge medical bills. She doesn't know what she's going to do. And I can't do anything for her. I offered to take the two younger kids for a week in the Summer (the oldest is in the military but the youngest 2 are very close to my Kid's age). So... we'll see.
Guess that's it for now.
Have a wonderful Tuesday, everyone. Stay warm, happy and healthy.
Vikki
We're expecting a snowstorm tonight, bringing frigid temperatures and 6-8 (+) inches of snow. So... the Kid and I went off to do errands so my very old car can sit and be covered with snow for the days to come.
I still can't find my box of winter clothes, so I popped into Goodwill (Thrift Store) and picked up several pairs of sweat pants and sweaters while the Kid browsed the book section. No, he didn't get any because Christmas is only a few days away!
Next we went to the dollar store, right next door. I got lots of little things, like coloring books, toys, baby socks and puzzles, and those will go along with what we're collecting from others. We're delivering all of these to the local Children's Hospital next week, after Christmas, for kids when they complete a treatment, have their birthday in the hospital, or just need something to keep them busy while confined to a hospital bed. (Maybe next year I can make things to donate.)
Then we went to the grocery because the always-hungry Kid was out of cheese. He likes to put 4-5 pieces of gluten-free bread on a plate, cover with grated cheese, sprinkle on flax seeds and parmesan cheese, and nuke until the grated cheese melts. This is what he likes every day for lunch. Weird, huh. But, healthy and filling. He also talked me into buying some pumpkin eggnog (marked half off), which he has decided he loves. And I bought some beef stew meat, marked down with an orange sticker for 50% off.
Home, unloaded the car, ate lunch, then did another load of laundry (underwear and socks are the only clothes I wash in hot water and get put in the dryer; everything else gets cold water and hang to dry). After I finish typing this, I'll get back to working on the Kid's curriculum. Have to plan what pages he'll do in what workbook and on what days.
Hubby and I have a special anniversary tonight, so we're going to the Outback tonight. We'll bring home their delicious gluten-free dessert (Chocolate Thunder Down Under) for all of us to enjoy together.
No word on the house yet. Expect we won't till after Christmas. I did, however, get some bad news from back home, in Kentucky. My sister's bum of a husband asked her for a divorce the Sunday after Thanksgiving, just days before her birthday. He never has spent any time with his 2 kids, and has treated the eldest (my sis' from her first marriage) like a horrid stepchild. He refuses to move out, drinks in front of the kids, doesn't hide his porn, and expects my sis to treat him like his best friend. And she feels like she has to go along with him (except she hides the porn and liquor), or he could wipe out the bank account and empty the house one day while she's doing an activity with the kids. She stopped working years ago, per his request, is disabled and has no money and huge medical bills. She doesn't know what she's going to do. And I can't do anything for her. I offered to take the two younger kids for a week in the Summer (the oldest is in the military but the youngest 2 are very close to my Kid's age). So... we'll see.
Guess that's it for now.
Have a wonderful Tuesday, everyone. Stay warm, happy and healthy.
Vikki
New Book Ahoy!
I just love bookstores, don't you!? When I'm not busy in Spring, Summer and Fall, I love taking the time to browse bookshelves, and sit to peruse titles I can't usually afford.
Today was a tad different. The Kid turned 13 in November, and hadn't yet spent his $25 gift card for Barnes and Noble bookstore, so today was it. After we finished addressing the last of the holiday cheer cards and dropped off the (overdue - errr) books at the library, we headed off to the largest B&N we knew about. Were there for almost 3 hours!
I found a few books on keeping deer out of gardening, and how to grow more vegetables in less space, found my tushie a comfy chair, and sat. And read. And read. Hubby interrupted a few times with finds. Kid interrupted, desparate for me to use his gift card on a CD (he doesn't want me to say what it is). The Hubby brought over a huge book: "The Encyclopedia of Country Living" by Carla Emery, 10th edition. OMG - it's even better than the Storey version. I browsed through it, and tonight, I started carefully reading it, cover to cover.
This is a definite book for you, my readers, to at least take a look at. While she gears a lot of her info to larger properties (5 acres or more), I find I can take the info for our 2 acre (please god let them accept the offer for that property) home.
= = = =
So what did we do after we got back from the bookstore? Picked up some greens for the bunny. Uh, read while we watched holiday specials on TV. Fed the rabbit and turned off her heater-fan. Okay, I just realized we forgot to eat dinner, and it's 9:28 p.m. Oh well. I ate a few Snickers about an hour ago! Ah, sweet chocolate!
= = = =
Tomorrow is a busy day. We all have our cleaning appointments at the dentist. While Hubby is at his first (2 hour appt!), I will wrap his mom's b-day gift, finish getting my dad's b-day gift wrapped for mailing, get everything stamped and ready for the post office. Then I'll take the Kid to his appt while Hubby runs home, grabs the gift and mailings, drops the mailings off at the post office, and goes to his mom's to spend most of the day with her, seeing as it's her b-day.
After the Kid's and my cleaning appointment, we'll come home, I'll wrap Christmas gifts, sort through some seeds that came in the mail yesterday, and start working on the Kid's curriculum for 8th grade, which he starts the first week in January. Yup, only 2 weeks away.
Oh shoot. I just realized I have soup in the crockpot.
My mind is frazzled. 'Tis that time of year.
I need sleep.
Today was a tad different. The Kid turned 13 in November, and hadn't yet spent his $25 gift card for Barnes and Noble bookstore, so today was it. After we finished addressing the last of the holiday cheer cards and dropped off the (overdue - errr) books at the library, we headed off to the largest B&N we knew about. Were there for almost 3 hours!
I found a few books on keeping deer out of gardening, and how to grow more vegetables in less space, found my tushie a comfy chair, and sat. And read. And read. Hubby interrupted a few times with finds. Kid interrupted, desparate for me to use his gift card on a CD (he doesn't want me to say what it is). The Hubby brought over a huge book: "The Encyclopedia of Country Living" by Carla Emery, 10th edition. OMG - it's even better than the Storey version. I browsed through it, and tonight, I started carefully reading it, cover to cover.
This is a definite book for you, my readers, to at least take a look at. While she gears a lot of her info to larger properties (5 acres or more), I find I can take the info for our 2 acre (please god let them accept the offer for that property) home.
= = = =
So what did we do after we got back from the bookstore? Picked up some greens for the bunny. Uh, read while we watched holiday specials on TV. Fed the rabbit and turned off her heater-fan. Okay, I just realized we forgot to eat dinner, and it's 9:28 p.m. Oh well. I ate a few Snickers about an hour ago! Ah, sweet chocolate!
= = = =
Tomorrow is a busy day. We all have our cleaning appointments at the dentist. While Hubby is at his first (2 hour appt!), I will wrap his mom's b-day gift, finish getting my dad's b-day gift wrapped for mailing, get everything stamped and ready for the post office. Then I'll take the Kid to his appt while Hubby runs home, grabs the gift and mailings, drops the mailings off at the post office, and goes to his mom's to spend most of the day with her, seeing as it's her b-day.
After the Kid's and my cleaning appointment, we'll come home, I'll wrap Christmas gifts, sort through some seeds that came in the mail yesterday, and start working on the Kid's curriculum for 8th grade, which he starts the first week in January. Yup, only 2 weeks away.
Oh shoot. I just realized I have soup in the crockpot.
My mind is frazzled. 'Tis that time of year.
I need sleep.
Land Update on this busy Friday
We got back late last night from seeing more properties so this is my first chance to update the blog and you.
The 39.05 acre property was huge, way in the boonies, and the house was great. No basement tho. The current owner had recently plowed the whole 39 acres so it would be very ready to start planting. We started to get excited but then... as we drove away, we found out why it had been on the market since August: it's situated right next to the Waste Management, our local garbage service and a huge dump. Then we started finding other reasons: we'd have to fence in the entire 39 acres because there wasn't any fencing on it. There's no barn so we'd have to build that. The garden area they mentioned ... well, we couldn't find it. And, of course, no basement. I was starting to get really upset during the looong drive to the next place, a 2-acre home in a subdivision that allows almost anything. I kept wondering how I was going to tell Hubby that I just don't want to live next to a dump (unbeknownst to me, he was wondering the same thing).
Then we got to the 2 acre property. It's right next door (literally) to a property I had seen 4 times and was getting ready to just give up and offer on. But this house... it's triple the size, with a huge basement, a home-school room, large pantry, a hidey-hole for kids, 2 large master-suites upstairs, 3 full baths and a half-bath, and a wood fireplace. Huge family room in the basement and a pretty large living room upstairs. Large enough kitchen for me to do canning, dehydrating, and make cheese and yogurt. Partially fenced around perimeter, but there's a nice section in the immediate backyard that's fenced (we think they keep their dogs there because there's no grass, has dog poo, and lots of holes dug). There's also a huge workshop, with electricity, somewhat near the house and the 3-car garage. Basically the same price as the house next door.
We walked into this house, and immediately felt at home. Yes, we'll have to build a barn and do some fencing, but for now, we could have the goaties and chickens in the small fenced backyard. The price is manageable, the soil has never grown anything (at least, that's what it looks like) so it must be somewhat fertile. The Kid fell in love with house, probably because of the hidey-hole and the fact that he'd have his own bathroom in his bedroom. It's at the end of a cul-de-sac. 2 acres, well, subtracting the house it's probably 1.5 acres ... that's enough room to grow and raise what we need to, to be self-sufficient. Maybe even enough room for a labyrinth and meditation garden! And after Hubby retires, he can putter around in the huge workshop (as big as the house next to it) for 5, 7, 10 hours a day!
Our agent is gathering more information, then we're taking it to our mortgage broker. We expect to make an offer on it today. Again, keep your fingers crossed!
= = = =
The payment would be more affordable but still, a bit higher than our last house. We'd have to make adjustments, and perhaps still find a way to make money from it. I did a little research yesterday morning, and found a lot of people will pay for odd-vegetables, and for pickling cucumbers. I'm gonna grow them for myself, so why not add a few more plants and see if we could make a little extra money by advertising on Craigslist or something similar?! And since I'll be growing loofas for my own use, same thing... only I found a way to incorporate a loofa in an actual bar of soap. Perhaps I could sell those online, in addition to my books. Thinking thinking. Aw, my brain hurts!
= = = =
Before we house-hunted yesterday, we had errands to run. Hubby's boss' boss' husband passed away this week, so Hubby picked up a condolence card. He dropped that off for her, and also 2 stockings we'd decorated went to someone else at his company. They do this thing where they provide plain stockings, employees decorate and fill them, return them, then they are distribute them to returning Vets so they can bring gifts to their families (not return empty handed). We did a preschool girl and preschool boy. Hope they are enjoyed! We don't have much, but we have more than others. It's a time for giving!
= = = =
Kid didn't have time to finish his Science test yesterday. It was early when we left and dark by the time we got home so I told him he could finish it today, then do his Reading test. His grades aren't as good as I would like, but at least he's passing. We've had so much upheaval this year. Perhaps we'll get this house, get unpacked, get into a routine, and then he will be able to concentrate a little better. Hope hope.
= = = =
We painted ceramics last week as the last of our Christmas "shopping". They are supposed to be ready today. Since Hubby's still sleeping (yes, snoring behind me, fun), I'll probably leave in a few to pick them up, while the Kid finishes the first test. Later, we need to go pick up our new glasses (got a call that they are in). Our favorite health food store moved this week from 6 miles away to half a mile so I want to visit there. I also need to make some regular bread and some gluten-free snacks. And Hubby needs to drive to the agent's office (45 min away) to give an earnest-money check and sign paperwork. And the Kid needs to start/finish his Reading test. And we need to finish addressing Christmas cards (Hubby's side of the family - I did mine weeks ago) and get them in the mail. It's gonna be a busy day. All the while, thinking about this property and so intently wanting it.
Have a great Friday!
The 39.05 acre property was huge, way in the boonies, and the house was great. No basement tho. The current owner had recently plowed the whole 39 acres so it would be very ready to start planting. We started to get excited but then... as we drove away, we found out why it had been on the market since August: it's situated right next to the Waste Management, our local garbage service and a huge dump. Then we started finding other reasons: we'd have to fence in the entire 39 acres because there wasn't any fencing on it. There's no barn so we'd have to build that. The garden area they mentioned ... well, we couldn't find it. And, of course, no basement. I was starting to get really upset during the looong drive to the next place, a 2-acre home in a subdivision that allows almost anything. I kept wondering how I was going to tell Hubby that I just don't want to live next to a dump (unbeknownst to me, he was wondering the same thing).
Then we got to the 2 acre property. It's right next door (literally) to a property I had seen 4 times and was getting ready to just give up and offer on. But this house... it's triple the size, with a huge basement, a home-school room, large pantry, a hidey-hole for kids, 2 large master-suites upstairs, 3 full baths and a half-bath, and a wood fireplace. Huge family room in the basement and a pretty large living room upstairs. Large enough kitchen for me to do canning, dehydrating, and make cheese and yogurt. Partially fenced around perimeter, but there's a nice section in the immediate backyard that's fenced (we think they keep their dogs there because there's no grass, has dog poo, and lots of holes dug). There's also a huge workshop, with electricity, somewhat near the house and the 3-car garage. Basically the same price as the house next door.
We walked into this house, and immediately felt at home. Yes, we'll have to build a barn and do some fencing, but for now, we could have the goaties and chickens in the small fenced backyard. The price is manageable, the soil has never grown anything (at least, that's what it looks like) so it must be somewhat fertile. The Kid fell in love with house, probably because of the hidey-hole and the fact that he'd have his own bathroom in his bedroom. It's at the end of a cul-de-sac. 2 acres, well, subtracting the house it's probably 1.5 acres ... that's enough room to grow and raise what we need to, to be self-sufficient. Maybe even enough room for a labyrinth and meditation garden! And after Hubby retires, he can putter around in the huge workshop (as big as the house next to it) for 5, 7, 10 hours a day!
Our agent is gathering more information, then we're taking it to our mortgage broker. We expect to make an offer on it today. Again, keep your fingers crossed!
= = = =
The payment would be more affordable but still, a bit higher than our last house. We'd have to make adjustments, and perhaps still find a way to make money from it. I did a little research yesterday morning, and found a lot of people will pay for odd-vegetables, and for pickling cucumbers. I'm gonna grow them for myself, so why not add a few more plants and see if we could make a little extra money by advertising on Craigslist or something similar?! And since I'll be growing loofas for my own use, same thing... only I found a way to incorporate a loofa in an actual bar of soap. Perhaps I could sell those online, in addition to my books. Thinking thinking. Aw, my brain hurts!
= = = =
Before we house-hunted yesterday, we had errands to run. Hubby's boss' boss' husband passed away this week, so Hubby picked up a condolence card. He dropped that off for her, and also 2 stockings we'd decorated went to someone else at his company. They do this thing where they provide plain stockings, employees decorate and fill them, return them, then they are distribute them to returning Vets so they can bring gifts to their families (not return empty handed). We did a preschool girl and preschool boy. Hope they are enjoyed! We don't have much, but we have more than others. It's a time for giving!
= = = =
Kid didn't have time to finish his Science test yesterday. It was early when we left and dark by the time we got home so I told him he could finish it today, then do his Reading test. His grades aren't as good as I would like, but at least he's passing. We've had so much upheaval this year. Perhaps we'll get this house, get unpacked, get into a routine, and then he will be able to concentrate a little better. Hope hope.
= = = =
We painted ceramics last week as the last of our Christmas "shopping". They are supposed to be ready today. Since Hubby's still sleeping (yes, snoring behind me, fun), I'll probably leave in a few to pick them up, while the Kid finishes the first test. Later, we need to go pick up our new glasses (got a call that they are in). Our favorite health food store moved this week from 6 miles away to half a mile so I want to visit there. I also need to make some regular bread and some gluten-free snacks. And Hubby needs to drive to the agent's office (45 min away) to give an earnest-money check and sign paperwork. And the Kid needs to start/finish his Reading test. And we need to finish addressing Christmas cards (Hubby's side of the family - I did mine weeks ago) and get them in the mail. It's gonna be a busy day. All the while, thinking about this property and so intently wanting it.
Have a great Friday!
No Call From Agent
I left a message for our agent early yesterday - via phone and e-mail, and asked for a call a.s.a.p. about when we can look at houses on Monday.
No call. No e-mail. And a former agent didn't call either. We couldn't even get a seller's agent to show us a listing that we're really interested in.
Is everyone in the real estate business here in the Denver area already taking off for Christmas?
= = = =
Meanwhile, today we decorated 2 stockings for Hubby's work. They gave us plain red felt stockings, we decorate and stuff, and return to Hubby's work with what age they're appropriate for. They will go to returning vets who won't have time to shop for their kids. Not masterpieces by any means, but still... we, as a family, decorated amidst arguments, spilt glitter-glue, and watching 2 christmas specials on TV.
= = = =
I got around to making both of the brie today... the brown sugar with grapes, and the herbs de provence. I'll try to add the pictures to this posting but it won't be at least until tomorrow. Hubby loved both; he's taking the leftover herbs cheese to work tomorrow (breakfast). I, of course, love all things sweet so together we finished off the 2 grapes and the 1 herbs. Yum! Simple, elegant, and outstanding.
= = = =
Tomorrow begins a full-week of 7-th grade testing for the Kid. He's not at all excited about it. Actually, gotta admit, neither am I. He is completely lost in math, so that will be testing at 3rd grade level, but the rest is 7th. I just love schooling him at home! No really, he's a good kid. And loves all of the literature I give him. He starts 8th grade coursework (except math!) in January, and he's excited about reading 1984,Watership Down, Kidnapped and many more. I'm also going to teach him basics for what I call "life skills" like gardening, manners, earning money, health and hygiene, etc. This will be his most intensive and busy school year yet. 12 months (with little breaks here and there). I just love child-led learning/education!
I'm so tired. I still have the lingering cough from the Swine Flu/H1N1-turned-bronchitis and am really really really tired of coughing and taking nyquil at night. They are getting rich off of me. Anyway, it's only 6:17 p.m. and I'm turning in for the night.
Hopefully my blogging will be back up to par soon. Thanks for stopping by! Vikki
No call. No e-mail. And a former agent didn't call either. We couldn't even get a seller's agent to show us a listing that we're really interested in.
Is everyone in the real estate business here in the Denver area already taking off for Christmas?
= = = =
Meanwhile, today we decorated 2 stockings for Hubby's work. They gave us plain red felt stockings, we decorate and stuff, and return to Hubby's work with what age they're appropriate for. They will go to returning vets who won't have time to shop for their kids. Not masterpieces by any means, but still... we, as a family, decorated amidst arguments, spilt glitter-glue, and watching 2 christmas specials on TV.
= = = =
I got around to making both of the brie today... the brown sugar with grapes, and the herbs de provence. I'll try to add the pictures to this posting but it won't be at least until tomorrow. Hubby loved both; he's taking the leftover herbs cheese to work tomorrow (breakfast). I, of course, love all things sweet so together we finished off the 2 grapes and the 1 herbs. Yum! Simple, elegant, and outstanding.
= = = =
Tomorrow begins a full-week of 7-th grade testing for the Kid. He's not at all excited about it. Actually, gotta admit, neither am I. He is completely lost in math, so that will be testing at 3rd grade level, but the rest is 7th. I just love schooling him at home! No really, he's a good kid. And loves all of the literature I give him. He starts 8th grade coursework (except math!) in January, and he's excited about reading 1984,Watership Down, Kidnapped and many more. I'm also going to teach him basics for what I call "life skills" like gardening, manners, earning money, health and hygiene, etc. This will be his most intensive and busy school year yet. 12 months (with little breaks here and there). I just love child-led learning/education!
I'm so tired. I still have the lingering cough from the Swine Flu/H1N1-turned-bronchitis and am really really really tired of coughing and taking nyquil at night. They are getting rich off of me. Anyway, it's only 6:17 p.m. and I'm turning in for the night.
Hopefully my blogging will be back up to par soon. Thanks for stopping by! Vikki
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)