Denim Deb Hay, hay, hay. Thank the Lord!

[Denim Deb]

It's hot out there! Yesterday, we had an unofficial temp of 105! And, w/it so hot, my boss has decided that I'm just going to do stalls this week, and I can go in when ever I want. She's feeding. That's both good and bad. It's good because it's giving me more time to get some of my stuff done. It's bad because I really need the money.

Yesterday, I got the last of the section I was working on weeded. It really looks much better! Then, I got all the pieces of the frame work for the hay shelter, and attempted to get it together. I didn't make much progress. There are a few pieces that are bent up and pretty much not usable. There's 2 pieces missing. Part of it is together already-screwed together-and even using WD 40, I couldn't get them apart. And, it's making it hard to get it set up. So, I decided to wait until today to finish it. I have the time.

I had my allergist appointment yesterday. They decided NOT to give me my shot since I had just gotten stung 2 days B4, and had a reaction. So, I need to wait a week, then go. Bummer.

There was a slim chance of showers yesterday, but I didn't take them too seriously. After all, they said it would be hit or miss, and most places wouldn't see anything. While I was in the allergists, it started to pour! It was still pouring when I left. I needed a couple of things in Dollar Tree, so I drove there. I drove very slowly. Even w/my wipers going as fast as they could, it was still hard to see. Plus in places, the road was flooding. i spent as much time as I could in there and I was freezing! I had gotten a bit damp, and they had the AC on full blast!

Dollar Tree is right next to Lowes, so I went in there next. I needed something to use to replace the broken parts of the framework. I ended up getting some PVC pipe. It's slighter bigger around, but it still fits into the connectors, so that's all that matters. Plus, it was cheap. It was only $1.97 for each 10 ft section. I got 3 of them. I'll cut them to size.

Since I wasn't expecting it to rain, I left the windows of my tack shed opened. It was still raining when I left, so I decided to swing by the farm, mop up the water and close the windows. Plus, I'm having trouble w/my fence charger. The solar one I had worked for about 3 weeks. So, I'm back to using the one I use when I camp. It runs on 2 D batteries. But, I noticed that it isn't charging the fence. I put new batteries in. It works great. I hook up the wire to the fence-nothing. I check the end of the wire-it's fine. I finally gave up, and came home. It was getting dark, I still had animals to do, I had had no dinner, and I was tired. Talked to hubby about it today, he said something may be touching the fence line, so I'll check that out when I get there.

Normally, by this time, I've left for work. Not today. I think I'm going to enjoy it when I'm no longer working. I'm really tired, so I just might go back to sleep for a bit. I have to do a pony party tonight, and I'm not coming home B4 it. Just 33 more days of work, then I can do this every day!

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

What's a pony party???

 

[Farmfresh]

The solar chargers have a battery inside of it. Sometimes you get a bad battery. It is worth checking it out.

 

[Denim Deb]

What's a pony party???

It's where we haul a pony to someone's house for an hour or so, and give pony rides to all the kids (and sometimes the adults). Normally, we do it for birthday parties, but sometimes people will have us out for family reunions, church picnics, or whatever. We almost got the whole hour in tonight. But, w/as hot as it was, the kids had pretty much lost interest, and Honey was starting to melt. So, we stopped about 5 minutes early. That's the one thing we have to watch for at this time of year is the heat. We have another party on Saturday. I hope it's a bit cooler, but I doubt it.

The solar chargers have a battery inside of it. Sometimes you get a bad battery. It is worth checking it out.

That's what I'm hoping. My hubby brought it in the house to look at it, but I don't think he's done anything w/it yet. And, he was right about the fence. Once I got to the farm, I checked out my whole fence line. There were a few tall weeds that I clipped back as well as some low hanging branches from a white pine. Still nothing. So, I walked down to the gate by the road, and unhooked the wire there. Then, I checked to see if the one section was getting a charge. Still nothing! So, I started walking the fence line once again. I couldn't figure out what could be doing this. I get about half way up the fence line and find the problem. I have a screw eye in there. The fence is attached to that. W/the screw eye in, I can run a line from the fence to the run in to keep the horses out of part of the field. Somehow or another, the wire had come untwisted from the one side, and the end was hitting the fence. So, I walked back, turned the charger off, fixed the fence, turned the charger back on then checked it. It worked!

When we got back from the party, I went and checked on my chickens. I've gotten 2 eggs this week, and am really not all that happy about it. I've been threatening the girls w/the stew pot. I checked in the tree where they roost. I saw Ralph and Angel together as normal. Roxi was up there, but not right w/them. And, there was no sign of Penny Henny. So, I started looking. I checked the whole pen, nothing. I went into a small field where RU used to have some minis. Lately, she's had a horse in there that she just got. It came from auction, so she had it by itself for 30 days or so for just in case. There are some tall weeds in there. I start checking in them and I found a nest w/a few eggs in it! And, they're green. So, one of my girls has been laying there. I have no idea if the eggs are any good, don't have a clue as to how long they've been there, but no sign of Penny. So, I keep looking.

 

[Denim Deb]

Why is it that every time I get a good deal on square bales, it's so stinking hot when I go to get them!? Today, I went and picked up the hay I got for $2.00/bale. I went as early in the morning as I could, so it was just after 7:00 am when I got there. The guy couldn't deliver them because his trailer isn't road safe, so that meant I had to handle the bales 2x each. There was a total of 95 bales! One bale was coming apart, and he wasn't sure what to do w/it. If I didn't want to take it, he understood. But, I told him we'd load it last, and I'd just throw it out for the horses. I wasn't even sure if I could FIT all the hay on my truck and trailer. But, we did-just barely. By the time I got back to the farm, and was able to start unloading, it was after 8:30, and it was getting really hot. I took frequent water breaks. I gave the horses part of the one bale, and they liked it.

By the time I was done unloading, had all the loose hay raked out and left for the horses, parked my trailer and unhitched it, it was after 11:00. And, I still had to go to work! If I had any doubts about quitting my job B4, I don't now. My boss is talking about cutting my hours. And, she wanted to know if I'd be interested in doing some work for other people. There is no way I'm going to work for her for a couple of hours, then go someplace else and work for someone else for a couple of hours and then maybe have someone else that wants me to work. It's not worth it to me. Maybe if I was younger, but not at my age. I told her I'd think about it, so at the beginning of August, I have no problem now telling her that I'm quitting. This really makes it easier on me to quit.

I never finished saying what happened to Penny......

 

[Wifezilla]

To test eggs, put them in a bowl of warm water. If they float, they are bad. If they sink, they are very fresh. If the go to the bottom, but stand on end, they are OK to use, but should be used up right away.

 

[AL]

Boy I wish I could find hay $2 a bale!! Ours is running $3.75 in the field! I was supposed to go get some tomorrow but he cut it and then it rained... typical.

 

[Denim Deb]

Boy I wish I could find hay $2 a bale!! Ours is running $3.75 in the field! I was supposed to go get some tomorrow but he cut it and then it rained... typical.

I was super lucky for this. He knows he could have gotten a lot more for it, but I impressed them w/how well I was able to stack hay.

 

[Denim Deb]

It's so hot today that I think all that's left of me is a puddle. I saddled up Misty and rode her some this morning-she was NOT amused. But, she actually didn't mind when I hosed her down afterward. Normally, she HATES the hose, but I'm sure it felt pretty good today. According to my thermometer, it got up to 106! That's just too hot.

I didn't do much at work today, still only stalls, but I can't keep working so few hours. It's not worth it for me. I'm thinking of looking into substitute teaching during the winter, then next summer, I can probably get a job at the nature center. The naturalist there has been after me for YEARS to apply. And, I thought about it this year, but since I was working, decided not to. Now, I'm wishing I had. I've volunteered w/the various programs that she's done in the past, so I might as well do it and get paid for it. Plus, she may retire in a couple of years. And, when she does, she thinks I would be good to take over. I'm seriously thinking of it.

I'm going to have to head back out to the farm. It was just too hot for me to put the cats in my tack shed B4 I left. Plus, I left it a mess. I was working on bagging feed for next week, but had to stop. I was sweating non-stop, and really just didn't feel that well. Angel laid another egg for me, which I took home. Roxi is laying in the nest I found. I'm leaving them, hoping she'll get broody. And, since no one seems curious about Penny, maybe I just won't say what happened to her. It's just too horrible for words!

 

[abifae]

And, since no one seems curious about Penny, maybe I just won't say what happened to her. It's just too horrible for words!

What happened?!?