Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey

[frustratedearthmother]

Yep - as soon as he gets past this mid-August deadline things will calm down a little. DH's past history in "fixing" hospitals is why he got called for this job. But, it's always rough when you first step into that role because the most messed up places are the ones that need him most. Life will get easier after mid-August either way - he'll either meet the deadline or get to spend LOTS of time at home...

I finally got the round bales out of the trailer. Got the first one out pretty easily last night - just backed up the tractor and bale mover to the trailer and popped it right out. The next bale of course is further into the trailer and I can't reach it with the hay forks. Got a rope and tied off on it and actually wussed out because I didn't think the rope would hold and one of the worst things that can happen to you on a tractor is to be pulling something and have the rope/chain/strap break and snap back on you. It' an easy way to lose an eye or worse. Soooo, gave up on the rope and grabbed some nylon straps. Barely had enough straps and had to use one that was a little 'iffy' at best. Well, the 'iffy' one started tearing so I stopped as fast as I saw that happening. Came in after that cuz it was getting dark.

Went out this morning to finish the job one way or another. Thought about putting a t-post behind the bale and putting the rope on each end, but it would have been a lot more trouble....argh. Decided to give the rope one more try and it must be a female rope cuz it got the job done, lol!! I'm pouring sweat and clothes are drenched by that time so I came inside to get something cold to drink.

I need to get the trailer parked in an out of the way place and get the truck out of the pasture so that I can put the bales in their semi-permanent home and get them covered before it rains - if it rains.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Worked hard this morning. Came inside to cool off and a bit later had brunch... Nothing better than home grown pig sausage and some scrambled quail eggs. Forgot how tasty the little eggs are - YUM!

Probably have DD and her DH and their FIVE combined kids come to visit in a few weeks. YAY! But.... YIKES, lol. Guess we'll have to eat in shifts or draw straws....my dining room table only seats 8. If it weren't so hot I'd send all the kids out to dine on the back porch. But, only 4 chairs out there...sigh. Oh well - they're kids and they will be adaptable.

Sleeping? Geeze....I've got bunk beds in the kids room - a double on bottom and a single on top, along with a cot and a flip chair. There will be 4 girls and 1 boy. Guess I'll stick the GS on the cot somewhere and let the girls have the room. I can put the oldest girl on top - she's always wanted to sleep up there and had to defer to her brother. The younger gals can fight over the bed and/or flip chair. Not sure why, but they allll want the flip chair.

Guess I better start thinking of recipes that will feed a whole bunch of people!

Woo-hoo, I'm excited!

 

[NH Homesteader]

Ooh cool! That'll be crazy, lol and I bet you'll all have lots of fun!

 

[baymule]

Well lets plan a menu for you! How many days are they going to be there? Do you have a card table to add onto the dining table? Your table seats 8, DD and family are 7, plus you and DH is 9, so you only need one more spot. When I was little, the littlest got sat on a corner and the kids on each side just had to scoot over a little.

#1. Grill burgers on the pit. They always are a hit and are easy to make. Potato salad and baked beans.

#2. Cook a large roast. Mashed potatoes or rice, and gravy. Carrots, corn, veggies from the garden. Make a salad and dinner rolls.

#3. Home made chili and Fritos! chopped onion and grated cheese to make Frito pie.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Thanks @baymule

Yep - we can probably get by just pulling up an extra chair - the oldest one is 12 so even though there's a bunch of 'em - they're pretty little, lol. Burgers are always yummy. My GS always requests broccoli cheese soup and cornbread so that'll take care of one meal. A large pork roast will be on the menu - and we'll do pulled pork on Hawaiian rolls - YUM! No rolls for DH though...too carby Probably have to take the kiddos to their favorite Chinese buffet while they're here so that'll cover another meal.

We'll have a big country breakfast every morning - grands love them some pancakes. Ever made pancakes out of cake mix? Red Velvet pancakes are a big hit and we'll have fresh sausage from the pig we just butchered. I guess if I get busy I could get that pork belly outta the freezer and make up some bacon too.

It'll work out.

I am so tired. I got those bales outta the trailer this morning, then I had to find them a permanent home. I drug some pallets out alongside the side fence. There was already a tractor tire out there so I thought I could balance a bale on that - like I did last year. I musta gotten rusty on the tractor cuz I put that bale too far back and it tilted back offa the tire and into the fence...grrrr! So, I had to get it offa the fence and offa the tire and back onto a pallet. First bale moving I give myself a C-. The next bale went picture perfect onto the pallet - A+. The third one landed crooked but only because I didn't have enough room to get it on there straight. I'm working in a very narrow area and just had to make do. Grade B - but it's done.

Need to replace the quarter round trim in the downstairs bathroom so I got it pulled out and cleaned up - just have to replace it now. I need to remember how to do mitered cuts. I've done 'em before but it's been years - no decades ago. Trying to get some of the little jobs done around here before I bring in the big guns. About to get some things taken care of around here. I've got some trim work outside that needs to be replaced too....and some sheetrock work....and...and..and…. you know how it is. As DH says - a house is a jealous mistress and always wants attention. We had a new roof put on and the outside painted a few years ago - but there's always something that needs to be done.

Back to work tomorrow - yay. Maybe I can get some rest lol!

 

[tortoise]

I have a week of "vacation" here while DS11 is at camp. So much for relaxing! LOL! I need to get some sewing done. And some housework. And A LOT of garden work!

 

[sumi]

FEM, your DH got months worth of backlog and mess to sort out and deadline?!? Wow… No pressure?

Having all the kids round sounds fun It did make me wonder how my gran felt when we all invaded their house over Christmas and big birthdays years ago. They had 6 kids, plus all the grandkids. Big enough house for us all though, but it must've been a bit stressful for her nonetheless!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

FEM, your DH got months worth of backlog and mess to sort out and deadline?!? Wow… No pressure?

Yup - and even though he went in again yesterday he could only do about a half day because he just couldn't see the charts well enough. This job has done wonders for his ego - he feels like his old self - large and in charge, lol! It will be devastating to him if he can't continue because of one health factor or another. I think we're about to start the surgery process on his right eye. It's practically worthless to him and even though we know what 'worse case scenario' is - he thinks it's worth it to get the vision in his right eye at least up to the level of the left.

It did make me wonder how my gran felt when we all invaded their house over Christmas and big birthdays years ago. They had 6 kids, plus all the grandkids. Big enough house for us all though, but it must've been a bit stressful for her nonetheless!

I know the feeling, lol. But, it'll be fun. My house is the standard 3 bed, 2.5 bath so we'll be stuffed! I have a big ol' apartment with a bath over the double garage, but it's been designated for storage for quite awhile now. I'm about to UN-designate it for storage and have it turned back into a livable space. It'll need new carpet, a bathroom overhaul and fresh paint. A lot of which I can do when there's time - like retirement! Not rushing into it - I need lots of time to work it out....but it will be done within the next couple of years. The grands are too young to stay up there alone anyway. I'm thinking ahead to when/if we decide to sell.

I let the goats into the garden/jungle yesterday for a little while hoping they'd be picky and eat the weeds instead of the remaining veggies - but nope. Conan thought okra was a delicacy - but only the leaves and not the pods. That was generous of him. I'm still getting little trickles of peppers and peas. Okra is really producing now but this variety isn't my fave. It's "ok" at best. I've been saving every cardboard box that comes into my house to start fall mulching...or winter mulching...or next spring mulching - whatever the case may be. The feed sacks and hay I used this year held up for awhile - but our monster weeds finally won. I hate weeds.

Back at work this morning and am not thrilled about it. I'm tired and sleepy and want another week off to rest. I've got lots of PTO coming to me, but can't take it right now because my co-workers are off a lot this week. One of them will be here today and then both of them will be out for the rest of the week. That's ok though cuz I get lots of work done when there's nobody here to talk to...

Happy Monday ya'll.

 

[sumi]

I hope things will work out for your DH and his vision will allow him to continue working!

It sounds like you can do with a nice, long vacation. And with that I don't mean go home and work there!

 

[baymule]

I wish my tractor was big enough to lift round bales. Jealous.