hqueen's collection of Far From the Usual stuff.

[hqueen13]

Oh I know that WBF, honestly his setup freaks me out a little bit because he doesn't have electric run to the barn anyway so he has a ton of extension cord run from the house... eek! I don't know how they got it down in the first place unless one of them flew off a roost and banned into it. It's hanging from the ceiling in a spot where they really shouldn't be able to get to it. They are chickens after all though... the lamp in the complainers coop (they don't stop making noise) is in a worse position, the chickens keep tripping over the cord! How that one hasn't had a problem I don't know... I really need to see if I can beg and plead with S this year to let the bf install some better electric to make his life easier and things safer over all.
So I don't know when my friend will get the chance to catch up with me, I'd he would just call me all of this could have been avoided. He's supposed to call me today so we'll see if he actually does. T is still supposed to come over but I haven't heard from her yet either.
I accidentally put out the pellet stove this morning by leaving the lid open while I went to get the second bag of pellets. I had to take care of the chickens and by the time I got home it was out as I suspected. I unthinking turned it in again not realizing that it had probably dumped a bunch of pellets that didn't get burned in so when it restarted it stunk like smoke in her and the fire was rising. Oops. That settled down but I think it might have just put itself out again. I really should have cleaned it before I turned it back on anyway. So it goes.
I really should find something for breakfast too... or I guess lunch!

 

[Denim Deb]

I need lunch as well. What are we having?

 

[hqueen13]

Leftover taco stuff with chips I would have shared!
I at least managed to get the stove cleaned out really really well and two loads of laundry run.
T should be here soon so we can do some cooking. I should probably try to clean up the house a bit before the weekend...

 

[Denim Deb]

I had a grilled pepper jack cheese sandwich and tomato soup.

 

[hqueen13]

We were mad cooks in the kitchen! Cooked 2 chickens, set of the smoke detector, roasted potatoes, made dumplings, and a big batch of mashed potatoes. Basically everything was doubled so we both had some which taxed my little kitchen to the max! It was fun but I was exhausted by the time we were done.
The bf got home really late so it worked out ok that we got started so late.
Had a pretty good day at work, for too meet the new girls and got to see my good friend B, she was so happy to see me again which made me feel good. The bad news is that I can't find anything that I had before like all the documents that I made with instructions or anything. I'm really frustrated that I don't have it all but hopefully someone will find it. I rearranged the old boss's office for myself today which was nice. Started catching up on stuff and figuring out what else I'm going to need to keep getting things done. Good day but busy as usual.
The bf clocked 48 his in 4 days when he left work today and is seriously considering ditching work tomorrow. It would be nice to spend the day with him but we'll see what happens. I don't blame him if he does.

 

[hqueen13]

This weekend has been insane and I have been running behind and frazzled the entire time.
Saturday morning I had a meeting with a gal about boarding. She was nice enough, but she and the horse will be high maintenance. The horse is older and retired and has arthritis, Cushings, had colic surgery a year ago, and has chronic scratches. Oh, and she can't lock her knees in order to sleep and has fallen down and become cast in her stall several times.
Finished that meeting and headed to the farm to pick up the money from taking care of the chickens. I pulled in and found a car IN the driveway, so I stopped next to the chicken barn and waited. She pulled down further when she saw me and I was irritated that she wasn't coming back out. I caught sight of two chickens arguing and Red Rooster breaking up the fight and became rather interested. Suddenly all the chickens took off towards the trees, which was unusual, and in that moment I just barely caught a glimpse of a dog tearing after a chicken. I leapt out of the truck and took off into the barn hearing a commotion from in the coop. I flung the door open and there wasn't anything in there so I hurriedly latched the door again and headed for the back door, trying not to fall over the reactor and tiller. I opened the door in time to see a dog with a chicken taking off, I yelled and the dog spun which caused him to lose the chicken. I lunged at him but he ran, and I gave up pretty quickly going he would stop and not wanting to go slip sliding through the melting snow in my tractionless muck boots. I was rattled and watched the dog lope off up the garden and across into the ag field next door, headed back towards a residential street.
I hustled back down to the house breathlessly looking for S, who was really upset when I recounted what happened. We walked up and found the chickens already pecking the injured bird who was mostly dead at that point. We found another hem who didn't look so good and found a spot on her where the dog had gotten her, so we sprayed some stuff on it and set her in the coop. She didn't want to put weight on that leg so we checked her again and decided it must be tender. I don't know if she made it or not. S was furious.
We walked back down to the house and he got the money for me and then we talked for a while. He told me that he might be able to use me for more than just the two days like he originally thought. I hope so because that would be really helpful.
The lesson for me was too not get annoyed when things are out of place because you never know when it will put you in the exact right place to take care of something else. If that woman hadn't stopped in the driveway we never would have known the dog had been there at all. The dog had a collar, and it sounded like a bell, which leads me to believe the owners know the dog hunts. Not cool.
I was late leaving his house and still had to change to head up to tea with the bfs mom, aunt and cousin. I jumped in the truck and realized I was supposed to be there 10 minutes before and I had to change and drive 18 miles up country roads to get there.
Raced there and had a lovely time. The food was really good and the price was great and I had a really awesome green tea with BlackBerry and Jasmine. Naturally sweet and smelled lovely.
Left there later than I wanted to be and checked in with the bf to find that he was picking up reds to come help with the feeders. I got home before he did and got a call from my out of town friend, he was free for the afternoon, so I told him I would check in a little later after I figured out the plan with the bf. Hindsight says I should have just gone to hang out and let the bf to take care of the feeders. But I headed down the hill to work instead because we couldn't deliver the one since the ground was softening too much from the balmy weather. We ended up working for way too long and the bfs dad came up to help, which was a help but his dad is a tinkerer and can't leave well enough alone so we spent way too long working. We finally got back up to the house and the bf wanted a shower before we headed to hang with my friend and we still had to drop off reds which was in the opposite direction as my friend's hotel.
I emailed my friend to let him know the scoop, and got a response while we were in route to drop reds off that he was too tired and had to crash before his flight. I was really disappointed but being behind seemed to be the theme of the day.
This morning started out in a hurry trying to get the feeder loaded and delivered. It worked out well and we only forgot two things, a Phillips head screw bit and planks to brace over the feeder box to walk on to get the roof on. We managed without it and were really please with how it came together but we were still late.
Left there and raced home to get ready for the photo shoot that I had later and bolted out the door again. Still hasn't had breakfast so we grabbed panera before we arrived. It went well, and we were out of there faster than I expected which was a little relief after the weekend was so frazzled.
Now we are relaxing doing nothing because we have no tv to watch the game on.
Whew. Tomorrow I'll be helping out at the other barn because someone is sick so that's more money and it's supposed to snow allllllll day. Oh boy...

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Oh my goodness - I'll bet you're glad the weekend is OVER, lol!

 

[Denim Deb]

Sounds like your day was about as busy as mine! Bet it feels good to sit down and relax.

 

[hqueen13]

I am glad the weekend is over, FEM! Of course today want easy either. Some time in the wee hours of the morning I woke hearing pouring rain. Poor horse getting soaked and cold again. I got up about 8 and opened the blinds to rain. Went into the bathroom and then came back in the bedroom 5 minutes later to find all snow! Slipped and slid feeding the horses and then headed out the door to run to the bank and head down to the other barn to help out. Slid around in the truck before I could get off my street. Conveniently forgot about turning in the direction of the skid and pumping the breaks since the ABS isn't working. Oops. Thankfully I was going super slow and just bumped into the hill and bounced back into the road. Whee.
For safely to the other barn where I found it was only raining. Got to drive most off the way there behind a nice big salt truck. At one point before going up the hill through some really curvy road he pulled over to shake the salt down in the bed of the dumper and since no one was behind me I just wanted and waived him back into the road. I'd rather ride behind him in this weather!
Cleaned stalls, which was allowed down by the fact that the horses weren't out yet due to the rain, so we cleaned around them for the first hour and a half which is tricky, and finally it switched to snow So we put them all out and then had to straighten the stalls that we're already done and finish the rest. I'm pooped now! At least its money!
I really should start laundry while the power is cheaper and I need to get out something for dinner but I haven't gotten that far yet.
It's barely snowing here now, we've barely gotten a dusting out of this, but it's a mess.

 

[Denim Deb]

I was listening to news radio on my way home from the farm, and the guy covering the roads in this area said he kept driving in and out of snow into rain, and vice versa. I'm just as happy that we barely got any snow. Hopefully by Wednesday, it will be all gone.