Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey

[frustratedearthmother]

Had a really nice day today. I got up early, but I let DH sleep in until around 10. He (we) are constantly being awoken by his pump so whenever he can get some extra sleep I let him go for it. It's exhausting being him!

We went to my son's for a gathering. DIL's family and our family merge for the holidays. It was nice. DS smoked a brisket and a pork shoulder (from one of our pigs) - it was soooooo good! I thought the pork was actually better than the brisket. Maybe I was a bit prejudiced because I raised it - but it was delish. When my son first looked at it he thought it was beef because it was so red - unlike so much store bought pork. It is definitely NOT the other white meat.

I've got a full belly and now I just want to sleep!

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Pump?

 

[NH Homesteader]

Insulin pump.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Yes - insulin pump. Those nights when we get solid sleep are pure bliss! Like last night - slept from 10p to 5a... so nice.

Trying to figure out what to do with my day today. We're supposed to get rainy soon enough - ugh. I need to decide which outside chores are most important. Part of what I've got to do is get a kidding pen ready for Lucy...should be within a week - give or take a day.

Also want to get a raised bed or two prepped and try to get some early stuff going. These beds are old and need to be refreshed with additional growing medium...they've settled out to where it's almost a lie to call them "raised" lol. And, the fancy, schmancy high priced cedar boards we used to build them are melting before my eyes. NOTHING can handle all the wetness we've had lately.

Need to copper bolus too... I've got some goats with faded out coats even though I think I've got a handle on the parasite issues we were faced with lately. I've done a couple rounds of worming and have been really pleased with the results. I've done two rounds (so far) ten days apart. Used Cydectin the first time and Prohibit the second time. Seems to be working really well. The goats that had very pale membranes 20 days ago are pinked up nicely now.

The biggest and worst chore I'm faced with is calling an exterminator for a termite inspection. I'm afraid I've got a problem.... Just what I need the minute we paid of DH's car and were totally debt free and headed for retirement. Isn't it always the way things happens????

 

[Mini Horses]

cedar boards we used to build them are melting before my eyes. NOTHING can handle all the wetness we've had lately

Maybe check out the "manufactured" deck boards -- plastic?

Well, hope you don't have a termite issue -- BUT, if you do better now than after you both have quit work. Yeah, I know it isn't much but, trying to find a good side for you to view this maybe NO problem -- that would be nice.

So you are thinking a garden? Yeah, barely winter "officially" and we are all thinking that! I'd love to have something growing (have some comfrey in a little cold frame). Instead, I am thinking -- kill grass where you garden! I'm looking at the disc and thinking, work the fields. Of course, it's wet here. Not mud but, wet -- too wet to plow and have good results. More rain Fri thru Mon I swear, we just can't win. Ground is wet enough that more will puddle & pond. Some of the farmer's fields have that now, in lower areas. I'm sure you are thrilled with prospect of more rain there also. Soon it will get cold enough to freeze What a thought. 29 here at wake up! low 40s later.

This too shall pass...…...WHEN???

 

[frustratedearthmother]

This too shall pass...…...WHEN???

Good question.... I know it has to eventually - RIGHT?????

 

[sumi]

Gosh, FEM, that sucks about the termites Not what you need ever. Hopefully it won't be a big or expensive problem to get fixed.

I'm thinking about plants too... Eyeing those poor mini roses in the supermarket, hell, they need watering badly. But the price tag puts me off buying them. €7 each after paying around €1.50 or something for a similar one at Aldi a few weeks ago... Nope, right now frugal wins over oh my gosh, they are so pretty and they look like hell at the moment, they need rescuing. Sigh.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

I wish those mini roses had a scent. I once had one with a scent, but it died while my son was house sitting. I'm gonna wait till they are marked down on clearance this spring, then buy some to line my front walk way. I ripped that bed out last fall, have pretty much a blank slate to work with. Mini roses do better than the big ones here, and there are usually 5 cuttings in a single pot.

 

[sumi]

I wish those mini roses had a scent. I once had one with a scent, but it died while my son was house sitting. I'm gonna wait till they are marked down on clearance this spring, then buy some to line my front walk way. I ripped that bed out last fall, have pretty much a blank slate to work with. Mini roses do better than the big ones here, and there are usually 5 cuttings in a single pot.

I planted a few big ones outside and half of them didn't make it. But then they were severely challenged by kids who for some reason couldn't stay off them, though they have a massive backyard to run around in And I thought the chickens would be a problem in the garden.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

No mini-roses for me. They are beautiful but if they come home with me they are dead...

I got a few things done today. Weather has been cruddy all day but it was a little better this morning. I needed to get the yard mowed. The grass isn't really growing well, but the weeds are. The big tree in the front yard has dropped all it's leaves. Said leaves have blown right up to the house and literally blow in the front door every time it is opened - so I mowed them away from the house.

We're supposed to get rough weather over night so I felt sorry for the soon to be freezer fodder pig. I alternate him between two pens and the OTHER pen has a better shelter. But, he's not in the OTHER pen right now. Figures, huh? So, I tossed up a quick tarp shelter and threw some hay under it. He really thinks he's in little hoggy heaven right now. He's taken the hay and made himself a cozy little bed under there. I just hope the tarp lasts until morning because it is blowing like crazy out there.

Two days until Lucy's earliest due date - if ya believe those kinda things lol. I need to fine tune the kidding pen that's almost ready for her. The actual pen is there, but I leave the gate off of it most of the time. When I need it for a private pen I stick the gate back up. I'll wait until she's showing more imminent kidding signals and then clean it up and get it spiffy for her. I did notice that Chester was really interested in her back end today. She's probably starting to get all those birthing hormones stirred up!

Heard some sad news today. One of my former neighbors has been moved into Assisted Living. She and I were pretty tight for quite a few years way back when our kids were growing up together. She moved away a while back. She had some rough challenges in life and began to hit the bottle pretty hard and ended up with some DWI's. After her last accident her children had to put her in a detox unit. She came out and lived with her daughter for awhile. She seemed better and wanted to move back to her apartment. A few weeks later the police found her walking on the side of a fairly busy road with no idea where she was. She's only 70... DH thinks the years of alcohol abuse took a really heavy toll on her and left her in this state. So sad...

Think I'm gonna have a soak in the hot tub tonight!