Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey

[NH Homesteader]

I'm tired of lugging buckets from the house too. Such a complainer I am, I have until at least March before it will be nice outside again and April before I'll have an unfrozen hose.

Sheep don't like the cold?

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I cannot even imagine dealing with cold like this until April! I'd just have to learn to curl up in a ball and hibernate - and I'd have to teach all my critters to do it too!

Have a sore throat and earache this morning. I'd blame it on gross dog water if DH hadn't had it all weekend. yuck.

 

[NH Homesteader]

Eww sorry you're sick.

We have snowstorms in April sometimes. Its annoying. We can't plant the garden until after memorial day, often even have to wait until June.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Thanks, it's just enough to be really annoying and uncomfortable, but not enough to stay home from work.

Speaking of gardens - DH asked me yesterday when we can start planting. Not falling over because it's just a little bit early for us to plant - but falling over because he has NEVER expressed an interest in gardening. It's something that I do, but he's not a part of it (except for eating, lol). I could probably get away with starting a few seeds like cabbages, peas, and broccoli.... If - and that's a big IF I can find time I might try.

I'm at the point of wanting to re-configure everything on my whole place. I want to take all the fences in the front barnyard, haul in a billion loads of dirt and gravel and just start over. Will it happen(?) - not anytime soon - but it's in the 'thinking about it' stage. Of course, I want to do some house stuff too. I want new floors downstairs and to remodel my bathroom. Not asking for much, huh? I need to get some of these things done while we still have a full-time income and not think that I'm going to do it on a retirement income. I'm so cheap though - I'll probably just 'get by' with what I have now. I have trouble spending money on things that I want. I need to get over that!

 

[Mini Horses]

FEM I'm thinking about some adjustments on my "near the house" land use, too. Not because of mud, etc. But to consider "what" needs to be there & why -- for ease of handling the birds, goats, etc. This winter is another eye opener for what I "need'. Began some reassignment in summer and not all was completed but, it has caused some disruption of sorts. Plan to have that sorted out soon.

Our temps, like yours, barely in teens. So, frozen pipe this AM. Two hrs later all flowing but found that some mice have decided that some of the pipe insulation wasn't needed which let the heat tapes to fall away from pipe. Well, hair dryer and we are back in business but for replacing that insulation. Guess what I don't have?
Fixable, once I thaw.

I would PRAISE the heck out of the desire to help garden! In fact, let DH start the plants. Just like children, let him own them. Maybe he is considering what he can do when he retires.

Once warm enough to plant -- won't be tooooo long -- teach him to weed.

 

[hqueen13]

I got up to 8 degrees this morning. I layered ALL my layers right over my work clothes.
High of 27 today, and then we're on an upward swing. I might be able to swap the horse's heavy blankets for their sheets for a few days.
Of course that means the mud comes back too....
So it goes!
Glad you're surviving!!

 

[baymule]

@NH Homesteader sheep didn't mind the cold, they were just yelling at me because they didn't want to lick an ice cube! LOL

FEM, stop settling for "getting by" right NOW! Especially if you are looking at retirement. When we moved I decided to fix things like I wanted them because I will be living with it for the rest of my life. So we sucked it up and paid $$$ for the non-climb horse wire, built the 12'x54' screened in porch, built the 36'x36' barn, painted the entire house and laid all new flooring. We bought a tractor and Kawasaki mule. We have been working HARD to make our little farm our home.

GET OVER IT!!!!!

 

[NH Homesteader]

Ah I don't blame them on not wanting to lick ice cubes!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I would PRAISE the heck out of the desire to help garden! In fact, let DH start the plants. Just like children, let him own them. Maybe he is considering what he can do when he retires.

I believe that is a big part of it! Maybe part of it is that he sees me struggling with this foot and wants to find something that he can help with. I dunno...but whatever kind of help will be welcomed for sure! Glad you got your frozen pipe UNfrozen!

I got up to 8 degrees this morning. I layered ALL my layers right over my work clothes.

I used to have a big ol pair of overalls that I'd slip over my work clothes and go out and feed in before work. Could only do that when the weather was cool or I'd sweat all over my clothes and go to work smelling like goat/horse/pig/or chicken, lol!

FEM, stop settling for "getting by" right NOW! Especially if you are looking at retirement

Looking at retirement is WHY I'm settling for getting by, lol. I'd like to be able to afford to retire! But, I will definitely get the bathroom remodeled next - it's an investment in my house and who knows if I may have to sell that house someday.

And, the barnyard re-do may happen WHEN I retire and will have the time to do it ourselves. Or maybe some spring break I'll get a bunch of my students out there and tackle it sooner rather than later. With the tractor we should be able to handle the work more easily. However, if it continues to be nothing but wet here I may just rethink everything and start raising goldfish or something!!

In the last three or four years we have done a few things:

We added a cover to our back porch a couple years ago - best thing we ever did! We also put in a new septic system, a new well pump and a new driveway to the back pasture AND a new barn. So...we are having some accomplishments. I just "witch and bine" about spending money no matter WHAT its spent on, lol.

Started Physical Therapy on my stupid foot yesterday. Got told a whole bunch of things I didn't want to hear...grrrrr! But, he thinks there's hope for me! Yay! Love my Therapist! He's the same guy that fixed my shoulder a couple summers ago. (plus he's pretty nice eye candy! This ol' gal ain't dead yet!)

 

[NH Homesteader]

Speaking of smelling like animals, ever notice how strong they smell when you bring them to a sanitary environment? At the vet's office yesterday my buckling smelled absurdly goaty! Haha

Hope you get some help! I appreciate help with gardening as it is my least favorite farm activity.

Oh And if you have to have a bum foot and go through PT, it helps to have someone worth staring at, lol