Happy to be Me--Settling In

[frustratedearthmother]

You're making wonderful progress - it's really looking good!

 

[moolie]

Looks like you got tons accomplished! Hope drilling the well goes without a hitch and things keep moving smoothly

 

[Happy to be Me]

I am incredibly unmotivated today! Really need to be doing something useful around here, but so far all I have managed is sweep, do some dishes and get a couple of loads of laundry going. I did have to go out to the property this morning for a delivery (large trash dumpster!) but was back here by 9:30. I still need to vacuum, bathe the dog, get a grocery list together and the floors that don't get vacuumed could use a good mopping! And that doesn't even touch on what should be done outside. But what I really want to do is to take a nap! Oh well, hopefully I'll push through that feeling.

We had to go out to the property yesterday afternoon and since we didn't plan on doing anything other than meeting with a couple of people, we took the motorcycle. It was a beautiful afternoon for a ride and I really enjoyed that. This morning, I am waiting on calls back from several people so maybe I will hear from them all soon. Hope everyone else is having some of this wonderful weather--it is sunny but cooler than it has been with very low humidity. Feels wonderful!

 

[Denim Deb]

Nothing like taking a ride when the weather's nice. I'll be leaving in about 30 minutes for one myself.

 

[Happy to be Me]

Haven't posted in a while, but we have been busy and making some progress. I think things are about ready to come together and we will be able to move out to the "farm" sometime between Oct 15 and Nov 1. We will have a great deal of activity out there for the next couple of weeks as final preparations are made for the trailer and the well gets put in, then the trailer arrives and the electricity and septic tank go in. Found out today that our trailer comes off the production line next Monday and will be here by Wednesday. Not sure exactly on a date we will get it delivered to the property.

Went and applied for a farm number so that we will be able to apply for a NRCS program that will help get the land back into better condition. We are going to have long-leaf pine trees planted on the majority of our place. As far as "farming", I'm thinking just a nice large garden and a few animals. Nothing major but to provide for our needs and a little to share.

Made good progress on the old house this weekend. Doesn't look like it from the mess we made though. Pulled off old paneling in the bedrooms to see how bad the walls were and found LOTS of termite damage. We were able to pull out the damaged stuff and the good news is that the outside walls are in good shape. At the moment, it looks like we are going to be able to salvage two rooms of the hardwood floor and are hoping to save the same two rooms of original ceilings. We haven't torn into the kitchen and bathroom yet as we know those are in rough shape. Don't imagine that we will get to work on it too much for the next couple of weeks while we focus on other areas, but it will all eventually get done.

This afternoon, i am enjoying being home and letting the chickens run around in the back yard for a bit. When I am home to keep an eye on them, I like to let them out of their pen as much as I can. They are just so fun to watch. Am excited about getting them out to the new place. Working on ideas for a new coop so that is fun. We can fix the mistakes we made with this first one! Although as long as we can move it without too much trouble, this coop is going with us too. i just think it will wind up being something else out there.

 

[Dawn419]

Things sound as if they are moving along nicely!

We never seem to make much progress on our place without a huge mess involved, so it's got to be the norm, right?

I had planned on setting up our double cattle panel run for our chickens once we got moved out here and it became our garden fence, instead, since I usually let the flock free-range all day.

I'm looking forward to getting our cabin built, not only for a bit more living space but the next project after that is getting our HD Sportster back on the road. We miss riding something terrible!

 

[Denim Deb]

Yep, that mess is normal. (At least I HOPE it is. )

 

[Happy to be Me]

I do feel better that we are not the only ones that make a mess during our "improvements"!

Dawn, I have checked out your journal (not far into it I'm afraid, but I'll get there!) and I love the hoop idea for the chicken coop. I think that would be an excellent idea for our chickens when we get moved. Right now their coop/run isn't covered or secure and we have had no problems but we have been lucky here. Won't be able to count on that in the middle of the woods so I appreciate the idea! Had been wondering how best (and most economically) to secure them from the animals that I know will be looking to make a meal out of them. Hope you are able to get that Sportster back up and running...nothing like a long ride at this time of year!

Sitting here right now feeling pretty mean. Had to call the local animal shelter to come and get a stray dog that has been hanging around for a little while. She would be around, then disappear, then come back. Discovered last night that she has dug a burrow under an old garage floor we have out back and seems to be staying there. And sadly from the looks of her, she may have puppies under there too. Not sure where she is eating and drinking but doesn't look malnourished yet. We just can't keep another dog at this point--especially one that looks like there are puppies too. So I am just waiting on the animal shelter to get here. It may be a blessing that she won't let me get close enough to her to catch. I'd be hard pressed not to keep her if she were sweet and loving. Especially since she is not noisy, doesn't appear aggressive and she doesn't bother my chickens when they free range. But I just do not have the time/energy to have another pet right now. And I'm trying really hard to remind myself that this is best--she needs a warm, dry place to stay and regular food.

We do not need another dog. We do not need another dog. We do not need another dog. And I will have to keep repeating that until she is picked up. Why do people not care for their animals??? The dog and two cats we have now were all strays too. I think we have a sign in our yard that says to the strays, "Come to this house, they will feed you and take you in so you can live your life in leisure!" We do not need another dog......

 

[Denim Deb]

I hear ya on that. Cindy was a stray. Misty was a rescue. Licorice came from an auction for dirt cheap. If I hadn't bought her, she would have probably ended up in the kill pen. And I constantly have people trying to give me cats, dogs and horses. I turn em all down. I can't afford another animal.

 

[Happy to be Me]

Not a good day today. Have been fighting a horrible headache for a couple of days and it really socked it to me this morning. Used to suffer with them very frequently but have managed to get them mostly under control with the help of a chiropractor and also avoiding certain food dyes. Guess I need to up my water intake again too as that helps.

The animal shelter never came for the stray dog so last night hubby tore up the old garage floor and we would have just taken the animals in for the night and delivered them to the shelter today (yeah, right!). Good news is no puppies under there! Perhaps the dog was just using it as a resting place. Bad news, she still seems to be a stray with puppies somewhere! Hoping that maybe she belongs to someone who is feeding her and just lets her run the neighborhood . I'll just keep an eye on her when she comes around and see what develops. Makes me so mad that people let their dogs just run.