Thursday, August 27, 2009

If it weren't for bad luck - I'd have no luck!

Have you ever heard that saying before? One of my best friends says it all the time when he's having a really bad day, week or month for that matter. I always try to point out the positive things to him and tell him it could be worse - however when you're on the other side you can't always see the positive!

On Monday I started a new part-time job working in the kitchen of one of the local elementary schools. So far I like the job, the people are great and everything is going very well. I left work yesterday at 1:00 and got about 2 miles away when my truck gave a huge lurch and then started clanking, I pulled over and pressed the brakes only to find out they weren't working very well. Finally coasted to a stop and found that my rear brake rotor had apparently rusted through and broke off. Brake fluid is leaking everywhere and I can't get a hold of anyone except my husband who works 2 hours away.

So there I sat on the side of the road playing Suduko on my cell phone for 2 hours waiting for him and all I could think about was, what do I tell my boss when I can't come in tomorrow because I have no car!!! I was so upset!

Finally Larry pulls in and he drives the truck home and I take his car, he had to use the emergency brake the whole way home. He spends the next 5 hours taking off the old rotor, going to the store to get the new one, installing the new rotor and replacing the brake pads. What a miserable time for him!

SO, all is well right? NOT! The truck is fine however the other rotor is looking pretty rusted too, that will be replaced this weekend after payday. This morning I woke up got the kids off to school turned around and my cow is standing in a field on the other side of our electric fence. I'm all alone, unless you count my non cow herding dogs. So to make my life easier, I take apart the electric fence and coax the cow back in using her feed. That only took an hour!

The problem I am having is that ever since I started my new job - I haven't made any soap or anything! I am in desperate need to make new products because I'd like to open in mid-September! So this weekend, I am going to hide in my soap room and avoid everything that will take my mind off making things!

I've got some awesome new fall scents I want to get ready and of course I'll need to take photos!

So what about you? Do you seem to have bad luck or good luck?

Off to work soon - see you all later!!

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

I will miss you :0(

When my husbands car stopped at the end of the drive way yesterday morning I thought nothing until he turned it off and got out. I looked out the window and my heart sank, the tears came like a flood and anguish spread through me like wildfire. My beloved cat had been hit by a car.

Her name was AJ and she was a truly special pet to me. First of all she was a badass cat! She was scared of nothing, when I would train the horses, she would lay in the middle of the round pen while I was lunging them in circles and they would have to go around her - she would not move. She liked to hunt, all cats do, but she liked to hunt rabbits and other large prey. She never bit the kids, she did nip me when the litter box was dirty, her food bowl was empty or when she wanted to be let outside.

Now she is gone and we are all very sad. We wrapped her in white satin and buried her in front of my favorite flower garden. My children were very upset but they got better after a couple hours. I on the other hand woke up thinking it was all a bad dream, then I remembered.



AJ, I will miss you so much! You were the best cat I've ever owned but you were also a very special friend to me! I love you and I'll never forget you..... ♥ goodbye

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Project #1 - Chicken Run

All year long I've been trying to dress up my flower gardens as well as my veggie garden. I've weeded regularly, added Hostas around the edges of the flower gardens and taken silage from one of the old silos and spread a 4 inch layer on each garden to prevent the weeds from getting out of control.

The silage has done a beautiful job keeping the weeds to a minimum, however, the chickens seem to think I've made them new beds/buffets!!!

They have shredded my Hostas from scratching the area around them looking for bugs, thrown the silage every which way but back where it came from, and they have ruined several of my other flowers from scratching, and pecking!

So long story short, I told my husband (Larry) that I wanted to make a pen for them so they couldn't get out and he thought that was a great idea! I drew up plans of how I wanted everything and he agreed. Then I went to the store, DON'T LEAVE YOUR HUSBAND ALONE WHEN YOU ARE BUILDING SOMETHING!!!!!

I got home from the store, and Larry had written up new plans that included room for the dogs, consisted of 8 strands of electric wire instead of chicken wire and still used the old coop instead of the new small one I wanted to build. I wasn't thrilled about it but as long as it kept the chickens out of my gardens who the heck cares what it looks like, right?

Even longer story shorter, we spent this past Saturday & Sunday in the 95+ degree heat building fence and stringing wire. Oh the joy!! Check it out!!!

South West corner looking North


Northwest corner looking South at the existing chicken coop - the yellow brick building behind the trees - not the falling down barn in the back.


Northeast corner looking South


Southeast corner looking West


Southeast corner looking Northwest


We dug 16 posts, nailed in 125 wire insulators, strung a little less than 1 mile of electric wire, fixed gates, and re-arrange the inside of the coop and this is what happens:



They all go right under the wire, some get a small shock but they still go right through, others don't get a shock at all, some get shocked 3 or 4 times before they go to a different area and get through without a shock. It sounds cruel but I assure you it's a very tiny zap! Something like a 9 volt battery on the tongue.

Now we have to figure out what to do to make them stay in their pens!!!

I'll let you know what we come up with!

Thanks!!
Christine