Life Challenges

I am beyond bone tired. This cold weather just saps the strength right from me. Yesterday I worked on wood and then last night at 11:30 pm I went up and worked on the fire at Crystal's tiny house. Daisy and Indy went with me -they are so much comfort when you are staggering around out in the dark in freezing temperatures.

I came to the house and Indy was with me . Daisy came shortly after , but she was acting very strange - HIPER, off the wall, big buggy eyes and and staggering and falling down????? I could not figure out what in the world was wrong?

This went on for a couple of hours as I tried to hang onto her and sooth her. Then at 2AM I heard crystal pull in , so I called her. As she worked on that dumb stove she discovered her sleep meds were gone-Daisy had eaten 6 of her sleep meds -so she was overdosed.

She called and told me and I looked it up and they said to give 1 teaspoon of peroxide for 10 pounds- I did and she did not vomit- so it said you could repeat it once - so I did and she still did not vomit. Then Crystal came through the door and said that her girlfriend said we should take her to the vet-so we took off and got her to the vet. They gave her fluids and charcoal . Her temperature was low so they put her on a heating blanket and they kept her . We got home at 5AM and then back up at 8 . The weather is horrible and that drains me and we had a lot of running to do and then my chickens needed their water and it was late????

I am bone tired and have to get up during the night to put wood in the stove and then have a full day ahead tomorrow.... Hard to believe it will be New Years Eve!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Whew???????????????????????????

 I have worked my little "buns" off today and I am POOPED. We are having terrible cold weather and of course everything outdoors is frozen and it is hard to keep the chickens with water. I fix them hot drinks for breakfast and they really appreciate that.

Crystal was home today and she moved the wood truck to the house for me because we had a small load of kindlin on it that I needed to cut down to size. I had gone in the house and changed my shoes because my feet were frozen and my gloves too.I worked for a couple hours doing that and carrying it in place until I had the truck unloaded.

Then Crystal brought a truck load of monster wood up to the wood buster and we spent the rest of the afternoon busting these all up. So, for now we do have wood. Yea. I was frozen by the time we were finished and it was getting dark so I ran around dumping out most of the ice that was in all the birds water dishes and locking them up for the night. I Hate to see them out in the cold although they do not seem to mind at all. I still miss my big outdoor woodstove that we had when DH was alive and I had all my birds in a heated building and did not worry about them. As long as I was warm - they were warm.... Not so now , since that wood stove cracked open and I went back to my original woodstove we started using in 1975. I keep having trouble getting it to put out a lot of heat for some reason???? But it certainly does help with that propane bill -that heat I tried the year that DH passed and it cost between 600.00 and 700.00 a month for that  and I did not have that kind of money????  I don't know how people afford heat these days?????

This is my "not so pretty sewing project" but very Helpful project of tonight. At my back door is a glass door and of course it leaks air like a sifter.  With these below freezing temperatures and high winds we have been having it has been a nightmare, since this is in the kitchen.

I Love the light -that is why I chose the glass door. So I bought a clear vinyl shower curtain and then sewed a piece of fabric across the bottom of it as it was not long enough for the door. BUT, the fabric was TOO THIN and the air just poured through it . So, yesterday I had killed one of my outdoor jackets. I mean wore it slam out -so tonight I laid it in the floor and cut a level piece all the way across front and back and then I sewed it to the back of the sheet fabric and low and behold all that nice quilted piece of fabric has stopped the wind from flying through! YEA!!!!!!!!!!!!! Might be really ugly from the outside as you can see all my rips and tears in the jacket but if it helps keep my frozen feet alive - I am happy with it -as nobody else will see it , except for Crystal and the pups and kitties. This freezing stuff is MISERABLE!!!!!!!!!!!! So, you have to fight Cold with ????? What ever you have available , Right????????????? LOL

Merry Christmas

All of that hard work all year long comes to a close for the year. But it is thrilling to know that you have made something that your family members might use and enjoy??? Cory is my oldest son, but the middle child . He has lost so much weight this summer and fall I almost do not recognize him. He usually does not like homemade gifts but he was a great sport because he received two turkey callers so now he is warm and ready to hunt for next year. Turkey hunting is the only hunting that he really enjoys. But he works so hard all the time that I worry about him.

Tracy is his co-partner in crime for all of these years . Has raised 5 babies of her own and now 2 angels from our family. She is a great Mom and she homeschools so you know how dedicated she is.


Ashley is her daughter that she and Cory raised and she has married this dashing young man , named Timothy who is just a God-send. A real family man that I love dearly. Both of them love their family and work hard to take care of them. I was so thrilled when they sent me this picture of the matching caps I made them for hunting.  Ashley always trys to send me pictures and they mean the world to me that she cares enough to include me.


Their two little french-fries (my nickname for little people), wearing their caps.  

 But you know how little french-fries are - they are mainly out for the toys! LOL

I seem to get a smile from my daughter, who is the oldest of the brood with this shirt as she loves her guns. lol  I am sure it did not tickle her "Funny bone" as much as the gift she gave me - a HEATED JACKET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Man is that thing TERRIFIC!!!!!!!!! It even has heated pockets ... She tried with the heated socks , but I cannot make them stay on. They have some kind of safety feature I believe to make the batteries last longer ,but you only have them on for a few minutes and they turn themselves off???????? At the moment my feet are freezing and I tried to put them on just to warm my feet up but they would not even last that long?????????? GRRRRR. But, it was a great idea.

Rosie had a great Christmas because my "sister-chick" from Tenn. sent her gifts and she was having a high ole time.

She also sent the pups treats for Christmas too .  Friends are such great gifts.  I had a funny event . I had stored a bushel of apples in the basement and had gone down about a week ago and the basket was half empty?? No  mess - no sign something had eaten them???? So last night I went down to bring what was left up and low and behold - not a single apple was left???????????????????? Merry Christmas to the apple bandit??????????lol

Peek A Boo

                                     A new day is at hand and someone is a sleepy head.

                                There seem to be several sleepy heads at my house this morning.

And my little couch all decked out in Christmas colors that came from Mallie , the daughter of my best friend , who passed away this summer. These were her pillows . I sure do miss her.  We helped each other survive Christmases during the hard years . I wish she did not have to go so early.  I had planned for her to go AFTER me , as I am the oldest -so something went wrong with my plan somewhere along the way.

It was a lovely day here and after I got all the chores caught up Charlie(an old friend) took me to town to pick up one of my pups heart medicine.. While I was there at the vet a couple came in and were bringing their little dog to be put to sleep . You could tell he had a really bad heart and I was getting ready to break down with them. I really do not handle death well at all.

Then we went to the local "fruit-stand" and I bought two big bags of loose beans. I told Charlie that if it came a big snow -we could at least have beans to eat..

Then he took me to Rural King and bought me a pair of boots and fleece lined leggings for my Christmas present. I was "over the moon" thrilled.

These are really comfy and I am hoping now my feet will quit freezing. Friends really are a gift.

An I Don't Know Day?

I had loaded the car last night so I could get an early start this morning delivering a few gifts and mailing a few. It was very dark and overcast and I was grateful because the sun had been giving me a problem driving. I did get the first stop at the post office and got the gifts mailed - only to realize how close to the deadline I really was ????? Time had really got away from me.

Then I headed out to deliver the next two and caught one of my friends at home and got to visit with her for a brief spell. I tried not to take up too much of her time because she was trying to clean her house for her daughter to come in today.... She divided her seasoned wood with me . I hated to take her wood as she pays for hers and I have wood , but just cannot manage to get enough cut to let it season out?? and the wood I have does not put out much heat.

Then the last friend must have been working so I left her gifts on her porch and headed home. Home Sweet Home - all safe and sound . My eyes keep me so scared and I always thank God for delivering me home safely......

I was tired and needed a lunch break so I took the time and watched a wonderful Christmas movie! How much fun was that . I have a friend who always watches Christmas movies and talks about how much she enjoys them, but this was my first time in years -so it truly was a treat.

But my good mood was to be diminished. A vehicle went flying up by the side of my house and I looked at the clock and thought it was too early for Crystal to be off from work? But she had bought me some heated socks and they needed batteries and I had got them today and got enough for her too-so I decided to walk up and feed the donkey and give them to her-only to discover it was Not Crystal- it was my brother-in-law and he just stated he was going in the back to help himself to parts for his truck from one of my old trucks?????  Not even bothering to ASK. I was very upset with him because he would have nothing to do with my husband when he was alive and now he wants to act like he owns the place. ????? So, I was in a bad mood for a while?

Why Do They Always Hate a Bath?

I had planned to deliver some gifts today -But- my plans were changed when I discovered that something had got into one of my pigeon cages last night and murdered two of my pigeons. So, I spent most of the day working to make the area stronger, but while I did Indy managed to find some kind of perfume that he thought I would love???????????????

Needless to say, I did not have the same appreciation for it that he did -so here he is drying himself off and helping to get my mind off of losing my precious pigeon, Jammas? He was so special to me- solid white with feathers down his little legs and a funny little waddle when he walked. He always made me smile each morning when I went out to feed.

It gets very discouraging to lose animals that you try so very hard to protect and care for?

I wanted to hide my face in the blanket too - and have a good cry.

But Indy's funny antics helped ease the pain and make me smile at him. I do not know if it was what killed my birds or not , but Indy and Daisy caught something up under the chicken building in an area that I could not see into and they barked and howled and carried on for about an hour. I did move the rest of the pigeon family into a building that I hope is safe for the night. We will see what tomorrow brings. I hope it is not more heartache.

Need to do????????????

What a picture, did not even capture the lights??? Grrrr!

Another set of towels for gifts. I actually made these two to trade a set I already wrapped up, as these will be more suitable for my neighbor than the roosters I had wrapped and I need the roosters for a friend who loves chickens as I have run out of roosters. Gosh, gets confusing, doesn't it? LOL

I even thought the little heart buttons were cute that I put on them.


I actually have one more gift I would like to make but I have almost sewed and wrapped myself out of my sewing room??????? Plus, I need to work on some more wood as tomorrow is suppose to be pretty and then lots of rain and cold at night. Shoot , I need to work on the heat tape outdoors. Darn it, need to do,need to do-life sure is busy.

O Come ON - Give Me A Break

I was totally overcome yesterday morning because I got up and was working and heard a "terrible" noise and ran to see the 150 gallon aquarium whole side had busted open and all that water was spraying all over the wood stove and drowning the living room and down the hall to the bedrooms? I FROZE. It was cold in the house and now where I was in drowned sock feet plowing through water trying to figure out what to do??? I grabbed my water hose I use to change out the water but it was like a straw compared to what was squirting all over the place. So, I ran and called Crystal , who flew down to help me. She was a life saver as she ran and got the water vac and I used it and she used buckets to help catch what was flowing down from the tank. It was a total nightmare-

Then last night a cold front moved in and we had 40 mph winds that ripped Crystal's greenhouses all to pieces AGAIN... The wind whipped down the chimney and where this wood does not put out good heat I could not get the stove to heat up to temperature and smoke poured out into the room. It was horrible , you could not breath and tears were running from my eyes. I kept jumping up to open the front door to let the smoke escape, but the wind was so strong it almost throwed me off the stoop. So I crocheted a rope and tied the front door to a screw in the house and then I could open the door and the wind would hold it open, but not yank me out the door or break the glass door. It was a constant battle and I could not go to bed until 4;30Am when it calmed down so that make me feel terrible today on 4 hours sleep. I finally got the living room back together and all the rugs and towels washed where we had used to catch the water.... I was so pooped.

So, I drug around today getting the critters taken care of as everything was frozen . It was 20 and I finally got back in the house and made another Christmas present. This memory pillow for my best friend's daughter . This was a shirt that Debbie wore while taking care of her patients .

Then  I made this panel and attached it to the shirt and turned it into the memory pillow. Of course I cried while I worked on it. I miss my best buddy so very much. She was always a gift to me.

I wrapped the pillow and the poncho I had made for the granddaughter and stepped out to get some wood for the stove and heard this terrible sound?????????????????? It was coming from my critter building so I took off running and sure enough the pipes had burst and it was flooding and water was spraying everywhere??????????????????????????????????????? I ran back down to the house and figured out how to turn the water off and then back up to the building and grabbed my drill and a drill bit and went to drilling holes in the floor - hoping to drain the water before it made it to all of my chicken runs and freeze their little feet????? Of course my battery went dead so I grabbed the shop vac and went to vacuuming ????

My feet were now soaked and I was shivering because I did not even have a  jacket on- I just went out to grab a piece of wood ??????????????????????????  I haven't got over yesterday's disaster !!!! Now this......

Crochet Poncho

I made this poncho for one of my granddaughters. I am not for sure what I think of it but I needed a pattern that did not take a lot of time -since I am running out of minutes. It did not call for the fringe , but I thought it needed Something to spiff it up a tad???? Looks like a skirt at the moment, doesn't it . lol

It was such a busy day that Indy is washing his feet getting ready for bedtime. The temps got up in the 40's so we spent most of the day outdoors working and for a person who is not feeling much energy due to loss of sleep - I think we accomplished a lot.

Indy decided to say his prayers and we both are so grateful for a lovely day. All of the chores got accomplished . The chickens look good -Yukon was still on his feet and moving around . Crystal started busting wood and I joined her when I had finished.

Bandit is recovering from his Lyme Disease. I Hate that stuff.

Daisy tried to sneak her bone into our bed and had to settle for the chair. At least she is very happy with her chewing.

My precious Mocha is just like me - buried under her cover and Hating the cold weather.

And last , but not least is sweet Coco , who is laying right beside the wood stove soaking up the heat. Chihuahuas really do not like cold weather- Wonder if I was a chihuahua in another life???????

End of the Week-where did it go?

Indy went out to check to see how much more of this white stuff had dropped in????????

Daisy wanted to know what was Up Under this stuff???????????????????????????????

I agreed with Daisy - it was EVERYWHERE !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Indy decided to dig up one of his treasured feathers that he had been playing with.

What else is hidden up under there?????????????????????????????????

You want me to do What???? I'm heading towards the house.

After all of their hard work outdoors I carried in a load of wood and fixed the fire and worked on some Christmas gifts. I am getting closer to finishing. Just a few more- I can see light at the end of my tunnel???????????????

Ugh!

Still NOT ENJOYING this sneaky snow that has come to visit us.  Cold and miserable and will make my wood pile go down very fast.

But to make the misery go easier I received a beautiful birthday gift from my beloved friend, June. I nicknamed her "Junebug" because she is like a breath of Summer to me and I appreciate all that she does for me , which is a lot. She sent me this wonderful package of WOOL socks and gloves to help me work out in the miserable winter weather and I appreciate them so very much. The socks are even helping my frozen feet in the house.

While on the puter this morning I took one of those "side trips" and ran across this sewing tip on hemming knits and just thought I would share it as that white stuff continues to fall-Grrr.

https://www.raegunramblings.com/2014/09/how-to-hem-knits.html#_a5y_p=5277615

Hummmm??? Something else does not like the cold - I can hear it over my head in the roof crawl space and the pups are even looking up?????

Crazy Day

I had stayed up late last night/this morning to work on presents and decided I would work on some this morning first thing also-so I crawled back in bed with my pups and worked on a poncho for a couple of hours-thinking it would give time for the temperatures to warm up before I headed outdoors to do the chores?? When I came to a stopping point I went to the front door to grab some wood and could not believe what my eyes were seeing???????????????????

There were my sweet little Helleborus with a blanket of white on them - and No - the weather was not calling for this ? I went right straight and checked to see if this stuff had sneaked in on me -but no mention of it until a chance of snowflurries Tomorrow???????????????????? So I went right straight  and threw on a bundle of clothes, including my new wool socks that June had sent me for my birthday! I got all the chores accomplished and down to the building and pulled up two cart loads of what I call "junk wood" -to burn during the day because it does not put out much heat and burns up very fast. It is going much faster than I am happy about. I was trying to hard to get a month ahead, but it does not look like that, maybe a couple weeks at the most and that is giving it my best. The stuff that is left from the big wild cherry is TOO BIG for me to manhandle -no matter how hard I try.  Plus, the wood truck has a problem and we cannot use the 4x4 so we can only take it in the woods when it is bone dry or it just spins and won't go-plus now she is out of gas. Have you noticed that as long as we are living -we always seem to Need Something? Grrrr!

I managed to get one of my friends a fleece cap made which I was so very proud of UNTIL I noticed I had cut the band upside down!!!!!!!!!!!! I was so heartsick . It is still warm and soft and pretty colors and the kitties would be cute - But - let's face it - I screwed up. Is it my eyes or my brain????

I did much better on another friend's cap. She loves to fish and I wanted to surprise her with something no store would have so I embroidered a fish on her cap and it turned out very nice. I do hope she can enjoy it????? At least nobody else will have one like it. lol

See, I really was "burning the midnight oil" - I got another friend a ruffle scarf completed. I hope all my friends do know they are welcome to donate the gifts to charity but just know that they were thought of and loved and that is a gift too.

Now finally after a week of wanting it - I have a potful of SOUP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think Crystal and I were both "dragging butt" this morning. She was a little bit late leaving for work and was still sore and miserable from the tires. I was still sore from the wood chopping spree but on we go to a new day.

I headed out to check on the new little chicken coop that I completed. Well, it needs a coat of paint but that will have to wait for warmer weather again. I was so excited to use my new little cord that I pull and open the door for them and out them came. I did the chores and peeked in on them again and saw that the two young roosters were bulling my two favorite favorolles hens! Hum! That got my dander up as I really built this for just them-they are special to me -Tea-berry and Tabitha are their names. I watched as they were being abused and decided it had to end - so I rounded up the two young roosters and tossed them in with 7 older hens and it seemed to go well and my two girls had their peace finally. For some reason they have just had a hard time getting started growing on the right foot. They are way too light in their weight and cannot afford to not be allowed to eat. After the guys were gone they fill their craws and took a nap in the warm sunshine as it streamed through that glass front.

I busted some more wood and carried some to my house and some to Crystal's tiny house . I wanted her to still have a fire when she arrived home- after dark and it worked. I will have to remember not to do that tomorrow as she will be staying the night in town with her girlfriend who lost her partner and is in grief.

Yukon took his jacket off today and he will regret that tonight as it is suppose to be colder than last night -but at least he will not be wet like the other night. I don't know why he did not stay in the barn? Donkey's can be so stubborn- a lot like most of us HUMANS!

I am working on a memory pillow for Mallie for Christmas. She is the daughter of my best friend who passed away in the Summer and she and I BOTH miss her with all of our hearts. I had asked Mallie for a shirt that her Mama had wore and she sent me two-so I will turn one into a pillow with the message on it. My poor sewing room is stacked to the ceiling with gifts and it is getting hard to find room to work in there??????????

Hump Day

OK this is how the fish magnets turned out after I starched them and let them dry over night before I glued them to the magnet? Kinda cute, I think. At least my fishing buddy will know she is thought of -yet will not be a gift that will take up space. Hopefully she approves. Now to get them wrapped and shipped without getting them smooshed. lol

The day flew by because I had to take my oldest male chihuahua , Bandit in to the vet and a trip to town always takes up over half of your day. Turned out - Lyme Disease so he is on antibiotics for 28 days. My vet's name is Dr. Bruck and I just love her to death. She is so kind and so sweet and I appreciate her so very much. Of course there are two other vets in the practice and they are wonderful too. I am so very lucky to have found these wonderful professionals to help me care for my pets.

After I got home I Finally completed my new chicken yard for the little coop I built. The little chickens needed to be out as they seem to do better that way. Of course on the down side - they would not walk up the ramp into the little coop and I had to go in the run and dig them out from under the coop. Darn it. I just could not leave them out and risk a raccoon attack.

Crystal was home suffering today from where her boss had her carrying 80 pound tires at the post office and hurt her back and her leg was numb and her hands were useless. It was awful.

I  am miserable also from my yesterday with the firewood. I worked as hard as I could and am so very sore -everything hurts . Mr. Fibromyalgia really hates it when you push your limits and I Really hate him. I had treated myself to one of those little watches that measure your steps and yesterday I had reached my goal of 8000 steps or almost 3 1/2 miles . Not so today - almost 5000 steps or around two miles. But , it was turning miserably cold and suppose to just get worse and worse for the next 5 days. I guess winter really is back to visit- even Yukon is suffering. When I fed him this morning he was shivering so bad he couldn't stop. Crystal had bought him a blanket last winter , but he had no problem last winter -so I pulled it out today and sewed it on him. Not a good job-just something to get him through the night as it will be rough tonight.