So, the new year is upon us again.
No resolutions here. I have too much damn stuff on my MUST DO list to indulge myself in the mental masturbation of "should dos" and "want to dos" in the coming year.
I MUST put up more fencing. I MUST have a decent garden. I MUST get my milking section of the barn completed before the new kids arrive. I MUST build a chicken house/yard. I MUST get more chickens. I MUST get in a better heating system before next winter. I MUST, I MUST I MUST!
The entire list is way too long to set down here, but, trust me, there is no room for the pipe dreams of resolutions.
********************
Our water heater bit the big one.
This is bad.
One of my few joys here is taking a long HOT soak in the tub. It is cold here. VERY cold. We weren't able to get a pellet stove yet (expense), so, our heating is just a baseboard electric heater in the upstairs living room. Even with that, it is currently only about 45 or 50 in the living room. Some mornings, even lower to the point I can see my breath. Right now, I am running the clothes dryer to boost the temperature a teeny bit.
I am wearing 2 pairs of socks, thermal underwear, jeans, a t-shirt, sweater and a sweat shirt. This is inside. And I have a blanket over my lap and legs.
This is the reality of living in The Great North Woods here in the NorthEast US. It gets cold here. Damn cold.
You learn to adapt. To live with it.
Or you get the hell out.
We are staying.
So, we will have to get a new water heater, which we can ill afford right now.
Until we get one, I am heating water on the stove to wash dishes and myself. If need be, we can go over to a neighbors for quick showers.
Should be getting the water heater on Friday.
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I plan on starting a farm diary on the 1st. Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and many Colonial farmers kept farm diaries. That way I can flip through the pages and see what worked, what didn't.
I'll be doing it on actual paper, not online.
I suggest everyone keep a farm diary. Even if it's only a line or two a day, it can help you keep track of your efforts.
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Hope everyone has a terrific new year!
Showing posts with label reality. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reality. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Reality of Farm Life
Sometimes...you get hurt.
Yes, this hurt!
That is NOT my knee...that is about four inches BELOW my knee!
Nice goose-egg, huh?
How it happened:
This morning, before it was fully light, I started feeding the critters before they went into the barnyard version of "The Hallelujah Chorus" and woke up the entire county.
There were two pallets in the yard that we use to stack the old hay on before we get delivery of new hay. That way we can rotate our hay supplies by stacking the older hay bales on top of the newer ones.
SOMEONE neglected to get the pallets up and out of the way the last time hay was delivered. Usually the Darlin' Man, his son or my son moves them. I hadn't complained as I figured it would eventually get done. The damn things are almost too heavy for me to drag around. I guess I could have...but, I was being lazy, too, I guess.
Anyway, as I was feeding, my shoe caught on the edge of the wooden pallet and down I went!
My leg and ribs slammed into the pallet and the side of my face slammed into the ground.
OUCH!
I managed to not scream, although I admit to some VERY creative cussing!
I finished feeding the animals, milked Gabby the goat and crawled inside. Strained the milk and jarred it and put it in the fridge. Got the kids off to school, started a load of laundry and cleaned out the kitchen sink. Started bread dough for dinner tonight.
Oh, and THEN I cleaned off my wounded leg and put ice on it and elevated it for a bit. Took a couple of aspirin.
Now have a soft compression bandage on it, after applying some neosporin.
My son went and cleaned up all the pallets and lumber debris from our recent pen build. He also transferred Nina into the milking pen with Lily...they are buddies and Lily has been crying across the yard all day every day for Nina.
After I hang up laundry, I'll elevate my leg again for a bit.
Reality of farm life....you gotta walk it off when you are the one everyone depends on!
Yes, this hurt!
How it happened:
This morning, before it was fully light, I started feeding the critters before they went into the barnyard version of "The Hallelujah Chorus" and woke up the entire county.
There were two pallets in the yard that we use to stack the old hay on before we get delivery of new hay. That way we can rotate our hay supplies by stacking the older hay bales on top of the newer ones.
SOMEONE neglected to get the pallets up and out of the way the last time hay was delivered. Usually the Darlin' Man, his son or my son moves them. I hadn't complained as I figured it would eventually get done. The damn things are almost too heavy for me to drag around. I guess I could have...but, I was being lazy, too, I guess.
Anyway, as I was feeding, my shoe caught on the edge of the wooden pallet and down I went!
My leg and ribs slammed into the pallet and the side of my face slammed into the ground.
OUCH!
I managed to not scream, although I admit to some VERY creative cussing!
I finished feeding the animals, milked Gabby the goat and crawled inside. Strained the milk and jarred it and put it in the fridge. Got the kids off to school, started a load of laundry and cleaned out the kitchen sink. Started bread dough for dinner tonight.
Oh, and THEN I cleaned off my wounded leg and put ice on it and elevated it for a bit. Took a couple of aspirin.
Now have a soft compression bandage on it, after applying some neosporin.
My son went and cleaned up all the pallets and lumber debris from our recent pen build. He also transferred Nina into the milking pen with Lily...they are buddies and Lily has been crying across the yard all day every day for Nina.
After I hang up laundry, I'll elevate my leg again for a bit.
Reality of farm life....you gotta walk it off when you are the one everyone depends on!
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