Monday, June 8
It’s now after 8 p.m. Tuesday evening and I am just now getting a chance to sit down and gather my thoughts. That should tell you how my Monday was and even Tuesday for that matter. So let me try and recap Monday’s events…
I went to work at the normal time. CountryBoy dropped me off so that he could cut and split some wood. It’s terribly hot this week with temps in the high 80’s and a higher than normal humidity which makes cutting and splitting wood this time of year quite an undesirable job but he doesn’t like seeing the wood shed so bare. I stayed as long as I could take it without having much to do so CountryBoy came and picked me up at 3 o’clock. He said he had worked four hours cutting, splitting and stacking the wood and had just showered and sat for a few minutes before I called. Good timing!
We had a quick supper then I took a few minutes to talk to our guest about the awesome Thieves products from Young Living. She loved the Thieves foaming hand soaps I have up at the cabin. After that I headed to church to help strip the wax off the fellowship hall floor. It was great visiting with all those that came to help but I tell ya – it was hard work. Two hours of kneeling and sitting on the floor scrubbing as hard as you can with a scrub brush. Thankfully there were enough of us there that we were able to finish the last half of the entire floor. I am not free to help out the rest of the week so I wanted to offer what time I had.
It was almost time for bed by the time I got home and I just didn’t have it in me to try and write anything.
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Farm news: I have no idea how many eggs.
Tuesday, June 9
I went in to work my normal time. Today’s the day we lay out the pages with news our editor has gathered throughout the week. I did my usual pages, caught up on email, and got a head start on next week’s ads and Classified pages. Things were going smooth albeit at a snail’s pace but there was no reason to suspect that things would come to a crashing halt with only two pages to correct and export to a printable file for the printer when the server crashed again. Thankfully the other 12 pages were on my desktop and accessible so that they could be sent to the printer leaving only two pages to start from scratch. Once the pages I had already exported were sent to the printer I left. My computer was not connecting properly to the server and the computer program we use to lay the pages out would not open. There was no point in me sticking around. Besides, we had a check-out and a check-in today and I needed to get home to help turn the cabin over. Even with a late check-out we were able to get the cabin ready in time since the guests checking in weren’t to arrive until 5:30. whew!
I came home to a hot & stuffy, humid house. I turned off the dehumidifier because it puts out a lot of heat but… we need to have it on to get rid of the humidity inside the house. As I was sitting in the dining room at my computer desk trying to install the new battery (that finally came, yay!) I was sweating and oh so sticky. My glasses kept sliding down my nose and I was getting irritable. Well, more irritable I should say. I was already frustrated because of work and being hot and sweaty and sticky was not helping. I told him we needed to hook up the portable AC unit downstairs if not the upstairs as well. I’m usually the one that tries to hold out installing the AC’s as long as I can but this is ridiculous to have such high temps in early June and to be constantly hot and sticky. How hot is it going to be in August? I don’t even want to think about it.
Back to the battery, it appears to be a refurbished one since there were scuffs and scratches on the backside of it. I thought I was ordering a new one. I’m OK with it as long as it works properly. I did have a time installing it. I guess it wasn’t seated correctly but CountryBoy worked with it and the computer finally recognized the battery. Then I discover that there was an issue with the power cord. I finally unplugged and plugged it back in and it started charging the battery and everything was working as it should be. I tell ya – at that point I had had it with computers and I didn’t even think I was going to be in the mood to write tonight. But, I figured I needed to do it before I got too far behind. I’m finding that Mondays and Tuesdays are difficult days to find the time or energy to sit down and write.
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After a supper of last night’s leftovers I went to the barn to gather the rest of the eggs and to feed Mabel. While I was in Mabel’s pen I noticed another Wyandotte laying in the corner. This is the second (we only have three of that breed left) one that had been in some altercation and was left with an injured eye and maimed backside of the neck. Only this time the altercation resulted in a bloody mess and I’m afraid she is not going to make it. She is very heavy and swollen in places and I fear she may be bleeding internally.
I carried both of them out this evening and put them in the front yard to roam and be away from the other chickens. Not having the time to hang out in the barn there is no way we can know what is happening or who is being a bully. We’ll have to come up with a plan.
At each obstacle these days I find myself saying ‘I don’t know how much more I can take’. At each discovery of something ruined in the cabin I think ‘I don’t know how much more I can take’. At each discovery of an animal needing extra care I think ‘I don’t know how much more I can take’. I probably just need a good vacation but who’s got time for that? Or maybe one less job. Some day. I am thankful those feeling usually pass fairly quickly and I am, once again, simply plugging away each day.
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Farm news: 32 eggs and two injured chickens
Wednesday, June 19
I tell ya, it’s been a week already! First off, the injured chicken did not make it. It aggravates and upsets me. We put the second one in the chicks & turkeys cage. The young’uns are able to go in and out but the entrance is not large enough for the other big chickens to get in or her to get out. She seems quite content to stay in there. I think she knows she’s safe and is enjoying her special treatment.
Second, it was a long, hot day at the B&B. I was sweating so bad as I was folding sheets and ironing I thought I might have to wash the sheets again, ha! I did not get outta there fast enough before I was asked if I could stay so that one of the girls could go to town and pick up some printing they had done. I called CountryBoy really quick before committing to see if the check-out went OK and the cabin was ready for today’s check-ins. He said it was all done so I agreed to stay. I made it home just before 5:30. Needless to say, I am happy to be sitting on the couch with my feet up and my laptop on my lap writing this here journal entry. yay for the new laptop battery!
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I’m pondering my next project. I have discovered that I always need to have some sort of project going on. Otherwise, I feel like I’m just spinning without any focus. Projects also help me relax after such long days and weeks of doing all the stuff that has to be done on a daily or weekly basis. Back to the project – I found another crochet pattern that I really like the look of and I’m thinking about giving it a go. I have to check my yarn stash and see if it’s doable. I’m also thinking of designing a plant shelf of some sort to set all my plants on in one area rather than scattered throughout the house. I think they will have a bigger impact if centralized on one surface. We’ll see. But I do like the idea. I just need to find a suitable space with enough light so I know what size area I’m working with. I’m also wanting to do another weaving project. And, of course, there are Dremel projects floating around my head as well. It’s truly difficult having so many hobbies!
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Tomorrow’s my Friday and I have to say I am looking forward to some me time and time at home. That’s one thing about working – being able to look forward to the weekend. It makes that time that much more enjoyable.
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I’m sorry this blog post doesn’t have any photos to share but I’ve just not had the time. I did take a photo of our poor mangled chicken but it’s not a pleasant photo so I will not share it. What I will share is a photo from 2018 when we ventured to Rock Bridge in the Red River Gorge area…
On these hot, steamy days I would love to be here right now. I think it’s time for another trip back there.
Speaking of hot our upstairs was stifling when I went up to change clothes this evening. CountryBoy installed the portable AC unit to combat the heat. Maybe we’ll sleep a little more comfortably tonight.
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Farm news: 32 eggs
I picked two sugar snap peas yesterday and shared one with CountryBoy. We took a bite and did a sugar snap toast to the first of our sugar snap harvest and to our first time growing them. They were delicious!
Dream Valley Farmstead 