Just one of those weeks

I haven't posted in about a week.  Wow, where did the time go? 

The week didn't start out well.  Great Grandparent (GGP) was visiting and brought the dog.  I told GGP that last time the dog was over (the week before when I was out of town for a week) that two of my chickens were killed.  GGP said, "how do you know it was my dog?"  Since I can't strangle my parent, or even blow my top...it was tempting though... I said that Big Dog and Yip Yip don't chase chickens.  Your dog does.  And it chases my ducks too.  Just watch the dog when it's outside.  GGP called the dog over and said, "be a good girl and don't chase chickens".  The next morning GGP called me over to say the dog had something in the back lawn.  Our pet rooster.  Yip-Yip's best friend that she comes over and plays with.  Our dead rooster.  GGP was really upset.  Not because the rooster was dead but because the dog didn't listen to her.  Yep, can't wait until I'm that age and my mind starts to not make much sense.  Hope my kids learn the art of patience and tolerance by then.  I got smart and built a pen off my bedroom door for GGP to put the dog into.  Will GGP use it next week when I leave for a week?  Doubt it.  I wonder how many more chickens I'll lose?   

I sat down at the computer to write the other night and ended up playing a computer game instead.  My Freecell score is 144 wins out of 145 games since I was given this computer by Max in Colorado.  Every once in a while I sit down to see if the computer will catch me.  It hasn't in quite a while, I think the second or third day I had the computer. 

Son told me that he left the garage gate open and something strewed the garbage all over the yard.  I could have been anything and they weren't able to pick up any tracks to see what they had rummaging through Bug-out renters trash.  At least the pile is getting smaller since every time they come into town they bring some more trash to throw out. 

The next door neighbor at the bug-out place lives in the big city and comes up there once a week.  He has a couple horses, a steer, calf, and goat on the property.  He doesn't have a well and he hauls water in the back of his truck each week.  My son said he was going to offer setting up a pipe from my property to the neighbors so he can use our water.  I said no.  It's fine for son to check to make sure the animals haven't run out and give them some water if they do, but I don't want anyone to not have an incentive to put in their own well, or to not pay for the use of mine because we offered.  I have no idea what type of shape my well is in, or the pump for that matter.  I don't want to wear it out.  Now, if the neighbor asks to barter something or somehow compensates for the water, that's another story.  Again, son can make sure that the animals don't run out of water.  I wouldn't want that to happen but so far the neighbor has made it up each week.  If I offered my water I wonder if he'd not make it up to check on them as often?

The neighbor called me yesterday to tell me that one of his horses was killed by a bear.  Son confirmed that he was walking up the road with grandson on the way to the school bus and they saw the bear over by the pond.  If the bear is out killing horses and is seen during the day there's something wrong.  Son, you need to make sure you are armed when you are outside and the little ones shouldn't be running too far away from the house.  Mountain lion at my place, bear at the bug-out place.  What's next?  How about deer?  That I wouldn't mind in the freezer!

Big dog's leg hasn't gotten any better, so since I'm leaving for a week in just a few days I figured I'd better get her to the vet.  I don't like the vet.  $650 is the least the vet bill ever costs.  It's not going to be any different this time.  He was able to figure out that the problem is at her knee, not her hip.  But he couldn't tell if it was broken, if the ACL was torn, or just what the problem was, other than lots of swelling and she didn't want to be touched on her knee.  She needs to be knocked out for x-rays and then fixed of whatever the problem is.  She also has a cyst on her front leg that will be drained, tested, or whatever needs to be done.  At least she doesn't have any foxtails! 

The grand kids want me to get the new job I applied for because I told them I'd take them out to eat a couple times per month if I did. Now instead of loving Taco Bell, Jack in the Box, etc. they are pointing out Applebees, Olive Garden, et al. Sorry kids. How about once a month at Yougertland instead? Me, I want to get the job so I can pay off the house before I retire and also put up more preps. I have no other desire to spend the extra money on anything else.  The recruiter for the new job I want called to tell me more about the job.  All sounds good except the pay is $10,000 a year less than what I was expecting it to be.  It didn't sound very negotiable.  Put me in a rotten mood.  But then I got back into a good mood considering it's still a lot more per year than I make.  That along with retirement money from my job I have now, and I'll be set.  Interviews are in a couple of weeks. 

I have about half the fruit trees trimmed.  Then I remembered the 175 feet of figs along the back of the property.  I haven't trimmed those in about 10 years.  I just let the animals trim them for me.  I should get out there and trim those properly.  That's my task for tomorrow.  Boy is stacking firewood rounds.  Oldest daughter's husband dumped a huge load of mostly stove length rounds when their tree fell over last April.  It was too heavy to do anything with.  Now it's dried out enough for Boy to handle.  Girl, she's going to be working in the garden.  She'd rather stack the wood but she's just out of the cast for her broken finger so she doesn't get to do the hard stuff, only the boring stuff.   

It's less than 3 months until the holidays are upon us.  I'm making all home made food gifts this year.  My plan was to make hot sauce.  I bought new bottles, including the plastic squirter insert, the caps, and also shrink wrap to make it look professional.  The only problem was my peppers decided not to cooperate.  Last year I was up to my eyeballs in peppers.  This year, two plants grew.  That's not even enough for us.  But I do have last year's peppers soaking in vinegar.  They've been in the mixture since they were picked a year ago.  Tabasco soaks for 3-6 months.  Mine should be perfect!  Blend them up, add whatever I want to make it unique.  Cap, seal, GIFT! 

We have had a bumper crop of okra.  I wonder if anyone wants dried okra?  Doubt it.