All I Want . . . .

All I want is a good night's sleep. Now, I know that doesn't sound like it should be too much to ask - or obtain - but, lately, it's been tough! We've been burning the proverbial candle at each end . . . and everywhere you can reach the wick in between! Neither of us have ever worked so hard in our lives - or been so sleep-deprived. But, we're hoping that if we can just get over the hump of this week, we should (might) make it!

Tom was gone all last week (Sunday through Thursday) for work - it's been extra busy for him lately since his company just acquired a small company out in New Jersey. He's been required to make trips to Jersey (flying in and out of Philly - yuck!) as well as many more to the Big Shitty (the Twin Cities).

We finished the last of the projects on the house yesterday in order to put it on the market. Now the matter lies in my hands: because of the construction, the house looks like a tornado hit it. So, my focus this week is cleaning, cleaning, cleaning - in addition to keeping on top of the daily stuff as well as what's going on up at the property (HA)! Right now, it feels like it's a losing battle, but I know I will prevail - I HAVE to!

Yesterday afternoon we met with an old farmer / logger and one of his sons. They've purchased a timber harvest directly north of our property, and it's land-locked to practical access. So, they were meeting with us to see if they could run a logging road through our forty. Because we found a route of least impact and visibility and because we know it will turn into a "you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours" type of deal that will benefit us in the long run, we gave them permission. But, of course, that will make the summer busier yet with logging trucks running up and down our road and driveway! But, we'd certainly rather have it happen now than next summer when we'll be settled and living there!

Maisy 2, woodchucks 0. On Saturday morning, Maisy flushed a young woodchuck out of a woodpile up at the property and killed it. (How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?) Or, she killed it in the process of flushing it out. Whatever. When Tom was showing me the spot later in the day, BAM, a rustle of underbrush, a flash of red (Maisy), and she had another. Having been right there this time, we immediately made her "Drop it!" . . . which she begrudgingly did, with a little assistance from us. The poor little guy wasn't dead, and we were hoping he'd make it. But, it was eventually clear that he was better off put out of his misery. I tell ya, life is never boring out "in the woods!"