The True Tales of a Lady Homesteader

I Guess I Have a Lot to Say

2012-02-02T15:07:00.008-06:00

(I wrote this this morning but only now have taken the time to edit it and post.)

Good morning! I’ve been a bit on the exhausted side lately, mentally & physically, so I really let myself sleep in this morning. Ahhhh, bliss! Now I’m in the sunroom, dogs licking up the last vestiges of their late breakfast, strong, hot coffee at my side, and a fire crackling in the glass-fronted stove on the other side of the coffee table. Haven’t turned on the electricity yet as there’s no real need for that immediacy. It’s a balmy 31 degrees outside, and the house held at 58 overnight (with no heat).

It was an emotional week (sorry, this feels like my Saturday since I’m home), the dam being broken by a dear, dear friend who stopped into work to see me. In general, I don’t cry. I’m not a crier. But, in these last couple of years, 90% of my crying has been done in her presence! Ha! She just brings it out in me! I think it’s because I value her so much: her love, friendship, hard words of truth. We’ve had two of those (latter) conversations in the years of our friendship: the one this past week and the other near the end of my marriage when I was complaining to her over drinks, and she told me, in no uncertain terms, that she didn’t think I was being fair to my (then) husband – was being too harsh on him. Of course, at that point, we still didn’t know about his extra-curricular activities. Ahem. BUT, I digress.

When she came in to shop and visit with me this week, she reiterated what another long-term friend had said a couple of months ago (about me and my current situation at Swamp River Ridge). Asked the question, “WHY?! Why am I [as they both perceive it] beating my head against the wall? Why am I being so stubborn? SO STUBBORN?! Why can’t I let it go? It’s just a house, after all!”

When the first friend said this, I felt like I’d been slapped in the face. To me, it finally hit home that, in all these 30 years, she didn’t know me. At all! Didn’t know how important Swamp River Ridge is to me. Now, this day or so ago, this second friend was saying it, too. Saying, “It’s JUST A HOUSE!"

So, how do I explain? I felt like telling her (Friend #2) to go back and read this blog from the beginning . . . maybe THEN she’d understand me? (She’s not a big computer person – doesn’t read the blog.) This blog is where I feel I best express, am the most honest with the struggles and joys, have been able to express through the years the Sense of Place I have here. The wonder, the comfort, the PEACE I have here.

Yes (and no), the house IS just a house. But, by the same token, it’s my baby: I designed EVERY. SINGLE. INCH of it. I know it inside and out. That said, I’ve often thought about what I’d do if, God forbid, the house burned down. Would I move? Give up? NO!

Because, it’s NOT just the house, it’s this PLACE, Swamp River Ridge. I would rebuild. Or live in the garage (if it hadn’t burned). Or the tiny trapper cabin. I would still BE HERE.

I feel like the life I lead here at Swamp River Ridge, along with the house and the property, is my legacy. I WANT TO BE “that woman who lived out in the woods all by herself”, despite the hardships. I don’t exactly welcome them (the hardships), but it’s all part-and-parcel of this very specific way I’ve chosen to live my life. It’s all very purposeful. I feel like this place I’ve chosen to live, this lifestyle means something.

Maybe a lot of people see me as martyring myself? Maybe that it’s it. I dunno. Maybe their point is that in this day and age, I don’t HAVE to live this way. I DO have choices. Choices to live an EASIER life. But, that’s just my point that I can’t seem to express properly to them: I have and continue to CHOOSE THIS LIFE. Until I absolutely, either physically or financially, no longer can.

Maybe these choices I’ve made beg another question: when friends ask how I’m doing, how things are going, maybe I don’t have the “right” to roll my eyes in frustration over the batteries dying, the inverter failing, the plow falling off. That old adage of “don’t complain about the things you can change”? But then, those things ARE my life. I don’t share them so people will think “oh, gosh, we have to do something to help her OUT – get her out of that situation!” No, I’m sharing them because they asked how I am. “I’m fine! Good! Just some of the usual frustrations with living the single life, off-grid, but then . . . that’s just another day in paradise, right?”

Was my life here completely side-lined, sent down another track when my (ex)husband decided to up and leave two years ago? Absolutely. He took the income away that Swamp River Ridge (and its debt) were built on, promised on (not to mention the marriage commitment). Which is why I’m having such a hard time paying my bills with no nest egg stashed for the necessities of batteries wearing out, emergencies like the inverter failing. But, if there’s ANY chance I can salvage my dream from the ashes of those broken promises, WHY wouldn’t I?

The only thing I’ve done wrong (and I don’t think it’s boastful to label it the “only thing” as I feel it’s true) was to not better budget the relatively small settlement I received from the divorce. I don’t feel like I spent the money foolishly, but I didn’t budget for the future, this future I now find myself in. That was my big, fat, stoopid error. BUT, it’s also over and done now. No going back. I can only go forward.

I equate myself, my lifestyle with the farmers, settlers of old. If their crops were finally bountiful come harvest time, and they were looking forward to paying off their debts with the income . . . and then a hail storm came that flattened it all overnight, both dreams and the cash crop . . . did they give up? Did they move to town (figuratively AND literally)? No, they tightened their belts even further, pulled up their bootstraps, and planted again in the spring. In as much as it’s possible, that’s what I am doing. That’s what I want to be doing!

Could I be continuing to exist here without “a little [lot] help from my friends”, i.e. loans, extensions of credit? No. But, wasn’t that the same for the old Norwegian farmers, settlers? The feed lot extended their credit, the general store let them run a longer tab.

And, we (them then and myself now) look forward to the day when we can repay our debts.

Unless “Pa got pneumonia” or I break my leg, we move on. Call it “plodding”, if you like, “shoving that boulder up the hill”, but I look at it as Life. Life’s challenges. NO life is easy if you’re constantly pushing for what you WANT, for what makes you most happy.

Well! How was that for a bit of an unintended rant?! ;) (1,200 words later, my document’s counter tells me!)

But, back to the practical matters of the day . . .

As many of you suspected, insurance will NOT cover the inverter failure. It only would if it had been caused by an “event”. Fire, lightning strike, etc. I knew it was a long-shot, anyway, but it was worth a try. What I *am* going to try, though, is contacting the manufacturer now. Off-Grid Guru #1, back in November when I started complaining of inverter failure, was loathe to go there simply because, “nope, it wouldn’t be the inverter”. It had to be something else. Off-grid Guru #2 tells me that Guru #1 was right in ASSUMING it wouldn’t be the inverter because, in all of his 18 years of this kind of work, he’s NEVER had one of these inverters die like this. Soooo, even tho it’s another long-shot, it’s worth any potential positive outcome to contact the maker to let them know how unacceptable this failure is.

Warning: epiphany! It just struck me (as I was going to the bathroom – where it seems my best thinking happens – ha!) that there is an analogy that can be made between myself and Explorers. Specifically (ugh & double ugh!!!), one like the ex’s BFF, Explorer Guy, who just “failed” his second attempt to solo summit Denali in January:

“Why climb the mountain? Put yourself in a life-threatening, miserable situation?” Answer: “because it’s there”. Explorers have this inexplicable drive to do so. Could they stay at home with their feet propped up in front of the fire? Avoid frostbite and having to haul every bit of waste that exits their body back down the mountain with them? Avoid living in 4x6 snow cave for 5 days? Of course. So to half of the public, the very notion of challenging oneself like this seems flat-out DUMB. But, to the other half, it’s admirable, and they whole-heartedly support it. Figuratively and financially.

So, maybe that’s me. “Why live that sort of lifestyle?” Answer: “because it’s worth it, because the rewards make all the hardship melt away.” And, maybe it’s time for me to realize that half of the people out there, even half of my closest loved ones, will understand / appreciate / envy it . . . and the other half will simply NOT UNDERSTAND IT and, what, think I’m dumb? Stubborn? Banging my head against the wall for no gain? Whereas *I* see it as banging my head against the wall so I can eventually break through. ;) Yep, that’s it!!! Brings a smile to my face to figure out a way to explain it!!!

Back to the inverter and electrical system. (Is anyone still reading? I’m at 1,655 words now!) So, I will contact the manufacturer but not hold my breath for a replacement/reimbursement. Guru #2 has a used inverter that is the same exact model as my dead one. Installing it would not involve making any changes to the existing wiring, etc. He can sell me that one for $1,500. Not free, but better than $3,500! And, who knows, maybe – since these do not normally fail – it would work for another 20 years! (Which is about how long I expected the first one to last!) So, I will contact him today to inquire about the option of a payment plan. If that works, I’ll have him ship it so it can be installed by Guru #1.

STILL, I’m left with the difficulty of a system that cannot ever be “left” due to the in-floor heat tubes (and their potential for freezing). This is not, nor has it ever been, a good situation. When the system was chosen, bought, installed, how I WISH my ex had said, “Uhhh, maybe we shouldn’t go with a system that needs constant supervision - electricity - because what if our power system fails or, you know, I unexpectedly leave you and you have limited money to maintain it all?!” HA! Of course, everything in hindsight! ;)

Anyway, I have an e-mail in to the installer, asking how I can drain the system when necessary. Because, as I’ve said before, I can live here with no or little electricity absolutely comfortably . . . were it not for that.

Even better, as I lay in bed last night, I realized that there are several drain taps and “off levers” on the various pipes and tubing. I think I might have the potential to drain the line(s) that come from the Central Boiler (and which would freeze at that point) and run just the house’s heat (vs. the garage’s which I don’t even use yet) from the hot water heater (which is how many people heat their in-floor tubes, anyway). AND that (getting heat from the hot water heater) is something I could do that “at will”. I.e., it wouldn’t have to be “on” all the time. So, there are more options to explore there.

Another money-saving option that I’d thought about implementing with the new, full-time job in town . . . but which could now become a reality due to necessity . . . is that I've been offered access to a friend’s little cabin just outside of town. There's no electricity or running water, but, even if it were to only cut down on gasoline consumption from my little car, I could stay there on the nights between my in-town work days. Not only would I save money on gas, but I would gain over two hours (of sleep!!!) by not making the 72-mile / 2-hour trip each day. Of course, that would also be dependent on getting the in-floor heat situation changed. And, while the cats would have to fend for themselves for those days (as would the chickens and geese – and, fortunately, they’re all pretty good at that, left with enough fresh food and water), the dogs are welcome at this little cabin. And, it’s close to my folks – and I’d have to welch some electricity off them for my computer work – but that proximity would probably take a few years of worry off of them . . . waiting for my phone calls each night to say I’d make it home, safe and sound; wondering which of my systems was next going to challenge me, etc., etc. AND, I’d get more (relaxing!) time with them in comparison to the rush-rush of each morning when I drop off the dogs and race to work and then the evenings when I rush-rush pick up the dogs and head home.

Ho-lee sh*t! I just did the figuring, and it’s so worth it in miles / gas and hours alone (to take advantage of this offered cabin near town) that it make me smile! If I stayed there only 3 nights a week, I would save (are you ready?!):

201 Miles (5.74 gallons or $20.56*) and 6 Hours per Week
804 Miles (22.97 gallons or $82.24*) and 24 Hours per Month
Or 10,452 Miles (298.63 gallons or $1,069.09*) and 312 Hours (that’s 13 DAYS!!!!) a Year

*Averaging gas at $3.58/gallon and if I’m only getting 35 mpg. It’s $3.33 right now but was around $3.83 this past summer.

Hahahaha! Yes, MUST get the in-floor heating thing rearranged so I can start doing this!!!

And, with that (we’re now at 2,388 words – Z-z-zzzzzzz), I’ve exhausted my mental energy AND finally emptied my mind of these immediate stresses and queries. I’ll go out and fire up the generator, get online and post this. And get on with my day . . . a bit more light-headed! Get it: lighter, mentally? Yuk, yuk. ;)

A Good Day

2012-01-30T07:13:00.000-06:00

Believe it or not, and despite the news about my electrical system, I had a good day yesterday! It was sunny but cold, and, even though I couldn't make USE of the sun for electricity, I did enjoy it!

I was well-organized (using the laptop when the generator was off during the day), and got a decent start on some Chicken Mama Originals work. Papa Pea replaced my ooold, worn-out chainsaw chain with a brand spankin' new one on Friday, and I am IN LOVE! I'd never used a brand new one before, and even cutting up maple was like slicing through buttah. I've always "enjoyed" wood cutting, but it was a CINCH yesterday, and I got way more cut than usual. Whenever she feels I particularly need a pick-me-up, Mama Pea buys me a container of fresh mozzarella balls from a store in town. After yesterday, I told her that I want to exchange that treat out for brand new chainsaw chains from now on! Ha!! (Too bad they aren't the same price as the cheese!)

In the waning light of day and before I turned the generator on to run in the dark evening hours before bed, I got the 4.5 mile winter driveway "clean-up" plowed AND the road up to the trapper cabin and then down to the Back 40 opened up. I've got some Sheetrock stored in the old Suburban back there that I want to access yet this winter, so keeping it open is a priority. (And, I hadn't had a chance to do that since the last snow.)

Got some work on the big computer done last night as well as some ironing (taking advantage of the electricity) for work clothes this week.

Have e-mails in to all the required people regarding quotes for the HOPED inverter replacement from the insurance company. Crossing my fingers that my insurance might replace the batteries, too. Dunno WHY I didn't think of contacting them before about that!

Did some shoveling of paths, too; a batch of dog food made; some MUCH-NEEDED cleaning in the garage while the off-grid guy was here; a small amount (but still helpful!) of cleaning done in the house while it was still light; AND a batch of laundry washed and dried while the generator was on. Oh, and took a shower. ;) So, all in all, it was a solidly productive day, and those kinda days make me feel GOOD!

I hope YOUR Monday is good, DESPITE whatever struggles you may be facing!

Cheers from a chilly Swamp River Ridge (below zero this AM).

Mayday, Mayday!

2012-01-29T10:45:00.000-06:00

Another day, another crisis . . . but what's new? ;)

I returned home late last night from an after-work meeting with clients (but they provided another WONDERFUL homemade meal, so the only inconvenience was the cook's!) to NO power. The generator was running, and the garage and battery room SMELLED

I wrote the following yesterday morning before work. Now it's Sunday morning as I continue.

My off-grid systems guru just left (and, yes, an early morning Sunday service call was MUCH appreciated!!!), and the news is grim: the inverter has died. Deader than a doornail. I'd had a gut feeling that this was coming as I've been having problems with the system for quite a while, but I just didn't want to think that such an integral portion (THE integral portion) of the system would fail so "quickly". "Quickly" being relative, of course: I want to say it was installed in 2005 or so. Only 7 years of life for such a fancy, big piece of equipment? Granted, when I began researching the perceived problems with it last fall, I found out that this model is no longer manufactured BECAUSE OF its inherent problems. Luck of the draw, I guess: they didn't expect it to have these issues when it was new / built. Ooooh, I just thought of something: I wonder if insurance will cover any of this????? Isn't that what all my premiums have been for?? Will have an e-mail into my agent this afternoon!! THAT would give me SOME relief . . . because the cost for the new inverter plus labor to install it will run me between $3,600 and $4,800. HA, right?! It's only money. That I, ahem, do NOT have.

So, what does this mean for the practical, day-to-day running of Swamp River Ridge? Well, I can't use the batteries or ANY solar-gain without an inverter. So, the only source of electricity I have is the generator - which I hooked up night before last to circumvent the inverter / battery system and run power for the house. Most specifically, power for the in-floor heat pumps. Because, if those freeze (being a water-based system vs. an anti-freeze solution), I'm REALLY sunk. Of course, with no electrical system, there is no way to automatically turn the generator on when I'm away, i.e. at work. So, in cold weather, I have to be away from home for the most limited of hours. I'll run the generator in the morning before work which will activate the in-floor heat pumps. Then, it will be off during the day, and the lines will grow colder and colder. As soon as I can get myself home after work, I'll run the generator again to re-activate the electricity and heat pumps.

And, so it will go until the Money Fairy drops the ~$4,000 in my lap.

The GOOD news is that the LP company put me back on a payment plan and delivered 500 gallons of propane earlier this past week. And, as soon as I have a couple more monthly payments under my belt, they'll fill it. So, thank GAWD, I have propane to run the generator. Without that, I really would be S.O.L.

The other good news is that I can use ALL the electricity I want when the generator is running: may as well take advantage of it! So, last night, I put a movie into the DVD player which plays on my nice, large flat-screen (which I haven't used in WEEKS due to my low-power situation) and settled down with my heating pad on its highest setting (also not used in weeks for the same reason). Fortunately, Mama Pea loaned me an old-fashioned hot water bottle, so I haven't had to go to bed freezing. :)

When I got home last night, the house was a balmy 53 degrees. But, I'm augmenting the lack of heat during the day with fires in all three of the house's wood stoves. I don't feel comfortable leaving them stoked when I'm gone (since I live so far away from anyone), but I can fire 'em all up the minute I get home to a chilly house at night.

AND, even tho it doesn't pay all the bills, at least I DO have a full-time job now. Finally.

So, I can still enjoy the sunshine today (even tho it's not "doing anything" for my electrical system) and the sound of the homemade dog food bubbling away on the electric hot plate I pulled out (no sense using the stove's LP when the generator is running).

During the days when I'm home, I'll shut the generator off during the "warmth" of mid-day and do all the computer work I can on my laptop (using its battery). Then, in the evening when the generator will need to go on again, I'll transfer the day's work to the main desktop computer and printer and get THAT work done! It's a good thing I love a good challenge, eh? ;)

So, on the docket today, now that the service dude's visit is done, is wood cutting and computer work: web & graphic design and more prep to get Chicken Mama Designs fully online. Oh, and a run out and back in with the plow nearer the end of the day: the snowmobilers always make SUCH a mess of the banks, smashing them down and into the driving lane. WHAT is up with that????

Okay, on with it then. As dear, sweet My Girl said yesterday, when I went up to her little house to complain during my lunch hour, "You know, you always hear of people who do really amazing things in this world . . . who first had to go through a huge amount of really horrible stuff, first. That will be you! And, besides, it gives you a lot of content for the book you'll write one day!" No wonder I love that girl. ;)

A Busy Day Off

2012-01-26T11:32:00.000-06:00

Good morning!

Today is a day off, and I have about 52 Must Do items on my list. Ha! And, it's already 11:14. Sigh.

Annnnnd now, it's 11 minutes later, and I haven't written a thing. Just don't feel like I have much to say today!

I think my trouble is that I have so much to do INSIDE that I could/should spend the entire day here, but there are a couple of MUST DO things outside, as well, and trying to properly plan it all out is getting the better of me. Best to start SOMETHING, though, and maybe the day will fall into place.

Plus, I have a bit of a sore throat this AM which is worrisome. Bah - I don't have time (or the energy) for getting sick again! So, complain, complain. Whine, whine.

I'll just go get on with it and hopefully have a chit-chatty post in me by the end of the day! ;)

A Little Local History

2012-01-22T12:23:00.000-06:00

In the comments section yesterday, Jen wrote, "One of the things I have always loved about your new workplace is how things were stashed here and there and everywhere - a bit like a treasure hunt!" And that is SO true! For example, a customer in my housewares/kitchen area yesterday asked for help locating the spices. As I led her away from that same area and into women's clothing & shoes (where the spices are located), it struck me how STRANGE, makes-no-sense the location was! But, those idiosyncrasies ARE part of what makes this store so intriguing to so many. Anyway, thinking about this led me to the fun thought of occasionally sharing with you the items that are requested. It will show how huge and varied an inventory we have. As the unofficial slogan goes, "If we don't have it, you don't need it!"

So, the needed items my ears have been privy to lately are, in no particular order:

Cheesecloth (a big seller)
Balloons (specifically purple balloons for a 6-year old, my very first nannying charge)
Tiny gift-tag size cards with envelopes.
Girls' Crocs (we actually didn't have any)
Cribbage Board
Compass
Cat Litter Box
Electric Knife Sharpener
Fit-into-the-bottom-of-the-sink Dish Drainer
Batteries
Embroidery Floss
Electric Fan
Boxed Thank You Cards
Turkey Baster
Lemon Zester
Piggy Bank (which we have but none of us, even the people who have been there for YEARS, could find . . . until after the customer had left!)
Rawhide Dog Chews
Hair Dryer
Crossword Puzzle Books
Boxed Valentines for Children
Stainless Steel Coffee Percolator (only had aluminum & enamelware)
Small buckets with bails (as in for gift-packaging . . . and which we also didn't have)
Wrapping paper for a baby gift.

Annnnd, that's all my brain will allow me to recall. See, we really ARE an old-fashioned Variety Store!

I was going cross-eyed yesterday, FINALLY finishing up the new gift bag display, when I neared the end. I was happy to cross them off my list and also fortified to know I'd located them all and had them now ON DISPLAY. It was only then, beginning my new project of rearranging the ribbon into ONE spot . . . that I found another drawer (that I didn't know was "mine") FULL of MORE gift bags! Argh! But, by that time, I was done. DONE with gift bags. Those new (to me) ones will just wait until my on-display inventory has dwindled.

You'll have to let me know if all this info about my new job bores you to tears! But, right now, since the majority of my time is spent THERE, it's about all I have to write about! :)

I have been trying to make good use of my 1-hour lunch break and town days, though, to multi-task . . . at least regarding my town errands and business appointments. And, since I got in the lunch-hour business meeting and follow-up evening dinner appointment, I'll call it a success for this past week. If I don't have errands to run, I usually go to Mama & Papa Pea's or My Girl's (my adopted daughter's) to eat my lunch. It's a chance to try to (quickly) relax, take off my shoes, be myself. Or, if the customers/people are really getting to me, sometimes I'll just go for a drive out of town - to get away from it all.

But, speaking of shoes . . . feet, really . . . I've decided that I'm adding Foot Fetishist to the list of requirements for my new man. Since the days of our family restaurant, I've have problems with my feet, and being on them on a hard tile floor for 8 hours a day hasn't helped. Whether I wear my Birks or shoes with my custom-made orthotic inserts, they ACHE and moan and howl by the end of each day. So, a man who wants nothing more than to bathe my feet in scented bubbles at the end of each day and then rub oils into them for an hour each night as I fall asleep is high on my list of priorities! ;)

Here's a fun, Spot the Differences game for you. There are two things in this picture that should strike you as more than a little strange. Or just odd. Or just . . . well, you get the idea. So, what are they?

This old building is located behind my place-of-business store and is owned by same. It's a historical structure in our town, and I've been SO sad to learn that the owners are going to tear it down in the spring! :( We're currently in the process of removing all the inventory stored there. I have yet to go into it (it's not heated), but I'm determined to wangle the OK to take some (a lot?!) of pictures before it's demo-ed.

From a book detailing some of the history of our little town, here's what I know about the building (direct quotes are in italics).

It was built in the fall of 1908 on the corner where the current store is, several feet to the left (of the above picture) and turned 90 degrees, facing the lake.
The local paper reported the "the lower floor was to be used as a saloon and the upper floors for living apartments".
An newspaper ad from that time reads "[So-and-So's] New Place is now open with a fresh line of Wines, Liquors, and Cigars. His place is clean and up-to-date and his goods, as always, are the best that money can buy. You are Treated Right at The New Place."
The only other info that can be found for the years between the building's 1908 construction and 1914 is another ad in the paper that "stated that his building was for rent and that it contained eight rooms on the second floor and could be used for a store, hotel or restaurant. No record has been found of anyone renting the building."
The first floor was setup as a saloon and was used as such from 1909-1919. During the years of prohibition, 1920-1933, alcoholic beverages could not have been legally sold, but the first floor remained set up as a tavern. Change in the business . . . on October 27, 1922, stated that "In recent years [the owner] has conducted a soft drink and cigar store in his building."
Information about the use of the building prior to 1933 is very limited. The discovery of an old sign in the building does indicate that the second floor was used as a hotel or boarding house sometime during the years between 1909 and 1944. On the second floor there were seven rooms and only one bathroom, which was typical for boarding houses and hotels in the early part of the last century.
In 1933, the building was sold to a woman who opened an ice cream store there in July of that year. From her new store she sold what she called [Name of Our Town] Ice Cream to restaurants, hotels, Civilian Conservation Corps [CCC] camps, other stores, and to walk in customers. She used part of the second floor as her personal living quarters and rented out the other rooms. In addition to her home made ice cream she sold pies, pop, coffee and snack food, including her own home made potato chips. An ad from 1933 reads 'Announcing Our Own [the Name of Our Town] Ice Cream. The Richest and Finest Ever Made. Our freezer installation is the new and improved method of producing the finest, richest and tastiest ice cream ever known. We cordially invite you to come in and see us freeze this delicious ice cream. You'll say it's the most delicious ice cream you ever tasted - and you'll come back for more - again and again. Because it's the richest and finest ever made. Frozen fresh at frequent intervals right before your eyes. Rich, cream, velvety beyond compare - flavor that tickles your palate all the way down - our new [Name of Our Town] Ice Cream surely hits the spot. But there's really only one way to find out about it - and that's to come in and sample it for yourself! Then you'll surely want to take some home and give the family a treat. Never before has there been such a tasty ice cream as this - yet it costs no more than ordinary commercial ice cream. Anyone who has not as yet been in our store is invited to come in and sample our ice cream. Children Must be Accompanied by their parents. Price - One Quart 50 Cents.'
The space was then rented, and a cafe was operated on the first floor of the building for about a year sometimes between 1943 and the fall of 1945. An elderly woman who ran the cash register for us when we owned the restaurant and who was sister to the wife of the renters remembers working in the cafe at the time for about a year.
In 1944, the property was sold to the grandfather (now in his 90s*) of my boss for $5,000 with scheduled payments and with the stipulation that [the previous owner] would remove the old building as soon as [the new buyer] was ready to build on the lot. Because of circumstances related to WWII, [the new owner's] plans to build a new store were delayed.

*"Illegally" leaving the nursing home, he comes down on a regular basis to "work" (mostly tearing down cardboard boxes for recycling) and which, I'm told, regularly involves "stealing" salt water taffy in the candy aisle! If we can catch him at it, we're to quietly mark it down on the sheet containing his "purchases".

In 1946, a family rented and operated a cafe on the lower level of the building and lived upstairs with their children. A widower and her three children shared the upstairs with [that] family.
In December 1946 or early 1947 a[nother] . . . family rented the first floor and started a cafe called _____'s Eat Shop. They enlarged the dining area and served dinners and short-order items. In April 1947, the local newspaper reported that "the ____'s have build up quite a following for the brief time they have operated" the business. From the information available it appears that [they] operated the Eat Shop for about a year. An ad from 1947 reads 'OPEN from 5:30 a.m. to 12 o'clock Midnight. Served Regularly: Dinners and Short Orders. A good place to meet your friends after the show.'
In the summer of 1952, two brothers who ran a photo service business and men's clothing shop "rented the first floor . . . as an expansion effort . . . and for storage".
In November of 1949, my boss's grandparents received the deed for the land and building. Sometime prior to the fall of 1951, they had the building moved to its new [current] location. Since then [my employer's family] has used the building for storage space for their store. It remains as one of the oldest wood frame buildings in the business district.

So! With all this local color detailed, can you see why I'm loathe to see it torn down? Bum-mer!!!

And now, I've frittered away my entire morning getting this down "on paper". But, it's worth it to me to have it documented in the annuls of this blog.

Are YOU as sappy as I am about local history?

Uber Short!

2012-01-21T06:26:00.000-06:00

This'll be REALLY short: I allowed myself two snooze alarms this morning. :)

I had a meeting last night with a graphic design client who now wants a website! Whoo-hoo! And, he and his partner (Mama & Papa Pea's carpenter, B) are really fun to work with AND they invited me to dinner: red wine; a thick veggie soup with wild turkey and topped with melted swiss, and homemade tomato basil bread. And, a HUGE strawberry cream cheese pie for dessert!

I was a coooold drive home, though: it's still well below zero, and I didn't get to Swamp River Ridge until after 10:30 . . . and well past my bedtime. I haven't even looked at the thermometer yet this morning, but a friend living about 90 minutes southeast of me just posted on Facebook that it was -28 when her man went off to work at 4:30 - less than two hours ago. It's not that cold here, but, after a point, cold is just cold. Still, I LOVE winter, and I think my folks were a little amused yesterday when I walked into the house to drop off the dogs, cheery over the weather AND another blue-sky day! I can only hope that Mother Nature will bless me with another sunny day tomorrow, a day off, so I can take advantage of the free energy. The LP company thinks I'm almost out of gas again, so I'm living very low-energy (also again) . . . hoping I can squeak by without running out until they deliver on, I hope, Tuesday.

And, with that, I gotta git. I hope it will be a quick day at work: I'm working on organizing my departments now . . . currently trying to consolidate (I have a HUGE selection of gift bags in the "party" area, but they were in three different spots including stashed in the upstairs dungeon - you can't sell what customers can't see!) and clean and newly arrange. I wish there was a way for me to show you Before and After shots, but me standing there taking picture might be a little . . . boastful (to my new employers & fellow employees) . . . if not obvious! Still, I'm proud of the progress and changes I'm making in my big corner of the large store.

Happy Saturday!

Snarky

2012-01-19T10:19:00.002-06:00

Snarky. Isn't that a great word?! Dunno why I thought of it - I'm *not* feeling snarky this morning, quite the opposite actually - but it just popped back into my head. Must make a point of using it again. Maybe I thought of it because I just Googled 'spliff'. The local radio station was having a sports report the other morning as I listened on my way to work, and they were all laughing because the song that had just played was by The Spliffs. I'd remembered hearing that word before but couldn't remember what it meant: it's a joint made up of both regular tobacco and pot. See, ya learn something new every day! A little lexicon(ery?) will do ya good! ;)

As promised, this morning was the coldest so far, and it was -19.8 when I woke up. Now, it's up to a balmy:

-17: Whoo-hoo!

BUT, it's also a brilliantly, sun-shiny day! Not a cloud in the sky. It's the first day we've seen any real sun in an age and the PERFECT day for me to be at home taking advantage of the free electricity! The temps are gonna make it a wee bit chilly for wood cutting today, but what must be done must be done. That's what they make Arctic-weight Carhartts for, right?

Yesterday morning, Bundle of Joy's daddy called me to ask if there was any chance I could watch her last night while he went to a 1x/year volunteer firefighter class. So, we conducted the hand-off in the parking lot of work around 5:45. After stopping to pick up the dogs, we were on our way (to her) home. The weather was horrible, though . . . and bizarre! With it being so cold, the temps never having climbed out of the single digits above zero during the height of the day, it shouldn't have snowed . . . but it did. There was about 3" on the highway at that point, and it was coming down HARD! The plows hadn't been out yet, and the friction from the tires of the day's travelers & commuters had packed the falling snow into snow-covered glaze ice on the blacktop. To cap it off, the wind was howling like a banshee - swirling this way and that with winter's version of massive dust-devils everywhere. Bottom line, visibility was less than zero and the conditions nothing short of terrible.

I called the house where Bundle of Joy's mama is convalescing following last Friday's surgery and left a message on the answering machine that we wouldn't be stopping for a quick hello on the way home. A few minutes later, when I was about 5 miles out of town, they called back to say that she was feeling pretty miserable and that they'd contacted the (already closed) pharmacy to see if they could get her any meds. The pharmacist (who offers 24/7 emergency assistance) was waiting for me: would I turn around and head back into town to pick them up? I didn't tell them how bad the conditions were: living twice as far out of town as they do, I know what it's like to be miserable and awaiting the possibility of relief via meds . . . if I could only get my hands on some! So, we turned around and made our 35 mph way back the way we'd come.

The pharmacist was terrific and, new to the community, stepped right up to the "small town" ethic and had the requested meds ready plus an additional one he had in stock that he thought might help AND had put in an emergency request for another that would arrive in just over 12 hours. To top it off, when we pulled into the parking lot and I reached into my purse to grab just my checkbook to take in . . . I realized it was in the bottom of the bag of groceries I'd purchased the night before: on the kitchen counter at HOME! I decided I'd call (Bundle of Joy's mama's caretakers) from the pharmacy for a credit card number. When I asked to borrow the phone, explaining my predicament, the pharmacist said, "Oh, don't worry about that. I'll give you a receipt including the meds that will be in tomorrow morning, and they can just stop and pay it the next time they're in town." Sah-weet!!!

So, after that stop which included begging the use of the (private) potty for 2-year old Bundle of Joy*, we set back out onto the roads for the 19-mile drive.

* Halfway back into town, Bundle of Joy, holding her stuffed puppy, said, "Puppy has to go potty." I asked, "Does Puppy have to go or do you?" She replied, "Puppy does." Okay, I thought, no worries in the middle of this storm! Then, a couple of miles later, "Bopee? I have to go potty!"

About 8 miles out of town, we hit HORRENDOUS conditions! The snow was even deeper (and the plows STILL not out), and the commuters plus several semis were crawling along. As I said, I was going about 35 mph and, at that point, caught up with a line of traffic going between 12 and 17 mph. The lead vehicle was driven by someone who was either drunk or from Florida (and had never driven in these conditions before) or who just COULDN'T see. The truck would go from our side of the road to the other to the middle and back again. I knew an accident was imminent and even reached for my cellphone to call the cops to have them get him off the road (or, at least, get the plows out!), but I didn't have reception. Soon after that, an ambulance, lights flashing, came ~~zipping~~ crawling towards town, so I knew the highway department knew of the conditions. We drove out of that particular stretch of high winds and heavy snow in about 5 long, slow miles, and the driving became a little easier. And, soon, we were able to deliver the meds.

Still, it was 8:00 before we got to Bundle of Joy's house - 2+ hours after the hand-off when Bundle of Joy's papa admitted that he hadn't had a chance to feed the little one yet! The nice pharmacist had asked, when we were there, if she could have some M&Ms and kindly added a (free) little bag of them to our purchases. But, mean ol' Bopee only let her have two helpings of 3 each on the drive home, knowing she hadn't had any dinner yet AND hadn't eaten very much at lunch. FORTUNATELY, I also had a bag of organic, high-nutrition nuts in the car, so she munched on those to tide her over until we FINALLY got home.

It was just before 10:00 when the daddy got home and I was able to head out to Swamp River Ridge. The drifting had already gotten a hold on the highway although the plows HAD come by, so we were all eager to see me arrive safe and sound at home! With a promise to call as soon as I made the normally-half-an-hour-drive, I set out. And, thankfully, the winds decreased the further away from the lake I drove. I'm amazed there weren't any trees down, though, the way the wind was whipping! My winter driveway wasn't NEARLY as bad as I'd expected, and I got home in about 45 minutes in the now-sub-zero weather (and that's, of course, without the windchill!). The relieved daddy said, when I called him, "Oh, good! I think I'll have that cocktail now!" :)

Looking out at the bright-blue day today, you'd never guess that it was as nasty as it had been . . . fewer than 12 hours ago!

And, with that, I'll get on with it! There's laundry to be done, the thermostats to turn up, and vacuuming awaiting my attention!

Brrrr!

2012-01-18T06:12:00.000-06:00

It's -6 this morning and still falling. Tomorrow's supposed to be our coldest AM of this "actually winter" snap. BUT, I plan on still being snuggled up in BED vs. up and going at this hour! Last night when I was out doing chores, the snow had that squeaky Polystyrene sound. I love that! But, there's NO doubt that the house is CHILLY this morning! I don't take the time to build up the fire(s) in the morning, and, with the thermostat set at 58 during this time of energy conservation . . . well, you get the idea!

I had a good day yesterday in the sense of multi-tasking: I spent my lunch hour with a website client at the local watering hole. NOT the place where you go for good food: the place you go for quick food! And, let's just say that the quick food didn't set well with me. Maybe my tummy's still a little weak from last week's flu. Yuck. ANYway . . . we spent some of the time getting to know each other a little better. He just (well, a year or so ago) moved up from the Cities to live with his love (Mama & Papa Pea's carpenter). During the course of the "getting to know you", he asked how long I'd been single, and I realized . . . wow, it's 2 years TODAY that the ex left! Two years. Time is a FUNNY thing! If someone were to ask how long I've been holdin' down the proverbial fort, single-handed, I'd probably say "oh, a year or so" if I didn't stop to think. But, time does fly!

Today, I'll be spending my lunch hour in my old digs - where I had my office. The Young One who worked in the office next to me is moving on, moving back, actually, to nearer her home on the Iron Range where she got a good, full-time job (as a Corrections Officer - eek!). She'll move into the house her fiance owns. He's 3/4 of the way through his 1-year Tour of Duty in Iraq. As a going away gift, I'm going to give her a canvas print of an image she loves, 'Summertime on the Farm'. I don't have a copy of that here on my laptop, otherwise I'd post the image. So, without further ado, it's off I go to wrap it!

Happy Hump Day!

I Wish I Were . . .

2012-01-17T06:19:00.000-06:00

Oh, how I wish I were still snuggled in bed on this cold (3 degrees) morning! Each day (or so), I learn something new to help with my new schedule. Yesterday, it was 'don't place the digital alarm clock close enough to the bed that you can hit the snooze button'!!

I really don't have much to report. I'm still getting used to the work-work-work schedule. It SURE will be nice, though, come spring & summer when there's enough light in the evenings to prevent you from feeling soooo tired sooo early!

Finding clothes to wear at work is tricky because you cannot wear jeans but for Casual Fridays - you have to look decently nice (nicely decent?). BUT, here's the problem: if you're doing anything but working the registers (which I'm NOT looking forward to!), you get fairly filthy. And, if you're doing any stocking or cleaning near the bottoms of the shelves, you're on your knees. And, the wax that was used to polish the tiles floors back in the 50s is starting to come off . . . directly onto the knees of your pants! And then there is truck day - each Tuesday - when you get REALLY dirty, I'm warned! When I started, I asked if there was the possibility of wearing an apron - both so I had pockets to serve as my portable "desk" (paper, pencils, tape, glasses, etc.) and to protect my clothes. And, fortunately, they DO have branded aprons (although they're that "no-wrinkle" starchy polyester). I'm the only one who wears one, tho. Maybe I'm just messier than the rest! ;)

I had a nice, low-key overnight with Baby Girl on Saturday night, but she DID wake much earlier than I'd hoped. There was a little body scrambling over me before it was light.

"Bopee, you have dragon breath."

"Bopee? When can we get up?" When it's light out.

". . . Bopee? It's light out." Oooooookay.

But, the snuggling in bed compensated for it. ;)

When I left in the early afternoon, I felt EXHAUSTED, but, somehow, I got rejuvinated when I got home. Was it the simple pleasure of a few hours at Swamp River Ridge (when I wasn't sleeping)? Just the necessity of needing to make hay while the sun still shone? I dunno, but it worked, and I got a good couple hours in on the woodpile and on outside chores . . . and then even a few things done in the evening inside. I'm still not properly adjusted to the 5:30 alarm, tho, and need to get to bed earlier at night. It's hard when I don't get home until 7:00, though (work ends at 5:30, then I pick up the dogs, followed by the hour drive home). When I'm done with chores and in for the evening, it's 7:45. Then there's dinner and checking e-mail, doing the necessary business & personal stuff, getting in a shower and trying to get into bed by 9:00 so I can be asleep by 9:30. Tough. BUT, I shall continue to work at it so I'm not worn out each morning!

That's it for today. Gotta run. Hope you're all WELL! I haven't had a single chance to read any of your blogs for a while now. :(

Super Quick.

2012-01-14T06:32:00.000-06:00

Ugh. Tired. And no time. But, uber-quick . . . .

Judy, you are an amazing, thinking-of-others-during-your-hard-times DOLL to offer what you did (in the comments section of the previous post). THANK YOU! But, no, I shan't be putting you to any trouble, you sweet thing. :) I *am* going to try to get out fun, chatty snail mail cards to my dear friend!

And, Susan the Great, I'm MORTALLY wounded! You missed my Hallelujah! post?! I shall have to snuggle my Snuggle Bunny and weep. ;p

So, I finished up my 3rd SOLID day of inventory yesterday. Got everything done on the floor that yet needed to be done in my section. Then, at the end of the day, they showed me the "bowels" of the store, the dungeon (oddly enough, located high upstairs): the (dum-dum-dummmm) storage area! That's where I'll be hiding today . . . in the dark and dirty, dingy. Not ding-ee. Dinj-ee. Wish me luck! It should take two days, but I think I'll have help during most of it. A good opportunity to get to know another employee, at any rate!

All my fellow "floor-mates" are terrific, and I already feel as though I'm making work-relationship bonds with some of them. One gal, who moved here before our junior year of high school and whom I didn't know then - even in a class of 48 - has been my "tour guide", and it's been really neat getting to know her. Smart, capable cookie, that one.

Otherwise, I'm looking forward to sleeping in a bit tomorrow - later than my 5:30 alarms, anyway! Granted, I'll probably have a little body snuggled up next to me with my nannying gig, but as long as she doesn't wake me before it's light out . . . I'll be happy! Long live the coffee!!!!!!!!! (Oddly enough, there's NO coffee pot at work!! What's UP with that? Aren't we in Scandinavian Minnesota???)

Gotta run! xox

A Quick Update

2012-01-13T06:17:00.001-06:00

Good morning, all!

It's 5:52 AM as I start to write this: a horrible, not-nice, not-even-funny way to start the day. My alarm(s) go off at 5:30 these days. This morning, I woke up to go potty at 5:19 . . . not even NICE when there's not enough time to go back to sleep! Still, I crawled back into the warm bed (it's below zero out) and snoozed and cursed for 11 more minutes. ;)

I was into bed an hour or so later than normal last night, so that, of course, didn't help matters this morning. We had nasty weather yesterday from about noon on (COLD with horizontal winds scouring the new snow into a skating rink on the highways and needling into every part of your body . . . provided you could stand up in it) with new snow having arrived the night before. Swamp River Ridge only got about 3", but, with the drifting yesterday, I had to go out and plow when I got home last night. So, by the time I was home from a s-l-o-w drive from town and then had the truck started, headed back out and returned . . . it was 9:00 PM. Ugh.

Then, I took the time to check in to e-mail and found out that my dear friend who's battling cancer had a 6-HOUR SURGERY YESTERDAY! How did I not know this???? I feel like the shite-iest friend ever imaginable. Last I'd spoken to her, she said "all is hunky-dory, as it should be" (okay, so she does have a tendency to "stick her head in the sand" once in a while, which she admits to), but come on! I'm thinking maybe she didn't want to "burden" me with this because of the stresses I've been under lately, but I'm scared and worried and, and . . . . I can't even afford to send flowers right now, much less visit her in the hospital (she lives near Minneapolis), which feels downright poopy. You can bet I'll be calling her as soon as she can handle it, though! Doesn't it feel, sometimes, as though you're losing your grip on the things that are important to you . . . and you don't know HOW they slipped through your fingers? This is one of those things for me, and perhaps it's a good wake up call: what's important (she is) and what do you need to do to rectify how you feel? (Keep in better touch!)

Bah!

Due to other extenuating circumstances, I had a fairly horrible day on Tuesday, my first day at my new job. So much so that, after trying to maintain a bright face to my excited, expectant parents, I dissolved into tears when I got to their house to pick up the dogs that night. And, I'd been doing inventory ALL day at work (although, granted, it's a great way to learn my section) and thought that being on my knees all day, reading glasses on to make out the fine print on the price stickers, was what caused my body's exhausting. The PAIN that I was feeling. I had a twinge of wanting to throw up on the way home, but I thought it was just the day's stress leaving my body. Nope.

I felt awful when I went to bed with the electricity-draining but NEEDED at that moment heating pad, only to wake up to HIGH-VELOCITY vomiting ALL over myself, the bed, the pillow, the floor, the everything of the bedroom at 11:00 PM. And that continued until 5:00 AM when I finally fell asleep. Poor Mom and Dad must have had that preternatural parental sense going on as Mom was awake from about 1:00 - 4:00, and Dad finally gave up trying to sleep at 3:30 AM and just got up for the day. I set the alarm for 8:30 and called in sick . . . GREAT way to start my second day of work!!!! So, I worked yesterday, a day off, to make up for it. Now I don't have a day off, due to work and long-ago made nannying promises, until the 19th. Mom said I'd dropped about 20 lbs. when I crawled into their house to drop off the dogs yesterday morning.

This morning is the first time I've been able to tolerate coffee, and it SURE DOES TASTE GOOD! Now that I'm feeling halfway human again, the trick will be to not overdo it! :)

I have another dear friend in surgery today, Bundle of Joy's mama, and I SURE hope that (and the recovery) goes well. The most difficult (and, unfortunately, I'm NOT exaggerating given her natural tendencies) part of it will be keeping her in bed and properly recuperating. I hope to visit her this weekend once she's home again.

Okay, I've taken up enough of my precious morning time, but writing to you was worth it: I've missed it! And, to end on an up note, my ex has stepped up to the plate to, yet again, bail me out of another financial emergency . . . until my paychecks start coming in and I can again pay my bills!

Oh, AND, I have to give up Chicken Mama Design's participation in my beloved local art festivals for this job. FoxyLady, I owe you a note! But, fear not, I won't leave you hanging . . . I'll still do all I can to co-direct / manage it with you!!!!

Peace out.

Turning Your Blog Into a Book

2012-01-07T17:57:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, Mama Pea posted about the books I've had some of her blog posts turned into (the idea being to get ALL her posts in book form at some point), and it generated a lot of comments - mostly people wondering about how to do this. So, glass of Merlot in hand (I just got in from cutting maple - ugh! - and plowing), here's what I can tell you.

A few of your comments mentioned Blog2Print, and this is the company I've used in the past. However, for people not 100% comfortable with computer technology, it's not terribly easy to navigate. Specifically, if you get to the very end of the process and the book is either way too spendy for your pocketbook OR they give you the error message that you've chosen too many posts for one book, you have to start ALL over again (you can't just go back and edit the dates)! This is definitely a huge negative to their program (and one which I hope they'll change). I've noticed that Blurb supports turning blogs into books now as well as bookenom. I'm interested in looking into their services more closely because . . . .

Blog2Print is EXPENSIVE! (I think so, anyway!) Believe me, it was NOT one of the Christmas gifts I gave this past holiday! For someone who blogs a lot and includes a lot of pictures (like Mama Pea), it's in the neighborhood of $150 - $200 per book. That is to say, per the maximum number of posts you can fit into a single book. I don't know WHY it's so pricey when self-publishing is such a popular thing. I'm guessing because it's NEW and there just isn't enough competition yet. ?? Like I said, I don't know how much it would cost via Blurb or bookenom, but those are both companies who bear a look-see. Especially Blurb - I've been impressed with the results I've seen from people who've used it (unfortunately, no blogs-to-books).

The other thing I'm not thrilled about with Blog2Print is that there are a minimal number of options for cover designs. Well, I guess there are 20 or more, but I didn't care for ANY of them! Plain, solid (BORING!) colors were the best I could come up with.

Blog2Print advertises that the books start at $14.95 . . . and I'm sure this is true: if you didn't actually include any of your posts!

I'd be interested to hear from anyone who uses another service for doing this. Mama Pea's books COULD have been shorter (money saved), but that option okays Blog2Print to fit your photos & posts to the printed page vs. where they fall in your actual blogging. And, for me (and her, I think), that would be a great loss.

It's been suggested that I offer this service as part of my graphic & web design business, and I'd like to put the word out there now that I am! I won't bump up the price of the book at all - I'll only charge for my time ($25/hour) putting it together. Invoices are sent via PayPal.

How would this work? Well, you'd e-mail me (at mama@chickenmamaoriginals.com) and say, for example, that you'd like to have as much of your blog published into book form as you can get for . . . $150 (including - or not - my time). I'd ask for your blog's address, give you the options in an easily-understood format, and away we'd go!

So, I hope that's answered all the questions clearly enough. Feel free to leave a comment or e-mail me directly if you have more! :)

P.S. Yes, if some of you sillies want Mama Pea's blog in book form, I could do that, too . . . assuming she gives approval. And, hey, if you paid for the additional shipping (to Mama Pea and then on to you vs. drop-ship), I'll bet we could even get the author to autograph it! ;)

Hallelujah!!!

2012-01-07T12:07:00.000-06:00

I'm still in shock, but I GOT A JOB, I GOT A JOB, I GOT A JOB!!!!!

A full-time job, even! A full-time job at a place that will be there pretty much forEVER, so there is all the job stability I could ask for!!!

I interviewed at 10:00 yesterday morning, and walked out with the information packet and the agreement that I'll start work on Tuesday!

Here's how it all played out . . . (which, again, confirms that 'it's not what you know, it's who you know'!!) I was laying in bed the other night, not being able to fall asleep due to the financial stress, and brain-storming. I was going through the businesses in town, block by block, in my mind. I thought of the coffee shop and my friend who owns it. So, even though it's the quiet time of the year (especially since there's little snow in town), I sent her a message Tuesday morning:

Is there any chance you're in the market for a terrific, reliable, work-like-the-devil employee? Namely, ME?! I N-E-E-D to supplement my income with a steady paycheck! And, if you're not in need of someone with my brilliant talents (!), have you heard of any positions open in the county? You're at the heart of the community, so I know you have a good idea of what's "going on". ANYTHING you could pass my way would be MUCH APPRECIATED!

I didn't hear anything back, but that was no surprise: she's a busy woman! Then, late on Wednesday, I got an e-mail from my ex (who is dating the coffee shop owner's sister) saying that she (Mrs. Coffee Shop) had spoken to a business owner that day about me . . . and that the (other) business owner wanted to talk to me, ASAP! How could she get ahold of me? So, I immediately did a quick web search for contact info and sent a late night e-mail out to my new Boss Lady.

I heard back from her right away on Thursday, and we set up a time to meet (her, her husband / co-owner, and myself) yesterday at 10:00. We three (all aged within 5 years of one another) all went to high school together and, while not having had more than a passing "hello" relationship these past 20-25 years, we knew each other. And, Papa Pea had both of their kids in school.

One of their nearly life-long employees just retired this fall, and they've been (very) short a staff person ever since, trying to divide the slack between themselves (in addition to all their regular duties, of course). I'd actually thought of contacting them when I read in the newspaper about the retiree, but I figured I'd hear the word on the street or read an advertisement if they were looking to replace him. But, turns out no, despite the NEED for a replacement and for various small-town reasons, they'd not advertised locally. So, when Mrs. Coffee Shop told my Boss Lady that I was looking for a full-time gig to supplement my home businesses, the Boss Lady (told me yesterday that she) replied with an excited, "Really? Reeeally?! She might want to work for us?!"

Matter of fact, the double bonus is that I think both they and I went into yesterday's meeting knowing that, unless something bizarre surfaced (or, for me, the salary was but a pittance), we'd both be a 'GO!' with the situation! So, at the end of the meeting when I had the paperwork in hand, the Boss Lady told me to go home to go through it and think the situation over to see if I'd be interested. I conveyed that I didn't need to do that: I WAS interested, and when could I start? But then, so as not to put them on the spot, I back-tracked and said, "Well, you two should take some time, too, to decide." Her husband jumped in with, "Nope. No. Nuh-uh, we don't need to do that! We're good to go - we want you!" Soooo, WHOO-HOOO! I think we ALL left the meeting feeling that way!!!

I met all but one of the other employees yesterday, and it's a small staff right now, being in the middle of winter, which is nice. Also, January is their inventory month, so I'll have a quick, easy way to familiarize myself with my department . . . which is stationery, housewares, camping goods, and sports. This place is an old-fashioned department / dime store. Matter of fact, it's the Wall Drug of northern Minnesota (figuratively speaking). It's SUPER busy in the summertime: no tourist goes through town w/o going inside and dropping a few bucks. Literally.

First Generation Owners

Second Generation Owners

The five-and-dime was started from an existing general store in 1941, and, in 1954, the current store was built. Now, the granddaughter of the original owners (along with her husband) owns and manages the business. I'm sure it's the oldest business in town - VERY cool!

Third & Current Generation Owners

I think there will be lots of opportunity for me to get off the "floor" and into the office, too. I was telling the owners about my web & graphic design businesses and computer skills yesterday and how I (actually) enjoy data-entry, etc. The Boss Lady was THRILLED to hear this as she says she hates these aspects of her job and would rather BE on the floor! So, lots of possibilities, I think, as we all get to know each other and learn our different strengths, etc.

The only bummer about the job is that . . . I can't wear skirts shorter than 3" above the knee or heels higher than 2". Damn and double damn! ;)

The days are 9-hour days with a "mandatory", time-assigned one-hour lunch. I'd prefer to work an 8-hour day straight through, but that is one of the rules they've developed over the past 71 years that works for them. So, no problem, I shall adjust! Besides, it will give me a chance to get out of the store and run town errands.

Mama & Papa Pea have GENEROUSLY stepped (back!) up to the plate and will allow me to leave Maisy & Tucker with them again each day. That is H-U-G-E: having a safe, nice, comfortable place for them to be each day. I know it's not always easy for Mom and Dad - particularly in the non-winter months when they have to put up fencing to keep the dogs out of this or that area of the garden(s). But, I SURE DO appreciate it!!!! It takes ALL of the weight off my shoulders when I know the dogs are there and happy when I'm at work!

I'll still need to augment this full-time job with my web & graphic design and photography business(es). The salary is not enough to pay all the monthly bills. But, that's good: being "forced" to continue to work on, in particular, the photography & its online store . . . as that's still what I REALLY want to be "doing". I'll have to be extremely conservative and conscientious about my time management . . . which has always been a struggle for me . . . but a lesson I need to learn. And, I'm actually excited about that! The hours are good, and, in the summertime, I'll even have a couple of hours of daylight remaining when I get home at night . . . provided I leave town as soon as work is done and not go visiting friends! :)

So, there ya have it, the EXCITING NEWS! I splurged on a tiny (and really yummy!) bottle of champagne last night so a toast could be shared at Bundle of Joy's house, where I'd been invited for dinner. They'd already heard the news (word travels fast in a small town!) and the daddy had picked up a LOVELY bottle of Irish whiskey! I don't know that I'll become a complete convert, but there are times when the "bite" of Irish whiskey does beat the smooth mellowness of Canadian whiskey! Two totally different animals. I'm gonna have to add this label to my liquor cabinet!

Bundle of Joy got to celebrate with a leftover NYE party-favor. :) After I'd divided the itty-bitty bottle amongst we three adults, I gave her the bottle to tip up (she got no more than a drop). She pulled one heck of a funny face after, and her mom asked, "Do you like it?" Face still screwed up, she emphatically declared, "NO!" Hahahaha - good girl!

More Appreciation #1

2012-01-05T12:59:00.000-06:00

On New Year's Day, Mama Pea posted about having more appreciation. With the stresses and anxiety I've been having lately, I thought it might be a good thing for me to do, too. I didn't want to add yet another stress by making it a Have To Do! kind of thing, but I thought it would be apropos when I was either having a particularly down day or couldn't focus on what needed to be done due to the anxiety clouding up my brain. Since yesterday was one of those (latter) days, I grabbed a notebook and started. And, you know, thinking about the things I'm so appreciative of filled those clouded, buzzing areas of my brain right up until there wasn't room for the anxiety! So, mission accomplished!

In no particular order then (well, it was the order in which I wrote them down), here was yesterday's appreciation list:

Sunshine (to charge the electrical system) so I can vacuum.
Sunshine and pristine snow to I can photograph hats.
An ex-husband who unexpectedly presses a check of (what I call) guilt money into my hands. (He spent the evening with the dogs on Tuesday night.)

My ex-husband's girlfriend (oddly enough!) who is a genuinely nice, lovely, warm woman. That also makes me worried for her. (But, she invited me to stay for dinner when I dropped the dogs off at their house! [I graciously declined.])
Audio books. (I might need a 12-step program.)
The fact that I have to wear a belt to hold up my everyday-at-home work pants . . . and this was wearing a pair of old running pants underneath (for warmth), too!

I can't even believe that I'm posting this here!

Mom sharing some wonderful, soft, homemade cheese with me (that they buy & freeze from a large dairy farm in the southern part of the state).
The sweet kindness of a young international worker friend who I said goodbye to when I was in town on Tuesday and who's in the air somewhere right now between here and her home in Kazakhstan . She gifted me (completely unexpectedly!) with a little black leather clutch purse when we said goodbye. Since I will probably never ever see her again in my life, I will treasure it because it came from her (and I'll have to find somewhere fancy enough to wear it to some time!). By the way, how long does it take to fly from here to Temirtau? THREE DAYS!!! First, a 2-hour drive to the airport followed by a flight to Detroit. Then, from Detroit to New York. New York to the Ukraine. A 9-hour layover (ugh!!!) in the Ukraine (and, as you might imagine, it's NOT a large terminal where there are things to "do") and then the final flight to her home in Kazakhstan. She left last night and will arrive Saturday morning (although they are 12 hours ahead of us).

Stairs to my upstairs office that make my glutes sing each time I have to climb up them (multiple times a day). If I didn't have those stairs, my rear and legs wouldn't be getting that shaping work-out!
The fact that I've kept (at least) the foyer clean now for 3 days in a row!

New batteries from Mom and Dad for X-mas for my portable (audio book) cassette player.
That Jinx (baby cat) let me rub his/her belly for just a few seconds for the very first time today. This is still (!) the most s/he's let me touch her.
The hot water bottle on loan from Mom (so I can go to bed with THAT at night instead of the takes-too-much-energy heating pad).
The cats eating up two small dishes of plain yogurt yesterday. (As prescribed by all you friends-in-the-know for clearing up / preventing UTIs.) Look: they licked it CLEAN!

Getting this corner of the kitchen clean. Well, as clean as it gets right now.

The sunset out the kitchen window . . . and that it happened just before FIVE O'CLOCK! The days are lengthening - whoo-hoooo! (And it's kinda funny that Mama Pea posted about this very same sunset today!)

That even though I want one right now, I will be able to buy some fixings for a cocktail on Monday with some of my X-mas gift certificates!
And, finally, that I've had a well-stocked pantry and freezers full of food on which to live these last few (financially-taxing) months!

Have a great Thursday!

No Time

2012-01-03T09:33:00.000-06:00

No time for a proper post today - I've gotta get runnin'. Just a few random things in my limited time to mention, tho:

Poor Bonzi, the cat, has a UTI. A bad one: she's straining & urinating blood. Because of her history with them and my financial situation, I convinced the vet to let me pick up a prescription for her today without the office visit and tests. Thankfully, she agreed "just this once". There goes my Christmas money. At least some of it. But, I'm so glad I HAVE it so I can GET the meds! I tried to order them online, but you still need a prescription for Clavamox. Anyone know of a source that DOESN'T require a vet's prescription?

Also, anyone have any experience trying to limit UTIs in cats? I've already changed their food to a high-protein one (a good quality kitty food, the vet recommended). Otherwise, is there anything that can be done to eliminate these issues?

It's coooold out (-6.5 this morning), but the wind has finally stopped. All the snow outside is scoured into hard drifts. I wonder what shape the winter driveway will be in this morning when I drive out? I haven't started the car since I came home following Christmas, so I am a little apprehensive about how that little battery's gonna feel about turning over after sitting so long in the cold. Hmmmm . . . . Better try to allow enough time to jump it with the 1-ton, if necessary.

I'll leave you with a picture of the two outside geese. In the wintertime, the poultry yard is actually pretty!

It's amazing how low the sun is in the early afternoon here right now. At least that - amount of daylight - is increasing each day now, though!

Cold & Blustery . . . But Sunny!!

2012-01-02T11:49:00.000-06:00

Good morning! We've had crazy winds for the last 24+ hours, driving the New Year's Eve snow sideways and creating drifts everywhere. And, it's cold (even without the wind chill): 4 degrees, last I looked. The radio reported that it's supposed to get down to -19. Brrrr. But, I am thrilled to say that the winds have finally driven the heavy, heavy clouds away, and the SUN IS OUT! That means I'll try to take advantage of the free electricity between 11:00 and 2:00 today!

I think I've settled on the new title for this blog (see it above). It's simple, accurate, to the point. There. That's a done deal.

In sticking to my resolutions, I got the foyer completely cleaned yesterday. Well, not the dust, etc., but it's totally clean to the naked eye! And, that feels GOOD! Got a little done in the utility room, too. Not enough that anyone else would notice, but I do! (And, now I can actually get to and use the sink in there!)

I'm feeling some real anxiety this morning, but I know exactly why: I need to get a letter written and sent out to all my creditors today. Let them know where I am, financially, let them know what I'm doing in the effort to correct the situation, etc., etc. And, I feel like once that's done, my anxiety will be relieved. So, that will be on the TOP of my list today!

(Whew! Flashing! I must be waking up, finally, and my 2nd cup of coffee kicking in! Blanket OFF my lap, Polarfleece UNzipped! And slippers off. Pant, pant.)

I'm planning a run into town tomorrow - my first since Christmas, and I have a list a mile long . . . including restocking my cards in their various shop locations. Getting ready for that will be the other big push of the day. And take the remaining entirety of it, I know.

New Year's Eve was really enjoyable. Instead of driving into, through, and out the other side of town for an evening with the Usual Suspects, I accepted an unexpected and lovely invite from new friends who are spending their very first winter up here since calling it their permanent home only about a month ago! They're my closest wintertime neighbors, living about 6 miles to the southwest, as the crow flies. When the summertime roads are open, it's an 8 mile drive, give or take. At this time of year, though, I have to go "the long way". I clocked it but didn't remember to look at the odometer when I got home*, but I think it's about 13 or 14 driving miles from me to them.

* I dropped the blade when I got to my winter driveway on the drive home. What were YOU doing at 2:25 and 2:35 AM - which is when I happened to glance at the clock - on New Year's Day? NOT snow plowing, I'll bet! ;)

There were . . . let me think . . . 16 people in all, if I counted right. And 4 dogs. Mine behaved surprisingly well for the little amount of time I let them inside, I'm happy to say! Here they all are, getting a NYE treat from the Mrs. of the house:

There was TONS of yummy, yummy food. Even the Mrs. was surprised as the table stayed full the whole night through. At one point, she asked me, "Did you bring this?" when a new yummy surfaced. When I arrived, there were only snowmobiles in the yard and only those same tracks on the driveway . . . heavy sleds being pulled behind that I saw were full of coolers. So, I have a sneaky feeling that I know where at least SOME of that extra food was coming from! And, while a couple more trucks arrived after I did, I've gotta admit that it was kinda neat to see a house full of people when I arrived . . . but no (traditional) vehicle tracks!

As are ALL houses in our tiny berg, the hosts' new house is unfinished, both inside and out, and a joking discussion was had about what "class" they were in, based on the color & form of visible insulation, etc.! Around here, interior walls are "finished" with pink, white, or yellow insulation and the outsides considered fairly complete if they sport black tar paper! This lovely house boasted pink hard Styrofoam on the outside, and so they asked which "class" they'd fall into. Middle-class, definitely, we decided. Especially since all the seams were taped. ;) Once they put on the Tyvek, they'll be bumped right up into Upper Middle-Class!

They had a hugely tall Christmas tree that looked glorious as I drove up - its lights twinkled through the nearly-all-window, gabled east end of the house. I wondered what size ladder they'd used to get to the top and was shocked to hear that the Mr. stood on the very top of only an 8' ladder to decorate while the Mrs. steadied it. Definitely not OSHA-approved, but it got the job done! The thing had to have been 16' feet tall, if it was a foot.

I met some new folks and got a chance to know a few quite a bit better . . . which I really enjoyed! One fellow I'd never met before answered two mysteries for me. His family has lived here for generations, used to own & manage a resort down by the lake (now long gone). I believe he's the only one who still lives here, year-round.

Anyway, Mystery #1: a year or two ago, I started to noticed human tracks on my winter driveway (in the wintertime). They'd start out at the main road and walk in about 2 miles, then turn around to walk back out. At first and because there was logging going on, I'd assumed it was one of the loggers moved equipment (drive it out, walk back in . . . or vice versa). Then the tracks continued when there was no longer any logging. Truth be told, it gave me the willies. Particularly after I asked FoxyLady (the Knows All Go To Gal in our community) who in the world it could be, and she had NO idea. Anyone who lives up here has plenty of lovely places to walk. WHY would they walk on my road . . . for no apparent reason. Annnnd, why was there NEVER a vehicle to be found? Anywhere?

Another woman at the party and I got to talking about this . . . she lives just down the road from the Mr. & Mrs. who hosted the party and experienced the same thing . . . except she'd see this guy who would just show up, in the middle of the woods . . . again, with no vehicle around. It freaked her out, too.

Turns out, it was this old(er) dude who'd been invited to the party! SUPER fun, super nice guy! I loved the fact, too, that he hadn't felt the need to put his dentures in for the holiday party . . . must have known that he'd be amongst friends! ;) Anyway, he lives on the parcel of land that once held the resort on a small strip between the big lake and the busy highway. He firmly said, "I HAVE to walk every day!" (Don't know if that's a doctor-ordered thing or just him. I took it that it was just him - an admirable trait!) He continued to explain that he wasn't gonna walk on the busy highway (yepper, got that!), so, instead . . . he drives up our main road every single day and chooses a lesser-used road to walk! He must walk for MILES as neither I nor the other gal have ever seen his truck. But, one of his nieces told me that "Oh, my uncle knows you: he drives up your road every single day! You drive the little red car." Uhhh, yep! ?? That's me! (Now, who is your uncle?!!!) Now that I've been able to put two and two together, I realize what truck is his, too, and I'm doubly happy that he enjoys my road as much as I do! Mystery solved, and nerves settled! ;)

Now for Mystery #2, and THIS ONE is really the kicker! We were ALL blown away by it, and MUCH laughter, knee-slapping, and head-shaking ensued! So, this fellow had come with his two nieces (both in their early 20s) who have vacationed with Uncle every year of their lives. Very neat: they're both gorgeous city girls, both social workers, but obviously have a wonderful appreciation for the Northwoods and their wacky uncle! Anyway, I overheard them mentioning hiking up to the big, bald rock that's just northwest of me. The girls were asking their uncle to explain where I lived, and he used that hike as a reference point. Then I heard something about a bowling ball enter the conversation! (How could the two be related, you ask? Ohhhhh, just you wait!)

I interjected, saying, "Wait. Did you just say something about a bowling ball? On the top of that mountain?" All three turned to me, Uncle's eyes (perpetually) twinkling and the girls' eyes communicating that universally understood, "Dude! No WAY!" "Okay," I thought, "Get me another drink. We need to TALK!"

Several long years ago (it was October of 2005), the solid group of 6 that we all were then (the exhole later chose the ~~slutty bitch~~ woman I talk about here with whom to have his affair) went for a hike on a lovely, cool autumn day. We went to the top of the same rocky knoll as was being discussed in the NYE conversation. Celebrating birthdays and enjoying being together, we'd all had a wee bit of wine to drink, and so, when this (ahem) "woman" stepped off the path to piddle just before we reached the summit and screeched out, "Holy sh*t! I just almost peed on a bowling ball!", we assumed she was a) more tipsy than the rest of us or b) yankin' our chains! But, no, she comes out of the woods with a BOWLING BALL in her hands. A HEAVY bowling ball! (We later weighed it - it was a 16-pounder!) Now, WHAT would a bowling ball be doing out there, in the middle of NOWHERE?! To make matters MORE interesting, there was a big chunk of plaster at the bottom of it where it had been torn from its mount. AND, painted in slightly faded - but still clear - white paint, the ball read 'My, Ain't It Purty Up Here!' What the . . . ?!

Intrigued, we started our search. And, we FOUND where the ball had once been attached with the plaster to the outermost tip of the "mountain" top. Of course, the mystery began: who lugged ball and plaster up there . . . and why?

And, now, 6 1/2 years later on an otherwise ordinary New Year's Eve with new friends . . . I found out! It was the mischievous, twinkly-eyed uncle! "Did you find the Army men, too?" He had glued them to the rock, too! (And you can bet that I'll be looking for any remaining, the next time I'm up there!) Double the fun . . . he admitted that there are a couple MORE bowling balls at the bottom of the mountain: it had taken him a couple tries to find an adhesive that stuck! Hahahahaha! I just LOVE stories like this! It's what makes us Wood Ticks tock. (Tick-tock, get it?) But, NEVER in a million years did I think I'd ever solve The Mystery of the Bowling Ball!!!! (Sounds like an old Nancy Drew, doesn't it?!)

When we hikers had found the ball, of course we took turns hauling it back down so it could take a place of honor in the (private) pub the ex and I had. Now it lives up at the trapper cabin, and I WISH I'd thought to preserve the writing on it: these 6 years of living outside as a post-topper has worn it all away. If the occasion arises, I'll have to ask Twinkly-Eyed Uncle to put his John Hancock on it (or paint it again) for me!

Now, what did YOU do NYE? Do you have a tradition that you celebrate each year on the big night?

20 . . . 12!!

2012-01-01T13:14:00.000-06:00

Good morning, and HAPPY NEW YEAR! (Well, it's morning me for . . . I'm just getting going.) 2012 sounds so . . . futuristic! 20 . . . 12! Wow. And yet, we don't have robots serving us coffee nor do we drive cars that fly through the air. Imagine that. ;)

First thing's first, I made a slight change to the title of this blog. As I mentioned in the comments section of another post, Googling 'Chicken Mama' brings up this blog instead of (and in addition to) Chicken Mama Designs, the business. So, in an effort to try to change that, I changed the title. That said, I am open to other suggestions for the new title. I'd like to keep 'Lady Homesteader' while keeping 'Chicken Mama' out of it. You got any better ones?

So, are you sticking to your resolutions? Now that we're almost 13 hours into the New Year? Did you drink less / no coffee this morning? Did you already start that new work-out routine? Not me, I'm not adding any stress to my New Year! Ha! I'm drinking all the coffee I want and NOT working out! ;) I did make two resolutions, though. They are:

Remember to put the living things (animals, then [house]plants) FIRST here on ye ol' homestead.
Work on keeping the house (relatively) clean in 2012!

Unfortunately, I haven't always been good about putting the animals first, even though I want to. I need to put my words (thoughts) into action. For example, if I'm running late in the morning (driving into town), I'll forgo giving the birds fresh water, calling out to them, "I know, guys! I'll get to you tonight!" That needs to change. Great inspiration for this resolution came this fall when I paid an unexpected visit to Tanglewoods Homestead. (Hmmm, what's their new name? Right, 'North Forest Farm'.) I hadn't seen the goats or the old barn since they'd gotten it cleaned out and back in working order, and so asked for an introduction. And, this spur-of-the-moment / didn't-know-company-was-coming peek showed an immaculate barn (well, as far as barns go, you know) and the critters ALL with fresh bedding, food, and water. Ahhhh: THAT'S the kind of farmer / homesteader I want to be!!! She (Mrs. North Forest Farm) is a how-a-livestock-owner-should-be inspiration to me!

My second resolution: this house is almost always a DISASTER inside (when I'm not expecting company). And I'm not exaggerating. I used to joke that if the ex ever had a heart attack or anything, I'd have to drag him out onto the front porch for the paramedics: I wouldn't let them in to see how messy the house was! ;) And, I DON'T want it to be this way. When visitors stop by unexpectedly (which is what happens most often out here in the sticks), I want to be able to invite them in! To not have the house in such a state that I'd be embarrassed to do so. As I was thinking about WHY it's hard for me to keep a clean house this morning, it dawned on me: it takes too much time. Time away from things I deem more important. Welllll, duh . . . of COURSE it takes time! But, do I want to be able to entertain guests inside? Yes. Do I ENJOY the house more when it's clean? Yes. So, then (dummy!), it's O-K-A-Y to spend the time required to clean it!

There ya have it, my two resolutions. I should check in at the beginning of each month to see HOW I'm doing . . . and use that occasion to get myself re-routed, if necessary. Yep, I think I'll put that on my 2012 calendars when I do them today.

And, with that, I think I'll sign off for now . . . but I'll try to be back later today to regale you with last night's fun and news of a BIRTHDAY!

Happy New Year's Eve, Everyone!

2011-12-31T12:00:00.001-06:00

I'm pensive this morning. Contemplative. As we all should be on the last day of the year. It's exciting to start a new year, but then I wonder if we all shouldn't be spending more time making resolutions, new challenges for ourselves on May 23, August 19, November 1 . . . rather than waiting until December 31st? Kind of a 'today's the first day of the rest of your life' thing. No matter. Whichever way ya slice it, today *IS* the last day of 2011!

I've been trying to think about the one thing I'd most like to go back and change in 2011 (if a woodchuck could) as well as the thing that I'm the most proud of myself over. The proudest bit is easy: I'm most proud of the way I handled the news that my ex had been cheating on me since the summer of 2008. (Even tho our divorce was finalized in October of 2010, I didn't find this truth out until March of this year we're just closing.) Specifically, it would have been MUCH easier to treat it as an "oh, well, that's in the past; que sera, sera" and continue to be friends with him. But, I felt (and still feel) that a statement needed to be made: behavior like that CANNOT go "unpunished". There needs to be accountability. Unfortunately, he wasn't the only one on the receiving end of that . . . it's just as hard for ME to forgo the friendship we had since 1996. So, there ya have it: I'm very proud of myself for sticking to my guns on that one. Because it's not an easy thing to do.

The thing I'd most like to go back and change (aside from the above which would be great to not have been true!)? Hmmm, I'm not sure. Something with finances, certainly. Maybe better planning with the last dollars of the settlement money? Maybe am earlier start to job searching once the Big Plan of buying the local store fell through in August? Yes, something having to do with all that.

Overall, though, I'm definitely not sad to see 2011 go! It was a tough year. The toughest of my otherwise pretty free-n-easy 40+ years on this earth, for sure. I can only HOPE that 2012 will be better! Which, I hope, will be inaugurated by finding a decent J-O-B!!!

* * * A Lesson Learned & Fodder Earned * * *

(Fodder for that book I'll one day write.)

The majority of my day yesterday was spent NOT how I'd planned. Matter of fact, wanna know what stupid looks like? This:

Actually, this is what I look like when I'm tired, sweaty, and completely disgusted with myself for being STOOPID! Not the most flattering picture, but there ya have it.

As I earlier wrote, we got a wonderful dumping of snow a couple of days ago. Here's what it looked like outside at the beginning of it:

11:48 AM on Wednesday. Note the (lack of) snow on the vehicles in front of the garage.

10:19 AM Thursday. I love Tucker's tracks (the circle on the left) from when he went outside to do his morning business. He had to PLOW through the snow, and when he lifted his short stumpy leg, you couldn't even TELL he was lifting it! Ha!

These three pictures above were taken from the bedroom window. Purty, huh?

But, back to the story. I didn't get out to plow on Thursday so headed out yesterday, instead. At the bottom of my driveway / start of the winter driveway, I posted the caution sign I had made for the snowmobilers.

It reads 'WARNING - Snowmobiles Use CAUTION - Year-Round Road Use Next 4.5 Miles - STAY ON TRAIL'. 'Course, there's not enough snow for the groomed trail yet that runs parallel to the road, but still, they can't say they haven't been warned!

So, plowing on down the road I happily went. Just over the bridge, I started plowing out the first 'pull-over'. On my last push in, I backed up, and . . . the plow FELL OFF. COMPLETELY. Was left there in the bank. A disbelieving "Auh!" slipped out of my mouth.

Yah know . . . maybe if I didn't always have my camera along to CAPTURE these moments, they wouldn't HAPPEN! Hmmmm . . . !

Because the plow was NOT in the (ahem) off-for-the-year position when it fell off, the whole assembly was REALLY close to the ground, as you can see in both the above & below photos. Not at ALL up near the truck attachments like it needed to be!

Hmmm. This was gonna be fun. (Not.)

As I was standing there, drinking out of my ~~vodka~~ water bottle and taking stock of the situation, I heard snowmobiles approach. Great, I thought. Just what I needed: someone to see this. The first zoomed past and then the second (I was off the road and into the "pull-off" enough that there were no concerns). After studiously ignoring them (following the obligatory wave and hoping "please don't notice what I've done, please don't notice what I've done"), my attention was caught by their calling to one another. I turned to look, and they were off their snowmobiles, parked on the bridge over the river.

Well, one of them was. I couldn't see the other. Then I realized that something had happened as the one (he was called Lynx - Links?) walked towards the steep bank of the river calling, "What did you DO?"

I'm not going to go back and change it (most specifically, wait for it to upload again), but obviously the above should read 'someWHERE down there'.

Yep, for SOME reason, snowmobiler #2 lost control, panicked, something. He said that when he came around the corner, he saw my truck, Lynx parked on the bridge . . . and didn't know what to do! Never mind the fact that Lynx was parked on the side of the road I hadn't plowed and the other side was completely open. For whatever reason, the guy went off the road, and d-o-w-n the steep bank into the frozen swamp at the side of the river. FORTUNATELY, he was clear of mind enough to steer juuuuust to the right to miss a birch tree. By less than 12". But, his sled was BURIED.

Seeing that something was amiss, I hollered down, "You guys need help?"

"Yeah! Can you pull us out? Do you have a tow rope?"

"Do I have a tow rope?" Please. I live in the bush.

Okay, so I couldn't find the tow rope.

But I DID find the steel cable.

Bad Driver was so embarrassed and angry at himself (and Lynx shouting out, "AND you're getting help from a woman!" didn't help) that I said, "Well, you should see what *I* just did!"

So, we got the cable hooked up, and I pulled 'em out. Bad Driver INSISTED on giving me money for it. I, of course, resisted with my usual "Oh, heavens. No no no! I pull people out all the time!" . . . all the while another part of my brain was saying, "Shut up, Chicken Mama! You need the money!" ;)

Anyway, a few minutes and $20 later (I think it helped restore his wounded pride a bit that he could compensate me for my troubles), they were off, and I was back to my plow. Oh, and did they offer to stay and help? Uhhh, no. I don't think it even REGISTERED for them at that point. But, really, that was just as well 'cause I wasn't sure how I was going to tackle the job . . . let alone have two strong, strapping men help me!

So, first thing to answer in order to begin again, HOW did the plow come off? Was something major broken? A quick look-see showed that nothing was broken . . . except my brain. Seems that SOMEONE had forgotten to replace an exceptionally crucial steel pin when she put the plow on earlier this winter. Said steel pin holds the locking arm in place that holds the plow onto the truck's attachment. SOMEHOW, in the plowing I'd done so far this year, the locking arm had flipped 180 degrees (and it's long - at least 12") to the open position . . . and voila. I am only (and EXTREMELY) grateful that it happened when / where it did . . . being at a "pull-out" was a HUGE relief!

I made a quick trip home to collect the tools I'd need - mostly some heavy 2x6s and 4x4s. I already had the two Hi-Lift jacks in the truck.

Two hours later (yes, two), I was back in business. Hmmm, I didn't stop to take any pictures during the 120 minute struggle?! Imagine that! Just that one of my stupid self once it was all said and done!

So, there ya have it: the most recent of the regular fun & games at ye ol' homestead.

But, going back to the beginning of this post, will you tell me? What are YOU most proud of in 2011 and what would you most like to have been able to do differently?

Have a safe and truly wonderful New Year's Eve!

It's Gonna Be A Good Day!

2011-12-29T11:17:00.000-06:00

Well, we got DUMPED on yesterday, and snow ALWAYS makes me happy! I love snow! Annnnd, it's sunny! Whoo-hooooo . . . 3 hours of solar charging!

On Tuesday, I began running out to the battery room in the garage at regular intervals to start a diary of when (on sunny days in the winter) the system is acquiring solar gain. I've thought of doing this before, but it hasn't been 'til now, when my power is at an all-time low, that I've actually done it. I know I need to spend a bit more time out there before 11:00 and after 2:00 to get the timing more precisely nailed down, but I made enough progress on Tuesday that I know that those are the three hours (at this time of the year) when I have ELECTRICITY! I was out at 1:56 (and was charging) and then again at 2:36 when the sun had moved too far to the west of the solar panels (that I wasn't). But, it feels great to know that I can DO STUFF within those 180 minutes. I've started a list, too, that includes things like: heat (circulating pumps) on, laundry, air exchanger on, vacuum, charge laptop, charge Coleman lantern, and high-usage things like ironing & using my laminator (for Chicken Mama Designs). Then, at 2:00 (or whenever that magical time will turn out to be), all that stuff goes into cease-and-desist mode. And, the double bonus is that, now that we are past the solstice, each day will bring a little more solar gain. It will be somewhat of a bother to get all the timing detailed in the diary, but once it's done, it's done forever. That is to say, where the sun is today at 1:54 is the same place the sun will be on December 29, 2025. In theory. Until the harm we're doing to Mother Earth throws THAT off-kilter, too. ;) So, point being, I'm excited about that.

I utilized those three hours well on Tuesday, but yesterday was a gloomy, cloudy day (despite the snow) for me, and I'll admit that I was definitely practicing a little head-in-the-sand (non!)defense as far as all my financial woes go. By bedtime last night, I was really disgusted with myself and so tucked myself into bed with this here laptop (which has a TERRIFIC battery life, I'm tickled to say!) to figure out what my problem was . . . why I was avoiding all the things that NEED to be done. This is what I wrote, verbatim:

If I get one unpleasant task done, I can reward myself with . . . what? I can’t watch a movie (electricity). I can’t . . . what would be fun? What would be a treat for me right now that DOESN’T COST MONEY? Hmm. Blank. Can’t think of a damn thing. Okay, here’s something I’ve been wanting to do but not allowed myself the time: work on cleaning out, cleaning up the workshop. Okay, so, if I get one unpleasant task done, I can work in the garage for 30 minutes. Fair enough? Another fun thing I’d like to give time to: New Year Greetings (letter/cards). Another thing I’d like to take the time to do: water, care for all the houseplants, including trim all the dead. Repotting those that need it would be a REAL treaty-type thing! Another fun thing: 2012 calendars. Another fun thing: dairy spreadsheet. And, egg / cottage cheese spreadsheet. Take a shower! Walk up to trapper cabin to find pan for Mom. E-mail Ms. Apple Pie.

After the first "fun thing" of working out in the garage (yeah, I know I'm just a little WEI-IRD!), it was HARD to find any other things. I switched over to my "computer Solitaire until I can sleep" mode but quickly flipped back and forth to my Word document as I thought of more and more things. See, it ALWAYS helps to talk it out, work it out!

So, what are the things I'm avoiding that REALLY NEED TO BE DONE? Now? There were, ugh, 29 of them. I realize most of them won't make sense to you, but they do to me, and that's the important part. And, too, some of them are things that I'll actually really ENJOY . . . it's just that I'm dragging my feet about them for . . . I dunno. Some unclear reason. Simple malaise?

E-mail D thanking her for interview, let her know I’m interested in other positions.
E-mail G, same as above.
E-mail school woman, same.
~~E-mail TL about interviewing for Trading Post Position~~. Just got word this AM that that job HAS been filled. Which is just fine - it would have been a thankless and completely exhausting one.
Prep resume, write cover letter, do any application work for HE position.
E-mail JS about CH positions.
Check ads again for help wanted.
Advertise Chicken Mama’s Web & Graphic Design. Make sure website is ready, first.
Follow up all work with L – time it. Note 2 hours spent in training at his house. Note time yesterday spent on search engine optimization.
Respond to cousin M.
Prep card racks for TB, make plan, inquire about gallery mounts and canvas wraps for walls.
Call Netflix, follow up with bank.
Prep all items to send for Chicken Mama Blog. Post new item.
Prep, assemble T’s pieces.
Respond to S re Christmas cards.
Sympathy card to L & C.
Sympathy card to G.
Cards to JR.
Respond to P. Ready invoice, including tax.
E-mail to CU woman.
Medical paperwork back to clinic.
E-mail HDC about bill.
Post RM ad.
End of the month / end of the year invoices.
SL quick edits, check on website, work on brochure, set up time for training.
Cards, thank you for DL.
Water batteries.
Photograph hats for website.
Litter boxes. ALL!

So, my plan for the day is this, in order: go clean the snow off the solar panels, take a much-needed shower (I am stannnky!), clean litter boxes, back outside to do chores, water batteries (animals & electrical system come first!), maybe do a little vacuuming while the sun is shining . . . and then begin prioritizing the remaining 27 MUST-DOs and ATTACK . . . with the incentive "treats" sprinkled about as needed. Oh, and go out and plow between 2:00 and dark (4:15 onward). I should check back in with you tonight so I'm held accountable to someone for all my grand plans! ;)

It was Mama Pea's Fault

2011-12-28T10:52:00.000-06:00

December 27, 2011 – 10:29 PM

Last night at this same time, as I crawled into bed, the thermometer at the window read 39 degrees. Right now? -4.5 degrees. Now that’s a heck of a 44 degree temperature drop in 24 hours! When I went out to stoke up the wood furnace about ½ an hour ago, the snow sounded like squeaky Styrofoam under my mukluks, and the trees were snapping as the sap in them froze and expanded. I love winter! :) And I’ll take THIS *any* day over the weird, slippery 39 degree weather!

It had been mild for a couple of days following the last little snow, and Mama Pea was cautious about me driving in to town on Christmas Eve. She wanted me to telephone or send a last e-mail before I left home. Mind you, it was daylight and it’s NOT like I don’t drive that road all the time! And, never mind that I’ve been driving snowy roads for the past 24 years. So, appeasing an old woman (ha, I’m gonna get smacked for that, but I couldn’t resist!), I sent an e-mail when the car was loaded and running. I was heading out. See them in about an hour.

You know, if Mom hadn’t jinxed things, everything would have been fine. Instead, about a mile and a half from home, twilight beginning its early hold on the afternoon, I’d just crested a hill (yes, I was at the TOP of it), and . . . lost control. Are you KIDDING?! I was going slowly enough that I had some time to try to correct the spin, and so I ended up heading back in the right direction on the top, flat part of the hill with just my rear passenger-side tire into the slump of the (fortunately!) minimal ditch when I stopped spinning and sliding. Unfortunately, the warm temps were making the road underneath the couple of inches that I hadn’t bothered plowing (ahem!) completely icy and slippery. I couldn’t get any traction for love nor money. If I’d been on even the SLIGHTEST incline, there wouldn’t have been a CHANCE.

Running late, as usual, I patiently explained to the car that I just didn’t have the time to walk home, get the truck, pull out the car, blah, blah, blah, and that it HAD to get unstuck. No matter what I did, though, no matter how I rocked the car back & forth, I just COULDN’T get traction. So, I looked around the jam-packed car to see WHAT I could use to spread underneath the wheels. I didn’t think my Deluxe Mashed Potatoes were gonna do it. But then . . . what to my wondering eyes should appear . . . but the sight of my leather work gloves! My “good” work gloves. You know, the ones I wear to town. Yes, they juuuuust might afford the traction I needed.

So, I cleared as much snow as I could by hand (the shovel was well-buried in the car underneath all the Christmas loot) and then shoved a glove as far under each of the two front tires as possible. Then . . . coaxing the car along with the gentle threats that this was our last chance . . . I eased my foot off the clutch, stepped on the gas ever so slowly, felt the tires grab . . . spin . . . grab, grab, grab . . . and then I was spinning back onto the middle of the road! Whoo-hooooo!

The 4 ½ mile winter driveway and the main road were SO slippery with the warm temps that it had taken me that whole hour to inch along (and get stuck and then unstuck) by the time I got down to the highway. I stopped at Bundle of Joy’s house and used the phone to say that I was on my way . . . 20 minutes yet to go.

Ah, yes, never a dull moment, right? ;)

For FoxyLady

2011-12-23T14:05:00.000-06:00

FoxyLady, in the comments section of my previous post about today's header image, asked if I'd made it or actually found it. I found it online! Same with this one. I had done a search for "vintage" or "retro" "Christmas images" and came up with some GREAT ones! Who KNEW Santa was a smoker! ;)

Today's Header

2011-12-23T12:11:00.003-06:00

See, I still have my sense of humor - even if it *is* a little twisted! At any rate, it suited my slightly black, tongue-in-cheek mood today. ;)

Ho, Ho, Ho . . . No.

2011-12-23T11:53:00.002-06:00

Okay, let's pretend, for a moment that it's not Christmas. 'Cause, otherwise, I'm gonna sound like the biggest Debbie Downer you know. I just need to complain a little. Okay, a lot. This is gonna be a long post. Our story begins with what I wrote on Tuesday (well, it was really the wee hours of Wednesday) night:

* * *

Fodder

Fodder is, by definition, that which provides us with something on which to build (a story) upon. (Huh?) For example, “some days, my life seems to be nothing more than fodder which I’ll one day use to write my memoirs and then become rich”.

Oi. Today was one of those days. Or, more to the point, yesterday was . . . as it’s 1:11 AM Wednesday morning as I settle in bed underneath my down comforter, laptop in (not so ironically) my lap.

In short, my LP tank . . . hang on, damn dog whining for something . . . they need to go out NOW? Seriously . . . .

My LP tank is pegged out at zero. I’ve been in steady communication with the propane company since two weeks ago when I watched it edge near the (dum, dum, dummmm) red zone. I was watching it closely over the weekend, and it was near 10%. Last night, on my way in from chores, I happened to swing by to peek down at the gauge. WHAT?! Zero?!!! Literally, it seemed to have dropped those last few gallons overnight. So, today was spent frantically trying to communicate with the propane company . . . while NOT using any electricity to send/receive e-mails or telephone calls. How did we get from no LP to no electricity? Like this.

See, in the winter when there is very little sun here in northern Minnesota, my (electrical, et al.) system runs almost entirely on the generator. Because, no sun = no solar gain from the panels. But, no LP for the generator = no electricity.

Today was the delivery day for my neck of the woods, but the truck had already gone out and there was no way to get ahold of the driver for a last-minute route change (no cellphone reception in my neck of the woods, either), so I couldn’t get a delivery still today.

(Tucker had to come in, Maisy WON’T come in. She's probably eating a poopsicle. Oh, it’s times like this that I really love having dogs.)

Actually, I COULD have gotten a delivery still today if I’d requested an “emergency” delivery for the driver to head back out again once he gotten in at the end of the day. That would have been a $199 fee. Or, I could “request that we break route tomorrow”. That would be a $149 fee. Or, I could wait until the end of the week when they’ll be this way again. That would be no extra fee.

Guess which option I chose?

Buuuuut, if I do, indeed, completely run out of LP before they deliver, it will cost an automatic, mandatory $69.95 “leak test” (when ALL they do is come into the house, ask me to turn on a burner to see that I have gas and then leave!). Therefore, my plan is to attempt to NOT run out of gas before they arrive to fill the tank. How can I do that? By living without running water, electricity, and cooking/baking. (Right before Christmas, natch.) I have everything turned off but the circulating pumps that run 24/7 on the wood furnace. Refrig and freezer are off. Phone’s off. Modem/router for computer use are off. E-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g’s off. I’m flushing the toilets with water pumped from the hand pump outside. I’m hauling drinking water and not running the taps (which keeps the water pump & pressure tank from automatically turning on).

The biggest bugger is not using the stove or oven. That means, no coffee in the morning until I have the wood cookstove hot enough to heat the water. No using the burners for heating anything because that takes, you guessed it, LP. No showering, no nothin’.

Normally, and still in a several ways, this is a “fun” challenge . . . it’s just bad timing as ALL of my Christmas presents this year are homemade ('cause I have NO money)! Whether that's food stuffs or artwork using the computer, they do require energy (electricity). And I ain’t got none o’ that right now. On the up side, dear friends are leaving for the holiday tomorrow and have asked me to look after their place. So, even tho it means expending gasoline to drive there, I am going to take FULL advantage of their electricity and LP and get a couple of solid “work sessions” logged in there in these next couple days! They don’t have any running water, never have (you “run” to get it – ha!) – but that’s not a biggie. I can work around that.

I have requested that Christmas Day, always held here at Swamp River Ridge, be relocated to Mama & Papa Pea’s house for the season . . . given my current limitations. And, with their new living room nearly completed and the wood stove installed and corkin’ away, it will be the perfect year to “break it in”!

Just to add a little extra excitement to my day today, I had to get the plow onto the truck so I could plow the road so the propane truck could easily drive in. I’d squeaked by, not having plowed yet. I was trying to get the truck in to the mechanic to get the oil changed and the tires rotated. Last Thursday was the last day for me driving home the “summertime way” in the little Yaris, and even the truck’s undercarriage was beginning to scrape in the new amount of snow when I got it ready to go that night for heading out to the garage on Friday morning. I was really pressing my luck.

With the truck in four-wheel drive and FULL of recycling (added weight), I didn’t have any trouble getting through the snow on Friday morning, but I knew the car wouldn’t make it through until I plowed. It took me a while to figure out why I was having a harder time driving back in that night, even though the 1-ton was still in 4-wheel drive. Duhhhh . . . it was because I no longer had the extra weight of all the recycling I’d unloaded that afternoon! Time to cut down some (standing dead or wind-killed) trees to throw into the back. Which is just what I did over the weekend.

(Ohhhh! WHAT is that damn dog barking about? Hang on, I’ve gotta haul Maisy in. It’s 1:48 AM, for cryin’ out loud!)

* * *

Thus ends that portion of the story. Fast forward to me writing yesterday. And, there's some language in my pity party. You've been warned. Oh, but first, the back story because I don't think I'd mentioned it earlier.

I had an interview for a great-sounding job up on the Rez last Thursday. It went REALLY well, and I felt confident about getting it . . . aside from the facts that I had no idea who my competition would be AND that there was, of course, Native American preference.

* * *

Thursday, December 22, 2011 – 7:45 PM

My body keeps telling me it wants to vomit today. And the first time was even before I read the rejection letter. The interview went so well. I thought I had it. So, what now? Interview for the (hellish position as) manager of the Trading Post? It’s a job that should require 3 managers. At least. F#ck me. It’s any day now that the credit union is going to hand things over to the creditors. My mortgage, that is. Not that they’d be able to sell this place even in the best of markets. Would it be adding insult to injury to continue living here while it was in foreclosure? I just don’t know what’s going to happen. Can’t imagine. And it’s 3 days before Christmas, and I don’t have a single gift wrapped yet. Merry f#cking Christmas to me. Unbelievable.

* * *

And then later again last night (pardon the repetition of some things):

December 22, 2011 - 11:52 PM

It’s not often that I can’t sleep. But, right now, I can’t. After tossing and turning, throwing off blankets, drinking water, even praying (and I’m an Agnostic/Atheist!), I’ve given up and decided to write a bit and then, hopefully, Solitaire myself into oblivion.

I think, too, that I tend to not write when things are grim. After all, what’s there to write about? All the bad stuff?

It’s been a bad week. Seemingly overnight, my low propane tank (I’d been watching it religiously) plummeted from 10% to 0% on Monday night. I spent a frantic Tuesday trying to get it filled, all while using no electricity (no e-mail nor telephone, a real trick, let me tell you!). Best I could do was to get it filled “by the end of the week”.

Then, as I went through the mail tonight, tucked in amongst the Christmas cards, a thin envelope from the Reservation. As it registered in my brain, I just uttered one word of despair. It rhymed with ‘duck’. I really thought I had that job. The pay was not great by any means; matter of fact, it was hardly “good”, but it had full benefits, and I knew that once I was “in” there, I could stay for as long as I wanted.

What. Am I Going. To. Do.

“Blink. Blink. Blink. Blink,” goes the cursor on my screen.

I don’t have an answer, and I’m reaching the point with my unpaid mortgage where I just KNOW the next e-mail is going to be the threat of “the next step” . . . whatever that is. (I *don’t* want to know!)

I’ve had a killer headache all day. Hmph, small wonder, huh?

I hesitate posting all of this because some of you are going to worry so much. But, it *is* my life right now, the tales of this lady homesteader. For better or for worse. ;) And right now’s just pretty . . . bad.

I’m usually pretty good at putting one foot in front of the other, and I am still able to notice and ENJOY things in my daily life: the snow outside, the blue jays at the bird feeder . . . but it’s these quiet times like now . . . . Well, perhaps these are the ONLY moments – trying to fall asleep – when there’s nothing else that I’m DOING to take my mind off things . . . and I can’t HELP but think. During the day I’m pretty good at thinking proactively. But, when it’s dark, when you’re just laying, wait, wait, waiting for sleep to overtake you . . . trying to “force” yourself to relax (HA!) . . . it’s these times that are so hard. I just want to snap my fingers and have fallen asleep so I’m waking up on a bright new morning. Facing a new day of possibilities, a new opportunity to make some headway in this life.

Believe me, if I thought I could get by without the sleep, I’d just get back up and get dressed again and go back to my day. But then, there’s the issue of all the electricity I’d use since it’s the middle of the night . . . and that gets me back to the stress of the power system and my current lack of money to maintain it.

Ugh. Money, money, money. Always sunny. In a rich man’s world.

I wish I could just pass out tonight and let my body and brain recover. I’ll go try Solitaire for a while now. Lately, it’s been the only thing that works.

* * *

And, with that, we're back to the new day on Friday morning.

Regarding the seemingly overnight plummet of my LP use, I was actually RIGHT. Because . . . the gauge is broken. So, all of my conserving, turning everything off might not have even been necessary! Ha! Because the tank is owned by the propane company, it's their responsibility to fix. But, initial research by the driver yesterday (they were able to come yesterday instead of me having to wait 'til today, thank goodness for that!) indicates that the problem is on the tank end . . . or, rather, INSIDE the tank. And, remember, I have a buried tank. Niiiice. So, is it even possible for them to try to dig it up in the winter? Even in the best of situations, that will be a disastrous mess. Meanwhile, until it's fixed, I have NO WAY OF KNOWING how much LP I have. Greeeaaaat. Just great. If I had the money, I'd have them come fill it up to the top because I know that would get me through until spring when they can more easily dig up the tank (it's a huge, 1,000 gallon tank). But, I don't. So, I'm still going to be uber conservative with my propane use and . . . what? Just cross my fingers, I guess.

I was so, so "high", so UP after the propane delivery came yesterday. It felt like Santa had come early! So, I was cruising on that until I went through the mail last night and found the rejection letter . . . and came crashing, very painfully, back to earth.

Another little "slam my head against the brick wall" from the last couple of days: on Wednesday night, it finally dawned on me that I could lug out the back-up generator, bring it down to the house and plug my computer and printer and the modem and router in to it so I could, at least, get done with the computer stuff that's waiting. So, I did just that: brought it down to the house on the toboggan, checked the gas and oil, hauled out all the extension cords I'd need and wound them throughout the house. All while wearing a headlamp (thank goodness for mine!) in the pitch black of evening, of course. And then . . . I couldn't get the freakin' generator to stay running. Niiiiice. So, scratch that plan.

Oh, and the nifty little auction I had going over at the Chicken Mama Designs blog? Well, not being able to use electricity after the first day, I wasn't able to advertise or update it via e-mails or FB. So, while I did get a little (much appreciated!) action that first day, there was no more after that.

On the up sides (we need a little of that!), I did make a decent sale on one of my eBay items this week, but eBay is STILL not letting me have access to those funds for 21 days (because I don't have enough sales under my belt to get out of the probationary period yet).

It's a beautiful, snowy morning today, and I hope Mama & Papa Pea are finally getting enough snow to make it look like Christmas there, too!

The cats and Baby (Jinx) are all getting along really well and spend the majority of their time in the little downstairs bathroom now - which makes it tricky trying to walk in there! Baby has really brought out in the kitten in the two older cats, and they all seem to be having a great time together. Baby still isn't too sure of me, and the only time I can pet him/her is when s/he's busy eating. Then, s/he'll allow a stroke down the back. AND, s/he knows all about litter boxes now, so yayyyy for that!

So, my plan for today is to enjoy the snow, put on either my current audio book or Christmas music and continue pluggin' away on what I'm making for Christmas . . . trying to remember to focus on the joy of the season, the joy of having the KNOW-HOW to make my presents this year! I'm going to try to put the current job/money situation out of my head until Monday. That's my goal. Oh! And, since I won't be starting my new job on Monday, I will be able to nanny for Baby Girl which will be a real treat AND bring in some cash! I hope her parents want me to come every single day!!

On with it then. Anyone have a Valium I could take?

Last Minute Shoppers' Deals

2011-12-19T10:57:00.000-06:00

Good morning!

I wanted to tell you all that I have a special sale going on over at the Chicken Mama Designs blog for these last days before Christmas! It's in an auction format, so you might get some incredibly good deals. Go check it out!

Thoughts

2011-12-17T11:26:00.006-06:00

I don't really know how to start this post today. How to write about what's happened in our wonderful little community. I know we are all reeling from the shock of it, trying to process it in our minds. I know Mama Pea wrote about it, but I've purposefully not read her post yet, wanting my views to be unique / not influenced by what she said.

There was a shooting late on Thursday afternoon. A very public shooting. Sure, there have been some domestic violence cases where shots were fired, but never an incident like this: so many people involved, all members of the community who we all know, something that strikes so close to home because it HAPPENED at home.

We (the Parents Pea and I) know both of the families involved. I grew up with the wife of the shooter's primary target. Her brother and parents homesteaded just 1 1/2 miles from us, and there were a few formative years when we two families did everything together: celebrated birthdays, holidays, held annual cookie bakes, did chores for one another when needed, etc., etc. Mama Pea's 'Burrito in the Snow' story is about this family.

This daughter of the neighbors found her husband out on the East Coast where he was raised and they were both going to college. She brought him home for their wedding, and it was held in the same gorgeous lodge where I was later married (and where her father was the officiant of our ceremony). After living on the East Coast for several years, they made the unexpected (but welcomed by us all) move back home, back here. Her husband had studied law and followed in her family's footsteps, carving out a well-liked and well-respected spot for himself in the community. When this woman was growing up, her dad was the county attorney for years and years. Now it was her husband's turn.

His stint as county attorney has gone on relatively smoothly (at least, that's how it's always appeared), and he's earned a reputation as a tough prosecutor. On Thursday, however, a court case on-going since 2006, appealed and over-turned and re-tried . . . resulted in a guilty verdict. For the second time.

I also grew up with the shooter. He was in the class ahead of me all throughout school. He seemed like a nice guy, inasmuch as I knew him. Whenever I hear "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy", I still remember singing that song in his family's basement as his cousin (my girlfriend) and sister practiced for an upcoming 4H performance. I remember going to a party at that house when their parents were out of town one wintery, wintery night in the '80s. His mother, now remarried, is the matriarch of the dairy farm we all frequent. A nicer, down-to-earth, harder working woman would be tough to find.

Sitting here, trying to figure out how to describe what I'm thinking . . . I'm at a loss. I guess what I'm trying to say is that he'd always been a decent guy. (Until now.) Sure, he's had some problems along the way and seems to have developed unhealthy relationships with girls in their teens who were too young to know better (which is what the court case was about). And, he was being punished for that.

But, overall, I sit here trying to imagine what it was that caused him to snap . . . to feel like his only way out was to shoot the prosecutor and the girl's father? You can almost "understand" if he'd turned the gun on himself, but to shoot OTHERS because you feel trapped by the guilty verdict? That's not gonna get you out of the hole you've dug. It just doesn't. Make. Sense. But, I guess that's the point when people "snap" like this: there IS no making sense of it.

I've found myself saying, so many times, "But he was always such a nice guy!" But isn't that what people said about Charles Manson? The guy next door who has bodies buried in his basement? Word is that he's had a bad reputation for many, many years . . . formed, perhaps, during the 10 years I was away? I know I'm only remembering the boy he was in high school.

I think the reason I'm having such a hard time processing this is because I'm a very . . . what's the word . . . practical (?) person. In the sense of trying to understand things. If I can see the whys, the wherefores leading up to an act, I can "get it". But this? I don't get it. And, obviously, that's something we all have to accept. We could spend all day over the "if his parents hadn't gotten divorced", the "if this . . . then that", if, if, if . . . . But, it won't do any good other than drive us crazy. What's done is done, and we can only hope, pray, chant (whatever it is that you "do") that he will get some help, that his family will find peace (now suffering the 2nd loss of a son / cousin - who drowned when we were in high school), that the victims will make full recoveries, that their families will find peace. That rage and anger will no longer rule the day.

The only "good" thing about a tragedy like this (as was the case when that young man, the only son of the coffee shop owners, died unexpectedly last winter) is that the community really rallies. We circle the wagons and envelope the families in love and support. Everyone clambers to do what they can to help. In this case, I can only hope that the family of the shooter will be supported, too. THEY are *not* "the bad guys". I hope the pain they're feeling can some how, some day, be reduced to a manageable level. And that our wonderful, wonderful friend will make a COMPLETE recovery from his 3 gunshot wounds . . . and that his family (both by blood and by "adoption" with his move here) will be stronger for the painful, life-affirming experience.

Peace out.

A Russian Dinner

2011-12-11T11:16:00.000-06:00

There are a lot of international workers in our community, particularly in the summertime. Why? The "public" opinion is that this is such a seasonal, tourism-based economy that we don't have enough local workers to fill the positions. MY opinion, on the other hand, is that we have PLENTY of locals (young people) who could fill the positions but they don't want to work! Or, work hard. Or, work in what they might perceive as "menial" jobs - housekeeping, clerking, restaurants, etc. So, enter the international workers . . . mostly from Eastern European countries or Asia.

This fall, while working at the roe & cutting houses, I had the privilege of getting to know two young women, one Russian and one from Kazakhstan. We'll call the Russian woman Svetlana. This is her story.

She was already working in both fish processing houses when I arrived, working the roe house until we were through and then finishing her day at the cutting house. (An aside, the boss lady told us that any who wished could do the same - get in a final hour or two in the cutting house each day. But, everyone [excluding Svetlana who just didn't say much about it] made it sound SO terrible, awful, horrible that I never went to check it out. Now, of course, I'm kicking myself in the pants for not doing so since I now know that working over there is just fine! Sigh.)

Anyway, when I first met Svetlana, she was the Salting Queen, and I could tell that the boss lady thought highly of her. The first opportunity I was given to help with the salting, I jumped at it, and we two were soon the Salting & Caviar Queens, jumping at every chance we were offered to eat some . . . she and I being the only two in the house that truly love caviar!

During my first day or two of working there, I was fairly quiet, just taking in my surroundings and new tasks and "feeling the place out". Svetlana's English was perfect, and were it not for a few pronunciation differences and the occasional "I do not know that word", I wouldn't have known she was an import. But, she had those "Russian princess" facial features, a bit exotic, and she dressed just a little differently. And, she was MUCH more mature (not even on the same level) as her American peers. But, sneaking a peek at her time card, I saw that her last name was Anderson (changed here for anonymity but just as common a name in these here parts)! AND, she wore a simple silver band on her ring finger. Aha! She must have married a local . . . as happens on occasion.

Anyway, as we all got to know each other, I learned more and more about her. She left her mother and father and "little" (much taller than she) sister back in Stavropol before moving to the States 3 years ago for work. She, as many of these workers do, has a college degree from back home. Still, the economy is such that she can make SO much more money in America that it made no sense for her to NOT come here. And, there has been a popular program in Russia bringing Eastern Europeans to the States for employment. (Unfortunately, that program is closing this year.) So, at the tender age of 21, she packed up her bags to move around the world for employment.

I can't remember how she found our little town, but I think she said that it was through that international workers program. I suppose the employers of our town sign up for employees there. For these last couple of years, she's been splitting her time between Orlando, Florida and here. She works through the tourist season here (or a little beyond, as now) and then moves to Orlando to work for the Disney enterprise. And so goes the cycle.

When I was getting to know her, it was impossible to not notice that there was a young man from the cutting house who she was "connected" with. With whom she'd always arrive, take her breaks with, and leave with. He was American (from the East Coast), and I wondered if he was her husband. Then, one day, I heard her mention his wife. His wife?? I asked about it, and she laughed, saying that the boss over at the cutting house (Mr. "Owly", who I came to love) always teased her about him being her boyfriend since they were always together. But no, she and he and his wife (an international worker from Asia) all rent from the same woman in town. Ahhhh, it's making more sense now!

As we talked more about Svetlana's employment cycle (between Florida and Minnesota), she revealed that the three of them always move around together, and that the guy (we'll call him Tim) kind of "looks out" for her. That's my interpretation, as it was plainly, comfortingly clear. Again it struck me: a small group of young people SO much older, in every way, than their peers! I was, and continue to be, impressed. These three (plus three more international workers awaiting them in Orlando) have formed a bit of a family for themselves. A home away from home, as it were. How smart! How admirable! How . . . practical!

Now, in Orlando, apparently there is a relatively new, strong Russian community, complete with resources that range from employment to legal advice to college admission. And, one of the main reasons Svetlana works so hard to earn money is because this year, when she returns to Florida, she'll be attending college there in addition to working. She wants to transfer her Russian degree (in World History) to US accreditation . . . which will require more schooling. Wow. WHAT a hard worker! Her college campus will be an hour's drive from her home and work, but that's a minor inconvenience for her.

Now, back to chit-chatting with each other about our lives, she mentions Harold, her love. (Obviously, not his real name but JUST as old-fashioned an American name as they come!) "HAROLD?!" What's up with that? Oh, must be her husband . . . the one who provided her the surname of Anderson. Okay, that makes more sense. But, I know that she lives alone with Tim and his wife, so . . . ? She laughs and says, "No, no - Harold lives in Ecuador!" HUH? Now I'm TOTALLY confused!!!

Turns out, Svetlana and Harold had met via the international workers program while they were both in Orlando. (I think. I'll have to confirm that.) Anyway, they fell (SO STRONGLY - it's evident!) in love and promised themselves to each other . . . hence the silver band on her finger. (I'd actually asked her, once I knew she wasn't married, if she wore the ring to dissuade amorous suitors, but, no, it's a promise ring.) Since Harold moved back home, she has been to Ecuador a couple of times. (She's learning Spanish while he learns Russian, but their common language is English . . . which is ironic since it's not a "first language" for either of them!) And, next summer, he is visiting her family in Russia for the first time!

Knowing that they are incredibly serious about their relationship, I asked her if Harold would ask for her hand in marriage during that visit? She smiled and said that, yes, she thought he would. I, in turn, commented that her family must be awfully excited for her! She dropped her head a bit, concealing her expression and said, "Dey are . . . dey are worried for me. Not to make 'nother mistake."

Another mistake? Ohhhh, wait a minute . . . Svetlana's very Scandihoovian surname . . . ahhh, I think I'm beginning to understand.

When we were alone, away from nosy ears, I gently asked her about her last name.

An interjection about that - "being away from nosy ears": one thing Svetlana has noticed and which drives her up the wall about living here, in such a small community (and which is ABSOLUTELY TRUE) is that there is no privacy. "Eff-rebody got to know vat effrebody else is doo-ing. NO privacy!" (Phonetic spelling so you can hear her lovely accent.)

So, yes, what happens to a few when in a new culture, when the romanticism of it all is running high, she'd fallen in love (or so she'd thought) and married a local. Someone her age (maybe a tad younger?). An American boy who was NOT her age, developmentally or psychologically. That's another trend I've noticed: young women coming over expect the American young men to be as mature as the boys back home. (Insert laughter until my sides split!) They quickly learn (sometimes too late as in Svetlana's case) that this is, generally speaking, NOT TRUE!!!

I asked why in the world she hadn't gone back to her maiden name then, after her "mistake"?? "Are you kid-ding?!" she asked. "It is SO much easier to live here and have a name dat effrebody knows!" Ha, good point, I guess. I'm sure it's just WE who would love an exotic name vs. a common one like Anderson! ;)

Thus ends Part I of this saga. Stay tuned for the next installment . . . !

FAST!

2011-12-10T12:17:00.003-06:00

"FAST!" Me? Haha - noooo. It's Bundle of Joy's mama who I'm talking about.

Bundle of Joy's parents, perfectly exhibiting their energy levels. (Mine would be the same as her daddy's!!!)

Yesterday afternoon, she and I went to Canada to watch a movie . . . something we've been trying to do since our birthdays in July. Now this woman is a WHIRLWIND: such a hard worker, gets SO much done, is constantly baking or cooking and delivering same to whomever she thinks needs it at the time . . . I could go on and on. But, after yesterday, I understand how she gets so much done. She does everything FAST! She drives FAST. She shops FAST. She even pees FAST!

Case(s) in point. She asked me to drive once we got near the city because she's not a fan of city driving. As I was driving along (right with the traffic, I felt), comments kept popping from the passenger's seat like, "Hey! You could get into this lane if you wanted!" or "Geez, is the speed limit really this slow here?!" and (knife to my back), "Ohhh! I feel so sorry for those people behind us!" ;)

Hahahahahaha! Okay, let it be known that I am NOT a slow driver. I'm a steady-as-she-goes driver. Same with work. Steady pace. Same with (ahem) peeing! Our first bathroom visit went like this: we walk into our respective stalls, and I SWEAR I hear her piddling before I've even gotten my purse settled and coat unzipped. Then, as I'm seated and doing my business, she calls, "I'll be outside . . . MOM!" Okay, so that one had me chuckling my way to the sink.

This woman does EVERYTHING fast. She talks fast, particularly when she's excited or trying to multitask. I don't know how many times I asked, yesterday, "Huh?" or "Ummm, say that again?"

She makes the 14-hours, one-way drive to her family in Kansas several times a year. FAST. I think she makes it in something like 10 or 12 hours. And she drives straight through (aside from potty stops). (Even with Bundle of Joy in the car - who's a WONDERFUL little traveler!)

She cooks fast (she steps in and becomes chef when there's no one else at the historic lodge where she ~~is so invaluable I don't know what they'd do if she ever left~~ works).

She's called in to cook, spur-of-the-moment? No problem, Baby can sleep through it.

As Bundle of Joy grows, she can help Grandma NeNe (lodge owner) make bread while her mama works! Here she is doing just that at only 17 months old!

She eats fast. She's the only person I've actually met who DOESN'T CARE about food! To her, it's nutrition, nothing else. She doesn't like to spend any time making fancy meals. She doesn't like to eat out (a waste of money in her book). Matter of fact, rather than us "wasting" the money on a meal out yesterday, she PACKED DINNER FOR US! Hahahaha! And, I think I can guarantee that we were the ONLY ONES eating "free", deliciously homemade lebkuchen in the theatre last night while the rest chewed on their $5/box Mike & Ikes!

She "mothers" fast: if Bundle of Joy needs to go to a sitter in the morning (or if they're setting out on a road trip), she puts her to bed in the clothes she'll wear in the AM. That way, Baby's up and they're all out the door!

She plants the garden fast! One day this summer, she and I were out there with Bundle of Joy as I set to thinning the carrots. She, looking at the squash, said, "I need to thin and replant these." We only had a few minutes, and I said, "Oh, no - that's gonna take SO long! Shouldn't you save that 'til later?" I continued with my work, and suddenly I looked up when I noticed her flying between two beds. She'd knelt down in the clothes she had on, dug the new holes with her hands and then had the squash all replanted in, literally, 10 minutes.

Want new wallpaper in the kitchen? No problem, it will be done in a single morning.

It's her family's way. As one of ten children raised in a VERY limiting setting (both financially and culturally), she's learned how to make do and do it FAST.

She's just a wonderful, whirling-dervish, this one, and I love her to pieces. But remind me to never go on a full-day shopping trip with her - I'd be EXHAUSTED!

Bundle of Joy's mama - epitomized!

P.S. I can take NO credit for these photos - I stole 'em all from her FB page.

Good Morning!

2011-12-09T09:59:00.000-06:00

Hello! On Wednesday morning, I woke up with another bad sinus headache and was so worried that it would develop into another infection. AND I had a two-hour "teaching" appointment with a website client that morning. But, I battled through the day and downed Vitamin C . . . only to wake up yesterday morning completely stuffed up and REALLY feeling like I was getting sick again! I took the day easy, though, and allowed myself some time to play (FINALLY put my birthday present / the kitchen cupboard up). Lots of OJ, too, and today I feel like myself again! Whew - hopefully, that was a bullet dodged!

Jinx sitting on my lap as I crocheted on Monday - big progress!

The BIG THING that happened yesterday, though, was that I FINALLY GOT TO PET Jinx, the new kitty!!!! 23 days into living here, and she let me touch her and scratch her ears! I think the trick was the empty bowl of Peppermint Bon-Bon ice cream that I let her lick out. ;) As she was doing that, I gently started petting her . . . telling her (him?) all the while how nice it was to be petted and that she should let me do it more often! She allowed the love to go on for about 30 seconds but was then done with it. I did wake to her licking my ear, though, this morning . . . followed by the sounds of "pppbbtt, yukky, pppptttthhhhht" as she tried to get my long hair out of her mouth. ;) She spends at least some of the night on the bed with me and at least one of the big cats now . . . since, when I wake, I see two little black ears sticking up over the mussed-up down comforter.

In other news, I have a job interview next week! It's for an Adult Education Specialist up on the Rez . . . assisting college-bound teenagers and returning or "non-traditional" students through the morass of applications and financial aid. It's full-time with good benefits, so PLEASE send your positive thoughts my way! There is Native American preference given during the hiring process, so that counts against me, but if I can just get my feet in the door, I know they'll be tickled pink with what I can do for them. Fingers (and everything else!) CROSSED!

* * *

It's funny to hear Mama Pea say that it's not winter yet since they don't have snow . . . when I, at Swamp River Ridge, have been in full-on winter since the middle of November! Such is the difference in geography here: "down by the lake" vs. "up over the hill". I still haven't plowed yet as I'm trying to get the truck in for an oil change before I put the plow on, but I've really reached my max as far as getting the car in and out go. If it snows again before the truck is ready, I'll have to either put the plow on (and then take it off again) or just drive the truck to/from the 'stead. But, it's SUCH a gas-hog that I REALLY don't want to have to do that! I'll have to take some pictures so you can see the snow here.

Anyway, that's my news . . . such as it is. Happy Friday!

Waste. Of. Flesh.

2011-12-05T22:08:00.000-06:00

I feel like I've just been a big, sluggy, slobby waste of flesh today. I guess what's bothering me most is that I haven't made good use of my precious time, and I'm feeling guilty now and having myself a pity party. Wah, wah, wah.

I think the problem is (us) slowing down. That is to say, when we finally have a day to slow down, we kinda collapse, right? We're all so busy and go-go-go these days that to try to return to a "normal" (what's that?) day backfires.

And, it's not that I got nothing done today. I got a (very) little start on the #@*! DISASTER that is this house and the garage. First the arts festival, then moving out of my office. The garage is CRAMMED with stuff, and the majority of the lower story of the house is the same. I am to the point of being SO SICK OF ALL THIS STUFF right now! I don't like the word 'crap', but it seems fitting: I have too much CRAP. Flat out.

And, while I want to systematically sort through everything into keep, sell, & recycle piles as I pick up each thing . . . THE HOUSE/GARAGE ARE TOO FULL OF THE CRAP TO FIND SPACE TO DO THE SORTING! Bah, I say! BAH!

But, back to those "good thoughts" (deep, calming breaths . . .), I also got my Christmas letter nearly completely written, start to finish. And, I got a decent little amount of wood cutting done in what felt like frigid (8 degree) temperatures. And, some office work done with that computer set up in its new place here at home. Problem is, the location is about as far away from the router as is possible, and the many walls in between are providing a bit difficult for the wireless Internet signals. Case in point, I tried to send an e-mail to a photography client today that contained just two images (albeit full-size) . . . and it n-e-v-e-r sent. Did I mention? BAH!

Fortunately, I have enough Ethernet cable to hard-wire things, AND I found an already-drilled hole where I can run it. So, that's on the docket for tomorrow. I am already missing my high-speed Internet access that I had in town, tho!

What else? I spent a HUGE chunk of the day winding about HALF of a really good skein of yarn into a (yes, single) pom-pom for The Peanut's birthday ice skates . . . only to have it be too fat to tightly tie and then pull off the forms. Couldn't BELIEVE how much yarn and time it took. And all for naught. How do you know when you have ENOUGH yarn to make the pom-pom "solid" but not too much so the damn thing won't come off the forms & tightly tie?? Bah. Now I'm left with a really expensive, jam-packed-with-yarn pom-pom that's sure to fall apart with the first hardy shake. Sigh. I'm going to save it and douse it in catnip for the cats' Christmas present. Then I'll be picking pieces of red yarn off the floor until Easter. Gah!

And, there ya have it. A big, fat waste of a day. And now there's a fat cat sitting on my forearms, making it very difficult to type. Although, I did teach her that she's not allowed on the laptop's keyboard, so I guess I should be . . . grateful? Bah.

December 1st?!!!

2011-12-01T10:48:00.000-06:00

It's December 1st, but I'm notgonnathinkaboutit. I'm getting good at that these days: not thinking about it. Like money. No, I'm not burying my head in the sand; I'm doing what I can, what needs to be done about it . . . and then not thinking about it. Because, as I alluded to yesterday, if I stressed about it all day long, it would kill me. Same thing with it being December 1st already. Anything I can do about it other than try to be really organized for the remaining days before Christmas? Nope. So, I acknowledge it and move on. Moving on . . .

This past Saturday was the annual art festival at the local town hall and, overall and despite the economy, it was a success! We (artists) all awoke to BAD weather that morning. For me, it was heavy snow, mid-way down the hill it was slippery, sloppy snow, and down on the highway, it was freezing rain. We all were understandably worried that the weather would deter customers, but it didn't! And, truth be told, as the day progressed, the freezing rain down by the lake turned to plain, ol' rain, so travelers really didn't have to worry.

The neatest thing I noticed about this particular festival was the high percentage of locals it attracted. I heard that town was packed with tourists, that weekend following Thanksgiving, but there were hardly any at the sale. That was the down-side. But, the locals REALLY came out to "shop locally". I got a lot of "I saw the poster" or "I got your e-mail and came out just because you asked" which was HUGE! Thank you, thank you! In particular, it was WONDERFUL to see these two, and it made me realize how much I've missed seeing you and would love to take you up on that offer for a visit to your place to catch up!

The festival couldn't have come at a better time for me, personally, since I had to clear out of my office this month. So, I really got about half of my two-room space cleared out on Friday when I loaded up for the sale.

Here's the pile of stuff I had to load into the pickup (leaving enough room for the dogs). I really wanted to take my largest piece to the festival (from its display in the foyer of a local business), but I had ZERO room remaining once I was loaded . . . save the open bed of the truck which, obviously, wasn't appropriate.

I was the happiest I've ever been with how my corner of the town hall looked this time, too. I'd chosen a new spot (a corner with plenty of wall space), and it really made a huge difference. That and having lots of stock, of course.

This photo is blurry - I took it w/ my phone - but it gives you an idea. On Saturday morning, I brought a standing easel to set at the right-hand side of my table between mine & the artist's next to me. That easel displayed two more prints and two hats.


These were taken after I'd set up Friday night. I still had the left-most card rack to fill come Saturday morning. Another interesting, "go figure" thing: the items I sell the most of at these things are the cards. This time, I sold almost all my 5x7 & 8x10 matted prints! You really NEVER can predict these things!!

I sold a couple of my homemade candles and crocheted hats, too!

I've also learned the "trick" to selling hats now, too. Promise them to someone else or bring an already-sold hat to the sale . . . and it will sell! Doh! ;) At the summertime sale, there was a hat that looked particularly fantastic on this friend's daughter. I knew that, if it didn't sell (and, really, WHAT were the odds?), I'd give it to her for her birthday. What was the ONLY hat that sold on that hot summer day? Yup, that one.

This time, I'd just finished a hat (which, I JUST NOW realized, I never got a picture of, darn it!) that was a custom order for another dear friend's daughter. She'd (the daughter) picked out the yarn with me when they were visiting a couple of months ago. Having finished it just a few nights before the sale, I thought I'd take it down so it would "round out" the selection. And, was it one of the two hats that sold? Of course. On the up side, I wasn't 100% happy with how it had turned out, so I don't mind redoing it. But, that tricky Murphy's Law, eh?!

Wordy Wednesday, Again

2011-11-30T10:59:00.001-06:00

Good morning! It seems like it's been an age since I've had a chance to post!

As I write, Dosie and the new kitten, Jinx, are racing around the upstairs and playing with each other. This is a HUGE step! Matter of fact, the really huge thing is that Jinx will stop here in the library to look up at me . . . letting me see her and be this close! After being in the house just over 2 weeks now (hard to believe!), I have yet to lay a finger on him/her, but it's SO rewarding to see that s/he's finally feeling comfortable and realizing that this is her HOME! :) Can't wait until I can finally scratch her ears and pet her (him, it)! Speak of the devil, here s/he is! It looks like she wants to jump up onto the couch, but s/he can't quiiiiiite get the gumption. Oh! S/he's close enough to sniff my housecoat! Annnd, now fat cat Bonzi jumped down, and Jinx is . . . zoooooom!?

I suppose I might have made this progress with the kitten sooner if I'd been home much in these past several days . . . because, yes, it's morning, and I am HOME! That's the good part. The bad part is that yesterday was the last of the roe season. My gigs as Roe Ho and Roe Queen are done for the year. :( Oddly enough, I really enjoyed working there. Horribly stinky, yes, but, otherwise, it wasn't bad at all! Oooh, kitty's back . . . wanting to jump up . . . wanting to play with Fat Cat who alternates between playing with and growling at / scaring Jinx away. Growing pains, I suppose.

Back to the fishy story, though: it was an unusual year with the run beginning later and ending earlier. (Blame it on Mother Nature's whims.) The normal, promised fat paychecks that would be a result of "40 hours a week plus all the overtime you can handle" simply didn't pan out. Matter of fact, my fullest week was only 39.17 hours. Unfortunately. Really unfortunately. As a result, I am in nearly constant contact with the loan lady at the credit union regarding my mortgage. So far (fingers crossed that it continues!), she's been very understanding regarding my payments being tardy. It helps that I keep her updated regarding every penny that comes in. I just made the last of my past-due October payment last night. Now I'll get a start on my November amount due. I try not to think about it too much. If I did, I'd worry myself to an ulcer. Instead, I take it a day at a time, a paycheck at a time. And spend as little money on gasoline and living expenses as possible.

And, in the spirit of reducing expenses, I have made the decision to give up my gallery/office space in town. (But I need more coffee before I tell you about that. Be right back.)

I'd hoped that my space in town would be "okay" as a gallery. I knew the location wasn't ideal because it was one block up from the highway and 2 blocks up from the main drag, but I'd hoped I'd get SOME business there. 'Course, if I could have had normal business hours (and advertised those hours), that might have made a huge difference. (Remember the two social service offices asking me to NOT have 9-5 hours . . . AFTER I'd moved in?)

And, I'd hoped the gallery business I did have would pay for the space. But, the fact is that there was NO gallery business, and so I was paying for just a really nice web/graphic design office . . . which actually requires no office since the majority of the work is done electronically. And, that's something I can do from home. So, no more in-town presence. I REALLY want to have a gallery in town (or, at the least, gallery space), but I'll wait until I can get one that's got a good location. And, in the meantime, I'm going to focus on getting Chicken Mama Originals (the photography) fully online. As in, selling online. That, after all, was one of my original goals.

So, Mama and Papa Pea helped me move the majority of my office on Sunday. While Papa Pea and I loaded the big stuff into the 1-ton, Mama Pea packed up boxes and dismantled shelves.

Why is Mama Pea wearing her jacket? 'Course, she did have to pop outside from time to time to take the following snapshots.

Notice how I'm just standing there while Papa Pea finishes the pushing? ;)

I've loaded up the Yaris, leaving just enough space for the dogs, with as much as it will hold these past two nights (of the incidentals remaining). Today I'll go in for the final load and to clean and patch up the holes I made in the walls (darn plaster over brick!).

Then, I'm scheduling out these upcoming "free" days to encompass as much move-ahead to bring-in-income progress as possible on the photography website and eBaying while I follow up on the "real" jobs I've been chasing. It's awfully scary, though, not having any guaranteed paycheck in the foreseeable future!

Anybody got extra money floating around? Wanna make me a no-interest loan? ;)

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T23:20:00.001-06:00

Things I'm thankful for . . . in no particular order:

(and please note, this is not a fully-inclusive list!)

Bopee's Baby Girl

Swamp River Ridge: my little 40 acres of the world are what keeps me sane, settled, and oh-so-happy.

Bopee's Bunny Boy

Mama & Papa Pea

My Girl

The apparent improved health of Dosie (Cat) and the rest of my menagerie.

The Peanut

The parents of Bopee's little ones who choose to share them with me.

Bundle of Joy and her crazy mother, the most loving person I KNOW! (And she doesn't look 32, does she?!)

Mother Nature and her four seasons.

My oldest, dearest girlfriend . . . since we were 5 years old.

The chilled bottle of Pinot Grigio that I’m going to go open at, yes, 2:32 PM. Hey, it *is* Thanksgiving Day! (Note: I fell asleep after 2 glasses WITH my lunch, and woke up at 6:45 PM!!)

Una's Little Man

Audio Books!!

This little girl, the smiley-est I've ever seen! (When she's not concentrating on cars!)

My puppies.

This wonderful, dear, old friend . . . battling her way - AMAZINGLY - through cancer.

A dear friend and fellow artist who will forgive me for FORGETTING to mention her during the local radio interview spotlighting Saturday’s art festival!

Jinx, the new baby. Although, I am a bit worried as I haven't seen him/her ONCE today, AND the front door was open for a little while . . . ??

A new friend (and fellow Roe Ho) from Russia, and a new friend in My Girl's roommate.


Bonzi & Dosie. Although, to be sure, they've decided that they don't much care for each other these past couple of months!

And, finally . . .

Close calls that end well! Not a SCRATCH on either vehicle! I did this last winter while plowing but was saving it for just the right moment. It's filed in my 'Stoopid' pictures file.

I hope you've had a WONDERFUL day, no matter how you spent it!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Friday morning update: all kitties are accounted for; most especially Jinx, the Baby! :)

(Not) Talkative Tuesday

2011-11-22T22:03:00.000-06:00

Since I REALLY don't have time for a proper post, but want to share SOME of my last few days with you, these will have to do. For now. :)

How many dogs and tires can you fit into a Yaris?

First good snow of the winter, and I couldn't get up the hill of the driveway! So, we had to hoof it in.

It's winter - even in town!

The new family member is brought home . . . .

And, sorry, but my computer tasks are done, and I'm LATE to bed. Adios!

Makin' Hay While the Printer Prints

2011-11-17T20:53:00.000-06:00

I am b-e-a-t, but I'm waiting for the printer to print out more copies of the upcoming art festival poster. So, I'll write as long as it's printing. Then, I'm goin' to bed, and that's that!

I get an extra hour of sleep tonight: it's too cold in the mornings now to get the machinery going at 6:00 at work (some stuff has to start an hour before we do), so instead of having to be at work at 7:00 tomorrow (leaving Swamp Rive Ridge at 5:30), I get to push it all back an hour! Whoo-hoo! From here on out, we don't start 'til 8:00!

Winter does seem to be here. I awoke to snow yesterday morning. A solid 1/2" covering everything here, and up to an inch and a half in spots on my way into town. It's been cold since. I think the high today was 22 degrees. So, I think the snow's here to stay.

Along with the wintery conditions comes the new normal: doing chores in the dark in the morning, doing chores in the dark in the evening, and hauling water for the critters now that the hoses are solidly frozen. This morning, I did chores by the light of the MOON! I've done that puh-lenty of times at night, but never in the morning! Now, there are stars out when I'm driving to AND from work!

Word came down today that the Roe House is, indeed, shut down. We've also learned that this includes the caviar that the boss produces to sell in the shop / restaurant upstairs! That's right: she can't even produce the caviar she sells on-site anymore. Ree-dic-ulous!! More on that later, but it's a sad state of affairs to be certain. More Big Brother takin' over, if you ask me. I'm sure there's a list with my name on it for saying so, too!

I won't have time to properly fill you in right now, but I know you're all wondering what my new job is . . . I was, SO generously (thank you, thank you, thank you!!!), hired across the parking lot at the Cutting House (vs. the Roe House). Now I spend my days pulling raw roe out of frozen fish. Absolutely literally, my hands are inside frozen fish all day. All. Day.

And, with that, my time has ended . . . which is good, since the Sand Man is throwing sand in my eyes.

Nightie night. Hope to throw another couple of lines at you again soon!

- Chickie Mama

P.S. Hey! I just realized . . . I'm a Roe Ho! Hahahahahaha!

New Bedtime

2011-11-15T20:53:00.000-06:00

Hi! (Pant, pant, rush, rush!)

I want to update you, but I HAVE to be asleep in 16 minutes because I have a new alarm-time of (gahhhhhhhhh!) 5:00 AM. Out of the house at 5:30.

In short, I lost my Roe House job yesterday. Black Monday. Boss Lady in tears, EU (yes, that EU) shut us down. Apparently, since the majority of our wonderful caviar ships overseas to . . . damn, I just forgot! . . . Sweden (I think!) . . . we've gotten too big for our britches. Or, more to the point, the headlines could read 'Mom & Pop Business Flourishes: Gov't Forces Shut-Down. Big Brother Angered By Little Guy Success.'

But, this morning, I got another job! More hours, too. Long ones. Job requirement is that you are at your station, ready to go, at 7:00 AM. That's not walking in the door at 7:00 AM, that's fully prepared to begin work at 7:00 AM. And, that means leaving the house @ 5:30. Must . . . think . . . about . . . the . . . money!

I hope to be able to update you about the shy, fuzzy new family member (I have yet to touch him/her!) and the job situation . . . tomorrow!

8 minutes 'til lights out! Gotta go!

A Quickie

2011-11-13T22:00:00.000-06:00

Do you have any idea how hard it is, as a photographer, to pick out one of your images to give to a fellow photographer as a gift?! IM-POSS-IBLE! A wonderful photog friend's b-day is tomorrow, and I've been trying to pick out an image for her . . . without much luck. There is an image that I named after her, but I took that one at the house that she once shared with her ex-husband and that life that happened "a lifetime ago", so maybe that one's not so apropos. Harrumph. Must. Keep. Thinking.

In other news, there's a new family member in the house tonight! No pictures yet as s/he (don't know!) is an understandably shy one and has yet to leave the protection of its kennel. Well, 'kennel' is a generous word. We had to live trap him/her today at work!! But, here are your clues: it's got four little legs, two big ears, and a straight little bottle-brush tail. It's super fuzzy and all shades of grey. His/her name will be either Ioway or Smokey. Dunno which yet. Have to discover the personality first. Pictures and the full story to come . . . I promise! It's a good one!

And, with that, I'm off to bed . . . although, at 10:00 PM, I'm late compared to last night: I went to bed at (are you ready?) . . . 6:40!!! Note: it was STILL just as difficult to get up with this morning's 6:00 AM alarm!

M-u-s-t S-t-o-p

2011-11-11T22:24:00.000-06:00

Tonight's one of those nights when I wish I didn't have to think about getting up to go to work in the morning. I'm on a roll, gettin' stuff done, and I'd like to keep rollin' right along! But, no, I shall drag myself away from the computer . . . as soon as I stay on long enough to write this post! ;)

I'm printing out the art festival posters as I write. I'm happy with how they look. I'll have to figure out a way to show it to you w/o giving out my personal info, i.e. location! I'll save that 'til tomorrow, though: otherwise it would be another excuse to stay up later, editing the poster!

The electrical system inverter started making horrible sounds this morning. Or, perhaps more to the point, it was the first time I'd heard them. It quite obviously sounds like the cooling fan, but an inquiry to the local alternative energy guy resulted in a "I don't know if I can replace the fan" and "think about a new inverter". NOT the answers I'd wanted! The inverter is INTEGRAL to my electrical system here. As in, no inverter . . . no electricity. OR power to keep the below-ground heating lines from freezing. And, it seems awfully damn early (in its life) to be thinking about having to REPLACE the inverter! Granted, it works a LOT, but I really thought that would be a once-in-a-lifetime purchase. But, too, I could be TOTALLY off, and perhaps it's "just a part" that wears out. I'll be contacting my new, preferred off-grid guy, you can bet . . . but I still need to keep a good relationship with the local one for times like this!

Thinking about This Situation could open a whole new can of worms if I let it. Mainly, the difficulties that are (potentially) caused by the below-ground / in-floor heating. And that I was talked in to such a system. Or, specifically, putting water into that system instead of anti-freeze (or something similar). The big problem is that the heating system can N-E-V-E-R be left alone and unused in the wintertime. If it is, the water in the lines will freeze, expand, and burst. It's a completely closed system, so I don't know HOW labor intensive it will be to replace the water with an anti-freeze solution, but you can BET that I'm thinking about it rather seriously! I've heard, tho, that the anti-freeze solutions are harder for the wood furnace / in-floor heating pumps to push. A big, fat negative. So, it's six of one, half a dozen of another. But, the point is, if there was a non-freezing solution in the closed system and, say, I DID "run out" of electricity due to a failed inverter, I could just heat the house with the 3 wood stoves herein and deal w/o electricity for the interim. No biggie. But, having a freezable system IS a biggie! A big, fat, stinky biggie. Stay tuned.

In other news . . . I've been working, tonight, on actually getting my holiday greeting cards up on my website! I know, I know: amaze-balls! There's still a long way to go before the page is ready to go live, but, with luck, I'll have it up early enough to still snag some holiday shoppers. Just in case some of you want to think about ordering your holiday cards from yours truly, here are a couple options:

Cold and Quiet, Horizontal

Inside Greeting:

Old-Fashioned Christmas, Horizontal

Inside Greeting:

Lara's Snow, Horizontal

Inside Greeting:

Annnnd, the rest aren't transferring over well. Nor can I get that damn line gone. You'll have to wait 'til tomorrow to see more. Prices are $4.25 for an individual 5x7 card, $29.95 for a set of 12, and $34.95 for a set of 12 with custom printing.

Okay, I have to go to bed now. Really.

Quick Update before Bed

2011-11-10T22:35:00.000-06:00

Well, I am feeling better. Definitely. And, more so as the day's gone on. I didn't have to take the la-la-land pain killers this AM: ibuprofen did the trick. And, I was no longer in extreme pain . . . just felt really, really sick. Sooooo weak this AM. But, like I said, I've felt better as the day's progressed. Maybe that's psychological because I've made the decision that I HAVE to go back to work tomorrow. But, I got a good nap in today and then managed to get the poster for the upcoming art festival finished. That was a necessity (since it should have been done about a week ago).

I also woke up to the first snow of the year this morning!

There'd been enough snow down by the lake on October 29th to definitely qualify as the "first of the year", but this morning's was the first for Swamp River Ridge. It's a very strange feeling - feeling stressed about the snow for the very first time. Normally, I act like it's Christmas morning with the first snow of the year! But, this year, with no money for the gas-sucking plow truck and with the back-up plow truck still out of commission, I'm scared. My financial situation isn't even funny. Matter of fact, it's downright scary. I've been writing a blog post about it in my head, so you should see that shortly.

This job at the Roe House, while I do enjoy it and it gives me SOME hours, is not what it was advertised to be. I.e., 40 hours a week plus all the overtime I could put in. Much of it is the late spawning this year thanks to the warm temperature of the lake. But, too, the boss has hired SO many people (maybe because so many of us are getting sick? - ha!) that we are all only getting somewhere between 3 and 5 hours a day, on average. The most I've worked so far in a single day is only 6 hours! I can't help but wonder if her thinking is that this gives a little money to a lot of people . . . but I know many of us (especially those of us who have been there since the beginning) would rather work longer days (with fewer co-workers). At any rate, it's aggravating . . . especially when I'm driving 2 hours for that short work day.

Anyway, I have to make some financial changes . . . and pronto. And what a time of the year to have to do it: going right into the holidays. But, I know that as soon as I have money coming in on a regular basis, my stress load will be GREATLY reduced. I just don't know how much longer I can keep putting creditors off. But, as I said, more on that to come in another post.

I'll leave you with the additional fox pictures from the other day. Unfortunately, none of them turned out very well as I was taking the photos through the dirty car window. But, more than anything, I thought I'd share them so you could see how completely disinterested Mr./Ms. Fox was in yours truly! ;)

The Very Picture of Health

2011-11-09T18:38:00.002-06:00

I just took this picture of myself with my laptop webcam:

Am I not the epitome of health and happiness? Joy overflowing?

Yeah, well.

I experienced the most pain last night that I've had since all my "female problems" pre-hysterectomy, way back when. I was in so much pain that, had I health insurance, I would have gone to the ER. (And that says a LOT for me!) Finally, deciding that I would NOT do that and incur the cost of a nightly run to the hospital, I drug (dragged?) myself to the computer where I researched my symptoms. I honestly thought my right ear drum was going to rupture. If it did, did that means my brains would leak out? I.e., how serious would that be?

Turned out, I would actually feel relief from the pain when & if the eardrum ruptured, and it would heal itself! So, at that point, dreams of glowing red, sterilized sewing needles started floating in front of my eyes. I was desperate, and a little self-inflicted relief was sounding pretty good.

How sensitive was my ear? Well, in the hopes of seeing something, I took a flashlight and hand mirror into the bathroom to see what I could see. I could feel the heat from the flashlight's beam on my inner ear! That's how sensitive it was!

Finally, knowing I couldn't make it thru the night like that, I went searching for my long-hoarded, single, solitary pain (killer) pill. But, wait: I'd just taken some pseudoephedrine, trying to achieve some relief. Was I going to pull a Heath Ledger by combining the two?!

Ever the wonderful, dependable resource, my oldest, dearest girlfriend . . . my "in-house doc" . . . got back to me at 11:03 PM that "it is totally fine to take that pain killer with pseudoephedrine, so knock yourself out."

Within the hour, I was (knocked) out. Thank. Gawd.

I got a 9:40 appointment at the clinic right away this morning and so called in sick to work A-G-A-I-N . . . assuring the boss that I'd be there tomorrow. So, the prognosis? In addition to my mother-of-all-colds, I have a sinus infection and severe ear(drum) infection. Matter of fact, the marks I made on the above picture are meant to bring your attention to the particularly puffy areas of my face. Yes, the pain/infection is so bad that my face is actually swollen on that side. It feels like I've had 10 hours of dental work performed on that side of my jaw, and it HURTS to open my mouth.

When the doc was writing out the prescriptions (including a refill on the pain meds, thank goodness), I asked him how long it would take for the antibiotics to kick in. He responded that they act pretty quickly and that I should be feeling some relief fairly soon. Once I'd picked the prescriptions up ($65.70 that-I-don't-have later!) and chugged them down out in the car, I realized that I didn't know HOW LONG "pretty quickly" was. Did that mean 1/2 an hour or did I have to suffer thru another 1/2 DAY of this pain?

I texted my in-house doc. "Antibiotics typically kick in between 24-48 hours." One to two DAYS???

Have I mentioned: thank GAWD I got a pain meds refill???????

And, so, I called in sick to work for tomorrow. A-gain. I told the boss lady that I feel like an undependable 18-year old kid, taking what will be my THIRD sick day tomorrow! And, it's SO aggravating because, yesterday morning, I REALLY felt like I was on the far side of my cold. I could smell and taste food again. I didn't need a cough drop once while at work. I even got in a good bit of chain sawing on the wood pile last night when I got home. Then, this hit SO quickly, like a rusty, nail-spiked 2x4 come smashing into the side of my head. And, now I'm back to the fluorescent green/yellow snot, the cough, the no breathing or tasting . . . plus all these fun, new symptoms.

Owwwww.

Nuttin' Honey

2011-11-07T21:32:00.001-06:00

I know it would be nicer for all of you if I could squeeze in regular posts . . . even if they're short. But, how to write about everything in a SHORT manner?! I don't DO short! (Mr. D, my high school English [and favorite] teacher, always wrote, "too wordy" or "too flowery" on top of my essays.)

I'm in at the Roe House each day now. Well, each day if I'm not home sick or being Bopee on long-ago-planned weekends.

Sunday morning with (not so) Baby Girl and The Peanut. Good thing Bopee's saved her Barbies all these years! (Funny how their hair hasn't grown back, though, in all this time!)

We only spent a little time outside, throwing balls off the deck for Maisy. I didn't want to take the girls on a walk since it was the first weekend of deer season. The Peanut was generous enough to bring some of her Halloween candy to share: here they're finishing the one treat they got to have that day. Baby Girl chose a Tootsie Roll and wasn't quite sure what to think of how it stuck to her teeth!

Work starts at 8:00 these days, and so I have to leave Swamp River Ridge at 6:30 each morning. This morning, after ignoring the TWO alarms that had been ringing for well over an hour, I finally woke up at 7:15. Niiiiice. Great way to come back to work after 1 day off for sickness plus another 2 for previous commitments.

Lastly (sticking to briefer, more frequent posts - yeah, right, we'll see how long this lasts), how much salt is added to roe in order for it to become . . . caviar?! Yes, I am the salting queen these days. The winner (person who comes closest) will win . . . I dunno. Something. So, how much salt is added to 381 lbs. of roe to make it caviar? (The main mixer we use holds about 400 lbs. at a time.)

Damn, I forgot . . . and so I've come back to make this addition:

On one of the few days I managed to get into the post office during open hours last week, I picked up my mail and found an unexpected package from one of the bestest people to receive a package from!

Okay, okay, so when I take away all the "specifics", it doesn't look like much more than a blank shipping envelope. BUT, inside were two gifts for Bopee for NO REASON . . . just 'cause she's (Susan's) a total doll. I'll have to take a picture of the gifties so you can see 'em. But, in the meantime, I want to be sure to say, "THANK YOU, Susan! Your thoughtfulness brought a BIG spot of brightness to my week! xoxoxoxo"

I'm Still Alive

2011-11-05T10:25:00.000-05:00

Just a SUPER quick post to let you know I'm alive! ;) It seems like I've been working 'round the clock lately, between the Roe House and a little office stuff squeezed in. Oh, and flat tires. I was 'tricked' rather than 'treated' on Halloween morning with a flat tire that caused me to be late to work. Two mornings later, another one. (Yes, they just graded the road, and you KNOW how I feel about that!) So, the additional errands with trying to get those fixed plus the multiple tires-off, tires-on filled up my days. Quite honestly, I lost count how many times I changed tires!

This weekend has been a long-planned nannying gig at Swamp River Ridge so that two of my families' dads can go hunting (it's the opening weekend of deer season) while both mommies are, coincidentally, out of town. The problem, though, is that I also got sick this week. A wham-bam, throw you on the ground mother of a cold. I ended up calling in sick to work yesterday which was a real bummer because it meant the loss of at least $60, gross. But, I had NO business being near food processing, and I know I would have been flat out for . . . how long? . . . if I'd gone in.

But, being sick throws a wrench into the nannying! Particularly since one of my charges, Bunny, is only 6 months old. I told his dad that I'd leave it up to him - whether or not he still wanted me to take Bunny. And, of course, I promised that I wouldn't "chew on" Bunny as I like to do (those cheeks!) or let HIM chew on MY fingers, as he likes to do! :)

Anyway, I know I'll have Baby Girl, nearly 3 now, and I HOPE I have Bunny's big sister, The Peanut, as Baby Girl is really looking forward to the "girls' party".

So, with that, I've gotta run outside to dig a tool out from the garage so Mama & Papa Pea can borrow it and then head in to do a little grocery shopping and collect my charges.

I do miss you - miss writing - miss reading, but there's just been no time lately! :)

(And you can thank one of the ex's cousins for prompting me to get at least THIS much up! Thanks for checking on me, L!!)

Oh, P.S.: I know it was unkind, but I TRULY didn't do it on purpose! The picture in my last post is of a moose hide I found in the woods. The cleanly cut edges show that it was the gut-and-hide pile from a hunter who got his moose.