Home Sweet Home

While I love being around God's people and seeing the many blessings He has given them and could happily stay forever, being in a hotel room, while also very nice does not compare to sleeping in ones own bed.

Hannah had gotten very sick during the week. She blued up on me several times and I ended up taking her to the ER. They did a chest x-ray and it showed inflammation of the lungs, but no signs of pneumonia. Her fever spiked during the night and finally broke. She is still sneezing a little bit, but other than that she (so far) seems fine. I am going to be following up with our doctor today (if I can get through since it is a Monday) and I am going to call St. Vincent to make an appointment with the pediatric cardiologist there.

We found our head rooster dead when we came home last night. The yard where the animals are looks like a bag of trash was ripped open and spread around. All the goats were accounted for and both donkeys look good. I haven't had a chance to do a chicken check. I did see both adult cats and both kittens so they are still around. It looks like we are going to have to set a trap for whatever animal is getting in with the chickens. Judging from what I saw, I am thinking possum or fox. There is no mass murder and there is a carcass so it isn't a coyote. (Plus, I did not hear any coyotes singing last night.) Raccoons are scavengers. (They are probably what did the trash.) A fox could have done this and been interrupted or a possum. I need to look closer in the light of day.

Flora has been getting antibiotic shots everyday thanks to my SIL. I am very thankful. She was getting better, but she is starting to get worse again. I don't know how much longer we are going to keep this up. Her mom was one that once she got sick (mastitis) she never fully recovered. Oh, she got over the mastitis with a lot of work on our part, but she always seemed sickly after that. I don't know what we are going to do.

I checked my work schedule last night on the way home and I work tonight and tomorrow night then I go to opening. I get off at 11:00 tomorrow night and have to be in the next morning at 4:00. This will be an interesting experience. I already lost my temper once with a person on days and we weren't even working together then. I just pray that God with keep His arm around me and His hand over my mouth. While I will apologize for yelling, I will not apologize for the things I said. I said nothing wrong. But, I should not have yelled. That was out of line on my part. It does not matter what the other person said or the situation. My character is being attacked? Lies are being told about me? So what. They are just words. I should have been able to deal with it without yelling.

Well, it is nice out today and a lot of work needs to get done as well as the unpacking and laundry. My computer also needs to be taken in for repair since it won't even turn on now. So, I am without a computer. This is going to drive me nuts. It is going to drive my husband nuts as well since I am using his computer to make this entry and check my mail.

Computer Problems

I have been having computer problems with the laptop so I am using the hotel computer to do an update. We did arrive safe and sound on Monday night and are in a wonderful room. I am loving it and I want this room again next year.

When we left on Monday, we stopped by McDonald's to do a couple of things. One was to pick up lunch to have on the road and the other was to talk with S about me being scheduled for Saturday when I am out of state. Sorry, but I am still working on the whole cloning thing. Until that happens, being in two different time zones at the same time is not going to happen.

While there, S talked to be about "The Situation." I told her that A should never have been the one to handle it and she should never have even been there for the discussion since her mother was the one involved in the "complaint." While she agrees that A should not have been the one, she disagrees and thinks that A had a right to be there.

I also told her that since this situation happened on my time and not on McDonald's property, it should have been a non-issue. S is also now saying that A's mom never said I was cussing or saying "all these horrible things" and it was some how or other "misconstrued." That, I have a hard time believing. She wants me to forget the whole thing. Not hardly. I harbor no ill will to A or her mom. But, I won't trust them. There are strange things going on and I don't understand all of it. I know that I have a bulls-eye on my back right now because I do speak up and I do speak out. That might be a downfall in the workforce, but to remain silent in the face of wrong just gives more power to wrong and makes me just as guilty as the wrong-doer. I don't know if that makes sense or not, but it does in my head. If someone is doing wrong, I speak up. if someone is being wronged, I speak up. Not too many people like that. Oh, well.

Before we left Monday, George milked the goats and fed the animals. While taking care of them, he discovered that Flora went blind. Her eyes were shut. She was given a double dose of antibiotic and a Vitamin B shot. By that evening, K called and said that one of her eyes was open. I talked with my SIL last night and she had given a very ticked off Flora another shot and said both of her eyes were open, neither one of them was runny, and they were just cloudy now. So the antibiotics are working. I am very thankful. I was worried. But, as we had told K, since we gave her the double dose and quarantined her, us being there or not being there would have made no difference to the ultimate outcome.

I am going to call both K and my SIL later to see how the animals are doing. SIL had asked what time K goes over to feed. I have no idea. I do know that SIL was worried about Flora having no water. I have no idea if she sucked it down (which is the most likely scenario) or if K just forgot to give Flora water since the watering system for the animals (unless there is a quarantine situation) is self-watering with the exception of the rabbits. Their water bottles get filled from the water trough that the other animals drink from. Either way, as long as Flora stays on the road to recovery and the rest of the animals remain healthy, I will be ecstatic.

I'm leaving

Well, tomorrow, I am leaving.  K is supposed to come over tomorrow morning to go over everything one last time before taking care of the animals for the week.  I hope and pray she follows through since I seem to have ticked her with yesterday's blog entry.  She had a huge blog post as a kind of letter to me.  I am not even up to addressing it right now.  My only concern at this point is making sure my animals don't die of starvation or mastitis.  (Yes, not milking a goat can lead to mastitis and can very quickly kill the goat.)  So lives are hanging in the balance here.

I am still reeling a bit from hearing about A's husband.  She and I have talked on occasion and compared notes so to speak with regard to husbands.  We started talking about this after I found out that her husband suffered from seizures.  It also made her a lot more understanding when I cam back from going home on break and said that my husband is lucky he is alive.  (Tongue in cheek and very, very annoyed.)  George has seizures and has had heart attacks.  So when he doesn't answer the phone or a text, especially repeated, I start to panic.  When I came home, saw him perfectly fine, and asked him where his phone was and he shrugged, I was ready to throw something at him.  

A and my husband have a lot of the same medical issues.  Had.  So hearing about his death has me a bit more shaken than most people at work because it hits so close to home for me.

George had a tetanus shot a couple of weeks ago and shortly after that, a lot of his old symptoms came back.  The burning neuropathy and chronic joint and muscle pain.  It literally happened over night.  Neither one of us was happy with this.  Seeing the old him like that was breaking my heart.  Slowly, over the past few days, he seems to be getting better.  We are both thinking it was the tetanus shot.  With all the junk they put into the vaccine, it wouldn't surprise me.  The only reason he even got the shot was it had been over 15 years since he's had it and we've dealt with tetanus on this property.  (One of the goats.)  It is the only thing we vaccinate against and seeing this, I am wondering if the shot is indeed worse than the disease.

George had made the comment at the VA that the vial looks just like what we get at Rural King for the goats.  The nurse said "It is."  I have heard from more than one professional that the only difference is the label that gets put on it "For veterinary use only."

I am just happy that the symptoms are going away.  That's not to say he is 100% yet, but he is getting better again.

I am trying to make sure everything is set for K tomorrow and this next week as well as have our room cleared out since the contractors are supposed to start this week as well.  So, we need to also pack up the guns and take them to SIL.  I don't want the guns in here while the contractors are working.  Especially since where the guns are stored are in the very room they are going to be working.  I want us to be on the road by noon the latest.  It is a long trip and I want Hannah to be able to nap while on the road otherwise it will make for a very long five or more hours.

I picked up a couple of HUGE bins at K-mart to put our stuff in.  We each have our own garment bag and they fit in the bins flat.  George has two garment bags.  One for his suits and one for the rest of his clothes.  With the separate garment bags, we only use one suitcase and even that could be smaller.  The garment bags and suitcase all fit down in the two bins so if it rains, everything is still ok in the bed of the truck.

The door magnets will need to come off and they will get put on the fridge or freezer to keep them flat.  The truck still needs cleaned out on the inside.  I doubt I will have time to vacuum, but the least I could do is make sure I pull any trash, take out the carseats, lift the back seat, and clean out under it.  Usually, I find a bit of shriveled half-eaten something or other.

Time to get back to work.

200th Post

Well, I have way more than 200 posts if you were to add in livejournal and the other one I was at which I can't remember the name of.  This is my third blog home and my current favorite.  So, while this is my 200th entry for this journal, I have been blogging for considerably longer than that.

I just got a call from work asking if I knew a manager's phone number.  No, I don't.  She doesn't have a cell phone or if she does, it is a pay-as-you go phone and keeps it off unless she needs it.  Then I find out she found her husband dead this morning around 11:00.  I still don't know her number.  I am stunned.  And when I asked if I was needed to come in, "There are enough people and coming in will not prove your point."

I didn't realize I was "trying to prove a point."  I was the one sent home.  I did not walk out or ask to leave.  I asked to return to my job repeatedly and was denied until I was "dismissed."  Then, I was told to clock out and go home.  

Regardless, I tried to say that this goes beyond any argument that is going on, but was cut off and was told that she would let J know to call me if I'm needed.  You know what?  Fine.  I realize that this manager I was talking to is also supposed to be a friend of mine.  We've known each other for a few years now.  But she is there.  She is on the clock.  She is using the company phone.  And others are probably listening in.  Who knows.  Either way, I am less than impressed.

I went out last night and went to DQ.  There were some customers there that were regulars at McDonald's.  They recognized me and said "You are at the wrong place."  Laughing, I said "Shhh!  I'm undercover!"  I'm sure that would get twisted around if word got back that I was at DQ having a Thin Mint Blizzard with my husband.  

Keep in mind, this is the same place that when a young lady's child got sick and she had to stay home with her daughter, she was told by the manager "You need to figure out your priorities."  Uh, let's see.  Husband makes three times what I do.  I am making minimum wage.  Child is sick.  Child can't go to preschool (day care, whatever.)  The child is the priority.  She turned in her uniform that night.

Another girl who is a high school student (school is back in session) has requested that she not work school nights since she wants to focus on her studies.  She will work week-ends instead.  She was rudely criticized for that.  I stepped in and told her she was doing it right.  That she has her priorities in order.  She is standing there in front of a bunch of managers who are criticizing her because she wants to go to college and have a career and knows that it starts in high school.  Talk about a messed up place.  She actually thought that she had things wrong wanting to not work on school nights until I spoke up in her defense.

I need to work on packing, dinner, housework, etc.  Welcome to my 200th post.  Such as it is. 

Cool Down Period?

I am the one who needs a cool down period?  The one who is being lied about?  Ok.  Whatever!

So I get called into the office and asked about what had happened.  I had been waiting for this.  I knew it was a matter of time.  A is there along with the store manager, S.  S did not stick around for long.  I guess she had to go talk with someone else about something else.  Fine.  Whatever.  Leave a manager and a crew member yelling at each other and walk away.  Good managerial skills there.

I relay what had happened and A came right out and said "No matter what, I am going to believe my mother."  I knew right then (well, I knew it before hand but this confirmed it) that I was up the creek.  Lovely.

Then, I was told that maybe I should not be talking to anyone while in uniform and not on shift.  Excuse me?  When I reminded her that 
1.  I was on my own time.
2.  What I do on my time is my own business.
3.  Telling me to not talk is a violation of my basic constitutional rights as afforded me of the first amendment.

She tells me "Your constitutional rights may get you fired."

Then she has the nerve to ask me why I am so angry if I didn't say or do anything wrong.  I look at her and told her that she just basically told me that no matter what, she will not believe me and I am supposed to stand here and accept my character being maligned and having lies told about me.  Then I said "And next time your mother spreads lies about me, make it at least somewhat believable."  She then turned around and said that I was maligning her mother.

"No.  If I was maligning your mother's character, I would say that she is a lying sack of goat poop.  I am not saying that.  I'm thinking it, but I am not saying it.  There is a difference."

Then, I look at her and ask "Are we done."
"No."
"What else?"
"Your name tag is supposed to be on your shirt."  (It says we are supposed to wear it.  It does not specify shirt.  But, I moved it.  I'll move it back.  I prefer people to not stare at my chest.  I will ask her to show me in the dress code where it says shirt and show her the copy she gave me at the time of hiring.)
After moving it, I asked "Anything else, Ma'am."
"You are supposed to be wearing black socks."  (At this point, I know she is getting nit-picky and reaching.  I have been wearing white ankle socks with stockings since day one.  Most people wear white, it is just hidden under the pants.)
"Are you going to pay for the athlete's foot medicine?"
"Why should I?"
"Because when I wear black socks, I get athlete's foot.  I wear white socks for medical reasons.  So, I ask again.  Will you pay for the medicine?"
"No.  Black socks are part of the uniform."
"Anything else, Ma'am?"
"I think you should take a cool-off period, clock out, and go home."
"Fine.  I will be back when I come home from church conference."
"Fine."

I made sure one of the employees whose girlfriend (wife?) got the breastfeeding information packet, clocked out, and left.

Friday Update and more

Yes, folks.  Only seven days have gone by and I actually have a Friday Update for everyone.  But first, I just want to update everyone on the absurdity of what has been happening at my wonderful place of employment.

I went in Wednesday to pick up my check and A was there.  (Remember, this was her mom that had made the phone call.)  Not a word was said to me.  Yesterday, I went in to work and she was there.  Again, not a word.  Day shift has supposedly been having all kinds of gossip going on about this, but not a word has been breathed to me about it.

S is supposed to have a meeting with me about this because it was a customer complaint about me specifically and again, nothing said.  There has been no official anything with me about this outside of the initial phone call and L talking with me about it.  We will see where this leads.

Anyway, without further ado, here is your Friday Update:

ELECTRICITY: It is up even further from last week. Granted, I have been doing some canning, but that does not give me any comfort while knowing I am using so much. The AC got shut off today since it is so mice out. The AC has been running a lot with the heat and humidity that we had. I am going to evaluate our lifestyle and try to figure out where we can cut back. I know one thing we can do it turn the hot water tank off like we used to. Or get a timer for it. But what else besides that can we do?  
Meter reading: 78948
Usage: 564kwh (7 day period.)
Percentage: 267%

IDC: More canning got done. We have lots of green beans. Certainly not enough to last the winter, but we do have plenty. We also have apples that I will be taking care of before leaving on Monday. There was an e-mail about canning tomatoes. 25# for $10. Unfortunately, I do not have time to take care of them before we leave. Hopefully, the Amish farmer will still have more when we get back. There has been a blight that has affected a lot of tomato crops this year. Not just the Amish farmer’s, but others as well.

GARBAGE: There hasn’t been a lot this week. I know that there will be plenty when we clean our room out so the contractors can work while we are gone. (Man, there is a lot to do before we leave!)

GASOLINE: Last week, I mentioned the low mileage of the van and I still have not taken it to the mechanic. That is on my to-do list still.

MONEY: This has not changed. We are doing the baby steps of the Dave Ramsey program. I am taking my paychecks and putting one check into savings and the next to the van payment. The idea is to get the van paid off faster by doing to payments a month. Once that is done, we will take that money and roll it into the truck payment and get that paid off faster while still stashing a minimum wage paycheck each month.

HOMESTEAD: The pink-eye never really left. Some of the goats showed up with it again. So, we were a bit more aggressive with the antibiotics. It seems to be gone now. I am a bit worried leaving the herd with the pink-eye still freshly gone. But, I place my trust in God and know that they will be ok whatever happens. I have someone who will be doing the milking and taking care of the animals. So, if something does happen, I am sure we will get a call and can take care of it by phone. If one of us does need to come home, we’re only 5 hours away.
Henry and Snowball are adjusting well. Henry now rubs his face in your butt and Snowball actually tentatively approaches for a scratch. She actually comes just in arm’s reach now instead of staying outside of it.
The broody hen got tossed off her nest. She reeked and she was eating the chicks as they hatched. She lost her broody rights. The smell was making me heave.  

HOMESCHOOL: Charlie is getting back into math after a brief hiatus. The hiatus should never have happened. He has forgotten everything. Hopefully, the workbook will help. Bethany and Hannah still do Starfall.com and Bethany also has been practicing her writing. She is starting to “get it” with the addition.  

GOALS ACCOMPLISHED: 
1. WW = I did not make it to a meeting this week, but I didn’t do too bad with my dietary habits. For the most part. Actually, I did horrible now that I think back over the past week.
2. Finish Packing for Conference = I am done. The girls are done. Charlie is done. Now, it is a matter of toiletries and extras. George does his own.
3. Finish Barn = This didn’t happen and I am highly annoyed.
4. Lose Weight = I don’t know how I did on the scale and I just finished eating so I am not going to step on it right now.
5. Eat Better = Thinking back just now, I didn’t make the best of choices. Pork fast is over so I have had a LOT of bacon. And now I have a zit trying to form on my face.

NEW GOALS:
1. Enjoy Conference. (This is a given, but it is nice to have a goal that doesn’t require a lot of effort every once in a while.)
2. Get the apples done before Monday morning.
3. Be aware of what I am eating. I always gain during these church events.
4. Finish wrapping all soaps.
5. Get all liquid soaps poured.

No church

No, it was not cancelled, but I did not go.  I am exhausted and the girls have been in rare form.  I did not have the energy to keep them corralled.  So, I kept them home.  Besides, with Bethany's UTI, I want her to drink as much as she wants and have access to the bathroom as much as she needs without having to wait.

We had storms come through tonight and the girls huddled on my lap for a bit.  Grandma J was here and stayed for about 20 minutes.  She got to see the girls and gave each of them a book.  Then we sat and talked for a bit.  She has a new puppy.  She was disappointed that we did not go to the funeral for her husband.  I had told her that we had discussed it and while I knew she probably wouldn't mind since she has pretty much adopted us, we were concerned we would be intruding on other family members since the funeral was "close family" only.

The contractors will be starting work while we are gone and hopefully we will be coming back to at least the bedroom done if not the deck or the rest of the roof.  We will be leaving the guns at my SIL.  If we were going to Indy or a state that allows peacable travel or reciprocity, we would take them with us due to the contractors, but since Illinois is often dubbed the "Communist State of Illinois" by many of us who live on the border, we will be leaving all the firearms with my SIL.

I picked up a couple of workbooks for Charlie and Bethany to work on while at Conference.  It will give them something to do while in the hotel room.  Between that, The Count Of Monty Cristo, and his normal writing, Charlie should be good and busy with his school work.  I had to pry him away from Captain Courageous.  While I am glad he has books he likes to read over and over and over again, he needs variety.  I am wanting to order some of these books for him.  These ones we have, we found among a bunch of books given to us.  (Or was it a yard sale?)  Anyway, these are great.  I love them and obviously so does Charlie.  The ones we have are hard cover and they seem to stand up well to wear, reading, and spills.

The goats got their last round of shots today and we should be able to start drinking milk again on Saturday.  I actually had to pull milk from the freezer.  I have not had to do that in a long time.  It was rather shocking.  And, of course, the goats are going to run when it comes milking time because they have been getting shots everyday for a few days now.

Can I have an apple?
Can I have a carrot?
Can I have a tomato?
Can I have some broccoli?
Can I have something to delay me going to bed for another five minutes?

Yes, my children are supposed to be in bed.  Yes, they are down here right now as I am trying to type.  Yes, I have to go put them back in bed.

Good night.

Coincidence?

I think not.

This blog entry is more for my records than anything else.  

A few days ago, the owner of McDonald's came in for a meeting with S and I met him.  I introduced myself and shook his hand then requested a meeting with him.  (I am not the type to trip over myself or go ga-ga over some higher-up.  Never have been and never will be.)  Anyway, he agreed no problem and when I met with him, S was there as was to be expected.

I turned and looked at S and said "You are not going to like what I have to say" then proceeded to discuss with D the things going on.  When S kept interjecting and asked why I never told her or talked about it with her, I said "I tried.  You did not listen."

She then pulled me aside after D left and grilled me some more trying to turn things around.  No, that was not going to happen.  I was not going to make it about X or Y.  This was about her and how she is not running the store and the garbage that goes on.  She has her "pets" and anyone or anything that goes against her "pets" ends up with a big target.

Fast forward to last night.  Everyone knows I go to Sav-a-lot before going to work to pick up a few things for my dinner.  Usually frozen whole strawberries and some fresh bananas.  Plus I like their Green Goddess smoothie drink that they have there.  Anyway, it has become an established routine.  (Slicing up bananas into a container and dumping the frozen strawberries on top makes for a wonderful dinner.  By the time break comes, the strawberries have thawed and the juice mixes with the bananas making a wonderful dinner that is also filling.  I use whole strawberries as they are not mixed with added sugar.)

I am in the store getting bananas and looking for sunflower seeds (which I chose not to get) or craisins (couldn't find) and also grabbed a chocolate bar (psychological comfort since I had also found out it will be another eleven days before the contractors can even start on the roof) and a green drink.  While wandering, there was a woman there with a couple of boys.  One in the cart who was quiet and one walking.  The one walking recognized the M on my shirt and pointed it out.  I confirmed I work at McDonald's.

"As a matter of fact, I am getting myself some dinner to take with me to work."  Seeing a puzzled look on the little boy's face, I had said "While McDonald's is ok once in a while, it is not good to eat every day."

I didn't think much more of it and continued on my way.  I headed to the check out knowing I had to finish up and get across the street to put together my dinner and clock in.  At the check out, the woman saw my uniform shirt and had said something like "I could never work fast food."  The mother and the two boys were behind me in line.  Yes, this is an important fact.

"It isn't always easy.  Sometimes customers can be difficult.  But by the same token, I don't think I could ever do your job."  Looking back at the family behind me and seeing the boy staring at me, I squatted down and said "But one of the best things about working there is seeing cute little guys like you."

Boy:  "My sister works at McDonald's!"

Me:  "Really?  And who is she?"

Boy:  "A."

Me:  "I know her!"  (I smiled when I said this.  I've only met her a handful of times since we work totally opposite shifts so I have no idea what she is like or anything like that.  I know her in passing.  If I worked with her, I probably would have added something like "And she is a sweetheart" or "She is nice" or "She is fun to work with" or something like that.  But since I've never worked with her for any length of time, I left it as I did.)

I left with a smile on my face, thought the boy was cute, and didn't think anything more of any of it.  I went to work, put together my dinner which this night was different from my normal bananas and strawberries.  It was peaches and blueberries left over from the night before and I added bananas to that.  I drank my green drink, put my visor on, checked myself in the mirror, washed my hands, and clocked in.  (And investigated a car alarm.)

Half and hour or so into my shift, there was a phone call.  L took the call.  It was A's mother saying that I was over at Sav-a-lot.

Supposedly, I was saying things like I would never eat the food at McDonald's, that it was disgusting (or something along those lines), was trashing the customers and saying that the customers were j-ing off on the front counter, that I worked with a bunch of b-s, that I got out of there "real quick" when I found out who she was, and a bunch of other stuff.

I thought it was strange that the mother of the little boy kept her face turned away from me.  Most people - most mothers look directly at people who talk to their children.  Especially people they don't know.  Maybe she thought I might recognize her?  I have no idea.  Either way, I had no clue who she was and even if I did, I would not have not talked to her child who engaged me in conversation.

I do find it laughable that she would choose such an obvious way of lying about the whole encounter.  The minute the cuss words started coming out suspicion turned to confirmation that the whole thing was one big lie.  (L had to take the report and because it was A's mom, she had to report it to S.  Otherwise, she most likely would have ripped it up and thrown it away for the lie that it was.)

L told me about it.  I told her about what happened at Sav-a-lot.  She said she had no choice.  That she has to report it to S.  I told her to go ahead.  My character will stand for itself and if S chooses to believe such blatant lies, then that speaks for S's character and the fact that she will place personal preference and favorites over truth and integrity.

Word quickly spread about the phone call and people were shocked and amused.  They were shocked that someone would do something like that.  (But not over who did it.)  And they were amused by what this woman came up with.  "You apologize when "crap" comes out of your mouth and she expects us to believe you said those things?"  Or as one friend of mine said "Why not just say you got drunk and ran naked through Sav-a-lot?  It's about as believable as saying you said those words."

Another day, another learning experience

I am the one learning.  I am constantly learning from my children.  Amidst the constant, never-ending, talking that comes from Bethany (to the point where we beg her to please stop talking for five minutes and she asks if it is five minutes yet) she has an amazing understanding of God and prayer.  Her prayers are always from her heart and very inspiring and humbling.  I am constantly in awe of just how much she grasps when it comes to faith.  She truly is an example of what it means when we are told to have the faith of a child.

Charlie is surprising me with how well he does on the piano.  He is learning a new piece and is doing amazingly well.  It is Ode To Joy and is the same tune for Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee.  I'd love for him to learn the whole thing and be able to play it in church.

Hannah will start her piano lessons in September which is just a couple of weeks from now.  I am really looking forward to her learning how to play.  Maybe getting into lessons will focus her and calm her down some.  Being firmly embedded in the twos stage has really had her pushing every boundary, limit, and rule we have.  And we don't have that many.  Tell her "No" to something and she has a livid canary!  Take something from her she shouldn't have and she will fight back.  Place a limit on her and you'd think I was some ogre.  Ah, the age of two.  It is a hard age.  There is a reason it is called the "Terrible Twos."  It isn't terrible for the child.  It is terrible for the parents of the child!

One of the goats has pink eye again.  We are going to quarantine her and check the rest of the herd.  It is bad.  It was not there yesterday, but today, both eyes are running and swollen.  Along with the abx, we are going to wash her eyes with some goat milk.  Hey, fresh human milk works for human pink eye.  (Ask how I know.)  Make that two goats.  Star and Flora.  They are going to be quarantined and the whole herd is going to get injections.  Not our first choice for treating infections like this, but we lost one goat to this already.  I am not going to lose another.  They are going to get two shots a day for three days.  This also means that all milk will have to be dumped that get collected from tomorrow on until Saturday.  Just in time for us to start freezing for while we are gone.  

Speaking of, I need to make room in the freezer for milk to be stored in there since K doesn't drink the milk.  (Although she is more than welcome to it.)  We are also going to bring a couple of frozen gallons with us so that we can have milk for things like cereal, drinking, etc so Bethany doesn't get sick.  I also need to make an appointment for Bethany before we leave she can be checked for a UTI.  She is peeing a LOT and she has had a couple of accidents.  Ok, her appointment is tomorrow morning at 9:00 with the NP.  I don't like the NP, but I'll take what I can get.  The NP doesn't care for our non-mainstream life, non-vaxing, and preference for alternative treatments when possible.  But, a UTI is just a simple test and a round of abx if present.  Since Bethany is not prone to yeast infections, I don't have a huge worry over that.  She just does a lousy job at wiping herself.  If she has one, this will be her second.

Husband is going to take the children, head to Rural King, get some needles and syringes since we are running very low, and come back to finish injecting the herd.  I am going to get my stuff together for work, do a bit more housework, then head out to work.

Friday Update

ELECTRICITY: It has been three weeks again. And over the past three weeks, our usage has drastically increased. Air conditioning? Dishwasher? Lack of time to concern ourselves with the minor details of energy drains? Either way, we obviously need to focus. We need to find ways to keep cool without the AC and still keep my husband healthy. Heat is not good for him and he gets very sick from the heat. This is another one of those balancing acts. Just like in the winter keeping the thermostat down while keeping the children warm, we are looking for ways to keep the thermostat up while keeping my husband cool.
Meter reading: 78384
Usage: 1489kwh (21 day period.)
Percentage: 236%

IDC: More canning got done. Green beans and pickles. Yesterday, some trusses got dropped off so hopefully we are on our way to having our home fixed. I also discovered green beans and cucumbers in my decimated garden. There are carrots growing as well, but are not ready to be harvested. This surprises me since I had considered the garden a total loss for this year. I am going to harvest these seeds and save them for next year. Especially since they survived what they did.

GARBAGE: We have done lots of burning. Not the best option, but there are tons of stuff that need to be thrown away and the ashes can be used in the garden for next year.

GASOLINE: I recently discovered the van is only getting 16mpg so it needs some work done. I don’t know what the truck is getting, but I do know the tires need air.

MONEY: This has not changed. We are doing the baby steps of the Dave Ramsey program. I am taking my paychecks and putting one check into savings and the next to the van payment. The idea is to get the van paid off faster by doing to payments a month. Once that is done, we will take that money and roll it into the truck payment and get that paid off faster while still stashing a minimum wage paycheck each month.

HOMESTEAD: Gi-gi died. We brought a lot of animals into our homestead in a very short period of time. Animals that had been neglected. We separated the donkeys but not the goats. That was our big mistake. We should be separating all new animals. The herd got hit with pink eye and a respiratory infection at the same time. We saw the signs of pink-eye and heard the coughing, but didn’t treat them in time and Gi-gi died. She had died during the night. She was up and moving. A bit slowly, but up and moving the evening before and in the morning, Husband found her. She was gentle and affectionate and a good mom. She was bottom of the totem pole so to speak when it came to the herd. Often pushed aside and made to wait until last to eat or drink. But when it came to protecting her kid, she was vicious.  
Our hen currently sitting on eggs has nine eggs surrounding her and I have no idea how many under her. Given our experience with cracking eggs for breakfast and having half formed chicks, I am leaving them until however many eggs hatch and she is done. Then we will destroy the rest of the eggs and start over with collecting.  
The donkeys are looking a lot better. Hair is growing in where their eyes were getting eaten by flies. Their hooves are looking better since the farrier came. Given time, they will be the healthy hooves they are supposed to be. As for them, they are otherwise very healthy.  

HOMESCHOOL: Bethany has started simple math and will be starting her own copy work from the Bible. She is learning at an amazing rate. At the age of four, her handwriting is better than Charlie’s. I try not to compare them. I understand that Charlie being left handed means that traditionally, his handwriting skills will lack in neatness. But it is still hard to not look at them side by side and see the difference and not get a bit aggravated. We are going to pick up a couple of math workbooks for each of them to take with us to Conference. That is something that they will each enjoy.  

GOALS ACCOMPLISHED: 
1. WW = Still have membership. I am trying to be conscious of what I eat. One thing I do for work that I should be doing more often is I buy a bag of frozen whole strawberries (the ones without the added sugar) and a couple of bananas. I have a container with me that I slice the bananas in and I dump the strawberries in with them. Once break come, the strawberries have melted and created a juice that mixes with the bananas and it is very good.
2. Lawn Mower = I am thinking that this was a “mow the lawn” type of goal. If that is the case, then I have failed miserably. However, the goats getting lose and the chickens thinking that the fence is more of a suggestion than an absolute helps keep some of the weeds down. A little.
3. Emergency Preparedness = Not even going to think of this. This is bad of me.
4. Lose weight = I have no clue what the scale says, but I did fit into a skirt I have not fit into in over a year.
5. Eat Better = I am trying. As I mentioned above, I do try to take lunch to work with me, but that does not always happen. Then I do stupid things like take CrapDonald’s food home with me.

NEW GOALS:
1. WW
2. Finish Packing for Conference
3. Finish Barn
4. Lose Weight
5. Eat Better

Lousy at keeping up to date

A friend of mine stopped by to do a review of animal care since she will be taking care of them while we are gone.  She didn't know that Gi-gi had died so apparently I never posted about it.  This is not surprising since she died the day before Harold died.  So, I was mentally occupied with that.

I have also been busy canning green beans and pickles.  I even made some pickled green beans since I had left-over brine.  I am going to save some seeds from my cucumbers and green beans to plant next year.  While I did not get a lot of green beans and the cucumbers look sad, they grew and survived being eaten by the chickens, being snowed on, being flooded, and then being ignored and choked out by grass and weeds.  So these are good vegetables.

Today, we stopped by Aldi's to pick up a few things to get us through the next couple of weeks until conference.  The meals are going to be cheap and easy.  We have also decided to have our big meal for lunch and have dinner be sandwiches, etc.  I miss having dinner with my family.  I miss my family.

I have been working 30 or more hours a week and it is going to increase.  I spoke with A about training on overnights and one night a week, I am basically going to be working a double shift.  I will go in on my regular shift and just stay over night until 4:00am.  Since no one on my regular shift wants to train me, I will just take the initiative and make myself be trained.  I can do lobby, drive-thru present, take cash, buns, and if you have half an hour to waste, I can take your order.  Obviously, I need to do more.  And I need to spend more time at the register and also learn how to make the sandwiches and make the burgers.  I will also be learning breakfast doing this.

Charlie has been doing a lot of copy work, learning to type on the computer, and reading.  We have been slacking on his math which is not good.  I am not going to have him be like what I witnessed at work the other night when one of the registers stopped working properly and didn't display cash and change.  "How do I make change?"  Thankfully, it was the end of my shift, I was clocked out, and I was headed out the door.

Read it and weep

This is the health care reform bill.

http://waysandmeans.house.gov/media/pdf/111/AAHCA09001xml.pdf

The entire 1018 pages of it.

I try to avoid a lot of political stuff on my blog

But every once in a while, I feel the need to share something.  A lot of people are talking about the health care reform and a single payer system or some other pretty way of wanting (or not wanting) government run, government controlled health care.

Let's take a look at some of the successes of government run anything.

Social Security.  It is broke.  It has been for a long time.  COLA comes around once a year.  (Cost of living adjustment.)  COLA does not keep up with actual COLA for the rest of society.  The latest COLA was 5.8%.  It was the biggest adjustment since 1982.  The actual COLA for the rest of society was over 11%.  People pay into this system their whole working lives and when they retire (this is in fact supposed to be a retirement account that people are forced to pay into against their will when they have a paying job) and it does not allow them a livable income.  They are forced to choose.  "Do I pay to keep my water and lights on or do I buy food?"  Yeah, this works.  FAIL!

Social Security Disability.  Available to anyone with a disability.  There are certain disabilities that are supposed to be automatic acceptance.  Cancer is one.  My BIL died a few years ago.  He applied for SSDI and was denied.  And he appealed.  And he was denied.  And he appealed.  His acceptance came through after he had been dead for a year and a half.
I used to know a young lady when we lived in Kentucky briefly.  She was an amputee.  She filed for disability.  Even after going in front of the judge and waving her limb, she was still denied.  I don't know if she was ever finally accepted, but the last time I talked to her, she was working on her fifth appeal.  This program is obviously working perfectly.  FAIL!

Public Housing.  This is something that was supposed to be this wonderful program to allow families to have beautiful homes at affordable rates and live in nice neighborhoods.  How many people are running towards government housing?  What has become of that?  What did it bring out?  Cockroaches.  Both human and bug.  Yeah.  That's where I want to raise my family!  FAIL!

VAMC.  April 8, 2004, Diane Sawyer did a report which was actually a follow up from a similar report ten years previously about the conditions found at various VAMC throughout the country.  Sadly, the conditions have not improved much.  We taped this episode and still have the tape.  (Although we no longer have  VCR.)  The conditions are appalling and no human should be forced to receive their medical care at such places.  Unfortunately, many people do not have a choice.  May I please have Hep C with that colonoscopy?

Medicare.  This is another failing government run entity.  We actually tried to get my husband out of VA care and into civilian care, but that left us thousands of dollars in debt within just a couple of months.  He had medicare at the time.  He even had money removed from his disability each month automatically to pay for his medicare.  What is did instead is put us in debt.  So, we were forced to have him back in the VAMC and did what we should have done all along.  Take responsibility for our own health.

Picture Time!

I'm watching you!  Don't think I don't know what you are up to.

Must I give chickens a ride?  This is so humiliating!

Look at my fancy new feet!  Don't they look pretty?

A few busy days

Let's see.  The last time I blogged, it was Saturday.  Since then, we have had church, I worked Sunday night, and I had last night, tonight, and tomorrow night off.

Yesterday, the farrier came and the hooves are looking much better.  Snowball's front hooves will need a lot of work, but she is looking better.  The farrier's main focus was getting Snowball balanced and opening up the hooves to expose the frog.  That was not possible with the front hooves since they are the worst.  But time and patience and continuing to work with her will fix that.

The farrier came a couple of hours early.  He came while we were working on goat hooves and giving injections of oxytetracycline.  We have pink eye and respiratory illness going through the herd.  That's what happens when new goats are brought in a bunch at a time.  The first Monday of the month is hoof trimming day for the goats and we decided to give the first round of injections then since we just picked up the antibiotic the day before after church.  We never did get to all the goats since the farrier showed up and the donkeys pretty much wiped us out physically.  Well, that and getting stepped on, near kicked, and my hand smashed between the facial harness and the bone structure.  They are big, strong, and stubborn and will not stay still even when asked nicely.  The swelling has gone down on my hand, but there is a nice bruise in its place.  

The rest of the adults got their first round of shots today and their hooves trimmed.  The kids will get hoof trimming and injections tomorrow.  All milk that we collect from this morning through Sunday will have to be dumped and no goats can be turned into meat until September.

I have been doing a bit of canning the past couple of days and have more to do.  I have canned 20 half pints of dill pickles.  I am thinking that they don't taste very good.  They aren't bad, but they aren't dill.  I was too conservative with the vinegar and dill.  Maybe I'll just chop them up and turn them into relish as I go along.

I have seven quarts of green beans done, another seven waiting to go in, and seven pints of bread and butter pickles in the canner currently.  Plus, I have a lot more green beans waiting to go in jars.  I am quickly running out of jars.  I need more jars.  Lots and lots of jars.

I was also going to make kale soup or beans and greens or something, but I have nothing to make it with so I am just going to have to can the kale as well.  Bummer too because I was looking forward to kale soup.  Can you believe I am out of beans?  Me?  Out of dry beans?  Good gravy!  That shocked me!

Shopping List:
Beans
Jars

Today, a friend of mine stopped by.  It will be the last time I see her for a year or more.  She is moving to California with her military husband.  I am going to miss her a lot.  We met at a La Leche League meeting over four years ago.  We were pregnant at the same time and gave birth two weeks apart.  Bethany and her youngest are the same age.  She is also the one who gave me the final push for Weight Watchers.  She has listened to me gripe about anything and everything.  I have listened to her and did my best to help her with her problems.  She is a wonderful, strong, and amazing friend.  While I will not lose contact with her, I will still miss her.

Still dropping the ball

I see that I missed a Friday Update yet again.  To be fair, I am still very tired and I am sick.  I've been fighting a cold and running a fever for a few days now.  I am working tomorrow, but have Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday off.  I was scheduled to work Monday, but reminded B (the person that does the scheduling) that I do not work the first Monday of the month.  She looked at her calendar book, saw my name listed for not working that day and said she would take me off the schedule.  As of today, I was still on the schedule, so I mentioned it to S (store manager) and was told by someone else to find someone to fill in for me.  

Why should I?  I put my request in and it was granted, but because of a "locked schedule" she didn't check to make sure that it followed a promise that was made.  Either way, I asked P if she would work for me and she said yes.  I was scheduled to work lobby and P is another lobby person.

Anyway, with that straightened out, I will have Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday off.  Then I work Thursday, have Friday off, then work Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.

Farmer's Market was ok this morning.  I am going to have George check out the farmer's market in Rockville next Saturday to find out what it is like there.  There is just too much drama at this one.  I like being there, but there is a lot of interpersonal drama that goes with it.  We will finish out the season, but are going to be looking other places for next year.  Another thing I am thinking of is not doing a farmer's market next year, but leaving the season open so we could do fairs and festivals.

I did get some good deals, though.  I got 16+ pounds of green beans for $25.  (Other tables were selling them for $2.25/lb.)  I also got cucumbers at a quarter a piece. then went to a different table where they had them for a dime a piece.  So I now have tons of cucumbers and will be making pickles.  I also have 17 red onions I got for a dime a piece.  I was pleased with the prices this week.  I am still under impressed with the price of corn at $4.00/dz.  So, I have not gotten corn yet.