I am getting to the things we need doing around here. Today I ordered an oven to replace the one that broke on us a few months ago. We have not wanted to spend on it, feeling that there is a constant hex upon this house, though not really. But since deciding that we should at last stop teasing, and actually move elsewhere, we are not arguing about style, and just getting to getting things done. The oven is ordered, and it will be an easy installation, though I will have some building to do in order to fit it, and the place to keep the microwave, too. The old facia is crap.
There are many things that can be done to improve the look of this place. There are also the normal things that must be done to prepare it for a winter over, just incase we are here for the whole of it. I ordered a refill on the propane tank today, and will when it is full, call for a service technician to come look at the downstairs furnace, and to check over the upstairs one. There is a window that needs a pane replaced in the kitchen. Some flooring would go a little ways towards making the place more bearable. I also found that I can put a top on the island in the kitchen for $1200, but if I take out one of the cabinets, and shorten it, I can get the top for around $300. Sounds worth it to me!
Meanwhile, there are animals in the farmyard that could do with re-homing. Least of them is the chickens. I don’t really want to give up the flock if I don’t have to. They are starting to lay now, and we are getting as many as half a dozen eggs a day. It’d be a shame to have to start over and wait another six months to get chicks started again.
Where are we going to move to? We still have not decided. There are several places in the offering. I think realistically we should go where the property taxes are cheap, the land and homes, too. I think we should have both forest and field on our place. Water should be close at hand, too. Nothing has done as much harm to our dreams of our farm as not having the water access we were originally meant to have with this place. Unforgivable. But if we can sort out water, then we can do all the grazing and farming we dream of, and if we can sort out wood, then I can work it, and use it for heat. These are the things that are golden to us.
The weather was hot yesterday. It was hot again today. It will be hot once more tomorrow. Then we will get back to temps in the 70’s and 80’s, which is bearable work weather for me. I have got a few things to sort out in the front yard to clean up our drive, then I think we will be ready to take a load of stuff off to the charity shop. This has taken longer than I wish it to, but there have been weather and other things getting in the way. Well those are my excuses, and I am sticking to them.
I have a scrub plane in the UPS system right now. It has sat about 20 miles from here for two days. UPS has even offered to let me come to pick it up, if you can believe that? All they need to do is stick it in the mail as it is set of USPS last mile delivery. This is stupid. I have paid for shipping to my house, not for me to have to meet it somewhere. First World Problems, I know. It is now scheduled to arrive a day late, so far. Let’s see how this comes out, shall we?
Tonight I made Missus a menu to order off of in the morning. She is often on calls when I come down, and I wonder if she wants food, but cannot get her a minute to tell me. Best if she can circle what she wants, and set me off to work on it. I love making her breakfasts. It is my little daily “thank you” to her for all that she is doing for us. I put some fun into the menu, like the option to order Malibu, though we both know that is just for a funny. She can also write any honey-do’s on the back. Saves me hanging about waiting to know what she has on her mind for the day. She can even request Advil if she needs it. I just need to add in a place for her to indicate the urgency of breakfast, so I know how to prioritize it for my other morning routines.
Some of the men around me growing up would jest that I would one day make a wonderful housewife. To them, I say… (Insert not niceties here, and a comment about how she makes a good living, likely more than you ever did.) My role is in raising the kids. My kids get to endure my crazy as they come up, but it is not like the crazy that the rest of the world would like to give them. Forget that.
There are many things still on my mind, and many more that come up as I type this that I don’t want to type about. I have had enough coffee and am ready to get to bed. It would have been a shame to let that 3/4 pot of Joe just go to waste with only one cup taken from it. Now I can sleep well knowing I did my part.