Friday May 22 2009

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A NEW MEMBER OF OUR FAMILY ARRIVED TODAY.

We have wonderful news this afternoon. Stephanie and Justin's baby was born today. His name is Colten Michael., 8# and 23 and 3/4 inches long. Stephanie was in labor about 16 hours and they decided they better take him cesarean. Everybody's doing fine now. Debbie called about 6 p.m. My little baby is a grandmother!! and now I have two great grandsons. Debbie is going to try to send me some pictures.
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Measuring the Window which needs to be replaced

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Late today writing in the blog. Almost didn't do it at all but I hate to get behind, then I start forgetting. It's nice being here, even with everything needed to be cleaned and done at once ... again. At about 9 a.m. John the guy from Pinedale glass came out to measure the window and give us an estimate - over $300. I need to check and see if our homeowner's insurance might cover it. Fortunately the one window section will come out, and can be replaced. Often they are built into the wood frame and the whole 3 section window would have to be replaced. Lucked out this time, I guess. He ordered the window yesterday. It will take a couple of weeks to arrive.

Before

After - Panorama - a little off kilter.
Interesting that I can't even remember
what we took out of these cupboards 6 mo. ago.

I spent all day cleaning one thing or another. First cleaned the silverware and polished it up. There is an easy way to do it that I like a lot better than using the paste or cream stuff. Finished up reorganizing the cabinets begun yesterday, and now all the cleaning supplies are in the utility room cabinets, and only things pertaining to dish washing and kitchen cleaning are, or will be, under the sink. There was way too much stuff under there, but before we moved and emptied some of the cabinets, it was the only place to store that stuff. Worked on the pantry too.

The kitchen sink faucet hasn't been fixed yet and that is annoying because water keeps running onto the counter. Next all the counters and back splashes were cleaned, and everything on them. Made a cake that turned out good. Remember that old recipe for lemon cake you poke holes in with a fork and frost with the lemon glaze? This is kind of like that only orange flavor and the glaze is made with zested orange rind. I must have been on an "orange" kick, because I was going to make orange jello and that box had a recipe with mandarin oranges and vanilla yogurt stirred in and that one turned out very tasty too. Dinner was leftovers warmed up.

Pulled out the fridge, cleaned behind there, and got the appliance brush and pulled out a ton of lint/dust/dog hair from the coils underneath . Talk about your dust bunnies - this one was a dust dinosaur. I don't know how the poor fridge could even run, probably just gasping for breath. I bet our power bill will go waayyy down. Then I got out the hoover floor cleaner and wet cleaned the kitchen floor. Have the utility room floor left to do tomorrow. At least the kitchen feels clean enough to cook and serve food now.

Going to park it in his shop. I never got to do that.

Going out to irrigate with the dogs.

Yesterday Joe decided he would rather ride MY ATV than walk to irrigate. It's the first time he's ever tried to ride it. Always said he didn't want to... NO! So he takes the dogs and his over boots and shovel and rides around the field. It's something to experience - him asking me how to run the thing, and he keeps having to ask me questions. (he he he)

I added some of the blogs I like to read to my blog list. No body I know, just came across them, usually as "Blog of the Day" on the blogger home page and found them interesting. Or some other people have told me about. Then you can look at their blog lists and find even more. Most are good writers (envy) or photographers (or both at once). Or are leading very interesting lives someplace else, or show their good artwork.

Tuesday May 12 2009

East end of the Sawtooths from hill near the house.

Still no green on the trees yet.

More Sawtooths, from the hill behind the house.

The neighbor's flag. I watch this flag all the time

to see how hard the wind is blowing. It kind of

works like a wind sock to see the direction too.

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Joe and Joe with the backhoe

Ohhhh soooo windy again gusting almost 40 mph. Beverly was going to take a hike with the dogs again, but she chickened out just like I do when the wind is blowing. It's mostly cloudy but the sun seems to keep spilling through some of the cracks. In fact it has just started to sprinkle a little.

First I brought out this sack of "stuff" - I knew not what - that was in a cupboard when we moved in, to ask Beverly if she knew what I should do with it. Turns out it is vermiculite, lava rock and rock wool that should go in the gas fireplace under the fake wood to make it look like there are glowing coals. So we took the fireplace apart, cleaned the glass, she vacuumed the bugs out of the fireplace, and she put the "stuff" in around the logs. We turned on the fireplace and it is cozy watching it. Doesn't add much to the warmth of the house though. We've hardly used the fireplace all winter. Guess it seems like a waste of gas.

The furniture hasn't been moved since we set it there six months ago, so today we moved all the living room furniture. Beverly vacuumed the carpet and under all the furniture and also vacuumed the furniture itself. There was a lot of dog hair stuck to it that wasn't that visible. In fact, don't think I've mentioned just how much dog hair that new vacuum gets up every time I clean. I'm so glad it works like it should, since it was pretty expensive, and Beverly is saying she wants one like it. We got a set of sliders on the file cabinet and need to buy one more set for the desk, then we'll move that too. Seems like we've been busy with something or another all morning and I'm ready to take a break, so will get the blog started.

Joe the plumber got here maybe before 10 a.m. He is a very nice man. I can remember years ago I would have to sometimes get plumbing parts from him to repair things at the lodge. Joe would always say "Go to Joe", and I'd have to look him up around town or hope he was in his office. He has done a lot of work all over the county through the years and his dad before him.

Well they got the backhoe started up and have a humongous hole and equal pile of dirt in the back yard. This part is getting the line from the well to under the foundation at 7' deep and then bring it up in the crawl space. Remember that the water froze up there last winter because they had brought the line up outside the foundation instead of bringing it on under the house at the same depth.

Joe stayed for lunch and it was nice to get to know him better. My Joe has coffee with him every morning so they probably are pretty well acquainted by now.

So this afternoon they are working under the house. The second thing they are going to do is put a recirculating pump on the hot water line, so water will be hot back in the bathrooms instead of waiting a long time for it to get there. That will be done later.

All the warranties for everything new we bought has been stuffed in an envelope and filed without a glance all this time, so maybe we will go through all that and get the warranties filled out and mailed, and.... and..... maybe like Duene says - read some of the directions for many of the things and learn how they are supposed to work. I have a bad habit of just trying to figure it out. Probably miss a lot of things that way.

Tonight we're going to Obo's to bring home some of their mesquite barbecued ribs for dinner, with artichokes.

Judi is getting closer to home every day. They are coming through Colorado today.

"When you see someone without a smile, give them one of yours."