Still cooking....

It's been a while... Let's see, after work some time this week, I rented a truck and picked up the fence posts. 150 metals, and 15 6", which it turns out is not enough. I initially bought 20, but had a small cardiac event at the price...

Anyway, I got to the farm and proceeded to kick them off the side of the truck. Getting up there was not easy. Something went pop in my shoulder, but just a small one. As I continued getting the posts off the truck, I suddenly had to hit the ladies room. What ever was I to do? I would NEVER get back up on the truck and I couldn't get it done without being up there, AND the truck is rented by the hour... So, I did what any other self respecting girl would do- I finished, in record time.

All week I had been in touch with the guys I was hiring to do the manual labor. I also found a company that would come out and drive in my corner posts. All was good. Until today. The laborer guy said he found other work (since last night). Great. So, this means I have to find someone else, and I may see if I can afford to have the pounder guys do the rest. We will see. I just want this job done.

I was able to get the dogs worked this week. Lucy is ready for her pronovice debut- actually, she does open length courses, but I am not doing open, not for a while. She is coming along nicely on her cross driving and holding her lines. Her outruns are cleaned up too.

Danny's last work was very good. We have the come by side just about sussed. He's been tight, almost slicey on that side, and not deep enough. He gets the correction to "get out" on the fly, and that also yields a deeper top. I know now how incredibly important flanks are, and I won't yield on correct ones! It was so sweet, after I worked Danny in one of the sessions, I walked up to him and he was so wiggly, so proud of himself, you could just see him asking if he had "done good". He has such a good attitude.

Today I had to work, and then I came home and just don't feel well- like I have a cold, or something. I have basically been in bed all afternoon. Poor dogs- bored. Tomorrow I will take them to the field to run, if I feel well, early, when no one will be around. Then, off to church, and then who knows. I don't know when the fence guys are coming next week, except I hope not Monday, because I have meetings all day.

So, that's it for now.

Rolling right along...

Yesterday after work, I rented a truck and picked up the fence. Brought the fence up to the farm, and then I took a look, which evidently, I should have done when the kid loaded it. He put four rolls of the sheep/goat fence, and then a roll of no climb horse fence. I called TS to tell them, and the problem is, that the horse fence is only 200 feet, so that has to go back. Problem is, I certainly can't lift it, and I am not renting a truck again. After a long conversation with the manager at TS, they will be picking up the wrong roll, and delivering the right roll later this week. Good.


While I was at the farm I made a quick jaunt to run Lucy and Danny at the field. They had a great time. My yard is on official hiatus until the grass takes hold. I was beat after a full day of work yesterday, and then the running around. When I got home, I had some cheese and crackers for dinner, chatted on the phone, and went to bed.

It poured last night. The frogs love it... Today after work, the plan is to go and buy the posts. Oh, and I got an exact measurement for the fence line, so I know where I want it for SURE, and I have to get some paint to mark where I want the posts. Still more prep work, but I expect the fence should be done by mid April. Can't wait!!!!!!

Not sure when Danny and Lucy will work again. It may not be for a long while.

Well, that's it for now.

Bought the farm, er, fence

This morning I awoke, and slowly I rose. It is my day off, and I want to savor the slow rise. After morning chores, I made some very good coffee, heated up some sticky buns, and just relaxed, and just so happened to see the Tractor Supply catalog on line. The sale for fencing. ends today. ENDS TODAY. This was like a burning beacon to me. I HAD to do something. Fence that I wanted was $30.00 off a roll. Add that fact, to the email my sister sent me that she saw on a list she was on, with the title "hobby farm after 40?", and I knew I had to jump in with both boots on. So, I popped Danny and Lucy in the car, and headed out to TS.

When I got there, the atmosphere was light, and happy. Everyone was in spring mode. I spied two black bunnies for sale. Nope, not here for them. I then looked at the magazines, and then, finally, headed up to the check out line to point out in the circular which fence I wanted, and while I waited my turn, the nice check out girl was trying to interest her neighbor in a 3.5 year old Bull she had for sale; something about him being interested in his daughters... I felt like this was right. Like this investment was the right thing to do. So, I told the check out girl that I wanted this particular fence, and I paid. I walked out feeling so empowered. It's hard to describe. No, I am not debt free, but this is an investment in something that I want, not a necessity, but actually, it is. I long to be closer to my family on a daily basis. I long to sit in a field with my sheep, and decompress. It's all just right.

After I left TS, knowing I would come back tomorrow to pick up the fence, I headed up to my parents' home town, and the farm where I will put the fence in. I then parked and waited in the parking lot for Church. The same Church I was confirmed in, and in which my mother and sister are on the council of. It was a very nice service.

After that, I headed to my parents for a short visit, and then stopped at the farm, where for the life of me I could not locate my brother. I took another look at the pasture/wooded area that I am fencing, and headed home.

When I got home, I made an early supper, left the back slider open and sat outside in the glorious weather. I sat and sat. Then it was time to come in and I watched a GREAT lifetime movie titled "Annie's Point", with Betty White, and John boy from the Waltons (forget his real name).

Now, I have fed the dogs, and am ready to veg out and maybe go to sleep early. It was a big day. A very big day.

Thanks God, seriously, I know you have a hand in this, and I hope I can live up to whatever is planned.

A Clean Slate

After work yesterday, my nephew came over, and we finished cleaning out and re-organizing the storage room. I found the hole that the rodents were using to get in. I can get to it now to repair it. It was great work. I have three crates I want to get rid of and an old Singer sewing machine, built-in (to a table), you know, the kind that flips out of sight when not needed.

Then we tackled the leaves. Raking is super hard for me one handed, so I utilized my nephew best I could, and we got all the sections that really needed it done. It was just great. Looks ready for spring at my place now. So, after that we went to Dairy Queen, and then I brought said nephew home. I was beat. I made a late dinner, and headed to bed. I read about two pages of my mystery, and then nodded off.

This morning, the plan is to go to Church later, and then walk the fence line at my bro's place. I have decided to buy the materials separate from the labor, to break down the cost a bit. Not having sheep to work is not an option, if I want to ever get anywhere. Plus, there are so many huge fields nearby, we can truck them to those fields to work on big outruns.

The dogs are bored(again), but not much to do about that, save for some Frisbee and ball play.

On another note, my female Parakeet is getting chunky. I swear, she eats much more than the male; I always see her head in that feeder... I wonder if she's got some eggs.. That would be cool. I haven't seen them go into the nest box yet though...

Well, that's all for now folks!

Crud and corruption

Yesterday was another beautiful day. A day that had me singing Zippity do-dah. Just so nice. After work, I went home and tackled the storage room at the back of my house. It has been a God awful mess for too long. I was going to wait for my nephew to come over, but I got started. Once everything I could lift was out, I called a Junk guy, and scheduled him to come out on Sat. He called back 1/2 hour later and said he would be able to come in a half hour. YEAH! So, they came, and took all that crud and corruption, plus my old recliner. This was SOOOO great!!! Now, all that's left is to sweep out the room, and then replace the stuff I am going to keep, though some of it will stay out and be sold/given away.

My nephew will come over this afternoon to help me with it, and then I will have another job tackled!

No news on the fence. I have to get with my brother on marking where we want it, and then we go forward. It has been the tortures of the damned getting this project going. I am about to give up. Maybe I just need to take the hint.

Well, that's it for now.

A great day!

After what seemed an ever lasting hiatus, Lucy and Danny got to work sheep yesterday. I took some time off of work, and headed up to my friend's place. Long drive, put about 300 miles total, on my car. But, the weather and good company made up for it (oh, and the yummy lunch too!).

I first worked Lucy she did well, but we had the issue as we had last time where she is hesitant to pull sheep that are held to my friend. Since this person has done some training with Lucy, I am betting she is just too submissive. It causes the sheep to think she's wishy washy, and then she has to bust them to move them. When sheep are on their own she's fine. Not sure what to do about this. But, her fetches were decent, and her driving was great. These are those tricky Scotties, so I was pretty proud of her.

Danny didn't get a lot of work, but I worked him in the huge field. Danny was a bit tight on his flanks, but he widened out. A couple times he lost his head, but always kicked back and re-grouped calmly. Remember, he hasn't worked sheep in three weeks. Toward the end of the short session, he got his groove on and looked very nice. We will get there, but no rush, as I want correct flanks at all times, before we go back to trying long outruns again, because it will set us up to fail if we don't have flanks correct. His downs were good, and he took my growl at the top to hitch up his plodding right into them. I don't want to make him mechanical at this point and down him at the top all the time. That's not what I want. I want a dog who comes up at the top and minds his p's and q's.

When we left, Lucy was tired. So tired in fact that she actually lay down and close her eyes on the front seat. She never does that. I was really tired too. Got home, and Ginger had not peed on my bed (YEAH!). Had some cereal for dinner and just went to bed. It was a great day.

What?

It's been an interesting day. I heard from the contractors. They gave me an estimate of $3350 for labor for SEVEN men for FIVE days to put in the fence. Now, we are not talking a field the size of the Bluegrass here. This is with an Auger. That plus materials, was over $8000. That just won't do. The thought now, is to have the contractors put in the corner/gate braces, and then I get some good old day laborers, or friends :) to auger the holes with me. I also found the posts cheaper than what they found. So, that is good.

I am working the dogs tomorrow, can't wait. We shall have a great time. I just hate the drive. The yard is really starting to green up, and that's a very good thing. Oh, the bad part of today, is Ginger peed on the bed. I had to wash something like 8 layers of bedding. This is getting old.

Well, that's it for now.

Fence, sunshine, rakes

I met with only one contractor yesterday. The other called to tell me he was sorry that he thought our appointment was an hour past when it was. I told him I waited 20 mins. He's off the possible list. The first folks I met were nice. But, they are having difficulty trying to find a tool to pound the posts in. Jeez. I can find strong helpers for that, and I may do just that. Lordy. Do I have to do everything? LOL! So, I may have them just put in the corner posts/braces, and have some strong like bull men pound the posts in the ground (t posts) and then have the contractors come back to stretch the fence. I guess I would be the contractor, and they would be the subs!

So, today is absolutely BEAUTIFUL. I have had the dogs out since I got home from work. I also raked- one handed. It looks much better in front, and around the house/plantings. Still have to pick up the piles, but that may be a job for my nephew- that along with taking the stuff out of my storage room so I can re-organize, and get the room ready to finish (sheetrock, new floor).

I think we are supposed to have this great weather all week, so I am going to enjoy it, and make good use of it. The dogs and I are heading up to my friend's place to work sheep on Thursday- ought to be interesting.

Well, that's it for now.

100 acres and we're going to use it!

Not much going on, not much, but some things... Sunday I went for a walk with my friend with Lucy and Danny. We found a nice trail, so Danny could be off lead. The dogs had a great time. Danny was not tired when I got home though. Lordy. Danny seems to be a bit standoffish to some strangers, and for some reason, my friend who walks with me makes him nervous- perhaps because she has jet black hair, and I am blond? I don't know. He just barked three times and then he sniffed her and was fine. Danny. Get him working sheep and the world melts away. Unfortunately it's three weeks with no sheep work. That's bad.

Lucy and Nikke got into it this morning. Not good for my shoulder. I think it was equal opportunity start of the fight. Nikke is still recovering from her surgery, so that is not good. Will have to watch.

Meeting fence contractors at my brother's farm today. Will get the entire meadow/fields fenced in. No more half done jobs. I can't do it, and my brother is too busy. This will mean I will work Danny and Lucy near my home, and we can get lots further (with Danny at least). Am not looking forward to the bill, but in the end, I will end up saving on wear and tear on my car, and gas. This will be a breeding operation, and I hope to have enough sheep to use for trials. We've got 100 acres, we are going to use it.

So, that's it for now.

Stupid Sheep

Awwww

Happy Birthday Lucy!!

Happy Birthday to my Lucy Lou. My pride and joy, my sweet, wonderful friend. The dog who was brought home to do agility with, but showed me that she was born to work sheep. The dog who has embarrassed me to shades of red I had never seen, the dog who makes me beam with pride. The dog who looks at each opportunity as an adventure, and the dog who I am proud to say is a Kelpie.

Never would I have thought my life would have taken such a turn. Lucy sleeps with me each night, and is my co-pilot in the car.

Many time Lucy will amaze me and frustrate me in the same fifteen minutes. Sometimes on the trial field we invent new ways to look bad. But never, not once, EVER has she failed to bring me my sheep. We get side long looks sometimes, but those who engage in this criticism, don't have the luxury to see what I do every single day. A dog who will do what I ask, no matter how hard, and she will do it with a good attitude.

She's truly my once in a lifetime dog, and I love her.

News is not good

I heard from the vet that did the surgery. It appears what they thought was not a recurrence of the tumor, is. And, it had changed to something worse- more invasive, and removing it left an area of tissue that may not heal. Infection is also a possibility. This is clearly a cancer now, whereas before it was equivocal (based on pathology of the tissue). The upshot is that this is now something that will not "go away", but will recur, and since we've already had two surgeries, there just isn't any real estate left.

So, my Nikke is staying over night at the vet's tonight, and then we will take it day by day. Her time is not measured in years anymore. It's so hard. I am beginning to think that as my dogs go, and once they are gone, I won't have any more. I just can't take this.

Cheating

Yes. I am. I am using both hands to type. Please note that my shoulder is in the correct immobile position, but still, it feels great to type normally!!!

This week's weather has been just great. Still very wet ground, but no snow :) Well, maybe some small banks here and there, but the yards are just about clear of it. Going to rain Thurs-Sun, so that ought to make one huge mess.

Brought all the dogs in for their spring check ups- Heart worm checks, and physicals. Nikke had blood work for her surgery tomorrow. Kylie is 5 lbs heavier than her last weigh in (fatty!). Lucy is 37 lbs, Danny is 35. Danny I think growled at his reflection at the vet's door, but once we were in there, he was okay. When he first went into the room, he was a bit nervous, but a cookie made him friends with everyone. The vet went to school in Scotland, so she has seen lots of Border Collies.

The vet doing Nikke's surgery wanted to talk with me before he did. He remarked that the tumor, but basically it's a prolapse of her rectum, but not quite, is much larger than it had been, and we may have problems with infection, or it (the repair) not holding up... But, we've no choice. It has to be done. They offered to board Nikke over night, free of charge, so I took them up on it, since the clinic is 1/2 hour the opposite direction of work. So, I pick her up tomorrow.

The bill was just a hair under $500.00, for just the three dogs. I can't imagine what it will be for Nikke's surgery. They are NOT cheap.

Well, that's it for now- my shoulder's hurting.

A Good Time was had by All

I never did get to see the property, as the owners were away, but nevertheless, it was a good weekend! It started with my friend and I heading out to Barnes and Noble Friday night, for some browsing. Turns out there was an A-Capella group performing, so it was packed. I picked up a couple of books, and then we headed to Friendly's for some munchies. Twas a fun night.

Saturday I worked, and then made my signature steak dinner. It was SO good!

On Sunday, I met my friend at Vanderbilt mansion, and we walked Danny (my friend had him), and Lucy. It was such a beautiful day, it was almost 60 degrees! Came home, made a dinner of left over steak/rice/peas, and then chilled. A very good weekend indeed!

Food, flowers, fields

So, I worked today, then hit the grocery store on the way home. Then Lucy and I took a rest, while the other dogs stayed outside- it is so gorgeous outside, I think they got the better deal :) Lucy is still in heat, so we are in lockdown.

Tomorrow I am going to look at a property with 2 houses, 8+ acres/fields. Will take some photos..

Oh, and I got a very nice bouquet of flowers from work- that was a nice surprise :)

That's all folks!

Getting back to normal

So, I am getting back to the land of the living. Yesterday, I took some old Mason jars and organized/stored nails/screws. I also cleaned up the laundry room, and got a bunch of stuff together to chuck. Then I cleaned out my car- yes, all one handed. This morning I over slept :) I have finally been sleeping better.

Lucy is in heat, and Danny is nuts. One of them is getting snipped this spring. In my small house, it ain't easy...

This weekend I am doing something fun if it kills me! Oh, and this summer, I may be going to Norway!

Well, old one hander has to stop now!

The Surgery

One handed I am, so bear with me. When I got to the surg center, the weather was horrendous. I silently hoped that the surgery would be canceled, but seeing my Dr walk in dashed my hopes.

I get called in for the prep. Prep nurse who put in the i.v. really hurt me, and had the temerity to get angry at me for moving (not my arm but the rest of me). So, it's in, and I lay there. Adjacent to me is a little six year old crying while trying to negotiate with the anesthesiologist, to wait. Finally, it's his time, and I hear the Dr. order two Versed (sedative) for the little guy.
I make a mental note...

So, a little while later, the nasty nurse comes to tell me I have to get a nerve block (Scalene). This will completely numb my arm, but it will be somewhat uncomfortable. Now if SHE says it will be uncomfortable....

So, in comes the Anesth, and he plops two large barrelled syringes on my stomach. Then my Dr stops in, and tells me about the block, at which time I tell him 4 Versed would be good for me. he chuckles. So, then it is time for thee block. I had to turn to the right, and stay still. Apparently I was not good, because said Anesth, said "This isn't working" I was immediately thereafter rendered helpless, by more Versed, and then, I got the block. I was then whisked away to the O.R., and within no time at all was knocked out.

When I awoke, I had an acrid taste in my mouth, and was duly informed that I had vomited when they extubated me. I lay there for a bit, and the Dr comes in to tell me that the cartilage was ripped off the bone in two places, that the shoulder was dinged around, and was very loose. Oh, and also he shaved lots of spurs at my collarbone, and acromium But! the ball and socket looked good. So, instead of a week of sling for my left arm, it's 6 weeks.

It will be one week tomorrow that I had the surgery, and I've been back at work for a few days now. Pain is diminishing. So, that's the deal