Well, well, well ... the prodigal son has come home :-)! Hi folks ... you can't imagine how I've missed you all. Just to give you an idea, Cheryl and I were in the truck all day today, it's now 2:40am, and look where I am ... on the computer reading the forum to see what's been happening lately. I'm pretty pooped, so I won't write much this morning, but you can bet to hear more from me before I go back out on the road again!

About that ... I'm figuring that Cheryl told you all that I went back to driving a truck for a while for Trans Am. The bills just kept piling up and the income wasn't coming in to cover, so had to do it. I DO NOT like having to do it, but it's all part of taking care of business, and it isn't something I plan to retire from. However, if I can keep from strangling the dispatcher, I plan to do it for a while in order to take care of some projects we need done here.

For instance, Cheryl's bunny biz has picked up and we need more cages and a good shed or two in order to expand to meet demand. I told her that as long as I see her buying material every week toward that goal, I could put up with whatever I have to in order to get us set up better. I have no doubt she will follow through and find even MORE things to keep me busy :-)!

I was out for almost three weeks this time, but that was my fault. I requested June 28th - July 2nd off so we could celebrate our 21st anniversary (June 30th) and my 46th birthday (July 1st) together, so it made it where I didn't have any days off before then. I did manage to work around things and get this Sunday/Monday off, too! It's good to be HOME!!!!!

At any rate, I've missed you folks and it's good visiting with you again, if only for a little while. There's so much more I would love to share with you, but right now the toothpicks holding my eyelids up are buckling under the strain, so I'm gonna bid you all a good night! Sweet dreams everyone! Talk with you later!

P.S. I go just about everywhere to the east, and would love the chance to actually meet some of you sometime. I was in NY and thought of Patty ... in Ohio and thought of none other than Annie, and I go through Missouri all the time and thought of Randy and others. If any of you would like a visit or a phone call or whatever when I'm in your neck of the woods, you could email me your phone number and I'd at least give you a call when I'm close. Up to you, but I think that would be fun. Well - G'nite ... this time for real :-)!

-- Phil in KS (THAT'S RIGHT!!!) (cshomestead@planetkc.com), June 23, 2002

Answers

Phil!! Is that you?? It's been so long I barely recognize you! LOL Glad you're home for awhile. Cheryl's done a great job holding down the fort while you were gone. Do you ever go through NC or southern VA?

-- Bren (wayoutfarm@skybest.com), June 23, 2002.

Hi Bren! Yes, I get out that way all the time! Just delivered a load to SC and picked up a load in Charlotte, NC that went to Dollar General Dist. in Ohio. Like I said, I'm all over out that way - anyplace east of the Rockies I'm likely to show up in. And believe me, there are times I would rather be ANYWHERE than in a truck stop. We had to spend two days (more or less) at the Walt Whitman truck stop in Philly last week. That was an EXPERIENCE, let me tell you! I was more than ready to get away from there, that's for sure!

Anyway, anyone who'd like a call or visit or whatever, email me. For now, I gotta get back to my "honey-do" list. It got LARGE in my three- week absence (grin). Hope everyone's haveing a great day! See you later!

-- Phil in KS (mac0328@planetkc.com), June 23, 2002.

If ya ever get to Maine, Phil, there's a lobster and steamed clams dinner waiting for you :-)!! The saltwater fishing is pretty good, too!

-- Marcia (HrMr@webtv.net), June 24, 2002.

Phil, If you ever get around the Lima, Ohio area, we are close and would love to meet you. If you are coming this way, let me know and I will give you all the info you need. It would be great to meet some people from these forums.

-- Joanie (ber-gust@prodigy.net), June 25, 2002.

Ummm..... Phil, if you're headed to Maine, can I ride along?? Heehee (Make that TWO lobster dinners, Marcia! :o)

-- Bren (wayoutfarm@skybest.com), June 25, 2002.

Two lobster dinners...comin' right up!

-- Marcia (HrMr@webtv.net), June 25, 2002.

That must be tough Phil and Cheryl, hopefully it won't have to be for very long. I imagine being apart for extended periods would be very stressful.

Lobster!? Maine!? I wanna come as well! I miss both of those things soo much! And the ocean! I lived for awhile in Mount Washington Valley, born in Boston, lotsa family on the east coast. :)

-- Patty (SycamoreHollow@aol.com), June 25, 2002.

Patty...I was born in Concord, Ma.!! Small world! Lived in Mass. my whole life til we moved to Maine in '77.

-- Marcia (HrMr@webtv.net), June 25, 2002.

Oh! Nooow I can hear your accent! ;) Pak the ca in havad yad. lol

I do really miss it, the mountains and ocean, I cherish the growing up years I was lucky enough to live in NH. I actually think I have some family that lives in Concord! I know that sounds wierd, but my mother was the oldest of 12, I'm the oldest, soooo a zillion cousins!

-- Patty (SycamoreHollow@aol.com), June 26, 2002.

I got a brainstorm today. 2 years ago I bought an enamelled pasta insert for my cooking pot (you know..you put this pot like thing full of holes in the pot of water and then when you throw in the pasta its in the insert..lift out the insert and you drain your pasta..). I have never used the damn thing so there was $3 wasted..or is it?! I decided to set up my yearly manure tea bucket. I used a big ol' recycled construction stuff bucket (dry wall stuff was in it once upon a time maybe?)because its deep and strong..but what to use for my tea bag. In the past I have used smaller buckets and the bag was made from two holey socks, one inside the other so the holes are covered by the other sock's solid parts. I wanted something bigger this time and thought of this insert! I filled it with compost and manure laden bedding from the barn (to plug the holes some), tied the lid on with baler twine and added a length to haul the tea bag outta the bucket (that water gets NASTY!). Then I filled the bucket from the hose. I'm quite proud of my latest idea and just had to share. Best part..its pretty much indestructable so I can reuse it for the rest of my gardening days. Gotta love the Salvation Army Thrift shops, eh?

-- Alison in NS (aproteau@istar.ca), June 27, 2002.

Good to "see" you Phil. If you ever get to south central Michigan, I am approximately 7 miles off I-69, approx. 10 minutes from the Tekon truck stop and we have a fifth wheel "guest house". Come on by!!!!

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), June 29, 2002.

Hey there, Diane! Good to "see" you, too :-)!!

-- Marcia (HrMr@webtv.net), June 29, 2002.

No kidding!! It's GREAT to see ya, Diane!

-- Bren (wayoutfarm@skybest.com), June 29, 2002.

Hey there Phil, we'd be sure to have a hot meal for ya but.....you're going to have to come a little farther south than Ohio, like, ummmmm, East Tennessee. You'd be puttin alot of extra miles on that rig to find us up there!!! :) Let us know when you're in the area, we're right at the Smokies. Maybe you'll hit it right when the tomatoes and corn are getting ripe in the garden in a week or two. :)

Annie from TENNESSEE TENNESSEE TENNESSEE........

-- Annie (mistletoe6@earthlink.net), July 01, 2002.

Evenin' all, hope everyone's doing fine. I'm finally gettin back to posting again. We've had a rough couple of weeks around here, and to tell the truth, I've been in a real crappy mood and figured I'd lay off posting for awhile.

Almost 2 weeks ago Dave came home and his job was laid off. Out of the blue. Always seems to happen that way, huh? So, for the first week, I walked around like some zombie, couldn't even get interested in the garden. After having myself a big pity party, I finally got my butt in gear and proceeded to reorganize my house. I wanted my freezer right in the kitchen so it would be easily accessible and more cupboard space because I am really going to try and go to the store maybe once a month. I hate shopping. Moved about everything in the kitchen that wasn't tied down, the kitchen table is now where my desk with the computer was, and I moved the computer to a small desk in the bay window in the living room so I can look out at the mountains while I sit here. Good for the soul. After helping me move everything, Dave was looking for a job non stop! hee hee I don't think he likes staying home with me all the time. Too much work. A few days ago Dave landed another job, an even better one than he had. Thank you God. Dave's dad always said things work out for the best, but there were moments when I doubted it. I need to work on being more positive. :)

The garden is still plugging right along. A few days ago we had a meal with everything from the garden. It was so good. I picked a couple ears of corn, although they could have gone a little longer but I was so anxious to have some. I have a ton of tomatoes that haven't turned yet, but we've been having fried green tomatoes every other day. Dave loves them, but I keep telling him I'm not going to have any ripe ones if he keeps this up! I froze green peppers and picked a whole sack of pepperocinni's. I want to pickle them and am trying to find a recipe for freezer pickles. Anyone ever try it? I remember a thread Ken posted on CS forum for freezer pickles, but haven't heard if it's worth it or not. I'd hate to do all that work and then the peppers turn out yucky.

Well, I've rambled on long enough. Here's to life with all it's ups and downs. Ain't it grand!!!???

Annie in Tenn. (That's for Phil) :)

-- Annie (mistletoe6@earthlink.net), July 01, 2002.