Life in the Whacked Lane...the Spring 2003 Collection

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Whew, okay.

I have promised myself that I will update the journal at least once per week regardless of whther it is a weather report or not!

I have made a deal with my business partner on the business at last. She has three other people interested in working with the business to varying degrees, so I told her that she can work out whatever she desires with them, but it's time for me to move on. I will get much less than what it is worth, but will be FREE from debt and from having to continue doing something I am simply ready to walk away from. SO... can I get a hallelujah?!? The end of June I am done, half paid up front, monthly payments for 3 to 4 years of no less thn $500 per month and I am FREE!!! Yipee. It's going to be interesting.

We have been tossing aroubnd the idea of adding on to the house here to help broaden the market for sale, but we aren't sure whether or not that would be a good idea. It will take at least $10k, and it may be some time before we recoup the expense and that would protract the debt factor as well. It's just that the house is a one bedroom one bath and there isn't a large market to appeal to on those basis'. I am somewhat decided against it, but still tugging at the idea.

Jared is doing great in school. He's happy and actually learning more in three hours a day than he did in 8 at public school. He still doesn't care to read, but it is getting better.

The blended family (more like mashed!) issues are just going to be tiresome to work through. david has court date for May 2nd for past child support which is being witheld even though the kids and Angie's other girs were living with him for 85% of the time that they have assessed the charges for. Angie also forgot about $900 he gave her and a $1200 loan from David's folks....oh well. Que sera.

The garden is late in taking off, all my fult with a tic of weather thrown in, but it's coming along at last. The kids (goats) are doing really well and soon to be weaned freeing up a lot of time for me...just have some fences to build and that will be all done! Rabbits are producing like they should and we are drowning in eggs. Unfortunately we have a coyote problem to deal with, but that will be taken care of soon....I hope.:)

That's all for now, love to you all and God's blessings!

-- Anonymous, April 24, 2003

Answers

Just a really quick note.....we have been having coyote and/or fox problems and today (drum roll please!) we got Anatolian Shepard pups for guardian dogs!! Oh my, quite a story. We only were going to get one female...that is all we had money for, the folks had two separate litters and had hand raised two pups, but the fellow (unbeknownst to his wife) bought his own dog for us so that we would have the two together! How funny. He had simply fallen ion love with them and after seeing how we were with all the dogs he decided we had to have both of these pups. So we took them....Wheeeeee!!!! What amazingly beautiful animals. They were born March 5th, a male and a female both with longish hair, beautifully marked black muzzles and black ears, two varying shades of fawn. We'll be ready for those coyotes in Missouri!

-- Anonymous, April 28, 2003

Well it has been hot and I have a stomach disorder going on...ugh. All is well on the western front, more later!

-- Anonymous, May 02, 2003

We actually got RAIN yesterday! Thank God!!

last night Jared and I were having our deep Tuesday night conversation. When David goes bowling Jared always likes to ask me the more complex questions he would like answers to. Last night he wanted to know how to know if you were really a Christian. It started of with questions about how long forever was and where forever may be located and where we shall spend eternity. So the end line is that he and I said a salvation prayer together and prayed for assurance for him. The poor kid was bawling because he was afraid that if he died overnight he would spend the ubiquitous forever in hell.....It was pretty powerful, and I still can't tell him how long forever actually is. i told him that there were certain things that we just can't fully understand because we aren't God, and I also told him that I don't have all the answers to everything, and will never make something up or pretend I know the answer when I truly don't. Not sure if that was what he wanted to hear, but I am sure I needed to say it. if you feel led to, please keep him in prayer. Being 11 is a rough time and he has had such a chaotic life until recently that I think it's hitting him a little bit.

On other less permanent fronts....One hen hatched out 7 chicks and another has decided to go broody. it looks like I have my buckling sold---for a song, but sold nonetheless! We are putting up a new pasture for the baby girl goats to live in, and the puppies are growing. Also have a flea problem that I hope gets blasted away today.

That'sd about it...time to feed the kid goats and do my chores. Love to all of you!

-- Anonymous, May 07, 2003


Last night david went and spoke with his Mom and Pop about Gr anny

. She has been in a c onvalescence center for ov er a mont h

and she is miserable an d wants to go home , but she really c a n 't do that alone. Since t he place need s painting and rewir in

g for Eva to come and live w ith her for a time, calvin ( pop ) w as leaning toward perma nent nu rsing home resi denc e. N ow, that just wouldn't do. So David and I had a big ole conve rsation and decided that no mat ter what, we wou ld tak e care of Granny as long as it was p oss ible once I am out of thi s job. It proved to be an e xcel lent conv ersation , and a lot of g ood ca m e from i t . prais i

ng God o n tha t!!!

Jared made numer ous refernc es to pot y esterday.... He's been at his mom's for t he weekend. Then last ni ght I a sked h im if h e's ever bee n around peop le smoking po t and he told me yes. H is older half sisters. So w hen david retu rned from his f olk's I told him ab out the deal wi th the pot, and h e called Angie . Well, Angie cal led back after l ess than a ha lf hour saying th at jared has bee n known to lie, and if D avid coul dn't hand le i t she would b e ha ppy to take c usto dy of him.Phew . He told her that what he couldn't handle was Jared being around pot smoking. She just went off on him.

Anyway, praise God we got rain yesterday!!! Praise God that Granny's situation is decided!!! Praise God David got a raise yesterday!!! And praise God that He keeps us all in His hand!!

I am constantly amazed at how little time I seem to have. I'd like to spend a whole day in my garden, but the goat fence needs to be finished and all the crises keep taking my hands from work and requiring all this conversation which leaves much undone, but gets lots settled in the mind. I know when I was 11 no one talked to me nearly as much as I alone speak to Jared. I'm hoping that it makes a permanent difference......Prayers are greatly appreciated. I hope all had a happy Mother's Day. David didn't wish me one, and neither did Jared until Monday night. Kinda hurts a little bit....but I'll live.:)

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2003


No idea what happened with the type there. Another Lusenet anomaly???

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2003


last night was the terrifically unpleasant chore of butchering rabbits. Jared wanted to know how to do it, and I have been putting it off, so we just did it.....The best thing is it's done!

I'm tired. Haven't been getting enough sleep, I guess.

It's a beautiful morning here. Everything is vibrant from the rainfall. God bless!

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2003


I'd really like some prayers from my friends here for my health. Generally I have been really quite healthy, but I'm a bit worried on the female end of things now. I started brown spotting in the mid cycle of my period and that has never happened before. Of course the first place one's mind runs is *cancer*......I'm making an appointment today with a gyno. It's most likely stress related, but in any case I think prayer is really the first thing I need to seek. Many thanks!!

Otherwise things are going alright. Jared is doing much better at school for Cathy, and is generally helpful here. There are three hens setting....I'm mad at my beans! I planted bush varieties (that I didn't save) and they turned into pole beans! This is the second time this has happened.

Have a great day all.:)

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2003


I wrote a rather extensive entry two days ago, and it seems to have evaporated into cyber space! __heavy sigh----.

Well, we did have a lovely cold front come through. Made it nice around here for at least a few days. :)

We have been in some pretty heavy spiritual warfare here. A friend just accepted Christ here in my kitchen two weeks back, and she is being whaled upon. Lupe's hubby Charlie, whom I consider to be a very good friend, was accused of smoking CRACK! He didn't do it, which is evident in simply looking at the guy, but nonetheless, there was a whole bunch of consterrnation because of the accusation. He just accepted Christ a little over a month ago.

Then there's my mil....she really needs to get honest with herself and her husband. Whew.

Then there is my biz partner, who is really in trouble. Either the Lord is getting her ready to accept, or she is going to go psychotic.

Im doing fine.:)

Hopefully this will go through.

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2003


We continue to *feel* like we will get rain, but it doesn't happen! Nutz!

I wish I had all good and happy things to report on....life just seems to be filled with upheaval after upheaval lately. Well, since I hooked up with David actually. He's doing well, it's just all the leftovers that seems to be stinking up our fridge.

Angie was entitled to pick up Jared on Friday evening and bring him back last night at 6pm. She called and said she didn't have the funds to come, and she had to work on Saturday, so Jared was disappointed....then she called Sat morning and said she got the $$ and would be here at 11 to get him. technically, we didn't have to let him go, but we did.

Then yesterday afternoon she called David and asked if Jared could stay another day. he said no, school, sticking to agreements, consistency, etc. Then jared called him and was kind of whining to stay, he told him no as well, citing his reasons, then Angie grabbed the phone and said she was going to bring him back on Tuesday, and that was that, and she hung up.

She didn't bring jared home, so David made a report with the sheriff, and he called some of his old friend's in Galveston to see if he could get a sense of where Angie's brain was these days. Whether she was staying sober, etc. He found out that she had said she was getting custody of her son......This is worrisome. I guess it isn't kidnapping until he's been gone 72 hours past the time he was to be returned, but if she does that she'll be in the pen, so I can't see her really going that route.

I'm just tired of how she can destroy whole days with a five minute phone call. David is determined to give her absolutely zero in the changes and compromises category, which will be ahelp even though the June visitation will really mess life up. July would work out much better for everyone, but the papers indicate June so that's what it will be.

See Sophie cries and says she wants to live here whenever she comes, and we still make her go back to Angie without a flurry of phone calls changing times and locales.

Enough of my griping. I knew I was getting into a mess, I'm just really saddened by all the turmoil all the time. I want to pull my weeds, but I have to go to work.

Here's hoping everyone has better days than I did yesterday!

-- Anonymous, May 27, 2003


Tomorrow we get Sophie for a whole month. We were originally supposed to swap months and get her in July, as I will end my business the end of June, but then Angela went blotto again and the papers must be followed to an absolute T or we are all in trouble.

I'm not pleased at all with the idea of Sophie being at the shop while I work. She is one of those kids who HAS to get into everything. She digs through peoples personal effects and moves things off shelves and simply can't seem to help herself. I guess it falls on me to break her of this habit.....sigh. My business partner has a serious collection of toys and antique papergoods, and they are pricey items. Since Sophie just turned 9 there is no reason she couldn't control herself and that tendency, but I really don't look forward to being the one that has to break her of it. I guess a really strong warning backed up ought to do it.

Jared was finally returned by the Uncle of his half sister who Angie occasionally sleeps with. he got back at 10:20pm Tuesday....s'posed to be back at 6pm on Monday. He said he only ate breakfast the entire time he was there. However he seems to have lived through the experience and hopefully he will learn to be more appreciative of food from being hungry! (I'm trying to look on the bright side here:)

The pups are doing well, the kid goats are moved to a big pen with MORE than enough foliage. All they have to do is figure out that they can go and eat all that stuff!

keets have been hatching out and fire ants have been having their evil way with them. I thought the banty hen would mother them if I slipped them under her at night, but instead she actually killed a bunch of them. She is setting and hatching out chicks and has hatched out a couple of the keets as well. really sad. Does anyone know how to successfully foster keets to a hen?

Sprocket went to live with Marcy at the shop as he killed a bunch of juvenile chickens. he just can't get it out of his blood. he'd never killed them when I was here before, but I guess the temptation was simply too much for him. he killed my last mature banty hen other than the one who was setting. I need to get a banty rooster now as all I have left will be mutt chickens.

The garden is producing despite the neglect! How cool is that? We'll be in over heads in squash soon. Toms are coming on pretty well and onions need to be pulled and dried. I'm yanking the beans in disgust. I bought some heirloom seeds that were supposed to be bush beans and they all turned out to be pole beans. i just like bush beans better. Poles are always somewhat stringier with the exception of romanos and they are messy to me. I've made a decision to only grow bush varieties from here on.

David's job is going really well and I am SO thankful for that.

Our plans are to get the barn up in MO and then when we are somewhat settled there go for custody of Sophie. it needs to be done that way because Angie will try to restrain David to Texas if she suspects that he will attempt custody before residency in Mo is established. It should have been fought out in court last fall, but oh well.:).

I need to get on the band wagon here. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2003



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