So!

Did anyone read yesterday's Washington Post column about the aluminum tube timeline, etc? Or hear a recap on NPR? Verrrry interesting! (I'm tempted to say: Look it up in your Funk and Wagnals! Wow, am I getting old and corny!). If people would only pay attention!!! This is big stuff.

Just picked up our "free" (ahem!) cat that we got last year from the vets. After a dental cleaning (with general anesthesia), plus extreme ear wax unloading, I'm now about as broke as can be. Yikes. Plus it cost us $1k for car stuff, and tuition for Mr. S. is due soon. Oh well, it's only money. Good thing I make all this money on my sheep. Ha.

Sure sounds hot in Europe. Wonder what wonderful wines will come out of this!

We're going to Yellowstone the first couple of weeks of September! Yippee. Hope no forest fires come within our travel range. It's nuts out here. We finally got a good soaking this weekend, but it's drying out again. We have one fire in our state (Farewell Creek) that has now been burning for 2 months! Huge.

Did you guys read about the Tonasket Resolution? (that's where our Eastern Washington property is). It's a very small town's courageous response to the Patriot Act. And it's in the red-zone of the Washington State Political Territory (vs. Gore Blue). You can read it in the Sunday Seattle Times (08/10/03). (search on Google, I guess. I'm too lazy to find the link).

Just thought I'd toss in a conversation starter or two. Care for an hors d'oeuvre? Or is it too declasse to start writing a French bon mot or deux yet?

Have an excellent week. Hey, where's Polly these days?

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2003

Answers

Sulking. I've got a rotten, wretched, lousy, miserable, pain in the ass case of the blues that I can't seem to shake. Tho I think I may be coming out of it now, sorta. At least I got off my fat rump and did the dishes and vacced and mopped the floors and went outside and looked at the garden. Finally, that is. After several days of sloth and pitying myself - had no energy, no ambition, didn't give a rat's rotunda about the garden, house, etc,etc,etc. An old, dear friend nearly doing himself in was the straw that broke the camel's back; but this has just pretty much been a sucky year all round. I'm trying to be my normal disgustingly perky self but sometimes ya just gots ta bow to the forces that be. I swear, if it goes on much longer, I'm gonna go have my horoscope charted just so I'll know when things should start looking up again! Anybody know a good astrologer?!

So anyway, while I was in the depths of despair, I couldn't seem to form a coherent sentence; and I was pretty whiney (Yes, even more so than I am now!), so I didn't wish to inflict myself upon y'all. So, in the interest of playing catch up - here's what we've been up to:

Unc harvested the oats; got 500 bu off the 4 1/2 acres - not too bad of a crop for this area. We sold it all to his Amish buddy Joe, and he was tickled pink with the quality of it. Then we baled the straw and ended up with 191 bales - plenty of mulch for next year. And the year after that. And the one after that.... We cut the oats pretty high, but the hay crop is already peeking above the stalks; reckon we'll get at least one cutting this year; tho I'm not sure what we'll be feeding it to!

After attrition from the new pup, coons, feral cats and their own incredible stupidity, we are now down to just 5 guineas left out of the 18 we started with. They are hilarious - they all run amok, all in a little pack together. I have never, ever had occasion to care for any animal quite as ignorant as these guineas - it's a wonder they can even manage continuity of the species! They have now started yelling - they don't yell at me, but the presence of Hubs or the water delivery guy instigates quite a cacaphony; poor Hubs is suffering hearing loss, as it's his job to shut them up at night.

The banties are now roosting in with the larger chickens, but they won't stay in the pen at all during the day. I find them (and the guineas) anywhere and everywhere around the yard. I'm hoping that they start reproducing soon; I think that they start in a bit earlier than the larger breeds, but I haven't noticed any amorous action. They're only about 3 1/2 months old, so perhaps I'll just have to wait a bit longer. I need to get some new heavvy breed hens for eggs - we've been buying store eggs - ick! Possibly in September, when I'm on vacation, I might be able to make the Friday night small animal sale. I'd also like some muscovy ducks, but I figure I'd lose them all to the neighbor's pond. Gonna have to get me a pond one of these days!

The garden is overgrown - I have nightmares about the tomato jungle! I need to harvest and put up tomatoes. And beans. And peppers, cabbage, cucumbers, corn, beets - you name it! I need to weed the garden, and the berries, and the perennial beds. I need to mow the whole freakin mess off and start all over again next year, is what I need to do!! (One more month until vacation. Only one more month. I can make it. I know I can....)

And speaking of vacation....we're not going to try to go too far this year (not after last year!) I think that we're just going to head down to Mountain View, Arkansas and listen to some bluegrass music. Pop might even go with us; we'd like him to, as he hasn't been anywhere since the stroke; and we think that he'd enjoy this trip. We'd stop and visit all his cousins on the way down, and maybe take a side trip to Hot Springs as well. I'd like to take him back out to Wenatchee, but John can only wrangle one week off during the time I have off, so that's out of the question for this year. Pop's not doing too bad, tho he has less energy and tires much more easily - I'm hoping that it's the heat taking a toll on him and that he perks back up when the weather cools and allergy season is over.

Hubs is heading to the doc on Friday - I think he's been hanging around Uncle Ivan too long, he's picked up Unc's habit of irregular heart beat. Since Hub's dad died at 45 of a massive MI, we think it's best to have him checked out again. Poor man, he's pretty bored right now; doesn't want to ride motocycles, doesn't have another hobby - and try as I might, I just can't get him interested in reading trashy novels or weeding the garden!! I've got to find him something interesting to do! Suggestions, anyone?!

Well, that's about all I can think of to ramble on about; and I need to get some rest so that I can have some energy in the morning - it's laundry day again, and then I have got to do something with those tomatoes sitting on the counter (throw 'em to the chickens?!), and then on into work. You folks all take care,

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2003

polly

Yea I here ya on that funky low mood business! Nothing sounds good does it? Have ya tryed chocolate? Yep 3 times a day. Best with the almonds inside. If that doesn't help take out the nuts and insert prozac??? I hope all's better soon! .....Much Love.....Kirk

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2003

Hey Polly...I know what ya mean about the "blues moods"! We have had the wettest, moldiest, foggiest and muggiest past three weeks or so and our moods haven't been the greatest. How's your weather been? Dreary?? We never get cabin fever in the middle of winter, but we sure have it now. Can't do NUTHIN' outside because of the drizzle or mud. A stroll across my chicken pen is like taking your life in your hands...more slippery than a skating rink!! My winter's supply of hay molded in the field. Now I gotta look for another source! My garden is a mass of weeds, also. Like you, we're seriously thinking about mowing it down and starting over next year!!

We did have a good time last Saturday at the N.E. picnic (B.O.A.P.) that some folks from the webmaine forum put together. We met at Ferry Beach State Park in Saco, Me. I'd never been there myself and was amazed at the beautiful stand of Tupelo trees growing there! The beach was awesome...although foggy, and the food everyone brought was delicious! And it didn't rain :-)!! There was a woman there from Illinois who had never had steamed clams before. Us "Mainiacs" finally convinced her to try one :-)!! She didn't act too crazy about it...but later we saw her popping a couple more in her mouth! Anyways, it was really cool putting faces to people that I'd only known through that forum. We're all planning to get together around the end of Sept. for the Fryeburg Fair. Anyone here wanna join us??!!

E.M....what's happening with your business?? Sure hope you and Bren found another accountant.

I have a batch of doughnuts frying so I'd better go keep an eye on them! Stay dry and cool everyone...

-- Anonymous, August 13, 2003

Thanks, Kirk! Oh yeah, I tried chocolate. Nestle coconut treasures, Kit Kat minis, Oreos, chocolate chip cookies, s'mores, brownie cookies - I tried 'em all. When that didn't work, I even ate nearly a whole bag of those horrible orange circus peanuts and they didn't help either! Probably just need a hug, ya think?! Poor Hubs hasn't seen me like this before, so he is scared to come near me; just sneaks around and shovels up the piles of books after I go to bed. No, no prozac, thank you; I don't think I want to take anything that I give my patients - just puts me one step closer to joining them!!

The funk (no wagnalls) is lifting it seems. I was energetic enough to make waffles for breakfast; and the pressure cooker is cheerfully hissing away at some beef for stroganoff, with a chicken awaiting it's turn in the wings. The laundry is sloshing, the sun is shining, the humidity is hell (how'd THAT slip in!?), the butterflies are flocking to the perennial bed and the hummingbirds continue to eat us out of house and home - life is good, no? Just wish I could convince everyone that the simple joys are what make life worth living. Sigh. (Thinking about my friend again, there for a second.) I think instead of mourning for those who cannot find peace and happiness in this world, and thus wish to leave it; I will spend today celebrating life, new lives in particular. Friend Jon and his wife are expecting a little one in October, and one of Jessie's school mates is expecting a baby in December as well - time to dig out the crochet hooks and head to Wal-Mart for some yarn, I think. I'll ponder patterns while I'm out picking tomatoes later this morning.

And speaking of picking tomatoes....I need to go finish up my laundry so that I can get on with my list of chores for today. Take care, all...

-- Anonymous, August 13, 2003

Polly, so sorry you are feeling so low. Course you know the sugar only makes it worse, after it wears off, but like me, sometimes sugar is the only thing that seems worth the effort of getting up! I surely hope you feel better soon dear.

I'm sorry so many of you are having a bummer summer. It's so weird, cuz we are having the most beautiful summer I think since I moved back to the midwest. sorry.........

We've only had two days above 90 (not that I mind heat, but most people suffer), humidity has been bearable, even low, it rains about twice a week, so little watering has been necessary but we're not getting too much. Lots of sun.......just gorgeous!

We are going full speed ahead with the purchase of the building; we should have possession the end of this month. That goofy acct had issues, let me tell ya. If I had been there, things would have gone differently, but Bren is such a wimp! :) The thing is, she never even got the info she went in for! The silly woman got on this tangent of deciding she needed to give us unsolicited advice and forgot to answer our one and only question. So Bren sits there, intimidated, and listens to this person deride her and our plan, for an hour and a half at 150 bucks an hour! We finally got an answer (for tax purposes, which name should the bldg be in, the company's, ours or a new corp set up just for ownership of the real estate, since we had gotten differing opinions) via email the next day, and this person did do a good job of explaining all the pros and cons of the issue we came in for in the first place. Finally.

She thought we were too old to be doing this! Can ya dig it?? After 50 I guess you're sposed to dry up and blow away, or sit in a rocker and mold. sheeesh. anyway, I could on for pages about the ridiculous stuff she said, bren kept remembering more, it was a riot) but enough already.

We have been taste testing all the competiton,and so far they're all pretty awful, to tell the truth. Bren found lots of gluten free stuff in canada and brought it home. They are much farther ahead of us, like Europe, big surprise, and there's much more to choose from My biggest challenge will probably be pricing, cuz my ingredients are expensive and I want to use organic stuff as much as I can, otherwise I'd feel like a hypocrite.

We went to a restaurant equipment auction again; this one was fabulous. We got about 4500 dollars worth of stuff for 500 bucks. It was great, but I felt sorry for the seller! We are renting a storage garage until we can get our stuff over there. I went thru the place with the state inspector we will be dealing with. A nice old dude, not terribly bright but still has much to teach this novice anyway. It takes patience on my part to listen to him cuz he states the obvious all the time, but I guess he's used to working with really dumb folks, haha. So I restrain myself from saying 'DUH' all the time!

Have to go in for dental work next week; they're gonna put me to sleep and I must admit I'm nervous but I cannot stand dental work. Even the novacaine needle is hellish, so I will be sleepin. Hopefully temporarily.I apparently have terrible periodontitis, no cavities, just very deep pockets.Don't know what that's about but its annoying as hell. They wanted to do gum surgery but I said no way so they're using a laser to cutterage the infection out of the pockets. I better stop thinking about it or I'll pass out.

Course I don't have a garden anymore; just growing herbs and flowers and a few peas and cukes on the deck. But we do belong to a CSA and I am drowing in veggies, its been such a good year for the garden. I am busy putting things in the freezer even though I didnt grow them. In fact, I'd better get back to my green beans now. Oh Polly I got one of those pressure cookers....Duromatic 5 liter....only used it once so far but it worked great. I notice you use your all the time; if you have any tips that would be great. I'm afraid to do anything other than is on the recipes that came with it for fear of not putting in enough liquid or something. I'm gonna try it tonight with a little sirloin tip roast.

Peace,

-- Anonymous, August 13, 2003

EM, have you tried Coenzyme Q-10 for your gums? It's supposed to work really well, in Japan they add it to all their toothpaste and mouthwash. I have problems with receeding gums, I even had to have a gum transplant on my lower front teeth a few years ago. ouch! I tried the Co Q-10 and it seemed to be working, but this move has got me all off schedule and I haven't gotten back into a routine yet. I remember I got the dosage information from the book 'Protein Power'.

More later

-- Anonymous, August 13, 2003

I've been taking co-q 10 for several years, kinda off and on, but for the past year or so I've been taking a hundred mg a day.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2003

You know, it's so nice to come here and see that you are not the only one who has high weeds in their garden. I've been afraid to go in there, not because of the weeds but because of all the mosquitos that we have been having around here. Those little blood suckers are everywhere this year. They even get you when you have something on.

Had a dog attack one of my goats yesterday. I chased the dog but it got away. I really thing he was playing with it but the poor thing looked like it was overheated. It's doing better today but hasn't peed yet and that has me worried. This is a meat buck so I don't want to spend money on a vet only to sell it for slaughter in a month or two. The animal control officer gave me a list of dogs in the area and I have been checking to see if any of them are the one. My husband said the dog better not come back.

To make matters worse, we are going on vacation next week and I don't want my friends to have to deal with this. We are going to the NJ shore. Nights on the boardwalk. I want to stop by my sister on the way down for a visit.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2003

Very depressed this evening. Bren is chickening out. She has no idea what faith is, never did. Everything has to be tangible and black/white for her. She doesnt believe in me, is the point. I don't have enough energy to continually reassure her and do this business too. She said if the deal fell through tomorrow, she'd be relieved. And wants me to 'help her out here.' Well who the hell helps me out when I have a faltering moment? There's only so much of me to go around.

I don't know what to do now. Feeling rather hopeless at the moment. God I wish I could have a drink. A whole bottle even.

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2003

Gosh E.M.!! I sure wish I could do something! You and Bren are almost there. You've got the bank's okay, you've taken care of all the paper "legalities"...and you have equipment!!! You've just about done it :-)! Is there anything that we all could say to Bren that would give her the confidence to just do it?? I'm sure she still "believes in you", but maybe she's just overwhelmed!!??

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2003

Polly and EM,

You two are so dear to me. I wish I could do something to cheer you both up! I don't have but a half-second to post, but please know that you are in my prayers.

I'll be back. E-hugs to you for now. (((((((hugs)))))))))

-- Anonymous, August 17, 2003

I"m back from family reunion vacation, as of 8pm last night. I haven't read anything here. I hope you're all okay. I'll try to get caught up and do a post in a day or so.

Gotta run now to the dentist . . . more on that saga later too!

-- Anonymous, August 18, 2003

Here's the latest news from Pagan Acres. :) Last Sunday I brushhogged the pasture for the first time since we moved in. Me driving a tractor is a hoot because I don't know how to shift. The tractor is an old restored John Deere 40 and it shifts weird, I was trying for first gear but kept ending up in either 3rd or reverse. We finally worked out a system where I'd sit in the seat and press down on the clutch and brake, then Keith would jump up next to me and put it in gear. We figured out (the hard way) that if we don't run the tractor at least every 2 weeks the battery will go dead, so I expect I'll be getting some more practice this weekend.

The kitchen is pretty well done, at least from countertop height on up. I took a piece of garden lattice, cut it down to size and painted it white. Now I'm using it to block off part of the pass-thru to the dining room and it makes a nice place to put the microwave. I may get some silk flower and wind them through the back side of the lattice. My friend Jeani made me some pretty crocheted dishtowels as a housewarming gift. I bought a matching tablecloth and I'm going to make it into curtains.

The basement remodel continues. The drywall is all out and all of the studs in the main room are out, we're still working on the bathroom. We found a lot more termite damage in the bathroom than what we expected. The header above the bathroom door was almost competely chewed thru, when I started taking down the trim the door fell out of the wall! Now that all of the studs are out of the way I'm going to patch all the cracks in the foundation and then paint it with Drylock. We were able to salvage most of the studs so that will help the budget. Keith seems to think we'll be finished by October, I'll be happy if we're done by Christmas. :)

There's a red-tailed hawk hanging around the house. I first spotted it when I was mowing the pasture, he was hanging around the trees watching me. Saturday when I came home from running some errands he was sitting on the fence and he flew along next to my car as I came down the driveway. Yesterday when I was outside painting I could hear him screeching off in the distance. I think it's pretty cool now, but I know I won't be so happy about it once I get some chickens. I'll have to be sure the chicken run has a good top on it. Speaking of chickens, I've given up on the idea of getting some this fall. I've just been too busy to build anyplace to keep them. I'll get some next year. I may be getting some ducks too to help control the duckweed in the ponds but I need to do some research first.

My parents are supposed to come down to visit over Labor Day and bring my sister and her 2 children with them. They may have to postpone the trip though because my mom is having surgery. She has plantar fascitis in both feet so badly that she can't walk. She's tried therapy, orthotics, and cortisone injections but nothing is working. They can only operate on one foot at a time and she wants to get them both done before they leave for Florida for the winter, so she needs to get started with it pretty soon.

-- Anonymous, August 18, 2003

Hi folks!! So how hot is it where you are :-)??!! Actually we did get a few days relief, but now it's back to the three H's again. No more rain, though. At least that drizzly foggy weaher is gone!!

Big weekend coming for us...The National Folk Festival in Bangor. We plan on staying over Sat. night 'cause you can't see all the demonstrations in one day. Weather is supposed to be sunny and cooler (70's). Thank goodness!!

We had a carpenter come in a few weeks ago to replace our storm doors. It's a good thing we decided to do it when we did!! He discovered all kinds of rotted wood behind the door sills and framework. I expected to find carpenter ants (we don't have termites here), but not ROT!! If we had waited much longer, it might have started rotting the first course of logs on our house. Anyways, everything's been replaced with pressure treated wood and the new doors sure look fantastic!! Should help keep some of the cold north winds out also.

Today's the day we get to celebrate our granddaughter's 6th (WOW!!) birthday. It was actually on the 19th, but we're not "allowed" to do anything til after the day...makes for a hard situation sometimes, but Harry and I are tired of struggling with it. We're just thankful that we can see her at all!! I've made her a cake and we have a few presents for her. She's been told by her "mother" that Gramma and Grampa forgot about her b'day...so I can see that I have some explaining to do for her today :-(!!

My mom's waiting for results of the blood tests she had yesterday. This will decide whether or not she can have the hip replacement. I'm not sure what they're looking for...but she's sooooo tired of waiting and waiting and waiting!!!

Sherri...we're having someone come in and brushhog our fields tomorrow. We don't have the attachments needed for our tractor and Harry would have to take off the winch and all his "twitch" chains to adapt it for mowing! It's lots easier to have a friend come in once a year and do it for us. We trade off mechanical work for the job. I think I'm going to expand my horse's pasture after the field's been mowed. But I sure have a good mental picture of you driving your tractor and Keith jumping on and off to shift it for you :-)!!

That's about it from Maine. Hope all is going well with everyone!!!!!

-- Anonymous, August 21, 2003

Hi all,

Don't have time to post right now, but please don't open any emails from me till further notice. I seem to have a virus in my earthmama account, and some of the senders names are from here, so there is some connection and I don't want anybody here to expose their computer to it. Arghhh.........curses on the generations to those who find it amusing to torment others!

-- Anonymous, August 21, 2003

See EM's note and ditto. Jerks. Mine came via the computer at the nursing home. GRRR!

-- Anonymous, August 22, 2003