Thank Goodness for Friends & Neighbors!

I am not going to thank my friends and neighbors enough for everything they are helping me with right now as we transition from suburban life to country life.  It’s simply not possible.  They do too much – hold me up, back me down, tell me what to do, tell me what not to do, and willingly share their knowledge and experience with me.  They’re tearing down old buildings and fences, building new fences, and still speaking to me after I’ve changed my mind about how I want the fences built at least 3 times. [Please note that they did very calmly announce to me today that no further changes would be allowed.  At least I don't have to ponder over fencing any more!]  They’re boarding my animals, putting me in contact with other people who have equipment and skills I don’t have, helping me find materials, and making sure I don’t buy crummy stuff. Some of the labor is costing me money, but a whole lot of it is not, for which I will be ever grateful!  I only hope that I can return the favor to each and every one of them some day, and pay it forward to the next country newbie who comes along!

Today’s Lists:

Things I got done today:

•  Robbed a bank. Well, sort of. Let’s just say I “repurposed” some funds that weren’t doing a whole lot of good where they were.
• Interviewed for a job which they offered me and I accepted!  Yippee! Continued income to support for fiber addiction, both stuff from the store and the kind on the hoof!
• Took delivery of 50 sticks of oil stem pipe for the fence, the first delivery of many.
• Took delivery of the pallet of concrete even though the delivery driver considered 9:50 to be a good time for my “afternoon” delivery.
• Called the dumpster company to come get the full dumpster and bring me an empty one.  I seriously under-estimated the size of the dumpster I would need!  Live and learn.
• Travelled to Bonham, met with the gate guy, ordered the gates for the fences ,and arranged for them to be delivered on Wednesday.
• Bought a hay rack.  I couldn’t help it! It was calling my name, and it was a bargain!
• Talked to the guy that was going to mow my pasture.  Bad news. Pasture is in too bad a shape to be mowed and baled.  Instead, he’ll get after it with a bush hog, then get his friend (gotta love it!) to come over and turn it with a disc.  There will still be enough greenery for the animals to eat, but no hay.  Next year, it will be in much better shape.  Time to take the long view.
• Stopped in Anna to look at some alpacas.  The timing is not right for me and these particular animals.  Too bad.
• Made final arrangements with the fence guys about how and where the fences are going.
• Visited with my mom.  She rode around with me all day, and told me all kinds of stories about when my brother and I were kids, and when she and my dad bought their place in the country and moved up there.  I really am turning into my mother!
• Packed up 4 boxes of dishes, the ones that were in the china cabinet and buffet that I sold.
• Trimmed the tomato plants.  They were taking over the garden!
• Fed and watered the rabbits, and scooped out their litter boxes.  Must be done on a daily basis with them all closed up and the air conditioner running in order to keep the air quality good.

Things I still need to do (Saturday’s list):

• Finish cleaning up the house so it will look decent for the potential buyer(s) who come visit while our realtor holds it open tomorrow afternoon.
• Drive to Grandview to look at a trailer.  With any luck, it will follow me home (that’s trailer humor, in case you didn’t catch it).
• Work on cleaning the junk out of the main barn.
• Buy a microwave and a couple of plain Jane bar stools for the Farmersville house.
• Go to Bonham with Ken to look at the Anatollian/Great Pyrenees dogs he wants to buy

Sunday, we rest (and do homework).  Monday it starts all over again!  Ain’t life great!