Notes from the farm:
Mio-mio is back to normal, except she still isn't quite retrained to go in the box yet. Working on it.
Main contractor isn't much of a communicator. I know what I want, told him... and am waiting for him to tell me if he trusts me to measure the windows, or if he wants to do it, so we can price out replacing them.
Thursday, I get a hitch put on the Cherokee, so I can pick up my "ranch wagon" - a side by side UTV, with things like a snow plow, garden disc, and mower. It'll be customized with a tool rack, etc rednecked up a little bit. I have lots of stickers Mike collected.
Chimney/woodstove guy will be here Friday. It's definitely their slow time, and all we need to consider is the weather.
I've kinda convinced myself to go on and replace the kitchen counter & sink; I still have a leak - my fix didn't stop it - and it's one of those annoyances, that IMO, makes life harder than it has to be.
I moved a bunch of stuff from downstairs out to the studio; then opened every single box in the studio looking for 3 things. Found 2 out of 3. Shifted boxes around, so when I have an extra set of hands here, maybe this weekend, I can set up my 4x8 table top temporarily - till I can make/find useful storage bases. The downstairs is getting a lot more civilized. Ordered some more shelving for the 1/2 of the garage that's going to become my "pantry" and solved the electrical issue; that contractor will back to permanently solve it.
Got a call yesterday afternoon, while I was taking reference photos of the garden area (have at least 3 apple trees) - one of our shop employees was fine one minute, collapsed and died the next right there in the shop. She had been with us since '99. Everyone's in shock and grieving and were allowed to go home early. Brother called last night and we've tentatively decided to cater any memorial service, if there is one. She had no immediate family and one of her closest friends who has worked with us, since the business started in '76, will fill everyone in on plans.
Monday is trash day, and I'm slowly getting all the cardboard boxes & packing material out. Coming back, I had to stop and wait for two gorgeous German Shepherds to move off to the side. Their human kept right on truckin' for a little until she missed the dogs. This would be Gladys, my neighbor who lives closest to the road. Tiny little thing and as white haired as I am. She is a retired librarian and avid gardener. I'm invited down to visit - she lives alone too and was really chatty. And interesting! Reminds me of Beatrice, at the end of our driveway at the previous homestead. She informed me that her middle name is even more unusual in this day & age: IO - from mythology. We were talking about 1st graders "different names" because she volunteers at the elementary school off and on.
I'm a real sucker for someone who's eyes light up and crinkle in laugh lines, reads as much as I do and is firmly planted in her little corner of God's green earth. She's already offered me starts of some flowers that are taking over her beds. Lupines, Larkspur... something like that. We just babbled over a 100 topics in 10 minutes of me blocking the road. LOL. I think I rescued some of her mail that escaped the box one day. It's one of those mailboxes that has doors on both sides.
My geese are still around; along with a pair of wood ducks. And I've actually the seen gobbler that's stalking the hills looking for a sweetheart. Ronnie & Sam were here yesterday down in the "stomping grounds" and I got a chance to catch up with Ronnie. He'll be back with Mike, this weekend to finish moving those pine trees that fell in the storm and drag the brush over the back side of the pond dam.
