random tidbits

Not much goes on around here when the family car is out of commission. I know Andrew doesn't mind, but after a while, I want to drive myself somewhere instead of asking him to take me in his truck (it's a stick and we have lots of hills-- I'm not that good of a stick driver around hills).

We have managed to make a couple of runs to the food store, but we always have to take Peter with us. He is just too rambunctious for my mom to chase and catch. Do you know how frustrating it is to get him into a car seat in an extended-cab? Not a full-size cab, an extended cab. That means the person sitting back there would sit sideways behind the front seats. Yeah, it's tight back there.

Which is why I was so thrilled when I managed to get Peter down for a nap today, and then I nearly pulled Andrew's arm off as I waved good-bye to the girls and hopped into the truck to go to the food store without having to contort myself to get Peter into the carseat! We made it back in an hour and a half and Peter had only been awake for about 15 minutes. whew!

My glasses broke about 2 weeks ago. One too many bumps from the kids and the poor things just fell apart. They were 4 years old, so I was due for a new pair anyway, I was just trying to avoid spending money. I finally got an eye exam last week and a new pair of glasses should be coming in soon. I'm wearing glasses that are 16 years old! My old pair from before I got married. Andrew fell in love with me in these glasses and putting them on now, I look goofy! Andrew wants me to take a series of pictures with the old glasses... I think I will. Fun to see how the styles have changed and what used to look good on me, now doesn't. Thank goodness my vision hasn't worsened all these years, so I am still able to wear them.

I started a batch of seeds last week. A little later than I planned, but they should be ready in time for planting in the garden. 50 seeds of various tomatoes and green peppers. We can never have too much of either!

I am trying to hatch a few eggs from my chickens. The Buff Orpingtons are broody and set on their eggs all day for a couple of days, then walk away and the eggs get cold. I decided to take matters in my own hands, and I have 6 eggs in a make-shift incubator. It's been 16 days so far, and with brown eggs, I can't really candle them and see if there is anything happening in there, so I am hoping at least 1 or 2 will hatch by the end of this week.

If those eggs fail to hatch, the local hardware/farm store will have chicks for sale at the end of the month. I would like to add 10 more hens to my flock, and many online hatcheries will not sell less than 25. I have every intention of being there before their doors are open to ensure I get a good selection of chicks to pick from. I'm hoping for 5 White Rocks and 5 Black Australorps.

The tow truck that was supposed to come and pick up our van to take to the shop last Friday broke down. The tow truck needed a tow truck! That cracked me up. We waited and waited for them to come.. sometime between 1 and 2 pm the guy said. Made a call and found out the brake line broke on the tow truck. So the guy is supposed to be here first thing Monday morning. Cross your fingers that by the time you read this, the van is on it's way to the mechanic! Hope it won't cost too much to fix, but it's got to be cheaper than buying a whole new car.

There are lots of slate rock slabs around our property. I figure the previous owner brought them in for landscaping purposes, but they no longer look good, many have sunk into the ground, and there was a pile of 'em near the woods. We made a path from the house to the chicken coop with all the snow and it's nothing but dirt now, so I dug up as many large slate slabs as I could find and followed the path we made to the chicken coop. It came in handy when we had all that rain last week and I didn't have to walk in the mud. It looks great and I can't wait to see what it looks like when the grass has fully come awake from its' long winter slumber. We're going to try and do better with the yard work this year-- cleaning up fallen sticks, maintaining the grass better, trimming back the crazy azaleas and rhododendrons, and, if it won't cost too much, putting in a brick patio by the back door. Something needs to be done with the patch of dirt back there-- the chickens are currently using it for their dust baths.

We stopped at the first yard sale of 2010 today! Didn't find anything, but it was good to see the first one of the season! I miss yard sale-ing. We have a few things we want to keep an eye out for: vintage metal bed frames for Evelyn and Peter, another dehydrator, and as always-- canning jars.

Happy Monday!
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