Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I hope it's been a great year for you, following. It has been for me!
Today Josh and I were enjoying the bright sunshine and relatively warm weather outside. I am always amazed at how much this home is an oasis of food. It is like a water oasis in a desert, only it is a food oasis in the forest. It's in the open, but there is a bird feeder or three, a compost pile with bones, a garden and a pasture full of grass and seeds. The animals can eat, but they exposed to predators.
Cats live inside the house. Coyotes range the perimeter in the woods. Squirrels, birds, mice and other small animals live underground and in the trees surrounding the house. Cats from around come to the compost pile as well as other scavengers that are larger but I haven't seen yet, so I don't know what they are. A flock of turkey's wander through from time to time. Deer run around. And BATS! I think.
One night I was standing too close to a pine tree and either 10's of bats flew out at once or a large bird did. It was dark and we could only judge by the loudness of the sound...but for sure, it was just above my head.
A huge bird, probably Giant Hawk, flew down and tried to catch a small bird by the edge of the woods today. It flew from tree to tree and then slowly circled up around the house afterwards. I could see it's tail moving to direct it's flight direction. It was so peaceful and floating. I could see each of it's feathers on it's wings and almost hear its wings flapping. It puts you in mind of how small you are and how big life is.
After it left, I used my new yoga skillz to practice snowball throwing.
It was a good day.
Saturday, December 28, 2013
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
In Which I Spell Licsense Wrong Repeatedly
Today I turn 30! I'm pretty excited, I've been wanting to be thirty since I was 26 and got my job. Heh. I thought if I was thirty then I'd be seen as a real adult and respected and listened too. I wouldn't be a silly little girl that needed to be molded and taught how to live life. You can imagine how that went over. Now that I don't work there, I feel younger than I have in years! I've let my hair grow out, I wear jeans more than dress skirts, I don't worry about my bedtime, and I skip more. For my late twenties, I cut my hair short and ugly to look more experienced and older. I wore "older" style clothes, not young clothes that make older people think I'm too silly to be taken seriously. Isn't that sad? It is. It's okay though because now I can be young when I'm old! I got that lesson out of the way early.
Yesterday it was bitter cold and windy. The snow in the parking lots and sidewalks were grey and slushy and dirty. There is nothing very pretty about used working snow. My driver's liscence expired today, so we were at the Secretary of State (DMV of Michigan), which going there is the equivelent of slushy grey gross snow. It was my third time there. The first two were fails, in that I didn't have my paperwork in order. I needed my old drivers liscence from Michigan, my wedding certificate, my birth certificate, my social security card, my auto insurance policy (POLICY. NOT PROOF OF INSURANCE...the lady was very very clear on that), and a printed out bank statement with my address. The first time I handed the lady an expired passport and a copy of my social security card cut to look like the real thing. She does not like me. The third time, I had to leave and go next door and have State Farm print out my policy for me. Luckily the ladies at State Farm are super nice...they believe in the personal touch. I definitely recommend them. Then I got the ugliest picture of me for my new liscence. Double chin and all.
As I was walking in, it was winter gross...grey dirty, wet and cold. The wind was blowing head on and I had to put my head down and walk into the wind while the ice shards cut at my face. THIS is a proper winter, I thought to myself. I was wearing my ugly ass ten year old winter coat that gives me a second set of boobs, my new warm hat, gloves, scarf and winter boots. Oh and flannel lined pants. I thought of the times I walked into work when it was 50 or low 60's out and I wore a flimsy hat, a pretty scarf (not a utility scarf), gloves to drive in (for fun...the gloves were not necessary), and a lightweight jacket...probably not even useful here at any time it's just the wrong weight for any time here. A coworker was go on and on and talk to other people and tease me for dressing so warmly in the weather. "You're from the north! You should be able to handle this weather...why are you so bundled up?" I had no response. How do you respond when you "bundle up" for looks and fun, not utility? I did that because I could..not because I had too. Plus, I don't think I will ever stop worrying that it will get colder out at some point and I'll need the extra gear. It never did in Nashville...but that didn't stop me from bringing an extra jacket.
I can handle winter...general Nashvillians just don't know what winter is!
Yesterday it was bitter cold and windy. The snow in the parking lots and sidewalks were grey and slushy and dirty. There is nothing very pretty about used working snow. My driver's liscence expired today, so we were at the Secretary of State (DMV of Michigan), which going there is the equivelent of slushy grey gross snow. It was my third time there. The first two were fails, in that I didn't have my paperwork in order. I needed my old drivers liscence from Michigan, my wedding certificate, my birth certificate, my social security card, my auto insurance policy (POLICY. NOT PROOF OF INSURANCE...the lady was very very clear on that), and a printed out bank statement with my address. The first time I handed the lady an expired passport and a copy of my social security card cut to look like the real thing. She does not like me. The third time, I had to leave and go next door and have State Farm print out my policy for me. Luckily the ladies at State Farm are super nice...they believe in the personal touch. I definitely recommend them. Then I got the ugliest picture of me for my new liscence. Double chin and all.
As I was walking in, it was winter gross...grey dirty, wet and cold. The wind was blowing head on and I had to put my head down and walk into the wind while the ice shards cut at my face. THIS is a proper winter, I thought to myself. I was wearing my ugly ass ten year old winter coat that gives me a second set of boobs, my new warm hat, gloves, scarf and winter boots. Oh and flannel lined pants. I thought of the times I walked into work when it was 50 or low 60's out and I wore a flimsy hat, a pretty scarf (not a utility scarf), gloves to drive in (for fun...the gloves were not necessary), and a lightweight jacket...probably not even useful here at any time it's just the wrong weight for any time here. A coworker was go on and on and talk to other people and tease me for dressing so warmly in the weather. "You're from the north! You should be able to handle this weather...why are you so bundled up?" I had no response. How do you respond when you "bundle up" for looks and fun, not utility? I did that because I could..not because I had too. Plus, I don't think I will ever stop worrying that it will get colder out at some point and I'll need the extra gear. It never did in Nashville...but that didn't stop me from bringing an extra jacket.
I can handle winter...general Nashvillians just don't know what winter is!
Sunday, November 24, 2013
In Which I Think New Thoughts
I've been thinking lots of new thoughts because there is lots of new things to think about. I like to think about my knitting projects and how I'm going to finish them and what the next steps are. I like to think about the yarn I have and what I'm going to knit with it. But I try not to get too excited because I'm the slowest knitter there is. It's a good week if I manage two rounds a day. I knit for 10 minutes when my mom is cooking and Lilly is in her high chair, and I sit at the island and talk to my mom while she cooks.
I posted a picture of a sheep farm on my wall. Heee. Literally. I ripped it out of a catalog and taped it to the wall above the changing table. If I'm going to have one, I need to build a barn shelter first with fencing and then research what the good wool sheeps are. I'll need to know how much it costs to feed them. I'll need to dedicate myself to the work of maintaining the sheep. There will be the initial investment for the shelter and fence and then for the sheep. Oh and vet costs too. I wonder if you can have 1 sheep or if they do better with 2 or 3? I don't want to start too big. Maybe I should join the sheep 4-H club with Lilly. I also happen to be friends with an actual sheep farmer. I should talk to her about it.
This would all be easier if I just had a Sheet farm.
Josh and I switched from PBR's to Busch. I feel that Busch is a better beer to drink in Michigan. Plus, I think it's cheaper now. Busch put's me in mind of Reggie Bush, from the Lions, and I like to cheer for the Lions, and what better way than drinking Busch while watching Bush!
(That's what she said! (?))
I just changed Lilly and I was looking at the sheep farm picture and I had a revelation! I've always wanted an Australian Shepard, and if I get a sheep farm, I'll totally need one!
I was also thinking about my friends still in college. They all got very stressed out and tired and busy at once, and I realized it's school. College is a weird thing. It's very bipolar. First there is summer and no school and you are carefree and all you have is work. Then there's school and it's doable...and then the semester gets on and all the papers and tests are due at the same time and it's very stressful. Then, when you start to think it will never end and you can't go on any more, it's over and BAM! Stressfree and no class and everything's wonderful. When you have a salary job, it's a lot more grey and the same all year. Less ups and downs. I think I miss the bipolarness a lot. It gets pretty boring doing the same thing all year long. That leads me to the one thing I did like about my job in Nashville. We had three meetings a year with the board, and it was stressful for a few weeks before hand getting ready, then the whole office traveled to the meeting location (out of state always, to a casino tribe because they are the ones with the space and resources to host the meeting) and it's a fun week of feel good work. Like I'm actually doing something worth doing. Then we get back and everyone relaxes for a week before we start up again. At the meetings too, I get to talk to people I don't normally talk to. I make friends. I only made 2 women friends, and they are great! I made several man friends too. Mostly because there are more men than women in the environmental fields. That's who I talked to mostly. I don't quite fit in with the other fields like economics or education, as they where more suits and dress fancier. They don't let the formal rules slide as much as the environmental people. This leads to general disagreement sometimes and lack of support when the fields want to work together on a project.
I do hate casinos though. They are beautiful and horrible. It's always worth going in to see the money spent on the decorations and to inspect the theme. There is always a theme to the whole building and it represents the culture of the tribe. You can learn a lot about their culture by looking at the casino and the materials used to build it and the decoration themes. They are all works of art. Art filled with addicts. Cigarette addicts and gambling addicts. Bittersweet.
If you hear of any good jobs in the western Michigan area, please let me know!
I posted a picture of a sheep farm on my wall. Heee. Literally. I ripped it out of a catalog and taped it to the wall above the changing table. If I'm going to have one, I need to build a barn shelter first with fencing and then research what the good wool sheeps are. I'll need to know how much it costs to feed them. I'll need to dedicate myself to the work of maintaining the sheep. There will be the initial investment for the shelter and fence and then for the sheep. Oh and vet costs too. I wonder if you can have 1 sheep or if they do better with 2 or 3? I don't want to start too big. Maybe I should join the sheep 4-H club with Lilly. I also happen to be friends with an actual sheep farmer. I should talk to her about it.
This would all be easier if I just had a Sheet farm.
Josh and I switched from PBR's to Busch. I feel that Busch is a better beer to drink in Michigan. Plus, I think it's cheaper now. Busch put's me in mind of Reggie Bush, from the Lions, and I like to cheer for the Lions, and what better way than drinking Busch while watching Bush!
(That's what she said! (?))
I just changed Lilly and I was looking at the sheep farm picture and I had a revelation! I've always wanted an Australian Shepard, and if I get a sheep farm, I'll totally need one!
I was also thinking about my friends still in college. They all got very stressed out and tired and busy at once, and I realized it's school. College is a weird thing. It's very bipolar. First there is summer and no school and you are carefree and all you have is work. Then there's school and it's doable...and then the semester gets on and all the papers and tests are due at the same time and it's very stressful. Then, when you start to think it will never end and you can't go on any more, it's over and BAM! Stressfree and no class and everything's wonderful. When you have a salary job, it's a lot more grey and the same all year. Less ups and downs. I think I miss the bipolarness a lot. It gets pretty boring doing the same thing all year long. That leads me to the one thing I did like about my job in Nashville. We had three meetings a year with the board, and it was stressful for a few weeks before hand getting ready, then the whole office traveled to the meeting location (out of state always, to a casino tribe because they are the ones with the space and resources to host the meeting) and it's a fun week of feel good work. Like I'm actually doing something worth doing. Then we get back and everyone relaxes for a week before we start up again. At the meetings too, I get to talk to people I don't normally talk to. I make friends. I only made 2 women friends, and they are great! I made several man friends too. Mostly because there are more men than women in the environmental fields. That's who I talked to mostly. I don't quite fit in with the other fields like economics or education, as they where more suits and dress fancier. They don't let the formal rules slide as much as the environmental people. This leads to general disagreement sometimes and lack of support when the fields want to work together on a project.
I do hate casinos though. They are beautiful and horrible. It's always worth going in to see the money spent on the decorations and to inspect the theme. There is always a theme to the whole building and it represents the culture of the tribe. You can learn a lot about their culture by looking at the casino and the materials used to build it and the decoration themes. They are all works of art. Art filled with addicts. Cigarette addicts and gambling addicts. Bittersweet.
If you hear of any good jobs in the western Michigan area, please let me know!
Friday, October 25, 2013
Ackbar Is Adjusting
Well well well.
What a week it has been. Nothing too exciting, but not pretty exciting all the same.
Yesterday I went out to a friends' house to use their high speed internet to apply for medicaid (thank you fellow tax payers) but the stupid government is stupid. I also forgot the password and login codes for the application we had started. So no medicaid for us yet.
Then I came home and got really annoyed because my bra kept on sliding up above my boobs. I couldn't believe they had gotten so big!! Stupid milks and stupid double 'merican double standards. All the women want big boobs but the stores refuse to sell bras big enough for big boobs. Turns out I put on my sports bra-like bra backwards.
Today the concrete guy (Josh 2) came and poured the cement for the parent's patio. A big blue cement truck came and put giant ruts in the hill of the yard. I photo-documented the whole thing. Lilly liked to be held and to watch the cement work. First they poured it, then they smoothed it, then they sprayed a chemical on it, then they sprayed the top muddy layer of cement off. The little pebbles are exposed, like the sidewalks at Vanderbilt. I never knew how they did that, but I wondered a lot while walking around there. There was some issue with the chemical they sprayed on, I personally think they were sold the wrong one, but it didn't work like it was suppose to. Josh 2 called the man and cursed him out a bit. It looks good still.
Josh and I helped gather leaves to put leaf imprints in the top of the steps cement spots. Then we gathered sticks for the fire we are having tonight. Dinner is hotdogs over the fire. I was thinking today about how much fun I was having. How satisfied with life I am. What if I was still in Nashville? I'd sit in the office all day, clean my computer...digitally and phsyicaly, maybe read some blogs, read about organization, then drive home and sit inside there, watch the neighbors, then go to game night. Now I do miss game night, a lot, but I love being outside so much more than anything else. AND I did clean my dad's laptop. I got all the dust off and dug a ton of dust out of the mouse wheel. The wheel button, not the ball below..he has a laser one now. I didn't know you could get so much dust and fuzz into the mouse wheel. I also got all of the laundry folded and put away.
Now I'm enjoying a crisp Angry Orchard Hard Cider.
Josh had a hard day too. Lilly peed right on his hand and as she did she shouted "PEEEEEEEDOM" William Wallace style.
+++
What a week it has been. Nothing too exciting, but not pretty exciting all the same.
Yesterday I went out to a friends' house to use their high speed internet to apply for medicaid (thank you fellow tax payers) but the stupid government is stupid. I also forgot the password and login codes for the application we had started. So no medicaid for us yet.
Then I came home and got really annoyed because my bra kept on sliding up above my boobs. I couldn't believe they had gotten so big!! Stupid milks and stupid double 'merican double standards. All the women want big boobs but the stores refuse to sell bras big enough for big boobs. Turns out I put on my sports bra-like bra backwards.
Today the concrete guy (Josh 2) came and poured the cement for the parent's patio. A big blue cement truck came and put giant ruts in the hill of the yard. I photo-documented the whole thing. Lilly liked to be held and to watch the cement work. First they poured it, then they smoothed it, then they sprayed a chemical on it, then they sprayed the top muddy layer of cement off. The little pebbles are exposed, like the sidewalks at Vanderbilt. I never knew how they did that, but I wondered a lot while walking around there. There was some issue with the chemical they sprayed on, I personally think they were sold the wrong one, but it didn't work like it was suppose to. Josh 2 called the man and cursed him out a bit. It looks good still.
Josh and I helped gather leaves to put leaf imprints in the top of the steps cement spots. Then we gathered sticks for the fire we are having tonight. Dinner is hotdogs over the fire. I was thinking today about how much fun I was having. How satisfied with life I am. What if I was still in Nashville? I'd sit in the office all day, clean my computer...digitally and phsyicaly, maybe read some blogs, read about organization, then drive home and sit inside there, watch the neighbors, then go to game night. Now I do miss game night, a lot, but I love being outside so much more than anything else. AND I did clean my dad's laptop. I got all the dust off and dug a ton of dust out of the mouse wheel. The wheel button, not the ball below..he has a laser one now. I didn't know you could get so much dust and fuzz into the mouse wheel. I also got all of the laundry folded and put away.
Now I'm enjoying a crisp Angry Orchard Hard Cider.
Josh had a hard day too. Lilly peed right on his hand and as she did she shouted "PEEEEEEEDOM" William Wallace style.
+++
Sunday, October 20, 2013
This is Not What I Was Going To Write When I Sat Down
This morning I got up earlier than normal and was preparing to make Buttermilk Pancakes for my family. I was busy conning my mom into clearing off the countertop and wiping it down, when she asked me where my coffee was. I was too busy working to pour it. So I stopped and got my coffee ready. But then I didnt' even sip it or taste it because it was back to work measuring out the flour. Then I realized that the measuring spoons were dirty from the night before when I made me a mug brownie. So I washed all the nighttime dishes. I still hadn't tasted my coffee.
When I worked for the last 4 years my routine in the morning was the best part of the day. I get to work, I say hi to my coworkers I pass, and try not to make too much conversation before coffee and while I still have all my stuff in my hands. Then I set my stuff in my office. My lunch bag goes on the tray on the bookshelf and my purse goes on the floor below it. My coat gets hung up behind the door and my hats, scarfs and mittens go on the tray next to the lunchbag. I would get made fun of for my hats and scarfs and mittens because since I'm from Michigan I should be able to handle the cold. I do handle the cold...by wearing hats, scarfs, and mittens. Durh. Then I would be questioned about not keeping my lunch in the fridge...isn't my food going to spoil and make me sick? Little do they know, that's why I don't get sick ever...I constantly live on the edge and injest germs to build my immunity. Quite like the Dread Pirate Roberts and iocane poison.
Then I go to the kitchenette and make my coffee and fill my water bottle. If I'm good, I washed my water cup and coffee mug the night before. I'm usually not good though. So I wash the items. My mug is green and large and has a pretty brown flower petal pattern. I bought as a gift for my friend Kimmy, but loved it so much I kept it. It's a perfect office coffee mug. Large, pretty, yet still professional. And if there's one thing I learned there, it's that looking professional and looking like you work hard is FAR MORE IMPORTANT than doing good honest hard work. I truly can't emphasize that enough. My water cup is more about my personality. It's the plastic kind with the lid and plastic straw. It looks like a fountain drink cup, but it's reusable. It's dark grey black transparent with a red straw. It says MTAC and has a red moon circle thing design. I got it from the Mid Tennessee Anime Convention Josh and I went to, and our friend, Amy, helped very hard to make happen.
I fill the water cup up with water from the tap and I think about everyone else who uses the filtered fridge water. I wonder what the true difference is. What does the filter filter out? When was it last changed? How does running through tiny plastic tubing effect the water? How is my tap water going to taste today? You don't drink it during the end of summer/fall after all the water has dried up and it starts tasting like algae. Sometimes I'm judged for drinking the tap water. Sometimes it's suggested to me that I don't drink it b/c I'm preggers, sometimes I'm in there with the drinking water people and they agree with me that it doesnt' matter. It all depends on who is in the kitchenette with me at the time. Mostly I try not to make eye contact or get in the way if I'm in a bad mood.
I prepare my coffee before I fill the water cup. It's a Keurig machine. I open it up, and take the old cup out that everyone didn't throw away when they were done. I toss it into the garbage can. I got really good at making it. Once I got pregnant, if I missed, I just left it on the ground. Ain't no way I'm bending over for that. Then I put my dark roast coffee kcup in. I wonder if there is a difference in caffiene in the dark vs. light roast. You can find the answer in one of my previous blog posts. And I make my cup of coffee. I have the same cup of coffee every single day. Every. Single. Day. Same height on the mug, same strength of coffee flavor, spash of whatever white liquid I can find in the fridge (sometimes it's half and half, sometimes it's milk, sometimes it's soy milk, sometimes, if I'm lucky, it's coconut milk or almond milk), and some sugar.
Then, once all that's ready, I go sit down at my desk. Sometimes, one lady is in there and she's a talker, and she talked to me through the whole process and then I leave and she's still talking. I can hear her in the kitchennette chatting on to no one. I feel bad, leaving like that, but after a few years, it just happens.
At my desk I take my first sip and start typing up emails to my friends and family, thinking about blog posts, maybe reading some USDA articles and I get on with my day.
And that's why you have just read this post...I took my coffee today, sat down and typed while enjoying my coffee, just like I used to. If I didn't, if I kept on making the pancakes, I'd still be half way done with my first cup, instead of my second!
When I worked for the last 4 years my routine in the morning was the best part of the day. I get to work, I say hi to my coworkers I pass, and try not to make too much conversation before coffee and while I still have all my stuff in my hands. Then I set my stuff in my office. My lunch bag goes on the tray on the bookshelf and my purse goes on the floor below it. My coat gets hung up behind the door and my hats, scarfs and mittens go on the tray next to the lunchbag. I would get made fun of for my hats and scarfs and mittens because since I'm from Michigan I should be able to handle the cold. I do handle the cold...by wearing hats, scarfs, and mittens. Durh. Then I would be questioned about not keeping my lunch in the fridge...isn't my food going to spoil and make me sick? Little do they know, that's why I don't get sick ever...I constantly live on the edge and injest germs to build my immunity. Quite like the Dread Pirate Roberts and iocane poison.
Then I go to the kitchenette and make my coffee and fill my water bottle. If I'm good, I washed my water cup and coffee mug the night before. I'm usually not good though. So I wash the items. My mug is green and large and has a pretty brown flower petal pattern. I bought as a gift for my friend Kimmy, but loved it so much I kept it. It's a perfect office coffee mug. Large, pretty, yet still professional. And if there's one thing I learned there, it's that looking professional and looking like you work hard is FAR MORE IMPORTANT than doing good honest hard work. I truly can't emphasize that enough. My water cup is more about my personality. It's the plastic kind with the lid and plastic straw. It looks like a fountain drink cup, but it's reusable. It's dark grey black transparent with a red straw. It says MTAC and has a red moon circle thing design. I got it from the Mid Tennessee Anime Convention Josh and I went to, and our friend, Amy, helped very hard to make happen.
I fill the water cup up with water from the tap and I think about everyone else who uses the filtered fridge water. I wonder what the true difference is. What does the filter filter out? When was it last changed? How does running through tiny plastic tubing effect the water? How is my tap water going to taste today? You don't drink it during the end of summer/fall after all the water has dried up and it starts tasting like algae. Sometimes I'm judged for drinking the tap water. Sometimes it's suggested to me that I don't drink it b/c I'm preggers, sometimes I'm in there with the drinking water people and they agree with me that it doesnt' matter. It all depends on who is in the kitchenette with me at the time. Mostly I try not to make eye contact or get in the way if I'm in a bad mood.
I prepare my coffee before I fill the water cup. It's a Keurig machine. I open it up, and take the old cup out that everyone didn't throw away when they were done. I toss it into the garbage can. I got really good at making it. Once I got pregnant, if I missed, I just left it on the ground. Ain't no way I'm bending over for that. Then I put my dark roast coffee kcup in. I wonder if there is a difference in caffiene in the dark vs. light roast. You can find the answer in one of my previous blog posts. And I make my cup of coffee. I have the same cup of coffee every single day. Every. Single. Day. Same height on the mug, same strength of coffee flavor, spash of whatever white liquid I can find in the fridge (sometimes it's half and half, sometimes it's milk, sometimes it's soy milk, sometimes, if I'm lucky, it's coconut milk or almond milk), and some sugar.
Then, once all that's ready, I go sit down at my desk. Sometimes, one lady is in there and she's a talker, and she talked to me through the whole process and then I leave and she's still talking. I can hear her in the kitchennette chatting on to no one. I feel bad, leaving like that, but after a few years, it just happens.
At my desk I take my first sip and start typing up emails to my friends and family, thinking about blog posts, maybe reading some USDA articles and I get on with my day.
And that's why you have just read this post...I took my coffee today, sat down and typed while enjoying my coffee, just like I used to. If I didn't, if I kept on making the pancakes, I'd still be half way done with my first cup, instead of my second!
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
All About Ackbar
Yesterday Lilly learned that she can talk non-stop. She sure has a lot to say and I have a feeling it's all bossing me around or bad jokes. She does smile real big then look to the side with her eyes and rub her hands together like she's doing something sneaky.
Ackbar caught a mouse, we assume it was him, and ate the head but left the body by our car. Dad told me to take care of it, so when I was taking the bucket of litter to the woods (no need to throw it out) I asked him to put it in the bucket since he was wearing cloves. No. He told me to just kick it away. Kick it away? We are in the middle of the parking area, there are no trees around for like 30 feet or more, where am I going to kick it? So I said no, you kick it. And he did, right under Josh's car. "There, something will get it."
Ackbar climbed the plumb tree in the orchard. He explored all of the branches. The trunck goes up maybe 5-6 ft then splits into branches that go outward making a canopy instead of going up higher. In total I think it's a 10ft tall tree. Ackbar run up and down all of it looking for the blackbirds that were flocking in near by trees making tons of racket. I took pictures. Then Ackbar ran into the tent and inspected it while Josh packed up and took it down. We camped in the orchard. Then Ackbar spent a good three minutes sniffing around in some cut grass clumps looking for the perfect spot to poop. We then discovered that he has diarrhea (mouse heads) and Josh had to wipe his butt. No worries, he got his flea medication the same day and soon he will get his worm meds.
Ackbar caught a mouse, we assume it was him, and ate the head but left the body by our car. Dad told me to take care of it, so when I was taking the bucket of litter to the woods (no need to throw it out) I asked him to put it in the bucket since he was wearing cloves. No. He told me to just kick it away. Kick it away? We are in the middle of the parking area, there are no trees around for like 30 feet or more, where am I going to kick it? So I said no, you kick it. And he did, right under Josh's car. "There, something will get it."
Ackbar climbed the plumb tree in the orchard. He explored all of the branches. The trunck goes up maybe 5-6 ft then splits into branches that go outward making a canopy instead of going up higher. In total I think it's a 10ft tall tree. Ackbar run up and down all of it looking for the blackbirds that were flocking in near by trees making tons of racket. I took pictures. Then Ackbar ran into the tent and inspected it while Josh packed up and took it down. We camped in the orchard. Then Ackbar spent a good three minutes sniffing around in some cut grass clumps looking for the perfect spot to poop. We then discovered that he has diarrhea (mouse heads) and Josh had to wipe his butt. No worries, he got his flea medication the same day and soon he will get his worm meds.
Thursday, October 10, 2013
A Hermit Life
I am having a hard time figuring out what to tell you following. All of the most interesting parts of my life right now, the best commentary, the funny observations, are not mine to share. They are my parents and they live a hermit life in the woods. Someday I hope to have my own hermit life in the woods.
Some rules I will have in my hobbit house. Yes, it will be underground and with a round door...the has been established for a while. Rule #1: I only do dishes in the morning or before dinner. I do not do dishes after dinner.
That's as far as I got on my rules.
What can I share? My dad gave me some good advice. Yesterday I was watching him do some underground plumbing to add another outdoor spigot to the line connected to the old outdoor spigot. He dug a ditch to put the line in and I learned about the draining of the pipe and the plastic bucket protector. And I noticed that my dad dug a shelf into the ground to set his tools on. That was an amazing idea! It would take me years to figure that trick out. Heh. Dad says he's been digging water line ditches since he was a kid, so he's had years to figure it out. Anyways, I was trying to talk to him about the shelf and how impressed I was. He told me "Well, to work underground you've got to dig a hole."
So simple, yet so deep. Before you start any project, you have to get to where you can work on it. Before you can invite yourself over to use a person's pool in the summer, you've got to become their friend.
I've been going to yoga with my mom. It's an advanced level class and it's amazing! I assume it's advanced, we are doing stuff I've never done before. There is one move, Camel Pose, which I call Camel Toes in my head, that I cannot do. You sit up on your knees, with your toes down, then reach behind you and bend backwards and grab your heels. Sounds easy, but I just don't bend that way. Most of the women are my mother's age, or closer to that age than mine. After Yoga we go to a diner owned by one of the ladies and eat breakfast/lunch. So far I've eaten Eggs Benedict (DELISHIOUS!) and a Baked O which is not a Big O. A Baked O is a ring of oatmeal cake cut into slices and topped with fruit. It's warm and oatmeally and not sweet like cake. It's not my favorite. I then had just plain oatmeal. It was very good. I didn't top it right, so I might try again next time. I had almonds on it and craisins. Next time I want fresh blueberries and almonds with more butter, milk and cinnamon and brown sugar.
Anyways, there the ladies talk. Many are local artists. I'm getting the in on the art scene and on what the big red building in Newaygo is going to be turned into. But not the big red building with the lions on top. They all stop to listen to me talk when I talk. I don't know why. Are they being nice? Are they truly interested? Or are they treating me like a youngling? I don't know, but eating with them reminds me of a feel good woman movie.
About parenthood? Well, Lilly has little fits when she's nursing and she finishes one side. She gets very angry and waves all of her appendages around. I think it's the cutest thing ever, but it worries me. How and when is she going to express that anger when she is older? I feel that I have the same anger, so maybe I can help her work through it. My anger is expressed when I am forced to do dinner dishes after dinner instead of in the morning. I get angry and complain loudley and flale around. I still do the dishes on time though. I may complain, but I'm still a responsible adult.
Some rules I will have in my hobbit house. Yes, it will be underground and with a round door...the has been established for a while. Rule #1: I only do dishes in the morning or before dinner. I do not do dishes after dinner.
That's as far as I got on my rules.
What can I share? My dad gave me some good advice. Yesterday I was watching him do some underground plumbing to add another outdoor spigot to the line connected to the old outdoor spigot. He dug a ditch to put the line in and I learned about the draining of the pipe and the plastic bucket protector. And I noticed that my dad dug a shelf into the ground to set his tools on. That was an amazing idea! It would take me years to figure that trick out. Heh. Dad says he's been digging water line ditches since he was a kid, so he's had years to figure it out. Anyways, I was trying to talk to him about the shelf and how impressed I was. He told me "Well, to work underground you've got to dig a hole."
So simple, yet so deep. Before you start any project, you have to get to where you can work on it. Before you can invite yourself over to use a person's pool in the summer, you've got to become their friend.
I've been going to yoga with my mom. It's an advanced level class and it's amazing! I assume it's advanced, we are doing stuff I've never done before. There is one move, Camel Pose, which I call Camel Toes in my head, that I cannot do. You sit up on your knees, with your toes down, then reach behind you and bend backwards and grab your heels. Sounds easy, but I just don't bend that way. Most of the women are my mother's age, or closer to that age than mine. After Yoga we go to a diner owned by one of the ladies and eat breakfast/lunch. So far I've eaten Eggs Benedict (DELISHIOUS!) and a Baked O which is not a Big O. A Baked O is a ring of oatmeal cake cut into slices and topped with fruit. It's warm and oatmeally and not sweet like cake. It's not my favorite. I then had just plain oatmeal. It was very good. I didn't top it right, so I might try again next time. I had almonds on it and craisins. Next time I want fresh blueberries and almonds with more butter, milk and cinnamon and brown sugar.
Anyways, there the ladies talk. Many are local artists. I'm getting the in on the art scene and on what the big red building in Newaygo is going to be turned into. But not the big red building with the lions on top. They all stop to listen to me talk when I talk. I don't know why. Are they being nice? Are they truly interested? Or are they treating me like a youngling? I don't know, but eating with them reminds me of a feel good woman movie.
About parenthood? Well, Lilly has little fits when she's nursing and she finishes one side. She gets very angry and waves all of her appendages around. I think it's the cutest thing ever, but it worries me. How and when is she going to express that anger when she is older? I feel that I have the same anger, so maybe I can help her work through it. My anger is expressed when I am forced to do dinner dishes after dinner instead of in the morning. I get angry and complain loudley and flale around. I still do the dishes on time though. I may complain, but I'm still a responsible adult.
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