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Hope everyone has a nice 4th of july!

We are not doing anything special, husband requested "real" hamburgers today ( as opposed to lamb or goat burgers I usually make if I do make them) so we are having overpriced Walmart burger straight from the factory farm.....

Butchered the rest of our current batch of meat chickens yesterday, market Saturday and it was good. sold out except some meat left.
I tried cutting a few chickens in half since they are so big ( people have asked for halves) but it's not easy to do it in a way that looks right. I can cut it up in pieces ( wings legs boneless breast, with a carcass left) but cutting it clear down the middle isn't working right even with a sharp large knife. I watched a video and they make it look easy but I think I need a circular saw or something

I plan on picking my new puppy up tomorrow :)
 
Pearl said:
That is a beautiful house Spikedriver! I bet they are really excited!!
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I was really amazed by it. Even though it needs some work on the exterior - there are hundreds of feet of retaining walls that are starting to sag or get bowed, and some of the deck needs repair because it was built around the trees which have grown so big they are buckling it - I wouldn't even guess the price. Let's just say that I'm sure it used the greater part of the insurance settlement my brother got when he was run over by an elderly lady's car on a sidewalk in 2007...
 
I went through my BOB (72 hour bag) with a fine tooth comb. It was time. I hadn't been through it in a while. I found some things lacking, and I added what was missing. Definitely made some improvements. One thing I did that I don't know if anybody else does; I added a written list of contents. I have done this with other bags, but my thinking is that I might not be the only person to use the bag. If another family member has to grab and go, they will know what they have. It is an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet, both sides of the paper. I put it in a plastic sheet protector on top of the first pocket you would open. I will show my wife where it is, but I am not holding my breath that she will remember. Oh well. Hopefully, it will help somebody. I feel better about it.
 
Happy Independence Day 🌠
It's raining at the moment. Will see what becomes of the day. Supposed to go to a BBQ this afternoon/evening and watch fireworks. I'm not a night person so will see if I can stay awake for them ;)
Hubby left to go clear trail for the morning so it's quiet - just listening to Mother Nature's song.
 
Good morning, H&CL! Happy Independence Day!

Daughter and I were planning on going to a parade in a nearby town at 10:00 this morning, but there is a pretty healthy thunderstorm in the area. It has been raining since before I woke up at 0530. The parade has been pushed back until noon. We'll see if it happens or not...
 
Spike, I'm sorry your brother got run over. I hope he doesn't have any lasting injuries. I know it was a long time ago, but stuff like that is not fun. Glad some good came of it from a settlement. Very neat house. I would have LOVED those cubbies as a kid. Hell, I love them now.

I'm trying to reinstall a game that stopped working properly on my desktop and trying to motivate myself to get up and be productive. Several of my kitties have some kind of cold or something. Stuffy nose and sneezing. Senator Snugglebum keeps trying to hack up mucus that won't come out. Itsy, Biscuits, Ginger, Gravy Jones, and Bethesda have been sneezing their poor little heads off. Vet said there is nothing to do for it. :-(
Bethesda normally sleeps on top of my door but she's on my lap for comfort because she doesn't feel well. Some cats hide when they are sick. Mine come to me to be babied. I hope Boo doesn't get sick. He's been doing very well since his near fatal kidney infection.
 
Quiet day at home. We used to go watch the parades, but here lately I can't find the motivation.

So it will be baby back ribs on the grill, using a method an older black guy taught me when I lived in Florida. Make up a macaroni salad and perhaps some beans. I think I will sit out in the sun and pour a couple brown bottles of liquid joy into myself and watch the smoke from the grill. Ahhhhh yes, the simple things in life, lol..
 
Change of plans: I'm going BACK to the rodeo after receiving an invitation from the Mescalero Apache, I'm gonna hang out with tribal members and have a good time. There's a "wild horse race" being held today at the rodeo, I'll be sure to get some pics of that, lol. Probably BBQ afterward, maybe at Silver Lake, which is also on tribal land. Looks to be a good time, and I'm looking forward to meeting other members of the tribe... I never had any problem hanging out with Native Americans. Y'all enjoy the holiday, I know I will!!! Cheers!!! :cool:
 
Wingnut said:
Change of plans: I'm going BACK to the rodeo after receiving an invitation from the Mescalero Apache, I'm gonna hang out with tribal members and have a good time. There's a "wild horse race" being held today at the rodeo, I'll be sure to get some pics of that, lol. Probably BBQ afterward, maybe at Silver Lake, which is also on tribal land. Looks to be a good time, and I'm looking forward to meeting other members of the tribe... I never had any problem hanging out with Native Americans. Y'all enjoy the holiday, I know I will!!! Cheers!!! :cool:
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I love hanging out with Native Americans. I've made a point to spend time with Navajo coworkers. Their stories and cultural explanations are fascinating to me. Plus, they're some of the best "B.S.ers" on the planet!
 
@zannej Unfortunately my brother did have permanent effects. When the car hit him he went on the hood with his legs hanging off the front and then the car hit a concrete park bench which shattered his shin bone into dozens of tiny pieces. The docs had a long surgery putting that all back together and then it got infected around the steel rod they placed in the bone and he nearly lost the leg. He has a permanent limp but he's not disabled, per se. The elderly lady driving the car should not have been driving due to physical issues and he got a rather substantial settlement that he was able to (mostly) protect from taxes.
 
Happy Independence Day!

Walked first this morning.
Worked on straightening out new bookkeeping system for awhile.
Cooked a new recipe for stewed squash adding some candied jalapenos.
Need to put together my new Water Drop water filter--kinda like a Berkey system, I think.
Ordered a new pair of inexpensive glasses and a cook book of 500 recipes to make with leftovers. Sounded interesting, although we usually just eat whatever is cooked until it's gone. Maybe something new!
 
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besides celebrating Independance day, I have been tending to too long neglected tools. I went to the shed to get the Mattock, and observed the sorry state of all my manual tools. Cleaning, oiling, sharpening, the family room smells of boiled linseed oil :). Later this evening, I will smell of Ben Gay :p
 
Daughter and I are watching a water-skiing show on the river tonight...
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Supervisor42 said:
I do.
Twice a year I can get a real reading on the health of the local economy by watching the fireworks that are put up by neighbors, July 4th and New Year's eve.
It's basically a measure of spare money that they have to 'burn'.
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This year was the worst yet. Maybe 20% of the usual fireworks. :mad:
I would have thought being in the 'petro-belt' and all of the billion$ that has been dumped at the gas-pumps, it would be flowing everywhere here.
No.
We be drillers, and Somebody brought that to a screeching halt:mad:.
Yes, the recession is real, whether they want to admit it or not.:(
 
Supervisor42 said:
This year was the worst yet. Maybe 20% of the usual fireworks. :mad:
I would have thought being in the 'petro-belt' and all of the billion$ that has been dumped at the gas-pumps, it would be flowing everywhere here.
No.
We be drillers, and Somebody brought that to a screeching halt:mad:.
Yes, the recession is real, whether they want to admit it or not.:(
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Strangely, there was at least as much as usual here, maybe more. It was a constant chorus of booms all day long, even inside city limits where it's supposed to be illegal. I would say, recession hasn't really hit here yet, even though net farm income is tight due to increased costs. There are so damn many jobs available paying $20/hour or more to start, that anybody who isn't making that much doesn't want to make that much. Of course I dont know how much longer that's going to last, but it's reality now. The only thing holding the economy back around here right now, is that there aren't enough people willing to fill all those jobs...
 
Spikedriver said:
Strangely, there was at least as much as usual here, maybe more. It was a constant chorus of booms all day long, even inside city limits where it's supposed to be illegal. I would say, recession hasn't really hit here yet, even though net farm income is tight due to increased costs. There are so damn many jobs available paying $20/hour or more to start, that anybody who isn't making that much doesn't want to make that much. Of course I dont know how much longer that's going to last, but it's reality now. The only thing holding the economy back around here right now, is that there aren't enough people willing to fill all those jobs...
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Here too.
 
Working on keeping the rabbits cool as our temps are in the 90s and looking to go higher as the summer drags on. I got a cheap $30 standing fan to put in the room with them to keep the air flowing but not blow directly on them. They each have a nesting/hiding box area they can go in to be alone or to get away from the girls if they are too handsy. Their granite slabs are in there so they can lay down and cool off and when we are home I put their frozen water bottles in their so they can lay against them when they over heat.
 
Harvesting rhubarb and general gardening, and some crafts this afternoon. Everywhere I look there's something to do! :) Welcoming a large number of family home from abroad- first time in years, so trying to make the place more presentable. Also feeding the freezer. Ones old, I thought it was dying and I bought a new upright one before the pandemic (luckily- they shot up in price) but the big chest one is still going so happy days!
 
Magpie said:
Harvesting rhubarb and general gardening, and some crafts this afternoon. Everywhere I look there's something to do! :) Welcoming a large number of family home from abroad- first time in years, so trying to make the place more presentable. Also feeding the freezer. Ones old, I thought it was dying and I bought a new upright one before the pandemic (luckily- they shot up in price) but the big chest one is still going so happy days!
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It's nice when things work out!!!
 
Spikedriver said:
Good morning, H&CL! Happy Independence Day!

Daughter and I were planning on going to a parade in a nearby town at 10:00 this morning, but there is a pretty healthy thunderstorm in the area. It has been raining since before I woke up at 0530. The parade has been pushed back until noon. We'll see if it happens or not...
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One year when I was in HS, we had so much snow they were afraid they'd have to cancel the fireworks. They still had them - everyone was bundled up.
 
I went into town to visit my friend and then get groceries. I need to get pics, but we got a dog bed for the toddler to sit on in his room. He likes to sit on the very edge and watch TV. But he had the remote and had paused the TV and stared at the tv for a very long time not understanding why it wasn't working so he then started playing with his toys. Poor kid is not the brightest bulb and he still doesn't understand most of what is being said to him. Can't even say mama or dada yet and he's coming up on 2 years old in August.

My friend has been putting in a lot of overtime and plans to come out and help me with some stuff around here once he can take a little time off. The father of his gf's fetus has apparently been harassing both of them. The dude wants to force her to come live with him because he wants to be involved in the pregnancy but she doesn't want to be with him. Friend said if the paternity test shows the other guy is the father, he can have the baby and then the gf can decide what she wants to do. He claims he's only letting her stay for now bc she's pregnant. But he's letting her boss him around like before. I wish he would just grow a spine and kick her to the curb for good. The toddler probably isn't even his but he won't get a paternity test & there are several potential fathers but all of them are junkies.

I'm still waiting to hear back from the people who showed an interest in the dogs to see if they still want to adopt. If they fall through I may have to take them to a shelter because they keep jumping up on Mom when she's trying to walk through the hallway and kitchen.
 
zannej said:
Spike, I'm sorry your brother got run over. I hope he doesn't have any lasting injuries. I know it was a long time ago, but stuff like that is not fun. Glad some good came of it from a settlement. Very neat house. I would have LOVED those cubbies as a kid. Hell, I love them now.

I'm trying to reinstall a game that stopped working properly on my desktop and trying to motivate myself to get up and be productive. Several of my kitties have some kind of cold or something. Stuffy nose and sneezing. Senator Snugglebum keeps trying to hack up mucus that won't come out. Itsy, Biscuits, Ginger, Gravy Jones, and Bethesda have been sneezing their poor little heads off. Vet said there is nothing to do for it. :-(
Bethesda normally sleeps on top of my door but she's on my lap for comfort because she doesn't feel well. Some cats hide when they are sick. Mine come to me to be babied. I hope Boo doesn't get sick. He's been doing very well since his near fatal kidney infection.
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You might look at putting terramycin in their water.
 
Walked first. A fellow I speak to on my walks offered for me to pick as many pears as I want from his tree. Will do that tomorrow and give them a couple of jars.
Walked dogs.
Pulled up tomato plants. Tired of feeding the rat and they were almost over anyway.
Did one load of laundry.
Still to do: put together water filter system.
ebay photos.
Cut carrots for dog treats.
Cut watermelon for my treats!
Dehydrate some frozen corn as an experiment.
That's it for the day.
 
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