Random Thoughts

Last night was a quiet night.  I worked until 9 PM.  When I came home, the old guy had a fire in the fire ring and we sat on the patio in the dark.  Then I cooked and ate the last 6 marshmallows.  Well, someone had to. 

It sounded like fall outside.  Locust, crickets, those buzzy seasonal night sounds that let you know that the season will change soon, even before the calendar gives you the same message.  Autumn is my favorite season.  As we sat in the darkness, it occurred to me that this is probably the last year we will be in this house.  I had better enjoy the sounds of our backyard because next year they will probably, God willing, be different.  Not greatly so, but different. 

I want to put a bird feeder up now, so that the birds are ready for us when we are ready to move.  I have always enjoyed watching birds.  My mother loved her redbirds, as she always called the cardinals, and all the other birds of the skies.  She even tolerated the owls that she swore ate an entire batch of kitties, one by one, when they were just wee little and just starting to get around.  No one ever saw this occur, they just disappeared and that is to what she attributed their disappearance.  Interestingly, she never really saw the owls at all but there was a barn in the back so there must have been owls.

My mother in law was a great bird watcher.  She was the one that really got me back to it after we moved into the woods in Vinton County in the late 1960's.  I have not been without a bird feeder since. All the children and most of the cats we have had have enjoyed them almost as much as we have.  We have had unusual birds, regular birds, squirrels, chipmunks, hawks, flying squirrels, opossums, raccoons, skunks and deer at the feeders over the years. I wonder just what wonderment awaits us at the farm? 

Still no news reguarding a mason to lay block for the basement.  Until we have one, no digging will commence. It is going to be a little harder to arrange for a bit.  The old guy is gone again.  The assignment was made last night around 11 PM or so.  We had covered the fire and come in and he was actually already in bed when the team announced the assignment on their Facebook page.  Gotta love Facebook.  It is out to the public before the phone even droids the message tone.  He was gone by 9 AM, winging his way to Missouls via Chicago?   Yep, that is how they sent him. 

It was not an easy beginning.  No boarding pass.  Seems that, while they got the flights scheduled in almost record time, they forgot one teeny tiny part.  No one paid for them.  Surprise, no payment, no boarding pass.  They got it all worked out, after a fashion.  Believe it or not, they held the flight at the gate until they could load his luggage and he could get there.  They said it was an emergency.  He was, after all, going to a fire.  He had plenty of time for connections and had no problems later.  He did sit on the tarmack in Missoula for a bit because all the gates were full, but he made it without a problem.  So did 2 of his 3 bags.  Bummer.  The missing bag has his boots and the Starbucks French Roast. He assures me that they will get there.  They were inadvertenetly sent to Denver rather than Chicago and when they are recovered, they will "run them out" to him.  Hope so, the boots are very expensive as they are custom made for him.  And the camp runs on coffee.

Oh well, back to the beginning.  I was very glad we had a quiet evening before all the controlled bedlam of later. Those kinds of evenings are hard to come by this time of year, what with bugs, heat, rain and work.

And it is after midnight.  Happy Anniversary, dear heart. It has been a good long run, so far.  I hope we have many more years together.  And they said it wouldn't last.  They were wrong.   

Waiting...

I am usually a very patient waiter.  Most people who know me well will agree.  I don't shake Christmas packages. I open gifts in an organized manner.  I can sit in a waiting room for quite a while before I get too antsy.  However, this is getting old. 

It is hurry up and wait. We had the appointment with the County for the building permit last Friday.  It went well.  Permit in hand in less than an hour.  Very good.  The excavator can begin immediately.  But...   The block fellow can't begin for, oh, a couple months.  The contractor is trying to get someone else.  He has been promising a new estimate since last weekend. Still nothing.  Is every single competent dependable block laying group busy?  Apparently so.  At this rate, it will be Winter before we get the building process underway.  The driveway will not be happy.  Neither will I.  I say this has gone on long enough.  I realize the block fellow could not just sit and wait for us to be ready, but 2 months?  Really? 

Enough whining.  Maybe. 

The old guy has flagged out a pond.  It is supposed to be big and deep enough for fish. The grands will be happy, especially when they get to fish. For now, there are some trees that will have to go so the digging there is able to progress, when we get a block layer.

In the meantime, we went up last weekend with the excavator and staked out where the house will actually set on the hill.  It is too close to the driveway for my taste.  Fifteen feet is not far enough.  If you consider the gardens that will certainly be put around the house, when winter comes and they plow the snow, driveway stones and stuff will be in the gardens.  And maybe on the steps.  I want it pushed back at least 10 more feet.  I will see if he listens or if we simply progress the way it is laid out.

There are trees around the perimeter of the house that will need to come down, too.  Ash is dying pretty well across the state right now and there is no fix for the pest causing the die off in sight.  Anything that is close enough that, should it fall, would land on the house, will be taken out before the building begins.  This is smart, and gives the old guy something to do while he is home and waiting.  It will also make  firewood for the syrup making in the Spring.  For how long we will continue that no one knows, apparently there is a bug in the sugar maple trees, too. He also plans on clearing out around several dogwoods that will be close and maybe he can find a new sumac to replace the one that we lost earlier this summer.  It was a very nice sumac, with lots of berries, or whatever you call them.  Anyway, they were pretty. 

For now, we will wait.  I am sure that later in this process, there will be times I wish we had a little time to sit and wait. Just not right now.

The logs are coming, the logs are coming.

We almost have the paper work done.  The old guy meets with the County on Friday afternoon for the building permit.  Then the work work may begin. 

Dave, the contractor, is supposed to be contacting the excavator and the block layer. These are the next steps, apparently.  The old guy will probably finally be able to line out the house on the hill so he can see if it is where he wants it to be.  He is so excited. This will make him very happy.  Once lined out and digging is scheduled, we can have the "ground breaking".  And then the adventure will begin.
The logs are due for delivery the last week of August.  This may be too soon and we may need a few more weeks to be ready for them.  They have indicated they will hold them for awhile for us if we are not quite ready.

The old guy is home for a week or so for now. The team goes up again on Monday, I think, but  they do not anticipate being called until late next week at the earliest.  Then, again, this is purely dependent on the weather. He may end up going much sooner or not at all.  'Tis the way that stuff works.

The next week will be very busy here, as has the last.  Funeral Friday, grad party Saturday.  Today is grandaughter Emily's birthday.  Next week is mine, our wedding annivesary, a good friends birthday,  one of my favorite nieces birthday and a great nephew's also. Our next door neighbor has a birthday this month and they share our wedding anniversary.  Other family memebers also have birthdays and anniversaris this month.  I believe it is now our second busiest month, after February.  I remember when I was little, the only birthday in August was mine.  How things change. 

Oh, well.  Off to do the pack laundry so he can get it all loaded up for the next run and then off to work for the evening for me. Maybe we will have news regarding digging and block before the evening is over.  That would be nice.

Trees, beware!

The old guy went yesterday and ordered the logs.  Trees, beware, they are coming for you.

Per the log home folks, it will be at  least 30 days before the logs are ready to be delivered.  I can see it now,  a couple guys are out in the log yard on a scavenger hunt, looking for just the right sticks to make our house work.  Kinda like the little wrens that continue to build in our bird house.  Is this one little stick just right?  Nope.  Throw it away, or just drop it where you made that determination.  I suspect they are far more organized, but that was the first thing that came to mind. 

This means that we have aboout 30 days or so to get the foundation dug and built and to get any other readiness tasks that are required completed. It is my understanding that one of our great grand sons may not be able to participate in the ground breaking ceremony.  He has a prior obligation.  He has promised to dig Gramma Kym a pond with his digging spoon.  I think he better get digging, he is going to have a busy summer.  I hope he gets to take a break and come and dig at the Farm for an afternoon.  Maybe it could be considered training camp? 

In the mean time, we continue to wait for permits. And the rain continues.

Mother May I. The government version.

The old guy has been trying for days to get builidng permits.  Yes, he should probably let the builder do this, as it is one of the things we are paying him to do, but...  You all know the old guy.  You need to go one place to get a number or a form to take to another place so they can look at it and direct you to another place that sends you back to the first place.  Then you need to have things notarized, attach diagrams or photos or such nonsense and return to one of the places.  They then take your stuff, review it, and indicate they will be forwarding it to another place where a number of people will review it, think about it, review it again and then decide if it is okay and, hopefully, email a permit or two.

This will not happen in a day, or while he waits. Maybe 12-14 or so.  He is pissed.  Like I said, you all know him, so what else would we expect?  No jumping and asking how high on the way down.  No genuflection. Absolutely no conformation to his requirements and/or personal timeframe or schedule. Like I said,  he is pissed.  For my sake, I hope they look and decide quickly.

On another, lighter note, the driveway foundation guy was there last night to look things over and, he thought, stake out the foundation.  No stakes.  Later, just before they dig.  Someone might move a stake or one may fall over or be stolen by gypsies. But, he gave him an interesting premise.  The driveway needs some clean fill dirt to make it wider.  Really?  He asked if we had considered a pond in the lower part of the property, near the bottom of the driveway in the wet soggy part?  It might relieve some of the sog and provide dirt for the widening process. No, not really, but maybe. So, now he has something else to think about.

In ther interim, I am continuing the intervention. My niece suggested a little wine might help?  Or another adult beverage?  Maybe.  Just maybe this might be of some assistance or maybe I just won't remember part of the experience.  Either way, I may try it.  I will let you know if it helps.


    

I am having an intervention with myself.

I am, and I am losing. 

Remember when I said I was going to try to get my "stuff" in order before prying eyes returned?  Well.  He came home last night.  And I am not even really getting started.  And I am shocked and horrified.  I need an intervention and I am not even done with the stitching stuff.  I have not even touched the knitting, sewing and quilting "stuff".  I am so embarrased.  If I don't buy another thing ever, I will not get it all done.  Ever. 

You know how you come in and you put your treasure in the place where you put your treasures.  But, because you aren't ready to use said treasure, it stays in the bag it came in.  And it becomes invisible!  I mean it.  Out of sight out of mind is real. There is no need to try to hide things, they are invisible as soon as they come into the house.  At least to us.  Not, however, to the rest of the world.  Oh, no, they can see them.  In all their glory.  And they give you knowing looks and make those tsk tsk noises and raise their eyebrows at you.  But why, you say?  Because there is nothing there, really, there isn't .   

Not only is it invisible but we have also conveniently forgotten what we brought in.  Sometimes we even bring the same thing in more than once.  Now this, thank goodness, is something I rarely do. If I did, this intervention would need to be much longer and far more severe in nature. Although I cannot see anything or really remember it either, if I look at a duplicatiion something in the back of my mind says, "Step away.  You might already have that."  I usually can listen to that still, small voice, but other times, I ignore it and bring home an extra whatever. But it is weeks, sometimes years before you discover the "extra" and there is no turning back then.  It is too late.

So, now you know at least part of how I got where I am tonight.  Hopefully, this experience will allow me to say no to whatever the next temptation is that I find.  I am trying to tell myself that I really need nothing more at this time.  Unless it is something to finish one of those invisible treasures that has come out of hiding. Wish me luck.  I think I need it.  And more boxes...

It is raining. Again.

It is Ohio.  And, again, it is raining. This summer it has rained almost everyday, so far. It is a very good thing that there is no pool, oops, I mean basement, on the property yet.  If there was, well, we would have a pool.  With frogs.  Maybe fish.  No cabana boys.

Really, we have another torrential rain going on right now.  Very tropical like downpour with fog this time.  Or maybe it is mist.  It looks very scary movie outside right now.  Like the swamp monster is going to just appear in the window kind of scary.  It also has thunder and lightening, but no ominous music.  That would be kind of weird.

The old guy is supposed to be home tonight, weather permitting his air travel to be completed. I can imagine that we will be into it at full speed tomorrow and Monday to get things rolling. Then the next time he has to leave, maybe things can go along without his presence.  The builder and the boy, Johnny, will keep things moving along.  I have the new account set up and the direct deposit has been changed so that when the time comes, the mortgage payment will be deducted without any further need for us to do anything.  This is comforting. 

So, now we wait.  For the basement to be dug and the masonry to be finished so that the logs may come and be set.  And for the rain to stop.  A pool isn't really in the plan at this time.