gyro_jumper's Blog

Well I finaly got a buck to breed my alpine Bella to.  This boy is an alpine/nubian mix.

Isn't he adorable??  Now I just have to sit back and wait for the magic to happen. LOL

I can't wait to have our first baby goats born here. 

Last night I went out to put the goats in the barn.  It was already getting dark, so I had a flashlight with me.

I opened the door and stepped out onto the porch....as I turned (my hand still on the door knob) my cat came walking towards me.  I glanced down and found myself looking straight into the eyes of a possum!  It was about 2 feet away from me and started walking calmly towards me.  I FROZE for a second!  I came back in the house totaly freaked out.  Super asked what was wrong, and I couldn't talk for a second.  When I told him what happened he went out onto the porch and chased it away.  He tells me "it was just a baby"  Ok, if it was a BABY-doesn't that mean there is a mama too?!

I have never seen a possum up close and personal until last night.  An experience I realy don't want to have again. 

3 years ago we bought a pellet stove to heat our house with.  It works great.  We paid over $2,000 for it. 

I just went to go buy pellets and found out that thier is a 1 ton limit. (it takes about 3 tons to heat for the whole winter)  No new shipments are expected.  Because of the housing market, and the economy in general, pellets are on the endangered species list.  Because new homes are not being built and home improvements are slow, the supply of saw dust needed to make the pellets just isn't there.

So now I have a $2,000 plant stand!!!  I am so frustrated.  Every time you figure out a way to save money (and the environment) something throws a wrench into the plan.

I'm thinking about going to electric for heat.  My prediction: My electric bill will go through the roof.

If you think the housing market doesn't affect you - wait - it will.

We heat our home with fuel oil.  I called this morning to see how much it is.  I was surprised actualy.  It is down to 2.97 a gallon.  There is a minimum of 150 gallons.  That comes to $475.57   ALOT less than last year. 

That is enough to heat my house for about 6 weeks.  We have a small house, and in addition to fuel oil, we use a pellet stove in the livingroom to keep the house around 68 degrees in the winter.

My sister lives in the city.  Here house is a little bigger than mine and she heats with natural gas.  She pays about $200 a month in the winter.

So for the coldest months of the year, (Dec-Jan-Feb) my sister spends about $600 to heat her home.  For us, we spend about $1,200 between 2 loads of oil plus a ton of pellets. 

The pain in the butt is....when you have natural gas, you can work things out with the gas company and they cannot shut you off during the coldest months.  Out here in the sticks, if you don't have cash up front - you don't get your oil. 

I love living in the country, wouldn't change it for the world.  Winter is just hard here. 

Just needed to vent a little. :-)

I have been married since 1985.  I have stayed home while my husband has supported us all these years.  "Back in the day", whenever there was a phone call for my husband, (electric co, dr's office, car loan company, ect.) I would simply tell the person that my husband was at work, and I could help them since I am the one who handles all the money in our household.  I never had to get "clearance" from my husband to speak on his behalf. 

Our home is financed through Chase Bank.  They have been calling leaving messages that they would like to talk to us about lowering our interest rate on our home loan.  Whenever I answer the phone, they ask for my husband, when I say he is at work, they always say "oh, ok, tell him we called"  They cannot discuss any part of our home loan with ME.  My name is on the deed, but not the loan. 

I always looked at marriage as a binding contract. (among other things)  My husband has my blessing to speak on my behalf on any subject with any body.  I feel like, as a wife, I really don't have the rights I use to have.

I'm ready to tell Chase Bank that my husband is MY client.  I am his financial coordinator, and therefore, they must propose any loan offers to ME, and if I feel they are in the best interest of MY client I will have him return the call!  After all, my husband is a busy man.  He works hard everyday so he can pay this mortgage.

I really wonder why gay and lesbians fight so hard to be recognized as "married".  Reality check, it doesn't give you the rights it USE to.  Any one can be assigned your power of attorney for medical decisions.  If you buy a house with someone-as long as thier name's on the LOAN, they have more rights as I do as a WIFE.

Just needed to vent today.

I told girlscout I would start blogging about my day to day chaos....so here goes.....

Our work is finaly slowing down around here.  The only thing left in the garden are peas.  I had a ton of small green tomatoes left so I pickled them.  Sounds weird, but they are good.  Super eats em by the bowlful!  I canned a bunch of stewed tomatoes, a bunch of homemade spaghetti sauce, and of course green beans!  I cut corn off the cob and froze it.  We've had some of it and it's actually pretty good.

Good news!  I finaly found a male goat to breed with my doe.  I didn't want to BUY a buck.  They are stinky little critters.  About 5 years ago we were in Amish country at an auction.  I was sitting next to an Amish man, when they led in the most adorable white goat complete with goat-t.  I said "Oh how cute!"  No sooner do the words leave my mouth - that goat lifted up it's back leg, leaned his head down and PEE-ED in its FACE!!!  That Amish man got a good laugh out of my reaction.  He said that is how the bucks attract the does.  Boy am I glad super is not a goat. LOL

So I have been looking to borrow a buck.  I FINALY found one and hope to breed Bella (my alpine) at the end of this month.  If all goes well we will have our first goat kid this March or April.  I want to breed so we can try the milk.  In today's economy I look for ways to stretch super's money.  He has promised to help me make butter and cheese too.  I'm also gonna give goat milk soap a try.  Can you believe people pay $6 a bar for it????

Well, that's about it for now.............sorry no rooster stories.  I do think he's plotting though, he's been AWFUL good lately.

Friday morning I woke up to garbage all over my kitchen floor.  Someone forgot to close the kitchen door before bed, and Sammy (my black lab mix dog) had a party with the garbage can.

I also found 2 puddles of vomit.  Through out Friday, Sam threw up about 6 times.  Saturday he threw up again about 6 times.  He wouldn't eat and was laying around all weekend.

We finaly figured out why he was so sick.  There was half an onion in the garbage, and Sammy will eat ANYTHING!  The vet said onions are toxic to dogs and can be lethal.  I have had dogs my whole life and never knew this.  We all know not to give our dogs chocolate, but onions are even worse.

The vet said since Sammy threw up so much the toxins probably didn't have time to absorb into his system.  Onion poisoning can shut down your dog's vital organs one by one until the dog dies.  A very painful death.

He also said it will take a week or so for Sam to get back to normal.

We learned a valuable lesson, and I just thought I would share it with you all. 

Why does this NOT surprise me??  It was suppose to be a financial bail out because of the bad mortgage risks.  So what does this mean??  Why should ANY thing be in the bill except the ACTUAL bill?  It's the whole "I'll vote FOR it, but what are you gonna do for me?" mentality.

Maybe global warming was the cause of all the foreclosures. (sarcasm there)

This is a huge pet peeve of mine.  There is a huge sign that tells drivers NOT to drive through the water.  SOME people think they are above all rules and attempt to drive through the water anyway.  Then they have to be rescued.  Remember the fire fighter who DIED helping people who drove around a barracade!? 

I think anyone who has to be rescued due to IGNORING POSTED BARRACADES should be HEAVILY fined and have to do some sort of community service.  It may not seem like a big deal to alot of people, but please remember that reckless people who avoid posted warnings not only put THEMSELVES in danger--but also put their rescuers in jeopardy.

It's plain stupidity!

I just saw the story about the new children's book "My Beautiful Mommy" written to help children cope with things when mommy or daddy gets plastic surgery.

GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!!!

What exactly are we telling children?  Mommy was ugly until a doctor made her look differently.  Woman already have so much pressure to look like the skinny models and movie stars....teenagers are suffering from eating disorders---striving to be thin.  NOW. some idiot, who claims to be an educated man, has written a bedtime story about plastic surgery.  Mommy will look different, but it's ok, she is better now, prettier, happier, worth more in society.  Yeah, let's pound this message into the impressionable minds of toddlers. 

What's next???  "Daddy still loves you, but he had to go to prison" or how about "Mommy killed Daddy, but she still loves you"

Don't wake me up from yesterday's dreams

Let me linger in the past a little while...

Let the happiness play upon my mind

Like an innocent child's smile.

Time flies by like a thief in the night

Before you kow it, it is gone...

The night disappears

With the breaking of the dawn.

Dreams change with the hands on the clock

Tomorrow leads us on an ever changing path...

Sorrows destroy our happiness, but then

Joy leaves tears forgotten in the aftermath.

Take comfort in knowing the times will change

For better or worse I cannot say...

But dreams make way for reality all too soon

so please don't wake me too quickly today.

With gas prices choking all of us, why can't businesses that are usually open Monday thru Friday for 8 hrs a day, switch to being open Monday thru Thursday for 10 hrs a day.  Everyone would enjoy a 3 day weekend, PLUS - the demand on gasoline would drop considerably.

My husband's shop is considering doing this.  Remember when we were younger, stores were not open on Sunday?  What is wrong with going back to that concept? 

We, as Americans are spoiled and wasteful.  We would all be so much better off if we could just take a few huge steps backwards.

My 21 yr old son just called me to tell me about the story he read in the paper about rationing of rice.  He sounded nervous, like he thinks we are all going to go hungry.

I read the article.  It's not about "rationing" it's about stores like Sam's Club and Costco limiting the amount of rice that can be purchased by an individual.  It goes on to say that restraunt owners are clearing the shelves of rice and some cooking oils.

Paranoia can strike fear in the hearts of America.  If people start stock piling, OF COURSE there is going to be short supply on store shelves. 

Instead of getting paranoid and stockpiling, Americans should start to think ahead.  Life is NOT always about HERE and NOW.  It's not all gimme gimme, I want it quick and easy.

I plan on canning alot of my vegetables from my garden this year (enough to more than carry us through until NEXT year's harvest time)  Canning is time consuming, but all too often we PAY for the conviences in life and CALL them necessities.  Some people will say canning makes the veggies lose alot of their vitamins.  When you buy a can of corn off the shelf - do you REALLY know what you are getting?

I'm lucky, I live on a small farm.  I have chickens for eggs and goats I plan to milk.  In today's world you have to look out for yourself.  One day we MAY have to stand in long lines for bread.  I would much rather count on the sweat of my brow - rather than the government.

We all need to take a step back.  Alot of people waste money, and then complain we don't have enough. 

Thank you.  Those simple words do not do justice to the family and friends that I hold dear in my life.  Without my husband I would be an empty shell, and without my dear friends I would still be afraid to open up.  I thank you all- this one's for you. :-)

i made it

through the periless fear of my being
i walked through the fire unseeing

trying my best to stop the grieving
holding onto you, blindly believing

the tangled web of confusion that binds me
the insecurites that lurk and finally find me

chased away by your presence and love
like storm clouds disappearing from above

my strength is renewed simply by knowing
i have the power to stop the pain from growing

with the help of those i hold near and dear
together we chase away the awful fear.

April 14th, 2002 changed my life forever.  That rainy Sunday morning, a pickup truck hit my bedroom wall.  I always thought of myself as a strong person, I've raised 2 children, and been through alot in my life.  This event has changed my life more than any other.  I thank God I have a supportive husband who has helped me through my PTSD caused by this accident.

The poem below is my attempt at some free therapy.  

you changed my life

you tore through my very existence
leaving your mark deep in my soul
my world has been flipped upside down
by actions beyond my control

just a rainy sunday morning to you,
in a hurry to be on your way -
the nightmare plays over and over,
in my mind both night and day.

the sound of crashing metal -
the creak of wood splitting,
the enormous sound of impact -
as your truck was hitting.

the thoughts that flashed through my mind,
the fear that invaded my heart -
the acceptance that my life was over,
all this -  while the wall split apart.

the nightmare for you may be over,
your dreams may be a pleasant sight -
but the fear you instilled within me,
is played over night after night.