READY TO GO HOME

I have been packing and sorting all day yesterday and today.  The frig is working in the trailer and I am starting to fill it with stuff from in the house.  I plan to turn off the fridge in the house.  More work needs to be done,but I need a rest.  I moved all the furniture off the deck . I've packed some of my clothes and I made the bed in the trailer.  The mattress is all wrapped and ready to tie on top of the car.  I'm debating on if I should leave the hoses outside or not.  Can't see a reason to pick them up really.

I hid the padlock key in case I lose mine. Now I need to search for keys to the shed and barn and figue out which is which. 

Blueberry picking

 a  Group of us got together this morning to go blueberry picking. It was very close to Gail's house so we met there.They had these great harnesses that held a picking bucket so you had 2 hands free and it  was very comfortable. I picked 6.2 lbs in less than an hr. The berries are huge. There were 7 dif varieties. 4 were ripe so we picked from those 4. Most are already frozen to be taken home.

I have started to pack and put things in storage.  I went out to turn on the frig in the trailer and I'm not sure it's working.  Finally the freezer started to get cold but not sure about the main frig.  Scary driving home without a fridge, but doable.

We then went into Dunellon to Grumbles and shopped a little and ate lunch in their new cafe.  It was ok.  I stopped and got dog food and a garden trowell and a padlock.  The garden trowel is to take samples in the pasture and send them into Uof F for testing. Gotta get out there before the temp goes way up tomorrow.

BARNHUNT DAY 2

  Dually finished his Open title and got his first Senior leg and Edge got a Masters leg.  We missed the 2nd leg ,but it was close.  He found 4 rats and did the tunnel but seemed to be indicating a tube .  He went over to it twice and pawed at it and bit at it, but not real hard.  I called it but I was wrong so no leg there.  It was a tough call.   sorry Edge.  Next time

BARNHUNT

 Dually had a stellar Open run but I touched him and nq'd us.  The 2nd run he placed 2nd for his 2nd leg.  Edge won his Senior class with HIC and we moved up to Masters.  He hit the 1st 2 rats but I thought there might be more so I pushed him to look and he hit on a litter tube and I called it so that nq'd him.  Must trust my dog more.

I was afraid Dually would get overtired so I took him home after his classes then came back and ran Edge in 1 class. Then I left and went to a farm swap (nothign I wanted). Then went home for 3 hrs and  made 2 lemon creme pies.  I went back to the hunt and dropped 1 pie and went to Gails appetizers and then back to the barn for Edges's  Master run.  I finished that and went back to Gails for dinner and just got home at 10.  No wonder I'm tired. Fun night tonight. We are getting to know each other better and had more to talk about. She had 6 or so other women that I have been getting to know all winter.  It was a good time and I am looking forward to coming back.

Funny things happen to me

 I had a good day going.  It's still  a good day but now I hear a bird in my kitchen that I thought left hours ago. I guess not.  funny noises coming from that way anyway.  I will check soon.  So I was outside on my deck and I had the door open to let some fresh air in the house and out of the corner of my eye I see something fly in to the house. I walked in and it was a bird so I opened both doors and went to get something from the kitchen and when I came back I could not see the bird so I closed the doors.  Now that was hours ago. Maybe those odd noises in the kitchen are not a bird , I hope not.

I spent the afternoon working on my garden potting bench.  I used mostly lumber from the deck that they had left for me to build a stair for the dogs.  I didn't build the stairs but there is still some lumber left.  I also used some lumber that was in the burn pile and a 4 by 4 that I found by the barn.  It is coming out pretty good.  I work for a while then I rest and have some tea.  It's hard building stuff when you are working on the ground.  I dont' have a work table.  This thing will probably be partly a work table until I can get  a real one bought or built.   Anyway I am quite pleased with it so far.  I am trying to dress it up.  Still thinking of ideas.

Anyway I went to get some more boards in the golf cart.  They are in the front yard and I am building in the backyard. I picked them up and decided to go get the mail.  I get out of the golf cart and start to the mailbox and see a big turtle crossing the road towards my property.   I had my gloves already on so I picked him up and put him upside down on the golf cart and back to the house.  He went directly into the dog crate and we went for a ride.  I released him about 2 miles away and he left  me a present in the crate. Who'd thunk they could poop upside down? They did big holes in the pasture BTW.   good story?

Eastern Diamondback Rattler

Yes I had an encounter. I locked the dogs in the goat yard this morning because the plumber had to work on the outside shower in their yard. 
So they were in there for about 2 hrs.  I had to go out and measure the working pen for a student and while I was doing that I could see a snake looking out from under the barn.  I don't know snakes but it was not black ( a good snake ) and it did have a diamond back pattern. So it went back in and I went in the house to look up snakes of Fla.  Hmmm still not sure so I went back out to sit and wait for the snake to come back out.  I took a chair.  I did not have long to wait.  She came out slowly right towards me.  I took some pictures and then moved to the other sside of her and took some more.  Back inside and this is definitely a rattler. So I  took my pistol out since that is the only weapon I own.  I did not want to get  close enough to hit with a shovel. 
The pistol was a comedy of errors. I could not get the lock off and then I went out with bullets and no clip and had to figure out why it would not fire. Then I had to go back in and get the clip and try to remember how to load it.  I loaded it upside down at first and realized it was not going to work that way.  Mean while the snake is waiting  for me to get my act together. finally I get it loaded aim it and pull  the trigger but I can't  because I never chambered it. ok chamber it and bam . I think I closed my eyes. I know I missed it 3 times.  And she finally decided I was crazy and left.

Well at least no one died today.  After she left I went to the ammo shop and talked to a guy whou would  have come and caught her for her skin.  Next time.

I bought some moth balls and put them under the barn and the shed for good measure .  Then I shoveled dirt up against the barn so there was no way for a snake to get under there again. Might be babies under there but no way of knowing.

And that is how my day went .

Dually update again

He is back to doing well.  The heat and humidity was what affected him the last time so I will make sure he is in AC on hot humid days. dumb me.  

SURPRISE

 I had a baby goat today.  I thought there was one coming but since I did not have the doe bred then I was not really sure. But you can sure tell who the Daddy was. He and unfortunately it's a he, is  a spitting image of a Boer.  Sorry Wendy I know you wanted one up north.  He seems to be fine but nobody over there is moving much, but if I remember correctly it takes a few days for then to get their sea legs as it where. She of course had it at the far end of the farthest pasture. But the good news is the golf cart is back and buzzing along faster than ever.

Tomorrow the outdoor shower gets a plumber.   And then I will have to go buy stucco and learn how to stucco the outside of a house.

I did Yoga this am for the first time in a very long time and I think I pulled a muscle in my side. minor minor

I drove to Ocala today to pick up some free pallets but of course they didn't have any.  But it was at a discount tile and flooring place.  fun looking around.  Got prices on installation.

Repairs

The Golf cart stopped working on Monday night after I gave Kathy and Roger Stevens a tour of the place. We drove through the gate and it just stopped.  I thought maybe it was out of charge so we pushed it back under the barn and plugged it in.  I tried it the next day and nope still not working. I called a golf cart repair guy yesterday and he showed up a few hours later with a trailer and took it away to hopefully be fixed. I have come to rely on it.

The outside shower has decided not to work also.  You turn it on and it dribbles out.  The faucet below works fine so not sure what is going on at all. I'm afraid they may have to go through the stucco to get at it.  But I have some to love my outside shower so I will probably get it fixed soon.  I'm looking for  a plumber now.

kayaking the Rainbow River

We went kayaking on the Rainbow river this week and it was lovely. I went tubing down it last year and I liked the kayak much more. I saw more of the river this time but the upper river where the springs start are much cleaner and clearer than farther along.  The sun was burning down so I stayed in the shade as much as possible.  It was about 86.  Lots of people on the river either tubing,kayaking or boating.  I would definitely do that again.

Dually update

He's not doing very well.   He has no  energy and he is coughing more and his respiration is too high.  He will still run outside until he gets there and then he lies down outside and watches everybody else. So I put him on the golf cart with me and we do handicapped herding.  I think he likes it.  I wish I knew what to do for him.