Back in the Saddle

I am going to give this another chance.......

I saw it has been awhile I had posted anything and I have tried several times to put my thoughts down and just kept deleting them. Every time the idea sounded good in my head, but you know how that goes. The poor ol' squirrel just can't keep up in the noggin'.

Garland Girl and I bought a new place and finally got all settled in. After a little fixing it up and new paint, we are quite happy where we are. A nice big place with a large back yard. I spent the time cleaning up the yards and beds getting ready for new garden in the spring with raised beds and going to try to build some rain barrels for them. I have been ordering 2015 seed catalogs planning what I am going to put in the gardens this year. I will have 3 raised beds to start with. Using the square foot method, I am hoping for a decent turn out this coming year. I tried it last year in a small bed and it was pretty good. My hopes are high.

Until next time.....

Skeeter

Feeling a little fuzzy......

I am loaded up on cold medication at the moment. I can't tell what is worse, the cold or meds. Either way, I feel like mud. This cold has been teasing me. It is lingering around and nagging me. I need to get some hot tea. It hits the spot and soothes. I love my hot tea. Usually Oolong or green tea when I am like this.

It has been a busy several weeks. We are planning to buy a house and move this year. We have traversed the pre-approval process and found a place that will fit our needs and wants for the most part. The house will need some updating and a little paint, but Wifey has already got Home Depot and Lowe's on speed dial for remodel ideas. Lord, please help me Amen. She has got contractors, painters, plumbers and electricians lined up to give estimates. I do agree work is needed for this old house, so let the bids roll in. Kitchen, bathrooms, showers, toilets, disposals, appliances and all walls she has her keen eye trained on and enough work for me for at least 2 years and 3 months. I hope I keep up with her time table, she likes things to run on schedule.

I have been buried at work. The company has restructured yet again and has combine two local offices. The coordinators have been wild on how they have been routing our calls. I can't complain too much though, it is their vans and gas being used. It keeps me busy and never a dull moment.

 The weather has finally started turning nicer this week. It is supposed to be in the 70's this week and sunny. I am a little skeptical though. It won't last, but I am going to make the best of it. I am hoping this cold goes away and I can get out in the yard and work some of the beds. They could use some attention getting them ready for spring. They need a good cleaning and new mulch. The squirrels had hidden their stash in the beds and now I am going to have to cut out several baby trees from around the house.

I need to put this on a schedule. Random musing is fun, but it is good ju-ju to ramble on here for awhile. Spring is around the corner and things should be picking up around here.

JW

We need to a reason to dream

I have been thinking for a while on what seems to be a common thread for all the turmoil the country is facing. The news is about the woes, threats, ridicule, discrimination, etc. being brought against one another. It is a constant drain on us all. Rights being threatened and taken away, the Federal government is in total chaos with certain leaders side stepping the Constitution with the flick of his pen.

What is causing this turmoil?

Here is my perspective, the country doesn't have anything to dream for. No country wide excitement type dreams. The kind where we all as a nation would circle around the television waiting with bated breath for images or news of exciting revelations and conquest.

We had the moon landings, space shuttles on exciting missions, heroes setting world records in flight, science, explorations of the deep sea, new lands never seen. Without these dreams we all sit around and stew on what our problems are and who we can blame to make ourselves feel better. We are too easily offended, too quick to yell racism, bigotry, narcissism with bitter resentment.

This country was founded on the belief that we are free to be who we are without the least oppression from others and especially the government. The government was created to protect the borders from invaders, regulate trade and commerce, and protect the laws and Constitution of the land. Over the last 100 or so years slowly we allowed special interest groups lobby and influence our government turning it into a nanny state. The government in turn has taken away our responsibility of self govern of our homes and families. Then more groups have gotten comfortable with not having to rely on themselves and holding their hands out for their assistance from the government. Churches and local charities have been taken out of the equation. Self reliance is a thing of the past for this generation of entitled, self centered, self important heathens that influence our children and our grandchildren.

There are programs that are being attacked that should never have been touched. Our men and women who served in our Armed Forces who deserve the security of having the country provide their care and assistance for their time of protecting our country and keeping us out of harms way. Our veterans are one of our greatest treasures we need to protect. It is our time to serve them.

Our space programs are being farmed out to private businesses. I have no problems with the private sector working in partnership, but how are we as a nation supposed to rally around that. We won't go back to the moon. We have astronauts in the the International Space Station, but where do we go from there.

Do we get too bored too quickly?

We need to restore the national imagination and dream. We need to dream big. Start looking for that next horizon that will capture us and want us to go farther.

The longer we sit and stare at our misery, the more bitter we become.

JW

On Call Duty

I get the honor of taking on call this week. Those of you that had to experience of getting the phone calls to go out after hours know how fun it is. You can't get any projects completed around the house and forget any dinner plans. The call outs haven't been too bad. though. Pretty simple just in and out for the most part. I am wore out, though. As the week goes on, that phone gets heavier and heavier. I will be done Wednesday morning for this go round. The overtime is good, but my butt is dragging.

The weather is all wonky here lately as it has everywhere else I suppose. The winter vortex and now 70 degrees. This is January for goodness sake. I just want a little winter consistency. At least I can get my outside chores done, when I am off on call.

I am tired and cranky. All need is a large glass of tea and my chair to set the world back on track. I am off to bed. Maybe tomorrow will shine a little brighter.

JW

I am a poet in my mind

I have been told by my editorial staff I have an issue with the English language. I get going putting down my ideas on here and some times I forget to add words or syllables. It sounds good in my head at least.

My mind: I saw the most glorious sunset full of reds and yellows. The clouds are fluffy and white, just making the scene picture perfect.

Apparently what I put down: Me saw a pretty sky. Me like clouds.

I am glad she does look over these post. I have reread some of these my self and cringed.

My mom was a stickler for proper wording on my papers and speaking it in public. You think I would have picked up on that. I am also glad my English teacher doesn't read these, either. There would be red all over my post.

Practice makes perfect, or at least more legible and intelligible.

JW

Holiday nap is over

Well tomorrow the whole show starts back up to the ol' madness and tight schedules. It was nice to have the holidays to slow down and spend time with Wifey and the kids. We have had such fun swapping stories and hanging out and trying new restaurants. Little Man is a bundle of energy and I am having to keep up with all the stories and ramblings his little mind can conjure up. Big Sis was given a jewelry making set up and she has been busy making her creations for everyone she knows.

The lodge is gearing up again. I had to go to the grocery store for this week. I have to get back in the swing of cooking and prepping for the nights we get together. I will also be kept busy with my other duties up there. Church activities will be keeping me crazy busy with committee meeting, fundraisers, and bible studies. The next few months is filled with activities that I will either be volunteering for or attending at the church or lodge. I won't complain. I enjoy staying active outside of the house.

Poor Wifey has to go back to work after her time off. She isn't looking forward to the Colorado temps and snow. Being in North Texas, we don't get a lot of the white stuff around here. My heart and prayers are for the ones that are buried in snow with this front that passed through. Our low tonight will only be down to 19, I can't even fathom below 0 temps or 18+ inches of snow. Spring will be here soon enough. I am taking this time to clean my tools, layout on paper the garden and browsing seed catalogs. Also going through my prep supplies and updating or adding items I think we might need. I try to prep for local disasters or weather. I want to be ready this year for storm season.

Time waits for no man, but it will slow down waiting for his wife at the mall.

JW

My yearly To Do List

I am trying to put together my To Do list for this year. Here are the some of ones I have on it.

1. Put a new roof on the back porch
2. Build a rack for the garage to store tubs and tools
3. Build a second garden box
4. Watering system for both raised beds
5. Get my CHL this year and a new carry pistol.

Wifey and I will be looking to move this year and are gearing up for the circus of house hunting and working with lenders. I would like to find a place where I can stretch out and have enough room to grow some fruit trees to have with the vegetable gardens. I would like an apple and pear tree for some good apple butter and pear preserves. 

This should keep me busy until at least June or until the Honey Do list trumps mine.

JW

Squat

Yep that is what I have tonight. Still trying to catch up on sleep I lost over New Years Eve shindig.

Here is a pic from my travels. I laugh every-time I see him.

JW

A New Year, new bird house and squirrels

I hung up a new birdhouse I got from friends this week and low and behold, I got a new friend. This squirrel has been around the yard for a couple of years but only hid pecans for later snacks. I have several of other bird feeders and they have baffles or cages to deter squirrels, but this one didn't and it seemed easy pickings.

 

This little sucker runs up and down the chain to the tree. He sits there on the side and picks out the sunflower seeds. The rest gets scattered below where the fat doves graze below to their heart delights. It also drives the cats and dogs crazy looking out the window at him. I am going have to go down to the Feed and Seed to get a baffle for this one also. I am going to build and little feeder for him so he will leave the birds alone.

I had a good day for New Years. The kids and I went out for pizza and a dollar movie. Then to our favorite store, Half Price Books. Big Sis got a couple and Little Man picked out a coloring tablet. Good times had by all. Poor Wifey woke up this morning with a bad head cold and had to stay home, but she made us cabbage and sausage and a pot of black eye peas for good luck. She was so sweet for that.

The wind is blowing fierce tonight, a cold front blowing is blowing in. Time for me batten down the hatches for the night.

JW