Rainy Day Project

It was rainy on Tuesday and so I figured the perfect day to get an indoor project done.  I have lots of projects to do and don't wanna waste my summer days inside so this woulda waited till a cold day (or winter) but rain and cool are a good excuse too.

My closet in the bedroom is only 3 feet wide, pretty tiny.  For that reason (and we have a spare room and no kids) all my long dresses and pants I don't wear often and most of Neil's hanging up clothes are in the other closet.  But still was overcrowded and I have so much other than hanging stuff I wanted to put away too.

I been looking at closet organizers and most are for 5-8 feet, well that's no good so I was thinking I would just make my own, just buy the wire shelves in bulk and put them where I want them to be.  But when shopping with my sister I seen one for 3-5 feet closets!  I so was on that and bought it :)

I have to take a break and say I hate my house, Neil's dad and grampa "fixed" it up and neither is a carpenter good, bad or otherwise and so there are a lot of things in this house I just cant stand.  I am of the mindset that if you don't know how to do it, either find out or get help (or someone who knows how)  There is so much just patched together stuff its annoying trying to do anything else.  I figure if you do it right the first time you are better off.  And no I don't think it gives it character as some would say its just wrong and this is not the first time its caused problems.

Because of the crazy way stuff was done it was a lot harder putting together than the box had said, it woulda been nice if the back wall of the closet didn't have boards sticking out so I had to use the other closet shelves and make a solid back.  I should spent a couple days and just dry walled it all and made it right but I had a closet-full of stuff on the bed cause I didn't realize it was gonna be so bad till I took it apart.

But after pretty much a full day I have a new closet, reorganized the way I like so far, I'm sure a few things will be moved around and stuff but so neat and tidy!  Yay.  The bottom shelf isnt put totally in cause I used a wall support where just a mid support shoulda been used so now I need one more wall support, but no big deal I will pick one up next time I am in town.

Although it still looks crowded compared to the box picture.  I dunno where they get these closets, obviously not real.  Mine is the same except the long hanging part on the side was 2 feet so I just got rid of that part.

Wordlesss Wednesday

Scrapbooking Weekend

On Friday I headed back to Hanna for the chiropractor again.  I told him it was sore from last time and he said I would be surprised how many people phone him after a treatment and say they are sorer.  He said to take a walk after the treatment then ice it when I got home.  I did that and he was right I did need the ice but this time was much better, no soreness afterwards and then I have to go back in 2 weeks just to make sure its still alright but it went in good so he thought it should be fine now.  Felt good all weekend so I am hopeful.

Afterwards I headed to Olds to meet my Mom and her Mother in law for lunch at A&W then on they way to the bed and breakfast in Sundre for the weekend.  We stayed at Rustlers again, been there a couple times for retreats and also the place we went after our wedding.  New owners there since then but still a wonderful place to stay.  They have a pool and hottub and both are working this time and we used them both lots, I even got to ride a seahorse :)

(me on the purple, my sister on the yellow)

I got all of this year so far done and then went back in time to 2011 where I had left off last time and got a few months of that done.  I one day want to catch up, its coming but not fast enough, of course before this weekend I hadn't done anything in 6 months so pretty hard to catch up that way.  I do like scrap booking but I can't do it all the time, but I sure like the end result.

And yesterday had lunch with friends and bought more flowers, so I guess I have a job to do today.

Testing Testy Bulls

Every year we semen test our bulls before we put them out with the cows just to make sure they aren't shooting blanks and today was the day.  We have 9 bulls this year and one we bought in April has been done so that just leaves 8.  It was 26*C here today, by far the hottest we have had which is fine for bulls but not so good for humans.  Luckily our bulls are pretty quiet and we had very little trouble with them.  The first one we did he just jumped back and forth in the chute the whole time and generally wasn't happy but not bad, the next 3 were super good, then we had one that wouldn't load, just would not move.  Well none of us 4 can move a 2000 pound bull if he don't wanna move so that was hard but we had a gate that we open to load in the stock trailer that we just pushed on behind him and left him nowhere to go but in.  After that he was fine.  Number 6 was good to get in but as he was almost done layed down. ugh so we let him out and brought him around again to the back of the line.  We did the last couple and the new bull came in and got a vaccination for footrot (they all got it, after they tested good) and then we put number 6 in again.  He lasted good enough this time we got him tested up and all our bulls are good this year :)

(waiting to be done)

(getting done)

(some bulls are just wimpy and lay down in awkward postions)

(yay they are done!  and eating the little bit of grass in the pasture from winter)

Now they will stay in the pasture by the house till its time to go out to the cows, they will get one more footrot shot then, I imagine they wont like going in the chute then very much but we will get it done somehow.

(the whole garden)

(Tomatoes that I was told not too put in cages cause they will grow too

 big for them but I am a bad person and didn't listen)

And I got my corn and tomatoes planted, yay!  so just them and potatoes in the garden so far, I have hot peppers and carrots and lettuce and maybe a pumpkin to go in so far.  And Shirley, good eye, it has a label I just couldn't remember when I came in the house to post.

Gardening

This summer I really wanted to do a vegetable garden since I hadn't the last couple years and I missed those fresh veggies.  I love love love lettuce from the garden.  But I hate our rototiller and was trying to find a nice way to tell Neil that we need a new one and over the winter I just mentioned a new one would be nice (just to plant the idea in his mind, sometimes that works best gives him time to think about it a while) and he said ya I think that's a good idea that one is old and hard to start and shakes you all over a new one is a good idea.  Well I was shocked!  I kinda wish I said it 5 years ago, lol.  But anyways come spring and he was sick and I was busy and we didn't know what we wanted so we never ended up buying one and gardening time was coming.  We didn't wanna just randomly buy one without knowledge of what works and what doesn't, and one day was lookin in the popular mechanics and they said the mantis was best then the troybilts.  Gave us some idea but I dunno where to get a mantis and the troybilt lawnmower we had we both hated.  Well Neil's dad has a one he uses in town and offered to bring it out and use it for a few times and see if we like it.  So he did it was a little small but we don't have a very big garden anymore and so it was fine.  It was an MTD and it run super great.  I didn't realize it at the time but its the same as our gas mower and I love that one too so maybe that will be what we end up with.  I had dug out a bunch of grass last summer and so chunks of that were in there and so I rototilled it twice and then put a bunch of peat moss and done it again in a couple days.  It was pretty nice after that and so I planted my potatoes (and so far that's still all that's planted)  I now mow the grass around the garden area and have a cute bench out there that is super heavy and I wanna paint it white this summer.

I went down to my Neighbors basket stuffing on Monday and filled my baskets and got enough for all my planters except for a couple climbers cause she didn't have any.  So yesterday I mowed and today I planted all my flowers and I found a couple climbers at the IGA after I went to the Chiro and so they are in as well.  Sure looks pretty around here now, better when they are a little bigger and more filled out.  Now onto the vegetable which I got 10 giant tomato plants from a different neighbor and so those are next to go in.

(4 Square planters for the deck corners, filled with white petunia and shades of pink waves

2 of these by the deck door with white petunias

the whole deck 

2 baskets and 2 round planters

5 of theses hanging with pink million bells and some white flower plant

By Front door, a basket and a round planter and a tricycle planter

My donkey planter and another round planter

Climber with petunias around it and hanging baskets

And the cute climbing plant, hope its tough enough to survive in the wind we get

Sore

Today I figured it was time to see if my back was good enough to go riding.  And do something with Dee.  I went out to get Jessie and Dee stuck her head in my halter so I caught her, Jess was a little surprised I wasn't taking her.  Good for her.  So I just brushed and let her have some grass and tried to get some better pics, well shes good with brushing and didn't fuss when she stepped on her lead rope and couldn't move her head, and moved away when I asked.  She has an old wire cut on her hock but it wasn't at all sore, even when I curried it so that was good. Her udder needs a good cleaning but Ill wait for a warmer day for that. She has a white spot on her belly, like Jess.  And a dark spot on her shoulder.  Shes shedding out to be a darker yellow should be pretty.

Then Jess, I lightly brushed then saddled her and surprisingly getting on didn't hurt, that was shocking to me and made me feel a little less apprehensive.  Walking wasn't bad, specially dawdling walk which Jess is good at.  So we went out in the bull pasture planning to walk around the edges.  I could tell the bugs were kinda bad then we walked through a low spot and wow mosquitoes!  So I asked for a trot just to get away from them.  That wasn't good. I could handle it not bad if I leaned forward but that's hard for me to do now, since I know I should be sitting back.  Then we turned around and were walking back and i thought I would try a lope.  Bad idea that was super sore.  Managed about 10 strides and that was all I could take.  So we walked the rest of the way slowly and then I was afraid to get off and it was a little sore but not bad, I think I could do a short trail ride at a walk but that's about it, guess its time to chiro, too bad they aren't open till Tues afternoon.  I was thinking of going for a lesson Wednesday but I guess not :(

Also got some pics of Jess eating grass, her favorite treat.  Glad I came in when I did cause even though it don't look like it in these pics a thunderstorm rolled in and we got hail but not much rain.

Kali and Dee

A week ago Saturday I had planned with a girl from Facebook that we would meet and she wanted to try out Kali.  She wanted to trade her ranch type horse that never liked being in an arena, so I figured it would be a good trade if we all got along.

We met in Forestburg at the little arena there and it was all easy to find, they have just converted a hockey arena into a riding arena a year or 2 ago so its still a work in progress but it worked for what we did.

We got there about 1 and got Kals saddled and I rode around on her she kinda jumped a bit whenI first got on her but I had pinched her skin in the cinch so I don't blame her but after that she was really good and just did whatever I asked her to do.  So the girl who is kinda beginner got on her.  She wanted to use her own saddle and that was fine and she was good for about 15 minutes then Kali wouldn't turn. It was kinda frustrating, I was puzzled so she got off and I got on and she was pretty hesitant for me, I wasn't bluffed by her and kicked her pretty hard and she tried to rear up (in slow motion of course, lol) and then I knew something was off.  I saddled Jess and ponied her around and she had her ears back the whole time and so then I was suspicious it was the saddle.  And sure enough it was pinching her pretty bad.  So I put my saddle back on and got on and she just relaxed and was back to normal, whew!

I showed her where it was pinching and how my saddle didn't pinch, then we saddled her horse and her saddle fit her horse and I showed her that.  She was surprised what a difference it makes.  I wasnt surprised, there is much more to know and if it fit it wasn't a big deal at the time.  Her mare was pretty nice, faster than Kali which I prefer better anyways.  So we made the deal and I headed home with Dee.  I put her and Jessie in the corral for the night since they traveled together fine.  I fed them and they are good.  Jess was a little upset with me for not letting her back on grass.  But Dee just settled in fine like it was where she came from, didn't even make a fuss over the horses in the pasture, just looked around corral and stick her head in the bale feeder (that was almost empty)

I came out in the morning and Dee is the boss, haha poor Jess.  Sunday we headed to Olds for Mothers Day then Monday caught up on everything and Tuesday moved cows and put Bailey in the corral and she's boss of everyone in there, and so poor Jess is still at the bottom, she doesn't like it much but its good for her.  Wed I hurt my back so I haven't had a chance to ride her at home yet, I'm sure she will be fine but I want someone here just in case.

Should be a good deal, shes registered appendix and pretty cute, super friendly, easy to catch and didn't get upset when I took the horses away and she was by herself so that's always a good sign.  Her previous owner pulled her ears and she just stood there didn't try to get away at all and I been doing a bit with her here and so far her temperament is nice.  She is already vaccinated and wormed and had her teeth done this year so that's nice as well.  I got her winter blankets and they need some repairs so they just got added to my pile of ones needing repairs.

Not sure I'm super keen on the name Dee it doesn't really seem to fit her well, shes more like a Dolly but I don't like that either, lol.  I better decide soon or it will be stuck with Dee.

New Computer

Well I finally had time and got to Calgary on Tuesday to go computer shopping.  I tried to look local but they just didn't have exactly what I wanted.  And so off I went.  And found it!  I got an Acer Aspire E with touchscreen and  8 GB using speed and 1 terabyte memory, that should hold enough stuff for a while.

So far I love it its so fun using the touchscreen and kinda weird using both touchpad and screen, sometimes annoying as I hit the side of the touchpad and its like sliding your finger across the screen and it brings up the menu, but I'm getting better at that.  And it has windows 8.1 which I had never used before and so that takes a bit of adjusting to too.  Specially the pictures, boy that's frustrating all the pics on my camera went into yesterdays folder even though they were taken since last August.  So spent a day organizing that.  But hopefully wont be too complicated and I will figure it out.

I just haven't figured out if I can connect my iPad to it and how to connect my phone to it, but I'm sure it all will somehow.

Neil is getting way better, he still gets super tired but almost back to normal, his doctor saw him on Wednesday and he said he was going golfing and the doc said golf all you want golf is for sissies, lol.  But he did go and they used a cart but was pretty tired afterwards, but at least hes getting out and doing stuff now.

I got my friend S to come over on Tuesday to help me move our cows West and she used Jessie so I used Bailey for the first time this year and she was super energetic as always and we went loping after some cows that went the wrong way and she turned after the first one and I was going for all 3 so not expecting that at all and lost my stirrups and she kept going, I dug in with my spurs and grabbed one rein short, I was not falling off!  and eventually she slowed down enough for me to get back in control, and we got the cows back too.  My friend was glad she was on Jessie, she really liked her.  I asked if she wanted to trade and she didn't even though I said I got her broke now.  It was good, my legs were a little sore from hanging on but nothing I cant handle. (no pics I didn't even bring the camera)

Till the next day, I took Bob out to see what was left behind cause I knew we left a cow who was calving back and always a few others think they should go find their calves that they lost along the way.  Well only 6 pairs out and 2 had come back and they took off for the gate as soon as they saw me, lol so that was easy.  The cow with new calf was stupid her calf would run and she would run the opposite way but finally got them together and towards the other 3 and they went to the gate too.  Of course some cow rubbed the gate open overnight to the wrong field so they are now in another field, but at least off the hay.  I hate rope gate ties for exactly that reason, I would much prefer a wire gate tie on a gate built right so its not tight.

 

Somehow in that morning I jarred my back and its super sore although I always say Bob (the side by side) was harder on me than a horse and now I can prove it.  Kinda made me chuckle its supposed to be easier but not in this case, I cant move without hurting but 2 days later and its a lot better.

Not Back to Normal Yet :(

Haven't posted in what feels like forever, was kinda hoping to get a computer of my own so I could post some pictures but so far haven't had a chance.

Neil is home and he was feeling good for a few days and did way too much and now is not feeling as good and we headed to the doctor and he has him booked for more tests.  I dunno what's going on and I think the doctor is kinda stumped as well.  Its frustrating to not know and frustrating to Neil to not be better.

In other news we have about 145 calves on the ground, sure seems like a million when they are running around, lol.  I am not a very good counter but if I go in the afternoons when its warm they are usually sleeping and easier to count.  Had my friend S come up and help me move a bunch more cows north that were hanging out in the creek and I couldn't get them out by myself.  It was such a nice day we went quicker than she expected and so we did a walk around the cows afterwards as well.  Pretty soon it will be time to move them out of that field as well, I dunno where time goes these days.

Got 5 more heifers in the corral that are in no hurry to calve, I sure wish we woulda left our bulls out for shorter, I kept saying we should but ya know cant change they way things are done forever.  I cant wait for the day I can sleep as long as I feel like it.  And one day soon we are gonna move all the heifers that calved out onto grass so I can quit feeding them as well.  But I think we are hoping to get em all calved first.

Not much else is going on I would like to go to a lesson one day but it seems like the weeks are just full and busy with driving Neil here and there and checking cows and fixing fence and doing chores, seems to be no extra time :(  Only good thing is I am getting lots of riding in and I need that break from Neil doing something I enjoy.  I sure would like life back to normal one day soon though.

I do have scrap booking retreat on the 23-25 of May booked and so am hoping to be able to go to that it will be a nice break even if I don't get much done.  Otherwise I hate to plan too much into the future now.