Monday Afternoon Musings

Just got back from the village where we picked up our mail and stopped at the general store. Hannah and Luke went in the store for me, barefoot and dripping wet from the pond, to pick up milk, candy bars and cat food. What else is there???? I stayed in the truck to hold on to the dogs, who are not used to going to town much less staying in the truck once the door opens. The store ladies thought they were the cutest kids, which they are, and one came out to have a chat. I had just dropped off the kids for a swim, which didn't last long because Auntie Mia, in an effort to help out, had brought the goggles back to the barn yesterday. Omi brought everything else including snacks, towels, jackets, etc. but now that they are used to goggles they didn't even want to swim. I pulled a nasty-Omi GET IN THAT WATER! They jumped in and had a great time on the rafts. While they were swimming I went up the hill in 4 WD to take poor little Larry and offer him to the coyote gods. I saw my darling Horatio's horn sticking up out of the dead pile and decided to fish him out. Nature has not quite finished doing her work on him, but I wanted to bring his skull home before something carries of his magnificent hornset. God, I miss that sheep. We don't know how old he was, as he was a rescue and so often as not the paperwork never came through. Jim Baldwin, when asked, just said OLD! Matt thinks it might have been the bale of alfalfa he threw down that morning instead of grass hay, but who knows? After a winter of buying hay I couldn't come up with the money to get his head mounted. I will have to settle for photographs and his skull. A bit of hide is still on his lovely nose. I get weepy just thinking about that baby faced giant of a sheep. Anyhoo...I threw the maggot covered skull in the back of the truck, contributing to Hannah and Luke's dismay as they wanted to ride in the way-back. Home again to find it's almost dinner time. I gave them grilled cheese and tomato soup for lunch, something they both like, incredibly. I have chicken breasts and ham steaks in the house, but that will never do. I think Bisquick pancakes might do the trick. I think I will make some Unscented Honey Oatmeal Soap tonight, which I am low on and doesn't require the purchase of essential oil which is very pricey. I got an email from Maryland Sheep and Wool to say they are just getting around to depositing the vendors checks for next year, and would I send them another $10 for the application fee, required even though you are a returning participant. Just my luck, I took it for granted they deposited them a week after the show, as stated in the contract. Another $300 plus at a time when I have no money coming in. Missed the market on Saturday as Matt was not feeling well. I think it was a stress attack. I cannot angle the pick-up to attach the hitch to the cargo trailer with all my stuff, then pull it up and back it out of the driveway. At Md. Sheep and Wool I asked a 90 pound farmer woman to back it up for me, which she did with no trouble saying my mom can't do it either. What shame and embarrassment! I want my next vehicle to be a church van. I can fill it up for shows and drive it with no problem, then sleep in it. To heck with these trailers and their tricky hitches. If it were not for Carol Crayonbox wailing away on it with a hammer we wouldn't have gotten to Maryland and back. Off to the barn to check on baby chicks etc. Today I put a bowl of water down for some newborns and they all jumped in it! It was beyond cute! I had to help one out that was becoming waterlogged. Chicks, big and small, love their water. Speaking of water, I was wondering how much money it cost me to heat up the water for all those baths I take in the claw foot bath tub. My electric bill came today, first one this summer devoid of the use of the electric heat radiators. Even with taxes and the extra money for Jan's telephone poles it was only $126.00. That's with lights on in the barn all the time and in the apt. Not too bad. When I am washing and dyeing wool constantly in the month of August I'm sure it will be more, but I can live with this. When I get my great room up top I'm sure it will be much more. I look at the big Swedish houses in the Carl Larsen paintings and wonder how one tile stove could heat the whole thing. They must have been cold in the winter...