a square peg in a round hole.

Gosh, its been a long time. I swear I have meant to come in and post. But its been a busy week. I dont know from what. Cause I have NOTHING to show for it. BUT it must have been busy, cause I havent had time to come in here. :)

not a whole lot has been happening. I did spend the last part of last week baking a cake for my mother in law. She loved it by the way. Since I made her cut it and eat it, she wants a picture blown up of it so she can hang it on the wall. She is a bubble off plumb.

That only took me two days. Then Saturday we spent the day driving to Lousianna to get our Taxes done. My Mother in Law Martha and I did that is.

Its not a bad drive. Its about 40 miles to the border, then 40 miles or so past that. BUT, once you cross the Sabine River into Louisianna the speed limit changes. HEre in Texas its 70. and 75 is the norm. my truck runs best anywhere from 76-78. So I try to accomedate it as much as possible. (hey, it keeps the injectors from rusting up. I swear it does).

BUT, once you cross that bridge you are sent into a world that is awful. Just AWFUL. the speed limit changes to 55. I kid you not. I drove for over 20 miles before I saw another soul. There was NOONE in front of me. Noone behind me, it was a flat road, no hairpin curves or switchbacks. Just regular driving and you cant go over 55. I tried. very hard. I would even set my cruise. Next thing I know, I would be going 80 again. I didnt know it was possible to count the leaves on the trees while driving. But if you are required to drive 55 you can.

And I think I know why they have decided to torture people in this way. Folks over yonder are too stupid to drive faster. They would be sitting at a crossroad, see me coming from a mile away, and then right about the time I would creep up on them, being passed by all manner of flying insects, they would jump right out in front of me. And, had I not seen it with my own eyes, I wouldnt belive it was possible in this day and age, with modern cars mind you, these people would manage to jump out in front of me, then they would slowly build up to 15mph. then 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50.

Yep, they wouldnt HIT 55. and it would take miles for them to reach the top speed of 50.

On the way back I was in a line with about 6 other cars from Texas. the closer we got to the border, the faster we would get. I know they were thinking the same thing I was. That if they didnt get back to the homeland fast they would end up having an anurisim.

When you could see that limestone Texas in the distance, everyone gas choked it.

Not 5 miles on the Heaven side, we all of a sudden slowed down to 50. I kid you not. we went from pert near 80 miles an hour to 50. We were trying to jump out and go around, but couldnt ever get a clear shot. And for some reason this ... person.. wouldnt get over on the shoulder to allow us to pass. This is something you DO in Texas. If you are incapable of driving the speedlimit, then get OVER. Its just the nice thing to do.

SO, eventually, one by one we all manage to get around this person. And what do we see as we pass? A Lousisanna licence plate. Wouldnt you know it. Its bad enough these people drive like mor-ons in their own state. Then they cross the border and act like they own the road over here.

I wonder if they ever made it to their destination. I cant imagine how long it would take to drive across the state, or even get to a good sized town driving that slow. I mean from Orange (75 miles south of me) to El Paso, is further, than from Orange to Chicago. I kid you not.

Oh, and while over yonder we went to a Dairy Queen. It was just Martha, me and Bow. We ate and as we were leaving I got Bow a malt. Well,[strike] Dumbdumb [/strike] Martha GAVE Bow his malt. to walk out with. I told her not to do it. But she didnt listen. Again, I said "dont do that!" and she said "aww why not, he's cute"
WHen he got it in his hands he took one look at it and headed for the back of the place! After 3 steps he did a face plant in the floor and chocolate malt went everywhere.
This woman raised 4 kids. How did she NOT see this catastrophe coming? It doesnt take a rocket surgeon to know that a one year old is going to fall. usually quickly.
I simply picked him up, and toted him out. she came out a few minutes later with a new malt- and said that the girls that worked there said there was no charge, he was too cute for words and they hoped he enjoyed it.


Sunday BR wanted to find a place for a hog pen. So we did. And he said that he would build my chicken coop finally. We will put it beside the hog pen.

THen today he decided that since no oil had been called in, he would just go to town and we would get the material to build it. So, we spent all day working on that.

We had some 6X6's left over that didnt burn in the old house. They are 80 years old. We have been saving them to put in the new addition, but decided to use them as fence posts. Since they are 16ft long we had to cut them with a chain saw, so we did that. No problem.

We had bought some hog pannel, So we are not stretching wire. Thats a plus, EXCEPT when you are using panels, they are NOT forgiving. You have to drill the post hole in the exact place that you need to put it. and make sure that you are not too far in or too far out.

We were putting down 8 of the large posts. Then will go back in with 3 inch posts and put them every 4 feet between the big posts. The pen is NOT square. By design. BR decided to make it an odd shape, I fiqure its cause he decided making somehting NOT square was easier than trying to make it square. It aint. But its 20 ft on the front, and the other sides are all 32. The pannels are 16 ft long and we have a 4 ft gate on the front. And it makes a dido on one side, I am not real sure why, I think its just for the fun of it.

When we went to town BR was rushing me in Tractor Supply. Asking why I was walking around, waht I was looking for. Typical man questions while shopping. I told him I wasnt sure, but there was SOMETHING we were not buying. Finally I gave up, went and paid for the hog panel and we went to Lowes. Then we realized that we hadnt bought a gate. I kid you not.

So I called to find out the price. Tractor Supply had been almost 20.00 cheaper on hog panel then Lowes. Well, they made up for it on the gates. 35.00 more. Of course we had already paid for our staples at Lowes and I had to go back in and buy the gate.

I also went by the feed store. I needed horse feed. and told her I would be buying chickens this year and asked when she needed my order. She said "now". They are already getting in chicks.

NOw, if you have never had chickens, there are a few things you need to know. First of all. you buy baby chicks. like 1-5 day old chicks. And they are pretty fragile. They have to stay warm. You cant just put a bowl of water in there. They will drown in it, and they have to have a special food. Plus, like all birds they dont discriminate when they poo. and dont mind walking, laying, eating or dying in it.

Thats another thing. Sometimes, baby chicks will just die. no reason. just die.

Oh and they have to stay warm. and I dont mean ' nice 70* warm' I mean like 95* with a heat lamp warm. But NOT too warm. cause they will bake. you cant warm up part of the cage and let the other part be normal temp. cause they will get to one part and freeze to death, or in the other part and bake.

These things really are DUMB. You've heard the saying "aint got the sense to get in out of the rain?" that came from a chicken. Cause baby chicks will look up at the sky if it rains and drown.

OH and there can be no breeze blowing on them. Yep. I am serious.

Plus, with their constant chirping, they are a HUGE draw for preditors. Snakes will come in and eat a whole brood in just a few minutes. I have had that happen.

Or minks, skunks, coons, coyotes, you name it, they will come.

SO, you have just a few options. I have had a coop in the past. and sucessfully raised chickens. I have also sucsessfully lost entire coop fulls of chickens. In just a single night. Adults, babies, roosters, ... you name it, they have been killed.

Anyway, your options.
You put them in a cage, in a coop (you cant let them just run loose, they have to be put in a small enclosure with a heat lamp), heat lamp, water, food, and protection from preditors.

or you bring them in the house, in said cage with all the periphinaila listed above. and some damn good candles. Cause chickens are nasty. and stink. And they NEVER shut up.

I have done both. I have a better survival rate in the house. But this house is so small. and I have too many kids. and I DONT want Bow to let them out. He DID let the Rabbit out more than once.

Well, its pretty cold out, and I just dont want them to freeze to death. Plus, I dont have electricity ran out there yet. I will be getting them soon, but not just yet.

The first year we moved here Amanda brought the kids some chicks for Easter one year. She fiqured I would be getting a coop soon, and I really was. I wanted one. Its just not been in the budget. well, we put them under the porch. In a cage. 2 nights went by, and the kids went out to feed them one night.

I had played a clown at the school all day and was in the shower. BR was in here in his recliner napping. Next thing I know, Brett and Matt bust through the door, screaming at me in the shower (they ran RIGHT past BR) to get my gun.

I had enough paste makeup on to choke a horse, it was running down my face, plus my hair had that spray color in it, that was running down my face, I was tired and hot and just wanted my shower. I couldnt see anything.

BR followed them in, and finally got out of them that a snake was in the cake with the chicks.

then he asked where Rayley was.
"watching the snake"

They had ran IN the house, and left a 1 1/2 year old Rayley outside with the snake.

When BR got out there she was kicking the side of the cage saying "supid nake, supid nake" (stupid snake).

He killed it, but it was too late for at least one of the bittys. after that I sent them to Amanda's and told her I would just have to wait.

Speaking of Rayley. While I was in tractor Supply today, they had their Christmas stuff on clearence. There was a board game about farm life. Well, while I was making supper she remembered it. She asked if she could go and get it. I told her it was dark. She said "I dont care, I aint scared of the dark"
I just looked at her.
she is better than the boys, but I have never sent her outside alone at night either. The boys wont even go to my room after dark, will NOT go to my bathroom, and still insist on taking a bath in THEIR bathroom, right off the living room with the door open.

So, she goes and gets on her jacket. Putting it on upside down. The waiste was up around her neck. Then her shoes and she was leaving.

She walked out the door, then came right back in and said "its dark out there"
So, I hit the door lock clicker for my truck and off she went. It turned on the interior lights.

She went out, got the game and came back in. Not scared at all. when she came back in, I tried to send one of the boys out with a bag of trash. There was NO way they would even think about it. They wouldnt even put it on the porch. I told them they should get down on their knees and bow down to her. She was more of a man then they were.

They just agree'd. and said they had no desire to die in the dark. They are such babies. LOL

so, tomorrow I have to go grocery shopping, and then, we have to work on the pen when he gets home from work. We got 7 of the big posts in the ground. and on the 7th one, the sheer pin broke in the dang auger. (can I tell you how much I LOVE an auger that runs off the tractor? its a GOD SEND)

So, BR dug that one by hand. The post hole diggers that we had to buy today (GGGRRRRR) did an 8 inch hole. So, he dug down 2 feet. It went quickly. I was suprised. So he went and got this HUGE post. They are a 6X6, 8 feet long and I swear they weigh so much I can barely pick up one end. and I toss bales of hay or sacks of feed all the time. I pick up my kids and they weigh about 60lbs. So, he is grunting and brings this thing over. (he used to BENCH press over 300 pounds, its not like he isnt strong), so, he drops it in the hole. and it just sits there.

its a 6X6. in an 8 inch hole. and it wont go in. Cause you cant fit a square peg in a round hole. He had to dig it out some more.

OH, and we were lucky, we did it on the right day. We had extra dirt. I HATE digging post holes and doing it when the moon is wrong and you end up with not enough dirt.

Dont know what I am talking about? well, if the moon is full, or maybe when its waning, (I never can remember, which is why I get excited when I have extra dirt), and you did a hole, you wont have enough dirt to fill it back up. I kid you not. Even if you put a post in that takes up most of the space where the dirt was. I am NOT kidding. Try it. take a tarp outside, Dig a hole, put all the dirt on the tarp and then try to fill it back up. You very well might have too much, or not enough. If you do it when its full, or waning, or waxing, or whichever, you will have TOO much dirt. Luckily, that is where we were today :)
We still have the 21 3inch posts to put in. and then nail up the panels. Then get feed and water troughs, and we are ready for some hogs. OH and build a lean to, cause they will need shade. They sunburn very easily.

I will be putting the chicken coop on the side of the hog pen. My goal is to be able to let them loose during the day. They can scratch around the place, and help keep the hog pen clean.

Then put them up at night. But I dont know how that will work. Darla has never seen a chicken. Duke has, but might start chasing and killing them if she is doing it.

I might have to build them a yard, fenced in and covered.

OH and I found some plans for a smoke house. made out of hydite (I know thats misspelled) blocks.

We need to get all this done. The 14th is when we start planting taters. And there is still some plowing to be done.


Oh, and here are some pics from Martha's cake.

I was disapointed in the writing. I wish I had gotten it even.. maybe next time.



Here is my drawing



and the first of 3 cakes that I am cutting and shaping



HEre it is with the crumb coat. Do you recognize it yet?
NO, its not a dress. OR a diaper. although Rayley was DETERMINED it was a diaper!


Here it is with the colors!
recognize it yet?



And me writing on it. Just to prove that I didnt pay good money for this monsterosity.

well I didnt pay good money, unless you count the icing (7 tubs.. I think, maybe more) 7 cake mixes, 6 vials of coloring paste, and a new spatula to smooth it right, (remember the baseball cake?... well, come to find out there is another way, and it involoves paper towells. ) LOL




Whoo-HOO!! after 16 hours. or was it more?? I dont know. I know it took me 2 full days to do it... anyway, after all that time, here is my FINISHED PRODUCT!









While I was uploading these photos, my great aunt called me. She needed to get her TV off the game channel. Not the game show network, the GAME channel.

I had just went over there last week. She had gotten it on input 2 somehow.

Just the next day she called me, she had done it again.

Tonight I spent over 15 minutes on the phone ( I know, cause I looked at the timer), trying to just get her to turn off the direct TV box. Now up until last week I had never even seen direct TV. I have dish, Great Aunt Etta has dish, My grandfather has dish. So, I can fix theirs. And do often. Luckily MIL got direct TV the other day and so I got to see the remote.

So, I told her hit the back button. She couldnt find it. So then I decided it was time to just turn off the satalite box. I told her to turn it off. So she keeps saying she was pushing it. Come to find out, she was pushing the off button on the TV. We went through this for 15 minutes. I never could convince her to turn off the box. Which I thought was the best thing. just start it all over. it wouldnt come back up on the game channel.

BUT SHE NEVER GOT IT! I swear, there should be an age limit on technology.

She just kept turning off the dang TV.

I even told her to sit down and do it all from the remote. No go. I could hear her creaking and groaning while getting up to hit the OTHER green button. the one on the SONY.

I am going to put lables on everything!

I reckon Mondays aint all bad

Well, I thought the game was great! And I knew the Giants would pull it off. Like I said, they beat the best team already, this should have been a cakewalk. Of course since we had it paused we were a little behind. Right before the first quarter was over my MIL called, seemed my father in law had joined a football pot and they couldnt read it. So she starts telling me his numbers and asking if he won the 500.00 for that quarter since the score was 3 and 0.

Well I guess they held them. I explained it to her and yes he had won.

Well I was about 6 minutes into the 2nd quarter and she called back, wanting to know what 300.00 forward and 200.00 backward meant. I told her and off the phone we got. Then she called back to ask if he was still winning, I said I didnt know, the quarter wasnt over. She said well, say the score is 7 to 3 and he had a 7. Now I am really lost. I thought he had a 0 and a 3. She said he also has a 4. And she threw in a 6. Now remember I am blonde, but I have done a football pot or two. I was confused as hell. Come to find out he bought 2 slots. Hmmmm.. its coming together. That doesnt explain why he has 5 numbers... but we are getting close. I told her to go to his name, draw a line from his name to the number on the side, never leaving that line, then the number on the bottom. what were those numbers. she says, 7, 3, 4, 0.

alright, just pick ONE square with his name, draw that line. BOTH numbers that intersect are the ones she needs for each quarter.

but that other name was just drawing her like a moth to a flame.

I got enough out of her to decide he had won the 2nd quarter, but not the first. the 0 was pulled out of thin air.

come to find out, she was confused as to why the numbers were not in chronological order, and thought he got 2 name spots cause there was 2 teams.

I didnt even try to explain that this is an impossibility. It wasnt worth it. I'd rather try to teach an aggie to make ice. Luckily, my sister in law had seen a pot before and was able to decifer the scribilings. She called back (again before I was to the end of the 3rd) to tell me I was right, and he had won 2 quarters!

I think next year I am gona take BR's advise and let the machine get it. :) I will have a special 'football' message.

So far I had known the end score for each quarter BEFORE I got to watch it.

The rest of the game was uneventful, phonewise. till it was 35 seconds to go and the patriots had the ball back, the phone rang! I didnt say Hello, I answerd by saying "There's 35 seconds left, please dont tell me! I had the game paused!" Since it was my BIL I handed it over to BR and waited for him to get done. I just knew it was ruined. But no, it wasnt, BR explained to him that we were behind and he didn't say a word.

The kids got off to school fairly easy this morning, I didnt want to get up, but they wern't total brats.

Although Rayley, Bow and BR were all still sleepin like big ole' fat huntin dogs I stayed awake. We had to go and get hay today so I played on the computer till it was time to get going. It was kinda nice, the quiet, the peace. Well except for that dingo lookin idiot I dragged home. She kept popping her head up in the window wanting in. I wouldnt care, but she is gona mess up my screen.

That and the cat that was missing for 3 days. The swelling went down, but now she is wanting to love. nothing like catbut in your face first thing in the morning!

Rayley wanted to stay at moms today, so BR and Bow and I had a nice trip to get the hay and back. We even went by the feedstore and visited for a little while. BR bought me a present too. Its a sign that says "raisin kids is like being pecked to death by chickens" OH how right that sign is. I thought the two previous signs I had were the most fitting, one says "I only have a kitchen 'cause it came with the house" and the other says " Unless your God or George Strait, wipe your feet" Upon seeing this one BR called me at work and said "I promise you if George Strait comes to the house that SOB better wipe his boots"

I am not real sure why he would have to, since noone else does.. But the odds are slim to none of him comin' over, I reckon we wont find out.

He got one for the kids room too. "bunkhouse rules, No swearin', No spittin', No fartin' "

Upon seeing it Matt said "Thank you for that!"

Anyway, this sign is my new mantra. I want a T-shirt that says it! Although I do think its a slight exageration. I've had chickens. They are MUCH nicer than kids. Granted, both eat bugs, scratch in the dirt and make weird noises at the most aggervating times, but chickens dont poop as much.

The rest of the day has been quite uneventful, we dropped off the hay, put out the feed, and came home in time for the kids to get in.

They have been outside with their daddy all evening and right now they are grilling supper. All I had to do was bake some taters.

Oh and my other sister in law came by, she is a great photographer and took some Christmas pics of the kids. Here is one.