Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Slow Progress and Pain

     We still have not got the hole in the wall closed up yet. My hubby tore out the pine flooring so that we could save it. What we found under that was a nightmare; warped pressed board that had seen its day since it was first installed on the trailer in 1975. We found old linoleum under the boards in the hall way. There were bits and pieces of plywood around the wall area by the bath and at the back door. Not much more to support anyone. We even found an old air duct for central air under it. We were measuring the room from one part of room to , the other to see what would be our best route for buying new plywood when I stepped on a very soft spot that almost gave way. Funny thing was my hubby just told me it was fine to walk on. Wasn't much more time later when he was measuring  in about the exact place and went on through the floor. I was gasping when he did too because he caught the board  square center.  All I could think was we were going to the hospital.  He was howling to help him up, but I was so afraid to step out too. I stayed near the edge with the plywood and it was a far reach to help him. This ended the work day for both of us. Thank goodness I had been working in the living room  with the girls all weekend long trying to get them out of my living room.
Bruise
      On Saturday, we moved boxes of books and folded clothes and packed up whatever we could to crates to make a makeshift bed for the girls. Then we cleared out my office area in the back part of the living room  and swept and mopped everything down good. In the process we uncovered a mouse nest under the old file cabinet and the mouse went a running across the room. The girls were chasing it up and down the many crates stacked  in front of the china cabinet. They wanted to catch it and make it a pet. Sorry girls not today.
     After the girls went home on Saturday night, I sat in my massage chair to unwind. I went to bed dead tired too. Sunday was a great day for worship and after we had plans to get that floor covered and try to get the wall up. I worked  on the living room for a little bit and finally got it back to the order it was before the storm.  The girls had a new space to sleep and not on my coffee table and bench anymore. They even made a sign on their chalk board to say they had a new room. That was right before the whole mess started. I had just  stacked my office supplies in the laundry room  and the bottom box gave out and every thing went crashing. I was too tire to give a hoot.  Fortunate all that spilled was the hundred pair of scissors I had.  Then I went in to help measure. Not much has happened since then. I had school the next day and pop is still feeling the pain.



Thursday, September 14, 2017

Moving Forward and Waiting

     We have our power back on and no more wind or rain for the time being. But the tree is still on  top of the power wire and not a word when EMC will be here to turn off the power. The wire is going to have to be cut at the transformer so we can cut the tree and get it off the wire before we can put the pole back together. We can't even go out and clean up where the kids clothes went out the window with the book case and draws. We can't really cover up the hole before the pole is fixed in fear that someone can get electric shock from the whole mess. So for now the hole is bringing in lots of flies and a breeze. I decided after the little bit of stuff that is in there comes out,  I will put up a dead end sign in the door.  My living room is full of everything from books to toys, stuffed animals and more. That includes both of my g daughters. They know that that will be their room in the future and they have taken it over just a bit earlier than we thought. They have a makeshift bed from my huge coffee table.
     Me on the other hand have gone back to work and things there can be a bit of normal for me after working non stop for the last few days to recover the leftovers and sort through things that will be going to donation that we no longer need. I am mentally exhausted and virtually just don't care. I have a huge amount of work to do this weekend too. If I stop now I may not make it. Pretty much numb, I guess and it will hit me when things stop and they could tell me we can no longer live in the house. That may be my biggest  fear. We cannot move, rent a place that we would pay more for, when this property has a large chunk paid for. My life is here. My farm is what keeps me sane. We have no money or insurance to move forward.  Some one said to me today if it was me I would have really lost it. Well that would be it, if I lost it. I have to for another time in my life be on the positive end of the deal and pray that this will all work out. Have faith that some how we will get through this just as we have in the past when our house went on the auction block or when the neighborhood literally ran us out of our first house when we moved to Georgia or when I almost died because of my house in Ohio just about killed me due to mold. I know my Father will not let me down this time either. He has always answered me when I called on him and He has always given my family exactly what we needed at that time. So yes, I know we will be fine no matter what. Quitting for me is no option not since I have made it this far in life. We are just on the opposite side of what good is to come. Things are moving along we just have to be patient. 

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Irma Aftermath

     We made it thru the storm of the year or at least the first biggest ever yet. I will not doubt there will be even worse things to come. Devastation is everywhere and in places that we would never have thought. In our little neck of the woods for example. We sustained very high winds and so many of us lost, us included.  Our county was hit good  and all surrounding counties also. Praying still for those who are far worse than us from both Harvey and Irma. We had very little effect us but not this time.
     I told my husband we had to be prepared for everything from power outages to flooding which on the hill is not a problem but in the area. Me, being the skeptic that I am, I always see the worst in the things they say on how bad it will be. My husband on the other hand always tries to change my way of thinking to his and say it will not even be close. This time he had me believing it too. We had no school due to emergency procedures and yes, it was like any storm we had ever had here. Rain sometimes hard winds too. This time I was prepared with extra waters, preparing food we could eat if the power goes out and  we had the G daughters here. We were all fine. We had always had power blinks and only once or twice since we lived here had our power really been off and it was when we had  pine trees  come down on power lines once by nature and once by man.  I rushed to make sure soup was cooked and crock pot was cooking too through all the blinking and lunch and dinner went off without a hitch. We were watching the news on the storm the last few days and the devastation kept growing. Irma was so big it covered over 600 miles across. No one knew for sure where she would hit in Florida and we have many friends who live there. I was thankful my mother had already left her home a few weeks earlier to go back to Ohio to her home there. I sent messages to all telling them to be safe.
     Soon I was watching out the window in the bathroom  as the winds picked up here.  Nothing we hadn't had before, but I noticed that the Oak tree was swaying a bit back and forth and I don't remember it ever doing that before and it was only feet from the house. I hated that tree too and wanted it cut down a while ago it was just too close for comfort for me. Earlier we had tree branches come down from that big Oak, I truly hate the one I always feared after a huge branch came down right after I reached the porch after moving my car from under it in a previous storm. That tree always scares me and I would love for it to be cut down because when it falls it will take out a huge mass.
     Well we were all getting ready for bed and we were watching TV in our room. The girls were in and out laughing and playing on their computer and watching TV in their room. We were anticipating them to come in and watch TV with us as they always do when the power went off and back on. Their mom had told them to stay in their room and stay away from the area where the biggest Oak could fall earlier that day. Then the power when out again but this time it was out. The girls were in our room by then for sure as we got out lanterns and candles so they could see to get around. Bathroom was lit up first than our room.  Then all of a sudden there was a loud crashing sound. Wow  there was a tree in the front corner of the girls room and the window and wall was gone. The whole bookcase was like a scene out of a Harry Potter movie only half was in the room and the rest out the hole in the trailer. I thought it was the Hickory tree at the side of the house, but it would have come through on our room too if that was the case and we may have all been dead.
     My hubby went out to see what had happened and said it was that Oak at the bathroom window. As he looked out the front deck. Wow I had an bad feeling about that tree  and I hate that feeling when I get it. He came back in and we started pulling as much as we could from the room so the rain didn't ruin it. We pulled off the futon mattress  and brought it down the hall and I started throwing anything I could get a hold of further into the room. I was not shocked or even scared  I was just thankful my girls were not in the room as they always play in that space. In fact it really never hit me.
     I had a great idea for that big table in the front room.  How about pushing it up to the bench and make a bed for the girls there. I was a great idea, but the fire was cooking away in the wood burner we had built earlier to take off the damp and it was so hot in the front room.  We lit candles and made up the bed. The girls loved it.  We opened a few windows and let their door open  so the breeze would  cool off tings. We got ready for bed and for the first time we slept with the door open and lantern lit in the bathroom. (Did I mention I have a phobia of lights in the night. I have to have everything pitch black when I sleep and this is something I have done all my life. Well I didn't sleep good needless to say.)  Calls were made to our overseer at the Kingdom Hall to let them know were had damage but were fine and we couldn't get out to really access the damage because the power line was under the tree and no longer on the pole, but still connected to the house. We had no phone service even on our cells the next day, but I could use my phone for pictures.
The tree ripped the fence of the deck  because it caught the clothesline


A scene from the next Harry P  movie!


See where the power box is not on that pole anymore!


     Thankful the damage is just this but what will  be done is all in Jehovah's hands now as we have no money to fix it. I am Blessed greatly through it all  no one was hurt, Dogs got a new pen  as the tree held a part of it up  and now is shredded and  we only lost about 35 chickens in the excess rain. All in all we are good. Life is great and it goes on.  
 Thanks to all who checked on us.
 

Saturday, September 9, 2017

Are You Prepared for what is to come?

     We have all seen our share of disaster or are waiting for it to come to us. So many have lost everything they own but have survived with their lives. We have heard of earth quakes in the last weeks that have been stronger than many others in the past. There have been floods and hurricanes fires and wars. Many have lost loved ones to sickness and old age. How many of us have read the Bible lately to see these thinks have been forewarned for all to be ready for. (Matt 24) How many have Prayed to Our Father in Heaven who's name is Jehovah* asking him for holy spirit and the strength to continue through all this devastation? Or maybe you refuse to know his name and let your ears to be tickled by false teachings and empty hopes(2 Tim 4:3-4).
      I have the greatest faith that I will come out of all of this and be brought to a paradise right here on earth. I may even lose my life, but I know that no matter what the outcome I will be resurrected to that wonderful paradise and made whole once again.  I pray to have my family with me every day, hoping they will remember who their true Father is, Jehovah. He and He along can bring us through whatever there is to come.  I trust in Him and His only begotten Son Jesus Christ, for he is my savior and through him I will gain everlasting live. (John 17:3) I continue to pray for all who are suffering through these last days. Matt. 24:36-39“Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father. 37“Just as the days of Noah were, so the presence of the Son of man will be. 38 For as they were in those days before the flood, eating and drinking, men marrying and women being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark; 39 and they took no note until the flood came and swept them all away, so the presence of the Son of man will be.”
     Will you be prepared for what will be to come, or will you be like those of Noah's day?   Who will you put your faith in? None of us truly knows when our last breath will come, if it does at all, but knowing that there is a paradise awaiting those with the faith will see that beautiful garden and share it with all the others without wars or prejudices, sickness or death. All things will be given as intended "In the beginning"(Gen 1:1) How grand that time will be.
     I am so looking forward to seeing all my loved ones I have lost in death and meeting those like Noah and Daniel and many more who never gave up their faith. We will live in an abundance of food and new health. I sure hope you choose to join us.
      Rev 21:3-4 With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his people. And God himself will be with them. 4 And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”
 
Matt. 6:9“You must pray, then, this way:
“‘Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified 10 Let your Kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also on earth"

*PS 83:18 That people may know that you, whose name is Jehovah,
You alone are the Most High over all the earth.

Saturday, September 2, 2017

Preparing for fall and Growing the Farm

     Yesterday we got about 50 or 60 meat chickens from our friend and her dad. I know we have no room for them all but if we can get the roosters of the bunch to slaughter stage it will help us food wise for the winter.  The hens can give us more eggs too but the price of food will go up also. 
This is only a few of the new chickens we got .


     The baby pigs are growing so fast. They are a month old tomorrow. They get out everyday and eat the goats food.  But now the pen is wired shut so they can't get in there. We need to sell a few of the un-registered ones to make room for the ones who are and breed more registered ones. If anyone is looking to have a hog roast let me know.

     Yesterday I borrowed one a Rex bunny to breed with our rabbit Sugar. I sure hope this time we get some babies. They are the same breed. The Rex bunnies are so soft and thick velvety fur. They are great pets for children on up to elderly folks. They make great pets. They are easy to take care of and can be trained to live in the house.
Sugar has a box for her soon to be babies.


     The goat pen needed mending again. Jacob has smashed into it enough again to break the wiring around the bottom most of the way on two sides. He was escaping and coming up to the front door. While we were wiring I got into a nest of fire ants again, this will be the second time this weekend. The rain has driven them out of the ground everywhere.
Chloe checking out the wire job!

Jacob is mad now that he can't escape.
Ant Attack Ouchy!


     We have started on the girls section of the house. Getting ready to put in windows. Hopefully we can get all the window work done.