July 2007 | Main | September 2007
August 25, 2007
The first day of my farming life
Well, kinda anyway! I woke up very early (3:00 am) and after putting the dogs out and letting them in and trying to go back to sleep, I just gave up and went to Walmart to get some Pine Shavings for the Keets (the paper towels get too wet and icky now that they are growing like crazy!) and then I drove out to the farm and cleaned their brooders.
I checked on our bedroom, and it is so close to being finished!! The flooring is mostly down, the painting is finished, all that will be left is for the molding and the new doors to go in. YAY!
Then John and I can start moving things out there.
The basement has been started, but I did not go to check that out, as I had an appointment for a massage, and I wanted to get back home. I'll check it this afternoon.
I washed my car and cleaned all the dust from the gravel off of all the places that darned dust managed to get! Now, I am getting ready to go trade my car with John's truck (he is at work today) and then to buy some wood and stuff and go out to the farm to work really hard at finishing a chicken run and coop for the guineas!
I'll check in later. Hope everyone has a great Saturday!
Posted by Beth at 12:44 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
August 24, 2007
I'll have some free time to work on the farm, now!
I am not going to be working at the company I cannot name any more. They wanted me to wait until Monday to find out, but I knew that if I was going to get an offer, it would have been by today, so I emailed the HR guy, who kindly called me just now to let me know that I was being laid off.
It's a relief. I learned a lot there, I traveled a lot, I had some great experiences. However, I was so discouraged by the lack of leadership - most of my bosses had no management ability, and none of them ever had any leadership skills - and that goes up all the way to the top of the part of the company I was in. I knew a couple of years ago, when I heard that our VP had said that people were only resources to be used, that I would not be long for that company.
As my friends tell me, a door closes, a window opens. I can explore new possibilities now. No longer will my life be ruled by last minute trips to wherever.
And best of all, I will never ever have to do what that stupid blonde bimbo tells me to do. My God, I hated that boss!!!
Posted by Beth at 7:12 PM | Comments (8) | TrackBack
August 22, 2007
Let's see - it's Wednesday, ain't it?
I had more interviews today. Of all the interviews I've had in the past few weeks, these were for the most interesting position. I would really love to get it. The woman who would be my boss is smart and nice and friendly, as is her boss and the very nice guy who wanted to check out some of my technical skills.
So, keep you fingers crossed, my friends. I would really, really, really like to get this job! I'll know by Friday - if I don't get it, I will be laid off.
On the farm front, the remodeling seems to be kinda slow at the moment - they are doing boring things like taping and patching the walls and such before they paint. My wonderful, wonderful flooring arrived and is absorbing the atmosphere of the house for a couple of days before it can be laid. The bedroom should be finished the middle of next week sometime. Then, the basement remodeling begins.
We have decided to wait until 2008 before remodeling the avocado green bathroom - we are spending a huge amount of money right now on other stuff!!
I started building the pen that the coop for the guineas will be in. I spent a few hours on it tonight - most of the time was spent arranging the wood and trying to figure out how to build something that will be strong enough that it won't just fall over the first time a breeze comes along - which is all the time. I've been watching the weather every day in our area, and the wind is almost always between 7 and 13 miles per hour.
I did get the front framing for the pen almost done - I need to staple the hardware cloth to it (even keeps snakes out, and the keets are too little to deal with snakes as yet). My hope is that I'll have both the pen and the coop finished by the end of this weekend, as the keets are growing like crazy, and are going to be way too crowded in their brooders very soon!
Oh, and they eat so much now! So, I figure they need to start ridding our farm of bugs ASAP!
Posted by Beth at 9:14 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
August 20, 2007
Monday, Monday
Life at work is quite odd. There are only a couple people who still talk to me - my friends Ed and Elizabeth - oh, and Jason. Other people speak to me only if I speak to them first - oh wait, I forgot about our Admin - Lori - she is really great.
I didn't get any notification as yet as to whether or not I got the job I interviewed for last Wednesday. I was expecting to get a couple of more interviews scheduled, also, but that didn't happen either.
So I'm starting to think that I might very well be unemployed come Friday.
I decided it is time to look for jobs at places other than my current place of employment. So I spent most of the day checking out all the employers in the Kansas City / Lawrence / Topeka area.
Good thing - I stopped to check on the remodeling at the farm. Our walk in closet looks great! They built me a window seat and a whole wall of shelving for shoes, purses, all kinds of things!
Oh, and the French doors from the bedroom to the deck were installed today - and the ceiling fans. I'm getting pretty excited about all this - it's beginning to become real. We really are going to move out to the country!!!
Oh, and my Keets - those baby Guineas are growing so much that I can see the difference in 24 hours.
Posted by Beth at 9:56 PM
August 19, 2007
Updated remodeling update
Yes, that title is a bit redundant. That's why I like it!
The bedroom is coming along nicely. The built in shelves are great and the walk in closet behind them is looking fantastic, too!
There will be a pocket door between the bookcases - here is a picture so far - please note, the color on the wall is a primer, not the final color!
Posted by Beth at 11:15 AM | Comments (2)
Updated pics of keets!
Took these pictures of the keets on Friday - these are the youngest bunch. The original two, Georgia O'Keet and Mandy are actually growing their first real feathers on their wings. I'll try to get a picture of that today, with John's assistance.
Posted by Beth at 10:10 AM | Comments (4)
I was trying to be helpful, really
The grass needed mowing badly - the temperature had finally broken and it wasn't raining. I was out at the farm to build my guinea coop, but the grass was so long that I was startled by a snake whilst walking from the house to the barn, so I decided to mow first.
At least I got a lot of the yard mowed before I did this. I broke it. Still have to build the chicken coop - I'll do that today.
Posted by Beth at 10:05 AM | Comments (3)
August 18, 2007
quick note
On my way to farm to build a house for the guineas.
The interview seemed to go well. I have my fingers crossed.
I have more interviews next week.
Gotta go now, or I'll never go!!!!
Posted by Beth at 8:32 AM
August 15, 2007
Wish me luck
I have another job interview this morning. The other 4 interviews on Friday did not snag me a new position.
The position I'm interviewing for today would be a lot of work, but a lot of fun. Of all the jobs available, it's the one I'd really like to get.
If I don't, I have one more interview next week. Then, I might be unemployed.
I'm not horribly worried, though. God has always watched out for me.
Posted by Beth at 5:58 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
August 14, 2007
Dog Pictures
I am finally getting around to publishing a picture of our new puppy - Gunner - he is a Slab. (Shepherd/Lab). So Kiki won't be jealous, I have a picture of her, too - she is a Blab(Bloodhound/Lab)
Posted by Beth at 9:53 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
August 12, 2007
Critter news
We got a new dog yesterday. His name is Gunner. More on that later. I have to do a ton of stuff.
Posted by Beth at 5:41 PM | Comments (2)
Guinea Keets
Posted by Beth at 7:53 AM | Comments (11)
August 10, 2007
News from the Donovan Farm
This afternoon, after 4 hours of interviews, I looked at my calendar and realized that this was the first hatch date for my guinea fowl eggs, and I had not set up the brooder for the keets (baby guineas) yet. Also, the automatic egg turner was still on, and I had visions of poor little mangled birds dead in the contraption.
So I raced out to the farm, after stopping to get the medicated chick starter and I also brought Kiki with me (our blab - half bloodhound, half lab). We got out to the farm, and Kiki jumped out of the car and started chasing S'mudge - our barn kitty - S'mudge went up a tree, but later on taught Kiki a lesson by pouncing on her feet from under my car.
So anyway, back to the guineas - I went into the kitchen (where the incubator is) and I could hear cheeping. I was almost afraid to look.
Two keets had hatched. One was definitely okay and all dry and the other was kinda caught in the egg turner, but I grabbed her out of there as fast as I could and held her close to keep her warm while I tried to set up the brooder with my other hand. I think the second one will make it, but I'm so glad I thought to check the calendar and check the dates for my flock to start hatching. There are 4 other eggs with peeps coming from them - and I could see the beaks through the little holes the keets are making.
Anyway, the first and strongest keet is named Georgia O'Keet - unless of course, she is a he, and then it will be George O'Keet. The second one is Mandy.
I have them all set up with a red lamp and water and food in the brooder.
Kiki and S'mudge were very interested in the keets. Kiki was very upset when Georgia was pecking a bit at Mandy, and I was afraid she was going to pick one of them up and mother her to death.
There is a lid on the brooder now, so the keets are safe from the household pets.
I forgot to bring my camera, so I'll run out first thing in the morning and get some pictures - geeze, I hope they live through the night!
Posted by Beth at 8:51 PM
August 9, 2007
I think I'll have to root for Fred Thompson
Because Bill Lacy, of the Dole Institute at Kansas University just down the road is going to be his campaign manager.
I've met Bill at the Institute several times, and I have great respect for him. If he thinks Thompson is the guy to go for, I'll have to consider supporting Thompson.
In fact, I think I'll have to say:
Posted by Beth at 6:40 AM | Comments (5)
August 3, 2007
An aside
The term, "Breaking News", is now meaningless. After a couple of hours, it is no longer Breaking News.
And . . why is it that when there is one story with death and destruction, every other news item suddenly disappears from TV and radio? Shit happens, people. There have been bridges and buildings that have failed in the past. There is no sense in getting all upset about it unless you are personally affected.
And of course, I feel for those who have died, been injured or who have family and friends who have suffered, but many more people die each day in car accidents, but the news is not (thankfully) covered with in-depth stories of each and every victim.
I blame it all on cable tv and the 24 hour news cycle.
Posted by Beth at 8:52 AM | Comments (5)
Quick update on what I've been doing
1. Good news - I have a job interview next Friday for one of several positions at the company I currently work for. I think I have a good chance of getting at least one offer.
2. I bought a Nikon D80 SLR digital. I will be prying/cutting/slicing/burning open the damned clamshell packaging that the 2 gigabyte storage card is in sometime today and I will take pictures and publish them here for you!
3. I'll be going out to the farm to feed S'mudge (the new barn cat, thankfully healthy according to Dr. Nikki Green, our vet)
4. I have to pick out flooring, fixtures, doors, wall colors and wood stain colors for our bedroom at the farm. Besel's in Leavenworth is going to make one big room for us out of two small ones. The faster I pick this stuff out, the faster the bedroom will be finished and the faster we can start really moving in!
5. We might have to get a T1 for internet service. There is no decent alternative that I can find so far. We need to check wireless broadband, but I'm a little discouraged at the alternatives in rural areas.
6. I will be building the brooder for the soon-to-be-hatched guinea babies, called keets, today. I found instructions for a great, easy brooder here.
7. Oh, I joined Slim4Life and started the program last Sunday. I have a lot to lose, so it's not really surprising that so far I have lost 8 pounds. I'm not hungry and I feel okay. I do have to take a ton and a half of supplements, though, and it's easy to forget something! I'm very hopeful that between eating right and doing more physical work, I should be able to lose all this fat.
8. I will also be getting pallets for the two outbuildings where I want to store our hay this weekend. It takes up way too much room in the barn!
9. With any luck, I'll get a start on the pasture fence. But that might be asking too much!
So, I'll be busy, but I will check in. Have a good weekend, everyone!
Posted by Beth at 7:42 AM | Comments (7)
August 2, 2007
She's still alive.
...she's just really busy looking for a new job, and running between here and the farm, and she just bought a new camera, and she's taking tomorrow off to go fixture and finishings shopping for the bedroom remodel - and she promises a farm update, with pics, soon!
Reeeeeeeeeeeely!
[This is John, in case ya haven't figured that out yet.]
Posted by John at 7:23 PM