::30:: Day 24

The one with all the porches. Just for Marmy, who has been weeing herself at the thought of traveling the USA in an RV... ASAP. Just to sit on porches. Hey, maybe we can have some kind of competition with the winner getting a visit from Marmy on her trip through the States! Anyone in??

Okay, so since she showed interest in my porches (sadly, not Porsches,) I thought I would tempt her with some more eye candy! *Snort* Yeah, right!! Well anyway, Marm, here they are.

This is the front porch as seen from the drive.



And here from closer to the front door.

That's my studio in the background.


Guarding the door, and scaring the peewad out of delivery men is our Golden Boy buddha that we brought back from Singapore.



This is not a good picture of the studio, but there it is. Ignore the dog-wiping towel hanging on the railing!



On one side of little studio porch are two teak rocking chairs (also from Singapore) that I spend lots of time oiling in Spring, but rarely sit in.



On the other side, is a teak elephant bed, that when covered with a pad and loaded down with pillows, is used to ride on the backs of elephants. Notice the curve of base designed to fit the arch of the elephant's back. Also notice my wooden chickens, since I don't have any real ones.



I've been here two summers, and have made very slow progress on the fabric covered pad for the bed! The first year, I got the foam. Period. This year, I got the batting and the muslin on it, but waffled about the decorative fabric long enough that I didn't do anything else. So, next year is the year!!

Yesterday, I showed a portion of the back porch, like this.



What you didn't see is the side of that same porch with all the junk stored on it!



This is one longggg porch at 60 feet long, or somewhere over 18 meters for some of us! I can only be expected to keep one end relatively tidy, I have to junk up someplace!!

And lest you think I squandered my entire day thinking about porches, I worked on tidying Steve the Shed today, as well. I want Marmy to have a nice place to stay when she stops by! There is no way I was going to show you the "before", but here is in "in progress."



I got the hoses sorted out a bit but still need to work on the shelves.





And finally, while there is no porch on Steve, the is a ramp for gimps, and a view of the house. See? You'll have plenty of privacy for pickin' yer nose or paintin' yer toes when you visit.



Wish you were here!

Oh! It's Halloween! Well, here is my scary photo, taken by Stud Muffin last night. He's sitting right next to me, and this is the best he can do?!?

Me knitting with my extra chins helping! Thanks, Honey!

::30:: Day 23

Since no emergency popped up today, I got back to work outside. And I got lots of little things done!

Of course, there was mulching.





I still need to sweep up the concrete, but that can wait until I trash it some more!

Then I relocated the first clothesline to the backyard where the second one lives. Now I have 2 lines in the backyard so I don't have to run from yard to yard with a large load.





The great thing is that I hung these retractable lines on the back side of the trees, so you can't even see them when they're not in use!

Then I brought a load of firewood on to the back porch from the log pile and blew the leaves off of the porch.

A little cleaner, but it won't last long!

The rest of the log pile was covered with a tarp to keep the rain off. I read somewhere about this way to keep the cover on by tying milk jugs filled with water onto the tarp corners. It ain't fancy, but it should work!



And while I was back by the wood pile, I thought I'd show you my pride and joy on this here homestead... the big-*ss generator that keeps us powered when the lights go out!



This puppy has a truck engine in it, tied to an automatic transfer switch, that kicks in whenever the power goes out for more than a minute. This was the biggest expense, other than the house itself, when we moved out to "the end of the line." But, it has already made itself indispensable and I'm glad we sprung for it!

Hey, and if my truck engine blows, I know where I can get another one!!

::30:: Day 22

Today is Wednesday. So far, each day this week has been altered by a unexpected need. Monday was determined by the replacement of the flat tire. Tuesday was spent in the car for 5 + hours doing a round trip to Nashville for some RV related stuff. Unfortunately, that was the closest dealership to us.

And today started with Stud Muffin reporting that the toilet in his office above the garage was leaking and he didn't know how long it had been running. So, instead of working outside first thing, I ran my errands (really fast) in order to be home "in case" the plumber's help could get out here. They finally called at about 1:30 PM. *Sigh*

But they came, they saw, they fixed. And now I have a fan running to dry up the water that escaped under the baseboard in the hopes of avoiding the dreaded "mold."

Other than that, I worked on some projects around here. Nothing very interesting, except for a wedding gift that is woefully (great word!) late. Well, it's not late yet, but I know it will be!



This WILL be a crocheted Hawaiian "feather" headband. The crocheting part is done, now I have to twist it around properly and thread the kukui nuts on the ends. It is intended to go around a wedding portrait, but can also be worn as a headband or hatband.

In the yard, I continued weeding and had the privilege of wrecking two ant hills (Yipee!) I also disposed of the frozen basil and shut off the water to the garden for the season. I hope not to have to replace PVC like I did this year!

Dinner is waiting for Stud Muffin's arrival from work and consists of a small roast of pork (none for Marmy!) roasted vegetables (for me), mashed potatoes for him, and gravy. If you look closely, you'll see how little the roast is compared to the potato wedges!

Gosh! How blurry are these pictures?

Potatoes boiling before the ritualistic mashing.

Later: Studly is home, and dinner was eaten. The roast was declared a winner! Yeah!

Hope everyone has a good night!

::30:: Day 21

I woke up this morning to freezing weather when I took the dogs out. Even they didn't want to stay out very long, and hurried back in for breakfast and more sleep.

After the sun came up, we tried again. Nick took off like a shot to check on who or what had been on HIS property overnight, while Sassy just wanted to play... as usual.





Sometimes, she'll let us throw the toy for her to chase, but often, she just spins around and around shaking the toy. If only I had a little saddle and a monkey to ride her, I could enter her in the mini rodeo!





I bought a couple of Roma tomatoes at the market yesterday.



(I know! Store bought. I was desperate!) I went to the garden to get some basil for a salad later. *Sniff, wipe* This is what I found:





Whaaa! So now I have lame store bought tomatoes and no fresh basil for them! Life's not fair!

The rest of the day was spent in the car as Stud Muffin and I took a (long) drive into Nashville. I drove on the way out, in his little commuter car, and he drove home. All went well, and we were enjoying a beautiful fall day, until we decided to make a bathroom stop. While cruising up the off ramp, I forgot that I was driving a standard transmission vehicle, and stalled the car! After an hour of cruise-control driving, I was shocked that the car was dying a sputtering, jerky death. Boy! Was my face red!! And let the teasing begin!!

But vindication was mine on the ride home, when Studly DID THE EXACT SAME THING! Ha!

::30:: Day 20

Okay, the cookies are all gone (well, I froze half of them, but don't tell me where I hid them in the freezer!) Now I can get back to business!

With Autumn upon us, I have been wanting some new recipes to try, soups, stew, that sort of thing. Maybe something using game animals, since hunting season is about to start. Enter the internet. You can find recipes for anything in the world wide web!! Here are a few that peaked my interest. The first is a main dish courtesy of Angel at cyber-kitchen.com

Elephant Stew

1 medium sized elephant
1 ton salt
1 ton pepper
200 bushells carrots
500 bushells potatoes
3000 sprigs parsley
1500 gallons brown gravy


Cut elephant into bite sized pieces(this will take 2 about months). Cut vegetables into cubes (another 2 months). Place meat in pan and cover with the brown gravy. Simmer for 4 weeks. Shovel in the salt and pepper to taste.

When the meat is tender, add the vegetables. Simmer for another 4 weeks.

Garnish with parsley.

This will serve 3800 people, but if more are expected, add 2 small rabbits. Make sure you use rabbit and not hares as most folk dislike getting a hair in their dinner.

I like this version of Elephant stew because it lists exact quantities of ingredients! But I might have to scale the recipe down a bit.

And for dessert, this chocolate moose recipe from ThatBobbieGirl at recipezaar.com really stood out!

Photo by John Uher

Chocolate Moose

Ingredients:

1 Moose
40 lbs Hershey chocolate
17 containers of Cool Whip
1 cherry

Send spouse to Alaska to capture a moose or have UPS deliver one. Meanwhile, melt chocolate in a very large double boiler. Keep melted chocolate warm.

Tie moose up with a rope. Holding moose by the tail, carefully dip moose in melted chocolate, covering it completely in a thin layer.

Arrange moose attractively on a large platter and refrigerate for 2 days to set chocolate.

Remove rope, wash to remove chocolate if necessary, and return rope to the clothesline.

Garnish moose with Cool Whip and top with the cherry.

Serve immediately.

Or you could just chew on the rope, which may be tastier.

Maybe be doubled to serve a crowd.


Now, one reviewer of this recipe suggested that the moose is more cooperative if you give it a few drinks before you dip it.

Oh, and just so you know, these recipes have been approved by PETA... People Eating Tasty Animals!

*****
Bet you think I haven't been doing much in my studio. Well, you are mostly right! Here's what we have at the moment.



A little gift pouch to hold something special and...



a pile of coordinating fabric destined to become a gift!

I know it's not much, but I've started working on the Elephant stew, and well, that takes a while!

::30:: Day 19

I have nothing for you.

I made chocolate chip cookies last night, and frankly, I can't think of anything else as long as there is a plateful on the kitchen counter.

Oh, and Happy Birthday to my sister Christina. The big 5-0! Yeah, you'll always be older than me!!

::30:: Day 18

Courtesy of the innernets, just for you romantics!

***********
Love Story

I will seek and find you.
I shall take you to bed and have my way with you.
I will make you ache, shake & sweat until you moan & groan.
I will make you beg for mercy, beg for me to stop.
I will exhaust you to the point that you will be relieved when I'm finished with you.
And, when I am finished, you will be weak for days.
All my love,

The Flu

Now get your mind out of the gutter and go get your flu shot!

End of my public service announcement.
************

Yesterday, after all my fun with the tire, I came home and dug a drainage ditch. Not a great one, but enough to get the water moving again.









Yikes! Lisa at Tardy Homemaker has tagged me for 6 random things about me. I have already done 7 weird things about me and 6 unimportant things about me. Seriously, how interesting do you guys think I am??

Here are the rules:

1. Post the rules on your blog
2. List 6 random things about yourself
3. Tag 6 other people to do this meme
4. The people you tag should "quit their whining" and just do it, so we can all have a laugh!

Let's see then:

1. I refuse to untie my shoes before kicking them off. It drives Stud Muffin nuts, which is part of the fun. But really, I don't like wearing anything but slip-ons if I can help it. Barefoot is best.

2. I automatically change the words to songs I hear. It drives my kids nuts, which is also part of the fun. Then I like to sing my new song out loud in the car. I can't help it.

3. Back in the hateful 80's, my hair was very blond and permed (duh!) I went to the salon because it needed something, more perm, more blond, something. I was told that since my hair was already bleached practically white, they would need to do "corrective" coloring on it.

The first attempt netted me mossy green hair. Not a good look, as evidence by my crying loudly. Then they added some red to it. This dye went on purple and ended up Woody Woodpecker red. Not a good look. Finally, I ended with dark brown hair.

Days later, our regular babysitter confessed that she thought Stud Muffin was cheating on me when she saw him at the mall, holding hands with a brunette. And the "other" woman was wearing my coat!!

4. As a child, I thought Olive Oyl from the Popeye cartoon was "the most beautiful woman in the world." I should have been committed right then.

Picture from coldhardflash.com

5. I'm a pretty mean shot with a hand gun. And I have a "concealed carry" permit. Don't f*ck with me when I'm packing! LOL

6. I can't throw a Frisbee to save my life. When playing with the dogs, I have lobbed in onto the roof and into trees. *Sigh* I'm such a girl!



And being such a renegade (not hand grenade!) I am not going to tag anyone to do this. If you read this and have a blog, do it anyway!

::30:: Day 17

A guessing game. What is wrong with this picture?



Okay, I know that my freshly washed car has been out in the rain and is no longer freshly washed, but that isn't it.




Keep looking.



Okay, time's up! Let me see a show of hands from those who guessed a 3 inch long piece of metal sticking out of the flat tire on the car?? Anybody??



Could that be a box cuter blade in there? Could it be so close to the sidewall that the tire can't be repaired?? Why, yes, I think that just might be the case.

Whew! That was fun, huh? Let's not do it again sometime, okay?

This is the car that Stud Muffin took into the big city yesterday for his meeting with the Big Boss Man, because it has a navigational system and keeps us from getting lost and distracted by the shiny lights in the city. This morning as he left for work, he motioned for me to come out on the front porch (in my pj's) to report that the tire needed air and would I get to it sooner rather than later so as not to damage the rim any further.

Sure.

Still in my jammies, I got out the tire inflaterer and started filling the flat up with air. But there was a pesky hissing sound that wouldn't stop. I noticed something shiny next to the concrete floor, so I backed the car up a bit to see if there was a diamond ring or something under there for me. Nope, just a stupid metal blade preventing any of the air I was pumping in from staying in.

Since I certainly couldn't drive the car to get the tire fixed with that thing sticking out, and since the hissing sound was still annoying, I did the only reasonable thing... I pulled the metal sword out of the tire. Just like in the book The Sword in the Stone. I should be king. Now, this was done by a professional (jammie -clad me on a closed track) so I don't recommend you try this at home. 'Cus the annoying hissing got really loud then and the rest of the tire went pffft! Guess I won't be king after all!

The tires on the vehicle are large... about the size of airplane tires, and I knew that under no circumstances was I going to be able to lift that tire off and the spare on, I called AAA. Oh, and I got dressed too. As I waited, I got out the car manual and located the cleverly concealed and, not to mention, bolted securely in place tools and jack. I figured I could at least get the spare tire out of it's hiding place under the car.

My work space in the trunk.

*^$#()&^%%%! jack welded into the compartment!


Holy Cr*p! Where's my secret agent decoder ring and my advanced physics degree?!? Are these car manufacturers TRYING to get you killed while broken down on the side of the freeway (or in your garage in your nightclothes) or do they just not care?

Hooray! My knight in shining pickup truck has arrived!



And his name, according to the embroidery on his shirt is...Peanut. *Snort, giggle* His Mama must of hated him, or else he was the runt of the litter, I don't know.



But he got the tire off and the spare on and was on his way.

Hey Lady! That's a charp Cheby you got there!

I took the naughty tire to be repaired, probably by a guy named Walnut or Acorn or something. He took one look at it in the back of the car and said in his best redneck twang... "That ain't gooood. That ain't gooood at t'all."

And then he ordered me a new tire that will cost $250. *Sigh* I wonder if I can use a coupon for that purchase! Green Stamps?

And that, folks, is why I stay out of the big city!!

::30:: Day 16

Bet you didn't think I could keep blathering at you for 16 days in a row, huh? It's my own personal filibuster!

Well, it's a rainy, drizzly, cloudy, clammy day, so not much happened. Stud Muffin had a meeting with the top sales guys (himself included!) and the Big Boss Man in the "bigger" city, so he got all dressed up pretty in a suit and tie.



That's my handsome guy, ladies and gentlemen! He used to wear a suit everyday to work, back when dinosaurs walked the earth, but now he's in a more casual environment.

Since things were so slow today, I was reading other people's blogs and decided to steal an idea from June Cleaver Nirvana and look at the keyword activity list from my stat counter program. Bet you didn't know that I have an invisible gizmo that reports who's been visiting, from where and all kinds of other neat info.

There is also a list of keywords that people have searched on Google or wherever that leads them to your blog. Pretty interesting stuff. I have the usual colors outside the lines kind of searches, but then there are these:

Colors for the outside of a house
Kismet Phoenix reversible hoodie (huh?)
What colors are armadillo
Christmas Carols for the mentally ill (which has never left the list since I published this classic.)

and, my personal favorite:

Sew a hand grenade (Hello??)

No kidding. Any of these searches will return a list which my blog is at or near the top of. Now, I wonder. If I sew a hand grenade, and then lob it at someone, will it explode into a cloud of stuffing and smother them? If not, maybe I have finally figured out what to make people for Christmas. Great gift idea, yes??

Beyond this, I got nothin' for you. Except this picture send to me by my friend Cindy in Singapore.



Good night, y'all!