Seven Year Anniversary

Can you believe it? We've made it 7 years! LOL...I know, I know, for some of you that is nothing, and I really envy you! We had a great weekend...DH kept me in the dark as to where we were going, but it was a wonderful suprise!

He took me to Lake of the Ozarks! We went on Sat (4 hour drive, ugh) and got there around noon. Spent the rest of the day at the awsome outlet mall. No, I didn't buy a ton of stuff, but it was really fun trying on clothes, wondering around with no time line, and just enjoying the day.

We then went to the resort hotel...WOW!! I tell ya, if you have the money to own a condo on this resort, you would never have to leave the grounds! Gym, pool, golf course, 5 restaurants, gift shops, and other types of recreation. When we went for supper, they took us there on a golf cart, lol...and then picked us up in one! The driver told us "If you want us to drive you around the grounds all night, we'll do it." WOW, lol....must be nice to live like that all the time, lol.





I found a really nice candle, had a great breakfast buffet on Sun morning, got some costume jewelry for my dresses, and a couple of purses. We also found some clothes for our nephew really cheap from Gap, and I found some shirts, as well. Then on the way home, we stopped at a place called "Nostalgia Ville, USA". Now, anyone who knows me, knows I LOVE the movie GREASE. It is one of my all time favorite movies, and stopping at this store got me a Pink Ladies jacket, as well as a shirt with the same writing. Its an awsome store, and it gave me some really great sewing ideas! I tried to convice the DH that for Halloween we could go as Danny and Sandy from the movie...he actually liked the idea!!! woohoo! (gotta get to making that poodle skirt!)

Over all, it was a wonderful time...OH! I almost forgot....On Monday, after my Dr. appointment, I had told the DH that I wanted to go to a corn maze...he picked I think one of the biggest ones in the area! For those of you that have never heard of such a thing, its basically a human maze cut in a corn field. Folks around here take great pride in their mazes, and this was no exception. This particular one covered a 10 acre spot, and when you looked at it from the air, it said "Harvest Memories" and had a tractor pulling a hay rack loaded with pumpkins from a barn with sylos. All of it was connected and you were given a map to help you. The girl told us it would take 45 min to an hour...we did it in 30 min! hehe, we had a blast! Then we got some pepper jelly and a small decatiave sleigh at the gift shop. On the way home we stopped and had supper at our favorite mexican food place, and then stopped at the BIL's to visit. Whew!! The weather was great, and I was glad we got to do so much. Tuesday, when I took the DH back to work, it rained ALL DAY. ugh. I went to the dentist, and ended up on the couch for the rest of the day.

Today is back to the grind....finish processing apples, which will probably take all day, and after that, if I have time I need to process the pork and beef. THAT takes a long time in the pressure cooker...90 minutes!! Not sure I'll have enough jars for that, but if not, I'm not terribly upset, lol.

Busy weekend

It was crazy! lol, lets see, where to start....

Ok so Friday I was doing stuff outside..fixing stuff in the chicken coop, mowing/trimming, spraying for bugs, working on/in the basement, little stuff like that. Then I got a call from my SIL asking me to come help her get stuff set up for the poker run. No problem, I went there and supervised, moved a table, and filled a couple coolers, that was it, LOL. Then I went and picked up the DH. Let me explain the poker run.

SIL decided a few months ago to do an antique tractor poker run. Cool idea, and a mouthful to say, but I thought, why not? So she has been planning and getting things together for that, which occured on this past Sat, the 20th. Cool! It was about 30 miles long, with 5 stops, (2 of which were her house the start/finish). There were supposed to be 13 tractors, but there ended up being 7. There was supposed to be 53 people, there ended up being 28. But over all, it was a good turn out for the first one! It started at 1030, with registration til 1130. Then we all rolled out (7 tractors, 2 pulling hay racks for us 'non drivers')at about noon. After all the stops, and messing around along the way, we got back around 5pm. She wanted it to last into the night, but everyone was so tired from being drunk and in the sun all day, by 7 it was over, lol. Again, it was still fun and not bad for the first run. I think next year will be better!

BIL:


SIL: this pic got chopped for some reason, she is the one on the far right of the pic


DH:


Me:



So then, on Sunday, DH decided we would go to Peoria and mess around. So that was an all day affair, lol. I was so pooped by Sunday evening!! Then on Monday, I piddled around here, went to Burlington with the DH, then took him to work. I came home and did 4 loads of laundry, and CRASHED, lol.

I do want to pass on a bit about a new book I just started reading. Its by Stephanie Meyer, and its called Twilight. Its the first in a series, and is supposed to be really good. It falls in line with the vampire theme that I like, and am looking forward to reading it!!

Gorgeous weather

I just had to say, its been absolutely gorgeous here the past couple of weeks. Mid 80's, sunny, low humidity, light breeze...awsome! The kind of weather that you can go out and get tons of things accomplished with, and the kind of weather at night that makes you feel like you're camping! Waking up in the morning, all snuggled up under the covers and the temp in your bedroom is 55 degrees. Awsome!!

I have to admit, I've only been moderately following the Olympics. Yes, Phelps is awsome, and so are the gymnists. I am sick of volleyball, and basketball. And here where I am, the 'good' events come on so late, I'm already in bed!!

The garden is almost done, and I'll be taking down the fence soon. Beyond that, I've been helping in the hog barn again, which also entails listening to my BIL bitch that his wife won't do the things I do. What can I say to that? Not much, thats for sure.

Today, we finished up vaccinating, and I came home and mangaed to clean 2 bedrooms, and get the window sills upstairs vacuumed out of all the bugs. Thats 7 windows up, and 7 more downstairs to go. Tomorrow I'll go to the hog barn again and clean the heat lamps and get them delivered to the other barn for storage. Then I'll work on the sills downstairs, and maybe try to get the garage straightened up. Thursday and Friday I'll be at my SIL's babysitting my niece and nephew. Plus, Thursday night is Hot Mamma's Club night..I can't wait!!

Just when I thought....

Yep, just when I thought things had settled back down, my routine was shifted. Although for the past week my usual morning chores had been extended by 30 min due to watering my MIL's plants, it was nothing compared to last Thurs, and Fri. The work I did those 2 days set me back on my regular work around here, so I'm playing catch up. But that's ok, I learned a lot, and proved even more. Let me tell you the story....

My BIL has a hog barn. For those of you who don't know what that is, I'll explain. Basically, its a HUGE building with concrete floors. These floors have slits in them about 6 feet long and 2 inches wide, all over. These slits allow the waste to drop/drip down into a pit....yes, a sewer pit. Anyway, if you draw a "T" and make the top long, that is what this building looks like. Along the inside of this T, it is divided into smaller pens, in which anywhere from 30-60 piglets are placed. These pens are approximately 60 feet long by 10 feet wide. That being said, each one of these 2,000+ piglets needs vaccinated. And there is where the fun begins! These piglets are raised to 'finishing' stage, which means fattened up so you can have that Christmas ham, or your morning bacon. That being said....

Strapped around my neck is the bottle of syrum, hanging upside down like an IV bottle. Out of that is a rubber hose, much like what you see in a hospital, and on the end of that is a sort of 'gun'. The syringe is placed inside, and on top is a small can of spray paint. As you squeeze the trigger, the proper amount of vaccine is administered through the needle, and a spot of paint is sprayed on said pig all at the same time. Basically, stab and squeeze. Stab sounds harsh, how about 'poke'? lol.

So now I'm armed and ready, although never having done this before, how hard can it be? Pick up a baby pig (too damn cute, by the way) and give it a shot. HA!!! Little did I know how exhausting that plan would be. Watching my BIL, he was just poking them on the run-by. I kept thinking "no way can I do that, I'll end up hitting an eye or something awful". So after picking up about 60 piglets, I was sweating like a whore in church. Dripping, even. BIL just laughed and said, "you'll get the hang of it, I was like you in the beginning, too. Don't worry about it." I finally decided to try his method.

We crowded them into one end with a folded gate, and locked it into the side panels. They would pile into one corner, and get still, at which time I could poke/squeeze each one in the neck, as directed. Then, we would slowly let them out, watching for any that we missed. By the end of day 1 I was exhausted, but felt I had gotten the hang of things pretty well. 0830-1230, with a 15min break in the middle, was solid vaccinating. I showered before leaving the building, but had to shower again once home....that smell just hangs on you!!

Waking up on Friday morning proved difficult. I was so sore from climbing over railings, pushing pigs, and bending over for 4 hours, my poor body screamed. But, like clockwork, 0830 he was at my door. This day proved more efficient. We work well together, and barely spoke. We got into a nice rhythm and moved along very well. It was so nice, and I think he and I came to a new level in our understanding of each other. Mind you, this is the husband of the SIL who has the hethan daughter I've discussed in previous entries. He admited to being sore as well, and was glad when we were finished.

I didn't expect to get paid, or to really get anything in return. I was doing him a favor, just helping out the way family should. So I was completely shocked when he handed me a check for $100!! Woohoo! He then asked me "So, wanna help me in 30 days when they need a booster shot?" I had no problem saying 'yes'. It was a great learning experience, and a great bonding experience, as well. Almost a 'proving' of sorts. However, it cause some friction at home for him. :(

See, she has always been a bit 'jealous', although I'm not sure why. I would never in a million years do anything but shake hands with him, but for some reason she thinks the possibility exists of there being 'more'. eeww. Don't get me wrong, he isn't ugly or anything by any means, but HELLO!! I am married to his brother, and the list of reasons why it would be so wrong gets longer from there. Why on earth would I even THINK of doing that????? *sigh* Moving on.....see, she is very 'prissy' although claiming to be a tomboy. PFFFFFTTT. He asked her to help before "Oh no,I can't do that, it stinks in there, and there is poop, and EEWWW!"....So here I come, with no reservations in any of it. Yeah, I commented on how cute they were, but also explained "That is a girl thing, no matter what." he laughed. As I was saying, he went home and was telling her what a good job I had done, and how we worked well together. Well, that went over like a lead balloon. "Well isn't that nice"....he in turn said "At least she helps me!!" Again, *sigh*. Not my issue, though. I don't care, its who I am, its how I am, and if she doesn't like it, tough shit.

Funny thing, though, I can vaccinate pigs all day, and still turn around and clean up for Hot Mamma's Club that night, lookin smokin hot!!! LOL That is for another entry!!

So all in all, I did a fine job....so good that BIL is bragging to FIL, SIL, MIL, and all the farmers around about me...hehe...not bad for a chic who didn't know squat about farming when I moved here!! :)