NOTE: I promised Linda to post this on Saturday, but was simply too worn out from Friday to actually accomplish the task. I admit to some feeling blue about the listing for sale of the Mountain Farmlet, and to a bit of inconvenience after my hand surgery. My hand is very much better now! So here it is Monday and I am posting to you after a month-long blogging hiatus. Thanks for the nudge, Linda. 🙂
About Friday
I got up with Bob at 3:30. He’s been getting up that early to do my chores, and then kept it up even after I was able to do them myself so as to beat the heat here. His shop is not air-conditioned and it has been sweltering there! (110 deg. on one day) And why did I get up so early? To go up to the Mtn. Farmlet and clean floors before a potential buyer arrives at noon.
So I got ready and let the animals out at twilight. Trust me the geese were very confused! Then I got the dogs into the car and was driving away. Only I forgot to lock the front door. Normally I would have turned around, because it is the sensible thing to do, but being so early I didn’t want to disturb my neighbor by using her driveway. So I backed down the street. Great I thought as I slipped of the pavement and missed the barrier that keeps others from doing the same to us in driveway that was and is no more. (Yes truly and it was once a night with high beams into the bedroom window!) Anyway, I began turning the wheel to get the truck back onto the street, I really should have pulled forward, and instantly I heard the horrible sound of metal on metal. I FORGOT THE MAILBOX! Now I pulled forward. Needless to say the pole is a bit tilted, the box is crushed and I now have a three-foot, blackened scratch over the wheel well and leading to the back of the truck.
So at least the 100 mile drive there was uneventful. 🙂
At 8:30 I parked out front under the shade of the big oak, grabbed the house keys, put my purse on the seat, told the dogs they would have to wait till I unlocked the house, my hand is still too weak to handle them and unlock the house, and then I would be right back for them. I punched the lock out of habit and slammed the door shut. Old habits die hard. Now my purse, my phone, the truck keys, My AAA towing service card and the dogs are safely locked up inside the truck .
Looking for a phone I hiked a quarter-mile up the hill to see if my closest neighbors were at home. Nope. So then I walked downhill for about 3/4 mile to see if any other neighbors were home. I finally reached a neighbor at the bridge who was home and she let me call Bob long distance to let him know what had happened. He didn’t answer because he didn’t recognize the number. However, he did get my message. I hung up and called the sheriff to see if they could help and let them know my dogs were locked in the car. The dispatcher said she would send someone out… It is now about 9:00 by the clock on the neighbor’s wall. I thank her for her kindness and leave to make the hike back up to the truck.
I wait for a very long time. I’m getting very hot sitting in the shade of the font porch and keep checking the dogs to see how they are doing. The are sleeping but wake up when I get to the truck window. They are panting but their tongues look good; *not turning dark. I am getting panicky because it has been almost two hours and no one has shown up yet. I’m looking for a big rock.
I hesitate, find a rock that looks like it will work, hesitate, think of the best window to break, hesitate again, and then hear the roar of a very large vehicle coming around the bend. “Tow truck?” I thought; It was! It is now 11:10, the dogs are saved, the window is not smashed and I am ready to do battle with cabin floors. On the back porch I let myself in and I ear a man’s voice shouting hello. It is the Sheriff! I tell him that AAA had just left and that everything is now OK.
“OK, Mam”, he said and turning he left.
I was not prepared for what I found. Because there are no kitties left up there, and because we have not been there for several months to work… the rats came. I will not go into details, but gloved and armed with broom, mop and many fresh buckets of bleach water I set to work. I finished about an hour and a half later and was bringing a large lawn and leaf bag of stuff out to the garbage cans, when I saw the people who were there to view the property.
Yikes! I was glad I got done in time, but I was a sight. My shirt was sticking to me, my hair was hanging in wet strings, and my face was red, salt streaked, and over all I was just dirty. I was a hot mess. Oh well, I thought, they didn’t know me from a cleaning service and besides they came to see the property not me. Right?
Up pulls the realtor and getting out of the car yells over a friendly greeting to me, “Hello, I see you’ve met the [viewers] already! Maybe you could show them what you’ve done to the place and what your plans were for it.”
I smile, “OK.” I said.
I told them about the house, some of the more interesting trees on the property, the deer that pass through regularly in season, and about the lovely neighbors. In my mind I am thinking that anyone who buys this place will take a bulldozer to it and start new, but once they sign on the dotted line it is theirs to do with as they will…
Hot, sticky and tired beyond imagining, I load the newly hydrated dogs and myself into the car and head for home. Two hours later I pull into the drive, look at the tattered mailbox, sigh, and let the dogs out before locking the door. Bob greets us on the porch tells us that he called AAA for me. I smile and think, what a sweetheart. ❤
After a good hot shower I go out to gather eggs and found this.
I think one of the chickens has sent me a message. I take her point and cheer up.
~*~
And because you should know this – here are the
12 Signs of overheating in dogs:
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2015/06/08/pet-overheating-symptoms.aspx
Life on the Farmlet 
What a nightmare day! But so glad the dogs are OK.
Thanks, Lillian, me too. The first thing Bob asked me was why I didn’t just break the window! But it all turned out fine and in the end I was glad that I hesitated about breaking it.
Oh MAN, what a day… I hope you had a very large glass of something you fancy at the end of all that… and I’m glad your hand is on the mend.
Yes. It was miserable. However, the lovely visitors said they really liked the property and their father is coming next weekend to have a look-see. Something good will come of this in the end, Kate. 🙂
Always a good sign when they roll out the parent/silent investor/DIY expert. Fingers crossed!
I never even thought of that, Kate! :)))))
😉
What a day that was! Thankfully all ended well and your funny hen made you smile 😀 Now all you need I’d a sale.
Yes, yes, and YES! I hate days like that, Annie. To be honest, in retrospect I probably should have stayed home after the mailbox mashing… But I just had to get at those floors!
Poor you! What a saga!
It was, Norma, but now it is over. 🙂 The most stressful part was worrying about the dogs and the heat, but it all worked out.
Oh dear Lynda, thank goodness you’ve still got your sense of humour. But better days ahead, my friend; onward and upward: )
Yes!
What an adventure. No wonder that you were tired. I hope the sale goes though.
Thank you, Tom.
Good grief, girl! I’m tired just reading about it all. I’ve had some days like that, although not recently — thank goodness. I’m glad that you ended up without any lingering problems — like a broken car window. I used to lock my keys in the car all the time, and I still can do it. Usually, I’m at work, have gone to get something from the trunk, lay the keys in the trunk, and then slam it shut. At that point, of course, my AAA card is happily locked in the car. But you know how that goes.
I love the egg! I wondered when I saw it whether you had drawn the smile on it, but the true story is even better. And I’m so glad your hand is healing up on schedule. I hope all goes well when papa comes to see the property. Personally, I can’t help but think seeing you working on the place as you were impressed the potential buyers. You may have looked a wreck, but it was a clear sign that, when you said you guys had worked on the property, you were telling the truth!
Linda, I have a system that has worked well for me for several years. I keep the vehicle keys on a separate key chain from all the rest of my keys. The door remote is attached to my purse. Normally I wouldn’t think of locking my purse in the car, plus I had the house keys in my hand so mentally, my mind registered “keys”.
Sometimes I scare myself when I think about how ditzy I have become.
The egg is really weird. It has a little groove all along the smile and the eyes look smudged on, don’t they? Bob, said it was creepy and strange. (He won’t eat it) The link at the bottom will take you to a PDF that shows common chicken egg anomalies. Though I still haven’t pinned down this one.
Link: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=13&ved=0ahUKEwjbhqqhsa_PAhUD0iYKHa5ID6YQFghdMAw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.alltech.com%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Falltech-egg-shell-quality-poster.pdf&usg=AFQjCNHIDMY2F0Wr9ZJrbEYUg1kWe1rwPA&sig2=bGYIgnxoQqta3ICLRj5e2Q&cad=rja
I was amazed at your stamina and push to help the dogs,running up and down the road seeking help, and then achieving some quick and thorough house cleaning and tidying up! Your mind-set and determination to sell the mountain farmlet (which I know has been a disappointment that could have gotten you down) is so positive and hopeful. I’m really proud of you… and I’m excited and hopeful about a sale!
That egg is a “SIGN” for sure. I believe we are given signs and messages all throughout the day, and most of the time we’re too busy to take notice. The face looks to be winking. I think it’s cool!!
Lori, it was a hot day, the sky was that perfect autumn blue that sets off everything and it was dead silent except for the birds. If it weren’t for that stellar day, well, I think I would have crumpled. As for the egg, I’ve seen others on friend’s posts that had funny markings but none so large as this. It is a wonder!
Yes, we want a quick sale and for the asking price it is a steal: 23 acres @ $105.500 Here is the best part; with the realtor’s help we worked out a deal where a neighbor gets the approximate 1.5 acres that is situated on the other side of a gravel access road. This gives him road frontage and allows the county to remake the maps to show it as a true road and no longer an easement. In exchange for this he is doing all the clearing of the trail, brush hogging and greens maintenance. This was a very equitable arrangement for his family and us! ❤
As we say in Oklahoma, “Winner winner chicken dinner!!!!”
😀
I got tired just reading about your day! I’m glad everyone is safe and at home now. Good luck with the farmlet sale!
Thank you, Kathee. I hope it is a quick sale because I want Bob to stop worrying about it all the time. Poor guy has been so stressed. Putting it on the chopping block was a big help, but he won’t totally be at ease until the sale contract is signed sealed and delivered. 🙂
Lynda, you are quite the woman!
After such a challenging start to your day, you found solutions and worked hard to finish the task.
I’m hoping that the sale goes through so you and Bob can have the burdened lifted
Thank you, Laurie. We need a break from all these bills and the extra expense each month for the property there. As for being QTW, well, sometimes you just have to hitch up yur big girl panties and get-er done. Certainly no time for sissies, eh? Besides, there’s always plenty of time for that when you get home and no one is looking… 😯
What an ordeal! I’m glad we can say “All’s well that ends well.”
Yes, and to be sure! Although I could have imagined a dozen better ways to actually enjoy the day, as it was a beauty.
On reflection, I realize I was aware of it’s stellar quality: no other sound but bird calls; the beginnings of fall color; a definite lack of humidity, that is so rare here, in spite of the heat; and above it all that clear blue sky of the season.
Steve, sometimes I surprise myself at what I catch in my day even when it seems such a disaster. I just need to take a moment to reflect and then in the restful moments I see it.
Happy reflection, then, to you.
Oh Lynda!
We have both been having a rather hard time, I see.
On Sept. 25, I was in a car accident.
It is the first time in my life that I have ever fractured anything.
It is the first time in my life that I have ever been knocked unconscious.
Life is unpredictable to be sure. Always changing.
People always tell me that everything happens for a reason.
I usually (eventually) find out that there was some sort of reason to it all…but in the beginning, I also wonder WHY.
Good grief, Mary! This sounds serious; are you OK now?
Goodness! What a morning you had! Hope you got a sale out of that.
They didn’t, but another woman is in the process, we signed the docs to accept her offer! 😀
That’s great news!