Weekend Project

So I got an estimate from a local handyman to demolish an old chicken shed in the backyard. This shed hasn’t been used for a long time and it was in pretty bad shape. While we were in Australia the east wall finally fell down. It’s a nice haven for spiders and snakes.

Well after I got the estimate I figured,”No way, I can do this myself for just the cost of a Bobcat (which I am very experienced at using) and a few hours of my time.” It only took me all day Saturday and Sunday but I did it. I even pulled up a dead tree, pulled down dead hanging limbs, scraped the driveway and filled pot holes in the driveway. Money well spent on the Bobcat – I think I want one all of my own.

I left the bottom row of bricks. It will make a nice bed for flowers or veggies. I can get some chicken wire to keep the rabbits and other creatures out of the bed. I have been wanting to do this for years. I will feel it tomorrow, the concrete blocks didn’t scoop up easily into the Bobcat so I had to pick most of them up and put them in the bucket but at least I didn’t have to use a wheelbarrow to haul them away.

Here are some before and after pictures. Once I get the chicken wire up I will add more pictures. As you can see I torn up the lawn pretty good because the ground was still wet from all the rain we recently had but if I throw some seed down soon it will grow back fairly quickly.

Freddie, the cat came by a few times to check on my progress. He said, “Nice litter box you are making for me.”  Once the Bobcat was revved up again he was on is way back to the front porch.

Shed showing the collapsed end.

Another before picture.

After demolision.

Looks like the remains of an old castle in England in minature.

Enough is Enough

I am finished with this garage sale business. Yesterday I spent the entire day in the garage without one single customer or sale (the first time since the start of this project). I see that as a sign that it is time to try something new.

I did set up a CD player I have for sale and put on some of my favorite music so I was able to sing at the top of my lungs (Fergus was at work so there was no one to bother except the birds and the cat). I danced to the music of Gloria Estefon and Micheal Jackson, so I got some exercise, and I rearranged the mess in the garage. It was a productive day but not a profitable day. 

Today I am going to call the auction company and set up a final auction sale to get rid of the rest. I want to focus my energy on packing and selling the house. Here are final pictures of the inside of the garage (before the rearrangement). After the auction I hope to show you a garage with two cars parked inside.

What is all the caterwauling I hear?

Even baby birds duck their heads and cover their ears when they hear me sing.

Fergush’s Birthday Pictures

Jane, Fergus, Jenny and Cooper (I think Daisy is back there too).

Fergus and Coop – headless Jenny and pal, Jane.

What is a THAT? Cooper asks Aire’ly.

Cooper and Jenny.

Fergush (our nickname for Cooper’s foster Aire’bro) has a party to celebrate his tenth birthday. Cooper looks like he was having a grand time – “we never celebrate like this at home”, he was thinking. I think he is going to be spoiled when we get back. He will be wanting to visit Aunt Jenny and Uncle Gary ALL THE TIME!! Here are the pictures they sent of the party. Jenny does have a head – see her in the last photo.

Pics of the Pups

 

Helen and Eric sent us some more pictures from the Sunday BBQ. The kids look great and seem to be getting along just fine. We on the other hand are missing them like crazy. Check out “Tales from the ‘Dales” for their latest letters.

Sitting pretty

Nothing wrong with my leg!

Aire-reunion

Cooper and his foster family, Jenny, Gary and Lorna went to visit Bean Sidhe and her family, Helen, Eric, Emma and Teddy last Sunday. It sounds like they had a great time. We were able to see them when Jenny and Helen Skyped us. It was about noon their time and 9 pm our time. We were having a storm – what a surprise – wind and rain so the connection was choppy and it was hard to hear what Jenny was saying but we enjoyed it anyway.

Here are some pictures that Gary took of the reunion. They looked great. Cooper was decked out in his favorite blue collar and BS had a pretty red bandana. Teddy had a new haircut because he was the “host” of course. And Emma was just as pretty as can be with her blue scarf. It sounds like Cooper was overwhelmed with all the Airedales and humans around him and that he didn’t really spend any quality time with his baby sister. She of course was much more interested in what was happening at the BBQ. She knows what a great cook Uncle Eric is so she didn’t want to miss a thing.

Cooper in all his glory.

Bean Sidhe all dressed up for the party.

Foster family reunion – Lorna, Helen, Eric, Cooper, Emma, Teddy and Bean Sidhe.

“When do we eat?”

Why did the turkey cross the road?

Turkey on the driveway.

To get away from the hunters.

This time of year we hear lots of gun shots. No we aren’t in the ghetto and it isn’t the sound of a “Saturday Night Special” , it’s the hunters and their dreaded shotguns. The dogs hated it  – it’s almost as bad as fireworks. Because of that we get lots of turkeys on our property. We won’t let any one hunt in our fields. I always worry about someone accidentally shooting the dogs.

I tried to get closer to this turkey to take a better picture but as soon as I got close he flew off into the trees. A few years ago we got a beautiful tom turkey who was strutting around with his tail feathers in display. That was before we had a digital camera. If Isee one I will post a picture – they are very beautiful.

I’ve had lots of shoppers at the garage sale. There was a young couple you checked things out at a distance – they have some new babies in the crook of the raingutter so they took a quick break  to see what was happening below.

Do you see anything you like?

Some of my customers like to hop in around closing time when it isn’t so hot or busy. This one was hoping it was a farmer’s market with fresh veggies.

My most frequent customer is that cheeky cat “Freddy” – Mr. Fred Astaire in his tux and white tie. I don’t even know if he is a “he” but Freddy was very timid when I first saw him hanging around wondering who I was and what was I doing.

Dogs? What dogs?

He is still very afraid of me but is warming up slowly – the kitty food is helping. I’m hoping he will keep the mice away since I don’t have my mighty hunter, Bean Shide patroling the area.

This isn’t like the wildlife photos we were taking in Australia but it’s all we’ve got for now. Tiny and not so tiny birds, hopping hares and feral cats. At least they know they are safe in our yard, the only shots they will get from us is a snapshot.

I'll just make myself comfortable on your back stairs.

The Tortoise and the Hare

I am a believer in “signs”. This morning as I was getting ready for another day of garage sale -ing – I saw outside my bathroon window a rabbit on the back lawn. They usually don’t hang around because Airedales just love small furry animals but since the kids are gone and haven’t been around for a year- the wild animals are abundant.

Well, to get on with my story. I saw the rabbit and went to get my camera but it was gone by the time I got back to the window. I continued getting ready for the garage sale. It was early and the driveway was still shadowed by the trees in the morning light. I could see a dark spot on the driveway that didn’t look quite right – then it moved. I ran back into the house and got my camera.

Here is who I met by the side of the road-

"Slow and steady wins the race."

The stuff in the garage will get sold, the stuff in the house will get moved to the garage, the house will sell and we will get back to Australia. I just have to do a little everyday – Aesop was right.

Happy Memorial Day.

Letter to the Kids

In the garage

On the driveway

Stuff on the driveway.

Here is letter I sent to Bean Sidhe and Cooper about what I have been doing.

“Dear Kids,

Today I had a “Garage Sale” which meant I had to take EVERYTHING we had in the garage and pull it out so that people could look at it and ask to have it for almost nothing. It took me all week to get the shelves emptied and cleaned, I had Dad bring up some of the boxes of stuff from the basement and some from the closet. It was hard dirty work (what I did not what Dad did).
 
Cooper you would have hated it, all day long people where driving up to visit and buy things.  One lady even had  her little black dog with her- nothing special like an Airedale but I got a nice doggie cuddle – my first since leaving you guys. I sold my bike and some garden tools and a patio umbrella. A nice man with two little kids bought some children’s books.They are all excited about us moving to Australia.
 
Do you two remember the old farmer Butch who lived at the next farm down the road? (Cooper I think you nipped his ankle once.) He stopped by to say hi. He is retired now and he and his wife moved into a house in the city. His son-in-law is working the farm and he has rented the house to…guess who? The nice man with the kids who came by and bought the books!!!
 
I saw that black cat again today but by the time I found the camera it was gone. I also saw some deer really early this morning. I will carry my camera with me so I can send you some pictures of them.
 
I’m excited for your visit with each other next week. Please ask Aunt Jenny and Aunt Helen to take lots of pictures so Dad and I can see how you are. You might see if Aunt Helen can send me her Skype address and maybe we can call while you are there. Wouldn’t that be nice!!
(I have no idea how we can organize that but I would love to see you live.)
 
Well, I’m beat and I have three more days of garage sale-ing – then again next week. Love and kisses, hugs and rubs! Missing you.
 
Love, Mom

Cooper’s Pictures

I am finally able to add pictures again. Here are the pictures Jenny & Gary sent a few days ago that should have been included in the last blog entry.

 

“You lookin’ at me?”

I’ll just help tidy up a little.

Look at MY new bed!

Now Fergus can have his own bed back.

How do I look?

Coop’s new bed and toys.

A New Spring Look

Just starting to bloom

Don’t leave – I’m trying to edit the look of my blog and so I changed the color of my blog to go with Spring. I will make some more changes in the next few weeks. (As soon as I can figure out how to do it.)