Random, Useless Facts about Me

My friend Connie at http://thehutchhaus.blogspot.com/ answered these questions and it looked like a fun blog. I am going to try it. If you would like to also just copy, take out my answers and enter yours. Kindof a fun way to get to know others without getting too personal.
High heels or boots? Well, I wear boots all winter and sneakers all summer. I have never worn high heels due to the fact that I am already 5’ 11”. Check out the “ballet slippers” I’m wearing today.

 This is mostly because we have a mud dooryard, mud driveway and my feet are hidden most of the day under my desk, so what’s the use wearing cute shoes size 11?
What time did you get up this morning? I got up at 6:00 am. Been having trouble with my teeth that are going to be removed on Wednesday. The two nights before I didn’t sleep much at all, so it felt good to really sleep. I leave for work at 7:00, so it is important to get going in the morning.
Diamonds or pearls? Not that I own any, but diamonds would be my favorite over pearls. Both are beautiful though.
What is your favorite TV show? I like Antiques Road Show, Law and Order, CSI and others. I really like documentaries with a science theme.
What do you usually have for breakfast? I usually have eggs and toast, or French toast. I need breakfast ‘cause it’s a long time before lunch and I need to be able to think.
No coffee, but I like juice or hot chocolate made from scratch.
What is your middle name? Elaine
What food do you dislike? Okra
What is your favorite CD at the moment? Well, I guess I don’t have one. I don’t play CD’s. I listen to VPR on the weekends.
What characteristic do you despise? It bothers me when someone complains about the same thing all the time. I also get irritated with whining. My girls were not allowed to whine. If they whined, things did not go well for them.
Favorite clothing? Jeans and T-Shirt, though I can tolerate dressing up and do like to occasionally.
If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation where would you go? Someplace warm and tropical with sandy beaches and good swimming.
Are you an organized person? Well, I’d like to think I was, but sometimes things just get ahead of me. I have to be somewhat organized living in such a small place you gotta put it away where it goes or else caos errupts.
Where would you like to retire to? Someplace where I could have a garden year round. I like the seasons, but not the bitter cold. If I must live in New England it would at least be great to have a nice year round greenhouse, or indoor swimming pool J
What was your most recent memorable birthday? I don’t do much for birthdays but the one I remember the most is my 50th when nearly everyone in my family forgot and I had to work. Everyone apologized later, not that it really mattered to me too much, but I do remember it.
What are you going to do when you finish this? Post it in a blog. Finish my work for today and go home, cook dinner and spend some time with my Sweetie.
Furthest place you are sending this? Who knows how far these things go. Seems they can go around the world. In reading blogs from others I’ve read one from Australia, from England, from Alaska… all over.
Person you expect to send it back first? Well, I’m not sure who will respond, but it will be fun to see if anyone does.
When is your birthday? December
Are you a morning person or a night person? Morning
What is your favorite color? Green
Do you own any animals? One dog, one 3 legged kitty, lots of chickens and ducks.
Any new and exciting news you'd like to share: not really
What did you want to be when you were little? I wanted to be a farmer. Guess that one was fulfilled.
What is your favorite flower? I like Columbine, Hollyhocks, and Peonies. All of which I have in my flower beds. I like lots of others too, but those are my favorites.
What day on the calendar are you looking forward to: Summer. Around here will be the end of May.
What was the last thing you ate? Saltines and homemade cream of celery soup.
Do you wish upon stars? Nope. Where we live we see lots of stars at night and I’ve been noticing Orion moving lower in the horizon.
If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Green
How is the weather right now? Sunny and warm…relatively warm…30 degrees.
Last person you spoke to on the phone? A salesperson calling for someone else.
Favorite soft drink? I don’t drink soda much, but I like juice. Apple juice is good if it’s diluted a little.
Favorite restaurant? Ramunto’s Pizza, and Olive Garden
Hair color? Blond
What was your favorite toy as a child? Lincoln Logs
Summer or winter? Summer
Chocolate or vanilla? chocolate
Coffee or tea? tea
Favorite food of all time? Big juicy hamburger with mushrooms and onions and cheese.
Do you want your friends to leave a comment? Yea… that would be cool.
When was the last time you cried? Well, I guess when Spotty got hit by a truck. We didn’t know if she was going to make it or not. She is doing very well now… after $1150.00 in repair.
What is under your bed? dust bunnies and animal hair… that’s where the dog and cat sleep, in shifts.
What are you afraid of? Not much.
Salty or sweet? salty
Best quality you have? happiness
How many years at your current job? 2 years here at my current job, 8 years at Joann Fabrics as a member of management team, 15 years teaching various grades and subjects. Teaching is my profession, but needed to make more money right now as we have had to move and take a loan for that.
Favorite day of the week? Sunday
Positive or negative? I’d say I’m a positive person. I have those days though
Do you like finding out all this stuff about your friends? It is fun to share with others what you think and feel about stuff. Makes it more interesting.

SEE YA NEXT WEEK!

Some of you must get an early start on this.  I don't have to think too hard to come up with  "stuff" problems...

  When Mr. D and I were married 8 years ago, we combined 3 households worth of "stuff" (I'd call it junk, but Mr. D doesn't appreciate that).  My "stuff" had mostly been in storage because I had moved in to help Mom soon after graduating from college.  I just used her "stuff" which was better than my "stuff" anyway.  Then, Mr. D and I were married and so he brought all his "stuff" with him to stay with us and also help take care of Mom.  Then we decided to take my "stuff" out of storage and find someplace at Mom's to keep it since it was costing money to keep the storage unit and we seemed to have enough room with a new garage.  So my "stuff" came home again... now there were 3.  Then my Aunt Jean died and we were asked to come clean out her apartment... only 2 rooms, but you can't imagine the "stuff" that was stored there.  I didn't want to just throw away "stuff" since she had old handmade lace and such tucked into boxes with old bulk mail and there were family pictures tucked in everywhere and old jewelry etc.  I also did not have time right then to go through all the "stuff", so it was stored in the barn/garage with all the other "stuff".  Then Mom died and we had to move.  We bought land and cleared it and put on a septic and well and moved her mobile home there.  We then took all the "stuff" and stored it where ever we could finds spots, some in a friends barn, some in another friends barn, some in a garage and some in a storage unit... again.  We are working now at bringing it all home.  Our mobile home still needs some work to make it livable and ever so slowly we are going through all the "stuff".

The moral of the story is.... avoid keeping anything without going through and making sure it is something you will definately use.  If not... don't keep it, give it away, sell it or simply recycle.  Otherwise the "stuff" will get you.

Just a Quickie

This must have been one hurtin' chicken.

Since this flock of hens started laying we have been getting 2 eggs per week that are huge.  This picture gives you an idea of the size comparison.  On the left a large chicken egg.  The middle is a duck egg which are generally larger than chicken eggs, then on the right our "super chicken" egg.  These eggs will not fit in any of our boxes, so we usually eat them ourselves.  I wish all our chickens laid these eggs :)  but 2 per week is fine with me.  I just hope the poor chicken is OK.   All our hens seem to be happy and healthy and we don't know which of them is laying these eggs.

Winter Again

After going without snow for such a long time... we thought we were going to be spared, not that we didn't have snow on the ground, but all the big storms were tracking south of us and we were hoping that they would stay there, but this past week all that changed.  Wednesday we had a big storm.  My normal commute to work took 1 hour longer than usual.  The roads were snow covered, but not too slippery.  Folks were just being very cautious...

You can't really see from this picture, but the traffic was up and around the turn way up ahead.  With no other roads around, I just waited in line.  Once on the highway it was smooth sailing.

Then it snowed again on Thursday, and again on Friday, and again on Saturday.  Sunday was sunny then today when I went out there was another inch of snow on my car to clean off.  It looks like from what the weatherman says we may not have any more snow for a while. 

Thursday night there were fierce winds, but our land was spared somehow.  God really had His hand on us this weekend.  We had just put up a small shelter for the compost outside where the ducks go out.  They have been digging up old compost and getting sick, so we piled sawdust over all that and made a small shelter.  Mr. D had not been able to complete the project so it is not tied down too well and we knew that the wind would have just taken that and thrown it who knows where.  We usually get lots of wind on our hill, but not this time.  All around us trees were down.  We lost electricity for about 20 hours and our phone was out for about 32 hours, but all is back now and we are warm and cozy.

A couple photos of Saturday's snow...  poor man's fertilizer.  This is the chicken coop with the leanto made out pallets and metal roofing.  It serves a purpose, but cannot tie it down too well because everything is frozen down there.  The snow on the roof ought to help hold it down now.

Our old Ford plow truck.  Doesn't look like much, but that thing weighs 9000 lb.  It has a double frame and a dump bed.  Dualies in the back with 4WD.  It has been broken down for the better part of 2 years, but now has a newly rebuilt engine and has been a big help this winter.  Mr. D's pride and joy. 

In the upper picture the structure to the left is our "greenhouse"  and just down hill from that is where our garden area is.  Soon we will be getting little plants started... hard to believe with all this snow.  The snow falls off the roof easily and is all off now.

Hope you have a wonderful day.  Spring is right around the corner!

Mrs. D