On my way to the outhouse...

...this morning, I heard loud squaking/squealing noices coming from behind one of the out buildings. I thought it was either a baby crow getting fed or some other animal getting eaten. Just as those two thoughts were passing through my head, I heard the growling. It was coming from an animal standing at the edge of the woods looking at me. I'm guessing it was about 40 feet away from where I stood. It probably thought I was going to take it's recently acquired snack. I'm not sure if it was a grey fox or a coyote. Once I was safely in the outhouse, I stood up on the seat and looked through the vents as it was still watching me. If I would've had my camera, I could've gotten a picture of it---but I don't think I need to start bringing my camera to the Johnny with me!This is a grey fox. I had one as a pet when I was a kid so I now what they look like but that was a long time ago. This is a coyote. I haven't seen one before so I'm not sure how big they get. The animal I saw was the size of a small dog/large cat.
After looking at these pictures more closely, I'm leaning towards it being a grey fox. I seem to remember the coloring in the face - maybe a little raccoon like. Also it was pretty small but then again it did have a very distinct black tip on it's tail like the coyote but grey fox also have black on their tail. I'm not really sure which one it was so I guess I'll keep my eyes peeled for future sightings.

Another week comes and goes!

I thought I'd make a list of everything I did this week because it just seemed so busy...again. I'd like to start with Monday but I'll be damned if I can remember what the hell I did. I know I was at Jenny and Nolan's...I think. See what happens when you don't keep track of these things. Just another day lost I guess. I must have been sitting around eating bon bons again! No, I remember going grocery shopping, laundry, and mowing the yard on Monday. On Tuesday I drove to Danube for a visit and met Heidi and Paul's neighbors at a little pot luck party they had at their house. Everyone was very nice. I love the different salads people come up with for these things. I'm not much for making them myself so it's always a treat for me. I spent Wednesday just hanging out in Danube. Of course Tanner and I had our 2 hour snuggle nap in the easy chair...he naps and I snuggle him! I also watched him (and Sleepless in Seattle...love that movie!) in the evening while Heidi played golf and Paul and Steve installed central air at Hotel Nyquist. On Thursday I hit the road for East Bethel to play Bunko. I took the scenic route, stopping at Fleet Farm (bought me some kickin' cowboy boots) then hit the second hand shops in Elk River for THE FIND OF THE DAY...hot pink pleather pants. What would I need them for you ask? To make chaps for the Flamingo Rodeo party at Countryfest of course!! I gave a big WOO HOO right in the middle of the Salvation Army when I spotted them. To top it off, at the dollar store I found flamingo foam hats and glasses, flamingo plates and napkins, bags of hot pink shot glasses and inflatable flamingos. Yee haw! After all that, I barely made it home in time for bunko. Marcy and I went out for a drink after Bunko and I didn't get to bed until two a.m. Luckily I was D.D. so I didn't drink, therefore, no hangover to deal with. Oh yeah...at the bar I ran into Nolan and his neighbor. We laughed at a really drunk guy and a bachelorette party as they tried to pole dance. Yes...Route 65 Bar has a stripper pole on the dance floor...classy!
So it's finally Friday...and it's really crazy how much stuff you can fit into one day. I spent my morning cleaning and doing laundry, getting supper in the fridge, packing up our things and starting out for Barnum. (I'm really going to stay up there now...for real...that's where I live now...it's official!! But first on my way to Barnum, I stopped at Lowe's to finalize and purchace my kitchen cabinets and I stopped in Bethel to check out Cassie's garage sale/fundraiser. Now I'm here in Barnum...and they lived happily ever after. The end.

My most memorable moment of the week: On Thursday as I was on a quest for used cowboy boots, I stopped at a little store in Buffalo Lake called Buffalo Bill's. It turned out to be a second hand store selling a lot of denim stuff, boots, belts, etc. The lights were mostly turned off when I went in so the lady who was working turned them on for me. She told me she was busy getting things cleaned up before her daughter got home. "She could be here any time. I haven't seen her for almost two years...she's in the military...she's been in Iraq." I clapped my hand together and told her how excited I was for her. She was beaming. She's popped into my head a few times over the last couple of days. I imagine their reunion was wonderful!

I'm Back!

It's been a long time since I've been on line. I feel totally disconnected! It's been so busy that taking time to blog or even getting on Facebook seemed like more stress than it was worth. At the moment, Steve and I are staying with Jenny and Nolan until we finally go up north for good. I think we'll be out of here this weekend. We have a graduation to go to on Saturday, and then it's up to the lake for a day or two. After that, Steve has some work down in Heidi and Paul's neck of the woods so I guess I'll be hitting the road again next week. (Steve working there is really just an excuse for a Tanner fix!) After that, "going home" will mean going to Barnum. (so weird!) Oh that's right, I have Bunko next Thursday so I'll be around for that too!

So what have I been doing? My latest adventure has been planning my kitchen for the house in Barnum. I've decided to get cupboards ordered from Menards or Lowes. Actually I've already decided to get them at Lowes because they match whatever deal I can get at Menards...and Cassie works there...and they're really nice to me. It's taken me several trips to both stores to get a plan that's just right. Now that I have both companies comparing apples to apples...I'll get the best deal. Some people have suggested getting custom made cabinets from a local cabinet maker but for me, the extra money (and time) doesn't seem worth it. Seriously, for as often as I actually cook, I'll never wear out a set of cabinets in my lifetime...and I really love the kitchen plan I have for the new house. The only thing I have left to purchase is my range.

Besides the cabinet thing, I've just been chuggin' along...trying to keep up with the business paperwork, still getting the last of our stuff out of our old house, would like to get over to Sadie and Mike's to help finish up the kitchen remodel, planning for countryfest, on and on and on it goes! Gotta love it!

Closing today!

Today we are closing on the sale of our house. It's the final step in what has been a relatively easy process. I think it was nice to sell to someone we know so there was no pressure to get all of our stuff out at any set date. We still will continue to get the rest of the garage and polebarn emptied this week. Steve and I will be in the Anoka area until Memorial weekend, continuing to work on Sadie and Mike's house. Several people have asked me if I'm sad about leaving the house Steve and I built and raised out family in and I can honestly say that I'm not. The house is just boards and bricks like any other building. It's the memories of all the great times I had raising my family there that I'll own forever...no matter where I live. I'm hoping to build more great memories with my ever expanding family at our next home. I can only hope that the new owners and their kids in our old house - and Sadie, Mike and the kids in my Mom and Dad's house - have as great a life on Blackfoot Street as I had for the past 41 years!
This past weekend we hauled another load up north to the "new " place in Barnum. I'm using quotes because it's not really new-in fact it's quite a sight. We call it "The Burned-out House" if that gives you any clue as to it's current beauty. Before we bought it, someone tried to burn it down but only succeeded in filling it with smoke. We gutted it and it is now down to stud walls and isulation. The plumbing was disconected when we added an attached garage last year, so my bathroom is a port-o-potty at the moment. My kitchen stove is a propane camping burner and my kitchen sink is a dishpan and a 5 gallon pail. When I want to take a shower I just heat up a bucket of water on my burner, haul it outside and ladle it over me while I stand on the pallet next to the Johnny! It sounds ridiculous but I really think it's kind of funny and if you know me at all...you know how frickin' fancy I am! Sitting right in the middle of the construction zone is my Select Comfort bed which I am looking forward to most when we finally move up here. I continue to see it how it will be not how it really is - probably a defence mechanism to keep me from going insane! I'm sitting in what will be the sunroom as I type this and noticing that it's starting to feel more like home to me - the first time I really felt that way. Thinking about all the projects and months of work ahead of us, I feel very excited and can't wait to get started!

Busy, busy, BUSY!!!

Well, where to start? Last weekend, Steve and I took the rest of our belongings up north to store at the Barnum house. That's not realy true. We still have to empty out the garage, polebarn, and move the office of Steve's business! Meanwhile, the new owners of our house have moved in and are getting settled. We will be spending the next week and a half living out of suitcases at Sadie and Mike's new house while we renovate the kitchen before we "officially" move up north and they move in ...all of which needs to happen by Memorial weekend at the end of the month. Whew! In the mean time we are trying to run the business from a folding table in the middle of a construction site! I can do this...I can do this...I CAN DO THIS! It's only for a couple more weeks, and Sadie's kitchen will be fabulous when we're finished! Once I get up north to my dandylion/mosquito farm, I'll probably start missing all this mayhem... but maybe not right away!
ps...Weigh-in Wednesday has been postponed until further notice...my scale is missing...it disappeared about the same time I had that dream about eating a giant Thin Mint cookie...I remember waking up feeling bloated yet strangely empowered!