frustrating week...

This has been a very frustrating week. Our house was delivered a week ago, tied down, connected together, and it has sat there a whole week without anything else getting done. We have been waiting on an inspection that had to be completed before they could finish the trim out, and put on the skirting. We heard back today that it passed, so now we wait for the crew to come finish it. I also need to get the utilities hooked up. My septic company isn't answering their phone, though I spoke to them last week, now there is no answer. Son-in-law has friends who can do electric and water, but I need the septic company to do their part too. We climbed a ladder to walk around inside, because they haven't brought steps for us yet. As I said...

Wednesday 9/23

Reporting from MDACC...my echocardiogram was normal. No idea what is causing the tightness in my chest.

Here are some pictures of our new house. It has been in place since Friday, but we haven't gotten anything done since then. We are waiting for a required inspection before they can finish out the skirting and trim.

Monday update...

Sometime after 11:00 this morning, dogs slaughtered over 20 of our chickens. They killed most of the hens that were already laying, and quite a few of the young pullets. Grandson's favorite is among the missing, presumed dead, and he is devastated. This is a very sad day for us, and a great waste, as they had been dead for hours before we discovered them, so not even the feathers are salvageable.

Sunday evening...

...and just returned from a fun time at Ravensfort's Baronial Championships. Husband Mike won the equestrian championship. It's a good thing, as part of the prize is a pass along barding/saddle cover/quarter sheet, that is hidden somewhere in my horse trailer dressing room.

Our house was delivered on Friday. It came in hauled by 2 semi tractors, and positioned, tied down, slid together, and secured. We don't have a key yet, as they have more they need to finish before turning the keys over to us, but we are getting closer to moving in to our own home again. The utilities will be hooked up this week, I hope, and the repairs will completed, too. Nothing major wrong, just minor stuff that gets damaged when you haul a house down the road...

I'll get the electrician, plumber, and septic system guy set up to hook us up tomorrow.

Tuesday, I have more tests at MDACC, and Wednesday is a treatment day.

My grandson topped out of his reading program in the computer lab at school 3.5 weeks into his first grade year. He brought home a 3 week progress report with all As. Everyone is pleased.

It is almost time to feed the critters... I'll update here after I get the test results on Wednesday...

Tuesday, 9/8/09

We had a busy Labor Day weekend. Mike and I, with the help of our youngest son for a couple of hours on Sunday, finished the driveway fence. Now all the horses, except 2 of the older, skinnier ones, are out in the big pasture, protected from getting out the front gate by a new electric fence. We like to leave the front gate open during the day, during the school year, because we are in and out so much, and the grass in the side pasture is eaten down to the roots, so we really needed this finished. I'm so glad to have it completed. It was to the point of finish the fence, or start buying hay for the horses to eat. Buying hay when you have grass in the big pasture, but lack a fence to keep the horses off the driveway made it a simple choice.

We are in need of a home for one of our dogs. He tore loose the wire of the chicken coop, and killed several of our young pullets. A sure death sentence, unless someone without chickens, or ducks wants him. He has until Sunday, then...

I've tolerated the latest round of Chemo very well. No nausea at all, and just the usual fatigue. My lips didn't go numb, though they were slightly tingly. My next treatment is on 9/23, and the Dr has scheduled me for more tests on the day before, so 2 days at MDACC again.

I'm looking forward to attending an SCA event the weekend before that, and they are coming tomorrow to start preparing the ground for our new mobile home. Lots of stuff going on right now...

I've invited friends out for a BBQ the first weekend in October, and we should be in our house by then...

Update, medical and otherwise...

I spent the last 2 days at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Tuesday for tests, and yesterday for treatment. The CT scan of my chest and abdomen showed dramatic shrinkage of most of my tumors. All except one in my upper left lung, have shrunk by as much as 2/3!! The Dr doesn't know why that one isn't shrinking, but is satisfied with the current results, to the point that he has reduced my dosage by 1/3, to the amount I received for my first treatment. It was effective at that dose, and he wants to reduce some of the side effects, such as my lips going numb for 3 days after treatment, and the diaper rash like scalding I was getting from the caustic nature of my urine, as the drug is eliminated. The abdominal CT showed no spread to those organs, and the colitis is totally resolved. I'm very happy right now!!!

On other fronts, Mike and I spent last Saturday looking at mobile homes. I'd decided that it is a little silly to try and build my dream house, given my health status, and we really need our own home. I love my family, but after being married for 35 years, living in one small bedroom, with a spouse, is very nerve wracking. The Oak Creek Homes centers were having a big sale on their model homes. They want to get them off their lot to make room for newer models. We found a 3/2 double wide, 1400+sq ft., for $60,200. We applied for financing, and just heard back today that we were approved. YEAH!!! We still want the RV from my brother, as this will act as a guest house, and is, after all, a travel trailer, so if Mike and I want to travel/camp, sans horses, we can take it and go.

I'm planning on picking up the gates I need to finish the driveway fencing tomorrow so that we can complete that project this weekend, as the horses have eaten all the grass in the side pastures, to the point that we will have to supplement with hay, or finish the fence, and move them to bigger pastures. We have some more mowing to do, but that can be dome a little at a time, with the horses in the pasture. After the fencing along the driveway is done, I can work on my arena. Yeah!!! I love when plans come together!

We are still getting between 6-9 eggs each day from our hens. The ducks need more fattening before we butcher the extra drakes for freezing, so I'm picking up some whole kernel, dry, corn from the feed store, to finish them up. It is too low in protein for the chickens, but should do the trick for these guys, who aren't laying eggs. Sorry if eating your own animals offends anyone, but what else can you do with 20+ male ducks?

MDACC today, and tomorrow...

I'm spending part of today and tomorrow at MDACC. Today is for tests, to check on my cancer's response to my chemo, and tomorrow is for treatment.

It's been busy here at the farm, We have the yard, 3 acres><, almost totally fenced. We bought 2 gates at tractor supply for the driveway fence, but bought 10' instead of 12' so we are using them other places, and need to return to TS for the right size gates, and a second fence charger. Then I need to put up about 50 more insulators, string the electric tape, and the horses can be out in the big pasture all the time.

I need to finish my arena too. All the posts are up, but nothing is between them, except where it goes along with the yard fence. Once that is up, I can disc it good, incorporating the load of sand I've already purchased, and we will be ready to rock & roll. I'll need more sand in there, but it will have to wait until I start getting my checks.

We bought more T posts for fencing off the garden. Everything planted gets eaten as soon as it sprouts. We have too many varmints!!!