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Thunder-boomers are ALL around us; we've had some rain, with more on the way. :dances: We NEED it!
This is gonna be a bit random:
1. Bucks got out last night. The kids and I had "fixed" most of the fence between them and the mare pasture...last night I finished it. :sigh: Stupid bucks have BROKEN the "H" support at the corner of the pen...not sure how they managed it, since the horses haven't been able to budge it, but...they did. I slapped up some more cattle panels (held by...zip ties. Yup. Plastic zip ties. So far, they've worked (I have....multi-colored fences right now. You can tell where the "problem" areas are by the amount of neon-zip ties.) and - so far! - they're still contained. Fence-work is at the top of the chore list.
2. Milking machine. We've been using it (not this AM, though, because of rain. It's on an extension cord; we lose power when it rains. No biggie...); last year we left it at the barn to dry off. This year, SG decided to haul it to the house. Not a problem...except we weren't hanging the inflations, so the cleaning solution was sitting in the hoses all day. I had to toss 1.5 gallons of "soapy" milk this AM. We've got a solution - I pulled out my drying rack, and the hoses are draped over it.
3. School. I have an overview made out. I know WHAT I am teaching, and I know WHEN. I just need to sit down and plan the day-by-day stuff...next week. The Geography book I have has online stuff, so I need to make sure to include that in our daily schedule. I also need to include the maps and paper models with History, and Science experiments.
4. Learning assessment: I have both kids' assessments. BOTH of them do better by READING the material themselves. Herself needs to "fiddle" with stuff (I had already figured *that* out); Himself needs hands-on stuff to make the material stick. Listening is 3rd on their lists....so we're going to try individual reading this year. (Funnily enough, Himself put Math as his "hardest" subject. I questioned that....he said "Well. Math takes me a bit to understand, but once I know what they want, it's EASY." :snerk: I kinda don't think that's what the assessment meant by "hardest subject". :lol:
5. Field trip! We're going out again today. Terrell has a museum dedicated to the British flying squadron that trained here in WWII. I had NO idea - and it's FREE! Should be cool -there were like 6 training fields that trained British airmen...ours was the largest. :boasts:
Gotta run and milk while it's not raining. More later!
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Because we were out all morning, again! Today was Herself's doc appt - they prescribed Abilify for her mood swings...not sure how I feel about that; it's been used in ASD kids for a while now, and it's at a very LOW (2 mg) dose...but..... - then stopped at the Arboretum again. Mom was with us - fun day, but HOT. After lunch we stopped at JoAnn's for Herself, and Half-Price for me - I scored a nice copy of Story of the World for $8. Yes, we're past Ancients, but I figure it'll be a nice reminder for them to free-read. They had an Abeka book on the Kings of Israel...but I left it there. We have TorahClass...which is more in-depth then Abeka ever thought about being. (And more True, as well!)
Goat kids seem fine on the replacer - no scours yet. :fingers crossed:
Kids go to Granny's on Friday - 2 weeks of "freedom"! I'll be doing Lesson Plans, so it's a working vacation for me. :grin: I have the schedule made out already; I just need to actually fill it in. I enjoy doing that, so...:lol:
Not much else going on....too hot.
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Spent most of today in the truck, driving around. Today we went to the large metropolis of Greenville, TX, home of Atwood's - my favorite Farm and Ranch store. :lol: SG wanted overalls - they had them. And goat milk replacer (if the kids do well on it (mixed 50/50 with REAL milk), we'll go back for a bigger bag - it works out cheaper than store-bought milk.). And tubing for the machine. And and and...:lol:
They had ALL their nursery stuff 50% off; we came home with 2 Yellow Delicious Apple trees. :mmmmm:
On the way home, we stopped at a small nursery...and I have a champagne grape vine. WITH fruit! And Nolo Bait - it kills grasshoppers. :huzzah!:
Then we took a detour.....went down by one of the lakes near us, and drove around. Fun, but tiring!
Home now....SG is going to plant the stuff, and I am resting.
Tomorrow is Herself's doc. appointment - we decided unilaterally that school was off this week. I have some plans.....:lol:
Oh - we killed another (#5) snake last night. This one (Anna, skip this!) was
........skipped to spare Anna....................
IN THE HOUSE. :shudder: Non-venemous; all of these have been bull-snakes - but I DON'T CARE. We bought a ton of garlic bulbs a few minutes ago, and I am going to seed them around the house. I do NOT like snakes in the house!!!! :shudder:
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SG had to go into the office yesterday, so we tagged long. It only took 30 minutes, so we had a bit of time to kill. (we didn't want to drive an hour for 30 minutes of sitting). We ended up at the Mall.....where we walked and window shopped for a few hours. It was fun - we got some interesting tea, visited the Lego store, and ended up at Build-a-Bear. No, I didn't get a new critter....just a set of Jedi robes for my sheep. :lol: and a light saber.
Today SG's aunt is coming over. We're going to do some exploring with her, and SG will grill steaks for dinner. I'm going to go get some weaving in before it heats up (that should be rectified next Saturday; our A/C repair friend is coming over. We'll keep the receipt and .....well, we're working on getting THAT situation taken care of.)
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Blah..
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May. 25th, 2012 @ 05:51 am
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OK, I don't know what was wrong with the link - HSBC GAVE me that link, so it should have worked! - but here's a link *directly* to the page they have the offer on: link IF you have to sign up, and you don't want to, shoot me an email. Because *I* think it's important to know about your kid......and you shouldn't have to sign up for something you won't use for it (and HSBC isn't the one offering the deal; they just offer the code. And I don't think it's right to charge $$$ for something just because people don't want to sign up for something they don't need. Although....I've saved (and spent!) a LOT of money thru HSBC.......but YOU may not want to use anything they offer.)
Wrist is WORSE this morning. I had to ditch the brace last night, because it was causing more pain. :sigh: Fun stuff.......
Need to go put a roast on. If I don't get back today, Shabbat Shalom!
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| » Back from doc... |
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And we don't know anything. The x-ray machine was broken. He put me in a brace, wrote a prescription, and sent me home. :sigh:
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May. 24th, 2012 @ 03:43 pm
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| » Various and Sundry Stuffs.... |
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1. Homeschool Buyer's Co-Op is offering a HECK of a deal on Learning Style Assessments - they're normally $35 each; thru the Co-Op you can get them for *$3*. Here's the link to HSBC:
Go to http://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org/learning-style-assessment-2/?source=taf-gb for more information.
Now. You're not buying it thru the Co-Op; they just give you a code. Email me for details......because I think the code is the same no matter who buys it; I snagged it this AM and both kids are slated to do the "test" (Himself is doing it right now.) The code is only good to June 7, so...if you want to do this, don't wait too long.
Why? Because.....neither one of my kids fits the "standard" mold. I have a VERY strong suspicion that Herself is 2E (Twice Exceptional) - I think she's just as gifted as Himself, but the Asperger's gets in the way. By having her do this assessment, I can get the right type of curriculum - or tweak what I already have - for her to excel. (Math. Math is her weak point - she'll have DAYS of "dumb", then all of a sudden *bam*, the light comes on and she nails it. I would like to have an idea of stuff to do that'll help that *bam* moment happen sooner - less frustration all around!) (And for Himself, I want to know what to do to keep him engaged. He's BORED right now; granted, we're on the "lighter schedule"...but I want to know what to do to keep him interested.)
2. Goat Management: All goats get a parasite called cocci. Normal, traditional treatment is 5 days of Corid at 21 days old, wait 21 days, and do it again. Gals on DGI have been testing a "new" protocol - 1 dose. That's it. 1 dose at 21 days, and NOTHING ever again. The medication is called Baycol....and I ordered a bottle. Yes, it's expensive ($50/bottle)...but *1* dose! One lady has been fecaling every week since she dosed her kid crop - and keeps coming up CLEAN. NO cocci at all.
It's not available in the US yet, but you can get it here. I'm planning on dosing the kid crop with it when it comes in - it's well worth the $$ if I only have to grab kids 1x. (Easy when they're on bottles - you put the dose in with the milk. When they're older..it's not so easy.)
3. SG wants to go all digital - ie, no more DVDs. However, it's kind of hard to do that when you can get 4 seasons of a particular show for $34; it's $30 PER SEASON on iTunes. :sigh: I just...I can't pay that much more for something just to save space, kwim? (Big Bang Theory, for those interested. Ebay has the best prices.....)
Doc appointment at 2....more later.
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May. 24th, 2012 @ 09:17 am
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| » Today was shopping day.... |
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and we've been out ALL day. Left at 8:30...got home for a wee bit at 10:30, left again at 11:30 (with Mom in tow) and didn't get back until 2:30.
My monthly grocery shopping is done, and both kids have new items of clothing. I cleared out the meat market :lol:, so we're good to go there, too.
Wrist....still numb. Makes me nauseous when I move it too much - which isn't a good sign.
Talked to the Constable today - I love that guy! He's very nice, and didn't like the story we told him. :heh: He said that he works for *me*, and he's going to do his best job. :nods: and :lol: More on this later...it's going to get very interesting and tense for a bit, I think.
Gotta go start dinner - spaghetti tonight. The hamburger had JUST been ground at the meat market - can't get much fresher than that! :mmmmmmm:
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May. 23rd, 2012 @ 03:59 pm
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| » Blather... |
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The studio is almost all set up. The dining room is almost cleared of my craft stuff; can't finish until I have a bookshelf to put the books and magazines on. The other little stuff is just waiting until I get the studio organized......my problem? The table loom(s).
Yes, I have 3 looms. 1 big, huge monster of a Glimakra (LOVE her! 60" wide (OK...58" per Glimakra, but what's 2"?), 8S (only set up for 4 right now, but I have the kit to upgrade), 1 22" 4S Structo that I put on a treadle stand (to "convert" it to a floor loom) and 1 16" 12S LeClerc (that is currently at a friend's house....I have NO room for it!). Plus the 20" RH loom, and 2 inkle looms. (Those 3 don't concern me right now - they fit under the table just fine.)
WHY do I have the table looms, when I have the Glimakra? Let me explain....
The weaving width of a loom tells you the maximum width you can weave - that's NOT the width of the finished fabric, mind you - you lose probably 2", maybe 3", when you wet-finish it - which means you can weave fabric UP TO that width. So, my 60" loom will weave a piece of fabric that finishes out at approx. 56" wide. Wide enough to do a tablecloth in 1 piece, or a bedspread, or curtain fabric for wide windows. I can also weave narrower things - placemats, dishclothes, etc. So...why do I hang onto the 22"?
Because of "loom waste". See, EVERY loom has a length of warp yarn that it can NOT weave. My big monster of a loom wastes about 1 - 1.5 yards of yarn on EVERY warp - because of the depth from the last shaft to the back beam, and the amount of yarn it takes to tie onto the cloth beam in front. I've tried various ways to cut down on the waste - tying on a "dummy warp" (but then you have to tie ALL your warp threads to it and hope the 400+ knots hold :ick:), "lashing on" to cords attached to the beam (works to the end of the warp, then I run into MAJOR tension issues - I lost about 2 yards that time. :sigh:)......it's just a fact of life that I need to add 1 yard in length to every project.
On a long warp - like, for these dishtowels - it's not a big deal. A 4.5 yard warp will net me about 4 dishtowels. I might be able to squeak a short "rag" out of the end, but I'm good with 4 finished towels. On a short warp, however - like for, say, a scarf - 1 yard is WAY too much waste. (And I don't like weaving identical scarves - they go fast, and get boring. :lol:)
The Structo is much shallower - and, IIRC, I only have like 20" (I think it's less, actually) of waste on it. THAT's not bad - for a scarf, I'll warp 2.5 yards, and end up with a good 6' finished scarf, not including fringe. I'd have to warp at LEAST 3 yards on the Glimakra....while .5 yards doesn't sound like much, when you multiply that by numerous scarves, it adds up quickly (and when you're talking *handspun* yarn, it REALLY adds up!)
So.....I keep the smaller loom...but I have NO room for it. I spent a good hour yesterday shifting stuff around; ended up with the Structo on the ledge where the wheels were going to go. The wheels will now sit in FRONT of the ledge, on the runner....not exactly where I wanted them, but there's really no other place for them. (I'm not worried about blocking access to the wool/yarn stash; I don't go in there every day, just at the start of projects. It won't be an issue in having to scoot a wheel or 2 out of the way.) My issue is with the water heater - I wanted the wheels on the ledge so if the WH ever blows, they won't get water-damaged. (Never mind the loom - 2 of my wheels actually cost me MORE than the loom did!)
The LeClerc has been for sale for 2 years now...I have it for $500 - brand new it's $1,770. NOBODY has even nibbled on it. :sigh: I've only used it about 5 times - I just don't like multi-shaft weaving. 8S will be enough fun, I think....12S was overkill. (In fact, I never used more than the front 4 shafts on it...funny, huh? :lol:) (The more shafts you have, the fancier patterns you can do. I'm happy exploring 4S patterns; 8 will send me over the moon!) I really don't want to mark it down any more......but it's OK right now, since it's not *here*.
I'm trying to convince myself that I really don't NEED the Structo....but it's not working. Yet. Sometimes you do need to have 2 looms in action at the same time.....but.....:sigh: And, it's easier to teach somebody the basics of weaving on it than on my Glimakra, because of the tie-up (how you tie each shaft to the treadles. On the Structo, it's easy - 1 tie per shaft. On the Glimakra, it's not - each shaft has to be tied to EVERY treadle; each treadle lifts the pattern shafts and drops the others. Makes for a nice large shed, and it's easier on the warp threads, but it's a bugger to set up!)
I dunno.....I have all this space, and it feels like it's still not enough room. I had offered to downsize my Glimakra - I used to have a 45" loom, and it was nice; I'd just have to piece larger items - but SG said emphatically NO. (Which made me happy - this was and is my dream loom!). It's just SO BIG.......I'll keep moving things around until it "clicks". The loom is where it is - there's really no other place to put it but in the middle of the room - but the rest of the stuff can be shuffled around.
Just thinking out loud here...
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May. 22nd, 2012 @ 10:51 am
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| » :UGH: |
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I have done something bad to my left wrist. It doesn't *feel* broken, but.....last night I went out to feed the kids. I went to pick up Chell, and somehow managed to bash my wrist into the door post of the kid pen. :ouch: It immediately went all numb (NOT a good sign, in my experience); today it's slightly swollen, still numb, and aches. :sigh: I have an appointment Thursday with the local Ortho (he's seen me before, and is part of the practice that did all my surgeries, so he's familiar with my wrist. :sigh:)
Work went quickly today. Was done with ALL the input by 10:30; got the checks keyed and printed and the invoices sent out by 11:50. :happy dance: All this with a bum wrist - things are looking up! (sorta!)
Gotta go rest the wrist - "see" ya on the flip side!
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May. 21st, 2012 @ 01:43 pm
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