I have heard about the Friday Five, I choose the number four.
What is your favorite thing about each of the four seasons?
1. Winter - all is clean and fresh.
2. Spring - not much there aside from newness. I don't like the mud that comes from melting snow. Probably the lambs are best.
3. Summer - walking on the gravel road, watching the kids play and being able to hear them when the wind is blowing just right.
4. Fall - my favorite. The mosquitos are gone, everything feels crisp. The wheat is ripe and golden - it ripples.
A quote for you - "But under the hard and bitter rind of winter, there is much loveliness. The white mystery of snow is a splendid thing; all the landscape is muted to a deep silver laced with blue shadows. The meadow is a sea of pearl with scattered dark masts of brier riding the foam. The cool, clean smell of snow is in the air, a special fragrance known only to winter country." Gladys Taber, Stillmeadow Seasons
I don't know Gladys but I need to take her words to heart. There is so much about winter that makes it easy not to look beyond the cold and whiteness.
Take a moment.
1/28/2005
1/27/2005
Coyote Bounty
I'm going hunting!! No, not really, but this is something that may pull me away from my target practice (tin cans) and onto bigger and better things.
The local paper had an article about a bounty being offered for dead coyotes. It seems that the coyote population is increasing in the southeastern portion of ND and a local county wildlife club has offered a $25 bounty per coyote. The club has $1600 to spend and when it's gone, the hunt is over.
I'm just not there yet, now if we were talking skunks.....
The local paper had an article about a bounty being offered for dead coyotes. It seems that the coyote population is increasing in the southeastern portion of ND and a local county wildlife club has offered a $25 bounty per coyote. The club has $1600 to spend and when it's gone, the hunt is over.
I'm just not there yet, now if we were talking skunks.....
Your Place
Rural homes are identified as being someone's place. No, it's not like that somebody's crib thing. The "place" term refers to whoever lives there. I'm not explaining this well. An example will help. Here is a fictional situation, but one that has probably happened to a newcomer out there.
I call for a propane delivery. Where do you live is the next obvious question. Well, first you give the address. Nope, not good enough. Try the north/south/east/west directions - you know, take this road, turn west and go for 6 miles, turn south for 3 miles and then back west again for 4 miles. I have a little trouble with the north/south/east/west directions so I tried saying the name of the person who had lived here before us. Immediate recognition - oh, you live on the Smith place! Sure, we'll be there in 20 minutes.
At what point does it become our "place"? It's OK though that the former owner's name is still attached to our farm. At least she is still alive. My parents' house is referred to by the owners, who have been deceased for at least 10 years!
I call for a propane delivery. Where do you live is the next obvious question. Well, first you give the address. Nope, not good enough. Try the north/south/east/west directions - you know, take this road, turn west and go for 6 miles, turn south for 3 miles and then back west again for 4 miles. I have a little trouble with the north/south/east/west directions so I tried saying the name of the person who had lived here before us. Immediate recognition - oh, you live on the Smith place! Sure, we'll be there in 20 minutes.
At what point does it become our "place"? It's OK though that the former owner's name is still attached to our farm. At least she is still alive. My parents' house is referred to by the owners, who have been deceased for at least 10 years!
This week/Fido
It's been a quiet week. Quiet is good as we are gearing up for lambing in a couple of months. Lambing means going out to check the sheep every hour or two during the day and, if I am up to it, once or twice during the night. We spend a month doing this as that was as long as the ram was with the flock (do I need to explain that any further?).
Sheep do not have a great mothering instinct for the first few days. First time mothers are the worst. We have had some sheep who are off grazing after having their lamb (or two) and not even realize that their little one needs to be cleaned up and nursed - hence the need for frequent checking. A mother and her baby (or babies) will be taken into the barn and penned up in a small area so that the lamb can catch the mother and after a couple of days they form the mother/child or sheep/lamb bond.
Last year was quite exciting as we had a sheep with a prolapsing uterus. I borrowed all the sheep books the local library had, read quickly and we rigged a device to keep the sheep from losing the lamb The kids got to help with the process and we had to be sure to be home when she had her baby to release the device. Have I told you this story before?
Well, Fido (we called her that because we had a dog collar on her to assist with "the device") went into labor on a day when we were home so the kids got her into the barn. Matthew and I caught her and released the device. Labor progressed, but the poor thing had felt so violated by everything that we had done to maintain her pregnancy that she freaked out when the lamb had it's head protruding. She got up and started running around the barn. Obviously intervention was necessary once again. Matthew tackled her, Katelyn cleaned off the baby's nose and mouth, Alyssa cheered us on and I pulled the lamb. It was not breathing when born. BUT my extensive reading for the first problem had offered a solution for a lamb that is not breathing. The book said something about making sure the ceiling in the lambing shed is not too low (I guess some are); not a problem in our barn. Step two, grab the lamb by the hind legs, hold on tight as it is slippery (yes, I had gloves on). Now swing the baby in arc over your head a couple of times. Apparently the force of the swing pushes up on the diaphragm and sometimes jump starts the heart/lungs.
The kids thought I was insane, but after about two or three circles, the baby was breathing nicely. We helped the sheep and her lamb into a pen and completed the process.
Whew, I'll take boring for a few more weeks.
Sheep do not have a great mothering instinct for the first few days. First time mothers are the worst. We have had some sheep who are off grazing after having their lamb (or two) and not even realize that their little one needs to be cleaned up and nursed - hence the need for frequent checking. A mother and her baby (or babies) will be taken into the barn and penned up in a small area so that the lamb can catch the mother and after a couple of days they form the mother/child or sheep/lamb bond.
Last year was quite exciting as we had a sheep with a prolapsing uterus. I borrowed all the sheep books the local library had, read quickly and we rigged a device to keep the sheep from losing the lamb The kids got to help with the process and we had to be sure to be home when she had her baby to release the device. Have I told you this story before?
Well, Fido (we called her that because we had a dog collar on her to assist with "the device") went into labor on a day when we were home so the kids got her into the barn. Matthew and I caught her and released the device. Labor progressed, but the poor thing had felt so violated by everything that we had done to maintain her pregnancy that she freaked out when the lamb had it's head protruding. She got up and started running around the barn. Obviously intervention was necessary once again. Matthew tackled her, Katelyn cleaned off the baby's nose and mouth, Alyssa cheered us on and I pulled the lamb. It was not breathing when born. BUT my extensive reading for the first problem had offered a solution for a lamb that is not breathing. The book said something about making sure the ceiling in the lambing shed is not too low (I guess some are); not a problem in our barn. Step two, grab the lamb by the hind legs, hold on tight as it is slippery (yes, I had gloves on). Now swing the baby in arc over your head a couple of times. Apparently the force of the swing pushes up on the diaphragm and sometimes jump starts the heart/lungs.
The kids thought I was insane, but after about two or three circles, the baby was breathing nicely. We helped the sheep and her lamb into a pen and completed the process.
Whew, I'll take boring for a few more weeks.
Let's Do The Wave
If you live in a rural area and travel on a gravel road you don't need to read any further, you know how the wave is done. No, city-dwellers, I am not talking about the one-finger salute that is used when someone is cut-off in traffic or otherwise upset.
The wave. My husband was quite impressed with the number of people that I apparently knew and that my Mom and Dad knew when we first moved to ND. I had to tell him I had no idea who the people were that were waving to us. "Wow! They wave and you don't even know them!?"
Here is how it is done - there is etiquette involved, you don't just go around waving. First of all, waving takes place on a gravel road. The special kind of driving needed for sharing 1.5 lanes with a passing vehicle causes you to slow down a bit. Now, look at the other driver's face, not their hands. Eye contact will be made before the wave.
Remember that you are not living near a group of overly demonstrative people so you won't see a whole hand wave (there is one exception - see below). No, there are too many Germans and Norwegians living here. My father is a great example - he drives with one hand at the top of the steering wheel. You will see his index finger flip up, at the last moment prior to passing. That's it - that's the wave.
Try it the next time you drive somewhere on a gravel road. Just give the oncoming driver a wave. It always makes me smile.
OK - here is the exception to the low-key wave. My Mom and Dad have an awesome neighbor. He is the kind of guy who can, and will, fix just about anything, take time to talk to you and is just an all-around nice guy. Dorian waves with his whole arm - forget one finger or even just a wave of the hand. If you see his blue pick-up truck, be prepared to give him an enthusiastic response, but only if you are driving on a gravel road!
The wave. My husband was quite impressed with the number of people that I apparently knew and that my Mom and Dad knew when we first moved to ND. I had to tell him I had no idea who the people were that were waving to us. "Wow! They wave and you don't even know them!?"
Here is how it is done - there is etiquette involved, you don't just go around waving. First of all, waving takes place on a gravel road. The special kind of driving needed for sharing 1.5 lanes with a passing vehicle causes you to slow down a bit. Now, look at the other driver's face, not their hands. Eye contact will be made before the wave.
Remember that you are not living near a group of overly demonstrative people so you won't see a whole hand wave (there is one exception - see below). No, there are too many Germans and Norwegians living here. My father is a great example - he drives with one hand at the top of the steering wheel. You will see his index finger flip up, at the last moment prior to passing. That's it - that's the wave.
Try it the next time you drive somewhere on a gravel road. Just give the oncoming driver a wave. It always makes me smile.
OK - here is the exception to the low-key wave. My Mom and Dad have an awesome neighbor. He is the kind of guy who can, and will, fix just about anything, take time to talk to you and is just an all-around nice guy. Dorian waves with his whole arm - forget one finger or even just a wave of the hand. If you see his blue pick-up truck, be prepared to give him an enthusiastic response, but only if you are driving on a gravel road!
1/26/2005
It's Crushing Me
Often (since retirement from "real" work) I am asked, "and what do you do?." This is after I have told the person that I just met that I homeschool my children, run a small hobby farm and just keep myself upright. I have found the perfect response. I look the person who is gazing at me (with that stupid expectant look) and say (trying to keep a straight face), "I do laundry." Usually there is no response other than the look of disgust as they try to glide away, no, they run away to make conversation with someone who they believe can handle the theory of quantum physics.
Clothing in the summer is smaller and doesn't seem as burdensome, and besides, I can leave it in the clothesline for two days, calling that rain shower an extra rinse cycle. Out of sight, mostly out of mind. Anyway, winter laundry is huge - and with a teenage boy, the laundry is extra, well, gross. If you must know, it's the socks. Teenage boys, or at least ours, finds every bit of dirt and collects it on his socks. I know, that means he is working or playing in the dirt, but the white loads of laundry....
I'm whining. More jeans to dry and fold!
Clothing in the summer is smaller and doesn't seem as burdensome, and besides, I can leave it in the clothesline for two days, calling that rain shower an extra rinse cycle. Out of sight, mostly out of mind. Anyway, winter laundry is huge - and with a teenage boy, the laundry is extra, well, gross. If you must know, it's the socks. Teenage boys, or at least ours, finds every bit of dirt and collects it on his socks. I know, that means he is working or playing in the dirt, but the white loads of laundry....
I'm whining. More jeans to dry and fold!
1/24/2005
Jobs Well Done
Yesterday was a great day. We, as a family, accomplished many tasks.
Mark cleared the driveway with the tractor, moving as much of the snow as he could into a large pile for the kids to play on.
We then loaded up and went to my parent's house. There we did the following: cut out a dress for Katelyn for school (she is to be Martha Washington); castrated two calves; ear tagged all of the sheep - they are enrolled in a federal scrapies monitoring program; and spent a lovely evening watching Second Hand Lions.
Mark cleared the driveway with the tractor, moving as much of the snow as he could into a large pile for the kids to play on.
We then loaded up and went to my parent's house. There we did the following: cut out a dress for Katelyn for school (she is to be Martha Washington); castrated two calves; ear tagged all of the sheep - they are enrolled in a federal scrapies monitoring program; and spent a lovely evening watching Second Hand Lions.
Through rain, wind, snow, snow, snow - the mail must go through
We have the greatest mailman. I imagine that most of you don't even know the person who delivers your mail. Well, one of the awesome things about living on "the edge of nowhere" is that you choose to value the contact that you receive with every other human being.
Our mailman comes every day between 12:30-1:30pm. We used to get a heads-up when Charlie would bark and now miss that warning signal (that is a story for another day). Alyssa would hear the bark and run for the closest exit, racing across the lawn at top speed to meet the mailman - yelling "wait, wait, I'm coming." Now, since she has learned to tell time ("the o'clocks and everything, Mom") she watches the clock for him.
Curt patiently waits at the mailbox for her and they have a conversation. Some days she comes back to the house to share what was talked about. Other days she just shrugs and says "we talked about the weather" or "we talked about mail." Whatever the subject, the mailman is the expert on it, according to our 7-year-old. Case in point: Last summer we were shopping for mosquito itch sticks - you know, those handy little cylinders that contain an itch stopping medicine. Well, Alyssa announces, quite loudly, that THIS is the brand that the mailman prefers. He has tried all of them and had 57 mosquito bites last summer so he should know. Several ladies stopped and smiled at the certain tone of voice that she had. I took her word for it and purchased the recommended brand - after all, who can argue with the mailman?
The mailman also brings a treat every day - when Charlie was still with us, he received a dog bone - every day. Alyssa also gets two pieces of bubble gum. Why two? Well, she informed the mailman that Matthew can't chew gum with his braces so he (mailman) should save the gum for two years.
Some days Alyssa's chats with "Mr. Curt" or "the mailman" are quite lengthy. I found out that he also shares stories about when he was a kid - he got sprayed by a skunk, or whatever comes to Alyssa's mind to discuss that day.
I, too, have had the opportunity to chat with Curt. Several weeks ago he brought a package up to the house - one that wouldn't fit in the box. I noticed that he had a tan - no one has a tan in the winter unless they indulge in a tanning bed (he doesn't look the type) or have been on vacation somewhere warm. After discussion I found out that our mailman is a master scuba diver and had enjoyed a week in the water near a tropical island. I felt the need to discover why a ND mailman would want to scuba dive. I got a great answer. Curt told me that he chooses to learn two new things every year, usually over the winter, and then masters those two things. Scuba diving was on that list a couple of years ago and has become a favorite hobby. What a cool thing!
I challenge you to take a few minutes and get to know your mailman. I guess that unless you live in rural ND, your mailman may not have the time to stop and say hello. I think today we will leave a few chocolate chip cookies in the mailbox for our mailman - he is (in the words of Alyssa) "really great."
Our mailman comes every day between 12:30-1:30pm. We used to get a heads-up when Charlie would bark and now miss that warning signal (that is a story for another day). Alyssa would hear the bark and run for the closest exit, racing across the lawn at top speed to meet the mailman - yelling "wait, wait, I'm coming." Now, since she has learned to tell time ("the o'clocks and everything, Mom") she watches the clock for him.
Curt patiently waits at the mailbox for her and they have a conversation. Some days she comes back to the house to share what was talked about. Other days she just shrugs and says "we talked about the weather" or "we talked about mail." Whatever the subject, the mailman is the expert on it, according to our 7-year-old. Case in point: Last summer we were shopping for mosquito itch sticks - you know, those handy little cylinders that contain an itch stopping medicine. Well, Alyssa announces, quite loudly, that THIS is the brand that the mailman prefers. He has tried all of them and had 57 mosquito bites last summer so he should know. Several ladies stopped and smiled at the certain tone of voice that she had. I took her word for it and purchased the recommended brand - after all, who can argue with the mailman?
The mailman also brings a treat every day - when Charlie was still with us, he received a dog bone - every day. Alyssa also gets two pieces of bubble gum. Why two? Well, she informed the mailman that Matthew can't chew gum with his braces so he (mailman) should save the gum for two years.
Some days Alyssa's chats with "Mr. Curt" or "the mailman" are quite lengthy. I found out that he also shares stories about when he was a kid - he got sprayed by a skunk, or whatever comes to Alyssa's mind to discuss that day.
I, too, have had the opportunity to chat with Curt. Several weeks ago he brought a package up to the house - one that wouldn't fit in the box. I noticed that he had a tan - no one has a tan in the winter unless they indulge in a tanning bed (he doesn't look the type) or have been on vacation somewhere warm. After discussion I found out that our mailman is a master scuba diver and had enjoyed a week in the water near a tropical island. I felt the need to discover why a ND mailman would want to scuba dive. I got a great answer. Curt told me that he chooses to learn two new things every year, usually over the winter, and then masters those two things. Scuba diving was on that list a couple of years ago and has become a favorite hobby. What a cool thing!
I challenge you to take a few minutes and get to know your mailman. I guess that unless you live in rural ND, your mailman may not have the time to stop and say hello. I think today we will leave a few chocolate chip cookies in the mailbox for our mailman - he is (in the words of Alyssa) "really great."
1/23/2005
This Week
Another week has begun - here is a brief (?) synopsis of last week at our house.
Mark went to Minneapolis to get trained by Lifesource in their policies and procedures for procuring tissues. Red Cross sold their tissue procurement division to someone and that company is subcontracting with Lifesource. We'll see how this goes. The training was well organized (the former secretary is writing now). The handouts were great (a few typos here and there, but not bad); the meals and snacks were good and the training facility was great. An 'A' was given by my attendee.
The kids and I had a reasonably uneventful week.
Wednesday school was good. The subject was Benjamin Franklin. We did miss the bulk of the day because we were waiting to make sure Mark was not injured while cutting/pulling down the tree. We did make it for the two-hour swimming in the afternoon and Katelyn's piano lesson.
Thursday I ran some errands - alone. Odd feeling, but actually things went a bit slower as the kids are really helpful now. We can split the grocery list into several parts and establish a meeting place. We are finished in 1/2 the time, usually.
Friday it snowed all day. It was really pretty. The yard was nicely covered and then the wind switched around to the north. The snow all blew, well, somewhere else. There are a few drifts in the yard that Mark is cleaning up right now, but the ground is bare in many spots.
No travel was advised on Friday night/Saturday so we missed church. Mark was all set to go, but after looking out at 94 and seeing only one car pass by (in 2 hours) we decided that it wasn't the best move. We also found out that 94 was closed from Moorhead to Alexandria. I know that wasn't in our direction, but no one could get through to our part of 94 so....We spent a very quiet day just hanging out.
A big thank-you to Mark's brother, Ralph, for sending several tapes of a show called 'Overhaulin' (or something like that). Mark and the kids are quite enthralled with the show. It's not really my thing, but that's OK. I would love to find a way to get Mark's 66 Ford Fairlane convertible overhauled. He had the car before we were dating, oh so many years ago, and would sell me before selling that car. Someday he'll get it back in shape, but until then....
Back into the fray - enjoy your week.
Mark went to Minneapolis to get trained by Lifesource in their policies and procedures for procuring tissues. Red Cross sold their tissue procurement division to someone and that company is subcontracting with Lifesource. We'll see how this goes. The training was well organized (the former secretary is writing now). The handouts were great (a few typos here and there, but not bad); the meals and snacks were good and the training facility was great. An 'A' was given by my attendee.
The kids and I had a reasonably uneventful week.
Wednesday school was good. The subject was Benjamin Franklin. We did miss the bulk of the day because we were waiting to make sure Mark was not injured while cutting/pulling down the tree. We did make it for the two-hour swimming in the afternoon and Katelyn's piano lesson.
Thursday I ran some errands - alone. Odd feeling, but actually things went a bit slower as the kids are really helpful now. We can split the grocery list into several parts and establish a meeting place. We are finished in 1/2 the time, usually.
Friday it snowed all day. It was really pretty. The yard was nicely covered and then the wind switched around to the north. The snow all blew, well, somewhere else. There are a few drifts in the yard that Mark is cleaning up right now, but the ground is bare in many spots.
No travel was advised on Friday night/Saturday so we missed church. Mark was all set to go, but after looking out at 94 and seeing only one car pass by (in 2 hours) we decided that it wasn't the best move. We also found out that 94 was closed from Moorhead to Alexandria. I know that wasn't in our direction, but no one could get through to our part of 94 so....We spent a very quiet day just hanging out.
A big thank-you to Mark's brother, Ralph, for sending several tapes of a show called 'Overhaulin' (or something like that). Mark and the kids are quite enthralled with the show. It's not really my thing, but that's OK. I would love to find a way to get Mark's 66 Ford Fairlane convertible overhauled. He had the car before we were dating, oh so many years ago, and would sell me before selling that car. Someday he'll get it back in shape, but until then....
Back into the fray - enjoy your week.
1/19/2005
And the Wall Came Tumbling Down
Well, it's down. It took four men, a long length of chain, a tow rope, two four wheel drive pick-ups, and oh yeah - did I mention a large amount of testosterone?
It? The TREE. The tree - one of the few we have on our property, a very large dead tree.
My husband called for reinforcements this morning and found the company he was seeking. Our 14 year old son and I didn't cut it - plus we didn't have the necessary stuff - chain, pick-ups, etc.
It was rather anti-climatic. Two good tugs with the pick-up and the tree was laying across the road. A bit of cash changed hands for the trouble of the three assistants, the neighbor's fence across the road was smashed, and the mailbox post suffered during the transport of the wood back into the yard.
Sorry - that's as good as the story gets. Maybe tomorrow will have more fun things happening.
It? The TREE. The tree - one of the few we have on our property, a very large dead tree.
My husband called for reinforcements this morning and found the company he was seeking. Our 14 year old son and I didn't cut it - plus we didn't have the necessary stuff - chain, pick-ups, etc.
It was rather anti-climatic. Two good tugs with the pick-up and the tree was laying across the road. A bit of cash changed hands for the trouble of the three assistants, the neighbor's fence across the road was smashed, and the mailbox post suffered during the transport of the wood back into the yard.
Sorry - that's as good as the story gets. Maybe tomorrow will have more fun things happening.
Timber!!!
We waited for four hours to say that word really loud. The cottonwood tree still stands, with the chainsaw blade stuck in it. I came home to my husband and son standing and gazing up and the top of the tree and then back to the carving that had been done with the chainsaw sticking out of the trunk. All was going well, according to the story, until the tree shifted and trapped the blade. I jumped in to assist. Another three hours - it's dark, cold, windy and the blade was now stuck again. We tried pushing with the tractor, jacking it up, driving wedges in, the tree still stands.
Before you call the Sierra Club or other tree huggers, allow me to say that we really value every tree on our property. All of them had to be planted, long ago by someone. Not a single one grows here voluntarily. This particular tree, however, is quite dead and could fall directly upon our mailbox, driveway or passing car. We (the group 'we') decided to take it down before it chose when to fall. After all, we don't get many visitors and would hate to damage one of them; we love getting the mail - well, Alyssa does - we have a great mailman, he brings her bubblegum every day; and when I do want to leave, I don't want to be prevented!
The plan is to now call a "tree guy" to assist. I hope it happens soon. I did have plans to go out "to town" today....
Before you call the Sierra Club or other tree huggers, allow me to say that we really value every tree on our property. All of them had to be planted, long ago by someone. Not a single one grows here voluntarily. This particular tree, however, is quite dead and could fall directly upon our mailbox, driveway or passing car. We (the group 'we') decided to take it down before it chose when to fall. After all, we don't get many visitors and would hate to damage one of them; we love getting the mail - well, Alyssa does - we have a great mailman, he brings her bubblegum every day; and when I do want to leave, I don't want to be prevented!
The plan is to now call a "tree guy" to assist. I hope it happens soon. I did have plans to go out "to town" today....
High Speed Access
We live in the middle of nowhere - OK, it's really on the edge of nowhere, however, even on the edge, I access the internet at dial-up speed. It's not even the fast dial-up speed that many of you enjoy - some mornings it's at 28.8.
I can hear the screams and gasps - how can you live like that? Well, it gives a whole new perspective to "surfing the web." I can click on a link, go and fold a few clothing items and return to see the link scroll up. It's called multi-tasking.
Seriously, I have called our telephone provider (starts with a Q and rhymes with west) and asked when high speed access might make it to our corner of the world. Allow me to add that I have always been pleased with the telephone service and even the customer service - until this point. I was told (and I'm paraphrasing here) that we would get high speed access when approximately seven of my neighbors, on the same line, were interested. End of story! Well, I muddled through possible ways to determine who shared the same telephone trunk line. The one that came immediately to mind was that I could cut the line - no, that would be vandalism and I would lose my access to the outside world. No, that's not an option.
Hmmm, do I even know my neighbors? Define neighbor - is that everyone within a 1/4 mile radius? That's one farm. Two miles - that's two (including the 1/4 mile neighbor) farms. The radius would have to broaden to nearly five miles, or more, to come up with seven homes - and do they even own computers? How do you go about making those telephone calls. COME ON telephone company - is that customer service???? Do you even care if I want to check my e-mail in less than five minutes?
Well, back to multi-tasking. The dryer just buzzed and breakfast is ready. Maybe I'll take time to read the newspaper tomorrow.
P.S. Did I mention that we can't even get cable? It's OK, don't send cards or flowers, I'm actually alright with that.
I can hear the screams and gasps - how can you live like that? Well, it gives a whole new perspective to "surfing the web." I can click on a link, go and fold a few clothing items and return to see the link scroll up. It's called multi-tasking.
Seriously, I have called our telephone provider (starts with a Q and rhymes with west) and asked when high speed access might make it to our corner of the world. Allow me to add that I have always been pleased with the telephone service and even the customer service - until this point. I was told (and I'm paraphrasing here) that we would get high speed access when approximately seven of my neighbors, on the same line, were interested. End of story! Well, I muddled through possible ways to determine who shared the same telephone trunk line. The one that came immediately to mind was that I could cut the line - no, that would be vandalism and I would lose my access to the outside world. No, that's not an option.
Hmmm, do I even know my neighbors? Define neighbor - is that everyone within a 1/4 mile radius? That's one farm. Two miles - that's two (including the 1/4 mile neighbor) farms. The radius would have to broaden to nearly five miles, or more, to come up with seven homes - and do they even own computers? How do you go about making those telephone calls. COME ON telephone company - is that customer service???? Do you even care if I want to check my e-mail in less than five minutes?
Well, back to multi-tasking. The dryer just buzzed and breakfast is ready. Maybe I'll take time to read the newspaper tomorrow.
P.S. Did I mention that we can't even get cable? It's OK, don't send cards or flowers, I'm actually alright with that.
1/18/2005
Healthcare ramblings
I am a "sweet spot" or so I was told (it's a marketing term!). I make the majority of the healthcare decisions for myself and three children and remind (OK, nag) my husband to care for his health. But, I have questions...ones that no one answers or cares about.
1. We have great health insurance. BUT, why is a once a year physical covered, but not the supporting tests (urinalysis, cholesterol, etc.)? I feel like you get to see the Dr. - as described in the joke about the dead dog and the owner being charged for CAT scan, you've heard it, I won't tell the whole thing - but he can only look at the outside. Don't give him/her the tools to examine what is going on under the skin. OR, don't cover them with the "physical." The plan book should describe the physical as a look at the outside of the car, but not being able to look under the hood (unless you want to pay $$$$$, because it isn't covered).
I guess that question pretty much answers itself...it's all about the $$. The revenue is in the tests, not the "cat" scan.
2. Why do I feel like the office staff speaks very, very SLOWLY to me when I call with a problem re: an appt. or a bill? I am capable of understanding a simple explanation - why do I feel patronized?
Here again, I know the answer, but don't like it. Managers, do spot checks on your employees. Have you ever heard of a secret shopper? Try using one to check on your employees who are on the front-line. How do they treat your customers? That is the first impression (and sometimes the last).
3. What is a co-pay? My husband used to be a mechanic. He says it would be like charging you to just pull your car into the garage. No work has been done, no parts have been used. You are just paying for the privilege of making an appointment.
No answer here - I have asked for an explanation many times, but get a different response every time.
If you want to read an insider's perspective of life in healthcare check out the interesting blog of a friend of mine http://dogsandstars.typepad.com/
1. We have great health insurance. BUT, why is a once a year physical covered, but not the supporting tests (urinalysis, cholesterol, etc.)? I feel like you get to see the Dr. - as described in the joke about the dead dog and the owner being charged for CAT scan, you've heard it, I won't tell the whole thing - but he can only look at the outside. Don't give him/her the tools to examine what is going on under the skin. OR, don't cover them with the "physical." The plan book should describe the physical as a look at the outside of the car, but not being able to look under the hood (unless you want to pay $$$$$, because it isn't covered).
I guess that question pretty much answers itself...it's all about the $$. The revenue is in the tests, not the "cat" scan.
2. Why do I feel like the office staff speaks very, very SLOWLY to me when I call with a problem re: an appt. or a bill? I am capable of understanding a simple explanation - why do I feel patronized?
Here again, I know the answer, but don't like it. Managers, do spot checks on your employees. Have you ever heard of a secret shopper? Try using one to check on your employees who are on the front-line. How do they treat your customers? That is the first impression (and sometimes the last).
3. What is a co-pay? My husband used to be a mechanic. He says it would be like charging you to just pull your car into the garage. No work has been done, no parts have been used. You are just paying for the privilege of making an appointment.
No answer here - I have asked for an explanation many times, but get a different response every time.
If you want to read an insider's perspective of life in healthcare check out the interesting blog of a friend of mine http://dogsandstars.typepad.com/
The LOOONNGG Winter and more
Never, never read The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder while in the midst of a ND winter. I made that mistake as a pre-teen and was considering putting together something similar to a Y2K survival kit (in the 1970's) to assure that we wouldn't have to burn the furniture to keep warm for the remainder of the winter. Wilder paints such vivid word pictures that you can't help but feel the snow on the beds when they wake up, the bone-chilling cold, the ache from not enough food. Wait, I have to stop before I consider burning the couch.
The kids and I just finished another read-aloud - Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink. Great book. It is another childhood favorite. It was sitting on the shelf and hadn't called to me in a long time. The appearance of the exterior of the book is rather unassuming - an old green/gray cloth cover, the title written on the spine in a sprawling font. I thought the kids would pick it up on their own, but they hadn't even taken it off the shelf. Now we are off to find the next book that discusses the Woodlawn family - Magical Melons.
Our day should be exciting. There is talk of cutting down a large cottonwood tree. This will be a whole family effort, after schoolwork is done. Hopefully it will be completely uneventful (aside from having to take it off of our driveway before anyone will be able to leave).
The kids and I just finished another read-aloud - Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink. Great book. It is another childhood favorite. It was sitting on the shelf and hadn't called to me in a long time. The appearance of the exterior of the book is rather unassuming - an old green/gray cloth cover, the title written on the spine in a sprawling font. I thought the kids would pick it up on their own, but they hadn't even taken it off the shelf. Now we are off to find the next book that discusses the Woodlawn family - Magical Melons.
Our day should be exciting. There is talk of cutting down a large cottonwood tree. This will be a whole family effort, after schoolwork is done. Hopefully it will be completely uneventful (aside from having to take it off of our driveway before anyone will be able to leave).
1/16/2005
My eyes are cold!
Weather is a constant topic of conversation at our house. How much rain fell last night? Is snow predicted? Which way is the wind blowing? Frost tonight? The current weather question is: will the temperature be above zero today? For the past few days the answer has been 'no, maybe tomorrow.'
The temp when we got up this morning was -29 - without windchill. At that temperature, even your eyeballs are cold!
A fun experiment to try - boil some water, pour it carefully into a coffee mug, step outside and throw it up and away from yourself. Well, you also need really cold temperatures to see what should happen - or what happens are our house right now.
Matthew is heading out to give the barn cats some water and check their food supply. They have a heat lamp to keep them warm, but need fresh water frequently.
Today is an inside day - perhaps we can get some projects completed, a closet cleaned out or something like that.
I hope you are keeping warm!
The temp when we got up this morning was -29 - without windchill. At that temperature, even your eyeballs are cold!
A fun experiment to try - boil some water, pour it carefully into a coffee mug, step outside and throw it up and away from yourself. Well, you also need really cold temperatures to see what should happen - or what happens are our house right now.
Matthew is heading out to give the barn cats some water and check their food supply. They have a heat lamp to keep them warm, but need fresh water frequently.
Today is an inside day - perhaps we can get some projects completed, a closet cleaned out or something like that.
I hope you are keeping warm!
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