Quick Takes Friday

1-
Here's one from the "I might not be cut out for farm life" department. My FIL is so not impressed with my sense of direction. The girls and I were over visiting, and MIL and FIL were in the office working on some government bureaucracy, when BIL came in and said he needed to move some equipment, so someone needed to come get him at the cattle crossing at grandma's house. It has been several years since I've been in that direction, so when it was time to go get him, I interrupted the pow wow in the office for directions. FIL kept saying "Go 1 mile south of G's house, and then 1/2 mile West." I kept asking questions...he kept repeating the same thing...so I gave up, got in the car, and called hubby (who had a good laugh) then went past the turn, called hubby again to clarify where I was supposed to turn, turned around (which made BIL sure that I was the one in the car...) and finally went to the right place. Hubby said that doing things like that is how I can learn. I told him it was how I would learn to stay home so that I don't get roped into things!

2-
We had some cats...affectionately named "Bitey" and "Scratchy". I thought the theory was to leave them locked in the shop for several days to get them used to being there and getting their food there...then, after two days, I noticed that the shop door was open yesterday. Turns out hubby thought that they'd stick around. We haven't seen them since, but rather than saying that maybe he should have left them in the shop a while longer and actually work on taming them, he has declared that they were probably too big to transplant...and besides, one of the mama cats at the feedlot should be having kittens any time. I don't think Bob Barker would approve of the number of mama cats on the farm as a whole, cause BIL has one that's about to have kittens, and MIL said that one of her cats is pregnant again (I'm not sure if this cat and the feedlot cat are the same one...)

3-
I may need another freezer at some point. Several years ago, we traded chest freezers with my parents...ours was the size of a dishwasher (we had bought it when we were apartment dwellers) and was getting too small for our growing family, there's was too big, since they had bought it when I was a kid. Well, after one cow was injured by a loader a few months ago and became hamburger, that pretty well filled up my chest freezer. Just this week we got a cow back (that was processed into steaks and roasts, and of course, some hamburger) and I had to fit our share in our house. So, I have no more ice (it all had to go to make room) and all the meat just barely fit in. Hubby is looking forward to a steak (or any meal that doesn't start with me defrosting a package of hamburger, I think) and naturally, today is Friday...and it's still Lent.

4-
My parents and brother might be coming down to visit tomorrow. Unfortunately, it looks like it may snow, so I'm not sure if they will be down tomorrow, Sunday, or next weekend...which would mean they would be here for Easter. My parents never like to come out here for holidays because they think they are huge gatherings...never mind that they've never been here for a REALLY huge gathering...and it sounds like we'll be having a smallish Easter...only 15 people (18 if my family comes down). Given that a family dinner on an average weekend starts at 8 people, having 10 more isn't that big of a deal!

5-
We inadvertently took a spring break this week. MIL stopped by on her way up to visit SIL in Denver, and asked if we wanted to come along (in front of the girls, who jumped up and down shouting "please mommy, please, please, please!) So, we were gone Saturday and Sunday, home on Monday, gone again on Tuesday (for MILs doctors appointment) and home again from Wednesday on...and I just haven't gotten to school stuff yet. Not too worried, since we only have three of her school books from Seton to finish up, and we are doing a bunch of extra review sort of stuff right now.

6-
My MIL is one of those people who pretty much can talk people into giving her what she wants. I do not have this talent, and find it pretty amazing to watch. Two examples from this week...when we went up to Denver, I got on priceline and booked a hotel room. Then we decided to make it a sort of retreat for SIL, so all 5 of us were going to stay in the room. When we got to the hotel, MIL went to check us in (and while she was waiting in line, FIL called because he couldn't figure out the TV...the clerk thought it was cute that he was calling her 200 miles away to figure out the TV...I thought it was unsurprising, since he called hubby while I was talking to him for help with the TV when MIL hung up...) and somehow she sweet talked the clerk into upgrading us from a 1 bed studio room, to a two bedroom, two bathroom suite with fold out couch. So, I had my own room and bathroom (the girls wanted to stay with SIL, who got the biggest bed as compensation) and we paid $52 with tax...all she did in return for the room was fill out their free rewards program application. Then, we got a coupon good for kids clothes at Kohls on Saturday, and on Tuesday we went to try to use it, and noticed that the coupon didn't start until the next day. She talked the cashier into taking it anyway!

7-
Hubby found a programmable thermostat for baseboard heat on Amazon...I just need to get around to purchasing it! I didn't realize how hard it would be to find a thermostat for baseboard heating, but I haven't been able to find one at any of the home improvement stores. The thermostat in our living room (which has baseboard heat on two walls) does not function right. If you turn it on, it stays on until you shut it off. This week, I took a short nap on the couch (while the girls were napping) and turned on the heat beforehand...after I woke up, I went to do something in the kitchen (and didn't remember to turn off the heat) and by the time I got back the room was 80 degrees! I think it will be nice when it works better!

More quick takes at Conversion Diary!