Ay, Caramba

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Pretty Iris at DuCard Winery

It’s been a busy couple of weeks. I haven’t been absent for lack of things to chat about. I’ve been busy. (My friend, Carol, hates that particular “B” word.)

Work has been a bit nuts. My job requires lots of writing, thinking, and involves a good bit of math, too. All under deadline. Which can sometimes be mentally draining. Especially when multiple projects with many moving parts, all very important, are due at one time.

Shortly after Aunt Bertha left, my mother in law came to visit for a few days. It was lovely having her here. So I couldn’t very well spend evenings on my computer after spending long hours each day holed-up in my office.

Then there’s yard work. I had stuff that HAD to be done before our fabulous friend came to do clean-out of the planting beds and spread lots of mulch for us.

Then on Monday. day one of another very hectic week, something weird happened. My world was spinning, literally. And I couldn’t think. I’d read e-mails three times, but it still felt like I was reading Japanese. All of this with one pretty major work deadline looming, and a second, only slightly less important work project. Off to the doctor I went.

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Icky Pollen

As it turns out, all the pollen I’ve been bitching about caused fluid to build up in both of my inner ears. And that caused vertigo, hence the spinning. After a couple of days on multiple prescription drugs and one OTC med, I’m feeling much better. And my world is once again on an even keel.

It freaked Hubby out a bit. He’s about to embark on a wee solo journey, which he’s been planning for MONTHS. I’ll tell you all about that tomorrow. I would’ve felt horrible if he’d been forced to postpone.

I’ve been working on a furniture project, too, which was halted due to a flawed, ad hoc design, which I hope to correct this weekend.

I have quite a to-do list, let me tell you. I’m not complaining, just sayin’.

Hmmm, what else?

There were the birds, too. A pair of Northern Cardinals unwisely built a nest in our yard. A yard occupied by two bird dogs, one of which spent a full week completely obsessed by said nest. Which used to be occupied by babies. Sadly, the babies are all dead, thanks to Special K, who I’ve newly renamed K-MOB (murderer of birds).

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K-MOB in action.

I feel horrible that my boss had to step in on Monday, amid a frenzied day of her own, to keep my BIG project on track. I really, REALLY hate not being able to pull my own weight.

Lucky for me, a VERY unusual thing happened. One of my deadlines was pushed back. I can breathe a bit easier now, and give it the attention it deserves.

The bulk of the yard work is done, save for some tomato plants and coleus that need planting. And a few pots that remain to be filled.

The fresh mulch really makes my newest frog stand out, doesn’t it?

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My newest frog is much more noticeable.

I’m glad this week is winding down. And there’s a three-day weekend coming up, which means my to-do list will become shorter, if all goes as planned.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s big announcement. For now, I leave you with this image, captured during a recent ride.

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I like turtles.

 

Ta ta for now!

– – – – – – – – – – UPDATE – – – – – – – – – –

I completely forgot to mention something else. Big.

We sold the WV Place! 🙂

The deal is closed, and the check is en route. So I figured it was safe to report about it now. Although there was a bit of a scare yesterday. The title company’s e-mail was hacked, and the proceeds of the sale were almost wire-transferred to someone posing as us (using our name and a different account). How’s that for some post-closing excitement?

And this occurred after they’d already mailed us a check. Left us both scratching our heads a bit… I mean, they were told to mail a check to us. They mailed a check. But then they get this out-of-the-blue e-mail requesting a wire transfer. So, they stop payment on the check and transfer the money. Good thing someone on the receiving end was skeptical.

 

Out and About

Mother Nature has been teasing us with little outbursts of Spring.

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Belle is enjoying herself more than it seems.

While yesterday would have been a nice day to ride, we had some things on our to-do list than needed doing.

And today’s weather is supposed to be even better. So we decided to get the chores out of the way on Saturday, leaving Sunday wide open for FUN.

The first big thing on the to-do list was de-winterizing the WV Place. Mike had decided to shut off the heat and water for the winter,  hoping to avoid another ugly, very inconvenient, and costly freezing of the pipes incident.

Notice I said “hoping to”? Apparently, enough water lingered in the shower valve that it froze, causing the shower valve to fail. So, when he turned the water back on, the shower wouldn’t turn off. Crap. Not a huge deal, just another inconvenience.

We also had to move a dresser from the VA house to the WV Place. If it hadn’t been for that, we would have taken the bikes. Alas, taking the truck meant the dogs could join us.

It was a real treat for them, they LOVE the WV Place.

Happy Dogs
Happy Dogs

Can you tell that they’re happy? K, aka The Huntress, was so obsessed with whatever critter was cowering in the woodpile that I literally had to drag her away to get her to come home. Crazy mutt.

While Spring appears to really be settling in here in VA, it’s just barely starting to make an appearance near the WV Place, which is about 100 miles northwest of here and at a somewhat higher elevation. We thought for sure some of the Redbud and Dogwood trees would be in bloom. We thought wrong.

I did see some evidence of Spring.

Tiny Little Wildflower
Tiny Little Wildflower

I can’t remember what those flowers are called. They’re only two to three inches tall, with blooms about half an inch across. They may be tiny, but at least it’s evidence that Spring is on its way, albeit very slowly.

Still Standing
Still Standing

It’s always a relief to see the WV Place surviving without out us.

I can’t remember whether or not I told y’all we had not one, but TWO signed contracts on the place last year. Signed, as in we thought it was a done deal. Buyer number one had some sort of family emergency. The second buyer had “buyer’s remorse.” We could not believe that was their actual excuse. Bastards.

So it’s still on the market. Sigh.

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Hunting Fun

The dogs did seem to enjoy the brief visit. Even if K spent almost the entire time glued to the woodpile.

At least it was a pretty day for a drive. I even spotted a barn quilt along the way.

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Barn Quilt in Pleasantdale, West Virginia

I know that’s a crappy picture. I thought for sure we’d spot others, since Hampshire County now has a barn quilt trail. It would have been helpful had I remembered before we left. Then I would’ve been equipped with a map. They’re not as easy to find as one would think. And cell coverage is so painfully slow in those parts, that trying to use my phone to locate them was frustrating me more than it was worth.

That was our Saturday.

Imagine my chagrin this morning when I looked at my weather app to see this crazy-weird report. There was a frost advisory, current temp was 36 degress (F), with a forecast for a high temperature of 70 degrees.

That’s Spring for you.

Now, I need to go plan a route for today’s ride. I hope you all enjoy your Sunday.

On Hunting Lizards

Our middle dog, K, is a hunter.

If it moves, she’ll stalk it. She’s got very keen eyesight and a sharp nose, too. She’s also got determination, leaning toward compulsiveness and/or obsession.

On a recent trip to the WV Place, K spent a total of about 10-12 HOURS in one day hunting lizards in our woodpile.

Before the woodpile, she was chasing the critters around some cinder blocks.

There are quite a few lizards in our yard. West Virginia only has six different species of lizards, and we saw at least three different species that weekend.

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Eastern Fence Lizard

 

From what I observed, she could see and hear the lizards, but she couldn’t smell them. And, because they are very fast, she had a hard time catching them. In fact, I think it is safe to say that K isn’t a very good lizard hunter.

Determined, yes. Successful, no.

Not such a great lizard hunter.
Not such a great lizard hunter.

 

I couldn’t help but laugh at her. At THEM, actually. Belle would offer help every now and then, but she’s no better at catching lizards.

"Can you see me now?" says the lizard as he laughs under his breath.
“Can you see me now?” says the lizard as he laughs under his breath.

 

They did manage to rout out, and try to kill, this cute little skink, which Hubby rescued.

Five-lined Skink (aka Blue-tailed Skink)
Five-lined Skink (aka Blue-tailed Skink)

 

Meg, who isn’t really into hunting, could not have cared less.

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Meg

 

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Belle helped on occasion, but quickly lost interest.

 

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K NEVER lost interest.

 

By the end of the weekend, K was so exhausted, she could barely stand. Which I guess is the reason she walked right past this lizard near the front porch.

 

Eastern Six-lined Racerunner
Eastern Six-lined Racerunner

 

Dogs are a never-ending source of entertainment. Our lives would be so dull without them around.

A LONG Working Weekend

Hampshire County Courthouse Dome
Hampshire County Courthouse Dome

Did I mention that the weekend was a long one? Hubby and I spent the Memorial Day weekend cleaning up our WV Place. Three full days of cleaning, painting, cleaning, making repairs, and more cleaning.

You regulars may remember the frozen pipe disaster of January 2014. If you’re new here, or simply missed that post, take a peek. It was awful. More messy than structural, which is good, but who wants to deal with mess?

Wondering why it took so long? First, the place needed time to dry out completely. Second, we had to find a contractor to make repairs. Neither of us is keen on ever hanging and/or finishing drywall ever again. Finally, the contractor had to actually do the work.

In addition to making repairs, we also had the guy add closets in each of the small bedrooms. Without a closet, a room isn’t officially a bedroom. Oh, we had him remove our junk pile, too, in addition to all of the mess from the clean-up.

Why do we care about “official” after all this time. I’ll get to that.

No more junk pile.
No more junk pile.

 

The contractor we hired actually did a great job. The new ceiling and walls are nice and smooth.

 

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New ceiling and walls.

 

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New ceiling and walls.

 

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New ceiling and walls.

 

The contractor primed all of the surfaces. The touch-up painting was left to us.

 

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Hubby painting.

 

It was just like old times. I got to say fun stuff like, “I need a progress picture. Pretend like you are working.”

That Hubby of mine is particularly fond of comments like that.

 

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Hubby painting.

 

The paint made a huge difference.

 

Bedroom wall restored.
Bedroom wall restored.

 

The dogs enjoyed their time in the woods immensely.

 

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This is Meg’s favorite place on Earth.

 

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Younguns hunting.

 

While the girls entertained themselves, we worked. And worked some more.

 

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Hubby painted the back wall of the garage.

 

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It made a HUGE difference.

 

While Hubby labored inside, I got to use my favorite power tool… the pressure washer. (No sarcasm intended, I really do love the pressure washer.)

 

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Really dirty patio.

 

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Before & After of Propane Tanks

 

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Dirty A/C thingy.

 

The best thing about the pressure washer is seeing immediate results.

 

Yuck
Yuck

 

Pressure washing is such a great way to spruce things up.

 

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Me, cleaning.

 

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Cleaning made a big difference.

 

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Meg “helped” me paint the trim around the garage doors.

 

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Amazing how a little bit of paint can brighten-up things.

 

As for the interior…

After Hubby did all that painting, he cleaned. Not only did each room get re-organized and dusted completely, he swept and mopped the floors. And then he waxed them.

Remember, the floors in the WV Place are acid-stained concrete. The best floors ever. They look fabulous when properly maintained. We hadn’t waxed them for a while, so they were looking a bit dull. But now they really shine.

 

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Looking from living room into kitchen.

 

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Bathroom

 

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Living Room and Back Hall

 

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Master Bedroom (the wrong quilt is on the bed)

 

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From back hall.

 

I did my share of cleaning and waxing, too. In fact, Hubby left a bit early on Monday with two of the dogs so I could finish the floor cleaning. It’s much easier without dogs tracking in and out. K, who stayed behind with me, was too busy lizard hunting to bother going indoors.

 

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Hubby enjoying a well-deserved break before he left.

 

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K waiting to leave.

 

The place looks so much better. It’s all comfy and cozy again.

We really love our WV Place. But, since we moved to Virginia in late 2011, it’s gone underused and has become neglected.

We built the place when we still lived in Maryland. The purpose of the little house in the woods was to serve as a base for our motorcycle rides.

When we lived in Maryland, our house was in the suburbs, about halfway between Baltimore and Washington, DC. Our neighborhood was surrounded by more suburbs. Not to mention a mega-mall. And a casino. There was an airport, too, which was convenient for travel, but quite loud.

Although we live in the middle of a town now, it’s small. And the town is surrounded by horse farms. It’s awesome.

Here’s a pic comparing the two locales.

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To make a long story short, we no longer need a remote base for motorcycle rides. Amazing motorcycle roads are two minutes from our door. Literally.

Two of our three kids live on the West Coast, and the third kid is moving to Spain. So the kids won’t be using the place. The grand kids won’t be visiting us there, either.

We no longer have the time or the desire to keep the place. Yes, we built it with our own hands, but if we don’t visit and maintain it regularly, it’ll deteriorate. And we don’t want that. So we’re selling it.

One one hand, it’s sad. A lot of work went into that place. But on the other hand, all good things must come to and end. Plus, with one less property to maintain, we will have more time to ride.

Here’s hoping it sells quickly. Before we change our minds. 🙂

A Working WV Weekend

I’d hoped to tell you all about our working Memorial Day Weekend at the WV Place, but it’s been a busy week.

Our Cozy Little House in the Woods
Our Cozy Little House in the Woods

The last I told you about the place, we’d begun making repairs. Since then, we had a contractor do some drywall work and other stuff. It was left to us to clean, paint, and generally make the house livable again.

I’ll do a full post, sharing pictures, when I have time.

The house looks soooo much better. It’s cozy again.

Now, if only we had time to use it…

More From a WV Weekend

If you read my last post, you know I went to WV last weekend for a meet-up with my friend Fuzzy and her husband, Kenny.

1_WV WkndOddly enough, Mike had already planned on driving out there on Saturday with his truck to retrieve our loveseat, which we gave to his Mom. He said he could wrestle it into the truck himself. But since I was going to be there for a bit, he timed his arrival so that I could help him get it into the truck. But I’m getting ahead of myself…

When I first learned of Fuzzy’s (aka Rachael) visit, I figured I’d just ride out for the day. But then I realized that would have made for a LONG day. So I decided to have a little adventure and ride out on Friday night.

If you’re not a regular here, you may not know that we had a pipe freeze at the WV Place over the Winter. It made a mess, which we cleaned up. But the repair work couldn’t begin until after the place was thoroughly dried out. (The building of our WV Place is chronicled here, if you’re interested.)

Part of the clean-up process involved moving a bunch of stuff from the master bedroom, kitchen, and living room to the back bedrooms to get it out of the way of the workmen.

This is what the bedrooms looked like when I arrived.

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Rustic Accommodations

I knew that’s how we’d left them, but I’m a low-maintenance kinda girl and didn’t mind.

I just had to move some stuff out of the way and all was good.

While I waited for Rachael to call, I moseyed around the place and took some pictures.

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Happy to see the place still standing.

 

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Thermometer Has Seen Better Days

 

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Red-bellied Woodpecker

 

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Deer Leg in Tree (out of dogs’ reach)

 

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Dogwood with Blue-sky Backdrop

 

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Cute Bird

 

As I was getting ready for bed on Friday night, I noticed this…

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My First Quilt

That’s my very first quilt. A hand-tied lap throw.

All was fine on Friday evening.Sorry if you were expecting a horror story.

Saturday morning, Hubby arrived at about 7:30 with breakfast. He said he’d seen Rachel and Kenny on the way past there motel, but hadn’t stopped. I told him he should have.

“They don’t know me,” he said.

“They do,” I assured him. “They see my blog, just like we see Fuzzy’s.”

So, on the way home, he actually stopped to say hello. That’s how Hubby got to meet them, too. Even if he didn’t get to ride with us.

Here’s the final shot I’d like to share.

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Oreo Cows of North River Road

That’s my favorite herd of Oreo cows. I wonder if that farmer knows his cows are “famous”?

Not sure what all we’re doing this weekend, Hopefully something fun.

Have a good weekend, folks!