Not dead, just dead tired

For those of you wondering, I'm still here. Just been uber busy trying to get some work done on the house (pics to come), harvest and process the rest of the garden, pick apples, make applesauce, apple butter, entertain family, cut firewood...I need a nap just from typing all that. lol

Hopefully, I'll get a chance to post a real update later this week.

Skunk Jousting and Hurricane Ike

Whoever thought we'd be hurricane victims here in Ohio? Thanks to Ike, over 2 million people in Ohio are without power. The odd thing is, it's usually our house with no power while the surrounding homes enjoy electricity, running water, and the like. This time, it's the opposite. They've been without power since last Sunday when Ike came screaming through the area with 70 mph winds. Our county has even declared a state of emergency in hopes of gaining federal funds to help clean up. We lost a few trees, but that just means more firewood. In fact, DH and I were standing in the field (well clear of trees), watching the debris blow and the trees topple, sipping wine and giving the occasional redneck 'WhoooooHoooo!'. Ok, I admit, it was me with the redneck yelling. lol

Anyway, thanks to Ike, we had a third tree drop on our bunny pen. One fell during the tornado last year, and one during an ice storm. And now, our place looks like the Teletubby set, minus Tinky Winky, Dipsy, LaLa and Po.

As a result, we've had the live trap baited and set, in hopes of catching the roaming bunnies. Yesterday morning, DH went down to feed the remaining captives, and found a delightful surprise in our live trap.

So...how to let a skunk out of the live trap without getting skunked? First, DH tried getting close enough to let the little stinker out. A skunk will generally stomp it's feet, do a handstand, and raise it's tail before spraying. Well...stomp went the feet, up went the tail, scatter went the people. It probably looked like an episode of the three stooges. lol

DH came up with the idea of making a grapple hook to toss, catch the cage, and flip the cage over. Sometimes, if the cage is upside down, the door will flip open. He managed to flip the cage over, but the door refused to budge. The skunk took the whole thing fairly well.

DH got a very long branch and an umbrella (just in case), and got close enough to push the door open. It really did look like skunk jousting. lol Maybe that should be an Olympic sport?

Fortunately, the skunk was released without harm, and no one got skunked.

For those in the path of Ike in his fury, my thoughts are with you.

Stop me before I paint again!

I'm on some sort of painting frenzy. I should seek professional help. I'd probably have to be sedated just to get me to slow down. lol

Today I processed the last big basket of tomatoes. They went into the freezer since I just don't have time to can them. The ones I didn't get to in time went to the chickens and rabbits, so it really wasn't a waste.

I finished up the kitchen ceiling in between loads of laundry, then did the bathroom ceiling and cleaned out the bathroom cabinets. That's one thing about painting and re-doing a room: it gets a thorough cleaning in the process. It may not look like it right now, though, with furniture scattered and pictures taken down from the walls and stacked higgeldy piggeldy, but once things are back in place it will be oh-so-nice.

All of the rooms were painted (by us) when we first bought the house. The house hadn't been lived in for quite some time and the walls were, well, gross. The whole house was so gross, actually, that I wouldn't eat inside. We had to work on the house for a couple of months before we could even move in.

Anyway, the walls are starting to show some wear, and I realized last night that I can't put off painting the kitchen like I'd hoped, soooo...I'm sitting here picking paint colors. I'd planned to paint the bathroom the same color, but there's just something exciting about buying a brand new color of paint. Yeah, I know, I lead a VERY boring life if buying paint is exciting. ;)

An interesting side note: have you ever noticed the names of paint colors? 'Useful Brown'...hmmmm....they must have just stopped trying. 'Beef Broth', 'Crisp Lettuce', 'Butter Cookie'....this guy just named the paint after his lunch. Maybe I'll paint the bathroom 'Canteen' or 'Map Paper'. lol

I've been bitten by the remodeling bug! HELP!!!

Thanks to SG for reminding me to update my blog! I'm still alive, just covered in paint. I have paint in my hair, under my nails, and I think on my contact lenses, which would explain the spots I see everywhere.

I'd intended to let the remodeling go until winter. I need to finish putting up garden produce. I need to put the garden to bed. I need to cut, haul, and split at least three more cords of firewood. And yet, I just couldn't help myself. I couldn't stand it another minute, and an approaching visit from family kicked everything into overdrive.

My plan had been to do one room per month over the winter, and hopefully have them all done by spring. Well....I started Monday. I've painted the laundry room, the hallway, and I've just started the kitchen. As soon as that is done, I'll start on the master bath. If I don't have a major breakdown or go insane from the paint fumes, I may move on to Little Sis' room.

Her room will be a nightmare. I have to clean out the closet and sort out one bajillion toys, most of which will be passed on to the grandkids. Then once the painting is done and the room is still in chaos, I'll put down the new flooring. After that, I may just lay in the floor and sleep for a month.

Oy, I'm babbling. I should go to bed now, or at least finish up the kitchen ceiling and scrape the paint off my contacts.