Morning at home, dogs, building plans

I stayed home this morning so I could meet the man who has done our concrete work for us. I also needed to do some banking and arrange with Nocona Building Center to pay for the list of materials he had quoted me for building the apartment. I got an extra hour of sleep out of the deal and I got to help feed the calves. I left for the office before the concrete set enough for the workers to get on it with the power trowel but it will be another beautiful slab. We also got enough extra out of the deal to pour an inch or so in another of our little sheds. (I am glad for that since it took a great deal of effort for Grandpa and Mama to clean it out.)


Gregg Gilbert, the concrete contractor, is a good Christian man. I am glad God’s money is going into his business. He, like everyone I have talked to recently, is not happy with the election results. His greatest worry is the increase taxes he knows are coming and the Obamacare related expenses he is not sure how to prepare for; me either.

Mama and I left the house just after the concrete truck arrived but before the bank opened in Nocona. The lumber yard was very pleased we accepted their offer and I think it is a much better situation for us to be getting our building materials from there. I got a bid from Lowe’s and they came in $100 lower – not at all worth the extra travel. Plus we get to support a local business; someone who will know our names and our needs. While waiting for the bank to open we got to talk to the people at the feed store and answered some of Grandpa’s questions concerning our calves.

Dodger is healing from his emasculation but we have to be careful to limit his activities at least through the weekend. The vet recommended ten days, but with Dodger, we would have to shoot him to get him to stay still for ten days. I am hoping three or four days of rest is sufficient.

Grandma has been in a difficult mood for the past several days. It is impossible to tell what exactly brings her into such moods but in tight quarters it can be difficult to deal with. Mama does okay but her time of the month has her on edge so she is struggling to cope. Victoria and Grandma have a higher toleration for each other than most people I know, but even the two of them are at odds right now. I can tell from Victoria’s curt answers that she does not want to prolong any discussions.

One of the things rattling Grandma’s cage at the moment is the canine population at the farm; specifically, how much of that population is allowed indoors. She made the remark to me this morning that she feels like she is living in a kennel. In ways, that is entirely true, but the problem is that her love for or toleration of the dogs fluctuates from day to day if not from hour to hour.

Her pet peeve is germ combat and containment. The problem is she often strains gnats while swallowing camels. Food is left in pots on the stove for up to 24 hours while the milk or mayonnaise cannot remain unrefrigerated for over ten minutes. Things we cook are tossed to the dogs the next day while things she cooks make it several days to several weeks in the fridge. When she washes eggs they are clean. When Mama washes eggs they are not clean.

Mama made the mistake of setting unwashed eggs on a paper towel on the wrong side of the counter this morning – the clean dishes side. Grandma fussed at Mama for it to which Mama replied that the eggs were kept off of the counter by the paper towel. Grandma’s reply, “Well, maybe you didn’t read the same Biology books I did.” I keep trying to picture that in my mind and keep coming up blank.

I think my time table for getting the apartment done is getting shorter. I told Mama I could take Thanksgiving week to do a large portion of the construction, but that did not fly. She is going to Florida and I am taking her. On the bright side, we are going to Denton this evening to look at a dishwasher, an over-the-stove microwave, a built in gas oven and a gas cook top – all for $300. There is even a white double bowl sink in the deal so at this point, by biggest outstanding need is for the kitchen cabinets.

At least as far as the apartment is concerned.