Weekend events

Friday evening, I started to gather the things I would need to install the frost proof spigot in the wellhouse. Along with that I took time to assemble the miter saw table I had ordered a week or two ago. I still have not assembled the woodworking tables I got on Black Friday – but they are probably safer in the boxes while I continue to get the shop set up. Other than that, I did not do too much. Later that evening, Norman came by to help Mama find and order the gas logs for the fireplace. He has slotted some time to do the installation and Mama is pretty excited about getting the fireplace working again. There are some gas logs in the fireplace now but we have no idea how old they are or how they were used so we felt it was better to start new.

While Norman was at the house, we packed up Mocha to go home with him. Mama has nursed her back to health and she and Norman thought it best for her to go back to his home. Mama was missing her as soon as the two of them talked about Mocha leaving. Mama started immediately searching for a small dog to replace Mocha (and Rosie) a week ago when she and Norman began to coordinate Mocha’s relocation. Fortunately, or unfortunately, her stay with Norman did not last long. Sunday afternoon as we were all napping Mama got seven phone calls and Victoria got four. All of the calls were from Grandma except one. That one was from Norman. “You can have Mochie back. She is throwing up and I am too sick to handle it. Come get her. Bye.” Grandma’s voicemails were a little more cryptic but they all pointed the same direction. Grandma dropped Mocha off late Sunday afternoon. So far, she has not thrown up – nor do we expect it.

While Norman was at the farm we talked over a variety of subjects and he was able to guide us to a way to redo the countertops in the kitchen without it costing so much that we would regret redoing the countertops properly when we have the money in hand to replace and upgrade the cabinets. In addition to that, I got enough information from him that I can see the solution to getting the sliding doors installed on the west side of the goat barn. Both of those chores have bee on hold awaiting a better understanding of how to get them accomplished. Now they can move up on the list.

After Mama and I go back from Bus Calling with the pastor Saturday morning I started on the wellhouse. I had carefully accumulated all the items I thought I needed to get the spigot cut into the well, but I still ended up making three trips to the shop for tools I found out I needed as the job progressed. I also made a trip to the hardware store in Chico to buy a part I had not remembered to get. Two hours later I had the spigot stabbed through the wall and secured in place, but I could not cut it into the water lines because I lacked one of two items to make it work. There were two ways I could install the line and with either of those two pathways to success, I lacked one crucial piece to get it done. A fitting for one way and a short piece of ½ inch PEX for the other. Since I was planning on going to the men’s prayer time at the church that evening, I postponed a trip to Lowe’s – but when that was cancelled, I ended up stalled and unfinished. Oh, well. I spent the remainder for the day cleaning up around the farm and getting the larger of the rollup doors ready to be installed.

The door is too heavy and awkward for me to do by myself, but it should not be too difficult to get the help I need to get the door into place.