Consolidated Kansas

[lizzyGSR]

It is nice today, so I just went out to give my birds some water in a bucket that they could play in. It took them a whole two minutes to find the bowl and for my "top bird", Lucy, to "dive" in. Here are my geese, from left to right: Louis, Lacy, Lucy.

 

[maidenwolfx80]

Ok the one thing that I see that will be a problem on the incubator is not having an easy way of adding water without opening bator. Does anyone have any tips for that with this incubator?

 

[sunflowerparrot]

Sam went from 50/50 survival to 90/10 overnight! The vet said he is still seriously anemic and still have some issues with his blood not clotting - but the transfusion completely saved my pup's life. He might be able to come home Thursday if he doesn't have a set back and needs another blood transfusion. He had so much energy this morning! He even stood up and came out of his cage I am taking him some chicken hearts, livers, gizzard, etc this afternoon.

 

[michelleml]

Sunflower I will keep him in my prayers.

 

[maidenwolfx80]

Sam went from 50/50 survival to 90/10 overnight! The vet said he is still seriously anemic and still have some issues with his blood not clotting - but the transfusion completely saved my pup's life. He might be able to come home Thursday if he doesn't have a set back and needs another blood transfusion. He had so much energy this morning! He even stood up and came out of his cage I am taking him some chicken hearts, livers, gizzard, etc this afternoon.

How wonderful.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Danz, that would be great if you could refinance, get your interest rate down & the loan term. We did that a couple of years ago & reduced our interest rate to half what it had been plus reduced the loan term to 15 years. My DH really didn't want to refinance, but we needed to do some major things to the house, windows, siding, & heating & cooling, so we had to borrow against the equity to do that at the same time. But in the long run we will come out ahead since those things help the value of the home, plus we don't have to paint the darned thing any more & that's a huge plus. Trying to paint this thing was a huge pain since the front of it is two stories high & really hard to access certain areas to paint. The back wasn't so bad since it is only above ground on one level, but that front was a whole different story. The windows had rotted because they put wood windows in & they were shot & the heat pump & furnace were about to the end of their usable life & not very efficient any more, so it was just time to get some things done here. We have been so very glad we got it all done & we got tax savings for putting in the new heat pump, so that helped too. We could only use one of the things on the taxes, so we chose to use the heat pump. I know our heating & cooling bills have been a lot better since doing the siding, windows, & heating & cooling also, so it is saving us in more than one way.

I think I will venture out & see if I can bring up one or two of those tires from down front tomorrow & see how they will work for nests, I will have to get the lawnmower & cart out to go get them, it's too far to carry or roll them all the way up here.

Sounds like a lot of work went into your house! Love that! I love maintaining our home-- we've done a lot of fun stuff to our place too. My favorite was getting rid of the hot water tank and putting in a propane tank-less model. Love that we never run out of hot water. I also love that we added the solar panel vents in the attic-- it lowered our electric bill in the summer because it lets so much heat escape that didn't before with just the regular venting we had in there. Our mortgage payment now is crazy lower than what it was when we bought the house. Doing a refi on the house can be one of the smartest ways to save money!

Our house is all electric and our bill is atrocious this time of year. Makes me want to cry when I open it. Plus we have all the heated water bowls and the horse tank heater running this time of year too. I just had the propane tank filled down at the house in Towanda and I was surprised at the price. I didn't think it was too bad at all and I was bracing for a really ugly number because the tank is pretty low. Can't wait to be neighbors soon! Will be fun to live close to one of the BYC friends.

We were out at the house this weekend and it is soooo quiet out there. I love it. Cows and corn fields make the best neighbors!

OMGosh, I grew up in an electric house when I was a kid, and I remember my parents gave up and never turned on the heat again. They bought propane heaters and dispersed them through out the house. The electric registers in the walls were just a joke for sucking up money. We're on propane now. You're going to LOVE it. You can lock in yours rates at any time during the year when they go down low.

Sorry sunflower I hope Sam is able yo pull threw.
Josie how does Linus do around dogs, kids? How far are you from Topeka? We have been talking about getting an indoor cat but need them to good around kids and tolerate dogs. How much would you want for him?
WELCOME frizzled pink
My little man was sick all night throwing up and woke up with a cough I hope it's nothing. We've been working on potty training and weaning from nursing he turned 2 in December so I felt it was time to wean plus my doc wants to change my hypertension medication. We have propane we feel like we are burning threw it like crazy. I bought 1000 gallons for $1450 I praying it last us the winter this our first time with propane

Okay-- there is NO WAY you will go thru 1000 gallons of propane in ONE winter! WOW. Unless you have a home twice the size of mine, which could be true. I'm currently heating 2,400 sq feet in this house and only use about 500 gallons a winter.... and even then, I mean, that lasts us several months. We have our water and heat on propane. We love it. It's also going to depend on how tight your home is, how good your windows, insulation, etc is, too. We save money in the winter, but burn thru it in the summer when the electric a/c comes back on. Ugh. We're going to change that though! We are wanting to put in GEO thermal lines this year or the next. I'm so sorry you have sick kids. Good luck on the potty training, I hate that part.

Michelleml I buy my propane on contract and it would have to be an awful winter to use 1000 gallons. I have maybe once in one of those super cold winters; but normally I use about 800 gallons for an average cold winter. Last winter I only used about 500 gallons. Think of the dollar amount per month and it isn't bad at all....especially compared to rural electric power costs. Of course you have to have electric to run the fan but it is far less than you would spend for electric heating. I hate the cool air from a heat pump too. When running it I just feel like I'm freezing all the time even though the room temperature reads the same.
Congrats Maidenwolf on your new incubator. You will love it.
I used to not get along with my mother. It seems unreal to think that, but that was how it was. It took some time for both of us to accept each other for who we were. Once we got to that point we developed the most loving wonderful relationship imaginable. I thought of my Mom as probably one of my very best friends. I just decided at some point I was just not going to try to defend my actions any more. That she could accept me for whom I was. It was the magical cure. She did. I wonder how many years I wasted arguing with her about what I did and how I lived. I learned much later in life that one of the reasons she was always harping at me was that she didn't want me to make the mistakes she did. I would have never thought it, but she and I were very much alike in some ways. Loosing her this year was the greatest loss I have had so far in my life. Unsolicited advice: Don't be on guard with your Mom. If she doesn't like your choices, just let it go. Treasure that she is trying now and look at her as a wonderful loving person who is trying very hard to get her daughter to love her. I know you didn't ask. I just hate the fact that I missed so many years of treasuring rather than resenting my Mom. Each year I had her was an extraordinary gift. There is nothing in this world more valuable than family.
Mammahen the peacock seemed to get better with just one dose of vetRX. I think he must have had a little sinus infection or something. He seems completely fine now. it's so good to see you back on here.
Another busy day here for me. I really need to be in town all afternoon but I hate to waste the warmer weather. Looks like this weekend it is going to be bitter cold again.
I got up late this morning so I am already behind. I still have to take my downtime though or I'll be grouchy all day.

We had to have our house re-appraised a year or two ago now. My DH was at work, but I walked thru with the guy to see what he was looking at. He was VERY through and his forms were very specific. He had a rating on how clean each room was, what kind of condition it was and then rated the flooring and the walls-- like for the flooring, did it look new (1-3 years old) or worn (and then applied an age to it). Your floors could be new, but if they are worn and scuffed, he will rate them poorly which will effect the value of your home. (or vice versa-- old, but in great condition!) We had just installed hardwoods a couple years prior, but we don't wear our shoes in the house, so our floors appraised at New Condition, even though they were not. He appraised my walls at new condition-- I had just painted them all and touched them up. He looks at all the baseboards, the switch plates, everything! All of that goes into the "condition" of your home and either helps increase or decrease the value of your property. In the spaces where my basement is not finished--like under the stairs and in the utility room, he got up and looked for cracks in the foundation, and any evidence of infestation-- mice, insects, etc.. He went up on my roof and our new solar panels helped add value and if I could think of more, I'd tell you. He did at the end, say that he'd never been in a cleaner "lived in" home before. He couldn't find any dirt/dust or real wear and tear anywhere. Of course, I spent two weeks cleaning house, and we replaced a couple things that were looking grungy, since I knew he was coming! LOL We'd also just purged through a TON of stuff in this house and had gotten rid of it. The only thing that lowered our value was that our kitchen and bathrooms are not "updated" with granite and marbles, etc. I have formica on all the countertops. I have vinyl flooring in all (except for the downstairs bathroom that we finished ourselves and it's all tile, and granite, etc...) So we'll be updating the house as we go along, but we have a lot of "builders grade" finishes here in the house since we built it. But even at that, he told me that because my house was so clean, and everything was in near new condition (no beat up lighting or sink fixtures, no dents or holes in walls and flooring) that the builder grade finishes wouldn't increase the value of my home that much at this point since the rest of it scored so highly. So there's some input for the appraisal! I hope that helps! I enjoyed reading through our paper work when they finally mailed it to us and we could see all the notes he had written down and all the scores we got on each room.

That bit you wrote about your mom--- just about made me cry. What a blessing to have you put it so well. Life is too short to be at odds with each other.

Sam went from 50/50 survival to 90/10 overnight! The vet said he is still seriously anemic and still have some issues with his blood not clotting - but the transfusion completely saved my pup's life. He might be able to come home Thursday if he doesn't have a set back and needs another blood transfusion. He had so much energy this morning! He even stood up and came out of his cage I am taking him some chicken hearts, livers, gizzard, etc this afternoon.

I was praying and praying for him! I just was astonished at how God works when you wrote how well he was doing this morning! Glad to see a picture of the little guy. Wow, you REALLY are that 1%. Shaking my head. I'm just so glad that he's doing better. Here's to more prayers that he will continue to fight! Also-- your vet did a fantastic job with him!

 

[Hawkeye95]

It is nice today, so I just went out to give my birds some water in a bucket that they could play in. It took them a whole two minutes to find the bowl and for my "top bird", Lucy, to "dive" in. Here are my geese, from left to right: Louis, Lacy, Lucy.

LOVE the picture, Lizzy!! I love how he is standing on that tub like he's King of the Hill! LOL

 

[michelleml]

Our house is 100 yrs old so windows are not good & insulation stinks. So we just bought 10 windows with alenco then when we can will do the others. To me the house is cold all the time so I keep the kids in sweaters all day

 

[sunflowerparrot]

I was praying and praying for him! I just was astonished at how God works when you wrote how well he was doing this morning! Glad to see a picture of the little guy. Wow, you REALLY are that 1%. Shaking my head. I'm just so glad that he's doing better. Here's to more prayers that he will continue to fight! Also-- your vet did a fantastic job with him!

I would never in a million years even think that taking your dog to get neutered could endanger his life as closely as it did my little guy. His breeder has been informed of the issue to and hemophelia has still not been ruled out. I took him some chicken gizzards, hearts, livers, etc. this afternoon and he gobbled it up quickly.. within seconds. I might be able to bring him home Thursday if he doesn't have any set backs. The vet said they are watching his every move. I asked about the blood transfusion - he said he got the blood from his own dog and gave it to Sam; it saved his life.

 

[sharol]

Bless his heart. He has a will to live. My thoughts are with him.

When my daughter was 6, her Siamese cat went to get neutered. A couple of weeks later he started having seizures. After some discussions with the vet (who said "cats don't have seizures) he observed one of the seizures and put Peanuts on meds to control the problem. Later he said that research indicated that the cat had gotten too much anesthesia and suffered from brain damage. He lived to be 12 and took phenobarbatol (sp?) the whole time. If I forgot his pill, at bedtime he would come stand on my chest and howl until I got up and gave it to him.

Sam went from 50/50 survival to 90/10 overnight! The vet said he is still seriously anemic and still have some issues with his blood not clotting - but the transfusion completely saved my pup's life. He might be able to come home Thursday if he doesn't have a set back and needs another blood transfusion. He had so much energy this morning! He even stood up and came out of his cage I am taking him some chicken hearts, livers, gizzard, etc this afternoon.