July 25, 2016 Little Eggs & A Homecoming

Little egg vs. big egg!

Friday 7/22. Wasn't really excited about splitting and cutting more wood today.  By last Monday I was done with all the rounds that I could lift up onto the splitter in its horizontal position.  So I stood it up vertically so I can roll the larger ones into it, and larger they are.  These are definitely the biggest rounds I have ever split.

In his call this morning, JB said he has decided to buck the traffic and get an early start home tomorrow morning.  He plans to return via Hwy. 2 over Stevens Pass, and stop at the winery on his way.

I got the laundry started, then cut one cradle-full of wood and re-filled it.  Then I split one large round.  I put diesel in the tractor and moved six bucket loads to the wood shed.  I had more today because I hadn't moved the wood I cut yesterday.  I stacked it all except the kindling and broke for a late lunch.

After eating, it was really too warm in the sun to work outside.  The only place in the shade was the splitter, and I was done with that for the day.  So I read my book and cleaned up a bit inside.  Our high for the day was 74.

But the big news for the day is that we got our first little egg from one of the "little" girls (they are as big as the other three now)!  It was brown and a little speckled.  I thought we wouldn't be getting any until at least early September.

More Downton Abbey this evening, of course. . .

Saturday 7/23.  It was 52 and clear when I let the dogs out at 6:00 am.  Jesse has been sleeping on the bed with me all week while JB has been gone.  There really isn't room for the three of us comfortably, so we'll see what happens when JB gets home.

I puttered around inside and did a little weeding outside.  Traffic was heavy in a couple places for JB and much of the highway is just two lanes, so he didn't get home til 3:30 pm.  Needless to say, we were all very happy to see him.

Our high for the day was 75, and we got another little egg along with a big egg.  We relaxed this evening, watching three more episodes of season four of Downton Abbey.

Jesse was allowed to sleep on the bed, just for tonight. . .

Sunday 7/24. It was 62 and clear this morning with hot, dry weather in the forecast for the week.  Unfortunately we have to make at least two trips Down There, plus I plan to go garage saling with Mrs. Gridder on Friday.  Jesse has an appointment at the vet on Monday for his yearly shots, and JB goes to the doctor about his knee on Wednesday.  I also plan to going down to Larry and Elsie's this evening to pick some blueberries.

Right after breakfast we got outside so JB could use his large chainsaw to cut the rest of the pile of large branches by the cradle.  He cut three cradle loads (much faster than I do with the smaller, electric chainsaw), and then used the tractor to move it all to the wood shed in four trips.  Then I stacked it.

After lunch he finished the last of the wood pile that we were able to get stacked in the cradle, and then it was just too hot to do anything more outside.  Our high for the day was 79, and we got another little egg.  Would be nice if this were to be a daily event.

I was down at Larry and Elsie's at about 7:00 pm and picked blueberries for 1-1/2 hours.  They are so big!  Hopefully I will get some jam made this week.

Monday 7/25. It is already 66 and clear this morning.  Not looking forward to going down into the heat.

Thought for the day: Never underestimate the importance of being properly caffeinated.