My Backyard:

April surveying her back yard from on top of the large rock in the yard.  

Security Camera Continually Surprises me:

 Yesterday I was checking our security system at our mountain cabin and this very large bobcat was the second photo. 

Buyer Beware:

We were getting estimates from different businesses that change a bathtub/shower into just a shower. One company was going to give us 18 months and no payment. After that they charge 24.5% interest. These conversions can run into the thousands. They were quickly eliminated but I wonder how many people are sucked into this high rate.  

Consider if something happened in that 18 months with the way the world is going, you would be really in a bind paying that ridiculous interest rate. They don't volunteer that rate unless you ask. Beware. 

Temperatures

We were spoiled living in the mountains of Colorado. We were used to temperatures in the 60-70's in the summer and dry air not the humid air we have here. In our 26 plus years in the high mountains on average we would have maybe 2 weeks of temperatures in the low 80's but with low humidity it felt comfortable. Here when it is 84 degrees and humidity in the 60's it is hot. 

When temperatures in Texas are triple digit - no wonder people like to come to the mountains. I can now relate to how they cope. Colorado is a semi arid state and as such when the temperature is in the low 80's it is quite comfortable.  

Blueberry Bushes:

 

Today was time to fertilize the three blueberry bushes. They were covered with blossoms that the bees had a lark with. Blueberries like an acidic soil so before the blueberries start popping out I spread some soil treatment around the bases. I don't think they have been maintained before and they are very tall so they will have to be cut back this fall/winter when they go dormant. I understand from our daughter that they produce very well so if treated and cared for they should be good producers. 

We also have a cherry tree and apple tree in the back yard and I have treated them so hope they produce something this summer. That will be worth watching for sure. 

Surprise:

 My neighbor showed me where our property line runs and I was pretty surprised. The road at the end of our driveway actually runs right across our property. The other side of the road in the above photo shows a gully and the gully is apparently our property. I have read the covenants and they say when the road is on our property that it is our responsibility to maintain it. I think I am glad that we have a tractor equipped to work on the road.  I have no clue how to do any work on that ditch. It is pretty steep. 

Spring Time:

 This has been a revitalization of long ago memories of spring. The small ground flowers, the sudden emergence of leaves on the trees, the flowering dogwood and redbud trees. The wild fluctuation of temperatures. The smells in the air. All things I remember as a young person and have forgotten over life in the mountains in Colorado. The sounds of the birds early in the morning. It all  speaks of springtime of many years ago. It is a good time. 

Made in China

My little toe the one known as the furniture finder actually found the middle leg of my bed. My toes and foot were black and blue so I decided after limping around for a few days that I needed some protection. I went on amazon and found some suitable foam insulation that is usually used to insolate water pipes but finding some big enough was a little more difficult.

When we got the tracking number we were able to follow it from China at the factory, to where it was picked up by the carrier. It then went on a ship and arrived in California and today found its way to me. 

This foam is just right, soft but firm enough to protect toes. It was perfect and we tracked it all the way from  China to our door. Amazing....

Beware Ladies:

 I am a past criminal investigator for the US Gov't and today  up on criminals is mind boggling.  We have a local FB page for the community. A woman posted that she went to the grocery store and when she came out there were two SUV vehicles parked next to her. One of the men ask her if she needed help and she said she had it and got in her truck and left. 

On her way to her next stop she noticed both vehicles following her. Same at her next stop. When she left them still following when she stopped at a light they had their window down and one vehicle pulled up next to her and so she rolled her window down and ask if they had a problem with her and one said "we cool". 

It was the comments that were enlightening. She was given good advice as to what to do. She should have driven to the police station and notified them what the situation was and that she was on her way. Another told her how a similar incident happened to her daughter where the wrong doer put an air drop device (photo above) on her car while she was in a restaurant eating. they were able to track her right to her home. 

Most stores if you are concerned about going to your car will if you go back into the store will give you an escort to your vehicle. Women today and men on occasion have to be so aware of their surroundings and what is going on around them because it is not the same friendly world it used to be. Criminal's can and do corrupt items that were intended for good but they use for bad. Beware ladies - and stay alert. 

With millions coming into our country and not knowing who they are or if they are good or bad this is only going to get worse in my opinion. 

Nasty Head Cold:

This has been a nasty head cold that ended up going into my lungs. Wiped out my energy and it was just so nasty - I used up a ton of Kleenex. I hope it won't go much longer as I have work to get done and have lacked the energy to get anything done.  I simply can't remember when I last had any sickness but being back in an area with so many people I should have expected something like this. 

Life in the mountains we were both very healthy but now we are around people more and people transmit illness. I didn't even turn on my computer for two days but it is time to take charge again and get some things done. I just wasn't made to lay around like this. 

It Must Be Going Around:

 Carol caught a cold and thought it was a sinus problem. Now I have it and it is most certainly a head cold so far. Nose and throat are the worst and with my compromised immune system as a result of the post sepsis syndrome it is going to get worse before it gets better. It has been decades since I have had a cold and now I remember how miserable it can make you. I hope I will be better before this Thursday as I need to have that cyst drained on my ankle so I  can walk normally again. 

Disrupters:

 When you wake up and have things planned for the day - then things interrupt and go wrong. Carol turned on the kitchen light and it started to go off and on. We thought the florescent bulb was going so we went to Walmart and bought one but when we put it in the unit started smoking. 

After some choice words in getting the old light fixture off (had to take the cabinet apart) I was finally able to get the fixture out.  It was a very cheap fixture and was direct wired so I had to take the fixture apart to get the wires out. The electrician cross threaded the wire input to the fixture. Plus he/she used nails to hang the wire over.  Cheap shoddy work if I have ever seen any.  

Carol is now on her way to Lowes again to pick up a new LED fixture and the components I need to  in a new light. While she was getting dinner ready the microwave made a different noise and started smoking so while she is at Lowes she will pick out a new microwave. Now I wonder just what will go next in this 40 year old house. 

Memory Of Happy Moment:

                                                   

I think one of my happy moments was when we were able to reunite mother and son. We adopted Klaus after he had been surrendered to  the shelter two times. Both times he spent a long time there having been surrendered by the original owner who gave ridiculous reasons for the two surrenders. Klaus is such a good boy who minds well and there was no reason for him to be surrendered in the first place. 

Initially he was surrendered with another female but she was adopted after a stay in the shelter. We had Klaus for over a year when we noticed the female had been surrendered to the shelter again. These two had been apart for several years and I immediately called the shelter to see if by chance she had been the female surrendered with him initially. In talking to the shelter manager it was disclosed she was initially surrendered with Klaus and thought to be his mother.

We adopted April the very next day and when those two saw each other the joy and happiness they exhibited made it clear they were definitely related and back together once again where they will now stay. Just seeing the excitement on each when they first saw each other again will remain one of my happy moments. Klaus is now 9 years old and April is 11 years old but they will at least be able to spend the rest of their lives together. Their earlier life was not so good but now they are both so spoiled and that too makes us very happy. They are home together and both are very happy and content. 

Canine Anal Fistula:

Lucy was licking her rear end a lot and we took her to the veterinarian and the first vet thought it was her anal gland. When that didn't seem to solve the issue we ended up taking her to another vet. The first vet said he thought it was an anal fistula but lacked experience treating such a disease. The second vet had plenty of experience with anal fistula which is a fissure that is an auto immune disease. 

Lucy was given several medications including heavy doses of antibiotic and other Rx that I don't know what they do or what they are for. After three weeks of this prescription regime she is doing better. One of her solutions is a tube of ointment that cost over $200.00, and it is applied two times a day directly to her anus. While it is a disguising thing to do but when you love your pets it gets done and she will tolerate it.  The result is that in two weeks she may be reduced to no pills and will probably have to have the ointment the rest of her life. 

I think initially Lucy thought I was some kind of pervert but now that she is doing well, and it is no longer painful, she accepts having her anus massaged without complaint.   Apparently anal fistulas are more common in German Shepherds than other breeds. What we are willing to do for our canine family!!!! 

March - The Crazy Month:

 I was in the dentist office yesterday and the dentist and patient were sitting in the lobby talking about hiking and the month of March. That in this area it is the most unpredictable area of the entire year. Two days ago it was 80 degrees and today it is 27 degrees. Fortunately the weather prognosticators got it right this time and I was able to cover my tiny vegetable plants last night so they would not freeze. Weather predictions are much more on point here in the Carolina's than they were in the mountains of Colorado. I covered my freshly planted rhubarb with mulch and they are hearty so should survive. 

Interesting Place To Live:

 We live at the western most part of North Carolina. Our medical providers are all within a 30 minute drive from our house. Most are much closer. Our family physician is in Georgia, Our eye clinic and Urologist are in North Carolina. Our dentist is in Tennessee. When I had a CAT scan earlier this year it was sent to Chattanooga Tennessee, and I had the results in 20 minutes. A very interesting place to live.

A Sign Of Spring:

We ate dandelion greens very often when I grew up. I still love them.  

 

Canine Problems:

The photo above is of our past girl Sarah. Sarah went totally and completely blind in her mid life She had SARD which is when the retinas suddenly accidentally detach. She was fine in the morning and in fact out chasing chipmunks in the back yard, but around noon she suddenly went blind and was in full panic. We immediately took her to our vet who said she could see her retinas floating within her eyes. The vet called a specialist who said that Sarah would be totally blind the rest of her life - nothing could be done. Dogs do not recover from detached retina and they believe it has something to do with high blood pressure. 

We did two things, one was post her condition on our blog site. The other was do some research on caring for blind dogs. We got aromatic oil to put on things so she would not bump into walls and door ways. The other was to put bubble wrap on just about everything so she wouldn't hurt herself. We also put a short leash on her so we could lead her around to orient herself. 

It was painful for us when she would think she knew where she was and go to jump up on the sofa and land on something else. In the meantime a very kind lady wrote us and told us her dog had the same thing and someone recommended bilberry which worked. I left immediately for town and bought a bottle of bilberry, After a couple weeks we noticed that Sarah was seeing again so back to the vet. Sure enough her sight was back and the vet and specialist were amazed calling it a true miracle which it was. 

There had been a lot of prayer said for Sarah and regardless of your faith belief her sight had been restored. It truly was a miracle! Neither our vet or the specialist had ever seen  SARD reversed and had no answer for it. 

We also had a fur family member who was deaf. Working with her we were able to communicate well and she lived a normal life. It never occurred to us to do anything but help our fur family members with their disability. It was the same with three of our family who had lost the use of their back legs. I would urge anyone  with a dog that has a disability to learn how to work with them so they can still have a full and useful life. 

Oldest to Oldest:

 When we left S. Colorado for our new home in N. Carolina we moved to a County named Cherokee. We left the oldest city in Colorado for the County named after the largest Indian nation in the country. When we left San Luis - the oldest city in Colorado - which had a rich Hispanic history which we really enjoyed. 

The Cherokee Nation has a long standing and rich heritage in our new area and many roads, rivers and mountains are named after them. They also assimilated into the American culture very well. They have their own form of government which seems from what I have read much more successful than our current form of partisan government. 

The Cherokee value empathy for their community where they support others in the community and honor and live united. I have read that they seek balance and harmony, which seems something we citizens have lost sight of. Today the Cherokee Nation is very wealthy. When kids graduate school a fund with several hundreds of thousands of dollars is set aside for them. Health care and further education is paid for by the tribe. 

In reading about the Cherokee it seems that they have strong family values such as humility, honesty, character, and integrity which many of our citizens have lost track of.  They own and operate a casino not 15 minutes from us. They have their own government, social services and law enforcement. From what little research I have read they exemplify what our country used to be. I think I am going to like living in Cherokee County as the history is equally as rich as where we moved from. The more I read and learn the more appreciative I am with the Cherokee and Cherokee County N.C. 

Minor Gardening Challenges:

 At night time the temperature has been going down to the mid 40's but if the weather prognosticators are correct it will go down to 31 degrees tonight. My spinach and lettuce plants could be impacted by this sudden cold snap. It is important this time of year in getting my garden growing well that close-attention be paid to the weather - especially the temperatures. I will cover my new sprouts tonight to be sure they don't freeze.  I don't want to have to start all over with my gardening due to neglecting a threat like an unexpected freeze or cold snap.. 

Spring Flowers Early:

 Wow, Spring flowers sure do bloom early here in NC. Maybe it is all the rain we have been getting. 

Weather:

 I really don't like to write about the weather but the weather here in N Carolina is so different than when we lived in the mountains of Colorado that it is worth mentioning. It is far more rain and clouds for more dismal days. In Colorado it was snow but it generally lasted for a day or maybe two. It accumulated over seven or eight months and most days were sunny. Not so in N. Carolina as it can be rain for several days. Also, the snow is much more pretty as it covers everything. When the sun shines it glimmers like millions of diamonds and is breath taking. 

The forecast for here is rain for roughly a week with one day in the middle of the week forecast for sun. We have received as much as  five inches, according to our rain gauge, at one time. The forecast for our area in Colorado is three days of snow and then it will be sunny again. That is unusual as mostly the storms only last for a day or maybe two. This wet is going to take some getting used to. In Colorado we would shovel and blow the snow away after a storm but here it stays wet for days. What a difference we have to adjust to.  

Blog History:

 20+ years ago we started this blog to keep family and friends informed of our lives. We moved from big city life to a remote area of Colorado and basically went for a much simpler lifestyle. We were self reliant and heated with a wood stove. We dealt with the average 264" of snow each year and grew our own vegetables in our garden. We learned much about the simpler lifestyle. 

Then Mother Earth News ask me to write blogs for them to post on their web page. I did that for over 10 years and developed many more followers on this blog site. All along the way I posted things that I learned about the 'going back to the earth' lifestyle. Then unfortunately we found we had along the way become much older and I developed a prostrate problem. When you wake up at night and can't pee and the trip to the emergency room is one hour and a half away it is time to move closer to medical facilities. Not to mention in the winter when the road is drifted in it is even worse.

Our daughter and son in law had just moved to North Carolina and were selling their vacation cabin so we bought it and now are no longer living the back to earth and remote lifestyle. It had to happen one day but it was a surprise when it happened so fast. Just two weeks before we moved here I was hospitalized with sepsis and now am dealing with what is known as post sepsis syndrome. It is not a pleasant thing to deal with but at least we are close to medical facilities. 

Now our nearest neighbor is a stone throw away we are still self reliant and brought much of the old lifestyle with us inasmuch as we heat for the most part in this more temperate climate with a wood stove and still cut and split our firewood.  

So as we have grown in our back to the earth lifestyle the blog has grown as well. I still miss the back to earth lifestyle and am surprised with world events as they are that more people are not embracing that lifestyle. Our home in the mountains of Colorado is currently up for sale https://www.zillow.com/homes/2009-Strauss-Dr-Fort-Garland,-CO-81133_rb/194161221_zpid/ and it has drawn a lot of attention. Some younger person will purchase it I am sure and will have an extremely rewarding lifestyle on our 11 acres. It was sadly just time for us to move on. 

Rental Cabin to Home:

This was a rental cabin before it was our home. The person who bought it stayed here but I believe he rented it out too. When he died in an auto accident his wife didn't want to keep it so she sold it to our daughter and son in law. They used it occasionally and sold it to us. So we are changing it from a cabin to a home. We have been taking on a project one at a time. While the furniture was only 10 years old it was big and bulky and had some hard use. The beds were the same way. We have changed the furniture and beds, up graded the dressers, 

We removed the bulk including the large table in the kitchen, moved things around and donated much to a local charity that sells it for an animal rescue. We are slowly converting it from a rental to a home we are comfortable in. There  were at least a dozen pictures hanging on walls that went with the rental decor. Most were of bears or fish. There were all kinds of decorative items that we have donated to the animal rescue to sell. We replaced the refrigerator that was rusted and lacked a good seal but worked. 

Today we took the bathroom fan down and gave it a good cleaning. It was so dirty that it rattled and ground away. Now it is just a low hum and my guess is that it had never been cleaned since the cabin was built 40 years ago. Next is the range hood and I can see that is going to be equally hard..

One Bad Apple Spoils The Entire Barrel:

 

Sorry that we had to put this sign up but the USPS driver tries to get to the back door and spins his tires digging ruts in the driveway. He then drives across the grass area instead of going back down the driveway. I had to spread grass seed to fill in the bare areas that he made as he slid down the grass. The other drivers - UPS, FedEx and others stop where the sign is and either put it under the covered area in front or walk it up to the door. 

When it rains the rain runs down the ruts he made and washes the dirt down onto the driveway. He will probably ignore the sign but then he will have to deal with a very angry me and he can fix his damage. One jerk ruins it for the other drivers. 

Stressful 2 1/2 Weeks:

 Our sweet girl Lucy has been licking her anus for the past several weeks and we took her into the vet when it started. The vet thought it was anal glands and the vet treated her for that. We took her back three times and the third time the vet decided it was an anal fistula. He started her on prednisone and Preparation H. He suggested we see a dermatologist which was a long drive away. 

Instead we found a local vet who had experience with this type illness which is an auto immune decease.  He put her on a proper régime of treatment that was consistent with our research on the matter. The first visit was $500.00, plus $50.00 for a change in her diet and a small bag of new food. The cost for the prescriptions was another $250.00, and that is just the start. 

 When you adopt a dog and take them in as a family member you don't stop doing what is best for them when the first issue happens. We are in this with Lucy for the long haul and hope she makes a full recovery. Prayers are appreciated for Lucy's full healing. 

Gardening at Lower Elevation:

 When we lived in Colorado at 9,800' elevation it was extremely difficult to have a garden as the growing season was so short. It was usually May and sometimes June before I could get my seeds in the ground and a second planting was out of the question. 

Here in N. Carolina at a lower elevation - even in the mountains - we get a much longer growing season. I have planted spinach already as it is a hardy plant and will tolerate the cold and still thrive. In a couple of weeks when the possibility of frost is gone I will plan other vegetables and may even get a second planting before winter again. I'm thinking maybe some cherry tomatoes, carrots and who knows what else.  

We have found out that we have blueberry and blackberries in the back yard and an apple tree that is in serious need of some fertilizer spikes and attention. Maybe I will plant some strawberries for good measure. 

Lucy's New Bed:

 Lucy likes to get under Carol's desk so we bought her a new bed all her own and she loves it. 

Garden Time;

I can't believe that I am starting my garden in mid February. The ground is too steep and rocky to put a garden in the ground so I will grow our vegetables in a raised garden box. The soil was too wet in the bags to put any seeds in it but as soon as it dries out some I will get some lettuce and spinach in the dirt. The garden box is on the deck under a covered roof and at the south side of the house where it will get ideal sun. 

It will also be protected from the birds and  squirrels. I have some mesh to go over the box that was left in the basement so that will give the plants a chance. I also have three rhubarb plants coming but the nursery is in Wisconsin so I have to wait for their ground to thaw before they can send it to me. I should be able to have lettuce and spinach up into the fall. 
.

 

So Different:

 Here it is the middle of February and the flowers are coming up and blooming. In Colorado at our cabin we still have three months before we could even consider planting anything. Just one of the differences between living at 9,800' elevation and the smokies of North Carolina. Our dogwood trees are already budding out. By comparison - what a difference.

Bliss:

 There is nothing like having a fur family member fall asleep in your lap. She lay like this for over an hour. Total trust and total love. 

Stunned to Silence:

Carol's old computer gave up and was being more trouble than it was worth. We went on line and looked at other computers. We found this one and looked at this one and it has the capacity we needed. It lacks speakers but it is so small and replaces the tower. She says it works perfectly and is amazing. 

 

Change:

We have relocated to N. Carolina a little over three months ago. We have found doctors and dentists for ourselves and also for our fur family. One thing here we have to be aware of that was not in Colorado is heartworm. We quickly put our three on heartworm medication so they were protected from heartworm. 

In Colorado we did not have heartworm as the elevation was such as the mosquitos did not live there. Even so I had our guys checked for heartworm just the same as there was a lot of tourist activity it could be brought in randomly.  It is best for them to be protected - which they are. The only downside of giving them the monthly Rx is that it tends to upset their stomachs for a day or two. 

It is an insidious disease that is preventable and I would not take a chance on our loved fur family getting it.  

Time Consuming:

 It takes time to put things together. This cabin used to be a rental and the furniture is all very large and well used. Carol's dresser was pretty worn out but sturdy and solid - but it took up an entire wall. The large bulky furniture made the rooms smaller and we replaced the bed and now the dresser. It has opened the room up so we can move around with more freedom without tripping over items. 

The only problem is this came with assembly required. It took five solid hours to put the many pieces together. The FedEx woman who brought it had to brace herself to just unload it. I was standing there and watched her set her jaw, take two deep breaths before she was able to get it up. I didn't want her to hurt herself so I had he leave it right where it was and told he we would unpack it and take it into the house pieces at a time. She didn't hesitate at that offer and put it down after a few feet. 

We loaded it on the cart and took it to the door and then put the pieces in Carol's bedroom. The next day we took 5 hours to assemble it and managed not to  yell or cuss once. It was made in China and they only missed a few holes but they were on the braces for the drawers that we were able to work around. Every thing else as very good and lined up as it should. 

Little by little we are making this place homey...

Update on insulation Box:

 Top photo is final box  and bottom is the unfinished box.

Frozen Water Line:

 We woke up yesterday to frozen water pipes. With the help of a very good neighbor and friend we tracked the issue down to the exterior where the feed line comes into the house. I am pretty hard to surprise but this left me speechless. The top photo shows the water feed to the house. We removed a thin layer of flat stones and found the feed was laying on top of the ground. 

Normally the water line is buried below the ground. Not in this case it lays right on top and out in the open. My neighbor brought a heat gun and in a few minutes it was thawed and running again. I'm surprised that no one had taken the time to fix it before so the water line was protected.

The bottom photo shows the insulated box that was built in a matter of minutes to protect the exposed water feed. Total cost was $29.00, and it will keep the feed from freezing again. Two inch Styrofoam insulation and a brooder lamp used for chickens and when it gets down to single digit again all I need to do is plug it in and the brooder lamp mounted inside will keep the water line nice and warm. Problem solved in very little time. The pieces of Styrofoam are held together with liquid nails and when painted black it will absorb heat.  

Top Of The Apple Order:

We drove the 30 minutes to the apple orchard in Blue Ridge, Georgia yesterday and it was less packed with people. In fact only a couple other shoppers when we got there right after they opened. As it turned out that was not totally in our favor as we spent more money than anticipated. We had plenty of time to look around and there were so many tempting items for sale. They also have a bakery that sells individual pies that are beyond . 

We bought plenty of apples that we love so much - Ever Crisp - that are so tasty that we hate to be without them. They are large apples, almost the size of a softball. I have never had apples that tasted as good as these do. We have enough now to last us several days. This orchard is a well know place to locals and tourists alike. It is Mercier Orchards and we will be back for sure. Love those Ever Crisp apples.... 

Chimney Sweep:

 In our cabin in Colorado I cleaned the chimney myself  but we decided here in N. Carolina to have someone else do it. We hired a sweep (Jake) who did a wonderful job and our chimney is now far more functional. From the look of it the chimney had never been cleaned. We knew the chimney needed cleaning because the draft was very poor and when we opened the stove door smoke came out. 

It was no wonder as the chimney was extremely full of soot and creosote as were the pipes to the chimney. It was a wonder that any smoke at all made its way up the chimney. 

I showed Jake the photos of myself cleaning our chimney in Colorado and he said he would have had to decline that job. It does look dangerous but I did it for 26 years and never considered it that dangerous. the view was sensational from up there. 

Wait! This Is Snow??

 Having come from Colorado where we get snow in feet and not inches, this seems a pretty wimpy snow. The sun came out and it was gone just that fast. I could really get used to wimpy snow.  

Cardinal:

 It has been many years since I have seen a cardinal and we have two families of them here. 

Great Find:

 One of the great finds we have found so far is an apple orchard only 30 minutes from us They have an apple that is super and so sweet and crisp,. We are currently out of them and plan to head to the orchard in a few days hoping they still have not sold out. .This is a well know orchard that many people know about. Their apples are worth the drive to obtain. Their store also has cider, individual pies and is just a good place to shop. 

And It Just Keeps Coming:

 We noticed when it rained we were getting some water in our basement. As I surveyed the area outside I noticed that the electrical run that was put in prior to our purchase entered the house at the location where the water was coming in. After a rain storm it was dry under the eves where the new electric came in so it had to be coming in from the depression left by the ditch. The drain pipe stopped right by the large rock and the rainwater was running down the hill to the ditch then following the line to the house and flooding in the basement. 

There was some extra pipe left over under the deck so I pulled a piece out and fitted it into the existing pipe and screwed it in place. Today the water coming from the gutters now runs over the ditch and so far no water in the basement. I also filled in the depression of the ditch so normal run off runs over the ditch and down the mountain. We have had 4" of rain so far and it is suppose to keep raining until tonight. Fingers crossed that it does not find another route into the basement. It took a good deal of study to figure out why the basement was getting wet but I finally concluded the water had to be coming underground where I could not see it.. Hopefully that problem is solved now. 

Country Wisdom:

Our Dogs Go Crazy:

 Our dogs go crazy when they hear fireworks or gunfire. New Years Eve we had both. A neighbor started to set off fireworks at 7:30 PM and the dogs all went crazy trying to hide from the scary noise. After an hour when we finally got them settled down the gunshots sounded and we had to calm them down again. At midnight it sounded like a battle zone as gunshots were non-stop and there were automatic weapons fired along with large caliber hand guns. I recognized them from my time in the military. 

In North Carolina fireworks are illegal and shooting weapons is illegal in most neighborhoods across the country as all those bullets had to come down somewhere. I guess it should be somewhat reassuring that should we ever have a terrorist attack that if they venture into this area they will be met with overwhelming firearm resistance. I expect that would be the case in many communities across our country. 

Moving Is Hectic:

 

Moving from Colorado to North Carolina is hectic. Not  only do we have to find new doctors, dentists, vets, and vision care but we find out that our medical plan North does not apply in North Carolina so we had to find another plan with comprisable benefits. Coupled with the fact it has taken 5 1/2 months to get in to see a urologist and 3 months to get an appointment to  get a NC drivers license it creates a hectic situation. 

We had to have the electricity changed over from the past owner into our name and arrange for trash pickup versus taking our trash to the dump which we are taxed for in our property taxes. We needed to change vehicles due to the configuration of our driveway which created tag office problems as the first car we traded for had an engine problem that the dealer said he would fix and couldn't so we traded up and ended up paying tax on both vehicles. 

The move was the right thing to do and we are happy here not what we have made the home we bought more to our lifestyle but the process is a real hassle. We are slowly working these issues out but it involves time that we had not accounted for. will settle in in due time but trying to keep all these State agencies satisficed is proving to be time consuming. I'll look forward to the day we can just sit back and not have something that needs to be done. That is still in the hopefully near future.