Sunday, June 28, 2009

living in the little camp

It's been one week since we moved back into our little camp, I don't know where the week went, except that we have been busy with everything else, so I guess that has "chewed" up the time. We have had a good week here, but I am so thankful that we didn't decide to try and live here all winter (like I wanted to last fall) because with all the snow we had ...and the ice storm, I am not so sure we would have kept our sanity here!!!!

"Everyone" asks, "how big is the little camp"... and I was thinking about that last night (as I was working on falling asleep).. the little camp is 20x24... we have a galley kitchen with an "open" area that serves as the living room and dining area (I will get pics on the blog when I can). There is a down stairs bedroom, that just about holds our queen sized bed... a nice bathroom, and the loft... and that's it!!! It's wonderful for weekend retreats, but as a "house"... it has taken some getting used to. My horse's stalls are roughly 12x12.. so basically, we have two and half stalls that we are living in.... that is, three adults, six cockers and three cats!!!

I have found the secret is keeping everything in it's place .. and for the most, I have found a place for nearly everything.. you just have to look under the couch for the dog's canned food, and on top of the cupboards for the extra plates and things, and the plastic bin is keeping our bread, cereals and such. Dishes are done the moment they are used, and the laundry has to be done every day, because there just isn't room for any "dirty laundry piles"..... it's impossible to do "big grocery shopping" because I don't have any place to put "extra"... so, I think I will be running to the store every few days. Even the mail can't pile up, and needs to be attended to right away.

The good thing is... (when it isn't rainy) we will spend most of our time outside, and with the invisible fence, the dogs love being out and running "loose"... The other thing is, I think I will learn to keep in the "picked mode"!!! I am usually I pretty neat and organized person, but sometimes it is easy to let things "go" more than I should, I can't do that here, so maybe it will get me into a new habit!!!! And I do know, that in time, we will look back on this time fondly and think of the time that we lived in the "little camp"... though that new house is looking better all the time.

I wish I could post you some pics of the turkey chicks... you can't believe how much they have grown in just a few weeks!!! I have to fill their water "dish" twice a day, and today I filled their grain trough twice as well. We think that in another week, they will have to move out of the "cage" they are in.. we'll make a new outside pen for the two chickens, and put the turkey's into the "bird stall".... we just want to make sure that they can keep themselves warm enough to handle being in the big stall. They have all their wing feathers now, and some are beginning to get their body feathers, and once those are in, they should be pretty "hardy". I will be happy to get them out of the tack room... it's hard to keep them "neat"... and as cute as they are... they can be kind of smelly in that small pen. I can't stand to see them "messy" or crowded.. so, I will be happy when they can handle more room.

I thought that I was going to get another "barn" kitty today, but the gal that offered her to me, didn't call, so I'm not too sure what's up with that. I wouldn't mind giving a kitty a chance at a new home, but I worry some about Annabelle being happy with that idea, so, either way. If she calls again, that is fine, but if not, it's ok too.

I haven't done any driving work with the horses since the clinic!!! one because we have been too busy and second the weather has been next to awful!!! I wish both would calm down!!!! I can't even think of when we had the last full day of sun!!! I hope this isn't the trend for the summer.... it's going to be rather dreary if it is!!! But, I must admit that I did enjoy an afternoon of movies and cross stitch today. Ed went to the NASCAR race, I puttered around the barn in the morning and spent the afternoon quietly.. it was kind of nice, something I haven't done in a while. So, everything has it's good....

Monday again tomorrow.... and next weekend the 4th..... whew..........