In May, the deer hunter and I officially moved in together. Of course it took me until almost July to clean out my house and rent it, but by May we were staying only at the farm. The cats were the first to make the move, Bella, Tater, and Yaz could not have been more happy. They gained a freedom they didn't know before and loved every minute of it. Tater is quite the hunter, which is not surprising; we lost Bella in July, we think to a coyote, very sad; and Yaz moved back to NY in July, but before his big move, Yaz also did he fair share of the hunting.
The farm, as I like to call it, is not really a farm. I mean we own 4 acres of land and our house is an old farm house, but most would not call it a farm. I guess I would say it's our farm. Our neighbors are cows in a pasture, and the closest humans are about 1/2 mile away. Rural is the name of the game.
To add to our farm life, we own 7 chickens, 2 ducks, and 2 guinea hens. The chickens we have had for about a year now, growing them since they were just baby chicks. Now, they are beautiful hens, who lay beautiful eggs for us. They are named after the princesses of England- Catherine, Grace, and Margaret- Marilyn Monroe, Lady Gaga, Madonna, and Betty White. A variety of names. The eggs are a great benefit, a farm fresh egg cannot be beat, ever.
The ducks were a gift from the deer hunter's parents. They dropped them off on our back porch one day, so they are named Bill and Leona in honor of her parents. The Leona has recently started laying eggs, and has found a nesting spot. We are trying our best to prevent her from setting on them, we don't want more ducks.
Our life on the farm is amazing and something that I look forward to going home to each night. The weekends are full of collecting wood, tending to the chickens, garden, and anything else we feel like doing. It's a life one can only imagine, one that I can't get enough of.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
A Year Ago...or so
Today on my way home from work, I was thinking about how it was the last day of January and how fast it went by. My thoughts drifted to what was happening last year at this time. I was interviewing for my current position, trying to figure how the deer hunter and I could live together if I didn't get the new job, and my grandmother.
A year ago, my grandma was given the ultimate death sentence. She had been battling colon cancer for more than a year. Lots of treatments, tests, everything you can do to fight the big C. She went for her appointment, the appointment in which her doctor gave up on her, and her fight. The appointment ended in the doctor recommending her to hospice. The end was near, as far as he was concerned. The tumors were growing and growing in new places, the radiation wasn't working, and just making grandma more sick. So, he put an end to it. The hospice nurse would come as often as grandma wanted, to help make things more comfortable for her. It meant that we would lose her soon.
The last time our family had to interact with hospice was for my aunt. My grandma's only daughter. Ellen's fight was not long, not the second time around. We lost her 20 years ago, and this was on all of our minds as we processed this information about grandma. The nurse came, visited with grandma and set up a schedule.
If you don't know my grandma, she is a fighter, strong, and amazing. It was hard to believe she wouldn't make it to Christmas or her 85th birthday. I was angry and sad, not ready to lose her. How could any doctor recommend hospice for her? It couldn't be possible. The nurse visited grandma once a week for three months.
In that time, the nurse could not believe she was needed. Grandma was dancing twice a week, shopping on Friday nights, and making all her own meals. She was grocery shopping, going to her weekly hair appointment, and driving herself. The nurse did not understand why any doctor would recommend hospice for my grandma. The nurse called the doctor and told him that she was not needed. He had my grandmother come in and see him.
After that appointment, he cancelled the hospice. He told grandma she would need to come in and see him once a month for check ins. It's been a year....my grandma made it to Christmas, and her 85th birthday. She is still here. Still dancing twice a week, shopping, and doing those things that make her happy. So, on my way home today, I thought about grandma and how very lucky we are that she is beating that death sentence.
UPDATE 2/7: It's ironic that I wrote this post and then received a call from my dad a few days later. Grandma had pneumonia back in October, which put her in the hospital for almost a month. Her recovery has been slow, but she has been doing pretty good. This week, she thought that the pneumonia was back, so she saw her general practitioner, who sent her to the oncologist. Her kidneys are shutting down and her lungs are pushing on them. He called hospice and put her back on. For now we are taking day to day. She is still home and "fine" just moving a little more slowly then she is used to. If you pray- she could use it. If you don't, send her positive, good, full of life vibes.
A year ago, my grandma was given the ultimate death sentence. She had been battling colon cancer for more than a year. Lots of treatments, tests, everything you can do to fight the big C. She went for her appointment, the appointment in which her doctor gave up on her, and her fight. The appointment ended in the doctor recommending her to hospice. The end was near, as far as he was concerned. The tumors were growing and growing in new places, the radiation wasn't working, and just making grandma more sick. So, he put an end to it. The hospice nurse would come as often as grandma wanted, to help make things more comfortable for her. It meant that we would lose her soon.
The last time our family had to interact with hospice was for my aunt. My grandma's only daughter. Ellen's fight was not long, not the second time around. We lost her 20 years ago, and this was on all of our minds as we processed this information about grandma. The nurse came, visited with grandma and set up a schedule.
If you don't know my grandma, she is a fighter, strong, and amazing. It was hard to believe she wouldn't make it to Christmas or her 85th birthday. I was angry and sad, not ready to lose her. How could any doctor recommend hospice for her? It couldn't be possible. The nurse visited grandma once a week for three months.
In that time, the nurse could not believe she was needed. Grandma was dancing twice a week, shopping on Friday nights, and making all her own meals. She was grocery shopping, going to her weekly hair appointment, and driving herself. The nurse did not understand why any doctor would recommend hospice for my grandma. The nurse called the doctor and told him that she was not needed. He had my grandmother come in and see him.
After that appointment, he cancelled the hospice. He told grandma she would need to come in and see him once a month for check ins. It's been a year....my grandma made it to Christmas, and her 85th birthday. She is still here. Still dancing twice a week, shopping, and doing those things that make her happy. So, on my way home today, I thought about grandma and how very lucky we are that she is beating that death sentence.
UPDATE 2/7: It's ironic that I wrote this post and then received a call from my dad a few days later. Grandma had pneumonia back in October, which put her in the hospital for almost a month. Her recovery has been slow, but she has been doing pretty good. This week, she thought that the pneumonia was back, so she saw her general practitioner, who sent her to the oncologist. Her kidneys are shutting down and her lungs are pushing on them. He called hospice and put her back on. For now we are taking day to day. She is still home and "fine" just moving a little more slowly then she is used to. If you pray- she could use it. If you don't, send her positive, good, full of life vibes.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
A year?!
I can't believe it's been a year since I last posted...actually a little more than a year....I have a few started posts, but never actually finished one. Let's hope this one sees the light of day.
A lot has happened in a year. My last post spoke of my on-line dating experience. Well, I am happy to report that not only was my last date successful but we are in happy couple bliss. It's probably sickening to those around us. I have to say that I have always felt lucky, but now I can say I am very lucky to not have only fallen in love once, but now twice. And twice for real. It doesn't happen for many, so I count my blessings.
Other developments in my life- I was promoted last February. My new job has me balancing and keeping our department's very large budget and overseeing all of our assessment efforts. It's been an interesting transition from working with staff and students every day, to just working mostly with numbers. I have had the opportunity to get to know a whole different set of people on our campus, which opens up the picture of how a university works even more for me. I miss my interactions with the live in staff, I have been thinking hard on how to fix this, but have yet to come up with a good idea. If there are any suggestions, I will take them.
As for Albany, I have made the decision to take an "academic hiatus" from my program. It started last Spring when I realized that I wanted to focus more on my personal life, and didn't want to spend my weekends completing homework. So, my adviser and I sat down for a chat about what to do now, and decided that if I completed two classes this Fall, I could earn my Certificate of Advance Study, and be done with school for now. My academic hiatus allows me time to really think over the idea of a PhD, and do the things I have been wanting to do with no guilt. I try not to think of myself as a PhD drop out, hence the academic hiatus term.
I have moved to PA and live in the woods. I call it the farm, and have a ton of good stories about my life there. My hope is to keep motivated with this blog and write about the farm, the chickens, ducks, and other things there. Stay tuned...
A lot has happened in a year. My last post spoke of my on-line dating experience. Well, I am happy to report that not only was my last date successful but we are in happy couple bliss. It's probably sickening to those around us. I have to say that I have always felt lucky, but now I can say I am very lucky to not have only fallen in love once, but now twice. And twice for real. It doesn't happen for many, so I count my blessings.
Other developments in my life- I was promoted last February. My new job has me balancing and keeping our department's very large budget and overseeing all of our assessment efforts. It's been an interesting transition from working with staff and students every day, to just working mostly with numbers. I have had the opportunity to get to know a whole different set of people on our campus, which opens up the picture of how a university works even more for me. I miss my interactions with the live in staff, I have been thinking hard on how to fix this, but have yet to come up with a good idea. If there are any suggestions, I will take them.
As for Albany, I have made the decision to take an "academic hiatus" from my program. It started last Spring when I realized that I wanted to focus more on my personal life, and didn't want to spend my weekends completing homework. So, my adviser and I sat down for a chat about what to do now, and decided that if I completed two classes this Fall, I could earn my Certificate of Advance Study, and be done with school for now. My academic hiatus allows me time to really think over the idea of a PhD, and do the things I have been wanting to do with no guilt. I try not to think of myself as a PhD drop out, hence the academic hiatus term.
I have moved to PA and live in the woods. I call it the farm, and have a ton of good stories about my life there. My hope is to keep motivated with this blog and write about the farm, the chickens, ducks, and other things there. Stay tuned...
Monday, November 22, 2010
on-line dating
back in may i decided to take the plunge and try on-line dating....it was something i only shared with one other person...mostly because i wasn't sure i was ready for it....but knew i had to at least try....
so, it started....since i first tried it in may, i have since learned from many people that they met their significant other on-line....and have had the opportunity to share some of the stories that go along with on-line dating....
i have a few stories myself....there was the woman who never met me, but was annoyed almost instantly with me because i didn't answer her emails with in a certain prescribed time....of course, i am still not sure what that timeline was, but i think if i answered them within 2 minutes, it still wouldn't have been fast enough....
then there were the two woman who talked to me on the phone a few times each....things seemed to be going well...one asked me to meet for coffee, i agreed, but never heard where or when....the other just stopped communicating altogether....no explanation, nothing....just never heard from her again....
i actually made it on one date....the woman was a little pushy about setting up the date, insisting that it happen the next day and it's over dinner...no matter what i tried to push it back to another day or not dinner, it didn't work....i finally gave in....dinner was painful....it started with the judgmental look she gave my clothes (mind you i was dressed appropriately for the restaurant she picked)....then it painfully lasted 3 hours....she picked up on none of my non-verbals, or even verbal hints....i had made an escape plan for myself, a story about jack being sick, so it was time to bring the story out....so, i used the story and stood up....she got that hint....on our way out, she told me what a great time she had and wanted to see me again....i thought for a minute and decided to be honest....there outside the restaurant i told her that i didn't think things would go anywhere and that i didn't want to try this again....my bluntness didn't sink in, the next day she emailed me about getting together again....i again was straight forward with her....
as i was about to give up on on-line dating, i decided to give one more woman a chance....we met for coffee....which lasted 3 hours....a different kind of 3 hours....we hit it off well, and i am happy to say almost 4 months later, things are still going well....
over the months i have talked to many people who have on-line dating stories....something that i thought i was alone in or a minority at least....but i am happy to hear the stories and to know that lots of people do it....
so, it started....since i first tried it in may, i have since learned from many people that they met their significant other on-line....and have had the opportunity to share some of the stories that go along with on-line dating....
i have a few stories myself....there was the woman who never met me, but was annoyed almost instantly with me because i didn't answer her emails with in a certain prescribed time....of course, i am still not sure what that timeline was, but i think if i answered them within 2 minutes, it still wouldn't have been fast enough....
then there were the two woman who talked to me on the phone a few times each....things seemed to be going well...one asked me to meet for coffee, i agreed, but never heard where or when....the other just stopped communicating altogether....no explanation, nothing....just never heard from her again....
i actually made it on one date....the woman was a little pushy about setting up the date, insisting that it happen the next day and it's over dinner...no matter what i tried to push it back to another day or not dinner, it didn't work....i finally gave in....dinner was painful....it started with the judgmental look she gave my clothes (mind you i was dressed appropriately for the restaurant she picked)....then it painfully lasted 3 hours....she picked up on none of my non-verbals, or even verbal hints....i had made an escape plan for myself, a story about jack being sick, so it was time to bring the story out....so, i used the story and stood up....she got that hint....on our way out, she told me what a great time she had and wanted to see me again....i thought for a minute and decided to be honest....there outside the restaurant i told her that i didn't think things would go anywhere and that i didn't want to try this again....my bluntness didn't sink in, the next day she emailed me about getting together again....i again was straight forward with her....
as i was about to give up on on-line dating, i decided to give one more woman a chance....we met for coffee....which lasted 3 hours....a different kind of 3 hours....we hit it off well, and i am happy to say almost 4 months later, things are still going well....
over the months i have talked to many people who have on-line dating stories....something that i thought i was alone in or a minority at least....but i am happy to hear the stories and to know that lots of people do it....
Monday, July 26, 2010
Monday, July 12, 2010
Texas
I recently spent some time in Austin, TX....i was there for a conference and had never been to that part of texas before....
it was hot there....close to or over 100 everyday....but on our first day, we ventured out to eat tex-mex and explore downtown austin....we walked up and down historic 6th street, which was full of bars, restaurants, and tattoo parlors....austin is known as music city and has a large variety of bands playing each night in the bars downtown....we then walked down to the congress st bridge.
there are bats that live under the bridge, and each night between may and august they come out at dusk....and it's supposed to be a site to see....so, we decided that after dinner we would come back to see these bats- even though i think they are creepy....
however, when we returned at dusk, with all the other tourists....
the people were everywhere....including in the river
and we all just waited....while the sun went down and the moon came out...
but the bats never came out.....
later in the week we visited the state capitol building.....it was interesting to take a tour of the building, learn about the politics of the state....what I learned the most was that texas believes it should be it's own country.....
the building is made of rose granite....it's a very subtle pink color....
all over the building you would find things in the ceilings and floors to remind people that texas is best....
after visiting the capitol building we walked up to u of t....the size of the campus was overwhelming....from the 10+ story football stadium to it's clock tower in the center of campus....
the clock tower has been closed for a very long time because a student opened fire on the campus from the top of the tower....
overall, austin wasn't a place i would go back to.....but i did get to see plenty of it....and eat my way through it :)
it was hot there....close to or over 100 everyday....but on our first day, we ventured out to eat tex-mex and explore downtown austin....we walked up and down historic 6th street, which was full of bars, restaurants, and tattoo parlors....austin is known as music city and has a large variety of bands playing each night in the bars downtown....we then walked down to the congress st bridge.
there are bats that live under the bridge, and each night between may and august they come out at dusk....and it's supposed to be a site to see....so, we decided that after dinner we would come back to see these bats- even though i think they are creepy....
however, when we returned at dusk, with all the other tourists....
the people were everywhere....including in the river
and we all just waited....while the sun went down and the moon came out...
later in the week we visited the state capitol building.....it was interesting to take a tour of the building, learn about the politics of the state....what I learned the most was that texas believes it should be it's own country.....
after visiting the capitol building we walked up to u of t....the size of the campus was overwhelming....from the 10+ story football stadium to it's clock tower in the center of campus....
overall, austin wasn't a place i would go back to.....but i did get to see plenty of it....and eat my way through it :)
Sunday, June 20, 2010
What I've Learned about Shingles...
Here are a few things that I have learned about shingles in the last two weeks:
1. when you get over the chicken pox as a child, the virus lives on your nerve endings, waiting for you to be an adult.
2. it's not an 80 year old person disease...anyone can get it, who is of the adult age.
3. it's the most painful thing i have ever experienced, it has to do with it living on your nerve endings.
4. it takes more than two weeks for it to go away- as of day 16 the last of it is scabbing
5. the medicine you take causes more pain, as it gives you a severe headache
6. the doctor at the walk in in Bristol,RI has NO bedside manner, he likes to use words like determental, horrible, terrible, melted cornea...all before explaining to you what it is you have.
7. the walk in in Bristol, RI also sends you an extra bill after you have paid the bill in full at time of service
8. you typically don't get shingles in your eyes if it starts in your scalp and forehead....you can get it in your eyes if you get it on your nose and cheek area.
9. the eye doctor knows what's best for your eyes, don't question him
10. my real doctor in Endicott, NY has wonderful bedside manner and made it all feel better....the RI guy should take some lessons
1. when you get over the chicken pox as a child, the virus lives on your nerve endings, waiting for you to be an adult.
2. it's not an 80 year old person disease...anyone can get it, who is of the adult age.
3. it's the most painful thing i have ever experienced, it has to do with it living on your nerve endings.
4. it takes more than two weeks for it to go away- as of day 16 the last of it is scabbing
5. the medicine you take causes more pain, as it gives you a severe headache
6. the doctor at the walk in in Bristol,RI has NO bedside manner, he likes to use words like determental, horrible, terrible, melted cornea...all before explaining to you what it is you have.
7. the walk in in Bristol, RI also sends you an extra bill after you have paid the bill in full at time of service
8. you typically don't get shingles in your eyes if it starts in your scalp and forehead....you can get it in your eyes if you get it on your nose and cheek area.
9. the eye doctor knows what's best for your eyes, don't question him
10. my real doctor in Endicott, NY has wonderful bedside manner and made it all feel better....the RI guy should take some lessons
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