Posted by SierraRanch on January 24, 2010
If you live on a ranch you know that things can get a bit on the weird side sometimes. If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook then you know since before Christmas (maybe even Thanksgiving) I have been tormented by a possum. Well now I get to torment it, well them.
Rick laughed because I took pictures, but you need to know the situation, because I need help getting these danged things out!
See the possum in the hole?
Overview of corner.
Now there has been a hole in the heater room since we moved in April 2003. For several years there was a cabinet sitting there blocking the hole. I moved stuff around a couple of years ago and didn’t realize that the hole went in to the heater room. Here is a view of the heater room.
View of heater room.
The door to this room always has stuff in front of it since the washer and dryer are just outside of it. We don’t store lots of things in it and I tossed some of them this morning. There was storm windows for the house, drying rack, some tables (that are ruined) and two windows to some truck that have been there since we moved in. Yeah, we are great at collecting things and not so great at tossing. LOL!
The picture above is after cleaning and spraying bleach in the area. We got to smell the bleach through out the house, but that is much better than the poo smell we had been getting a whiff of every now and then. ACK!
Last night Rick heard things moving in the garage. He had not believed me that the critters were in there, until he saw the one last night. We started looking and there were actually two possums. What fun. NOT!
We tried to get them out last night, but they got between the wall and the heater and us nor Bubba could get them to leave. So we left the door open thinking, OK they will leave since they have been found. NOT!
Silly critters did not to appear to be in there this morning. I got the old horse beet pulp soaking and started cleaning out the closet. I finally found something to put between the wall and the chest. I started moving said things above, when stuff moves. Yeah, fun. NOT! I keep pulling things out and get down to the big glass from some truck. The critters are sleeping on a towel back behind the smoked glass. Still not sure how the towel and other nesting stuff got in the room.
The possum were not so happy that I found them. I tried to shoo them out the door. Not thinking about the fact that the escape route that they were used to was the hole I blocked up so freaking well. (Sometimes it doesn’t pay to be smart!) So the smaller one moves and I am thinking “Just please don’t run up my pant leg!” and the silly thing runs into the wall and is clawing in the wall trying to get out. Dang!
The bigger one just sits there. I don’t have any thing that I could loop him with and he is not scooping well with the shovel. So I figure I will leave them alone, go feed the old horses, wait for Rick to get up, and regroup.
Where they get in...
I go out to start laundry and finish this thinking the danged things have left. Rick sees the silly critters up in the wall. So we place the auto glass between the heater and the wall. It’s pretty heavy and I don’t think they will move it. We blocked it up against the hole on the inside wall as best we could. I tried to get it tight and broke one pane. Oh well, not like we were ever going to use them. And with the coating it should not totally shatter. We will see.
I sprayed the area down really well with bleach hoping to run them out into the garage, but I think it just made them mad. I heard lots of hissing. LOL!
Later I looked the silly critters are still holed up on the wall, but I don’t think they can get back into the room. I know these guys have been eating the cat food and I think they are moving onto the dog food. So, I may have to get the food source to go away for them to actually leave. I am hoping they don’t have babies, and probably don’t yet, but they so need to leave.
And yes we have the fire power to kill them. And we have numerous ways to kill them, but I can’t do it. Even Rick was touched by their cute faces last night. Between that and running the risk of hitting the heater or TV (if it went through the wall). He is considering using the cross bow. Might sic the girl that feeds on the target. She likes killing small woodland critters, so maybe she could get them out. It’s worth a try.
If anyone has any tips on getting the silly things out of our wall I would be willing to listen. Hate the waiting game, but right now that’s the only way to do it. Hope you have enjoyed life on the ranch. Yes, some days are good ones and you get to ride a race horse. Other days you get to chase possum out of the cat food. All pays the same.
Posted by SierraRanch on October 12, 2008
Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but doesn’t get you anywhere.
- Anonymous
Too many of us worry about things that we cannot change. Although worrying gives you something to focus on, there are more productive ways to spend your time. Instead of worrying about the things you cannot control, remind yourself that worrying doesn’t bring change. If it is a situation that you can control, then there is no reason to worry! Find a solution and spend your energy fulfilling it. If nothing else, just talk to someone about your concerns. Getting them out in the open tends to help put your mind at ease.
This is another SparkPeople’s Healthy Reflections. I guess you should know by now why I read them everyday. Or at least try to. The 17 yo was worrying a lot the first week she was here. This week she just has been making our lives mirseable. You know it’s bad when the 15 yo wants to kick her out. 
Just reinforces the Let Go Let God approach.
We have our first all day visitation today. I have no idea if Ashley is looking forward to it or not. She is pulling the not be at home much when her dad and I are home thing. She was home some yesterday, but according to her sister, so annoying noone could stand her. We will see how this goes. Rain is to be here from 9AM to 9PM. Should make for an interesting day. Justin is to come and go riding with Rick and others. Can you say FUN? NOT!
On a brighter note, we may take Rain to see my mom. Mom has not gotten to see Rain in person. And I have not seen my new little brother. Don’t Panick. This is not something you will see on the news. 
My mom and stepdad adopted an Affenpinscher from a rescue place in Tulsa. (Yeah, we had to go look that one up too!) Dillon is very cute and tiny. Mom is adjusting to the new dog well. Jerrell is getting to know him bit by bit. Jerrell is out of town some and Dillon is a bit stand offish. Dillon came from a puppy mill in the KC area. She got him and then went new car shopping. So I have yet to see either her new Jeep or Dillon. I figure this should be a good time. And get Ashley away from the house while Justin is playing with the horses.
I found this site last night and have listened to one video. I am looking forward to listening to more. Rick listens to Zigler all the time. I just have never heard him speak. He is very thought provoking. Thought you all might be interested.
We are stating to get more interest in our ranch. Rick is hoping to be able to quit the real job soon and work only the ranch. We will be developing a list of things for the kids to work on until then. That should be interesting. We went to another ranch’s open house. It was very well attended. We gave away a gift certificate for a lease on a horse. It should be interesting to see what kind of responce we get out of this. It has been hard to ramp up advertising with not knowing when Rick will be out of town. Maybe is Ashley does settle a bit she can help with lessons. Right now she seems to be on hyper active mode. Not sure where that is coming from, but she is being evaluated by some professional help. We will see.
I have had some kind of wierd cold/allergy thing. Yesterday afternoon talking became interesting. Guess that’s why I have typed so much this morning. LOL! Funny thing is my typeing seems to come out with a stuffy head also. I figure I should be safe around Rain since I don’t have a fever, but you never know.
Well, I best get. I have over 300 email to read. Still need to pay bills and get caught up on those things. In addition, to finishing the business plan, finishing the Sierra Ranch website, updating the Hooves website, making a contract for Ashley to live by while living in our house and a bizzlion other things. The joys of small business owner, mother, and engineer. Have a great week!
Posted by SierraRanch on October 7, 2008
Suffering is the tuition one pays for a character degree.
- Richard M. Rayner, M.D., SparkPeople member
“Perhaps you think this isn’t very ‘positive’ sounding, but I find it helps people (patients and friends) put hardship, which is inevitable, to good use,” says Richard. “People can use their suffering either to gain character or become bitter. The ones who choose bitterness live a long, slow death. The ones who choose character truly live.” Richard is right on the money. Happiness and sadness don’t happen to us–they come from within. The story of your life will be written with or without your help. The next chapter is happening while you read this. Will you wait to see what it says later, or will you help write it?
This is a SparkPeople.com Healthy Reflection. Man oh man, is this not the truth. And the No. 2 Kid is finding this out and will find more out as time goes on.
As Dr. Rayner mentions, sometimes you can’t avoid a bit of hardship. The kid is wanting us to make her feel good. She told me she couldn’t study or concentrate to study without feeling good about herself. Again that is where she and I are different. I would study just to avoid all that. But again I am a nerd. I admit it. Not everyone reads text books for fun. Mom actually forced me to read romance novels when I was in high school. I relented to King Arther literature, but reading for fun was beyond what I wanted to do.
And Allyson is taking all this in stride. She had some math homework the other day. It said to solve the equations. I told her she had done them all wrong and she insisted this was the way the teacher told her to do them. Found out yesterday I was right. DUH! I know math and do it for fun.
Well, I am tons of emails behind and playing the secretary job at work, so guess I better get back to it all. Hope you all have a wonderful week. More as it becomes available. (You know this is keeping me sane, right?)
Posted by SierraRanch on October 6, 2008
I have been wanting to add somethings to the blog and other places, but have not had time to actually get anything done.
This is our reason we are being tortured. OK, not really, but isn’t she cute. Yeah, I am partial.
As was expected, the mother of this wonderful child is getting divorced from her father. Her father filed and since the mother (Rick’s No. 2 child) is not educated, underage, and without a driver’s liscence and car, the father has custody. We allowed Ashley to move back into our house with a few rules. No contact with her mother. She needs to get her GED and driver’s liscense. She needs to help around the house until she gets a job. We will see how long this lasts.
We have convinced her that she doesn’t need a lawyer right now. The father hired the one we used to get custody of Ashley and Allyson. We all want what is right. We want Rain to be safe and right this second that is with her father not Ashley. Ashley was running to her mother’s and that was not good.
We had our first court date and things went pretty well. I wish the kids could be civil, but I know that’s a lot to ask for from 17 and 19 year olds. I don’t like all the stupid high school he said she said crap. But then I didn’t really even like that crap in HS.
I was just old for my time. Pretty much knew my mind from a very young age. I know totally wierd. And so not today!
Alas, back to court. We agreed to Justin having temporay custody. Ashley gets visitation Wen. evening and one weekend day. Rick or I have to be present. Partially to keep them civil and partially to keep her from doing something stupid. We go back to court in about a month (11/12). We can arrange to have the final agreement then, but she is acting like she wants to drag this out. She just doesn’t get it.
We went to the J-D Trailriding Camp
Hooves for a Cure ride. We were looking for big foot, but figured he stayed in his cave due to the stinking rain.
We had fun even if we only rode for a couple of hours. Rick and the kids slept in
on Sunday and we came home without riding again. We are looking forward to returning over a longer weekend. We will see how that goes.
Rick, the kids and Andrea had fun entertaining everyone with the karoake machine.
Ashley came back with the cold that Allyson had earlier in the week. So that made court not so fun. Ashley has not been helping tons with stuff around the house, but it’s only been a week. Hopefully we can work on that, but it’s impossible to yell at her when she is asleep. So, as with all things, this to will pass.
Oh, and to make things EVEN better. My secretary found a better job within the City and I have a temp again. One of my engineers is moving to transportation design. So as one of the remaining ones said it will now commence to rain about the time the other engineer’s wife goes into labor. Ain’t life grand. Oh, and I got the evil work blackberry and the silly thing even worked in Octiva. Life is ssssoooooo not fun right now.
And I have been trying to work on the Sierra Ranch website. And not getting anywhere… Oh well!
I wanna get on my horse and ride into the sunset and not return for a very long time. But I won’t. I will continue to try to right the world that we live in and hopefully earn a few more jewels for my crown as my brother in law says. Someday soon I will post pictures of our trip to the hurricane.
Hope you all have had a not quite so eventful couple of weeks!
Deb in Claremore, OK
Posted by SierraRanch on September 9, 2008
The future comes one day at a time.
- Dean Acheson
Do your dreams seem far away? Does the distance between you and the finish line deflate your motivation? Often we forget that goals and dreams are not achieved overnight, but rather in a series of small steps. Progress towards your goals should also be counted as victorious! Stop looking at the end result to bring you the greatest joy. Instead, celebrate the ways in which your life is gravitating towards that desired result. Nothing is guaranteed in life, so make the most of each day and persevere. Remember that the small things in life build up to the bigger ones.
This is a SparkPeople.com Healthy Reflection that totally hit home with some things going on in our world recently. I know I haven’t sent something like this in a while, but time has been short. I am just taking time to do this today.
This weekend we will be going to Rick’s family reunion in (of all places) Mobile, AL. Yeah, during hurricane season on the danged beach. <massive eye roll> Luckily (or not) Ike decided to bypass Mobile so we will be on the road on Thurs. and return home on Sun. I have met his Dad and one brother, so this should be really interesting. Allyson is coming with. Not sure about Aaron. But the older two are busy with their lives.
We are actively working on making the ranch a working ranch. Rick so wants to quit his real job and only work with the horses. We are slowly getting to that point. This weekend I will take the lap top and work on the buisness plan, new Seirra Ranch web site, and the million of other things that I need to do to get this further down the road. Soon, we will need to LLC the operation. Occassionally on here you will see some things that might help with your ranch operations. Let me know what you think of them.
Rick teased me about the life coach post. He of course thinks my horse has lots more to teach me and I need to just spend more time with him. Man, I wished it really worked that way. Third Time is so funny. I have been trying to get him to warm us to us. Now when he sees me coming out to the pasture he comes running to me, since I have been using treats to get him to warm up. LOL! This past weekend he came and sould have put his head in the birdle I had for Maverick if I had just left it there long enough for him to figure it out. I have rode Third Time once. I need to ride him some more, but have this terrible fear of riding in the pasture and feel that since Mav doesn’t give a flying flip if I am scared then it’s better to ride him and get me unscared of the pasture riding. Then I will take on the new challenge of the new horse (Third Time). Oh, what I would give for some dry weather and a nice trail ride.
Well, best get back to work. Got lots to do before I leave. Hope you and yours are well. wishing you all a wonderful weekend!
Deb Stowers
