...haven't I posted a blog or been out with my camera now that the weather is ummm nicer?  (Trust me with the winds we've been having that is all relative.)

Well nice weather also means I'm outside like MANY of you trying to get some chores done.   I want to feel I've at least accomplished some of the tasks around here that need to be done so when it gets really nice I can load up dogs and trailer and head out of dodge and not feel "guilty".  Get my meaning?  :)

Now that Sunday has rolled around yet again and the week and weekend have flown by I'm once again playing catch up and apologies blog!  LOL  Sorry for you photo nuts nothing outstanding here this go round.  So here is our update from this locale.

Bandit is doing great after losing all but 4 of his teeth.   He's off the pain meds and barking like a crazy man again so I think all is well.    Only a few more days of antibiotics and he'll be all done with that.   Check!

Truck maintenance is allllmost done.  One oil change and plugs change and I'm hoping I am done with that beast for a while.   Of course it cost $100 more than the high end of the estimate but oh well.   Mechanic did inform me that indeed the water pump (part of the 100,000 mile maintenance) was leaking quite a bit so glad we replaced it.   Meanwhile the new Kargo Glide I found for the back of the truck is in place along with the 2 kennels that will ride on it.   I have 3 dogs that need to ride back there when everyone travels with us so I needed a way to get to the back kennel without blocking the width of the truck.  Alumilene is the only place I found that had what I could use and honestly they were lovely to work with, fast and I really like the product.   If you are looking for truck/suv kennels, gun safes etc.   You can find their items HERE and Made in USA!   (Iowa in fact!).   I would have gotten the kennels but in order to make them work I'd have had to custom order something taller and really didn't have that much $$ to spend.  Epic has to have a hardside crate and then the back crate needed to have a side entry - so this is what we ended up with.  Because the back one is sitting atop the glide and not in it like the plastic crate, I strapped it down as I had Alumilene drill holes in the side rails so I could strap down whatever rides on it.  This way I don't have to crawl into the truck to let out the dog in the back kennel either!

The other item on the list this week with one warm day was go get this boy washed and clipped, finally!   He was beyond filthy and while I didn't quite get his grooming complete it is darned close (still need to clip those bracelets and feet).    One more wash now that the super thick hair is gone might also be in order.   His prize?  Fetch of course!

He's looking for this....(put up there when we were done):

In order to really play fetch with the Chuckit though we now have to play in the back field.   Since the gopher takeover of last summer out front - no more loose poodles out in the front area (we are on leash when they exit the truck as well).   To play in the back field I really needed to get the kindling piles up there cleaned up and walk the fence.  Yes, even us non-ranch types have to walk/fix fence.   I have the back field fenced with a pvc mesh deer fence - which works good for the deer (when they don't jump it) but the da*& rabbits love to eat holes in it!  So each year about twice a year I go around with chicken wire and patch up all the holes.  Eventually the entire area will be double fenced up to about 24" with chicken wire!   Still the dogs are SUPER thrilled to be able to go up there and explore and that meant I could take my garden wagon up and haul down the wood piles (or at least some of them) and kindling.    I have been doing the same on the outside of the fence as well.  Remember all those trees I had felled 2 summers ago?  Well I still have piles and piles of wood to bring down as well as kindling.   Yup, this is just the tip of the iceburg (great exercise as I chuckle at my friends that are all out tracking their running and biking and gym time).   Pull the garden wagon up the hill and thank my stars that the load goes DOWN the hill and try not to get runover in the process!

Pile on the left - all that will need to be chainsawed.  Pile on the right - to be split.

Believe it or not I actually had SOME that was already cut to length - so that got stacked (yes this is "clean" as far as my carport goes).  I will not have to buy firewood this year as I thought I might - as long as I get my buns up the hill and haul as much as I can down.   I can safely say, the kindling pile is finally sufficient (I always seem to be short) and will be covered up for use this winter as well.

No it hasn't ALL been work here.  I actually decided Saturday that it was way the heck too windy to be working outdoors so after delivering a truckload of assorted construction materials to friends and the Habitat for Humanity ReStore,  I took advantage of my newly cleaned garage and got the scroll saw fired up!  Woop!!!  Okay I had to find the owners manual cuz I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to turn it on (quit laughing) after 4 years of non-use but once I did look out!   First project is in progress and I'm enjoying getting back to it.   I have a couple of projects lined out to work on and a few new patterns on their way as well.  

 So that is part of what I've been up to out and around when not at work.   Hope to get out with the cameras sometimes soon AND this week I am going to get the boats out of the rafters.   I know the herons are back at the reservoir and am feeling the call of the water!  Here is hoping you all have a super great week!