Have you ever noticed this?
I'm sure you've heard the saying before "The calm before the storm"
This saying holds true to everything. No stop it, it does too. Every time.
It doesn't matter what circumstance or life style you life or have or want or dream of or... nevermind.
What I'm stammering about is this.
When things are calm, you have all the bills paid, all the barns cleaned, your floors waxed and your picture frames dusted, and heck even your toilets scrubbed.
You take a second to sit on the couch and eat ice cream while watching your favorite show, or movie.
Then WAM! BAM! The storm hits, something happens that upsets your time on the couch eating bon bons and watching TV. It can be anything really, the cat pukes on your clean floors, the dogs bring mud on your clean carpet, you get the plague and have doctor bills.
You don't believe me? Let me draw another scenario!
The Ranch, ah it's a very quiet place when you aren't working. And if you are familiar with Ranching life styles, you are always working. There is something to do always, the job is never done always. Always you are busy. (do you ever watch Mad TV?)
Well our calm is before a big event. Big events are measured in 5-6 big events. (usually)
1. Calving
2. Haying
3. Shipping
4. Branding
5. Weaning/ Sorting
6. Fencing (Ryan's favorite)
(disclaimer, these are not in any specific order)
Of course before these big events it's all about preparation! Preparation will be your what if scenario! You prepare for everything, good and bad.
Once that's all done, and it usually takes a while for everything to be finished. Finally the cowboy's can enjoy some downtime. Easy busy work, getting off early, you know their time to sit on the couch and eat bon bon's.
Then WAM! BAM! it happens. Your Cows get out and are living on the neighbor ranch or It snows in June when you want to Brand or Your baler breaks after 3 bales or it gets to be -40 during calving and all the cows decide today is the day to calve (why do they do that?)
Anyways you get the idea, and if you weren't believers before you should be now!
Don't worry though, there is a cure. You just have to live in utter and complete craziness to ensure this doesn't happen.
To be sure I don't fall victim to this again, I'm going one step further I stopped cleaning my house and doing laundry! Yep I think I'm safe.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Friday, January 9, 2009
Let the Count Down Begin
Wait... What count down you ask?
Well Calving of course, duh!
Yep it's true, the ranch will start calving in roughly 11 days. Are they ready? Who knows? But either way it will hit, and when it does oh boy.
Grab your Muck boots, and Work Jacket, it's going to be a LONG couple months.
I always love to bottle feed the little sugar muffins! They are so darned cute! Last year I fell in love with a little red baby, and I dubed her mine. Well, mine until she grew up and out of her cuteness!
I'm sure I'll be dragged down to the calving barn against my will again this year. (Ryan thinks I'm his free laborer during calving) Then he will force me to go out on all of his nightly checks and hold the spot light for him. But I'm more interested in making zig zag's with the light then actually checking for cow's calving. Ryan gets so mad.... I get a kick out of it, then I quietly snicker behind him. Don't tell him though, cause the next job I would have to do is the decoy for the mean cows. No thank you.
Did I ever tell you last year I almost died. Yes death by a freight train aka. Heifer cow that did NOT want to go into the barn.
I'll tell you about it sometime.
For some strange reason Calving season makes all the cowboys go crazy.
I'll tell you about that sometime too!
Well Calving of course, duh!
Yep it's true, the ranch will start calving in roughly 11 days. Are they ready? Who knows? But either way it will hit, and when it does oh boy.
Grab your Muck boots, and Work Jacket, it's going to be a LONG couple months.
I always love to bottle feed the little sugar muffins! They are so darned cute! Last year I fell in love with a little red baby, and I dubed her mine. Well, mine until she grew up and out of her cuteness!
I'm sure I'll be dragged down to the calving barn against my will again this year. (Ryan thinks I'm his free laborer during calving) Then he will force me to go out on all of his nightly checks and hold the spot light for him. But I'm more interested in making zig zag's with the light then actually checking for cow's calving. Ryan gets so mad.... I get a kick out of it, then I quietly snicker behind him. Don't tell him though, cause the next job I would have to do is the decoy for the mean cows. No thank you.
Did I ever tell you last year I almost died. Yes death by a freight train aka. Heifer cow that did NOT want to go into the barn.
I'll tell you about it sometime.
For some strange reason Calving season makes all the cowboys go crazy.
I'll tell you about that sometime too!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
This just in
Remember when I wanted to finish painting my house as one of my New Year's Resolution?
Well I did it!
YESSS Success is mine.
Okay okay, I started to finish my living room. But I'm over halfway done. The only thing I need to do is put the second coat on 2 walls! I'll do it one of these days. I'm telling myself "Tomorrow" (it's always tomorrow, the best time)
I'm so close I can taste it.
And you know what?
Paint doesn't taste good.
Come visit me, you can help me finish painting!
Well I did it!
YESSS Success is mine.
Okay okay, I started to finish my living room. But I'm over halfway done. The only thing I need to do is put the second coat on 2 walls! I'll do it one of these days. I'm telling myself "Tomorrow" (it's always tomorrow, the best time)
I'm so close I can taste it.
And you know what?
Paint doesn't taste good.
Come visit me, you can help me finish painting!
If you could go back would you?
If you could go back to High school would you?
I loved High school, everything about it...okay well not everything but 97% of it. I had the best friends, a boyfriend, ah life was grand.
That being said, I don't know if I would go back.
If I did go back, I'm almost positive I would do some things differently but would that change my over all thoughts of high school?
I went to a small high school, I new everyone there students, teachers, janitors, bus drivers, lunch ladies, everyone there I knew them all. That's just how it was, we all knew everyone. We hung out at lunch with our best friends and boyfriends, then went to class where we then wrote letters to our best friends and boyfriends.
Then after school it was off to practice, volleyball, basketball, track, and once when I was stoopid cheer leading, (but I was stoopid so it doesn't count) then after practice or before school lifting weights.
The main reason I don't think I could go back is because I don't ever want to be that busy again.
Seriously me and my friends were all juggling so many things.
School, homework, boyfriends, best friend drama, girl drama, boy drama, practice, writing notes, planning movie parties, trips to the movies, trips to town, shopping, sleep overs, phone conversations late in the night, playing Dr. fix it when your friends relationship needs help, going to your friend when you need help, doing your hair just right, wearing the right clothes. The list goes on.
But then on top of all that we did these Majorly important things, at the time they meant the world to us: Prom, Homecoming, Sports Tournaments, School Rivals, Year book, School Pictures, Senior Pictures
Just writing and thinking about all of this again, it's exhausting.
Maybe it's just this way for us and our small school...
College was a blast for 2 reasons well 3, I did what I want, when I wanted and I was like SOOO grown up. I was playing Volleyball, my first love. I met amazing girls, my now extended family.
Then I got a real job and realized, wait I want to go back to college!!
Now I'm married and I don't have to worry about half as much as I did in High school.
Sure I have to worry about things and have responsibilities. But nothing like I used too, I don't have to write 27.8 notes in one day during classes.
I don't have to worry about Prom or Homecoming (thank god)
There isn't any more worries about boyfriends or crushes
Yeah I still shop, call my friends, like to watch movies but something is different.
I'm older things around me are more stable. I don't have to worry about Ryan telling his boss "Oh, my god. You won't believe what my wife wore to work today." I laugh just thinking about it.
Pressure, that is what the difference is.
In high school there was always so much pressure, to dress right, say the right thing, have like the so perfect life.
But now, we are who we are. And there isn't pressure to be something we aren't. Of course I still talk to friends from high school, but its different. We've all grown up.
High school was fun, and I'm thankful but I'll never go back.
I loved High school, everything about it...okay well not everything but 97% of it. I had the best friends, a boyfriend, ah life was grand.
That being said, I don't know if I would go back.
If I did go back, I'm almost positive I would do some things differently but would that change my over all thoughts of high school?
I went to a small high school, I new everyone there students, teachers, janitors, bus drivers, lunch ladies, everyone there I knew them all. That's just how it was, we all knew everyone. We hung out at lunch with our best friends and boyfriends, then went to class where we then wrote letters to our best friends and boyfriends.
Then after school it was off to practice, volleyball, basketball, track, and once when I was stoopid cheer leading, (but I was stoopid so it doesn't count) then after practice or before school lifting weights.
The main reason I don't think I could go back is because I don't ever want to be that busy again.
Seriously me and my friends were all juggling so many things.
School, homework, boyfriends, best friend drama, girl drama, boy drama, practice, writing notes, planning movie parties, trips to the movies, trips to town, shopping, sleep overs, phone conversations late in the night, playing Dr. fix it when your friends relationship needs help, going to your friend when you need help, doing your hair just right, wearing the right clothes. The list goes on.
But then on top of all that we did these Majorly important things, at the time they meant the world to us: Prom, Homecoming, Sports Tournaments, School Rivals, Year book, School Pictures, Senior Pictures
Just writing and thinking about all of this again, it's exhausting.
Maybe it's just this way for us and our small school...
College was a blast for 2 reasons well 3, I did what I want, when I wanted and I was like SOOO grown up. I was playing Volleyball, my first love. I met amazing girls, my now extended family.
Then I got a real job and realized, wait I want to go back to college!!
Now I'm married and I don't have to worry about half as much as I did in High school.
Sure I have to worry about things and have responsibilities. But nothing like I used too, I don't have to write 27.8 notes in one day during classes.
I don't have to worry about Prom or Homecoming (thank god)
There isn't any more worries about boyfriends or crushes
Yeah I still shop, call my friends, like to watch movies but something is different.
I'm older things around me are more stable. I don't have to worry about Ryan telling his boss "Oh, my god. You won't believe what my wife wore to work today." I laugh just thinking about it.
Pressure, that is what the difference is.
In high school there was always so much pressure, to dress right, say the right thing, have like the so perfect life.
But now, we are who we are. And there isn't pressure to be something we aren't. Of course I still talk to friends from high school, but its different. We've all grown up.
High school was fun, and I'm thankful but I'll never go back.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
The great debate or my nightly debate
Last night for dinner, I didn't know what to make. Has that ever happened to you?
It happens to me all the time. I sit here at work, contemplating what to fix, what sounds good. I hate to admit it, but there are times I talk to myself about a dinner option, I say it out loud just to hear how it sounds. Maybe it will sound better being said then just thought... in my head.
I know, I'm a little off kilter, but being on is like SOOOO boring.
Back to the debate.
I waited to decide until I got home.
Then I got home, and ate a pickle, then I sat on the couch and I couldn't be bothered to think about what to make.
Then Ryan came home, asked "What's for dinner?"
I said "I don't know, what do you want?"
To which his answer EVERYTIME is "I don't care"
UGH, I could scream, I hate that answer just throw a couple ideas around, it won't KILL you.
Okay, I'm back.
So I continued to enjoy sitting on the couch, when I thought eh I'll just take some burger out. There are like so many things to do with burger. (why am I typing in surfer dude mode? I don't know but it's fun and I like totally like it)
Then it hits me... We can have tater-tot casserole!
Wait, how do you make it? I have the general idea, but not the detailed one.
And I wonder if it would work with french fries instead of tater tots, cause that's all I have. Eh, it's got a work a potato is a potato, right?
Then I began to gather my ingredients, burger, french fries, cream of mushroom soup, green beans? green beans..... Well I ran out of them, so Corn it is!
I looked up the recipe and I discovered to my horror, it takes 2 hours to cook. And it was already 7:30.... that's like not going to work and I'm hungry now!
So back to square one, if it was up to me, we would seriously live off of Ramen Noodles! I love the stuff, and can eat it every night. Ryan, not so much it just doesn't really fill him up.
So I made a decision, it just had to be done.
We had Eggs-in-a-hole.
I informed Ryan, and he was totally clueless and didn't like know what I was talking about.
Feel sorry for him, he just moved out from under a rock.
Eggs-in-a-hole:
You take a piece of bread, cut a hole in it.
Melt some butter in a pan, toss holy bread it. Crack an egg in the hole.
And cook on both sides, leaving the yolk runny still.
Then when you cut into your bread, saturated with butter, you also get runny yolk.
It's a pretty easy concept, and really easy to make. Especially on the nights you are scrambling to make dinner fast. (And face it, you ran out of Hamburger Helper or you would have just made that... Well I would have, that or Ramen Noodles if it was up to me)
Still Ryan didn't get it. But guess what... he liked them. Cause he ate 5 of them.
Now, here I sit at work, wondering what do I make for dinner?
My life needs some direction, or more boxes of Hamburger Helper!
It happens to me all the time. I sit here at work, contemplating what to fix, what sounds good. I hate to admit it, but there are times I talk to myself about a dinner option, I say it out loud just to hear how it sounds. Maybe it will sound better being said then just thought... in my head.
I know, I'm a little off kilter, but being on is like SOOOO boring.
Back to the debate.
I waited to decide until I got home.
Then I got home, and ate a pickle, then I sat on the couch and I couldn't be bothered to think about what to make.
Then Ryan came home, asked "What's for dinner?"
I said "I don't know, what do you want?"
To which his answer EVERYTIME is "I don't care"
UGH, I could scream, I hate that answer just throw a couple ideas around, it won't KILL you.
Okay, I'm back.
So I continued to enjoy sitting on the couch, when I thought eh I'll just take some burger out. There are like so many things to do with burger. (why am I typing in surfer dude mode? I don't know but it's fun and I like totally like it)
Then it hits me... We can have tater-tot casserole!
Wait, how do you make it? I have the general idea, but not the detailed one.
And I wonder if it would work with french fries instead of tater tots, cause that's all I have. Eh, it's got a work a potato is a potato, right?
Then I began to gather my ingredients, burger, french fries, cream of mushroom soup, green beans? green beans..... Well I ran out of them, so Corn it is!
I looked up the recipe and I discovered to my horror, it takes 2 hours to cook. And it was already 7:30.... that's like not going to work and I'm hungry now!
So back to square one, if it was up to me, we would seriously live off of Ramen Noodles! I love the stuff, and can eat it every night. Ryan, not so much it just doesn't really fill him up.
So I made a decision, it just had to be done.
We had Eggs-in-a-hole.
I informed Ryan, and he was totally clueless and didn't like know what I was talking about.
Feel sorry for him, he just moved out from under a rock.
Eggs-in-a-hole:
You take a piece of bread, cut a hole in it.
Melt some butter in a pan, toss holy bread it. Crack an egg in the hole.
And cook on both sides, leaving the yolk runny still.
Then when you cut into your bread, saturated with butter, you also get runny yolk.
It's a pretty easy concept, and really easy to make. Especially on the nights you are scrambling to make dinner fast. (And face it, you ran out of Hamburger Helper or you would have just made that... Well I would have, that or Ramen Noodles if it was up to me)
Still Ryan didn't get it. But guess what... he liked them. Cause he ate 5 of them.
Now, here I sit at work, wondering what do I make for dinner?
My life needs some direction, or more boxes of Hamburger Helper!
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
4 Wheel Drive: the miracle worker?
Most of my Family and Friends live in places that have winter.
By Winter I mean, snow, cold weather, rain, freezing weather, then ice, snow, cold weather, wind, then drifts.
Anyways, during these winter months they all have to use 4 wheel drive at one point or another.
Which brings me to my discussion today.
Why do people get that warm fussy feeling when they flip on their 4 wheel drive?
You can just as easily wreck with it on, you are still able to go in the ditch.
I think people from out of state who move to a winter state should have to take a winter driving course. Think about it.... How many times have the roads been horrific and you are driving, both hands on the wheel concentrating only on the road. Then out of no where some crazy person passes you talking on the cell phone. Then you read in the paper later they caused a 3 car collision. And they were quoted "but I had my 4 wheel drive on"
This could all be avoided simply by conducting this winter driving course. And if you fail, you don't drive. Take the bus, go green!
Can you imagine how many accidents this would prevent?
Another thing that drives me crazy is when people drive right on your butt on icy roads, if you have to slow down they are going to drive right up your back end, and it's usually people from out of town driving in your back pocket.
Winter time driving is pretty simple, slow down and give yourself a little more room between cars.
And 4 wheel drive doesn't work miracles, it just spins all your tires, it's not like the roads care if you flip your 4 wheel drive on. They can't tell, they will still be icy and can still cause a wreck.
On icy roads, you need to just be careful and be aware of your driving and the person driving behind you and in front of you.
Oh and in my parts of the woods, you also have to watch out for deer.
They don't care about 4 wheel drive either.
What? Just sayin.
By Winter I mean, snow, cold weather, rain, freezing weather, then ice, snow, cold weather, wind, then drifts.
Anyways, during these winter months they all have to use 4 wheel drive at one point or another.
Which brings me to my discussion today.
Why do people get that warm fussy feeling when they flip on their 4 wheel drive?
You can just as easily wreck with it on, you are still able to go in the ditch.
I think people from out of state who move to a winter state should have to take a winter driving course. Think about it.... How many times have the roads been horrific and you are driving, both hands on the wheel concentrating only on the road. Then out of no where some crazy person passes you talking on the cell phone. Then you read in the paper later they caused a 3 car collision. And they were quoted "but I had my 4 wheel drive on"
This could all be avoided simply by conducting this winter driving course. And if you fail, you don't drive. Take the bus, go green!
Can you imagine how many accidents this would prevent?
Another thing that drives me crazy is when people drive right on your butt on icy roads, if you have to slow down they are going to drive right up your back end, and it's usually people from out of town driving in your back pocket.
Winter time driving is pretty simple, slow down and give yourself a little more room between cars.
And 4 wheel drive doesn't work miracles, it just spins all your tires, it's not like the roads care if you flip your 4 wheel drive on. They can't tell, they will still be icy and can still cause a wreck.
On icy roads, you need to just be careful and be aware of your driving and the person driving behind you and in front of you.
Oh and in my parts of the woods, you also have to watch out for deer.
They don't care about 4 wheel drive either.
What? Just sayin.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Plowing through time, and snow drifts
It's a New Year!
A time to re-cap last year, and a time to make plans for the new one.
But before all that, you must celebrate the New Year. What do you normally do?
Because we are in a new place for the New Year, we didn't do what we usually would.
We stayed home, had some friends over and played Cranium!
Have you ever played? It's a fun game, and will change your life.
Of course it gets better as everyone drinks more, people let their pride go and sing like Whitney Houston, or act like a beaver with courage and no inhibitions. (it's at this point in time, I usually pick the most embarrassing card and laugh until tears roll down my face.)
It doesn't get better when a manly, quiet cowboy gets up and sings "Happy Birthday Mr. President" while he crosses his legs pretending to hold down a dress from the wind.
If only I had it on Video, I could be rich.
That's how we brought in the New Year!
Anyways back to the re-cap of last year, 2008:
We moved to Belt (Windy, snow drifting America) Montana
I was jobless for a while, so I was constantly in the Kitchen creating wonderful deserts.
I decided it was a good idea to paint our whole house.
I realized I hated painting.
I got a Volleyball Coaching job in Belt.
I realized I love coaching.
We had our one year anniversary, both survived unscathed.
We both turned one year older.
I had a series of unfortunate events.
Then I had another series of unfortunate events.
Then Christmas, then the New Year.
What I want to accomplish in 2009:
Finish painting my whole house.
Save enough money to purchase 3 big things: camera, grill guard, gun.
Read 5 books.
Find time to read books.
Put my foot down more at work
Maybe cut my hair (sorry Dad)
Dye my hair when I chicken out about cutting my hair.
Settle for highlights when I chicken out yet again.
Win the lottery
Ride my horse more.
Find time to ride my horse.
Finish the Volleyball Season just as good this year or better.
Visit my friends.
Go visit my friends in their hometown.
Buy jeans.
Buy a plow to plow my snow drifting drive way. I've gotten stuck in it twice... in one day.
I almost didn't make it out today, but I have my truck back so we made it!
I think I should explain these snow drifts better. They have a life of their own, their goal in life is to keep me in the house. I'm serious, I'm a prisoner, they are very good goal achievers.
They are in cohorts with the wind. Either you sink or get stuck in a drift or the wind blows snow, dirt and lord know what else in your face. There is no winning. ever.
A time to re-cap last year, and a time to make plans for the new one.
But before all that, you must celebrate the New Year. What do you normally do?
Because we are in a new place for the New Year, we didn't do what we usually would.
We stayed home, had some friends over and played Cranium!
Have you ever played? It's a fun game, and will change your life.
Of course it gets better as everyone drinks more, people let their pride go and sing like Whitney Houston, or act like a beaver with courage and no inhibitions. (it's at this point in time, I usually pick the most embarrassing card and laugh until tears roll down my face.)
It doesn't get better when a manly, quiet cowboy gets up and sings "Happy Birthday Mr. President" while he crosses his legs pretending to hold down a dress from the wind.
If only I had it on Video, I could be rich.
That's how we brought in the New Year!
Anyways back to the re-cap of last year, 2008:
We moved to Belt (Windy, snow drifting America) Montana
I was jobless for a while, so I was constantly in the Kitchen creating wonderful deserts.
I decided it was a good idea to paint our whole house.
I realized I hated painting.
I got a Volleyball Coaching job in Belt.
I realized I love coaching.
We had our one year anniversary, both survived unscathed.
We both turned one year older.
I had a series of unfortunate events.
Then I had another series of unfortunate events.
Then Christmas, then the New Year.
What I want to accomplish in 2009:
Finish painting my whole house.
Save enough money to purchase 3 big things: camera, grill guard, gun.
Read 5 books.
Find time to read books.
Put my foot down more at work
Maybe cut my hair (sorry Dad)
Dye my hair when I chicken out about cutting my hair.
Settle for highlights when I chicken out yet again.
Win the lottery
Ride my horse more.
Find time to ride my horse.
Finish the Volleyball Season just as good this year or better.
Visit my friends.
Go visit my friends in their hometown.
Buy jeans.
Buy a plow to plow my snow drifting drive way. I've gotten stuck in it twice... in one day.
I almost didn't make it out today, but I have my truck back so we made it!
I think I should explain these snow drifts better. They have a life of their own, their goal in life is to keep me in the house. I'm serious, I'm a prisoner, they are very good goal achievers.
They are in cohorts with the wind. Either you sink or get stuck in a drift or the wind blows snow, dirt and lord know what else in your face. There is no winning. ever.
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