The BIG Project (Part I)

Before Erin and I even signed the papers to lease our house, the landlord and I talked adamantly about one very specific, very important project. The animal shelter in the back pasture was more than just an eyesore, it was a hazard. If people were meant to live in it, there would be so much caution tape wrapped around the thing that it would look like a giant, life-threatening Christmas present.  After we noticed our horses exploring the inside, boards went up immediately to block access. One wrong move and they could have been seriously injured.

~Before~

In fact, while my dad pounded the first three nails in the back of the shelter, the header at the front...

This:

Went tumbling down without warning and almost hit my stepdad. It would have been a serious, possibly fatal blow. Those two boards, having been tied together, must have weighed at least 200 pounds. Thank goodness it was only a near miss!


Other injuries were not avoided, and every single one happened to my dad. He got a splinter, he was pestered and bit by flies, he was zapped by the electric fence, his jaw was dinged by a falling board, and he stepped on a nail. Lady luck gave him the stink eye that day.

Here's how the shelter progressed via slide show:

If you want it to restart, hit the "F5" key on your keyboard.

You may notice that the roof looks a little warped.  That's because the foundation isn't square,and the walls are a little off.  If the landlord and I had it our way, we'd redo every last inch, but there is a budget we must stick to.

So far, we are on track to having the shelter complete before the heavy winds and rains hit. Now our horses and goats have ample shade to fend off the heat.  Next task; installing the shingles.

More updates to come as we progress!

Mr. Forceps, Meet Mr. Toenail

And so, my beloved toenail comes to an end.
Or is it just the beginning?
When one nail falls, doth another regrow in it's stead?  Huzzah, I say unto ye exposed nailbed!  Grow anew, for the healing process has begun!

Have ye ample fortitude, photos have been provided below.  Not for the faint of heart.

Pic of exposed nailbed relieved of it's protection.

Pic of the doc checking for foreign objects.


Holey moley, the doc found nail shrapnel!


The podiatrist was excellent, and had a great sense of humor. Here he is fooling around with my toenail.


That being done, the visit came to a total of $150. Not terrible considering that work does not provide health insurance. Was it worth it? A resounding "YES!" is in order.  Had I avoided the procedure, and followed the internet's advice on just waiting for the nail to fall off, those three pieces of nail shrapnel would have caused untold pain and complications.

God, I'd like to thank you for the invention of anesthetic.

Injury Update

So I've finally decided to make an appointment with a podiatrist.  Tomorrow is the big day.  I say "big" because he will most likely...*gulp*...yank the toenail off.  I wanted to yank it at the time it lifted because my entire toe went numb, but the almighty internet said not to.  Now, after talking with several real people who've had fist or second hand experiences, they unanimously said that the doc will remove it.  Yippee.

Here is a picture of the damaged toenail. It won't give you nightmares, but it isn't pretty either.

Bye Bye Big Toenail

I just kicked the stairs while climbing up them about an hour ago.  My whole left big toenail is now detached and hanging by the cuticle.  I've cleaned it by pouring peroxide onto the nail bed.  One band aid has been filled, now the second is half full.

This is very concerning as tomorrow is the day family is coming over to help me build an animal shelter.  Over 30 pieces of lumber need to be moved, cut, lifted and attached.  What on earth am I going to do?

Not to mention, I'm a mailman.  I walk all day long.  How can I even put on a shoe???

No pain yet.  It's very numb for now.  All of the internet advice from people who've had the same injury say to clean it every day, wrap it with gauze, use neosporin, air it out when possible, and wait for the nail to turn black and fall off.  Uhg.

When all is said and done, it'll take about 45 days to heal.

I decided not to include a picture.  It isn't exactly photogenic.

...I hope it grows back.

Chick Flick Addendum

Lewd, rude, crude, and hilarious; that describes the movie, "Tom Jones". Surprisingly found in the torture box of romance movies (see this story for insight) "Tom Jones" was excellent!

Tom goes through many trials, tribulations, and a moral conversion just to win the affections of his childhood sweetheart.

The whole thing is wrought with terrible scandals, payoffs aplenty, randy women abound, everyone lies and cheats and has secrets, and it's all more than entertaining to watch!

It isn't nearly as long as the other c. flicks in the "Romance Collection", weighing in at maybe only half the time of "Pride and Prejudice".  I don't know if it's rated since it's a foreign film, but we would absolutely give it an "R".  So pop some corn, raid the candy stash, and prepare to feel your jaw drop over and over again!

A Man and His Tools

Back when I was a nerd, “tools” meant nothing more to me than a mini-screwdriver set to take apart PC towers.  Now, out here in the country, let’s just say that Tim the “Tool Man” Taylor’s exuberance for power tools makes a whole lot of sense.

I showed that pasture who's boss.

Tools of all kinds are more than just a commodity in the sticks, they’re a necessity.  When you’re on several acres, tools become a part of you.  I’ve got the basics; push mower, weed whacker, cordless drill, wrench set, etc.  Then I have the specialized gear; riding mower, Dremel, and the star of this post, my brush cutter.

Ahh, the brush cutter.  A tool among tools, it's an eight-sided, double bladed, whirling piece of steel attached to a two-stroke motor.  Just imagine a gas powered ninja star at the end of a throttle.  Pull the cord, let 'er rip, and not even a seven-foot tall, five-foot wide milk thistle weed stands a chance.

Brush cutter in action

Oh yeah!

Country Roads

Country roads are much more entertaining than traffic-laden city roads.

The first thing you notice is all the land and sky around you. Then there's all the roadkill; rabbits, snakes, raccoons, birds, etc. Of course, not all the animals are dead. Hawks dominate the sky, rabbits bound along the ditches, and quail scurry into the underbrush.

There's also the occasional cattle crossing:

Heck, you might even see a mule strolling down the road.

At night you could spot an owl, or even a pack of coyotes!

Yes sir, there's no shortage of things to see on those country roads.