Tuesday 7 May 2013

Life's just an hourglass glued to a table...

I cant believe how quickly time passed this last month. Everyday I think about this blog and then a nano second later I'm deflected onto one of the plethora of tasks left to do. I miss the days of condo living a little, but that too disappears a nano second later.

Meanwhile back at the farm... the in-law suite is basically completed and by that I mean it's barely livable. Floors are down, half of the trim is done, walls are painted but waiting for final coat. The kitchen cabs are in but no counter top and the bathroom has nothing but tile floor, a shower base and a toilet which I am convinced is leaking a little into an open space above the garage I can't get my eyes onto. D's mom moved in 4 days ago and has been very nice about the whole thing and she's using our facilities until I'm done. She's almost walked in on me changing twice, which I'm not sure was all accident... she's french so you never know. The fact is it will be done within a couple days, except for the granite counter on order but I'll toss in a temp one and then bolt the door on our side... with 4 locks...

I completed the seeding room in the garage. It ended up being a 6 x 12 room which I insulated and boarded with OSB board inside for mounting things and drywall outside for insulation and aesthetics. There are supports for hanging 6 adjustable lighting systems and waist high tables surrounding the whole area. (I'm 6'1" so my waist is not the same as most) Currently there are 150  2 week old tomato/pepper seedlings growing at a toasty 70-75 degrees and all seems to be going well. The details on this will follow soon in another edition of Jack of all Trades...

The chicken factory has taken an unexpected turn. Another late night ill fated eureka of mine now has us hatching our own eggs rather then buying day old chicks as previously planned. Not 100% sure this was a good plan, but after my mom picked us up a package while on vacation in Florida, we now are proud owners of our very own incubator. Retrospectively the reasoning is this:
  1. Hatching eggs cost considerably less than a chick. 
  2. You never know what cooties or critters a day/week old chick may have.
  3. It's easier to get your hands on eggs vs chicks unless the farmer lives close. You can't ship a chick for the most part.
  4. The variety available of hatching eggs seems to be higher, if that makes sense. 
  5. The idea of watching eggs hatch seemed intriguing. We'll be exposed to enough death on the farm I'm sure so watching the start of life seemed like a nice trade off.
  6. Having time to hatch the eggs, gives me time to finish the coop and baby chick pen.     
 We're heading to a chicken swap next weekend in the middle of red neck Ontario. After getting my head hooked on going, I realized it was 2 hours away and started at 6 am, but the tunnel vision has got me so away I go. Pretty sure D will bail last minute, which is ok, I prefer shopping solo. To make sure we don't come home empty handed I have a few farmers bringing us some hatching eggs. We will shop around there, get a handful of other varieties and then run for the border before the banjos begin and a huge guy asks me if I can squeal like a pig...  this also is a 'to be continued'... 

Life Lesson #199 - Make sure at the end of your life you look back thinking "I'm glad I did" and not "I wish I had"

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