2024, Family, Farming Update, home

Life In 4D

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Today’s Farming Update comes from Ben

It’s winter again for a few days in Minnesota in February. In Rochester we have a dusting of snow and we had 13 degrees one morning. Good thing I plugged in the chickens’ water bucket. I had to keep moving in my sleeveless shirt or it was almost chilly.

And at least we don’t have mud for a day or two. But now I have frozen ruts. Boy, I’m just never happy with the weather.

I am making satisfactory progress on the farm bookwork and even getting some minor stuff done in the shed. I replaced the dust collector chute on the miter saw (after a minor woodworking mishap broke the old one.) The new one is 3D printed!

That whole concept is really neat! I don’t want to get my own yet, but I’ve got a buddy who had made me several parts with his 3D printer.

I’m a hack carpenter and even with the best of intentions, things don’t always work out the best or like I thought it would work out. The worst part is feeling like I’ll be judged by better builders than me. That’s the part that hurts the most. I got some tin on a door frame and was able to finish the lower part of the steel on the north wall of the shed.

I still need to frame the window and add the upper steel on the North wall and there’s a lot to do on the East wall yet.

Spring will be coming. I’ve ordered 50 baby chicks due to arrive the first part of April. And I’ve got seed ordered, so I’m gonna need a place to put that seed. Usually, it goes on this wagon.

Anyone see a problem with this? I don’t know, last summer when I started this shop project, I guess I didn’t see this coming. As we get closer and I can get machinery back outside, I guess I’ll just have to put pallets down and pile stuff on them so I have a place on the wagon. (I don’t put the seed on the ground on pallets so I don’t get mice in it.) Maybe if I was a harder worker. But I’m also trying to decide HOW I want to put things back. Where should the bolts go? What am I doing with tools? I don’t like pegboard, and I don’t have the same wall space I had before. Maybe I need a rolling toolbox? Maybe I need the slatwall display stuff? I’m almost paralyzed with indecision!

Speaking of design choices, we’re going to have our main bathroom remodeled later this fall. We have a builder lined up and Kelly has been perusing the bathroom remodeling sites for months. This bathroom and the adjoining laundry room are mostly original to the house built in 1968. We’ve painted and done wallpaper and added a wall in the laundry room when we put on an addition in 1995. But the tile floor, and the woodwork are dated, and it is finally time. Kelly has been very patient. The plan is to take some of the square footage from the laundry room, move the washer and dryer to the opposite wall, and gain a little room in the bathroom. It’s all pretty exciting to think about. Before photo:

This is mainly Kelly’s bathroom. I have the mudroom bathroom and that was remodeled a few years ago as part of the entryway remodeling.

Years ago, I had a jacket I wore all the time. I wore it for years (it came with a free tractor!); it was comfortable and I liked it. Once day I misplaced it and a friend of mine said “oh, you mean that ratty jacket?”…and that was it; it was tainted, and I got rid of it. As I told him about the bathroom project he said, ‘When are you remodeling YOUR bathroom?’ I was kinda flummoxed. I just did my bathroom. I mean, it could use a cleaning… but… What’s wrong with my bathroom?? Maybe he meant the basement bathroom with the 1960 pink retro look. But I hear that’s coming back.

YOU CAN 3-D PRINT ANYTHING WITH ANY MATERIAL. WHAT ARE YOU MAKING?

2024, home, Media, Technology, TV, Uncategorized

The Lost Cord

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Over the past month I have had to move from one suite of offices to another suite of offices three computers we use for psychological testing at work. Our tech guy has been instructed by his superiors that he can’t assist me with the move. He is only responsible for making sure the electrical outlets in the new rooms are working. He is allowed to help if we have trouble getting the computers to work if they don’t work after I move them and reconnect all the cords.

Well, it is the reconnecting the cords that is the challenge. I am proud that I was able to keep the computers and monitors connected while I moved them so the set up wasn’t too hard. It was somewhat of a challenge to make sure the speakers were set up correctly, since I had to unplug them for the move. I used a cart to make the move.

Now that the gas stove is set up and working again in the family room, I face the task of reconnecting the TV, cable box, DVD player, and ancient VHS player to one another and get them working. When we disconnected them to move them so that the carpet installers could do their work, I tried to keep the cords plugged in to the players as much as I could. We couldn’t keep all the things connected like I did at work. I fear I may need to phone the cable company, who is also our internet and land line provider to come and help with the set up, which they will do, but I hope I can figure it out on my own. I just hope all the cords are there and not somewhere odd in the furnace room where everything was stored and where we still have too much clutter. I also have to figure out how to clean the lens on the cd player in the living room. Uffda!

What has been your greatest technological set up challenge? Is it hard or easy for you to ask for help?

2024, Art, Fantasy, Games, Mysteries

Dragon Forge

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I just finished the Dragon Forge puzzle.  1000 pieces.  And I promise, this is not a blog about how I succumbed to temptation (repeatedly) to sit for hours at the table working on this thing.

I chose this puzzle from the fantasy section of the Puzzle Warehouse in St. Louis, a fascinating place I discovered on a visit to Nonny right before pandemic.  It’s a huge warehouse with puzzles sorted all kinds of ways – mostly by the company that produced the puzzle but also in theme areas including my favorite.  Fantasy. 

My first big plunge into science fiction/fantasy was Star Wars, which I saw at the Grand Theater in Northfield.  Four nights in a row.  Then came the reading of The Hobbit when I was 20.  This was followed immediately by all three volumes of Lord of the Rings.  The barn door was open – the horse was not going back in! 

I’m usually more drawn to fantasy than science fiction and it’s almost exclusively due to dragons.  Sure, wizards, witches, fairies are great but dragons are the draw.  I’ve been known to search the library website using “dragon” as the keyword.  There are amazing numbers of books out there with “dragon” in the title.  I prefer sympathetic dragons, dragons who can communicate, smart dragons, dragons with magic but I can handle the dark side as well. 

Nobody that I know is into dragons like I am.  This is where my problem is this week.  I love the artwork on this puzzle and I’d love to know that the next home that it travels to will have someone who appreciates it as much as I do.  I’ve thought about keeping it and maybe putting in in a frame but I don’t really have any wall space and I’m pretty sure that YA would object anyway if it went in any communal space. 

I know that there are occasional puzzles swaps around the Twin Cities but I’ve never gone to one.  A friend said that they are opening a permanent spot in a Hennepin County Library for jigsaw puzzles; I haven’t found any information on it yet.  Hopefully I can find a good swap or location for Dragon Forge, so that it goes to a good home where dragons are appreciated!

Where do you like to get rid of your excess stuff?

2024, Family, holidays, Uncategorized

Hearts or Ashes?

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Today is a tough day for devout Roman Catholics and Lutherans in love. How do you celebrate Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday on the same day?

I suppose you could go out for a romantic dinner with the ashes still visible on your foreheads. It might also work to try to limit the number of chocolates you consume, or buy your loved one a bouquet of dead flowers. After all, it is the thought that counts!

Husband is in Bismarck today and won’t be home until late. The only flames ignited in our home will be the ones in the gas stove that is finally to be re-installed some time today. We decided to not attend the Ash Wednesday service this evening because we are heartily sick of church, having sung in the choir at both service’s two Sundays in a row, and having to play bells at both services this Sunday. I have consumed more than enough chocolate at work this week. Having Husband home safe tomorrow evening is a good enough Valentine for me.

What are some memorable Valentine’s Days in the past for you? How did your Elementary School observe Valentine’s Day? 

2024, Family, home, Kids

Saying “No”

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I have never really had trouble saying “No” to people. I was a pretty strict parent, and I don’t often find myself doing things with or for people that I don’t want to. Husband is pretty different, as he is the oldest child in his family and since he has been small has catered to others. When his younger sister was still in a play pen, he took it as his job to retrieve all the toys she threw out of her play pen. It became quite a game for her, I understand. He just kept retrieving the toys, though.

When our children were young and were home and bored, Husband couldn’t stand it if they looked unhappy, and was always rescuing them from their boredom and devising things for them to do. This used to drive me crazy, as I was worried they would never learn to entertain themselves. I guess that is due to my experiences as an only child, since I always had to entertain myself.

Our Cesky Terrier, Kyrill, is a lovely and affectionate boy who is really spoiled. He has pegged Husband as an easy mark for constant play and cossetting. Kyrill goes up to Husband and sits at his feet and whines. Husband can’t standi it, and finds things for the dog to do, or else gets him a snack of ice cubes. The dog loves ice cubes. The dog knows better than to try it with me. I have to admit, though, that no matter how often I tell Kyrill that I am done tugging with him, I invariably end up tugging with him again. After that I say “Go to Daddy”, and the dog takes his tug over to Husband and they tug. It is nice to have a partner who takes care of me, too, although I think I am taking advantage of Husband’s weaknesses!

What creature(s) do have trouble setting limits with? How do you and your siblings get along these days?

2024, Food, History, Uncategorized

Swedish Meatloaf

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Husband and I found an intriguing meatloaf recipe on our New York Times food app and made it this weekend. It is still in the oven as I write this and I don’t know how it tastes.

It is intriguing to me because it is made with caramelized cabbage inside it and on top of it. I am only so so about cabbage, but this looked like a nice way to get more greens into my diet. The cabbage is caramelized in butter and Lyles Golden Syrup. After it is baked, the meatloaf is served with a sauce made from lingonberry preserves, red wine vinegar, and Worcester sauce.

I never realized before that we have the Ottoman Empire to thank for meatloaf and meatballs. In the early 1700’s the King of Sweden traveled to Turkey and loved the kofte and ground meat recipes he tasted. He brought the recipes to Sweden. The rest is history.

What are your feelings about cabbage? If you were a historian, what would you like to research, and why?

2024, Farming Update, Seasons, Technology, Uncategorized

Something Something

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Today’s Farming Update is by Ben

Something Something

As I started writing this, I wasn’t sure yet what I had to write about this week, so I was not sure where this was going to end up.

We got some rain Thursday morning and evening. I don’t think it amounted to much. It didn’t help the muddy areas. I did spread out four bales of straw in front of the chickens’ pen as it was just a muddy mess down there. And the mud over by the shed is full of tracks and ruts. That’s worse than usual because it was fresh dirt last fall after the concrete work. Maybe I can get it smoothed out as the weather gets colder in the coming week so it’s not frozen ruts, and it will be better next year, but for now, Ish-da.

I have a young man helping me on weekends; I got to know him as a college student. He’s really interested in working with his hands and willing to try anything. And he never gets frustrated or gives up. He’s working a delivery job now, and he says he’d love to get into one of the trades like electrical or sheet metal or construction, but he really has no experience. It’s kinda cute, whenever we do a job, at the end of the day he says, “OK, what tools did I learn today?” We’ve talked a lot about which companies would hire him “green”. Meaning no school. And as I’ve talked with the HVAC guys working at the theaters or my nephew who works with a remodeling company, they are all willing to give him a chance as long as he’d plan on sticking around for a few years. And it helps I that tell them this young man isn’t a jerk. His biggest issue right now is he only has 1 pair of shoes. Loafers. Which have been terribly impractical in this mud. I’ve got nothing that fits him. I do pay him; he really should buy some boots.

Last week he and I put new batteries in my truck, we mounted some more 2×4’s on the shop walls, and we worked on changing an electrical box. Then I had him frame up the electrical box and add trim steel around it. Then I could add the “J” channel and get the pole barn steel around it.

There was an old, old fuse box here from when my Dad built the shed. I had new electrical service installed to the shed last summer

but I still need the old service. I had bought this new circuit breaker box 10 years ago and never got that installed. So, this was the time.  A job well done.

I plan on working hard on the farm financial bookwork this weekend. I meet the accountant on April 9th, but I should have 3 months of 2024 done by then, not still finishing 2023.

WHAT HAVE YOU GONE INTO GREEN?

SAY SOMETHING ABOUT SHOES.

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Uncategorized

Powerless

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Our community experienced a total power outage yesterday for about two hours in the afternoon. We had about 4 inches of wet, heavy snow the night before that broke some lines and made the whole town lose power. At my work we were thankful that no one was trapped in the elevator.

All work stopped. Most of the offices are windowless.  Since I have a window I let colleagues with clients use my office for meetings. There was no Wi-fi or Internet unless you knew how to connect your computer to the mobile Hotspot on your phone I did, but then my phone battery got too low and I had to stop.

Many of the main doorways in my office building are accessible only with special cards that only work if the electricity is on. We had to make sure we propped those doors open with chairs to allow us to come and go.

I found that my Internet at home was also inaccessible, but used my mobile Hotspot to post this. I was pretty panicked I couldn’t post a blog. I then remembered a tip from our Internet provider that if I rebooted our routers, the Internet and Wi-Fi might come back. I did, and they did! Uffda! I hope things are better today!

How would you cope without power? Know anyone who was stuck in an elevator?

2024, Family, Uncategorized, Words

Nicknames

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Somehow and rather mysteriously over the past couple of ayears at my work I ceased to be called Renee and now I am referred to as Dr. B It is not something I particularly like, and in some ways I find it sort of dehumanizing, but it is what it is and I just respond when I am addressed. It isn’t the worst sort of nickname to have I guess.

Growing up in Luverne there were several guys my dad knew who had nicknames. Clarence Thone, the junkman, was called Abie, which was meant to be a slight since junkmen in literature and popular culture were often Jewish. One of the local mail carriers was called Ippy Olson. Ippy wasn’t his real name. I never knew what his real name was. I asked my mom whey he was called that and she just said “Oh, he is a real Ippy”. I never figured that one out. Then there was Skinny Kiebach. He was pretty thin. Soft Water Frakes was called that to distinguish him from his cousin, Marion. He owned a water softening business. Marion was a building contractor.

Husband has the nicknames of Kiffey or Dazzle. A good friend of mine is know to the world as Toots, when her real name is Denelle. I don’t know why we just can’t leave people with the names they were given to start out with.

Did you ever have a nickname? What are some of the best nicknames you have heard?

2024, Family, Kids, Uncategorized

Making Funny Noises

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Last April when our 5 year old grandson was stranded at our house for three weeks due to the weather, I took it upon myself to teach him some very important life skills, namely, how to make funny noises.

I don’t know why I think these are important skills, but he has really enjoyed trying to perfect them. When we visited him and his parents after Christmas this year, he proudly showed me how he could snap his fingers. He also learned how to make the loud popping noise you can make with your little finger on the inside of your mouth and lips. He is starting to whistle. He has yet to figure out how to make the trilling/purring noise that sounds like a motor by vibrating your tongue against your front teeth. 

My father loved making funny noises, especially bird noises to confuse small children and pets, making them think there was a small bird in the vicinity. I don’t know if noise making is encouraged in other families, but it sure is important in my family.

What important things did you learn from grandparents or other older relatives? What funny noises are you proficient making?