Hello 2019 So many boxes

There were so many boxes to unpack. I have com to hate boxes but at least they are all unpacked today. Most things are put away where I think I want them for now but who knows. Now my sewing room is still a work in progress.

So I have a new great nephew, Oliver. My niece Shelby had this little cutie before I got Oliver's quilt back to her. I gave it to her at the baby shower in November but took it back because I still needed to make the label and put the binding on it.




 Then The House happened and the packing began.  I actually put the quilt aside with full intentions of getting it to Shelby at Christmas but that didn't happen and all my stuff was packed away.
So while trying to snap a couple of pictures of the Quilt Jerry got interested and came over to check out what I was doing but would never fully look over the fence. The quilting was done by my friend Donna from Donna's Lavender Nest with a pattern called Animal Crackers.  You can see the elephant and the giraffe in the next pictures.  
After I put the quilt down he came over and hung his head on the gate. Silly Donkey.

Even though we've moved in not everything was completed before we did. The builder had his people come out and build an entry to the sidewalk to come to the front door. 

Looks really great. Since this picture they've stained the wood. There will be parking all in front of the entry. They came out today and started picking up all the stones all around the house from the build and the columns for the entry way to the front door.  Looks better already even though there's still more stone chunks and sand bags to pick up.  I think Jerry is telling me he didn't want his picture taken. He stuck his tongue out at me. Brat. He's very entertaining.

I think Jerry and Lilley have a special connection.  Pamela caught this picture of them at the gate in the backyard.  The meet each other at the fence just ever so often like this.  It's so cute.  Of course Jerry might stomp a mud hole with Lilley if they were in the same area as my friend Sandy said but at least while separated they seem to have a connection.

Retirement didn't really sink in until mid January. I mean it was like just the holidays because David was off and I was so busy unpacking and David was busy outside with fixing up the property and the animals. Then he went back to work and so did everyone else. 

I took a break to the patio one evening when it wasn't raining and it was warm to have a glass of wine in my cup from Michelle my former co-worker.  It's perfect.  Lilley likes it when I sit on the patio. She's smiling. Of course there haven't been to many days that I have been able to do that. It's either raining and the wind is blowing or the wind is blowing and freezing cold. So we took advantage this evening and sat outside. She got on the bench before I did.

I took Lilley in to get groomed with Sophie and Brianna and the photo theme for Top Paw Pet Spa was Mardi Gras. Sophie looks a little high, Brianna looks all business, and Lilley looks like she knows a joke.

On the 23rd of February I was out running errands and I get a text from David going "When did the calf arrive?" Huh What?! There was no calf on Friday. Apparently sometime Friday evening or Saturday morning the cow that David would call Crazy Bitch gave birth to a cute little calf. 

Holy cow our herd went from 9 - 11 and now 12 in total. Since cow number 3 had a calf David decided to go look her name up and be nice to her.  So Daisy has a cute and very active calf.  The calf seems is the only one who seems to really like Jerry. It will run between his momma and Jerry playing and jumping.  Being pregnant might have been why Daisy was acting so crazy. That's her story and we'll stick to it. LOL 

Blogging a novel is almost over. This covers up through February. Maybe now I can be more timely in my posts. Okay maybe.

So until my next Blog......

Good Bye 2018 Hello Rock'n K

Even though we were still buried under boxes, no decorations or tree, we still invited Mom and Joe up to the Rock'n K for Christmas. 

The cows and Jerry stayed at the bottom of the property. It was an anti-social day I guess. LOL



After Mom and Joe headed out we went out on the back porch for a little while.  Snapped a couple of pictures of ourselves.
Our first Christmas at the Rock'n K.

I did get the binding on my Quilt from the Round Robin I was part of and was able to put it on the bed for our First Christmas at the Rock'n K.. 

 It looks great!  Maybe by next year I can make some pillow cases or buy some red ones.




I did make a special label for the back of the quilt. The label was the rotation order of who made each row. Can't thank the ladies/friends enough and the quilter enough. Can't wait to put it on the bed again for Christmas 2019.

 
That night the wind was howling. When we woke up we found the hay ring up next to the carport which meant some how the wind was able to blow it across the yard area. How does it do that. There's not a big enough surface to blow on but it did.  It was by the horse trailer.
None it seemed to bother Lilley. She was curled up sound asleep.


This year with new babies arriving and us moving the Family Christmas celebrations kinda got messed up so we tried to have everyone up on the 29th but unfortunately Gary (David's brother) and family couldn't make it but David's sister Glenda and her family could along with my nephews really sweet girlfriends.


David work up early that day of course with help from Lilley. He got to see the sun rise and the moon setting at one time. He thought that was pretty cool.

Sunrise

Moon setting

Wish everyone could have made it but was glad to see Glenda and her family arrive.

 Cousin's. They're all grown up. How'd this happen.

They all took turns and took the golf cart out into the pasture for a ride. Kind of chilly that day. 


 My sister in law Glenda and her sweet husband Thomas.




Pamela got a picture with Marion on the left, Phillip's girlfriend and Kevin's girlfriend Alyssa on her right. 
 There was plenty of food and the boys took advantage of the pool table being set up and ready to go. Well sorta.  The cue chalk was missing but they persevered. LOL

And this is how the furry girls pass the time. I think even Jerry enjoys this game. Actually only Lilley and Brianna generally.  Sophie stays on the porch and will bark from afar. LOL

And what better way to end the year than have close long time friends out to the Rock'n K

Mark and Kathy, Tim and Gigi made it out. Fun evening.

Gigi even got out there with David while he was feeding the cows and donkey.  She had good boots on and jacket but she went for it.   Betty here is like okay you can get close to me and just maybe touch me if you give me one of those range cubes.

And this is No Name but she may go on the registration as Sweet T. She'll definitely lick the cubes right out of your hand. She had a calf and we named it T-Bone. What can I say.
These 2 black cows are about the friendliest but still keep they're distance.
We're still amazed that we live on 14 acres with a donkey named Jerry and 11 cows at the time. We never dreamed of having animals really. We just knew we wanted to retired to the country. 
Gigi came out with dirty boots and slobber on her hands and coat sleeve but she loved it. 
 Then there was Jerry. He really wanted those carrots. He's still real skiddish but for a carrot or range cube you just might have a friend.

     Now that don't feel too bad but I'll still take the carrot.  LOL

 
Everyone stayed as late as they could but left before midnight since they were driving home. Next time they can just stay the night. We should be more set up and ready for over night guests.
And before we knew we were heading to bed and it was midnight as our heads hit the bed.

On the 1/3/2019 I drove Pamela to Houston to catch a flight to Steam Boat Springs, CO. She was going to stay with a close high school friend and go to Music Fest. We kept her furry critters for the next 12 days while Pamela went to Music Fest, went dog sledding, Snow mobiling, tubing and fishing. Well she didn't fish but the others did.  It was pricey going ice fishing. Two other of her high schools friends came and stayed Her Friend Avery and Justin's home. I think they had a great time and are ready for 2020. LOL  Here's a few of the pictures she shared with us from her trip.

 

Avery the hostess is on the far right. These girls have been friends since high school.

My month of January consisted of moving boxes out of the garage to the house and unpacking them. So much fun. David was working outside on projects, setting up his office, hauling boxes around for me, hanging pictures, feeding our critters, fixing the gate so Jerry couldn't get out.... Yep he got out. We thought he had bounced the chain off the gate but David caught grabbing the chain in his mouth. He obviously lifted it off. The chain now has a latch. David says if he opens that we'll take Jerry on the road and make money.
While Pamela was off playing in the snow David and I were babysitting the Furry Grand Pups.

Triple the fur on the concrete floors. But they look so lovable here. And they are.
And it means lots of muddy paws since we keep getting rain and the yard is still mud. They don't seem to mind. 
Can't tell you how many times I washed their paws and wiped up the floors.

Brianna loved getting acquainted with Jerry.




Finally got to see a beautiful sunset here at the Rock'n K. I'm hoping there will be many more of course but it was nice to have sunshine for a day or two. Sat on the patio for a bit before it got to chilly.
I better close or you'll be reading for hours. Sorry. A beautiful sunset is a good ending for this post.

Until next post...."In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."
Martin Luther King Jr