I’m trying to find a new level of normal; over the past week I’ve devoted so much mental energy to where I’m supposed to be when I’m supposed to be there that I spend too much of my actual down time cocooning in self defense and not getting my own autumn chores done. Good thing I already have more than half a woodshed’s worth of firewood under roof or I’d be in trouble. I still need to finish mortaring up what’s left of that hole in Ian’s retaining wall before it gets too cold, and since it has turned a bit chilly at night here I have another D&L chore to schedule daily…
Their pellet stove is handy and effective for heating a (very!) large house but it’s also excessively complex for off-grid use, in my opinion, and requires fairly complicated daily cleaning.
One thing you really really don’t want to do a few days after knee replacement surgery is get on your knees to sweep out a pellet stove. So I’ve been doing that, right after my 8:30 visit to clean up after horses. If, like today, I have to use the tractor to dispose of manure, that means I’m there for a solid hour rather than the quick in’n’out trips of the other visits.
Then this afternoon D has to go back to town for PT, and I’m hopefully going to pick up my repaired driveshaft, so there goes the afternoon.
Tobie was in an unusually tightly-wound mood this morning, he really wanted to run and play, and I was being a grumpy old man, and I had to damp down my temper before I blew my top at him for things that just aren’t his fault. We stopped for a visit to S&L at eight and I had to exile him back to the Jeep, because he was running around so energetically he was going to break something or hurt somebody. Embarrassing when your boy acts up in public, even when your boy is a big dog.
And goodness, has he grown. Y’know, you don’t see it when you’re with them all day every day. Here’s Tobie with his new harness in mid-June…
His new harness is practically wearing him. And then I took this picture just a minute ago…
Yeah, shoulda named him Stretch. A year old, my ass: He probably wasn’t six months old. He’s been with me since late May and he’s still not marking territory, so the gods alone know how big he’ll end up. And he’s mostly a good boy, or at least good-hearted, but he will get into mischief.
Anyway – the water’s hot so I’ve got to wash dishes, then wait around half an hour till it’s time to go feed horses again.
All that manure, can you spread it in an area which could become a big garden in a years time
“And he’s mostly a good boy, or at least good-hearted, but he will get into mischief.”
Don’t they say that pets and their owners somewhat resemble each other over time….?
D will be in much better shape after a week or two, as the swelling goes down. However, kneeling is something to approach very carefully. When you are in town, look for a foam pad for him to use when he is up to it.
And if you will dig out a big basin to put the manure in, the water it collects will compost the manure and provide nutrients for your garden plants. The folks who gardened where you are thousands of years ago were really big on gardening in basins and they arranged the basins on a slight slope so extra water would flow downhill to the next basin.
Given the neighbors’ advancing age, it might behoove everyone to raise that stove up to the point where it can be used and maintained without any crouching or kneeling needed. Might have to hire a professional to do that.
Toby sure is a growing fella. It always amazes me how they go from puppy to big as an ox so fast.
I’m with jabrwok, if it’s possible to raise that stove, it would make it a lot easier to service. That whole “working on one’s knees” gets real old when you get real old.
I told you when you first introduced Tobey that he was a very young puppy and was going to be a very large adult. He’s not done growing yet, probably has another 15% to go.
I’m certain he has filling out yet to do. The harness is still cinched in as far as it will go and it’s only now getting tight on him.