Replacing the Pole

Power is important!

On Saturday morning we awoke to a loud noise. We weren't really sure what it was. Took a look around and nothing. So we went on with our morning. Cooked and ate breakfast, a little bit of TV. Then Wayne went outside to do some work. He called me and said, "One of the neighbors hired men hit the power pole and it is almost ready to fall over. It's not very safe, so don't go down the driveway if you don't have to." So I looked out the front door and this is what I saw. It was barely hanging on! I took this picture thinking this was the worst of it. Then later on, I drove down the driveway (after the power was turned off) and saw that it was hit from the other side, and it looked even worse. By then the power company was on-site and I was not able to get a very clear picture. Anyway the line-man came up to the house and said he was giving me 5 minutes to do what I needed before he turned the power off! WHAT! 5 minutes, ha ha. That was not enough time to do what I needed. Anyway, I shut off the computers and important stuff. They turned the power off at 10:20 am and I left to go find Wayne. Told him that we were not going to have power all day while they fixed this. We were already planning to go to my folks' house for the late afternoon anyway. My Dad was having a BBQ for his busdrivers and Wayne was the cook. So I gathered what we needed up and headed in there. We all ended up showering there. We stayed late intentionally, not knowing when our power would be back on. We got home at 8pm and the alarm clocks were flashing 4:00, so it seems that the power came back on around 4pm. Anyway, the "boss" of the hired man ended up having to foot the bill. The line-man told us this was going to cost him about $6,000. He had to pay for the new pole, the pay of all men on site (4 I think) at double time (because it happened over the weekend) and the loss the power company had because of us being out of power all day. Anyway, we have been complaining because these men drive up and down our road like a bat out of Hades...there are children playing here and dogs running, etc. The main gripe is, this is OUR driveway...4 families share it, and of these 4 families, that BOSS and his MEN DO NOT LIVE ON THIS ROAD...so they should have some respect and courtesy for the rest of us. Anyway, they seem to have slowed down some...I guess we will wait and see if this is just temporary!

FINALLY

Sunset Beach

During our trip to the coast on the weekend of August 18-20, we made it to the ACTUAL beach! And we even were able to convince my gma to go with us- even better ;o)! So, I drove their mini-van to the care center. Mac and I went inside and up to floor 3. I told one of the nurses that we were going out for the afternoon. I asked her to get my gma up and ready, into her wheelchair. I told them I would be back in about 20 minutes because I was going to go pick up some lunch. So I left Mac, and off to Arby's I went. When my gpa was alive, I would always go to Arby's and get one of their Market Fresh sandwiches. They really liked the Turkey, Bacon, Ranch one and they would split it. So, knowing that my gma LOVES this sandwich, that is what I got her, with some curly fries. Went back to the Care Center and the nurse loaded my gma into the van for me (I can't lift her now that I am pg). We went to Sunset Beach Park and were there for about 3 hours. The weather was pretty cool, but I made sure I packed a lapblanket and cardigan for my gma. We parked right along the beach in the day area, ate our lunch, and watched Mac play on the beach! What a nice day with my gma! Mac was so funny to watch on the beach. She knew the area in which she could play (right in front of the van, and NOT in the water). She is little Miss Social! Every kid that came close was her friend. She would talk their ear off! She gathered shells with them, dug in the sand, climbed on the log, etc. It was pretty funny- what was even funnier was my gma watching Mac being a silly little girl and laughing at her! I love to hear my gma laugh! If I for some reason wasn't watching Mac (because I was getting something out of the backseat) my gma would poke my arm and start "talking" to me and shaking her finger! She is so funny! I love it when she is in a good mood and has a good day! Anytime Mac is around it is one of those days I think! Anyway, enough of the stories...here are some pics!

UPDATE- I have tried 3 different times, different sessions to try to get these pics up...but blogger is not cooperating! SO I will have to post them some other time!

Laptop has been out of commission!

Ok...so I was going to try to start blogging again on a regular basis...and for a bit, I did ok! LOL- but then something went haywire with my laptop and wireless router! They were fighting and not communicating! What a hassle! Anyway...long story short...I have not had my laptop since 8/18! I have used DH's computer a bit, but it is having some problems and I HATE using it! It is very tempermental! So today I was determined to get this problem fixed. I dug out the CD's to reload the router to DH's puter. I also uninstalled (before I thought about it) all of our security stuff...now I have to reload it...grrr! Then I needed DH's man-power to move the heavy file cabinets because I needed to get to the "box" from the internet company (and it sits behind the puter hutch). Thankfully he was willing to do this for me- I am sure he is tired of hearing me complain :) So I am a much happier camper now :) I love my husband :o) I asked him to do this for me last night- and he argued with me that the CD's needed to be reinstalled on MY laptop not HIS puter. So he tried to do his thing. When he was too frustrated and it wasn't working, I just kept my mouth shut and decided that I would do it myself in the morning. Needless to say, I was right- it was HIS puter since it is the main gateway, LOL! I explained that to him this am and he said, "Why didn't you explain it in detail to me last night!" HA HA- MEN!

Wednesday- Hump Day!

Normally I have no idea as to what day of the week it is, nor does it usually matter. Since we are farmers, we have a 7 day long work week and are on call 24 hours a day! But this weekend, MacKenzie and I are going to have a bit of a get away. We are leaving on Friday with my mom to go down to the Southern Oregon Coast to visit my grandma and Auntie Pam. MacKenzie is so excited, she is almost beside herself! She has been told though, she has to have a clean bedroom and bathroom, or she is not able to go! So, we'll see what the deal is tonight when her dad comes home to check her progress! I need to figure out some stuff to take with me. Maybe I will a minimal supply of card making things. I should probably look through my magazines and pick a few ideas out...that way I don't have to drag my 3+ scrapbook suitcases down with me :-) Mac's and my time will mostly be spent @ the nursing home with my gma. I believe that my mom plans on spending quite a lot of time @ my aunt's canning tuna and garlic (I think I will stay away- just thinking about the smell is making my GAG!). I am going to do my very best to make the time to take Mac to Bandon to play on the beach. When we make the trip down to Coos Bay/Coquille we always say we are going to the "beach" but usually we get so busy doing other things, that we never seem to make it! Well, this time we are going to make it...take the time and enjoy ourselves! I need to remember to take my camera, so I can get some cute shots of Mac playing in the sand. Maybe I will even be able to cnvince my gma to go with us- but I doubt it. Her and my grandpa (he's been gone almost 2 years) used to go down and park in their Jeep and watch the waves crash in on the Jetty...so I am sure being down there reminds her of him, and it must make her sad- I can only imagine. Anyway, I have not yet told my gma that I am pg...so I plan on taking her a picture of "baby Fessler" from the ultrasound to post on her picture board. I am thinking of making a really cute card to put the pic in for her...thought it would be a cute idea...and I am yearning to do something creative! Although, on August 6th, I decided to break out my sewing machine! Yes, you are reading me right! For more details, look for the next post! Ok, enough for now, I must go and get some stuff done!

Baby Fessler Has A Heartbeat!

Hi everyone! Got home about an hour ago from the ultrasound and then dinner out! After the "vaginal" ultrasound with the "probe" DH owed me! LOL! It took FOREVER to get to the part where we could see the "baby." The tech first did a "normal" ultrasound. She showed us the yolk sac- but nothing other than that was visible! So after the first set of measurements (locating each ovary, kidney, etc.) I was finally able to empty my bladder. Then came the part that was the most uncomfortable- but most rewarding! As soon as I saw the heartbeat, I teared up. A single tear rolled down my right cheek. After all of that, the girl (literally, she must have been 22 at the most!) told me she was done and to get dressed. I said, "Aren't you going to give us a picture or anything?" I mean, geez, it was the LEAST I deserved! She made up something about not being sure if she had a good shot. I just stood there looking over her shoulder, waiting. I was not leaving w/o one! I would have gladly gotten back in the stirrups just so she could get one! So, this is the one and only, everyone be thankful! LOL! The doctor will get the results tomorrow probably, but I am sure I won't hear from her...that is, unless something is really wrong. I have another ob appt in 3 1/2 weeks. So I will see what she has to say. The only other thing the tech said was that my uterus is really tilted, to the back by my spine...only about 1/3 of pg women have this problem. The baby's heart rate was 167 (there was no sound on the machine I guess because we did not get to hear it). She said according to the measurements she took, I am only 7 1/2 weeks. But after we left, I looked at the calendar and that can't be right. I also looked in my book when I got home and it said that very early ultrasounds and very late (2 months pg or 2 months from delivery) are not very reliable for dating. So she said that the dr probably would not change my due date. And another ultrasound near 20 weeks will provide better measurements...but I am pretty sure of when I conceived...since summer is not a "busy" time for us in that department! LOL! Ok, I feel much better now! Phhewwwww! Praise the Lord for He is good!

UGGGG!!!!

Today started out just rotten! Yesterday about 12:30, DH's SIL showed up and said she had to take one of our trucks and go to Bend to p/u her hubby and 3 year old son. They had went to Bend to go to the irrigation store to p/u some heavy duty pipe to make their reservoir. Well my BIL's new truck (6 months old, 15,000 miles) broke down. So he and Jebb were stranded. At this time of year there always seems to be a truck shortage in this family. One of FIL's trucks was in the shop, MIL and nephew took another one to Bend to p/u the 4 wheeler, FIL was out of town in another one...so that left our 2. We quick fast cleaned the truck bed and inside out. I was left with the 2 girls- no big deal, they help to occupy Mac and keep her out of my hair. They palyed and stuff all day. BIL and wife show up. Mac asks for the girls to spend the night. I say why not and so does their mom. She will pick them up @ 12 today.

Littlest one doesn't won't go to sleep. She wants me to take her home- it's 10:30 pm! And a 30 minute drive to their house each way. Nope I say. So I come out here (living room) put on a movie. Tell the 2 older girls to quit talking because then Janna will go to sleep. Nope she wants me to sleep out here. I stay a bit, then go back to the bedroom. She comes and knocks...will you take me to gma Jan's? Nope, it's 11:15 and they are asleep you are going to have to stay here. Go back out in lvg rm for a bit...about 12:45 they are all finally asleep!

Well they wake up at 7:30 this morning- full of P and V. I hear them in the kitchen wanting to make breakfast for me. I go see what's happening...they have the BIG tub out. I tell them no breakfast for me just yet. But if they want outmeal that is fine, but they need to get the premade packets out. The 2 girls know how to read. I ask them if they know what they are doing...YES. So I go into living room. I hear a bowl go into the microwave. Then the front door closes and they are outside with the dog. All of a sudden I smell a terrible smell! The girls and I met in the kitchen about the same time...there is smoke billowing out of the microwave...the oatmeal is just about ready to catch on fire! Mac opens the microwave and grabs the bowl...burns herself...the bowl is hot- and HAS NO WATER IN IT! Now the entire house smells and I am gagging trying to hold it together...Girls, don't you have to have water to make outmeal? Oops, we forgot! Well if you are hungry, then make yourself some toast, I have to go to the bedroom/bathroom and be sick!

Well, somehow in making the toast they began to argue. It didn't stop, regardless of my warnings. The littlest one locked herself in the bathroom, the 2 older girls stormed outside and went for a walk! IN THEIR PAJAMAS! I tried to calm the situation...but they were all just being BRATS! So I called Mac to my bedroom. I told her she is now grounded, the girls have to go home NOW, she can't go spend the night with her other cousin tonight, no TV, no pool, no trampoline! (I have been having problems with her since she came home from her Dad's and this was the last straw!) I tell the other girls to get dressed. I called MIL and asked them if she can come over and get them. I called my gma and told her Mac was in trouble and can't spend the night tonight. **MacKenzie hears me making both calls and goes hysterical! I promise mom, I'll be good now. I don't want them to go home. Can I go to gma Jan's with them? I want to spend the night with Sabre. I will listen and be good. I'm so sorry.** I knew it was going to come down to this. Last weekend on Sunday she got in big trouble too, and I ended up calling her dad. He talked to her, she carried on, and I thought that was good enough. But she must not have learned her lesson. I just hate having to ground her, but she is so stubborn, and doesn't seem to learn the lessons very easily. Wayne came home and said that she is grounded the rest of the summer from spending the night and going anywhere and she isn't allowed to have people over either. 1 month! YIKES! The thing is that it ends up torturing me just as much as her. And it also isn't very effective when she is going out of town on Fri-Sun with her other grandparents. I will have to tell them no tv...that is about the only thing that they will follow. I can't tell them not to allow her to play with her 2 cousins! Anyway...what a freakin' day!

I took a nap...felt good to get some sleep since I did not last night. I ate some lunch. I am doing laundry. Now I need to shower. I have my ultrasound appt @4:30 and I need to start drinking some water! I will post again later. I am really excited, nervous, anxious, scared...I just want it to be over with, and have good news! Hopefully all will go well and I will have some baby pics to post!

Dr Appt

This morning at 9 I had my OB appointment. Had to answer all of the medical history questions, blah blah blah. Then the fun part- the exam. Good news...I did not gain any weight since last time I was there (yay me!), my fundal height is right where it should be, blood pressure is good, blood work from last time came out fine (no STD'S ((phew...lol)), don't have HIV/AIDS ((double phew!)), still immune to Rubella, don't have anemia), and I have an appointment on Thursday for an ultrasound. YAY!! Only 2 days and I will get to see this little one...and the heartbeat! That is what I am really looking forward to and most concerned about. I will feel oh so much better! My appt is at 4:30 because Wayne is the one who requested a late appt. I asked him when I got home if he had plans for Thursday at 4:30- and he said he didn't know...why? I told him he now had plans- could he make it. He said he would try...I told him he better be there or I was divorcing him! I know he is busy with garlic (that should have started today, but didn't...long story more below) but the crew should stop working @ 4 and there is NO REASONE he can't be there! I really think he is just giving me a hard time though! What a BRAT!

Ok, so here goes the garlic story....

Yesterday late afternoon a bunch of clouds moved in and the sky got dark...really dark. Well then the wind started blowing...HARD!!!! We had a bunch of the workers show up to do their paperwork about this time...lovely! Anyway, the wind continued all night. About the time we decided to go to bed (after 10 because Wayne had to go shut the wheel line off on the garlic) the wind was roaring SO LOUD I thought for sure our house was going to blow away! Then came the rain, and in about 30 seconds- the power went out! It was out for several hours...it was SO HOT and HUMID I was about sweating to death. Finally about 3 am the power came back on. So I asked Wayne to turn the a/c on in the bedroom. He did- and the power went out again! GRRR! Anyway, in the wee hours of the morning it finally came back on and stayed! Well, DH didn't think it rained that much...yeah right! ***Anyway, we had workers from Prineville show up @ 5:30 am. Wayne went out and said he didn't know if there was going to be work because of the rain. He told them to wait and he would drive to the garlic field and check. He came back and said probably no work until at least 10- the garlic skins were all wet and soaked through. Can't put them in crates like that- they'll rot and there goes the $$! Anyway, the guy who was here with his mother-in-law got kind of mouthy with Wayne and wanted him to pay them for the day or give them some gas since they drove all the way here from Prineville. Wayne said no way- you have my number and you should have called, besides you weren't supposed to be here until 7. Well the guy had brought his 2 daughters (1st grade and 3rd grade) and he was going to leave them in the car all day! Wayne told him don't come back today, there's probably no work. And don't come back until you have a baby sitter. It is not safe to leave your kids in the heat of the car all day and there is bag machinery in the fields all day- so not a safe place for kids!*** Ok, after that fiasco, about a million phone calls came in from the workers. Wayne told them to check back in at 10. I got home from my appt about 10, and DH said it was too wet. So here's hoping that the weather is nice today, and the sun/wind combo help to dry up the garlic that has already been dug and is exposed to the weather!

Here's also hoping that I can get a bit of a nap in today! I didn't sleep well at all last night. Too hot, the wind and rain kept me awake, tummy problems, etc. I finally fell into a deep sleep about 30 minutes before I had to wake up to get ready to go to the dr! Figures :)

Update on Potentially Good News...

My last post I mentioned that we had some "potentially good news." I feel a bit safer now in sharing that "potentially good news." We are PREGNANT! Yes, I know, we said we were going to wait until the beginning of the year to try again- but I think God has other plans! This is unexpected- but very welcome!

As of today, I am 7 weeks and 5 days pregnant. I took a home pg test on July 9, and the line was ever so faint, we called it negative. By that Friday, 7/14- still no visitor. So I took another one- and the line was very bold indeed! I was not able to get into the doctor until 7/24 (ok, I could have seen someone else, but I wanted MY DOCTOR). The urine test came back positive right away in the office. If you will remember from last time, it came back negative. Dr El-Attar agreed to do a blood draw to check HCG levels (what patient do you know who says she VOLUNTARILY wants to get her blood drawn?). By 5 pm that evening she called and said that the HCG level was a little over 6,000 (compared to 71 last time :(...) so that was an excellent baseline. I had another appointment on Thursday of that same weeek 7/27 to do one last draw. In 72-96 hours the HCG level should double during this stage of pregnancy. I gladly went and gave more blood. But by the end of the day, I still had heard NOTHING! I was getting very nervous; scared that there was something wrong and they were avoiding calling me! Well Friday morning while I was at the Fair watching the nieces and nephews showing their animals, Amber (the nurse) called. She was very excited and told me that my HCG had more than doubled! YAY~! So I have an appointment for the OB workup (pap, pelvic, breast, etc) this coming Tuesday 8/8. At that appointment Suzy (Dr. El-Attar) will schedule me an ultrasound appointment. She said that is really the last thing that we need to be concerned about. Once we see/hear the heartbeat- I will feel OH SO MUCH BETTER!

I have been feeling just awful! Up until this week, it has been unseasonably HOT here! Driving combine with the sun shining in did not help. I had to make sure I had plastic bags with me- just in case! I got some meds for the nausea and they upped my acid relfux meds too, so that has helped just a bit. Last night I was up all night with an upset tummy, and today I still don't feel up to parr. And DH just told me I have to go to Redmond! YEE HAW! Maybe I can go a bit later when I am feeling a bit better! I am hoping that a HOT shower will help out a lot!

This week on the farm has been slow for me...Wayne has been busy getting things ready for garlic harvest next week. We are going to start on Monday. I think harvest will take about 10 days- as that is what it took last year. The night before last, we had 2 LOADED vehicles show up at our door wanting to know when we were doing garlic- so we now have our crew. And the added bonus is, 2 of the ladies speak perfect English and Spanish! Oh, and 2 of the men can drive the forklift...so DH is happy!