I am currently sitting at my friend's computer here in San Antonio. It has been a very busy week, which started last Saturday when I drove to Fredericksburg, TX, to attend the annual Renewable Energy Roundup and Green Living Fair. I have attended several times before and always walk away learning something new. This year I attended two workshops.
The first was on solar cooking, which is a great way to cook for people all around the world who live in sunny environments. There are several non-profit groups trying to provide solar cookers to folks in Africa where coal and wood for cooking is expensive and hard to come by. But more and more folks here in the US are using solar cookers to prepare some or all of their food. It is great for camping too. It is an efficient way to prepare food and once the cooker is made or purchased there is no more expense. The only must have ingredient is patience. There is tons of free sun at The Ranch and so I intend to purchase a solar cooker in the near future. I heard the prices really drop in winter, so I am waiting for cold weather to make my purchase.
The second workshop I attended was on solar water heating. The presenter first discussed all the different technologies available for heating water, pointing out the good and the bad of each technology.
When he finally got to solar water heaters, he discussed the different technologies out there and again discussed the problems and benefits to each one. Since he lives and works in Texas his talk was focused on our needs, which is very hard water but tons of sun. I walked away with valuable information.
Just walking around looking at all the booths is always educational too. This year I learned about a toilet technology, The Enviro Loo, that is legal in Texas and does not need a septic system for disposal. Composting toilets are illegal, but installing septic tanks is not only extremely expensive but difficult in the rocky terrain of Edwards County. The septic tank on The Ranch is only partially buried. This product looks like it could be a great way to provide bathroom facilities for folks living at The Ranch. Of course more study is required.
After leaving the fair I drove straight to San Antonio. I had decided to come on Saturday instead of Monday to save gas, but coming early turned out to be a blessing. Mary fell on Sunday requiring seven stitches in her hand. Mary helped me out when I broke my foot and again last March when I had surgery. It was nice to be here to help her out.
On Tuesday Mary flew to Omaha for a college friend's reunion. I am house sitting for Mary and had my six month checkup with the surgeon on Tuesday and my annual eye exam on Wednesday. Both appointments went well and I got excellent reports. Both doctors want to see me in one year.
This afternoon I will go pick Mary up from the airport. Then tomorrow I plan to return home with a friend who wants to see the bats before they return to Mexico. People come from all over the world to visit the Devil's Sinkhole, a large cavern or collapsed cave, where millions of bats sleep each day and exit at night to go eat trillions of bugs. My friend's car is in need of repair so I said I would take her with me when I return home and bring her back early next week.
It has been a busy week and I will have another busy weekend but every moment has been worth it.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
Women's Prayer International
Every year Women’s Prayer International (WPI) has a celebration dinner, which is part fundraiser and part educational. It is a time where members can invite friends to learn more about this important and life changing ministry. WPI is women coming together once a month to pray for our families, our schools, our communities, our government (all levels), our military, our pastors, and more. We meet once a month in a neighbor’s home. We are Catholics and Protestants. We come from mainline denominational churches and non-denominational churches.
I had decided not to attend the dinner because of expense and time. The last week of September I have to be in San Antonio for doctor appointments so it did not make since to come just for an expensive dinner on September 17. But then the founder, Joan Bond-Courtney called and asked me to share my testimony. Last year I had written her a letter and it was that story she wanted me to share. So I changed my mind and last Wednesday drove to San Antonio, returning home on Saturday.
The testimony I shared at the WPI Celebration Dinner:
I became acquainted with Women’s Prayer International after attending a city wide prayer gathering. There was a woman signing up people who wanted to be part of a prayer group. I signed up, but it turned out there were no groups in my neighborhood, so I was assigned to a group quite a distance to the west of me. At the time I did not have a car and therefore was depended on the bus system to get around. God knew, but I am sure Joan and the volunteers did not know, that bus route 90 passed only 2 blocks from my apartment and went directly to the home where that group met.
Last September a friend and I decided to attend the Renewable Energy Fair, which is held in the Texas Hill Country annually. We drove up there Saturday afternoon and shared a motel room.
I tend to be an early riser and found myself wide awake by 5am. My friend on the other hand was still sound to sleep. Since I did not want to wake her up, turning on the light or TV was not an option. So I started praying. I prayed for my own needs and anyone else I could think of. About 10 minutes later I ran out of friends to pray for. Not wanting to lay in the bed bored, I asked God for help. Immediately the president and government popped into my head. So I started praying for my government officials and any related issues that came to my mind. After I had exhausted that topic, I once again asked God for help, and immediately another topic came to mind. I kept up this pattern until after awhile it suddenly occurred to me I was praying the WPI prayer guide categories I pray monthly with my neighborhood group. I was just praying the categories in a different order. Later when I arrived home I checked and I had prayed every single category on the list.
The last thing I shared with the audience is I now live in Edwards County and while I am excavating rocks, clearing out Mountain Cedar branches and other mindless activities, I often will think of one of the WPI prayer topics and start praying.
In closing I just want to add that I use to find it impossible to pray for an hour so I assumed I could not. I tried methods such as ACTS, but without success. But I learned last year that I can pray for an hour, I just needed the right guide to help me. I have found it. You do not have to be part of a prayer group in order to follow the WPI prayer guide (or prayer focus). You can download a copy of the prayer guide and simply follow the suggestions.
I had decided not to attend the dinner because of expense and time. The last week of September I have to be in San Antonio for doctor appointments so it did not make since to come just for an expensive dinner on September 17. But then the founder, Joan Bond-Courtney called and asked me to share my testimony. Last year I had written her a letter and it was that story she wanted me to share. So I changed my mind and last Wednesday drove to San Antonio, returning home on Saturday.
The testimony I shared at the WPI Celebration Dinner:
I became acquainted with Women’s Prayer International after attending a city wide prayer gathering. There was a woman signing up people who wanted to be part of a prayer group. I signed up, but it turned out there were no groups in my neighborhood, so I was assigned to a group quite a distance to the west of me. At the time I did not have a car and therefore was depended on the bus system to get around. God knew, but I am sure Joan and the volunteers did not know, that bus route 90 passed only 2 blocks from my apartment and went directly to the home where that group met.
Last September a friend and I decided to attend the Renewable Energy Fair, which is held in the Texas Hill Country annually. We drove up there Saturday afternoon and shared a motel room.
I tend to be an early riser and found myself wide awake by 5am. My friend on the other hand was still sound to sleep. Since I did not want to wake her up, turning on the light or TV was not an option. So I started praying. I prayed for my own needs and anyone else I could think of. About 10 minutes later I ran out of friends to pray for. Not wanting to lay in the bed bored, I asked God for help. Immediately the president and government popped into my head. So I started praying for my government officials and any related issues that came to my mind. After I had exhausted that topic, I once again asked God for help, and immediately another topic came to mind. I kept up this pattern until after awhile it suddenly occurred to me I was praying the WPI prayer guide categories I pray monthly with my neighborhood group. I was just praying the categories in a different order. Later when I arrived home I checked and I had prayed every single category on the list.
The last thing I shared with the audience is I now live in Edwards County and while I am excavating rocks, clearing out Mountain Cedar branches and other mindless activities, I often will think of one of the WPI prayer topics and start praying.
In closing I just want to add that I use to find it impossible to pray for an hour so I assumed I could not. I tried methods such as ACTS, but without success. But I learned last year that I can pray for an hour, I just needed the right guide to help me. I have found it. You do not have to be part of a prayer group in order to follow the WPI prayer guide (or prayer focus). You can download a copy of the prayer guide and simply follow the suggestions.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Making Progress
Progress is being made at the ranch. A new floor was installed in the community room and the spare bedroom. The carpet had to be removed due to urine stains and odor in those two rooms. One of the uses I planned for the community room is a library. Now that the floor is in I am setting up bookcases and filling them up with lots of books I have collected over the years. Also, the desk I purchased last month has been delivered and I have been slowly unpacking boxes and getting organized.
Now that the carpet has been removed, the spare bedroom is available. At the moment the room is empty but once God brings the right person to live in it furniture will be obtained, if needed.
Outside I have been very busy too. I spend a couple hours every morning on one or more different projects. The project I have been devoting most of my time to lately is the garden. In order to put a garden in I first have to remove as many rocks as possible from the area. I have been digging down 4 to 6 inches removing dirt, rocks, and occasionally other debris. This garden bed will be about 2 yards by 3 yards and will be a raised bed, since rocks are everywhere. I have removed thousands, possibly even a million rocks from this one small area.
This land is covered in rocks and is layered with rocks. With all the rocks available it makes since to use them for multiple purposes and God has given me lots of ideas.
One idea is to use the rocks to build stone buildings. The first building I envision is a bathroom/shower/laundry facility for folks living in campers or out of their cars. By building such a building I can provide the necessary facilities quickly for people to start living here. Eventually I hope to build some stone cottages, but a multipurpose room such as what is available at camp grounds will at least provide facilities for folks who are in need now. Until a multipurpose building is built, the main house is always available.
I also have many other ideas for ways to use these rocks, all of which in the long run will save money. Instead of buying lumber or other supplies we can just use the free rocks. But there is no way a single person can accomplish all that needs to be done. Volunteers are a must. Volunteers are needed for both outside jobs (building, gardening, etc.) and inside jobs (web site design, bookkeeping, cleaning, etc.).
If you have any interest in relocating to The Ranch, please let me know. I fully understand that each person with MCS and related diseases has different needs. When I was ill I was exhausted all the time and basically bedridden. On the other hand, a friend found physical work (including sweating) actually made her feel better. If you are someone who at the present time cannot imagine even volunteering one hour a day, do not let that stop you from inquiring about coming to the Ranch.
Finally, on September 7 tropical storm Hermine passed right over San Antonio, TX and then the Hill Country, causing flooding and lots of damage. Some areas received a foot of rain. Here at The Ranch the rain gauge recorded ¾ of an inch of rain. If it was not for satellite technology I would never have known Texas was being bombarded by a tropical storm.
Now that the carpet has been removed, the spare bedroom is available. At the moment the room is empty but once God brings the right person to live in it furniture will be obtained, if needed.
Outside I have been very busy too. I spend a couple hours every morning on one or more different projects. The project I have been devoting most of my time to lately is the garden. In order to put a garden in I first have to remove as many rocks as possible from the area. I have been digging down 4 to 6 inches removing dirt, rocks, and occasionally other debris. This garden bed will be about 2 yards by 3 yards and will be a raised bed, since rocks are everywhere. I have removed thousands, possibly even a million rocks from this one small area.
This land is covered in rocks and is layered with rocks. With all the rocks available it makes since to use them for multiple purposes and God has given me lots of ideas.
One idea is to use the rocks to build stone buildings. The first building I envision is a bathroom/shower/laundry facility for folks living in campers or out of their cars. By building such a building I can provide the necessary facilities quickly for people to start living here. Eventually I hope to build some stone cottages, but a multipurpose room such as what is available at camp grounds will at least provide facilities for folks who are in need now. Until a multipurpose building is built, the main house is always available.
I also have many other ideas for ways to use these rocks, all of which in the long run will save money. Instead of buying lumber or other supplies we can just use the free rocks. But there is no way a single person can accomplish all that needs to be done. Volunteers are a must. Volunteers are needed for both outside jobs (building, gardening, etc.) and inside jobs (web site design, bookkeeping, cleaning, etc.).
If you have any interest in relocating to The Ranch, please let me know. I fully understand that each person with MCS and related diseases has different needs. When I was ill I was exhausted all the time and basically bedridden. On the other hand, a friend found physical work (including sweating) actually made her feel better. If you are someone who at the present time cannot imagine even volunteering one hour a day, do not let that stop you from inquiring about coming to the Ranch.
Finally, on September 7 tropical storm Hermine passed right over San Antonio, TX and then the Hill Country, causing flooding and lots of damage. Some areas received a foot of rain. Here at The Ranch the rain gauge recorded ¾ of an inch of rain. If it was not for satellite technology I would never have known Texas was being bombarded by a tropical storm.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Back On The Ranch
My house sitting ended on Monday when I drove to the airport to pick up my friend. The airport is about a 5 minute drive from her house, which makes picking up folks pretty easy. Just sit by the phone and wait for the call. No waiting at the airport. Pretty easy.
There were a few things we needed to do together so I stayed another day. Basically, I am her computer tech and had to teach her and help her with some computer tasks. No big deal. It was nice to spend a day just visiting and getting things done.
I drove back home on Wednesday, stopping in Kerrville to run a few errands. I usually spend the first part of the trip listening to KLOVE, switching between the San Antonio and Fredericksburg stations, but at some point the static is to much for me and I switch to a Kerrville country music station. It is on that station that I heard an ad for Kerr County Produce. This store sells fresh produce at wholesale prices to the public every Wednesday. After inquiring where A St. is, I eventually made my way there and was happy I did. The store had a great selection of produce at fantastic prices. For example, red bell peppers cost $0.69. I bought 3. Everything there was much cheaper than the same items in the local grocery store. I filled up a paper sack for less than $11.
Besides grocery shopping, I also looked at a desk that a friend wanted to sell. It will fit in the office nicely and take care of the many needs that I need in a desk. The desk and the gas for them to bring it out here only cost me $130. She and her husband are scheduled to come out this Saturday, which means I have been very busy cleaning out the space the desk will occupy. Currently there are file cabinets and a computer in the way.
I also picked up the baseboard and transitions to finish the new floor that is occupying the community room and spare bedroom. The actual floor was installed before I left to go house sit. He is scheduled to come out on Monday and it should only take him a couple hours to finish. Then I will finally be able to finish the unpacking. A mini library is planned for the community room.
I also purchased a can of paint. I really hate painting and am hoping a second coat of paint is all that is needed to finish that living room. After that, only a few more tasks to be completed and this house will finally be what I have envisioned all along.
Though this house is my home, it is also a community center. What the builders meant to be a family room, I am turning into a community room. The walls will be lined with bookshelves for the mini-library. Chairs and/or a table will sit in the middle of the room. It is a great spot for small group meetings and other activities. This is a 3 bedroom house. I occupy the master bedroom. One of the spare bedrooms I turned into AOCCCI’s office. The other spare bedroom is available for anyone needing someplace to live. Currently there is no furniture in there, but I plan on getting at least a bed.
As I write this it is almost 7 am. Before I took off to house sit I would have been outside working. I like to spend the cool mornings outside removing rocks from the future garden, gathering up cedar branches to burn when the burn ban is lifted, and many other outside tasks. Only 10 days ago by now the sun would have risen enough for me to see what I am doing. But as I sit here it is still pretty dark outside. I can see the beginnings of the day, but there is not enough light to venture safely outside.
When I lived in the city I rarely paid attention to the sun rising or setting. Now that my daily activities are governed by sun I am noticing just how quickly the days are becoming shorter. It is truly amazing the daily changes in the sun’s rotation. I am pretty far south. I am sure the changes are much more dramatic farther north, especially in Canada.
With each passing minute I am seeing more light outside. By the time I post this, get my shoes on and do everything I need to do before venturing outside, there should be enough light to safely walk in the tall grass. So by for now. May God bless each of our days.
There were a few things we needed to do together so I stayed another day. Basically, I am her computer tech and had to teach her and help her with some computer tasks. No big deal. It was nice to spend a day just visiting and getting things done.
I drove back home on Wednesday, stopping in Kerrville to run a few errands. I usually spend the first part of the trip listening to KLOVE, switching between the San Antonio and Fredericksburg stations, but at some point the static is to much for me and I switch to a Kerrville country music station. It is on that station that I heard an ad for Kerr County Produce. This store sells fresh produce at wholesale prices to the public every Wednesday. After inquiring where A St. is, I eventually made my way there and was happy I did. The store had a great selection of produce at fantastic prices. For example, red bell peppers cost $0.69. I bought 3. Everything there was much cheaper than the same items in the local grocery store. I filled up a paper sack for less than $11.
Besides grocery shopping, I also looked at a desk that a friend wanted to sell. It will fit in the office nicely and take care of the many needs that I need in a desk. The desk and the gas for them to bring it out here only cost me $130. She and her husband are scheduled to come out this Saturday, which means I have been very busy cleaning out the space the desk will occupy. Currently there are file cabinets and a computer in the way.
I also picked up the baseboard and transitions to finish the new floor that is occupying the community room and spare bedroom. The actual floor was installed before I left to go house sit. He is scheduled to come out on Monday and it should only take him a couple hours to finish. Then I will finally be able to finish the unpacking. A mini library is planned for the community room.
I also purchased a can of paint. I really hate painting and am hoping a second coat of paint is all that is needed to finish that living room. After that, only a few more tasks to be completed and this house will finally be what I have envisioned all along.
Though this house is my home, it is also a community center. What the builders meant to be a family room, I am turning into a community room. The walls will be lined with bookshelves for the mini-library. Chairs and/or a table will sit in the middle of the room. It is a great spot for small group meetings and other activities. This is a 3 bedroom house. I occupy the master bedroom. One of the spare bedrooms I turned into AOCCCI’s office. The other spare bedroom is available for anyone needing someplace to live. Currently there is no furniture in there, but I plan on getting at least a bed.
As I write this it is almost 7 am. Before I took off to house sit I would have been outside working. I like to spend the cool mornings outside removing rocks from the future garden, gathering up cedar branches to burn when the burn ban is lifted, and many other outside tasks. Only 10 days ago by now the sun would have risen enough for me to see what I am doing. But as I sit here it is still pretty dark outside. I can see the beginnings of the day, but there is not enough light to venture safely outside.
When I lived in the city I rarely paid attention to the sun rising or setting. Now that my daily activities are governed by sun I am noticing just how quickly the days are becoming shorter. It is truly amazing the daily changes in the sun’s rotation. I am pretty far south. I am sure the changes are much more dramatic farther north, especially in Canada.
With each passing minute I am seeing more light outside. By the time I post this, get my shoes on and do everything I need to do before venturing outside, there should be enough light to safely walk in the tall grass. So by for now. May God bless each of our days.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
House Sitting
Monday I drove to San Antonio, where I have been ever since. I am house sitting for a good friend who is at her high school reunion. My duties have been pretty simply, feed the cats (former strays that live outdoors), water some plants, and just watch the house. I brought a lot of work with me, so I have been keeping pretty busy this week.
Tuesday morning I took my friend to the airport and then visited a few stores. Didn't spend much but did get some good ideas of how I can solve a few problems back at the ranch. Spent some time visiting with a friend who live only a few blocks away. I also worked on a computer issue for the friend I am house sitting for. I happen to be her computer tech.
That evening when it was not as hot, I washed my very filthy car. Living on a dirt road means the car is always filthy. Since I already had everything out and was wet, I washed my friend's car too.
Wednesday morning I worked on future newsletters. Then after lunch I went to my former church and put in a few hours working in the library. I have been on the library team at that church for years and it was kind of nice to get out of the house and see some old friends. I put in about 3 hours in the library and got a lot done. The exercise was helpful too.
Thursday spent the entire day working on newsletters. Just assembling one newsletter takes about a day to complete and I am currently working on assembling enough newsletters for the rest of the year. I continued this task on Friday. I have made great progress but still have a lot more to do.
A few months ago I began to notice my lap top occasionally felt hot. Then one day it shut down unexpectedly. These symptoms continued to occur and grew more frequent. The last time I was in San Antonio I stopped by the computer store hoping to get it fixed. Unfortunately there was a back log of computers needing to be repaired. We discussed my symptoms and the decision was made to just order a fan and I could bring the lap top in later. It wound up taking three weeks for the fan to be ordered and delivered (not the store's fault, but the parts company did not respond quickly). The fan arrived on Thursday. Yesterday morning I took my lap top in and it was repaired by the afternoon. Hopefully I will have no more computer problems.
Last night I started reading The Federalist Papers. Fortunately my friend has a good dictionary because I need it. The Federalist Papers is not light reading but it is very enlightening. There is a lot about the history of this nation that most of us just do not know about.
My plans for the rest of today is to meet someone for a business lunch. Then I will probably return to the house and do some reading or other work. Tomorrow (Sunday) I will go to church in the morning, have lunch with a friend from Church, and then return to the house. Monday evening I will pick my friend from the airport.
I knew my friend wanted me to house sit for her but knowing how busy I am she did not want to really ask. God though kept showing me work I could do here and as you have read I have been keeping quite busy. I doubt I will complete everything I brought with me to work on. But that is okay. Least I have taken care of my friend's home and gotten a lot of personal work accomplished too.
Tuesday morning I took my friend to the airport and then visited a few stores. Didn't spend much but did get some good ideas of how I can solve a few problems back at the ranch. Spent some time visiting with a friend who live only a few blocks away. I also worked on a computer issue for the friend I am house sitting for. I happen to be her computer tech.
That evening when it was not as hot, I washed my very filthy car. Living on a dirt road means the car is always filthy. Since I already had everything out and was wet, I washed my friend's car too.
Wednesday morning I worked on future newsletters. Then after lunch I went to my former church and put in a few hours working in the library. I have been on the library team at that church for years and it was kind of nice to get out of the house and see some old friends. I put in about 3 hours in the library and got a lot done. The exercise was helpful too.
Thursday spent the entire day working on newsletters. Just assembling one newsletter takes about a day to complete and I am currently working on assembling enough newsletters for the rest of the year. I continued this task on Friday. I have made great progress but still have a lot more to do.
A few months ago I began to notice my lap top occasionally felt hot. Then one day it shut down unexpectedly. These symptoms continued to occur and grew more frequent. The last time I was in San Antonio I stopped by the computer store hoping to get it fixed. Unfortunately there was a back log of computers needing to be repaired. We discussed my symptoms and the decision was made to just order a fan and I could bring the lap top in later. It wound up taking three weeks for the fan to be ordered and delivered (not the store's fault, but the parts company did not respond quickly). The fan arrived on Thursday. Yesterday morning I took my lap top in and it was repaired by the afternoon. Hopefully I will have no more computer problems.
Last night I started reading The Federalist Papers. Fortunately my friend has a good dictionary because I need it. The Federalist Papers is not light reading but it is very enlightening. There is a lot about the history of this nation that most of us just do not know about.
My plans for the rest of today is to meet someone for a business lunch. Then I will probably return to the house and do some reading or other work. Tomorrow (Sunday) I will go to church in the morning, have lunch with a friend from Church, and then return to the house. Monday evening I will pick my friend from the airport.
I knew my friend wanted me to house sit for her but knowing how busy I am she did not want to really ask. God though kept showing me work I could do here and as you have read I have been keeping quite busy. I doubt I will complete everything I brought with me to work on. But that is okay. Least I have taken care of my friend's home and gotten a lot of personal work accomplished too.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Progress Is Being Made
It is Sunday afternoon as I write this. I had a wonderful time at church this morning. I really enjoy my Sunday School teacher which is saying a lot. Having completed half the required classes for a Master of Divinity degree, I often get bored as I know more than most lay teachers, but this guy does an excellent job. I also like the simple country ways of the preacher. His simple sermons are to the point and perfect for this country community.
In San Antonio I attended a rather large city church. The membership population of the church is a lot larger than the entire population of Edward’s County, the home of AOCCCI. The church I now attend in Rocksprings is your basic country church but it is growing and doing a lot of good things in the community. God is really using it. Another unique feature of this church, which you will never find in a large city church, is that chickens live on the property. Often one can see the rooster and chickens roosting in a tree behind the parsonage. Today I saw a mother hen with half a dozen baby chicks following her. All I can say is they were sooooo cute.
Edwards County is basically a dry county and water is precious here, so all efforts to conserve water must be employed. Before I moved here I attended a rain water catchment seminar where each participant was sent home with a rain barrel. I positioned my rain barrel in a spot where rain water naturally falls off the roof. It has filled up several times since I moved here, but is currently running on empty. I also positioned buckets in spots where rain water naturally falls off the roof. All this water has gone to watering the garden. Not only does this save water but it also saves electricity. The only other source of water on the property is from the well. It takes electricity to run the well pump that pulls the precious water out of the ground. The Edwards Aquifer is large, covering hundreds of miles, but San Antonio (one of the largest cities in the country) also draws its water from the same aquifer, so conservation is a must. Capturing rain water just makes a lot of practical since.
In case you do not know, an AC produces a lot of distilled water, which most is just wasted. I had seen the white plumber’s pipe lying on the ground. I had no idea why it was there. E
arlier this month I spoke to an HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) expert. About a week later I walked by the white pipe. The air conditioner was running and I noticed the ground was all wet where the pipe ended. Then it occurred to me, that pipe was draining the excess water the AC was producing. My eventual goal is to feed that pipe into a rain water barrel but until then I have lifted the pipe so the water can flow into a metal watering pan. My hope is the deer find the water soon and start visiting the house. It is pretty dry outside since it has not rained in awhile and I know the deer are thirsty.
This has been a very busy week for me. No house is perfect and shortly after getting the key I discovered one big problem. The previous owner’s dog had used two rooms in the house as his toilet. I shampooed all the carpets in the house but the family room and one of the spare bedrooms was not salvageable. The stench was just unbearable. I purchased new flooring for the rooms months ago but not until this week were they installed.
God has been good in leading me to several excellent handymen. In July a handyman replaced all the electrical sockets in th
e living room (they all had been painted), ceiling fans installed in the two small bedrooms, and a small plumbing job. Another handyman installed some solar shades for me in the living room. The shades allow me to look out onto this beautiful land but block out the harsh sun. After three weeks in Florida, the first handyman returned and on Tuesday he called to see if he could come out and start on the floor. It took three days of hard work but now the pee soaked carpet is gone and family room (future community room) and the small bedroom (which I plan to rent out to someone) have a beautiful new floor. I am so happy. It won’t be long now and this place will start looking like I envisioned it back in January.
In San Antonio I attended a rather large city church. The membership population of the church is a lot larger than the entire population of Edward’s County, the home of AOCCCI. The church I now attend in Rocksprings is your basic country church but it is growing and doing a lot of good things in the community. God is really using it. Another unique feature of this church, which you will never find in a large city church, is that chickens live on the property. Often one can see the rooster and chickens roosting in a tree behind the parsonage. Today I saw a mother hen with half a dozen baby chicks following her. All I can say is they were sooooo cute.
Edwards County is basically a dry county and water is precious here, so all efforts to conserve water must be employed. Before I moved here I attended a rain water catchment seminar where each participant was sent home with a rain barrel. I positioned my rain barrel in a spot where rain water naturally falls off the roof. It has filled up several times since I moved here, but is currently running on empty. I also positioned buckets in spots where rain water naturally falls off the roof. All this water has gone to watering the garden. Not only does this save water but it also saves electricity. The only other source of water on the property is from the well. It takes electricity to run the well pump that pulls the precious water out of the ground. The Edwards Aquifer is large, covering hundreds of miles, but San Antonio (one of the largest cities in the country) also draws its water from the same aquifer, so conservation is a must. Capturing rain water just makes a lot of practical since.
In case you do not know, an AC produces a lot of distilled water, which most is just wasted. I had seen the white plumber’s pipe lying on the ground. I had no idea why it was there. E
arlier this month I spoke to an HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) expert. About a week later I walked by the white pipe. The air conditioner was running and I noticed the ground was all wet where the pipe ended. Then it occurred to me, that pipe was draining the excess water the AC was producing. My eventual goal is to feed that pipe into a rain water barrel but until then I have lifted the pipe so the water can flow into a metal watering pan. My hope is the deer find the water soon and start visiting the house. It is pretty dry outside since it has not rained in awhile and I know the deer are thirsty.This has been a very busy week for me. No house is perfect and shortly after getting the key I discovered one big problem. The previous owner’s dog had used two rooms in the house as his toilet. I shampooed all the carpets in the house but the family room and one of the spare bedrooms was not salvageable. The stench was just unbearable. I purchased new flooring for the rooms months ago but not until this week were they installed.
God has been good in leading me to several excellent handymen. In July a handyman replaced all the electrical sockets in th
e living room (they all had been painted), ceiling fans installed in the two small bedrooms, and a small plumbing job. Another handyman installed some solar shades for me in the living room. The shades allow me to look out onto this beautiful land but block out the harsh sun. After three weeks in Florida, the first handyman returned and on Tuesday he called to see if he could come out and start on the floor. It took three days of hard work but now the pee soaked carpet is gone and family room (future community room) and the small bedroom (which I plan to rent out to someone) have a beautiful new floor. I am so happy. It won’t be long now and this place will start looking like I envisioned it back in January. Monday, August 2, 2010
Company
Another very busy month has come and gone. It is hard for me to believe it is already August. Though it feels like yesterday, actually it was eight months ago that I signed the papers on this land and started the process of moving myself and the ministry here. Time sure does fly by fast these days.
The first part of July I was pretty busy. I have never taken the time to sit down and make a list of all the different projects I am working on, I just know there are a lot. Every day I pick whatever I am in the mood to do that day and start working. Slowly I am making progress but I really could use some help. There is just too much that needs to be done for any one person do accomplish. I am doing my best.
The second half of July I did take a break to play hostess. On July 23 I picked up my mother’s best friend from the airport. Back in the late 1970’s my mom and Christine worked together at the Department of Health Services for the State of California. Both were young attorneys and became lifelong friends. I was in high school at the time. So Christine is like family to me and I have wanted her to come out and see the Ranch for some time. Christine now practices law in Jacksonville, FL and getting away was difficult for her but she managed to squeeze in a few days to come out and see me and this part of Texas for the first time. She loved the rural countryside, this land, seeing me, and everything we did. It was a quick trip but she really did enjoy herself.
There was one surprise that neither of us could have predicted. Saturday after a leisurely morning, we went outside to go for a nice walk on the ranch, only to be greeted by three dogs; a Jack Russell Terrier, a pure white Shepherd mix, and a Bull Mastiff. All three dogs were soooo loving and wanted nothing more than some food, water, petting, and rest. I had just purchased a bag of cat food and so we fed the dogs some cat food and filled a container with water. The dogs ate up the food, drank the water and then laid down for a much needed rest as Christine and I went for our walk. The dogs never left the front yard but got up to greet us every time they saw us. We both fell in love with the dogs.
The dogs’ behavior made it clear these were pets who most likely were dumped on the side of the road, unfortunately a common practice among people who can no longer afford their dogs or just do not want them. The Bull Mastiff had a choke chain on and the other two dogs were wearing very old flea collars. All the dogs were covered in fleas, ticks, and showed signs of injury. The terrier clearly got to close to a prickly pear cactus as we pulled a lot of stickers out of her. Our hearts just went out to these poor dogs. That evening we drove to Rocksprings and purchased dog food and some bones for our visitors. The next morning I left a huge barrel of water for the dogs, the entire bag of dog food (minus what they ate the night before) and gave them the bones. Christine had fallen in love with the terrier and thought a neighbor (who just lost a dog) would love her too and might want to adopt her. So on Saturday Christine purchased the terrier a plane ticket and we took her with us. I dropped both off at the San Antonio airport mid Sunday morning.
I fully expected the other two dogs would still be at the house when I returned on Tuesday but sadly both had taken off, leaving most of the food behind. I have not seen them since. I just pray a dog lover found them and is taking good care of them. Some ranchers will shoot stray dogs because it is impossible to take care of all the dogs people dump out in the country. But these dogs are so loving I know they will make wonderful pets.
I did not return home alone on Tuesday. I brought a good friend, Mary, with me who I have wanted to see the ranch since it was purchased. I stay with her every time I go to San Antonio and share with her everything I am doing. She had a wonderful time seeing the ranch, visiting Rocksprings and going on the tour to the Devil’s Sinkhole (a collapsed cavern), a Texas Natural Area where millions of bats sleep during the day each summer. It is quite a site to see these bats exit the sinkhole at dusk to fly 60 miles south to eat millions of bugs each night.
I took Mary home on Thursday. I then did a few things in San Antonio, including having lunch with another friend on Friday. Saturday morning I picked up an order of Angel Food and that afternoon I drove back to the ranch. It is good to be back home.
The past couple of weeks have been an exhausting but exhilarating time entertaining my friends. I am so glad both were able to come out and see my world and that both had a great time. Now it is time to get back to work.
The first part of July I was pretty busy. I have never taken the time to sit down and make a list of all the different projects I am working on, I just know there are a lot. Every day I pick whatever I am in the mood to do that day and start working. Slowly I am making progress but I really could use some help. There is just too much that needs to be done for any one person do accomplish. I am doing my best.
The second half of July I did take a break to play hostess. On July 23 I picked up my mother’s best friend from the airport. Back in the late 1970’s my mom and Christine worked together at the Department of Health Services for the State of California. Both were young attorneys and became lifelong friends. I was in high school at the time. So Christine is like family to me and I have wanted her to come out and see the Ranch for some time. Christine now practices law in Jacksonville, FL and getting away was difficult for her but she managed to squeeze in a few days to come out and see me and this part of Texas for the first time. She loved the rural countryside, this land, seeing me, and everything we did. It was a quick trip but she really did enjoy herself.
There was one surprise that neither of us could have predicted. Saturday after a leisurely morning, we went outside to go for a nice walk on the ranch, only to be greeted by three dogs; a Jack Russell Terrier, a pure white Shepherd mix, and a Bull Mastiff. All three dogs were soooo loving and wanted nothing more than some food, water, petting, and rest. I had just purchased a bag of cat food and so we fed the dogs some cat food and filled a container with water. The dogs ate up the food, drank the water and then laid down for a much needed rest as Christine and I went for our walk. The dogs never left the front yard but got up to greet us every time they saw us. We both fell in love with the dogs.
The dogs’ behavior made it clear these were pets who most likely were dumped on the side of the road, unfortunately a common practice among people who can no longer afford their dogs or just do not want them. The Bull Mastiff had a choke chain on and the other two dogs were wearing very old flea collars. All the dogs were covered in fleas, ticks, and showed signs of injury. The terrier clearly got to close to a prickly pear cactus as we pulled a lot of stickers out of her. Our hearts just went out to these poor dogs. That evening we drove to Rocksprings and purchased dog food and some bones for our visitors. The next morning I left a huge barrel of water for the dogs, the entire bag of dog food (minus what they ate the night before) and gave them the bones. Christine had fallen in love with the terrier and thought a neighbor (who just lost a dog) would love her too and might want to adopt her. So on Saturday Christine purchased the terrier a plane ticket and we took her with us. I dropped both off at the San Antonio airport mid Sunday morning.
I fully expected the other two dogs would still be at the house when I returned on Tuesday but sadly both had taken off, leaving most of the food behind. I have not seen them since. I just pray a dog lover found them and is taking good care of them. Some ranchers will shoot stray dogs because it is impossible to take care of all the dogs people dump out in the country. But these dogs are so loving I know they will make wonderful pets.
I did not return home alone on Tuesday. I brought a good friend, Mary, with me who I have wanted to see the ranch since it was purchased. I stay with her every time I go to San Antonio and share with her everything I am doing. She had a wonderful time seeing the ranch, visiting Rocksprings and going on the tour to the Devil’s Sinkhole (a collapsed cavern), a Texas Natural Area where millions of bats sleep during the day each summer. It is quite a site to see these bats exit the sinkhole at dusk to fly 60 miles south to eat millions of bugs each night.
I took Mary home on Thursday. I then did a few things in San Antonio, including having lunch with another friend on Friday. Saturday morning I picked up an order of Angel Food and that afternoon I drove back to the ranch. It is good to be back home.
The past couple of weeks have been an exhausting but exhilarating time entertaining my friends. I am so glad both were able to come out and see my world and that both had a great time. Now it is time to get back to work.
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