Category: WanderingFox Farm

Well we escaped the snow storms but it seems we have other weather related issues to consider.

I was giving the dogs their second run of the morning when the air was filled with the eery sound of tornado warning sirens wailing from at least three different locations in the neighborhood. A quick check on the local TV channel showed the Doppler radar and current dangers. Well we were lucky. The worse conditions passed a few miles to the north of us but there was an awful lot of rain in a couple of hours.

Back in November, when we were getting crazy quotes for moving us south, I had a fit of Meldrewesque pique and declared that I would “do it myself”. Well it’s been an adventure and I’ve had to rely on the goodwill and hard work of friends. It has certainly not been the easiest option.

I pulled the first U-Haul trailer down through a snow storm the day after Christmas. One of us had to be on site to feed the alpacas. Having set up Miss Lynne’s working environment, she traveled down to join me, Cagney and Lacey, five alpacas, six hens and three barn cats. It was great to be together again.

In the middle of January, having checked the weather forecast, I decided to return to New York to collect our remaining belongings. The girls came along for the ride starting out at 4.30am and we were back in Pine Bush by 8pm. They were so excited to race around their old territory. It wasn’t hard to get to sleep that night.

Next morning started with a call to the oil company to get a delivery that day. We have to keep the property heated at a maintenance level to avoid burst pipes and to avoid that musty smell an empty house can quickly gain. The early morning tv forecast snow for the next day and the oil truck would not be able to get up the drive. Thankfully, things worked out and the delivery was made.

It was Tuesday and I planned to collect the U-Haul truck early on Saturday morning and be ready to leave Sunday lunch time. Doing it yourself is just not possible when it comes to moving furniture and appliances. I needed to find help to load the big stuff. I also needed to disconnect the prop- shaft on the old truck to tow it behind the U-Haul. Then there was the snow and would I be able to get the U-Haul up the driveway. I have to say that I was concerned.

I did wake up to about 5″ of snow on Wednesday morning but I had lots to do inside. First good news came from Gil who emailed to say he’d be around later to help carry the big stuff out to the garage. Shortly after lunch, Bob the snow plough man, cleared the driveway. Bob and his family have been in Pine Bush forever so I asked him if he could recommend somebody strong to help with my Saturday loading. We chatted about my plans and concerns. I didn’t realise how important that conversation would turn out to be. By the time I turned in, it was Thursday and 90% of the heavy stuff was in the garage and the kitchen was filling with boxes.

Thursday I was up very early and spent all day filling boxes. So many that I ran out and had to go fetch more. I lost count of the boxes labeled “sewing room”. The place was beginning to look like a warehouse but there was lots more to do.

After another early start with packing on Friday and a bit of good news from realtor Wayne, his eldest and a mate would help with loading. I thought that I’d better attempt to disconnect the Dodge prop-shaft. The snow had pretty much melted so getting under the old beast wasn’t too bad. I had taken the advanced precaution of spraying the four bolts with a penetrating fluid but I quickly realised that I didn’t have the right spanner to release them. So off to town I went to see what I could find. Not much was the answer but armed with the best I could find, I was ready to give it a go. Just as I was about to get under, Bob turned up. He’d thought about our conversation and had realised that I might have problems getting the old bolts loose. He came prepared with an impact wrench and the job was done in a few mins. Things were looking up even more when Bob announced that he and his wife Jean would come around and help with the loading too. Not only that, but he’s also give me a ride to pick up the U-Haul truck first thing. What a star!

Bob arrived at 7.55am on Saturday morning to take me to the U-Haul office and we arrived back with the truck before 9.30. After that it was a blur. The two youngsters were bringing out the boxes and Bob and I were cramming every little space with something. Meanwhile jean was inside packing up the kitchen. By the time we lost daylight we were left with some very tricky packing left to do. Still, all the big stuff was on board so I could now manage on my own. Not that Bob was going to let that happen,

Having slept on the problem, I worked out a way to create an “upper level” shelf. It worked a treat and with Bobs continued help we completed the loading. OK, just the old truck to secure on the tow dolly. Only problem was that the truck would not start. The battery was flat. I have a set of jump leads but they were somewhere deep in the U-Haul. Bob to the rescue again! With the Dodge secured I was pretty much ready to roll. Just a few final thing to sort out around the house and I’d be off. Well those last few things turned out to be something of a comedy, perhaps a farce. The two most time consuming were having to go into town for batteries to the heating thermostat and then unloading the cabin area of the U-Haul to search for my glasses. They had somehow come off the top of my head and where laying, in the darkness, in the driveway. Poor Cagney and Lacey. They had to witness such a “Victor” moment. The upshot was that we didn’t get away until 10.30pm.

Once on the road, all our problems, like the miles, drifted away in the rear view mirrors. The girls settled into their cramped accommodation and were as good as gold. At 2am I pulled over in a rest stop and had a surprisingly good 4hrs sleep before hitting the highway again at a relentless 55. Sunrise was lovely and the Shenandoah Valley quite a spectacle due to recent snowfall. I have done this trip so many times now that I don’t need a map or gps. Just for a change I took the northern route through Knoxville and Chattanooga. I was back in the house at 11pm.

One of our Atlanta friends, Patrick, had kindly volunteered to help unload and place the heavy items. It took us all day. Finally that just left me the job of cleaning the U-Haul and getting it back to the depot. A happy end to a U-Haul adventure.

There is still the task of retrieving the Big Dodge truck and a few bits and pieces left behind. One more long drive to go!

I totally under estimated the effort involved in this little exercise. Yes, it all went well and we did save money. However, it was stressful and would have been a disaster if not for the enormous help of a few very good friends. I am hugely in your debt. Thank you all.

 

Well the rain kept up all through the Thursday as well and then a cold front came through bringing winds and 30 degree temp. This cardinal looked like he was as fed up with it as I was.

I was due the delivery of my new sewing table and the delivery company said it would arrive between 2pm and 6pm – at 6pm I rang them and they said it would be coming at 7.30 and at 7.30 the van driver rang to say it would be 8.30 to 9. At 9.40 they arrived, they were clearly at the end of a long day as they man handled it into the sewing room ( I would like to point out – no stairs and straight through a patio door) they took the packing of and I inspected it found no damage and off they went. Next morning I realized I was missing a castor so I rang the company and I have to say that the customer service was excellent. I fully understand that sometimes things just go wrong but its more about how people react to it. The company was extremely apologetic and are not only sending me a complete set of castors but also an additional gift that will be very much appreciated. The cabinet is fantastic and I have to say they did a great job of correcting an error that was not even theirs ( they use an external delivery company)  I would have no hesitation in recommending a Koala Studio Cabinet  from Sewing and Craft Club

I woke up Friday morning to at last see blue skies but man it was cold going out to sort out the chickens and the Pacas. As I worked at my desk a couple of the chucks came to see me and also one of the squirrels realized just where he had put his food.

Friday night I went to downtown Atlanta to help some good friends of mine serve hot food to about 40 of the local homeless. I have to say I was impressed with how polite patient and helpful they were whilst we set up the tables and started to plate up the food. We were also able to hand out some clean socks, gloves hats and blankets. I am really glad that I was able to help even in such a small way.

Saturday Morning I drove over to Powder Springs to the home of yet another Alpaca farmer, this time they had Suri’s ( Mine are Huacaya) really cute and they also had some youngsters that were under 2 months old. I joined the ladies for a lovely lunch followed by 4 hours of Spinning ( wool not bike) and great conversation. So far Southern hospitality is living up to every thing I thought it would be.

Today has been another nice sunny day and I have been able to catch up on all my chores ready to start the new week

 

Well still raining and certainly missing my partner in poop scooping especially as it has gone from those nice firm beans to a mush ( I know more information than you wanted )

I am sure the Alpacas are bored not really being able to get out and about although it is not phasing the chickens at all. Still getting my eggs every day. Thanks girls.

I read an article that says the average age of eggs in the supermarket are 2-3 months, no wonder my day old eggs taste so different.

I have not left the property  since Rob left and I am getting a little stir crazy. So I guess I should make the effort to get out over the next few days. I actually feel pretty safe here, having said that although I am not worried about 2 legged problems, I  have semi convinced myself that every snake, spider and other predator watched Rob and the dogs leave and are now plotting their attacks on me and my animal family.

 

Rob was up at stupid o’clock this morning so that he could drive back up to NY and clear Atlanta before the traffic started. He will be really busy this week packing up the rest of our stuff. I have been busy unpacking my sewing things and as you would expect, the one thing I cant find is my sewing bobbins and needles! I am thinking maybe Rob hid them to make sure I clear the rest of the boxes before I start sewing again.

Weather is still really mild here today but this morning it was raining  like crazy — which has made everything muddy. It does not seem to phase the Chuck’s much but the Pacas look pretty bored with it all.

Text from Rob at noon and he is already at Roanoke, making great time

We always found it amusing that the British did not exist as a cultural food area at the supermarkets in NY but the Irish did, whilst a very small selection it did allow us to occasionally buy Branston Pickle, Robinsons lemon barley water and Walkers oat cakes.

Now we have moved to Georgia we have realised we were aligning with the wrong group. We went out shopping today and spotted an Indian/Pakistani store. It was loaded with Heinz baked beans,Ovaltine, Patak sauces and all the makings for a decent curry. All the flavours of home.

Another benefit of having the extra animals is that it give us a legitimate reason to spend a long time looking at all the bits and pieces at the Tractor Supply Store.

I bought a book on home preserving ( ready for the garden we will have this summer) and Rob got a book about weird inventions people have made to make their farm work more interesting.

 

Sunday morning week 2 – Its been really fun so far. Rob moved down to Georgia on 28th December and I was left in snowy New York as we still had family staying. On the Saturday I took them back to JFK, which was a very interesting experience as it was snowing quite heavily and we passed a number of cars that had spun off the road. Thank heavens for good tires, all wheel drive and 5 years of practice.  Although I have to say I was really worried about getting back home and not being able to make it up the drive. Thank goodness Bob our very wonderful plow guy had cleared the drive enough for me to get up to the house.

After a solitary New Years Eve and threats of more bad weather to come, I decided to throw as much as I could in the back of the car and drive south. Took me two days but I drove into Douglasville and the the start of a new chapter on Thursday 3rd January. Not sure who was more pleased to see me, Rob or the 2 dogs but suffice it to say I was clearly a welcome sight for everyone.

 

So here we are – still have most of our furniture up in NY but we have the basics ( sofa and a bed) and the can’t do without (Computers, TV, Sewing Machines, Spinning wheel, fabric etc)

My office come sewing room is fantastic – I have tiled floor, 3 double windows and a patio door and I can see out over the back and front yard. It is really nice to work in and the dogs spend a lot of time just laying at my feet.

We have a pretty set routine dogs get let out for a run and fed first, then off to let the chickens out. We have 6 so far each one a different heritage breed. They are so much fun and so easy to manage. I just check their water and food then throw down some scratch ( its a mix of corn and seeds and seems to be like candy to these girls) They then spend the rest of the day on a tour of the house looking for bugs and generally having fun. So now I am ready to go and feed the Alpacas, they have a mineral supplement and as its still Winter we also put out some hay for them, check their water and we are done. Back to the house in time for breakfast and still only  8 am.

Early afternoon we have to check the Pacas again and also scoop the poop. Feed the two barn cats, feed the dogs and go check if the chickens had gone back to the hen house, if they have then we shut the door and we are done for the evening.

Yesterday we drove out to Bremen and visited a couple that instantly became good friends, they have a larger farm than us, many more Alpacas, 2 guardian St Bernards, Chickens, Bees, fiber business and are just in the process of planting vines. I felt tired just thinking about it all ! Anyway you should go and check them out, this is their web site Wake Robin