1. We've had a couple lined up to take care of the farm since last fall. A month ago the guy called and said he got an internship and was moving. We tried unsuccessfully to find a replacement. A week later he said that the internship fell through so he could help us out still. A week after that he informed us he was moving to Boise to take a new job. This was two weeks out. Luckily we have some very good friends willing to sacrifice part of their summer to help us out of our jam. Caring for four horses, 3 goats (one of which needs to be milked), 2 dogs, 2 cats, 2 bunnies, 9 chickens, various houseplants, watering flowerbeds, and flood irrigating 2.6 acres takes some time!
2. We determined that our Uplander would not fit 6 people and all of their food, luggage, tent and sleeping bags without help. I scored a deal on a car top carrier and ordered the necessary cross bars for the luggage rack from the local Chevy dealer. They came in last Friday. When I tried to install them on Saturday, I discovered they were the wrong ones. The dealership reordered them first thing Monday morning with a promised delivery of Wednesday. Wednesday afternoon I got a call--the order had been delayed. Supposedly it will be here before noon tomorrow. And, yes, that is the morning before we are supposed to leave.
3. Amidst all my running around, Kid 3 informed me last night that the back bracket on her braces was loose and the wire was digging into her cheek. That meant cramming in over an hour round-trip drive to her orthodontist in Idaho Falls in my already over-scheduled day. I called the orthodontist this morning between riding lessons. The tech informed me he was out of the office till Monday. When I explained we were going out of town for an extended trip, she took pity on me and called him. When she called back, she explained the ortho was heading out of town, but would see us if we came RIGHT NOW. I turned my lesson over to Kid 1 (who thankfully is a very good riding instructor in her own right!), jumped in the car with Kid 3 and took off for I.F. What else could I do?
4. We planned out several meals to make ahead and freeze for our trip. I had everything scheduled out to avoid a last minute rush. HA! I just finished putting together the crock pot that was supposed to be made and frozen on Tuesday.
5. Stable Boy is still screwing around with the cracked pipe in the storage room. He was attempting to use as little JB Weld as possible. The leak is much improved, but there is a tiny spot that is not visible to the eye or touch where we still had a little water escaping. He added a bit more weld tonight. I am crossing my fingers that this third time is the charm. And that the patch holds while we are gone so we don't return to a lake.
6. I dug out the spare house keys I had made several years ago to give to our caretakers. I'm sure I tested them at that time, but today none of them worked. That necessitated another trip to town to get functioning keys.
7. As I am attempting to make this post, Kid 2 needed her sore hip rubbed out. Then Kid 3 wanted her sore foot rubbed. Then I got called into Kid 2's room three times to find the spider she swears was crawling on her arm and then on the wall next to her bed. She is now going to sleep in her sister's room.
7. My to-do list for tomorrow--make chicken burritos, freeze crock pot contents, make breakfast burritos, make egg salad, pack coolers, pack food boxes, pack camping gear, pack kitchen gear box, gather houseplants into one place, repair the crack I spotted tonight in one of the soaker hoses, scrub the algae out of horse water tank, pack my clothes, inspect all the kid's pack jobs--cull as necessary, get crossbars (I hope!), install car top carrier, take trash to dump, return library books and pick up a prescription.
Also, we are supposed to attend a graduation dinner for a husband-wife couple that were some of Stable Boy's students. The best part of that is that I won't have to come up with another meal to make for dinner.
I'm sure there is a ton more to do, but my brain is too fried to remember anything more. I should be sleeping right now, but my fried brain is on overdrive and won't let me relax. Vacations would be great if they weren't so stressful! Can you relate?
P.S. My computer access will be limited for the next few weeks, so don't expect too many posts!