I have been thinking about something lately and decided that.... ....the Appliance Gods are against me. They really are. Every time the hubby leaves on a mission for the UARNG I have a major appliance break down. In the past, we have had a freezer full of meat defrost, dishwasher gone to the dump, oven quit cooking, washing machine madness and lawn mower blues. Mind you, these are not el cheap-o brands, but the big kahunas like Maytag, Amana, and Whirlpool. What is the world coming to? Who do you trust now a days? Fortunately..... (???) we had our freakish fallout before Chad left this time. ...it was a telephone-tizzy, washing machine woe's and a basement full of water. Handy tip---you can't wash pens or tooth-brushes in a front loader...just doesn't work that great.

Strangely enough, we are free of the wrath of the appliance gods ---so far--- yet we're facing pestilence and famine. I have a hornets nest the size of Delaware hanging off of my eaves and a wasp's nest in two other locations. Chad suggested that I spray W-D40 on it and Talon wanted to smoke them out, (not with Marlboro's but a big torch thingy) and I even thought of using duct tape on the suckers, but alas, we called the Bug Smith. As of now, we are pest free, but the famine remains....just ask the kids. I haven't touched raw meat or cooked it in any way shape or form for many moons. But the kids are getting lots of dark green leafy vegetables from the garden. Plus the all important dark brown and white... Oreo's from the neighbors. It's a win/win!!

Introducing the New Kid on the Block. NELLIE!! We adopted a little gal and have been learning about goat care and what fun and frivolity goats provide. She is an escape artist plus I call her the eating machine. She is the boss over the chickens, dog, and cat and will head butt them whenever they get out of line. For awhile, Nellie had to stay in the chicken shack, with the chickens of course, and they were so chicken that they quit laying eggs. Thank goodness she now has her own place and can romp and bleat to her heart's content and we are once again enjoying fresh, organic chicken eggs.

A face that only a mother could love.