LEARNING A NEW SYSTEM

One of Mike’s hobbies is tracking our finances. I say it’s a hobby because he’s a bit compulsive about it, tracking each transaction whether debit or credit. He believes in the value of knowing where we stand financially. My part is to present my shopping receipts, and I (usually) don’t have a problem with it.

Mike has used Quicken as our home accounting program for years, painstakingly making entries and reconciling accounts, but with his new computer and accompanying updates, Quicken was no longer working for him. Sometimes you’re just forced to make a change, and Mike apparently Mike was due for that. As he explored different home accounting programs, he discovered he could tie all our accounts directly to the accounting program. Suddenly he saw how much easier the new system was going to be. (At least, I think he did. I no longer hear the “kicking and screaming.”)

But, in order for the new system to work efficiently, we would have to link to our bank account. So we headed to the small home-owned bank where we have kept our checking account for the last 20 years.

Mike sat down at the customer service desk, explained that he was making a change in his accounting system and asked with which accounting programs their system would be compatible. The rep’s eyes glazed over. She excused herself and came back with another employee to listen in. Mike went through it again, and this time two faces registered confusion.

I knew he was talking over their heads, so I tried. “You see,” I began, “Mike tracks our finances. He can tell you everything I spent this year, item by item – how much, when, where, and what it was for. In addition, he tracks our investments.” Now the two faces registered disbelief and something else – maybe horror, as in “how dare he do that to you!”

 

“So-o-o-o, this is a home business?” one of them ventured to ask.

 

“No,” I said. “home accounting.”

“Well, that’s certainly a good idea,” the other said.

A good idea!?! This is a bank. You mean, this is the first you’ve heard of home accounting? But, I didn’t say it. I fell silent, realizing it wasn’t worth it to talk at all.

“You do know you can log into your account?” they offered.

“No, I can’t,” said Mike. “It won’t let me in.”

“Sometimes that happens,” they said. “We can help. . .” but then they couldn’t.

Next, they decided Mike should talk with the bank’s IT person by phone at another branch. This person was also unable to answer Mike’s question.

“We have to switch banks,” said Mike later. “Little banks just can’t provide the services now.”

So, that’s what we did. We opened an account at the local branch of a large bank where Mike didn’t need to explain anything. The manager knew exactly what he was talking about and was knowledgeable and helpful all through the process. KW

[I admit these photos do not relate to the subject of accounting, but I thought these pictures of the hot air balloon would be more interesting. I took them this morning from the town house.]

LABOR DAY 2016

Central Ridge from the north draw

And it’s official. The holiday season is open. After Labor Day I celebrate fall themes -- harvest, Halloween, and Thanksgiving -- then moving into an understated Christmas. No more waiting. The “100 Days of Holidays” are upon us and it’s all fair.

Young buck on horizon at dusk

We had a great Labor Day weekend. Daughter Hallie and Nick took a break from Little Tudor renovations and arrived Friday mid-day for some relaxation (if you can call it that) at the farm. But – if the little Tudor was out of sight, it wasn’t quite out of mind. We shortened six drapery panels for one of the bedrooms.

Old dog Nellie brightened to see her old friends. When Hallie went for a run, Nellie and I walked up the road to meet her as she returned, just like old times. And energetic Bess followed along for some distance when Hallie and Mike left for a mountain bike ride and was summarily delivered back to the house with stern words from her master. That meant the cyclists had to make Plank’s Pitch and our relatively steep lane twice on the same ride.

See Hallie in center of picture -- north draw

You know, I knew we had blackberries on the homestead, but I thought they didn’t bear, probably because they didn’t get enough sun. I guess I was just looking for those berries at the wrong time of year. Nick found them while exploring the north draw, and he and Hallie picked a gallon or so from which they made juice. Since they didn’t like the Sure-Jell recipe, they decided to take the juice and make jelly at home with their “gourmet” pectin. I will miss sharing the process.

Hornets nest in apple tree

I’ve talked about the country apples for years, but this year I finally convinced my family to give them a try. I could pick the apples myself, but I can’t reach them. Some of the trees are tall! Anyway, we picked apples, and I made two delicious apple “crostatas,” an apple-pear “crostata,” applesauce, and apple juice. Johnny Appleseed would be so pleased. The apples are tasty, too, requiring only minimal sweetening. All the trees need pruning, and we made a start by using Mike’s new pole saw to trim some of the scorched, dead branches out of the apple tree(s) in the lane. What an improvement! And Hallie and Nick picked more apples.

Farmhouse from north field

Sunday afternoon son Clint visited and stayed to have “Warnock burgers" with us. 

It was over all too soon. Hallie and Nick left Tuesday mid-morning and within an hour Mike and I were packed up and heading out as well. With the fall, our activities schedule becomes even more structured – hunting dates, meetings, etc., but we will still enjoy time on the farm.

American coot on pond

The number of American coots on the pond, originally seven, has been gradually dwindling – three at last count. Mike opines that they will all be gone when next we visit. But perhaps one of them will remember and bring his bride with him in the spring to re-establish a home on our pond. KW

Evening light at Gilbert

LOSING CONTROL

Years ago, when I took an interest in health walking, Mike suggested I walk the dog (Nobie at that time). There are two schools of thought on combining health walking with dog walking. 1) Walking the dog gives you the incentive to get out and walk, and 2) This is your walk; don’t take the dog.

Well, I walk the dogs, and these days Mike often accompanies us because the two dogs, Nellie and Bess, have such different styles. Nellie dawdles, walks in the middle of the street, and lingers over whatever interests her. By contrast, Bess runs ahead with exuberance.

Bess

Thursday afternoon (Aug. 25), Mike went to the “Show and Shine,” and he wasn’t home yet when it was time to walk the dogs. Not walking the dogs is not an option, so at 4:30 I decided I’d better take them by myself. I put on my visor and grabbed a leash and the three of us set out on our customary route.

The walk seemed to be going well. Bess was exploring and Nellie was sticking close by me. It was hot, so I had already determined that we would go back when we reached the end of the pavement. Suddenly both dogs became interested in something in the middle of the road – something humans can’t see or smell. “Get out of the road, dogs,” I instructed, and towing Nellie on the leash I walked on the short distance to our “go back” place, assuming that Bess was right with us.

Nellie

“Back!” I called, mostly for Bess’ benefit, but where was Bess? Honestly, I had just taken my eye off her for a minute, and she was GONE. I looked up the road – and down the road. I looked up the hills and down the ditches. She was no place to be seen. “Maybe she’s on point,” I thought to myself, so I looked harder in places that I knew she liked to hunt.

Meanwhile, probably sensing my indecision, Nellie trotted across the road, up the hill, and disappeared over the top. Calling to her is useless; she doesn’t hear – or chooses not to hear. At almost 13, she seldom runs but can still outdistance me at a trot. So, now I’ve lost control of both dogs, but I figure Nellie will do the predictable thing – travel along the top parallel to the road and come out near our crossing place. That being the case, I had to make tracks to meet her at the appropriate spot. I couldn’t afford to wait longer for Bess.

Nellie

It didn’t really dawn on me until Nellie was safely back on the leash that Bess must have gone home. Bess identifies as Mike’s dog, and she probably didn’t like that he was absent from the walk and she had to take orders from lowly me. Sure enough! When Nellie and I got to our driveway, there was Bess waiting for us. She pranced up, her tail wriggling her whole body, pretending she was sorry for having worried me. KW

CHANGING PLANS

Mike and I returned to town last Sunday morning (Aug. 21). It wasn’t quite convenient to leave the farm. The pear slices in the drier weren’t ready yet. But – I made room in the refrigerator for the drier trays and hoped that a two-day interruption in the process wouldn’t hurt much. I also watered the gardens. I didn’t pack much to take back because, after all, we would return in a day or two.

As we neared the bottom of Gilbert Grade, my phone rang, and son Clint explained that he had wrecked his motorcycle the previous evening. The bike was totaled, he said, and his hand was broken. I was at once dismayed for his trouble and overjoyed that his injuries weren’t worse and his life was intact. He wanted to know if Mike could help him bring the motorcycle back to town that afternoon, so after reaching Orofino, we turned around and went right back to the farm for the trailer. After arriving in town, Mike and Clint went to Colfax to get the motorcycle out of storage there. (Clint has since had surgery on his hand and is working through issues related to work, insurance, etc.)

Meanwhile, I decided I really needed to consult our dentist about a troublesome tooth, and I couldn’t get an appointment until Tuesday afternoon. So, we could return to the farm Wednesday, we decided. But geocaching friends said they were making a day trip to Bonny Lake near Rosalia, WA, to retrieve a geocache by means of kayaks on Wednesday. Wouldn’t Mike like to go along? I thought he should go. Such excursions are better with the support of others. We could go back to the farm on Thursday.

Wednesday morning, Mike said, “I’d like to put the Barracuda in the ‘Show and Shine’ Thursday night.” And now I’m beginning to realize that the garden on the farm is likely going to wilt again. But, oh well! It’s late in the season and not worth giving it priority.

So, we stayed in town through Thursday and returned to the farm Friday morning. The tomato and squash plants in the tire bed were badly wilted but revived with water. I picked a quart of delicious cherry tomatoes and one “Heritage” beefsteak tomato. But – while the sun is hot, the breeze is cool, whispering to the plants that autumn is on the way. And if you don’t believe it, just visit a Jo-Ann’s store. KW

[The photos here were taken yesterday, August 26. Clint's motorcycle sits on the trailer in town. The others are of various stages of field burning in the area of the farm.]

   

LITTLE TUDOR UPDATE: BACK STEPS IN PROGRESS

Exciting things are happening at the little Tudor in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood, and we have a pictorial progress report. Daughter Hallie and Nick are building the small deck (or landing) and steps themselves. This is back door access from the back yard.

Early before: 

The above photo shows how the back of the house appeared when Hallie and Nick moved in. They subsequently replaced the deck and slider with a window and brick. You can see that the deck and steps were poorly planned and out of character with the house.

Hallie says, "Too bad to lose that cherry tree but is was overgrown and on the property line. I don't miss the camellia. We planted a little maple that will grow to shade the house on that side" (no photo).

Since removing the steps, they have had other priorities within the house, so watch that first step if you open the back door.

Black elderberry to left of deck

Hallie says that she and Nick designed the deck and steps together. She sketched out about 10 different ideas "like little cartoon drawings" and then they discussed options. Nick did the actual architectural research, the blueprint designs, and the math.

Elderberry bush barely visible on left side of photo

Hallie writes: "Here are the in-progress photos. You can also see our little black lace elderberry bush. It's supposed to be a fast grower. The steps will come out into the yard off of the right hand portion that is set back a bit. We designed it this way so that it has a little more of a landing since we'll likely get a screen door that swings outward. There would also be room for a little bench or more likely some pots and plants. So exciting!" KW