Rain starts

The week is already halfway through. It was cooler at 8 degrees out when I woke up, and I skipped my coffee since we ran out of creamer. I think it's time to quit it anyway. Dave was out at 9:30 while I was busy with marketing and updating the blog. S went out to install new shelter planks on the house paddock. B and I thought it would be best to wait until the teething babies were gone, but it seems he had different plans. Given the cool, gloomy day, it was the perfect opportunity to start working on one of the custom dressers. I began with the taller four-drawer one, removing the hardware, vacuuming, wiping out the drawers, hand sanding, and cleaning the exterior. There were repairs needed and wood filler in places and more hand and power sanding. After that, I started painting.

The drawers were all painted, so I paused for a lunch of pepperoni sticks and cheese from Amsterdam (Thanks Ma & Pa). Britt was out enjoying Edo, and S was having leftovers. After lunch, I resumed work on my dresser. The dresser base was removed, making it easier to address the curves and details that needed a good sanding before painting. I paused to catch Switch for Britt so she could fix her tail-riding chips while she worked on Bird's. She then invited me for a ride, so after finishing the dresser frame painting, I joined her for an hour. We timed it perfectly; just as I unpacked and she began to feed, it started to rain. S had gone to the winery to pick raspberries. The property is conditionally sold, and we're hopeful the new owners will be as generous and neighborly.

B and Cooper went home, and I carried on with my painting, applying a second coat to everything except the sides, carefully hand-painting the inner edges. S returned from raspberry picking, then washed and froze them. I sorted through many more items that I need to purge after affixing the painted base back on the dresser. S made a late supper consisting of scrambled eggs, toast, and beans. The brief rain shower brought us 0.06 inches of rain.

I worked on my blog and computer, also marking a big sale for the purged items, while S browsed the internet from his royal throne chair. After heading out for a hot tub session, I took a quick shower and then settled in bed to watch season 8 of McLeod's Daughters, with S on his phone with a piece of homemade cheesecake, berry sauce (thanks Ma K!!) and fresh raspberries. Suddenly, there was a commotion on the deck before 9:30—Tony was at it again. When I checked outside, Tony and J were in a standoff near the A/C unit, and this time, Tony was evasive. Perhaps his 18-hour stint in the sweltering cat kennel was to blame. Stella came from the barn when I was calling so figured he maybe went there but no luck. Hearing another disturbance, I went back to search the yard. After texting the neighbors, to my surprise, Tony dashed out of the darkness towards Mark when he arrived and called him. They left with a warning of rehoming Tony. Back in bed, as I was dozing off, the rain resumed as predicted at 10. It briefly stopped, and I noted an additional 0.04 inches had fallen totalling .11 so far. Yet, as sleep took over, the sound of rain returned.