Printable View
The best thing I ever bought at a Big Lots was a heavy-duty Igloo brand cat carrier (well, small pet carrier) for $6.99. The exact same carrier I had seen elsewhere for over $50. 8 years later, that carrier looks like the day I bought it, I wish I had stocked up. :lol
Chickens in Suburbia! That's hilarious!
For the past three nights, we've heard a loud train whistle. We've lived here 3 years and have never heard it before. And we're no where near any train tracks.
Chickens in the Suburbs? Train whistles out of no where?? I'm going somewhere else! BYEEEEE
We used to have chickens but larger critters killed them. We tried to have geese but again, larger critters got hold of them. Well one of them died because the tire monster didn't see that it ran right underneath it :sad.
Had goats before. They eat and destroy everything in their path and need good fencing to keep in. They are escape artists. Now we have sheep, which bleat just like goats and drives me crazy. I can't walk out the door without them thinking they're going to get some grain, which they only get once, at the same time each day, so you'd think they'd have that figured out. We have better fence this time around and they seem content to stay put. They also are self-shearing so we don't have to mess with that. I'd go into why we have them but that's another story for another time.
Also have 3 horses but they're wild. Nobody wants to take the time to ride them or train them. They weren't my idea so I withdraw myself from the blame. They are well fed, have annual shots, and not so wild that they won't take treats from you so it's not like they're neglected. We tried a handful of cows but without expensive, strong fence they're impossible to keep in. The horses stay in with electric fence. I've gotten shocked a few times (should post in the "stupid thread") and it's not fun. They will probably be traded for mules (another other story for another time :ohno).
Husband trains hunting dogs for people so during the times we have dogs in our kennel there is some barking. Neighbors must love us :mmm. But he has a license and is legal and we keep the facilities very clean and try hard to keep the barking to a minimum. We live in a country atmosphere so livestock and other animal noise is to be expected. A few neighbors have cows so sometimes we hear them.
Lots of stray cats in the neighborhood. Sometimes loose dogs. Hawks and vultures are standard. Deer sightings are common, sometimes unfortunately as roadkill. The neighborhood also has reckless kids speeding up and down on ATV's or riding bikes in the middle of the road and not caring too much about the cars coming at them. Not uncommon to see tractors go down the road. Most Saturdays I catch a team of cyclists zipping by.
There is usually something going on noise wise but you get used to it. There's train tracks close by so I hear the whistle now and then. What I don't like is when it's storming and you hear the train and have panic that maybe it's a tornado which I hear sounds like a train coming at you.
I've lived near trains and planes for many years and you get used to stuff like that and tune it out. At night during the summer all the bugs are out in full symphonic glory. Last night was almost deafening. But I love it! I suppose it's the same for city people who are used to noisy traffic, sirens, etc. I bet they have a hard time sleeping in a quiet atmosphere!
A friend of mine used to have a goat named "Janet" of all things.
Our Big Lots closed last year. I used to buy all my canning jars there for my candle making, I could get a dozen pint jars for $3.99. We have a Dollar Store and a Family Dollar but I've never shopped there. I'm with all of you in that I could go anywhere and drop $50 like it was nothing.
Great thread, thanks John! :)
:hiya everyone!
ArchieComicFan: Your place sounds totally amazing!
gabriel: I like IKEA for lotsa things...got that lazy suzy daddyzgirl likes, candles, kitchen things, lamp, rugs, plant pots, a coffee table, mirror, curtain rods, curtains, picture frames. I really like one of their kitchen designs but can't afford the renovations right now. Their stuff is Swedish so is really good for smaller homes which describes mine. I have a loveseat I got on a supersale but the covers were discontinued, but I found a cover that fits very well from Linens N Things. And I've always wanted one of their great Poaiing chairs. And I also like their meatballs and berry sauce :up
Sometimes you can find great deals on their scratch n dent secition or discontinued. Also, I guess you want to convert it into a sofa bed for guests. It's not the best quality...depends on how hard you are on your furniture. Good luck!
Speaking of chickens, when eggs got expensive in the 70's, I was living in a hippie canyon (not a commune, but living amongst lots of free-thinkers), and I thought it would be economically beneficial for me to raise my own eggs. I bought 10 hens, chicken wire, wood and nails, and chicken feed. Built the coop, then waited. And waited. I picked out the chickens by how cute they looked :teeth, and apparently I picked some old persnickity women, who had no interest in laying eggs. Eventually I got about six eggs, and after expenses, I figured those six eggs cost me about $60. A short time later I ate the chickens. :lol
Them chickens remind me of me....(sorry, John Wayne) getting old, been cranky, and don't want any eggs. But cute, by gum.Quote:
Originally Posted by roseskid
ACF, I don't know where you live, but I suspect you're all the way across the state. Which is too bad, because I'd get your horses straightened out for you free, just to get to hang out at a farm again!
Too funny roses. :roflQuote:
Originally Posted by roseskid
We used to raise chickens when I was a kid. When my sister had her girl scout meetings we would let them out of the hen house and let them chase the girls around the house. Good times. :nod
:lol Funny story roses! I don't know which part I find funnier : the persnickity old hens or you as a hippie! :D
Growing up, my grandmother had chickens. We lived with her for a short while and I won't even tell the stories of what us kids did to those poor chickens. We weren't cruel but let's just say chickens don't like pretending to be babies or dressing up. :lol My arms were always pecked up by the chickens or full of scratches from the cats. The cats were actually a little more cooperative, believe it or not. I have a picture somewhere of me holding one in baby clothes.
I lived in Key West several years ago and that island is FULL of chickens. Now they have a chicken animal control officer that traps the chickens and takes them up to the mainland where they are put on farms that promise not to kill them. They are then able to live out their chicken lives eating grain and pecking around the chicken yard.
Miami is FULL of chickens and goats. It's like being in another country there anyway, so why not.
Archie, your place sounds fantastic.
We live just down from the fire department and are directly between the fire department and the interstate on ramp, so while I don't get interstate noise I do hear sirens almost all day long and you do finally tune them out.
My sister lives in the landing pattern for Orlando International airport. The planes fly directly OVER her house and look like they will land on it. It still bothers me when I am up there, but she's lived there 25 years and doesn't even hear it anymore.
We saw deer across from the 7-11 last year. There is still a lot of land in our city that is not developed (40 years ago this city didn't exist. It was all swampland and pinewoods) and the tract across from the busy 7-11 is still pretty large and undeveloped so apparantly they live there as everyone has seen them. There are 3 that hang out around there.
The city just passed an ordinance last year on domestic animals and what is considered domestic and what you can have in the city limits. Goats and chickens and horses were outlawed. Have to be outside the city limits to have them.
--------------------
MARLEYBONE-Dollar General has canning jars. I have bought them there very inexpensively to do those cookie in a jar things at Christmas. I'd check out the other dollar stores in your area to see if they have the canning jars.