Tomorrow I leave for California – not for long – six days I think – so today John will do all the morning chores by himself so he can ask me any questions. It is actually pretty hard for me to stay inside while he does chores by himself but it will be ok. And now that I finally got my assignment finished and handed in ( the computer managed for that long before going black again. I was working fast and in fear of a collapse. So it will not be a perfect grade, but better than no grade). It was not a tough chapter though. I have achieved 100% for everything bar that first quiz so far. 
However – I am getting through my list and according to my own timetable I am still on schedule for my departure of the farm at 5.30 tomorrow morning.
Yesterday John created the gap in the back wall of the Rat House so the big pigs can come through to be fed on the dry side of the Rat House. We even found an old heavy door so the gap can be closed. With Anna here ( and helpful Sheila and Poppy) I was able to clean up the rat house floor and make rubble steps and get their corridor cleared. Did I tell you there is a blues brothers car in there. I am sure Poppy is thrilled. 
I fully expected them to go back down into the root cellar at night but Sheila is tired of stairs and chose instead to sleep in the little tin house. 
Winter feeding will be so much easier for them now. This part of the field ( in the foreground of the above shot) is an old driveway and more solid – not nearly as muddy. But cold in winter – this way they can still get back to the sunny side. 
So, Sheila and I are pleased and now John can feed them.
I was wondering if you have any questions for me as blog posts for when I am in the California suburbs. Questions would be such a marvelous help for the blog while I am gone. I don’t tend to write about my family on the blog and the suburbs are not exactly heaving with photos!
I imagine a good question for new people is why the Rat House is called the Rat House. Maybe I could draw you a map of the farm again? – with kids crayons!!
Do you have any questions? Things you have always wondered?
Love celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
100 responses to “LAST DAY”
Did the old cars come with the farm or did they come with John? I am not new and I don’t know what is behind the name Rat House. I hope we get some good photos of beds that are made by the pigs this winter. That is always so fascinating.
Oh yes! I can go that when I get home – Wai makes amazing beds too!
A Blues Brothers car might be worth something to a rabid fan. Money for the farm
I wish – but John will NEVER sell any of his cars. They just sit there and gather dust. Completely beyond my ken.
Merry Christmas and have a wonderful time – wish you could be in two places at once: John will miss you . . . happy Yule to him also . . .
Being an ‘oldie’ I know some . . . . but how a NZ drama teacher and a London film 2iC, after the happenstance of having been 16 in central Illinois, decided this was her mid-life choice . . .
No questions?
*laughter* Thought the one above was a Q!
I agree, I am not new but I must have missed the explanation of the Rat House. Have a lovely break.
Great!
Have a wonderful trip and lovely Christmas with your family. I hope the children recover so everyone can feel well for the holiday.
We’ll see but grandma has a suitcase full of projects!
Yes, why is it called the Rat House, please? Also, when seen from this angle, Sheila is not only svelte, but a complete mountain of muscle: )
She is lovely isn’t she!
Merry Christmas and Happy New you to you and your family Cecilia xo
Thank you Nuts! You too
He is the rabid fan
You planted a lot of tree saplings some time ago. I’ve wondered how they are doing and what they look like.
Merry Christmas Celi, hope you have a wonderful time in California. XOXO
The Rat House? Did I miss something? You raise rats as well as pigs?
There is just as much potential subject matter in suburban areas as there is elsewhere. It seems to me that you would find more to get pictures of there than at home, just because it is so different. When I was in Oklahoma, I found that the subject matter that was very compelling to me was not so interesting to those who were familiar with it. For example, they thought nothing of snow. Nor did they notice anything wrong with the lack of mountains or hills . . . . or ‘anything’ off in the distance. It seems to me that the common scenery in Fresno could be made interesting by someone who is not so accustomed to it.