Fun times!

Today couldn't have been more perfect when I got home from work. Other than Bouncer screaming for another walk outside (Smudge refuses to go outdoors at all, being a former feral, and Bouncer refuses to go out unless he has his harness and leash on to walk Quentin like a dog, haha), which I won't do because I know he's already had more than an hour outside with Quentin earlier today, I'm fixing dinner (homemade chicken alfredo from my freezer stores), I have chores to do, and I'm pooped. I got home from work, changed into "farm jeans" and headed outside with what Quentin calls "the midget cricket."

It's actually a Black and Decker 8" battery-operated chainsaw, which I can easily handle. His 14" vibrates too much and sets of my tenonitis and developing carpal tunnel issues, so I avoid the gas saws at all costs. However, "the midget cricket" is a lot lighter and easier to handle, and doesn't vibrate, so I'm in charge of all the small stuff. Anything smaller than 3-4", so I have plenty of blade to work around and through the tree or brush, is up to me. If he brings down a big tree, most of the trimming up is on me. It saves gas and saves quite a bit of time for him to work on the bigger stuff that will eventually have to be split after it's seasoned a while. The stuff I cut just needs to season, and can be used as-is.

This is great for building the woodpile up quickly and getting it together for when we eventually can get a woodstove in here. HOPEFULLY this summer, but I said that last year, and it was a craptastic summer all the way around and didn't happen. Of course, with only one income, nothing much happened anyhow that needed doing. I surely do not ever want to have to repeat such a horrible year again. Once was more than enough.

Anyhow, that little battery chainsaw is a blessing for the small stuff. Folks may laugh at me for it, and Quentin sure did when I first got it, but he's seen how well it works, how quickly, and how much I can get done before the battery dies. This little thing is really tough. It can cut through oak like it's nothing as long as, like any other chainsaw, you keep the chain sharpened. If you let the chain get dull, it drains the battery faster and of course, it doesn't cut nearly as well.

And so my day has pretty well ended, and I'm pooped. I am going to put on some background noise with the boob tube, pull my knitting over here for later, and get some books pulled together to share with y'all. Which reminds me, someone asked yesterday about reviews of the books I put up, mentioning something to the effect that if they turn out to be duds, they're not really all that great. I do agree with that sentiment, and the books I put in the listings are chosen carefully. Some do not have reviews on Amazon at the point I put them on the list - they're kind of a Catch-22, because you don't know at that point if they're going to be worth it or not. For those, the blurb has to sound good, and I do look at the sneak peak Amazon offers. If the sneak peek doesn't catch my eye, I skip the book. If it's been reviewed already, it becomes a different story. It not only has to catch my eye, it has to have a minimum of three stars when I post it.

I feel that 1-2 stars means there are serious problems in the book. Whether it's poor grammar, poor preparation of the subject matter, what have you, if it can't make at LEAST an average grade, I won't bother with it. So if it's been reviewed when I post it, it will be a minimum three stars at that point and will look good on preview. I also hope that with three to five stars, that it will provide at least some good information, have an author who is reasonably competent and presenting the topic, and the book will be in good enough English (sentence structure, grammar, spelling, general composition) that most people will be able to understand the book. Hopefully, there will also be a few nuggets of useful information in the book. Does that help?

Finally, as to all of you who gave so much advice on helping with Quentin's awful toothache last night. Thank you all so very, very much. Between a bit of that whiskey to deaden the pain (or at least deaden him to feeling it), and making him do a warm salt water wash before he came to bed, it cleared it up for the time being. We'll be looking at Wally World and or a couple of local health food stores for the other stuff this weekend. He's feeling much better today as of when I ran into him at shift change at work, and looks tons better. Course, he would have gotten to sleep without yet another shot of whiskey (more so he'd shush so I could go sleep than to deaden the ouch) if he had listened to me and gotten his V8 juice he likes so much and drunk it room temperature instead of cold out of the fridge. The cold set him right off to moaning and aching all over again, so it became round 2 of whiskey and salt water wash just so I'd get some sleep! He doesn't like the salt wash, and he surely hates Anbesol and clove oil and the rest of it, because to him it all tastes rather nasty, but I told him it's that or he suffers next time he gets a bad toothache and I take away his Mountain Dew on a permanent basis. He said he'll deal with the nasty medicine, lol. Separating him from his favorite (and only) liquid refreshment is apparently "Dew abuse."

So it's now time for books, and I'm glad that things are doing well here. Hope everyone else is doing fine, it's good to see so many folks are enjoying the bookfests. Hugs all!!

KINDLE FREEBIES OF INTEREST


How to Grow Squash: Planting and Growing Pumpkins, Zucchini, Summer and Winter Squash, Gourds, and Chayote
How To Knit Fingerless Gloves And Mittens (Learn How to Knit)
Recipes With Honey - For All Seasons
A Beginners Guide to Organic Vegetable Gardening: Introduction to Composting, Worm Farming, No Dig Raised & Wicking Gardens Plus More... (Simple Living)
Garden Magic In Your Backyard!
Food Dehydration - The Ultimate Recipe Guide
The Total Clutter Makeover: The Definitive Guide to Decluttering and Organizing Your Home
Natural Cleaning Recipes: Master the Art of Natural and Organic Cleaning (Green House Keeping - Organic Cleaning Recipes from Natural Ingredients)
Apple Desserts Value Pack I - 150 Recipes For Apple Pie, Apple Cake, Cookies, Muffins and More (The Ultimate Apple Desserts Cookbook - The Delicious Apple Desserts and Apple Recipes Collection)
Crochet Knitting Art: Step by Step Guide to  Crocheting
A Beginners Guide to Home Canning & Food Preserving: Recipes, Jams, Marmalades, Jellies, Chutneys, Relishes Plus More... (Simple Living)
SLOW COOKER DESSERTS
Cookie And Cookie Bar Recipes (Cookie, Cookie Bar And Frosting Recipes)
Natural Liquid Soap Recipes: An Easy and Complete Step by Step Beginners Guide To Making Hand Soap, Shampoo, Conditioner, Lotion, Moisturizer, Natural Shower Gels and Refreshing Bubble Baths
Natural Cinnamon And Honey Cures: Cinnamon Health Benefits, Cures, Remedies, Treatments and Recipes. Boost Energy, Control Diabetes, Cure Arthritis, Prevent Alzheimer's, Colds, even Weight Loss!