Monday our contractor, Sergio, was here bright and early to set the forms. Tuesday morning his crew and the cement truck were here before 8am.
We now have concrete porch pads and a large patio out our back door. We are very pleased.
When we purchased this property almost five years ago, (YES, five years!!) it did not have a garage. There was a rickety set of steps which went from a concrete pad up to the kitchen door of the guest house–about two feet above ground level. We built a garage that first spring so as to have somewhere to leave our vehicle and tore out the steps.
So, it’s about a two foot drop from the kitchen door to the garage floor–we never replaced the steps. The Cowboy used two of our aluminum step stools that we’ve used for standing on when painting, etc. and created a step to use while the porch cement was poured and is drying. That’s our only way out of the house–every other entrance was blocked by the concrete pour. Emmi is confused!
And there is justice in this world! While searching for Christmas gifts for the greats I stumbled across these piggy banks–
I did not do my due diligence, loved them and ordered the banks. Once I realized I had made a huge mistake–the banks would have to be made in and shipped from China–I immediately tried to cancel the order. Not happening–I must have traded a dozen emails back and forth with someone who had no concept of the English language! They supposedly expedited my order and in a month I received these–
Pressed cardboard with thin, scratched acrylic fronts and sheets of press on sticky letters for “personalizing” the banks. The website clearly showed the bank in the first photo and on the website I had to enter the names I wanted to have “etched” onto the acrylic fronts. I asked for a refund and we went back and forth–email after email. I gave up and turned the matter over to my credit card company.
When filing the dispute with our Visa company I completed a generic form with questions such as, “have you received the merchandise,” was it damaged,” etc. There was no place to enter photos or explain the issue. At first the credit card company sent us a letter with a quote from the Chinese company stating I had received my merchandise and that would be the end of it–the fraudulent company would be keeping my money.
Not so fast!! The letter stated that if I wanted to pursue the dispute I could write an email and send photos which I did. In less than a week we were notified that the dispute had been settled in our favor and the $90 was credited to our account. The piggy bank pictured above in the first photo is available from a reputable artist in the US and sold on Esty. This scum Chinese company has created a website using photos stolen from this reputable artist.
Last Saturday evening we had Dan, Louanne and Linda over for dinner. While we were sitting in the living room enjoying happy hour before dinner, Dan noticed a huge bird had flown by the window. I stood up and could see the owl on the guest house roof–not the greatest photo but that’s one big bird!
Monday morning Emmi and I were on the road early heading for Green Valley and a new to us veterinarian recommended by Gay and Joe who have three rescue pooches. Emmi has now been on the liver medications for two months and it was time to check her lab values. Tuesday evening Dr. Bigelow called us and Emmi’s liver enzymes are significantly lower–great news!!! The Cowboy stayed at home to be available to the concrete crew.
It’s Chex Mix season and this is our first batch–the Cowboy loves this stuff. I modify the original recipe by adding more butter, Worchestire sauce and a teaspoon of cayenne pepper. The Cowboy also likes only the cereal–no pretzels or nuts in his Chex Mix!!
We had rain showers during the night and will possibly have more tonight. Our nice warm weather may be departing too.
Life is good! Happy Thanksgiving to our family, friends and readers!
Restoration Cowboy Style 
Cement pads look nice! Happy Thanksgiving to ya all!
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Happy Thanksgiving you two!!
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Happy Thanksgiving and congratulations on Emmi’s good numbers!
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Happy Thanksgiving to you guys also!
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We love Chex mix too (we call ours “nuts & bolts”). Hubby loves the peanuts and I love the pretzels! I like to use Corn Bran for one of the cereals … it really soaks up the yummy flavours. Happy Thanksgiving to the three of you!
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Thanks Candy and Happy Thanksgiving to you also!
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Darn it, now I’m hungry for homemade Chex mix!,
Happy thanksgiving 🦃
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So sorry! I bet we go through at least half a dozen batches during the holidays.
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Well good for you with your perseverance dealing with the
junky Chinese rip offs! Sometimes we just give up and hate the
hassle…. I’m like you, they just shouldn’t get away with it!
Wow, really like the cement pads. Going to keep a lot of dirt out
of the house too. Nice look. Enjoyed the pictures, what
great ‘after’ pictures .
Enjoy a blessed Thanksgiving🦃🍁🍂
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I can only hope it will keep some of the dirt out of the house–once the Cowboy has finished moving dirt we will also get a load of gravel and that should help too. That was my exact thought too Linda–if the Chinese companies are going to be dishonest by stealing photos from another website and creating junk they shouldn’t get away with it.
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I make chex mix year round. We love it! Used to make it in the oven–but find the crock pot works just as well. We use Crispix, Wheat Chex, and Cheerios—then nuts, pretzels, little rye crisps, and sesame sticks. No peanuts though!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Marlene
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Tell me more about using the crockpot!
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Whoops, just saw your comment! I put all the dry ingredients in a large crock pot. Then melt one stick of Parkay Margarine (plus just a little more). I pour some on top of the dry mix and sprinkle on some garlic salt and some seasoned salt. Stir, then repeat about 3 times, stirring well. Use my low setting and do not put the lid on tight or it will get too moist. Just leave the lid cracked a little. I let it cook about 2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes. When it is done, remove the lid and let it cool in the pot. I usually store it in large ziplock bags. Eat and enjoy!!
My husband, Floyd, actually likes it overdone, so sometimes I let it cook a little longer.
Hope you had a great Thanksgiving! Are you still enjoying your Kuru’s?
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Love the new patios!! It’s amazing how very careful you have to be when ordering now days. The China companies copy the legitimate companies so closely. Glad it all finally worked out. I’m with Michael…love Chex Mix!! Awesome owl!! Glad Emmi is doing better. Happy Thanksgiving to you and Michael.
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We are so pleased with the patios–it’s been a long time coming! Happy Thanksgiving to you and John!
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You folks sure have done a fantastic job on the old hacienda these past few years.
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Almost five years of toil–it is looking great–and we are almost finished!
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Happy Thanksgiving. The porches look wonderful. I can’t believe it’s been five years already. Wow. With that huge owl around you need to keep a close eye on little Emmi. Glad to hear her numbers are down.
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The owl was out and about this morning when Mike took Emmi out–sitting on our power pole!!! We were thrilled that her numbers had decreased finally!
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Do an image search for “owl legs”. I had no idea :o)
Oh Chex Mix – celiac took it away from me. Of course my favorite was the wheat chex and the little bread crisps. Enjoy a batch for me. Happy Thanksgiving!
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Celiac is a tough disease–lots of people don’t eat gluten by choice but celiac is a whole different matter! I guess you could make Chex Mix with just the rice and corn cereal–but it wouldn’t be the same, would it!
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Happy Thanksgiving Janna, Mike, and Emmi. Can’t wait to make party mix this weekend. We love it too! I do add a pound of pecans and extra butter. The porches look great. Happy Emmi’s numbers are much better. And it’s awesome you got your $ back. Gay
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Ohhh-Pecans would be good but the Cowboy would complain–just cereal for him! Happy Thanksgiving!
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Have never done the Chex Mix treat. I know I can google the
recipe but which is the best mixture? Janna, did you post at one time
your recipe?
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The recipe is on the box of Chex cereal. It requires Corn Chex, Rice Chex, and Wheat Chex. You can add just about any other additional ingredients you wish–pretzels, bite size bagel chips, nuts, etc., as long as you keep the proportions the same. The recipe calls for 6 TBS butter and I use 8 TBS. I also add an additional 2 TBS of Worchestire sauce and a teaspoon of cayenne pepper. I mix all the cereal in a large bowl, melt the butter in a glass mixing cup and add the seasonings–then pour the butter mixture over the cereal and mix well.
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Thank you for recipe! Will make this month….sounds addicting🌟 ha
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It’s hard to believe that your house now is the same one you bought originally! What a transformation! Hard work sure makes a difference.
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We marvel almost daily at how much we’ve accomplished! We’ve added so much value to this house through hard, hard work!
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Your porches look great! And yay for you persevering and winning with that Chinese scam company. And yay for Emmi’s numbers being good. Love your Thanksgiving moon behind the mountains. 🙂
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We’ve been sitting on the porch every afternoon–so nice to finally have a project completed! I hate being scammed and am a bulldog when it comes to getting my money returned.
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