Pre-Thanksgiving thoughts

Brief post.  Cut my little finger on my left hand while arranging the flowers at church yesterday... those secateurs are sharp.  Hard to type with a huge gob of gauze and tape on my finger. Sympathetic noises appreciated.

Bought all we needed for Thanksgiving dinner today, including a stop tonight at the dollar store for new glasses that actually match.  Little green stemware that ought to play off of our red/white transferware nicely.

Went out by myself yesterday after church, because I could, and knew the week would be busy.  Had a book I was going to get at the library, but found it and the rest of the matching trilogy at the library bookstore....Sigrid Undset's Kristin Lavransdatter series.  And Rosamunde Pilcher's Christmas book and two little Jan Karon children's Christmas books.  I'm consistently amazed at what I find there, and so inexpensive.  Best kept secret in town.

Well, tomorrow is cleaning and decorating for Thanksgiving Day.  Wednesday is Making Pie and Tearing Up White Bread for My Husband's Yankee Stuffing Day.  Tonight I rest.

Y'all take care.

Friday morning

Gradually I'm taking out a few Christmas-like things.  Mostly books, but our dressed-in-pretend-fur Santa as well.  He stands about 15" or so, and he's the first decoration I put out.  

Anyway, in my search, I found the sweetest book in our lawyer's bookshelves.  This is a 1925 copy of The Essays of Elia, a book by Charles Lamb.  This one looks to be a student's copy, with lots of pencil marks in the front of it, but I don't know the person it belonged to, unless someone in my family is acquainted with a Sam H. Johnson.  I committed the huge sin of using some masking tape to mend some loose joints in the pages, but who's going to care?  It's not being sold, and I'm the only one who will read it.  Just needing something to get into that's settling.  Plus the book is the most adorable size at 5-1/2" x 4-1/2" and about 1-1/2" thick.  Nice brown cloth covers.  Apparently it's a book mentioned in  Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, which I read quite awhile back.  Don't remember though talk of the book.  I just want to walk around with it in my hands.  Sort of like the guy in The English Patient who carries around Herodotus' The Histories.

* * *

Home today.  For dinner it's Kale, Italian Sausage, Cannellini bean soup, without the Kale, using baby Lima Beans (which I love) instead.  Improvising.  Just couldn't get my head around buying Kale.  A little goes a long way.

Rest and washing bedsheets.  A good drying day.  More minor tidying.  A restful Friday.

Mid-week

Oddly enough, I believe the most excitement this week was on Monday night when the kids and I were shopping for my mom's groceries.  Was just passing by the frozen turkey display, saw about three over-twenty-pounders (Butterballs, no less) mixed in with the smaller birds and put a big one in the cart.  At 89 cents a pound, I thought that was a steal, especially since I'd read that the ones this large would be hard to find.  Sorta happy about that.  Will buy a smaller turkey to roast ahead of time on Thanksgiving Eve night, so's to have enough for leftovers and sandwiches.  

Actually, the best part of Thanksgiving dinner, to my way of thinking, is the day after.  Cold turkey on white bread with a dash of salt and mayonnaise is what I call delicious.  

* * *

Today is good.  Lots of wind yesterday, and last night just before the rain came, the wind was downright scary.  Gary and I sat on the front porch after dinner in the dark, watching the trees blow across the street, and I was mentally praying for God's protection. The tops of the trees were just whipping.  Our neighborhood is full of old oaks, as I've mentioned before, and we cringe and pray when it's stormy.

It's always amazing when the wind actually calms when you pray for the Lord to intervene when the weather is dangerous.  Maybe that's one reason, just one reason, that the Bible includes the story about Him calming the waters when the disciples were in the boat.  To prove He can and will do this.  And He still does.  I just shake my head.

Later last night we heard about trees falling on cars, and trees down along with wires---in our same part of town.  Thankfully nobody was hurt.  Now, I'm not getting cocky about this, but do credit the Lord with sparing us.  I'm no more special than anyone else, but the wind was outrageous.  I do understand the rain falls on the just and unjust.  But really, we do have the ability to ask for Him to intervene.  Either we just play the victim and give up to whatever the world shoves our way, or we ask for help.  I ask you, which is the wiser route?

* * *

Getting the house ready for company, even just my boys.  Want the house to sparkle for next week.  Having things done gradually allows for not-so-much-pulling-out-of-hair next week.  Dusting bookshelves, and all-around tidying up.  All pleasant when you're not rushed.

You take care.

Tuesday dinner-time

Light day, which, as I get older, is very healing. Am making more of a habit of pacing myself, not expecting so much out of a day.  It's hard to put into practice, though, as used to as I am of juggling lots of kids and all they get into.  Now, with only four at home, it's much, much easier.  Not so much food to buy either.  'Course the boys always bought their own treats, but dinners---still adjusting to less leftovers to put away.  Hard to make smaller meals and portions.

Everyone's quiet now.  Youngest son went with my husband to his shop today, and they got home early.  My husband has some sort of rough cough and congestion.  He sounds awful.  Very raw.  The kids have passed around a sniffle, but it's either morphed into something different, or he caught a new virus.  He's home early and in bed.  Light out, fan on, peaceful for him.  He just needs some rest.

The kids are in their rooms and the dogs are napping in the living room, though Daisy the Pug is at my feet waiting for me to pick her up.  

Restful, what can I say?  

Chicken simmering, vegetables ready, and about to put on a pot of water for Chicken Noodle Soup.  Figured it'd fit the bill for my main squeeze.  

Overall, thankful for a very full shop of work for my husband (partly, he's just exhausted, I'm thinking), oldest daughter's dry eye situation healing, and nothing pressing hitting at us this week.  Hard to get into a restful mode when you're used to jumping at everything.  

All is well.

After our workday...

Much housecleaning completed today.  Moving furniture, dusting to an extent that was sad, or ridiculous.  Emptied out the vacuum cleaner numerous times.  Not the best vacuum, hence the constant emptying, but it all got done.  Tomorrow will get out Autumn wreaths and finish up a couple of minor things.  Like the ceiling fans which I'll postpone cleaning until absolutely necessary.  Keep the things spinning and no problem. :)

But a good day.  Made Diane's recipe for Tomato Tart and had salad with my friend Tina's recipe for dressing (lime juice, olive oil and tarmari sauce).  Delish.

* * *

Now we're waiting to hear from a friend of middle daughter's who's seeing if there are spots on Thursday night for she and I to help at tobyMac's concert here.  If they still need help, we can get in free.  

* * *

The girls and I go to the Owl City concert out-of-town next week.  Was doing research tonight on parking, etc.  Saw something on the place's website about age restrictions.  It's at a venue that has a bar, and sometimes 18+ or 21+ shows.  After holding our breath for a few minutes, we found that this concert is considered ALL AGES, so shouldn't be any problem with my teenage girls getting in.  Can you imagine, though?  Go on a trip, get there and be refused?  That'd be horrible.  But it sounds as if we're good.  I wrote the General Manager an email tonight to double-check.  Pays to be careful.

* * *

Funny thing.  Last night my husband said something I never thought I'd hear pass his lips.  

"Hey Baby, you're really rockin' that gray hair."  

Good grief.  But in a good way.

Monday afternoon

Seems since the wedding earlier in the month, our house has been crying to itself.  Dust me.  Sweep my floors.  Vacuum up the dog hair.  Re-arrange the furniture.  Please.

Okay, I hear you.  Tomorrow's the day.  Would've been today but after schoolwork was finished, we went to the store to get dinner for tonight and tomorrow night.  Tired.  I get so weary, so fast, and it doesn't pay to do too much.

* * *

Had planned on getting Mom's groceries today, as is our routine, but she called me this morning and said her money was low (over $500.00 in the bank but it's low to her) and while her SS check will be here on Friday, she says she just can't seem to afford any food now.  She has little notebooks on her side table from years back and they have daily tallies of her bank balance.  Even now she calls the bank twice a day to check it.  I'm thinking this is an obsession.

Pulling out hair.

I told her she'd not go broke, but she can't get her head around that fact.  I talked and I talked, trying to reason with her, but she can't understand.  Her bills are paid, no unexpected things are coming out, but still, she feels on edge.  I get it as best as I can.  She can't control anything since her stroke, so if she can control spending, that's something, I guess.

The thing is, she'll really not eat if she's feeling like she's going into the poor house.  I've even asked her about this (you heard this same story a couple of months ago) idea of not eating, and she denies it.  Says she'll eat.  But here's the thing:  I can't get back to the store until Thursday, so while this might sound like I'm trying to teach her a lesson, there is a reason we go on Mondays.  There is life to be lived here, and the days and sometimes nights are busy.  Bet she'll be real hungry come Thursday.  Kidding.  She has food, just not as much as I like to see in her house.

Caring for an aged parent is hard, hard, hard.  

Tomorrow is a home day.  Cleaning, both physical and in the mental realm.  Can't tote my mom around in my head too long or I'll go nuts.  I was all shaky after talking to her, just a drain, but we just do the best we can.  My best isn't probably someone else's best, but what can I say?

The least one is our chef tonight.  She's got a dab hand with baking, but never makes the main meal.  She picked out Enchilada Soup from my Cooking Pinterest board, and so will leave now to put on the chicken for her.  Then, it's up to her. :)

Friday noon

Just three of us here at home, just now.  Oldest daughter has broken her work fast (quit her job to rest in late January), and is working part/part-time at a little bookstore across the way from my husband's shop.  So, she's working a couple or three afternoons a week, building up herself again.  Her dry eye syndrome is still a concern, and she still can't wear her contacts, so is taking it slow.  Healing takes time, and we've got plenty of that.

Right now I'm having my own quiet.  In bed, window open, just hung out sheets, can hear one of our numerous wind chimes near my window.  Chickens making soft noises.  A good sheet-drying day with plenty of sunshine and warmth.  Windows up.  Washer spinning.  Thinking about having a restful weekend without drama.

There are things to do, however.  Flower-buying tomorrow for the altar, and setting up the same.  Filling in for someone else.  And after church on Sunday, will eat lunch with our priest's wife who heads up the Altar Guild along with a couple of other women.  One is our church secretary, who is Roman Catholic, so has her own spin on setting up the things and using the linens.  I feel so Mitford-like.  Our church is going to re-vamp the Altar Guild book, which I wasn't even aware of being in existence (but which could've prevented my endless mess-ups).  Thankfully, my altar learning curve is lessening, but still, I set the wine/wafers/silver up and still just stand there, scratching my head, checking my photos on my phone, hoping I've finally got it right.  Actually, I think I do.

* * *

Have a new review cookbook on its way.  The publisher likens her book to Laurie Colwin's Home Cooking, and since I'm partial to her food writing (though not her fiction, for some odd reason), am looking forward to reading it.  This one is called The Homemade Kitchen by Alana Chernila.  Will let you know.  Pulled out my copy of Orangette's Molly Wizenberg's A Homemade Life too.  With our dinner being so stupendous last night, am hoping to do more of the same this weekend.  Good eats, you know.

This is what we had:  My saucy friend, Diane, made a knock-off version of Olive Garden's Zuppo Toscano here.  I just took her recipe, incorporated it with our priest's wife's recipe and with minor changes, we had dinner!

My version:

One pound of Italian Sausage.  I made mini meatballs of the meat, just (pardon the term) squirting the sausage out of the end of the soft casings.  Fried them in a skillet with a little butter in it.

In another skillet I browned until soft a chopped onion, three celery stalks, and three small carrots.

When the sausage was done, or almost done, I put everything in my cast iron pot.  Added two Knorr Chicken bouillon cubes and water to cover.  Also sprinkled in about 1/2 teaspoon of both Oregano and Thyme.  No salt, which afterward surprised me, since the bouillon was salty enough.  Also put in two cans (rinsed, since middle daughter has an aversion to bean juice....who knows?) of Cannellini beans (white kidneys) and a few small, chopped up red potatoes.

Last thing...I added a bit bunch of chopped fresh Kale toward the end of cooking.  Diane adds cream to hers, which is probably a wonderful last touch, but I didn't do that.  I'm jealous of my half &half in my tea, so tend to parcel it out stingily.

Now to beat that meal, which might be a challenge.  I think I'm waking up from a bad dream.  Haven't taken an interest in fussing over meals in a long time.  My dear friend, Tina, gave us some family silver recently, and we used the glamourous soup spoons with our meal.  

All of this talk makes me want to watch Julie and Julia again. :)  Love the way Julie's husband eats in that movie.  Just nom-nomming his way through all that she cooks.

Must go.  Just-married-son is on his way to wash clothes.  First time of him doing that, but works for me.

Monday late afteroon

*Taking next week off for Spring Break (the weather should be clearing off even more), but as a treat today, we all went to a different library across town.

*Stopped by oldest son's work on the way and I was able to give him a hug.  He has such beautiful lavender eyes.  Pained me to see him, knowing how he's living, but until he's ready to make a change, will continue to keep the communication open and pray.

*Went by store on the way home, and oldest daughter bought a coconut layer cake for us to enjoy after dinner.

*Now covered up in bed, curtains pushed aside (drizzly day), drinking a hot cup of creamy tea (PG Tips), pile of new/to re-read books beside me.  I've read Erica Baurmeister's books, but got them again.  A children's book---A House Like a Lotus by Madeleine L'Engle, and Mary Simses' The Irresistible Blueberry Bakeshop & Cafe (sensing this one might be too chick lit for right now) and Shakespeare's Kitchen by Lore Segal.  Kept walking the fiction aisles asking the Lord for ideas.  Easy reading to a certain extent, but not too soft. Sometimes I feel as if I've read all the titles that suit me, being that it's so hard to find new books that settle the part of me that yearns for something fresh.  I kept picking up books with the words loss, grief, misery, and drama in them.  Over and over again, and not deliberately.  I have enough of those nouns in my life, so something that brings joy to mind is always appealing.  Oddly, the books I got either deal with cooking, or have cooking terms in the titles.  I'm seeing a trend of where I find my comfort.  

*I have a hankering to do some deep cleaning.  Maybe partly a subliminal message to myself about cleaning in other ways.  Not sure.

*I want to re-fresh the woodwork with a can of glossy white paint.  Gather some old books to re-sell.  Dust behind bookshelves.  Vacuum everything that doesn't move.  Yeah, I can feel spring creeping around the corner.

*Sitting here, wondering how it got to be past 5:30pm without me paying attention.  The day has whooshed by.  Must go boil some more pasta to go with the spaghetti sauce I made yesterday.

*Husband is making spoons today, and looking forward to seeing what he brings home.  Shop has been quiet with the icy weather, but expect things to pick up soon.  I know.  God has this. :)

*Take care, sweet friends.  Must go begin dinner.

'A Kitchen in France' by Mimi Thorisson

I've just finished reading Mimi Thorisson's beautiful cookbook called A Kitchen in France--A Year of Cooking in My Farmhouse and found it such a comfort.  With her husband's crisp and mouthwatering photographs highlighting her cooking, she makes every day a Feast Day.  I'm inspired, and encouraged to be a bit more adventurous in the kitchen.  And to take more care in preparing a meal.

Mimi takes the simplest of ingredients and creates a masterpiece.  And in reading through the recipes, she proves that the most ordinary bits and pieces can be woven together to feed family and friends in an elegant way.

With modern lifestyles being centered more on hurry and get-it-done in as short a time as possible, she brings old-style into our homes.  Her meals are definitely full of love.

I truly loved reading her book.  Every page is a delight.  And the way the book is divided into seasons is clever, telling us how to cook within a framework on what's available and fresh.  To cook within those parameters gives a bit of new-ness to a meal, not assuming all ingredients are at their best at all times.  I like that idea.  Plus, cooking within the seasons allows some foods to be looked forward to.

I wish her well, and truly offer thanks for sharing her home and family.  Gorgeous children, and a delight all around.   For more about Mimi, please visit her blog called Manger.

(i received this book free to review from blogging for books...many, many thanks!)

Rest

The day is young, at least for me here at home.  I was up with the chickens and big dogs just before seven.  The hens were hesitant to hop off their roost, being that it was dim outside.  It is nice, though, that their waking up time is about an hour later than it was in the middle of summer.  With the rain we've had, mornings have been cloudy and comforting. Too much sun too early doesn't go well with me.

And the Pugs are still asleep.  When the girls put sweaters on them, the Pugs tend to sleep in longer all tucked up on the couch cushions.  We'll nudge them out later on.  

And so it goes. 

Chores at the store and my mom's done late yesterday.  When we'd been to the grocery and walked out to the truck, I tried to start it and the battery was dead.  I'd left the lights on, and the battery has been fussy anyhow.  Oldest daughter was just next door to the grocery at T*rget, so she rounded up the kids and Mom's things and took them to her house.  Did her tidying up.  I stayed with the truck with youngest son, waiting for Gary to save the day.  Which he did.

When Gary got there and hooked up the jumper cables, he asked me to make sure I'd turned off the truck alarm.  I couldn't for the life of me think of what he was talking about.  The 'just one more thing' syndrome, you know.  I sat the behind the wheel and while later we laughed about it, I was frozen to the spot.  He gestured to the key ring and the alarm, and I finally got it.  Started to cry. I know, it's not a big deal, but life has been so continually edgy that the least thing out of the ordinary is hard to manage.  Running the battery down was that thing.

And so it continues to go.

So, as a healing sort of exercise, today is homemade spaghetti day, along with a batch of chocolate chip cookies.  Therapy.  And time with the chickens.  And some study in my herbal class (which sadly has been neglected with my mom's care).  And maybe some handwork-----the supreme cure for any type of ailment.  And Yoga, which I've picked up again.  

As for now, I'm still tucked into bed.  The window is up and it's getting nicely chilly in here.  I can hear the chickens making soothing sounds from time to time just outside.  My candle is burning low with its vanilla scent and I can see the day will pan out sweetly if I can harness my stress.  Not take on anything, and just enjoy being home.  Let my house nurture me.  

I like that idea.

A restful Friday

Lit some Frankincense/Myrrh in my little incense burner in the window. The breeze is moving it around the room....bliss.  We had a refreshing storm last night, and the air is cool. The curtains are blowing.

Had tea out the with the chickens, and listened to the men talking and hammering on a new roof a couple of houses down. That's an encouragement, knowing a vacant house is being restored.  Wild birds about, chickens not eating the banana I cut up for them (go figure), greening trees, blossoms falling off of the Dogwood that hangs over our fence....just a quiet morning.  My legs got cold, even though I was sitting in the sunshine.

And I got out two books to look into for the spring.  One is At the Still Point compiled by Sarah Arthur, it's one to read once Ordinary Time begins on the Liturgical Calendar, which is Pentecost (June 8th).  Looking forward to this one.  She puts together a devotional using Scripture, poems, and literature and while I've saved the book and hardly cracked the cover, still, it looks dishy.  I'm making myself wait before reading too much of it.  Bonnie, it makes me think of you. :)

Will read more of Breathing Room:  Open Your Heart by Decluttering Your Home by Lauren Rosenfeld and Dr. Melva Green as well.  I'm reading that one in fits and starts.  They talk about the emotional attachments we have to our things, and explain how to peel off some of the baggage that causes us to retain items we really ought to let go of.  More than any other book on the subject, I'm understanding how to decide which things are keepers and which are better tossed.  And why a radical throw-out isn't the best idea.  You have to deal with the sticky parts of our saving....the why's....or we'll just save more stuff we don't need.  It's about getting to the bottom of our issues.

So...

For the rest of the day will make a batch of peanut butter cookies, put on a dear little chicken to simmer (shhh, don't tell ours...remember, we don't eat our friends) in my cast iron pot for Chicken Curry tonight. And will help the least one get down the steps out back.  She twisted her knee the other day and is having to hobble around on crutches.  Thankfully she's better and we already had crutches.  No doctor visit necessary, just rest, ice and the like.

Will go now.  Nothing pressing, but a quiet day of home doings.

Frazzled, but trying

Our dryer quit working yesterday---light on inside of it comes on, door switch works, but I think I've figured out what part needs replacing from researching online.  Not a big deal, especially considering the big deals I'm experiencing as the norm, here lately.

Anyway, had done 3 loads of wash, so took 2 boys to the grocery store, then to dry them (the clothes, not the boys, but reading that makes you wonder) at my mom's. It was late afternoon when the dryer gave up the ghost, otherwise I'd not have gone ahead and washed so much. Anyway.  While I was there at my mom's I threw out some of her old magazines and papers, old mail, that sort of thing.  And after I got finished going through her stuff, had sort of a panic attack.  And the last few days, have woken up with a mild headache, though I don't go to sleep with one.

I'm major stressed.

Moving on.

Went with Gary to the church this afternoon---he had to work on the cabinets he made awhile back, and I went ahead and did the flowers for the altar and re-organized the Sunday School room for the children.  Just puttering, but even that seems to be too much for me.  I went back downstairs to make a cup of tea and he asked how I was.  Honestly said I was a bit overdone and he looked right at me and asked if there was something he needed to know about.

Isn't that odd?  Typical for him, and I don't say that harshly.  He figures if nothing is being said, all is well, and he's got my mother's situation all figured out in his head, not realizing (I guess) that my head is in a tail-spin.   Right now the slightest change from my ordinary day is too much to handle.

I read something yesterday, and I can't place where I read it---but it was about how comforting daily sounds can be, especially when sometimes we're hit with unnecessary noise.  That makes such perfect sense.

Right now I'm making beef stew for dinner.  Will read something soothing tonight, and let the Lord handle all the details.  I. just. can't.  And since I know it's not God's will for me to keel over with a stroke myself, I must tend to my own needs.  That calm, cool place inside of me is hard to anchor myself to at times, but now, is so needed.  So desperately needed.  You take care.

A whirlwind Saturday

Woke up to emails asking for prayer---our church has a very active prayer chain, which is awfully sweet and dear.  I'd gotten up with the dogs a little before seven, and sat outside with the chickens for a bit.  So spring-like outside today, so I couldn't resist. Went back to bed and checked my email on my phone.  Two men at church very ill, plus my uncle, who went into a nursing home on Thursday only to go to the ER last night.  My goodness.  Makes you cherish each and every minute.

Went out running around with fourth son.  Lunch (his treat), a quick trip to Whole Foods which has recently remodeled.  Bought a couple of bars of fresh shop---an almond and sandalwood/frankincense.  Delicious. Then to Target (a ritual at our house), then to see my mom, then to the grocery store.  So glad to be home.

I'm in bed after having put on some tomatoes for a spaghetti sauce.  Smells good.  The house is here and there, but mostly there.  Not worried about the mess.  We're having a cook-out of sorts tomorrow, because a couple of the kids want to watch the game. Oldest son is a fan, and he'll maybe come.  Middle daughter wants him to come no matter, since it's just a treat to see him.  Plus, free dinner!

Think I'll just take it easy tonight.  Nothing pressing I can do anything about.  Tomorrow the least one has her first day as an Acolyte, so that's exciting.  I've done my chores, so can enjoy church and the two baby baptisms.  Always adorable.  Plus there's cake afterward.  This is getting better by the minute. :)

In the afternoon

Lying in bed, a pile of new library books by my side and an hour to kill before going to pick up fourth son. Oldest daughter dropped me off at my mom's house this morning before going to her job, so I could pay mom's bills and get her car to drive for the day.

Did the bill-paying, took Mom her clean clothes, had a very sweet visit with her, and then stopped at the store for dinner and came back home.  Rested just a minute, then took the three youngest to the library. Nice to be back here now, all settled and cozy.  I enjoy having the luxury of Mom's car from time to time, but being home is the absolute ultimate in wonderful-ness.

I can hear the chickens outside my bedroom window.  They're pecking at something---most likely the scraps off of a plate one of the girls left out there.  I can hear the plate wobble on the concrete, as their big old feet step into the bits left behind.  It's cold outside, but thankfully it's sunny.  We've avoided the snow the folks up North have had to contend with.  I can bear the cold temperatures if there's sun to enjoy.  But for only so many days.  If much of the deep cold hangs around I get agitated.  Even at the library, after youngest son went upstairs to the adult fiction section, the girls and I headed to the children's section of books.  They had already grabbed a couple of books in the 7-day room and made a bee-line to the plate glass windows facing the sun. Sat down and drank in the heat.  Just like cats.  I followed suit and was able to slow down in my head.

Now the day unfolds nicely ahead of me.  After we pick up fourth son, we'll come home and make chicken pie.  Hopefully one of the girls will take my hint and bake a cake.  That would round out the day nicely.  And having a new (to me) Robert Benson book to read makes everything darn near perfect.  Quiet and good.

Rest-time

The least one made cake.  I ate my piece. It's about to rain. There's a dear little chicken (not one of ours---we don't eat our friends) simmering on top of the stove for barley soup.  And all is well.

Monday naptime

• my suburban is dead, or at least possibly on its last legs (wheels)
• last week the radiator overheated, and we figured it was just an oversight of needing fluids
• well, two days later, it completely drained out when i was running my errands
• drove it home like the wind (with no antifreeze/water) and whipped through neighborhoods, avoiding stoplights
• adrenaline rush 
• it's backed in the driveway for the duration
• gary's going to look at it when he has time---thinks it's more complicated than first expected, and he's worked on our vehicles a lot---street smarts
• not sure if it's a fixable situation, though
• over 240,000 miles and needs tires
• but the way i figure it, almost 6 years ago, we got this truck as a barter with friends who needed shop work from gary
• win/win for us and them as well
• surely there's another miracle vehicle out there---a car with good gas mileage would be sweet
• i'm open!
• and in other news, sweet indian boyfriend didn't get offered the cruise line job
• oldest son said he shouldn't get depressed too quickly---this son has a friend who's sent in over 60 applications to get work in the past year or so
• not sure the details, but at least it seems like this friend is very diligent about looking
• his wife is a pharmacist, though, so maybe he's got a bit of a backup---which is good
• second son is 24 today
• taco soup simmering and about to make a chocolate picnic cake
• must go rest now
• with playing car/truck tag, life is a bit  more complicated
• to add to the drama, oldest daughter's truck went out last night and gary and i had to go save her---chained her truck to his truck and towed it
• second adrenaline rush for the week
• if you've never pulled a vehicle this way, i don't recommend it---drove me nuts being in the lead truck
• hard to time the braking in order to avoid running into one another, which of course, happened
• BAM!
• fortunately all our trucks are a bit worn, so a dent here and there on the bumpers just adds to the character
• but we all survived and it was all do-able
• it's all in your perspective, i reckon
• will really go rest now
• take care

Fourth Eve

We now have new neighbors across the street in the house that's been a torture for those of us who live on this street.  The last folks there drove us nuts (as did most renters before them), and the house has stood empty for a couple of months now.  An extended Mexican family has moved in and we just met them tonight, to take over some chocolate chip cookies.  They're WONDERFUL.  A mom and her husband, daughter and her husband and a baby.  Beautiful women.  And as soon as we'd come home (the two youngest girls went with me), the mom and her daughter were at our door with a gift for us.

I'm so happy.  Now I can brush up on my Spanish and maybe learn a new dish to cook.  That would be so cool.  Might have a communication problem, but the daughter speaks English like an American, so that's a plus.  This looks like a winning family.  It's early yet, but I'm encouraged.

In other news, first-born is moving into third son's apartment with him. Another win.  Oldest son's excited, I know, and since he's more like me (slow to make decisions), it took his younger brother to take the plunge first.  I know they'll both enjoy being together, not that they do anything as a pair, but they've shared a room their whole lives.  This'll be a snap.

Also, we're going to my mom's for cake and ice cream tomorrow, and considering our potentially toxic relationship with her now, we're praying for a nice visit.  She might've asked my oldest brother (the one who's put me on his hit list), but not sure.  Seriously hope not.  Drama with my mom is enough, thank you.

Wishing you all a joyous Fourth, no matter.  After we come home from my mom's, we're cooking out pork roasts and making homemade baked beans and Hawaiian bread rolls for the barbecue.  Lots of yumness.

Take care, all.

Saturday afternoon

What a restful day.  I decided this morning (while I was having my tea in bed---wonderful decision) that I'd take today off.  What that means is yet to be discovered, but I think it means I'll not take on any frets, and will relax and pamper myself.  Sounds like a plan.

As of this very minute, have a jar of walnut hulls steeping in a jar of boiled water (with nettle and rosemary in it as well) to pour over my head to get rid of the grey that's peeking in at the part in my hair.  Trying to get away from store-bought hair color (which I usually just used in tiny batches at the top of my head), and if I can avoid getting this stuff all over myself, it should be a winner.  The walnuts are supposed to stain so well, it'll be interesting to see what I end up with (fingers crossed).

And going to make a peach cobbler.  While we had awfully hot heat indexes this week, with Thursday being the worst of all---thinking the index was about 114F. while I was making dinner, or thereabouts.  Terrible.  We had some rain sweep through that night and since then it's been wonderful.  In the upper 80's now, but it's not too humid and everything looks so clean and clear outside.  Perfect.

So.  That's my deal.  Gary's at the shop making a vapor and repairing chairs in order to get some bills paid this week.  Overdue bills are a huge nuisance, but you've got to keep your perspective.  Doesn't pay to let things like that run your life (must make note of that, not that I excel in mastering this skill by any means).

Going to make French toast for dinner too, on the heels of that cobbler baking.  I really HATE French toast, but am doing it for Gary.  He has a craving.  Will make some bread to up the appeal, like the hair dye, we'll see how this flies.

Take care, all.

Mid-week's adventures

~piglet, anastasia, and milk

Okay, so I shared about having a neighbor's washer to use until we get this situation figured out.  And Gary got into our washer last night, trying to jointly (with me online watching repair videos) settle what exactly is broken.  Came up empty, unless it's the motor or transmission---neither repair making much sense with the cost of a new one being about double the cost of the parts.  Huh. Dilemma.  Well, a dilemma if you get into that mindset, which I refuse to do.

And as a believer, I don't tend to think things are random.  The Lord allows things to enter our lives, whether we think they're beneficial or not. We just have to get it into our heads that it's for our good.  Again, huh.  And sometimes stuff just breaks.  There's not a metaphysical reason.  Life does that.  Period.

Middle daughter spent yesterday afternoon at our neighbor's house washing 4 loads of clothes.  With only one machine, you know how long that takes---about 45 min. per load.  After I brought her back home and unloaded the plastic bags and laundry basket, I got to thinking how much I didn't want to spend every other day doing that chore.  Takes too much out of the day.  Very tiring.

As a result, I got busy in fits and starts washing small do-able loads of clothes in the double kitchen sinks.  Very do-able.  Not long-term, I hope, but not the burden I visualized over the weekend.

For some reason, the Lord is slowing me down.  Way down.  The analogy of a 'chicken with its head cut off' is an apt one for me, with so many children going every-which-a-way, to have to do menial chores in even more of a menial way is somehow relaxing.

I wash the clothes, take the basket out (lined with a plastic bag since the basket has a tear in it), and sit down to watch the chickens for a while, then get up and wring out the clothes and hang them up.  Thankfully we're expecting much sunshine for a few days, so it all works out. Hand-wrung clothes do take about twice the time to dry, but who's in a hurry?  Certainly not me.

Anyway.  That's, pretty much, today.  It's all good.  Oh, and dinner will be fine as well.  Chicken and dumplings, but in the chickens hearing I'm calling it turkey and dumplings.  No need to offend.

Gardening and such

Went outside after dinner and planted some of the flowers oldest daughter bought me over the weekend.  A couple of perennials and the same number of annuals later, I'm here resting in bed.  The older I get, the shorter my time is spent outside digging in the dirt.  The getting up from a sitting position is a bit of a challenge.  Not impossible, but still, not very graceful.  The end result is always a treat, though.

And I transplanted some of my Evening Primroses which showed their faces, and that made me happy.  My abundance of black-eyed Susans had smothered some of the Primroses last year, so in the fall I yanked up some of the Susans to allow breathing room.  Ahhh.  I do love my Primroses.  The yellows didn't show up last Spring, so I'm happy to see them back.

Tomorrow (or whenever), I'll move some Begonias my neighbor gave me.  I've got several Angel Wing and some Dragon Wing Begonias and some monster Begonia she unloaded on me as well.  It's HUGE, but don't know its name.  Gary took one look at it and just shook his head.  This neighbor is so funny---says she needs a plant intervention.  Giving away her excess is the only way she can defend her plant habit. The thing is, she has this green thumb that can't be stopped.  And she doesn't trim her plants, so they get enormous.  I'll have take a photo of the Aloe she gave me.  You'll laugh.  It's kinda scary big.

Best go now.  Oldest daughter's making Mary Kathryn's Strawberry Yum Yum dessert to take to sweet Indian boyfriend's house (as requested by his mom) tomorrow night. Delish, let me tell you.  Too bad she's not making two of them, or at least I've been led to believe this springform pan of amazingness won't be staying put.   Darn.  I'm going to lean over her shoulder and hope she still has some graham cracker crumb crust to nibble on.  Love that stuff.

Anyway, looking forward to tomorrow.  Don't have to leave (which thrills me), and the bills are either paid or shortly to be done.  Relief.  Such deep satisfaction when responsibilities are taken care of.  I can breathe.