We left KC last Tues, en route to TN. It was an uneventful 12 hour trip. The ride gave me a lot of time to think/pray/meditate. We got to Kathy's around bedtime that night. Tucked the kids in (most of them, anyway) and sat down for a chat with K. After exploring options and feelings/leanings, we decided we would go to Vanderbilt University to induce. I've never used pain meds in labor, but this time, I knew I wanted some. With so much emotional pain, I just could not cope with the thought of a very intense labor.
Wed, May 19 we arrived with Kathy at the hospital. I've had some unpleasant hospital experiences, so I was a bit anxious about going in, but I knew it was the right thing this time. Kathy said she'd worked w/ them at Vandy before, and never had a bad experience.
From the moment we arrived at labor and delivery, it was obvious that the Lord had gone before us. *Everyone* treated us with such respect. No one pressured us about anything. They accomodated our children's visits (even though we exceeded their visitor limit).
I was so wanting to get the "show on the road" and get my baby born and into my arms, even if just for a short time. It seemed like the paper work would never get done for us to start the induction.
Finally, around 4:30 p.m., the medication was placed and contractions began. They had offered to place an epidural before they began the induction, but I was comfortable at that point and didn't mind waiting for the anesthesia.
The anesthesiologist came in just after we started the meds and she very patiently answered my many (many!) questions. She was a calming influence and carefully explored my medical history to be sure we proceeded safely.
Just before time for the second dose of induction meds, she placed the epidural. I noticed right away that not much happened. Once the inductions meds kicked in (this was a dose twice the size as the first) I knew we had to revamp something. Severe, severe pain.
We called back in the anesthesiologist staff. The first doctor (who had kindly stayed 2 hours past the end of her shift, just to be with me) had gone home, but her boss and another cohort were there. They took 2 more swings at placing the epidural and the 3rd try work immediately. I needed help getting my legs back up on the bed after it was placed. Ah, yes. Relief. That was around 1:30 a.m., Thur, I believe. Shortly afterward, the 3rd dose of induction meds were placed.
I went to sleep.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Hope
The peace that the Lord grants does not announce itself. In the depths of despair, you can't feel it coming. In times like those, you have to remind yourself that the Truth isn't what it seems. The truth is, God cares. The truth is, God has a plan. The truth is, God will carry you through. While our heart is screaming, "IT'S NOT FAIR!!!!!!! WHY DID YOU DO THIS?!? ARE YOU PUNISHING ME?!?" somewhere in our head, our will? through sheer determination, we say, "This is under control. God is on the job. It's going to be ok. Good will come of this..." Little by little, our head and our heart get together and the feelings catch up with the knowledge.
In many ways, the cloud of confusion is beginning to lift and I'm beginning to be able to see that, indeed, God is bringing us through.
Yesterday, I talked with a lady who is the director of a perinatal hospice in Kansas City. I had talked with her before, when I was pregnant with the twins. When she answered, I told her, "I never expected to be calling you up again." She told me it actually wasn't that uncommon for a family to go through this kind of thing more than once. Oddly, that comforted me some. She also told me that with the first loss, families tend to lean on God and are able to trust Him and know He's got a plan. With the second, however, the families tend to be angry. I can say, that is how it has been for me. With Charity, there was always an underlying sweetness and peace. This time, I got angry. May as well be honest about it. It's not as if I fooled God. I imagine that the anger will cycle through a few times, but, right this moment, I can feel God's peace begin to settle in around me, and I can feel Him again.
His body, the Church, is a beautiful thing. We have been so blessed by our brothers and sisters in Christ. Notes, calls, flowers, dinner...on and on. And especially the prayers. I know it's hard when you feel like you can do nothing for someone who's hurting, but never underestimate the value of praying. It really means a lot. And it works.
We are heading out to our midwife's house today. I am praying labor goes smoothly and quickly. That would be a first for me. :-) When Charity died, the police officer who conducted the "investigation" (they have to do that any time a baby dies) asked if she was our first. "No, 6th." The officer said, "Wow, you must have really easy labors!" I looked at our midwife and we both chuckled. Not hardly. Skin of the teeth type labors is more like it. But God is good.
You praying types, keep us in prayer in these next days. We have to get through labor, then plan a memorial...get through that. Then make it back home to lick our wounds.
'Til next time.
The Ewe
In many ways, the cloud of confusion is beginning to lift and I'm beginning to be able to see that, indeed, God is bringing us through.
Yesterday, I talked with a lady who is the director of a perinatal hospice in Kansas City. I had talked with her before, when I was pregnant with the twins. When she answered, I told her, "I never expected to be calling you up again." She told me it actually wasn't that uncommon for a family to go through this kind of thing more than once. Oddly, that comforted me some. She also told me that with the first loss, families tend to lean on God and are able to trust Him and know He's got a plan. With the second, however, the families tend to be angry. I can say, that is how it has been for me. With Charity, there was always an underlying sweetness and peace. This time, I got angry. May as well be honest about it. It's not as if I fooled God. I imagine that the anger will cycle through a few times, but, right this moment, I can feel God's peace begin to settle in around me, and I can feel Him again.
His body, the Church, is a beautiful thing. We have been so blessed by our brothers and sisters in Christ. Notes, calls, flowers, dinner...on and on. And especially the prayers. I know it's hard when you feel like you can do nothing for someone who's hurting, but never underestimate the value of praying. It really means a lot. And it works.
We are heading out to our midwife's house today. I am praying labor goes smoothly and quickly. That would be a first for me. :-) When Charity died, the police officer who conducted the "investigation" (they have to do that any time a baby dies) asked if she was our first. "No, 6th." The officer said, "Wow, you must have really easy labors!" I looked at our midwife and we both chuckled. Not hardly. Skin of the teeth type labors is more like it. But God is good.
You praying types, keep us in prayer in these next days. We have to get through labor, then plan a memorial...get through that. Then make it back home to lick our wounds.
'Til next time.
The Ewe
Monday, May 17, 2010
Raw
Our baby died Friday, May 14, 2010. He has not yet been delivered. So at this moment, my womb is also a tomb. Such an odd feeling.
When Charity died, our pain was somewhat dulled by the joy of having Hannah in our arms. Such a comfort God provided in her! Of course, the pain of losing Charity was searing, but still...there was peace and comfort. God's presence was so very *there*. I felt Him. I smelled Him! Can you believe that? A few times, the smell of roses just permeated the room I was in--with no flowers anywhere. He was there, and I knew it.
Losing Will has been pure agony. Where is God?? Where is His peace?? I know He's good. I know He's in control, and I know that He is no sadist. But yet...where is that comfort? I do smell flowers--our beloved church family had beautiful flowers on our doorstep within hours of the news. But where is the supernatural flower garden??
I don't know what God is up to. I think He may be overestimating my abilities to withstand such grief. Do you know (some of you do) what it is like to have to drive home from the hospital, and tell your children their long-desired sibling is dead. Dead. Don't we have such euphemisms for that word?? "Passed." "With Jesus." "Gone." With Charity it was, "not compatible with life." C'mon. DEAD. That's the word. Oh, how I hate it. Pastor Jeff preached about Jesus raising Lazarus a few weeks ago. He was saying that part of what was going on when "Jesus wept" was that He was deeply disturbed by Death. It was not right. It was not the way things should be. So...He fixed it. "LAZARUS, COME FORTH!!!" And he did.
In those desperate moments while the nurse was holding the ultrasound wand to my belly, I knew the baby was dead. I was praying for the nurse's smile and sigh of relief: "There he is! Heart beating strong." What did I get? Silence. Neverending silence. I didn't dare look at the screen. I couldn't bear to see my precious son lying there motionless. I knew. I didn't need a t.v. to show me.
In times like those, we grasp at straws...attempt a bargain with God. "God, wouldn't it glorify You more if You brought him back to life?!? Please, God!! Please!! I beg You! I'll do anything!!"
But, little by little, the realization that it is not a bad dream sets in. Layer by layer, you realize, "He's not coming back. God really *is* requiring this of me."
And then, the horror of telling your children. What an awful task. To watch your children suffer and know that you can do nothing for them. Yes, hold them, love them, talk and cry with them...but we can't fix it.
One of the kids asked, through tears, "How will I go on?" All I could answer was, "I don't know. But we will. Together. By God's grace."
I have thought a lot about how to answer the question, "How are you doing?" I can describe it right now as swinging between extreme sadness and utter despair. I know, though, that little by little, the days will get better. The stabs in my heart will come less frequently. I know this. I've been here before.
The foundational Truth in all this? The one I do not understand, yet know it is true?
GOD IS GOOD
When Charity died, our pain was somewhat dulled by the joy of having Hannah in our arms. Such a comfort God provided in her! Of course, the pain of losing Charity was searing, but still...there was peace and comfort. God's presence was so very *there*. I felt Him. I smelled Him! Can you believe that? A few times, the smell of roses just permeated the room I was in--with no flowers anywhere. He was there, and I knew it.
Losing Will has been pure agony. Where is God?? Where is His peace?? I know He's good. I know He's in control, and I know that He is no sadist. But yet...where is that comfort? I do smell flowers--our beloved church family had beautiful flowers on our doorstep within hours of the news. But where is the supernatural flower garden??
I don't know what God is up to. I think He may be overestimating my abilities to withstand such grief. Do you know (some of you do) what it is like to have to drive home from the hospital, and tell your children their long-desired sibling is dead. Dead. Don't we have such euphemisms for that word?? "Passed." "With Jesus." "Gone." With Charity it was, "not compatible with life." C'mon. DEAD. That's the word. Oh, how I hate it. Pastor Jeff preached about Jesus raising Lazarus a few weeks ago. He was saying that part of what was going on when "Jesus wept" was that He was deeply disturbed by Death. It was not right. It was not the way things should be. So...He fixed it. "LAZARUS, COME FORTH!!!" And he did.
In those desperate moments while the nurse was holding the ultrasound wand to my belly, I knew the baby was dead. I was praying for the nurse's smile and sigh of relief: "There he is! Heart beating strong." What did I get? Silence. Neverending silence. I didn't dare look at the screen. I couldn't bear to see my precious son lying there motionless. I knew. I didn't need a t.v. to show me.
In times like those, we grasp at straws...attempt a bargain with God. "God, wouldn't it glorify You more if You brought him back to life?!? Please, God!! Please!! I beg You! I'll do anything!!"
But, little by little, the realization that it is not a bad dream sets in. Layer by layer, you realize, "He's not coming back. God really *is* requiring this of me."
And then, the horror of telling your children. What an awful task. To watch your children suffer and know that you can do nothing for them. Yes, hold them, love them, talk and cry with them...but we can't fix it.
One of the kids asked, through tears, "How will I go on?" All I could answer was, "I don't know. But we will. Together. By God's grace."
I have thought a lot about how to answer the question, "How are you doing?" I can describe it right now as swinging between extreme sadness and utter despair. I know, though, that little by little, the days will get better. The stabs in my heart will come less frequently. I know this. I've been here before.
The foundational Truth in all this? The one I do not understand, yet know it is true?
GOD IS GOOD
Monday, March 08, 2010
Big Gnus from the Ewe
Hello, F.O.T.E.'s,
Well, it's only been 5 months since a post, but I thought I'd not make you wait any longer. :-)
The Big Gnus around here is that we're expecting another Lamb around the end of August. Honestly, I had thought that baby-having days were over for me, but I guess I was wrong. When you get to be of "advanced maternal age" (which is the doc's fancy term for me--an old mama, haha), you don't take fertility for granted. After losing 3 babies--our dear Charity right after birth, then 2 miscarriages--I had about accepted that our "team" was complete. I am 15 weeks along now, and so far, so good. What a blessing. A curious thing about the pregnancy, too, is that my morning sickness is the mildest it's been since Baby #1. That worried me for weeks, but we've now seen the baby on sonogram, and heard him/her with the Doppler, so I'm beginning to relax about not being so sick, and just enjoy the fact!
In other Gnus, Lioness, Lovable and Musical have all finished Bible Quizzing for the year. I'm so proud of the vast amount of Scripture they've memorized--whole chapters, even! I do well to remember John 3:16, lol. Some of the senior quizzers memorize whole books of the Bible. Amazing.
We have been enjoying some *beautiful* days lately! Ah, Spring is coming! I wouldn't be surprised to see another snow before it's all done with, but these 60 degree days have been glorious. The Lambs have gotten to play out without their Himalaya gear, lol.
Well, I need to scoot...I just had a cup of coffee, and I need to get moving before it wears off. Ha ha!
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
Quote of the Day: "Mama, I have winkles!" --Hannah, while investigating the bottom of her foot
Well, it's only been 5 months since a post, but I thought I'd not make you wait any longer. :-)
The Big Gnus around here is that we're expecting another Lamb around the end of August. Honestly, I had thought that baby-having days were over for me, but I guess I was wrong. When you get to be of "advanced maternal age" (which is the doc's fancy term for me--an old mama, haha), you don't take fertility for granted. After losing 3 babies--our dear Charity right after birth, then 2 miscarriages--I had about accepted that our "team" was complete. I am 15 weeks along now, and so far, so good. What a blessing. A curious thing about the pregnancy, too, is that my morning sickness is the mildest it's been since Baby #1. That worried me for weeks, but we've now seen the baby on sonogram, and heard him/her with the Doppler, so I'm beginning to relax about not being so sick, and just enjoy the fact!
In other Gnus, Lioness, Lovable and Musical have all finished Bible Quizzing for the year. I'm so proud of the vast amount of Scripture they've memorized--whole chapters, even! I do well to remember John 3:16, lol. Some of the senior quizzers memorize whole books of the Bible. Amazing.
We have been enjoying some *beautiful* days lately! Ah, Spring is coming! I wouldn't be surprised to see another snow before it's all done with, but these 60 degree days have been glorious. The Lambs have gotten to play out without their Himalaya gear, lol.
Well, I need to scoot...I just had a cup of coffee, and I need to get moving before it wears off. Ha ha!
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
Quote of the Day: "Mama, I have winkles!" --Hannah, while investigating the bottom of her foot
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
Surprise!
Hello, F.O.T.E.'s,
Well, I don't mean to cause anyone to have an infarction, but here's another update on The Flock.
Let's see...to catch you up...Hmmm....well, we have left The South and are getting settled back into The Big City in the Midwest. Oh, ok...it's Kansas City. There, I said it. It's not as if anyone is really expecting me to ever post again anyway, so I could probably list my Social Security number and bank account number here and be perfectly safe. But, I think our hometown is probably enough info. :-)
So, yeah. We're back in KC. We have an awesome church here ( www.hopefamilyfellowship.org ) and just felt like this is "Home." We are planning on buying a house next year, Lord willing. (!!) Home ownership is a somewhat scary concept to me, but I'm anxious to give it a whirl. After 20 years, I'd say it's about time to settle down. (LOL) (by the time we buy a house next year, The Ram and I will have been married 20 years! How time flies...)
We and the Lambies are all excited to be reconnecting with our dear friends here, although we do miss being closer to family. We really don't mind the drive, though, so we expect to visit often.
Lioness' garden actually made the move with us. She had planted veggies and herbs in containers, so it was pretty easy to move them. She had a pretty good year of learning about gardening, and we're expecting even better results next year.
Lovable will be turning 12 in a few weeks! I can hardly believe it. Wow. She is a great helper and does a good job with Lil Miss H, who can be a handful. This is Lovable's first year doing Bible Quiz. She memorizes pretty well and is diligent in studying.
Musical is also Quizzing this year, as a junior quizzer. So far she "LOVES" quizzing! She had such a good time at her first practice last week. I suspect there may be the tiniest bit of competitiveness in her. ;-) That girl has a limitless supply of energy and really keeps me on my toes!
Tater is the sweetest little guy. We were walking into Target yesterday and he grabbed my hand. He gazed up at me and said, "Mommy, I'm not holding your hand because we're in a parking lot, I'm just holding your hand because I love you so much!" He is all boy, too, and is delighted to have just purchased a huge glass "diamond" from Hobby Lobby to go into his "Spy Gear." (He likes to perch the diamond on a pillow and wait for the Bad Guy to try to steal it.)
Lil Miss H is 2 now...will be 3 in a couple months. We joke sometimes that she is like the "Little girl with the curl in the middle of her forehead." She's generally a fun, bubbly sweetie, but when she gets over-tired...Wow. She can shatter glass with her scream. We're staying in an apartment temporarily (until our rental home is ready for us) and I'm sure our neighbors will be glad to have some peace and quiet. lol
I have just had oral surgery to remove a cracked molar. I was very concerned about the anesthesia, as I had a bad reaction in the past. This time, though, it came off without a hitch, and my jaw, though still sore, is healing well.
The Ram, bless him, is again braving the KC traffic to get to work each day. I pray every morning that he will be safe. It really is a jungle out there! I think he's settling back in pretty well, though, and the girls and I will be able to pamper him from the kitchen again soon. (The apartment kitchen is pretty sparse.)
Well, I hear Lil Miss H washing her hands in the bathroom...This will never end until someone comes and informs her that she's washed them long enough, so I must go now. Keep an eye out--you never know when another post from The Ewe might show up!
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
Well, I don't mean to cause anyone to have an infarction, but here's another update on The Flock.
Let's see...to catch you up...Hmmm....well, we have left The South and are getting settled back into The Big City in the Midwest. Oh, ok...it's Kansas City. There, I said it. It's not as if anyone is really expecting me to ever post again anyway, so I could probably list my Social Security number and bank account number here and be perfectly safe. But, I think our hometown is probably enough info. :-)
So, yeah. We're back in KC. We have an awesome church here ( www.hopefamilyfellowship.org ) and just felt like this is "Home." We are planning on buying a house next year, Lord willing. (!!) Home ownership is a somewhat scary concept to me, but I'm anxious to give it a whirl. After 20 years, I'd say it's about time to settle down. (LOL) (by the time we buy a house next year, The Ram and I will have been married 20 years! How time flies...)
We and the Lambies are all excited to be reconnecting with our dear friends here, although we do miss being closer to family. We really don't mind the drive, though, so we expect to visit often.
Lioness' garden actually made the move with us. She had planted veggies and herbs in containers, so it was pretty easy to move them. She had a pretty good year of learning about gardening, and we're expecting even better results next year.
Lovable will be turning 12 in a few weeks! I can hardly believe it. Wow. She is a great helper and does a good job with Lil Miss H, who can be a handful. This is Lovable's first year doing Bible Quiz. She memorizes pretty well and is diligent in studying.
Musical is also Quizzing this year, as a junior quizzer. So far she "LOVES" quizzing! She had such a good time at her first practice last week. I suspect there may be the tiniest bit of competitiveness in her. ;-) That girl has a limitless supply of energy and really keeps me on my toes!
Tater is the sweetest little guy. We were walking into Target yesterday and he grabbed my hand. He gazed up at me and said, "Mommy, I'm not holding your hand because we're in a parking lot, I'm just holding your hand because I love you so much!"
Lil Miss H is 2 now...will be 3 in a couple months. We joke sometimes that she is like the "Little girl with the curl in the middle of her forehead." She's generally a fun, bubbly sweetie, but when she gets over-tired...Wow. She can shatter glass with her scream. We're staying in an apartment temporarily (until our rental home is ready for us) and I'm sure our neighbors will be glad to have some peace and quiet. lol
I have just had oral surgery to remove a cracked molar. I was very concerned about the anesthesia, as I had a bad reaction in the past. This time, though, it came off without a hitch, and my jaw, though still sore, is healing well.
The Ram, bless him, is again braving the KC traffic to get to work each day. I pray every morning that he will be safe. It really is a jungle out there! I think he's settling back in pretty well, though, and the girls and I will be able to pamper him from the kitchen again soon. (The apartment kitchen is pretty sparse.)
Well, I hear Lil Miss H washing her hands in the bathroom...This will never end until someone comes and informs her that she's washed them long enough, so I must go now. Keep an eye out--you never know when another post from The Ewe might show up!
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Skoolie News
Hello, Friends of the Ewe,
Well, we've had a lot of rain here...and the occasional tornado warning. Those warnings send us into the "Tornado Closet," which used to be The Ram's and my clothes closet. Our clothes are still in there, but the room also houses bottled water, extra diapers, canned soup, etc. We tidy in there every time we have a warning.
Some of you may have read of our new venture: the r.b. (recreational bus). Indeed, the Man Trip to retrieve it ended May 3rd. It was supposed to end May 2nd, but, well...you know how that goes. On the 2nd, the Lambs and I drove up to IL to meet the conquering heroes, GrandRam, Ram and Tater Tot. The girls wanted to ride with The Men in Moby (r.b.) from IL down here to AL, as kind of a "get to know you" cruise, lol.
Anyway, we stopped to fuel near Ft. Campbell, KY--our old stomping grounds. When The Ram cranked up the bus after the refuel, it ran a few minutes, then sputtered out. Nothing the men did would coax that bus to start up again. We prayed. Fiddled around. Tinkered. Prayed. Called a few folks. Nothing.
So, The Ram suggested the only sensible option for 2 a.m. Go to sleep. Those of us who were still awake at that time prowled around and found spots to claim, then curled up like puppies for a few hours' shut eye. The truckstop's sign provided a night light for us. The Ram and GrandRam each made trips into the store to buy blankets, as the temp was pretty cool that night. Somehow, everyone else found things to cover up with.
Early the next morning, everyone began to rouse and stumble into the truckstop to go to the bathroom. Then, we got biscuits from the Wendy's there and had a nice breakfast. Oh, and the coffee was pretty yummy. We grown ups appreciated the warmth it brought after the chilly night.
The Ram asked a cashier for a recommendation for a mechanic. He called him and the mechanic arrived a bit later. After trying a couple different parts, they found the troublemaker. Soon, Moby was up and running again.
So, our first overnight in the r.b. was *not* planned, but fun anyway. In our experience, camping always brings the unexpected. This time, the camping *was* the unexpected, lol!
We had initally decided to take Moby waaaay down South for Memorial Day weekend, but changed our minds after The Ram drove it into town last week to try to get it licensed. It was 85 degrees outside, and who knows how hot inside. With my hyperthyroidism, that's just plain too hot. So, we'll get the air conditioning situation worked out, then replan the Maiden Voyage. We are planning to spend an overnight this weekend at a park nearby. (The Lambs were terribly disappointed to not take Moby on Memorial Day.)
We feel very blessed to have been given this opportunity to watch the Lord work as we travel in the bus. We're anticipating a lot of memories being made in the Big, Blue Bus.
Must run for now. I'll tell you about The Man Trip next time.
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
Quote of the Day: "It's always fun until someone does it to Mom." --The Ewe
Well, we've had a lot of rain here...and the occasional tornado warning. Those warnings send us into the "Tornado Closet," which used to be The Ram's and my clothes closet. Our clothes are still in there, but the room also houses bottled water, extra diapers, canned soup, etc. We tidy in there every time we have a warning.
Some of you may have read of our new venture: the r.b. (recreational bus). Indeed, the Man Trip to retrieve it ended May 3rd. It was supposed to end May 2nd, but, well...you know how that goes. On the 2nd, the Lambs and I drove up to IL to meet the conquering heroes, GrandRam, Ram and Tater Tot. The girls wanted to ride with The Men in Moby (r.b.) from IL down here to AL, as kind of a "get to know you" cruise, lol.
Anyway, we stopped to fuel near Ft. Campbell, KY--our old stomping grounds. When The Ram cranked up the bus after the refuel, it ran a few minutes, then sputtered out. Nothing the men did would coax that bus to start up again. We prayed. Fiddled around. Tinkered. Prayed. Called a few folks. Nothing.
So, The Ram suggested the only sensible option for 2 a.m. Go to sleep. Those of us who were still awake at that time prowled around and found spots to claim, then curled up like puppies for a few hours' shut eye. The truckstop's sign provided a night light for us. The Ram and GrandRam each made trips into the store to buy blankets, as the temp was pretty cool that night. Somehow, everyone else found things to cover up with.
Early the next morning, everyone began to rouse and stumble into the truckstop to go to the bathroom. Then, we got biscuits from the Wendy's there and had a nice breakfast. Oh, and the coffee was pretty yummy. We grown ups appreciated the warmth it brought after the chilly night.
The Ram asked a cashier for a recommendation for a mechanic. He called him and the mechanic arrived a bit later. After trying a couple different parts, they found the troublemaker. Soon, Moby was up and running again.
So, our first overnight in the r.b. was *not* planned, but fun anyway. In our experience, camping always brings the unexpected. This time, the camping *was* the unexpected, lol!
We had initally decided to take Moby waaaay down South for Memorial Day weekend, but changed our minds after The Ram drove it into town last week to try to get it licensed. It was 85 degrees outside, and who knows how hot inside. With my hyperthyroidism, that's just plain too hot. So, we'll get the air conditioning situation worked out, then replan the Maiden Voyage. We are planning to spend an overnight this weekend at a park nearby. (The Lambs were terribly disappointed to not take Moby on Memorial Day.)
We feel very blessed to have been given this opportunity to watch the Lord work as we travel in the bus. We're anticipating a lot of memories being made in the Big, Blue Bus.
Must run for now. I'll tell you about The Man Trip next time.
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
Quote of the Day: "It's always fun until someone does it to Mom." --The Ewe
Saturday, April 18, 2009
School Bus
Hello, F.O.T.E.'s,
Hope this finds you well. The weather here in AL can't decide whether to be Spring or Winter. Today, it's Spring. And beautiful.
You know, when the weather turns warmer, a lot of folks begin to think about traveling. I guess our Flock is no different. Last week, I clicked over to one of my favorite blogs. I was surprised to find out that family was selling their school bus, which they had converted to an r.v.
Now, we had read their blog a couple years ago, and noted the progress on their bus. It caused us to keep our eyes peeled for any school bus *we* could buy and convert. We had planned on buying a 5th wheel a few years back, but just couldn't bear the thought of plunking down 10,000 hard earned dollars on something we would only get to use periodically. So, we held on to our money and decided the school bus idea would be better for us--cheaper (by far) and bigger, to hold our plus sized family. The only school-bus-turned-recreational vehicle problem was that I *knew* we did not have the time needed to complete such an enormous project. I feared that we would buy a bus and--months...years? later, still have a school bus sitting in the driveway, raising the ire of the neighbors.
Enter http://jeubfamily.com/bus/ . Behold! The very bus that began our "skoolie" (kitschy name for buses converted to r.v.'s) quest was for sale! At a bargain price. Ah, the perfect solution!
So...we bought it. The Ram and GrandRam and TaterTot will leave in a couple weeks to pick up the bus. They'll drive it home on (what we're referring to as) the Man Trip. Tater can hardly wait to be on the open road, in the skoolie, eating vienna sausages, Spam, squirt cheese and hard boiled eggs. LOL Probably need some root beer, too.
I can't help but feel that we have just embarked on another adventure. I'll keep you updated.
Must run...I've got about a dozen bags of Amish Friendship Bread starter that are demanding my attention. Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
Hope this finds you well. The weather here in AL can't decide whether to be Spring or Winter. Today, it's Spring. And beautiful.
You know, when the weather turns warmer, a lot of folks begin to think about traveling. I guess our Flock is no different. Last week, I clicked over to one of my favorite blogs. I was surprised to find out that family was selling their school bus, which they had converted to an r.v.
Now, we had read their blog a couple years ago, and noted the progress on their bus. It caused us to keep our eyes peeled for any school bus *we* could buy and convert. We had planned on buying a 5th wheel a few years back, but just couldn't bear the thought of plunking down 10,000 hard earned dollars on something we would only get to use periodically. So, we held on to our money and decided the school bus idea would be better for us--cheaper (by far) and bigger, to hold our plus sized family. The only school-bus-turned-recreational vehicle problem was that I *knew* we did not have the time needed to complete such an enormous project. I feared that we would buy a bus and--months...years? later, still have a school bus sitting in the driveway, raising the ire of the neighbors.
Enter http://jeubfamily.com/bus/ . Behold! The very bus that began our "skoolie" (kitschy name for buses converted to r.v.'s) quest was for sale! At a bargain price. Ah, the perfect solution!
So...we bought it. The Ram and GrandRam and TaterTot will leave in a couple weeks to pick up the bus. They'll drive it home on (what we're referring to as) the Man Trip. Tater can hardly wait to be on the open road, in the skoolie, eating vienna sausages, Spam, squirt cheese and hard boiled eggs. LOL Probably need some root beer, too.
I can't help but feel that we have just embarked on another adventure. I'll keep you updated.
Must run...I've got about a dozen bags of Amish Friendship Bread starter that are demanding my attention. Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
A Sad Day
Hello, F.O.T.E.'s,
The Ewe is a bit down today. I learned late yesterday afternoon of the death of a dear lady, Jane B. I only knew her a short time, while in a writing class, but she really touched my life. She was battling cancer even then--a year ago--when I met her. She was such a good writer and I was amazed at the amount of research she had done. She and her husband were raising their grandson.
After we left The Big City and came here, Down South, I kept up with Jane via her blog. She had beautiful pictures of her garden posted there; her wisteria was gorgeous. Along with her lovely flowers, though, she posted snippets of her life with cancer. I will admit that I never believed she'd die soon. She seemed so full of ideas and plans for the future--not the least of which was caring for her grandson. I know she agonized at the idea of her boy growing up without her. I guess I thought that since she wanted to live so much, well, surely she would. As if we get to choose that.
Well, last week she went to be with Jesus. I am comforted at the fact that she is no longer in pain...no longer sick from chemo, no longer worried about the future. Still, I feel that we humans have lost a real gem.
I'm still reading through her blog today--so glad it hasn't been removed. I'm reading it with more fervor now, knowing I need to glean from it as much as I can.
I read a post of hers where she was talking about needing to get some family recipes written down, as they were pivotal to her family's Christmas celebration. I hope she got that done.
Reminds me to put a little fire under myself to do the same--not that I plan on going anywhere for a long time! But, time marches on.
If you're familiar with "FlyLady," you know that Wednesday is "Anti-Procrastination Day." I'm thinking maybe every day should be Anti-Procrastination Day. Who knows how many Wednesdays we have left?
Sigh...Ok...I hope I haven't bummed you out. I am feeling pretty bummed out today, but also so blessed to have met Jane.
I need to get busy.
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
The Ewe is a bit down today. I learned late yesterday afternoon of the death of a dear lady, Jane B. I only knew her a short time, while in a writing class, but she really touched my life. She was battling cancer even then--a year ago--when I met her. She was such a good writer and I was amazed at the amount of research she had done. She and her husband were raising their grandson.
After we left The Big City and came here, Down South, I kept up with Jane via her blog. She had beautiful pictures of her garden posted there; her wisteria was gorgeous. Along with her lovely flowers, though, she posted snippets of her life with cancer. I will admit that I never believed she'd die soon. She seemed so full of ideas and plans for the future--not the least of which was caring for her grandson. I know she agonized at the idea of her boy growing up without her. I guess I thought that since she wanted to live so much, well, surely she would. As if we get to choose that.
Well, last week she went to be with Jesus. I am comforted at the fact that she is no longer in pain...no longer sick from chemo, no longer worried about the future. Still, I feel that we humans have lost a real gem.
I'm still reading through her blog today--so glad it hasn't been removed. I'm reading it with more fervor now, knowing I need to glean from it as much as I can.
I read a post of hers where she was talking about needing to get some family recipes written down, as they were pivotal to her family's Christmas celebration. I hope she got that done.
Reminds me to put a little fire under myself to do the same--not that I plan on going anywhere for a long time! But, time marches on.
If you're familiar with "FlyLady," you know that Wednesday is "Anti-Procrastination Day." I'm thinking maybe every day should be Anti-Procrastination Day. Who knows how many Wednesdays we have left?
Sigh...Ok...I hope I haven't bummed you out. I am feeling pretty bummed out today, but also so blessed to have met Jane.
I need to get busy.
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
Monday, March 30, 2009
Surprise!
Hello, F.O.T.E.'s,
I bet you thought I'd never blog again, didn't you? Well, you just never can tell, can you? LOL
I want to tell you about a story my mother used to tell. It is true--or at least, based on a true story.
Evidently, one of Mama's brothers had been caught smoking cigarettes. I believe he was in about junior high, at the time. Papa (that is, my Grandfather) had told the offender that if he caught him smoking again, he would "set his rear end on fire." (Now, though I was certainly an exemplary child, I have, indeed, heard that phrase and know that it means that a spanking or switching is about to be handed out.)
As you can guess, Papa discovered his son out behind the barn one day--smoking a cigarette. Being true to his word, Papa administered a couple switches to the dungareed behind of my uncle, not knowing that Uncle had stashed his matches in that very pocket. Both men were astonished when Uncle's rear end started smoking! Evidently, the friction from the correction met up with a match head and, well...Papa really *did* set Uncle's rear end on fire!
From my understanding, the spanking ended there and the two set about extinguishing that back pocket.
I also understand that Uncle never did smoke again. In either way.
Well, The Ewe must run. I'm AWOL from the kitchen, with dinner time rapidly approaching. I'll surprise you again, sometime. :-)
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
I bet you thought I'd never blog again, didn't you? Well, you just never can tell, can you? LOL
I want to tell you about a story my mother used to tell. It is true--or at least, based on a true story.
Evidently, one of Mama's brothers had been caught smoking cigarettes. I believe he was in about junior high, at the time. Papa (that is, my Grandfather) had told the offender that if he caught him smoking again, he would "set his rear end on fire." (Now, though I was certainly an exemplary child, I have, indeed, heard that phrase and know that it means that a spanking or switching is about to be handed out.)
As you can guess, Papa discovered his son out behind the barn one day--smoking a cigarette. Being true to his word, Papa administered a couple switches to the dungareed behind of my uncle, not knowing that Uncle had stashed his matches in that very pocket. Both men were astonished when Uncle's rear end started smoking! Evidently, the friction from the correction met up with a match head and, well...Papa really *did* set Uncle's rear end on fire!
From my understanding, the spanking ended there and the two set about extinguishing that back pocket.
I also understand that Uncle never did smoke again. In either way.
Well, The Ewe must run. I'm AWOL from the kitchen, with dinner time rapidly approaching. I'll surprise you again, sometime. :-)
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Next Time vs. If Only...
Hello, F.O.T.E.'s,
I hope the HOLY Days are finding you counting your blessings and looking to the Gift our Heavenly Father sent so many years ago!
Our Kansas City pastor blogged the following last month. It was so encouraging and convicting to me, I wanted to share it; so I asked Pastor Jeff if I could re-post it here. He graciously agreed, so....
"Pastor’s Blog – November 25, 2008
Rev. Dr. John Claypool, in a sermon entitled, “Next Time,” relays a story about a man going to an old counselor that is very insightful.
“Think about it,” said the old counselor. “If only points to that segment of human experience that cannot be altered. Whatever else you may say about the past, it is frozen. You may feel very deeply about it, but you do not have the power to go back and undo it or redo it. Therefore, energy spent lamenting the past is energy that is largely wasted. Next time, however, points to that sector of experience that is still open, still fluid. It is out there yet to be shaped. If we can apply the lessons that we have learned from the past, to the service of the future, then what is to be can become genuinely different. There is a tremendous difference between processing your memories with an if only kind of lament and handling them with a next time kind of hopefulness.”
Many of us have met bitter people. Perhaps we even struggle a bit with some on our own. All of the reasons for the anger, bitterness, hurt and wounds are most likely justified in some fashion or another. Since time travel is only for books and movies, we can not change the bad things that have happened to us. Nor can we relive the good times that have transpired. What we can do is learn from them. As the wise counselor stated, “If only” is a waste of time and energy. “Next time” certainly is wiser and more productive.
Another couple of sentences from this sermon deserve our reading – “God is more interested in your future than your past. He is more concerned for what you can yet become that what you used to be.”
God takes us as we are and changes us gradually into what He desires. The process is total and complete. This transformation takes a lifetime and will be finished when we step into eternity, but the goal is nice to know! Part of the process of changing us is to help us learn from our past failures, sins, and sufferings, so we can avoid them in the future. And, we are to help others who have suffered as we did to receive the comfort we have been given. The past has a purpose – to train us for the future. May we not be bound by what we have experienced, but may we become wiser because of it.
Pastor Jeff "
Hope this spoke to you, as it did to me.
Gotta run...another nose to wipe...
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
I hope the HOLY Days are finding you counting your blessings and looking to the Gift our Heavenly Father sent so many years ago!
Our Kansas City pastor blogged the following last month. It was so encouraging and convicting to me, I wanted to share it; so I asked Pastor Jeff if I could re-post it here. He graciously agreed, so....
"Pastor’s Blog – November 25, 2008
Rev. Dr. John Claypool, in a sermon entitled, “Next Time,” relays a story about a man going to an old counselor that is very insightful.
“Think about it,” said the old counselor. “If only points to that segment of human experience that cannot be altered. Whatever else you may say about the past, it is frozen. You may feel very deeply about it, but you do not have the power to go back and undo it or redo it. Therefore, energy spent lamenting the past is energy that is largely wasted. Next time, however, points to that sector of experience that is still open, still fluid. It is out there yet to be shaped. If we can apply the lessons that we have learned from the past, to the service of the future, then what is to be can become genuinely different. There is a tremendous difference between processing your memories with an if only kind of lament and handling them with a next time kind of hopefulness.”
Many of us have met bitter people. Perhaps we even struggle a bit with some on our own. All of the reasons for the anger, bitterness, hurt and wounds are most likely justified in some fashion or another. Since time travel is only for books and movies, we can not change the bad things that have happened to us. Nor can we relive the good times that have transpired. What we can do is learn from them. As the wise counselor stated, “If only” is a waste of time and energy. “Next time” certainly is wiser and more productive.
Another couple of sentences from this sermon deserve our reading – “God is more interested in your future than your past. He is more concerned for what you can yet become that what you used to be.”
God takes us as we are and changes us gradually into what He desires. The process is total and complete. This transformation takes a lifetime and will be finished when we step into eternity, but the goal is nice to know! Part of the process of changing us is to help us learn from our past failures, sins, and sufferings, so we can avoid them in the future. And, we are to help others who have suffered as we did to receive the comfort we have been given. The past has a purpose – to train us for the future. May we not be bound by what we have experienced, but may we become wiser because of it.
Pastor Jeff "
Hope this spoke to you, as it did to me.
Gotta run...another nose to wipe...
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Voter Freebie Rant
Hello, F.O.T.E.'s,
I'm sitting here, waiting on election results. I was reading more about how Starbucks, Ben&Jerry's, Krispy Kreme, etc. were told that giving freebies away to folks who voted was illegal.
Umm...how is that "vote buying?" Starbucks wasn't anywhere on my ballot. They were not saying, "If you vote for (fill in the blank), we'll give you free coffee!!"
I'm thinking all that moisture up there in Oregon has mildewed the Secretary of State's brain.
Hmmm...
T.E.
I'm sitting here, waiting on election results. I was reading more about how Starbucks, Ben&Jerry's, Krispy Kreme, etc. were told that giving freebies away to folks who voted was illegal.
Umm...how is that "vote buying?" Starbucks wasn't anywhere on my ballot. They were not saying, "If you vote for (fill in the blank), we'll give you free coffee!!"
I'm thinking all that moisture up there in Oregon has mildewed the Secretary of State's brain.
Hmmm...
T.E.
I Voted!
Hello, F.O.T.E.'s,
Well, it's a gorgeous day here in North Alabama. The leaves are finally beginning to change, and they're beautiful. The temps at night are between 45-35 and during the day it's been between 75-82. (a little too warm for my liking, but, anyway...)
The Ram went to vote this morning on his way to work. The polls open here at 7 a.m. (I'm used to 6a-6p) He got there around 6:45 and found about 100 other people waiting for the poll to open. He got to wait for a while.
I got to the polling place about 10:30. There were maybe 50 people, total, but I was in and out in 5 minutes. That's because of the set up here. You actually *mark with a pen* on a *paper ballot.* I have voted in every election since I was 18 years old, and this is the first time I had to actually mark on a ballot with a pen. I felt pretty stupid. LOL I had to ask questions of the poll workers--I am accustomed to using a computer to vote. Also, I was a little shocked--you didn't enter a booth to vote. I stood along a counter with a couple dozen other people; all of us marking our choices out in the open. Now, I'm not ashamed of my votes, but it did feel a bit naked to be doing it out in front of everyone. I couldn't help but imagine how much courage it must have taken decades ago for the African-Americans down here to show up at the polling place.
Anyway, I voted. I feel blessed to have been here for this historic election. If you haven't voted yet, ya' better get on your horse!
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
Quote of the Day: "Tater put candy in Miss H's ear!!!" --Musical
Well, it's a gorgeous day here in North Alabama. The leaves are finally beginning to change, and they're beautiful. The temps at night are between 45-35 and during the day it's been between 75-82. (a little too warm for my liking, but, anyway...)
The Ram went to vote this morning on his way to work. The polls open here at 7 a.m. (I'm used to 6a-6p) He got there around 6:45 and found about 100 other people waiting for the poll to open. He got to wait for a while.
I got to the polling place about 10:30. There were maybe 50 people, total, but I was in and out in 5 minutes. That's because of the set up here. You actually *mark with a pen* on a *paper ballot.* I have voted in every election since I was 18 years old, and this is the first time I had to actually mark on a ballot with a pen. I felt pretty stupid. LOL I had to ask questions of the poll workers--I am accustomed to using a computer to vote. Also, I was a little shocked--you didn't enter a booth to vote. I stood along a counter with a couple dozen other people; all of us marking our choices out in the open. Now, I'm not ashamed of my votes, but it did feel a bit naked to be doing it out in front of everyone. I couldn't help but imagine how much courage it must have taken decades ago for the African-Americans down here to show up at the polling place.
Anyway, I voted. I feel blessed to have been here for this historic election. If you haven't voted yet, ya' better get on your horse!
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
Quote of the Day: "Tater put candy in Miss H's ear!!!" --Musical
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Blast from the Past
Hello, F.O.T.E.'s,
For some reason, this time of year always makes me reminisce. There's nothing exciting going on here right now, so I thought I'd do a "best of" post for you. Some new folks have probably never heard the following story...
"Thursday, October 14, 2004
G.O.M. and The Nice Tan Van
There once was a Nice Tan Van. It belonged to a Nice Family with four Lovely Children, who would never have spilled soda or water or juice in the floor and certainly never have drawn a picture of a little girl on the back of the seat in front of them. The Lovely Children never complained about sitting in the very back and they definitely would never argue with the others while riding in the Nice Tan Van. The four children were dearly, dearly loved. One day, the Nice Tan Van caught a bug. It coughed and sputtered, but never quit running, such a loyal van it was. The Nice Family took the van to a mechanic. Several days later, the mechanic called the Daddy to pick up the van. When Daddy drove the van, it still coughed and sputtered. Mommy made a mad face. This had happened many times. Daddy tried to take the Nice Van to another mechanic, but the mechanic never showed up at his garage. What happened to that nice mechanic? Finally, Daddy asked a Friendly Man at work to recommend a mechanic. The Friendly Man told Daddy where to take the Nice Van, but he told Daddy that the mechanic didn't have a phone. He also told Daddy that the mechanic only worked Monday through Wednesday. And only between the hours of 6:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Daddy tried and tried to take the Nice Van to the mechanic, but he kept missing him. Each time Daddy would drive to the garage, the man wasn't there. Finally, Daddy went to the garage and the mechanic was there. Daddy noticed that the garage was very, very clean--no oil stains anywhere. He also noticed that there were no other automobiles at the garage. (Mommy had noticed before then that the garage was in a rather deserted, dark, rough-looking part of town, but Mommy didn't say anything--she didn't want to be negative.) When Daddy went into the Very Tidy Garage, he found a very old mechanic. The mechanic seemed annoyed that Daddy had brought him a van to look at. Daddy noticed that the Grumpy Old Mechanic had very clean fingernails. Daddy felt a bit nervous. G.O.M. told Daddy that he went home at 3:30 each day. He told Daddy that he'd have the nice tan van ready at 3:00. When Daddy said, "Goodbye!" the G.O.M. just said, "Hmph." Daddy said the mechanic didn't seem very happy. When Daddy returned to the garage that afternoon, the G.O.M. told him that the nice tan van wasn't ready. He told Daddy to come back the next day. So, the next day, at 3:25 p.m., Daddy went back to the Very Tidy Garage. The G.O.M. was not there!! The doors were locked, and the Nice Tan Van was locked behind a chainlink, barbed wire fence. Daddy made a mad face. The next day, Daddy went back to the Very Tidy Garage. The G.O.M. was there. Daddy paid him for fixing the Nice Tan Van and told him, "Goodbye!" The Grumpy Old Mechanic just said, "Hmph." Daddy took the Nice Tan Van back to Mommy and when she drove it, she smiled. The Nice Tan Van no longer coughed or sputtered! Hurray! It was fixed. Mommy and Daddy decided that they would use the Grumpy Old Mechanic again. The Moral of the Story: In the Land of Poor Service, the Grumpy Old Mechanic is King.
Posted by Mama Lamba at 10/14/2004 04:49:00 PM"
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
For some reason, this time of year always makes me reminisce. There's nothing exciting going on here right now, so I thought I'd do a "best of" post for you. Some new folks have probably never heard the following story...
"Thursday, October 14, 2004
G.O.M. and The Nice Tan Van
There once was a Nice Tan Van. It belonged to a Nice Family with four Lovely Children, who would never have spilled soda or water or juice in the floor and certainly never have drawn a picture of a little girl on the back of the seat in front of them. The Lovely Children never complained about sitting in the very back and they definitely would never argue with the others while riding in the Nice Tan Van. The four children were dearly, dearly loved. One day, the Nice Tan Van caught a bug. It coughed and sputtered, but never quit running, such a loyal van it was. The Nice Family took the van to a mechanic. Several days later, the mechanic called the Daddy to pick up the van. When Daddy drove the van, it still coughed and sputtered. Mommy made a mad face. This had happened many times. Daddy tried to take the Nice Van to another mechanic, but the mechanic never showed up at his garage. What happened to that nice mechanic? Finally, Daddy asked a Friendly Man at work to recommend a mechanic. The Friendly Man told Daddy where to take the Nice Van, but he told Daddy that the mechanic didn't have a phone. He also told Daddy that the mechanic only worked Monday through Wednesday. And only between the hours of 6:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Daddy tried and tried to take the Nice Van to the mechanic, but he kept missing him. Each time Daddy would drive to the garage, the man wasn't there. Finally, Daddy went to the garage and the mechanic was there. Daddy noticed that the garage was very, very clean--no oil stains anywhere. He also noticed that there were no other automobiles at the garage. (Mommy had noticed before then that the garage was in a rather deserted, dark, rough-looking part of town, but Mommy didn't say anything--she didn't want to be negative.) When Daddy went into the Very Tidy Garage, he found a very old mechanic. The mechanic seemed annoyed that Daddy had brought him a van to look at. Daddy noticed that the Grumpy Old Mechanic had very clean fingernails. Daddy felt a bit nervous. G.O.M. told Daddy that he went home at 3:30 each day. He told Daddy that he'd have the nice tan van ready at 3:00. When Daddy said, "Goodbye!" the G.O.M. just said, "Hmph." Daddy said the mechanic didn't seem very happy. When Daddy returned to the garage that afternoon, the G.O.M. told him that the nice tan van wasn't ready. He told Daddy to come back the next day. So, the next day, at 3:25 p.m., Daddy went back to the Very Tidy Garage. The G.O.M. was not there!! The doors were locked, and the Nice Tan Van was locked behind a chainlink, barbed wire fence. Daddy made a mad face. The next day, Daddy went back to the Very Tidy Garage. The G.O.M. was there. Daddy paid him for fixing the Nice Tan Van and told him, "Goodbye!" The Grumpy Old Mechanic just said, "Hmph." Daddy took the Nice Tan Van back to Mommy and when she drove it, she smiled. The Nice Tan Van no longer coughed or sputtered! Hurray! It was fixed. Mommy and Daddy decided that they would use the Grumpy Old Mechanic again. The Moral of the Story: In the Land of Poor Service, the Grumpy Old Mechanic is King.
Posted by Mama Lamba at 10/14/2004 04:49:00 PM"
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Happy Fall, Y'all!
Hello, F.O.T.E.'s!
I'm out of hibernation now, so I'm enjoying the outdoors again. (deep inhale)
I've seen several doctors, and no one can seem to figure out my thyroid issues that make me overheat so easily. That makes summers pretty miserable for me. But, anyway, we made it through another one. :-)
My little one just got up, so I need to go, but before I do I want to share the following (well- known) poem with you.
"When the Frost is on the Punkin"
WHEN the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock,
And you hear the kyouck and gobble of the struttin' turkey-cock,
And the clackin' of the guineys, and the cluckin' of the hens,
And the rooster's hallylooyer as he tiptoes on the fence;
O, it's then the time a feller is a-feelin' at his best,
With the risin' sun to greet him from a night of peaceful rest,
As he leaves the house, bareheaded, and goes out to feed the stock,
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.
They's something kindo' harty-like about the atmusfere
When the heat of summer's over and the coolin' fall is here
—Of course we miss the flowers, and the blossoms on the trees,
And the mumble of the hummin'-birds and buzzin' of the bees;
But the air's so appetizin'; and the landscape through the haze
Of a crisp and sunny morning of the airly autumn days
Is a pictur' that no painter has the colorin' to mock—
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.
The husky, rusty russel of the tossels of the corn,
And the raspin' of the tangled leaves as golden as the morn;
The stubble in the furries—kindo' lonesome-like, but still
A-preachin' sermuns to us of the barns they growed to fill;
The strawstack in the medder, and the reaper in the shed;
The hosses in theyr stalls below—the clover overhead!—
O, it sets my hart a-clickin' like the tickin' of a clock,
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.
Then your apples all is gethered, and the ones a feller keeps
Is poured around the cellar-floor in red and yaller heaps;
And your cider-makin's over, and your wimmern-folks is through
With theyr mince and apple-butter, and theyr souse and sausage too!...
I don't know how to tell it—but ef such a thing could be
As the angels wantin' boardin', and they'd call around on me—
I'd want to 'commodate 'em—all the whole-indurin' flock—
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.
---James Whitcomb Riley (1853–1916)
Gotta run,
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
I'm out of hibernation now, so I'm enjoying the outdoors again. (deep inhale)
I've seen several doctors, and no one can seem to figure out my thyroid issues that make me overheat so easily. That makes summers pretty miserable for me. But, anyway, we made it through another one. :-)
My little one just got up, so I need to go, but before I do I want to share the following (well- known) poem with you.
"When the Frost is on the Punkin"
WHEN the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock,
And you hear the kyouck and gobble of the struttin' turkey-cock,
And the clackin' of the guineys, and the cluckin' of the hens,
And the rooster's hallylooyer as he tiptoes on the fence;
O, it's then the time a feller is a-feelin' at his best,
With the risin' sun to greet him from a night of peaceful rest,
As he leaves the house, bareheaded, and goes out to feed the stock,
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.
They's something kindo' harty-like about the atmusfere
When the heat of summer's over and the coolin' fall is here
—Of course we miss the flowers, and the blossoms on the trees,
And the mumble of the hummin'-birds and buzzin' of the bees;
But the air's so appetizin'; and the landscape through the haze
Of a crisp and sunny morning of the airly autumn days
Is a pictur' that no painter has the colorin' to mock—
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.
The husky, rusty russel of the tossels of the corn,
And the raspin' of the tangled leaves as golden as the morn;
The stubble in the furries—kindo' lonesome-like, but still
A-preachin' sermuns to us of the barns they growed to fill;
The strawstack in the medder, and the reaper in the shed;
The hosses in theyr stalls below—the clover overhead!—
O, it sets my hart a-clickin' like the tickin' of a clock,
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.
Then your apples all is gethered, and the ones a feller keeps
Is poured around the cellar-floor in red and yaller heaps;
And your cider-makin's over, and your wimmern-folks is through
With theyr mince and apple-butter, and theyr souse and sausage too!...
I don't know how to tell it—but ef such a thing could be
As the angels wantin' boardin', and they'd call around on me—
I'd want to 'commodate 'em—all the whole-indurin' flock—
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.
---James Whitcomb Riley (1853–1916)
Gotta run,
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
Monday, September 29, 2008
The Last Load: "Re-use"
Howdy, F.O.T.E.'s,
Aren't you shocked! I actually finished a three-part series! (I'm plumb worn out.)
Today, I'll finish up with "Re-use." (I know, I know...it's supposed to be "reduce, re-use, recyle" but I got things out of order. You'll have to forgive me.)
So, let's get started...
Now, I *could* start out by saying something like, "a child can *reuse* his clothes for more than a day" but I know that would offend some...so I won't say it. Another thing I won't mention is the "sniff test." Disgusting. ;-) I'll say something like...
"Re-use...Your Outfits"
Look for ways to preserve an outfit, so that it could be worn again. I think Sunday clothes are especially good to re-use. Often, we get dressed and go to church...a couple hours later, we come home and change clothes. So, what to do with what you wore to church? Well, hopefully, everyone was bathed before church (or Sat. night)--I know that's not fail-proof, but *generally*. If that's the case, I think many times Sunday's outfit can be hung back up for another Sunday.
Years ago, The Ram's grandma gave all us girls aprons. I think aprons are a great tool in "Re-using." We can get dressed, put on an apron to preserve the outfit, then go about our Sunday morning duties. If we are eating breakfast at home, I like the girls to wear aprons to keep from getting dirty. Another option is eating before you dress, of course. For Tater, we'll pop one of Daddy's t-shirts over his clothes.
In re-using outfits, don't forget to spot clean any stains/spills. Sometimes, you can get a spot off and wear the garment again. Another tip: get some over-the-door hooks to hang "used, but could be used again" clothing.
Next up:
"Re-use...Household Linens"
Ok, now that sounds *gross!* What I mean is to allow certain items to be used for more than one task. One thing I do is to use washcloths as dishcloths. I know that sounds awful, but let me explain. Around here, I use white washcloths for both dishes and faces. (We have those puff thingies to wash our bodies. ) I generally try to keep the dish cloths and face cloths separate, but if they get mixed up, I'll run all of them in the machine with hot water and bleach (and, of course, detergent) and wash a good long time...then dry on high until thoroughly dry. I don't wash washcloths with bath towels. I know the cloths could get called into service for dishes and I don't like the idea of washing my dish cloths with bath towels.
For us, that works ok. If it offends your sensibilities, by all means--skip that tip!
Another thing we do is to wipe up floor spills with used bath towels. Those seem to absorb better than my mop, and they are so easy to clean afterward. Just toss them in the wash. (I wash my towels in hot water.)
Slightly used bath towels might also get carried to the pool with us when we go swimming. I don't think we must have a never-used towel just to wipe off after a swim. After soaking up pool water, the towels must be washed to get the chlorine out. I also run the swimsuits through a short cycle to rinse them. The chlorine just wears our suits out. Oh, yeah--don't dry bathing suits in the dryer. The heat isn't good for the lycra and other things they use in bathing suits. I have a wooden rack I pull out to drip dry the suits after their rinse.
Well, I'm sure there is more I could say about "Reduce, Recycle and Re-use" as it pertains to the laundry, but I've got folks needing their Mama-Ewe. Alipurr, I'll get back to you about your questions as soon as time allows.
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
Quote of the Day: "More clothes is the enemy of clean clothes." --The Ewe
Aren't you shocked! I actually finished a three-part series! (I'm plumb worn out.)
Today, I'll finish up with "Re-use." (I know, I know...it's supposed to be "reduce, re-use, recyle" but I got things out of order. You'll have to forgive me.)
So, let's get started...
Now, I *could* start out by saying something like, "a child can *reuse* his clothes for more than a day" but I know that would offend some...so I won't say it. Another thing I won't mention is the "sniff test." Disgusting. ;-) I'll say something like...
"Re-use...Your Outfits"
Look for ways to preserve an outfit, so that it could be worn again. I think Sunday clothes are especially good to re-use. Often, we get dressed and go to church...a couple hours later, we come home and change clothes. So, what to do with what you wore to church? Well, hopefully, everyone was bathed before church (or Sat. night)--I know that's not fail-proof, but *generally*. If that's the case, I think many times Sunday's outfit can be hung back up for another Sunday.
Years ago, The Ram's grandma gave all us girls aprons. I think aprons are a great tool in "Re-using." We can get dressed, put on an apron to preserve the outfit, then go about our Sunday morning duties. If we are eating breakfast at home, I like the girls to wear aprons to keep from getting dirty. Another option is eating before you dress, of course. For Tater, we'll pop one of Daddy's t-shirts over his clothes.
In re-using outfits, don't forget to spot clean any stains/spills. Sometimes, you can get a spot off and wear the garment again. Another tip: get some over-the-door hooks to hang "used, but could be used again" clothing.
Next up:
"Re-use...Household Linens"
Ok, now that sounds *gross!* What I mean is to allow certain items to be used for more than one task. One thing I do is to use washcloths as dishcloths. I know that sounds awful, but let me explain. Around here, I use white washcloths for both dishes and faces. (We have those puff thingies to wash our bodies. ) I generally try to keep the dish cloths and face cloths separate, but if they get mixed up, I'll run all of them in the machine with hot water and bleach (and, of course, detergent) and wash a good long time...then dry on high until thoroughly dry. I don't wash washcloths with bath towels. I know the cloths could get called into service for dishes and I don't like the idea of washing my dish cloths with bath towels.
For us, that works ok. If it offends your sensibilities, by all means--skip that tip!
Another thing we do is to wipe up floor spills with used bath towels. Those seem to absorb better than my mop, and they are so easy to clean afterward. Just toss them in the wash. (I wash my towels in hot water.)
Slightly used bath towels might also get carried to the pool with us when we go swimming. I don't think we must have a never-used towel just to wipe off after a swim. After soaking up pool water, the towels must be washed to get the chlorine out. I also run the swimsuits through a short cycle to rinse them. The chlorine just wears our suits out. Oh, yeah--don't dry bathing suits in the dryer. The heat isn't good for the lycra and other things they use in bathing suits. I have a wooden rack I pull out to drip dry the suits after their rinse.
Well, I'm sure there is more I could say about "Reduce, Recycle and Re-use" as it pertains to the laundry, but I've got folks needing their Mama-Ewe. Alipurr, I'll get back to you about your questions as soon as time allows.
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
Quote of the Day: "More clothes is the enemy of clean clothes." --The Ewe
Monday, September 22, 2008
Shhhhh....Don't Tell the Printer
Ok, F.O.T.E.'s,
I just did something that made me laugh at myself. I was gathering scrap copy paper--things that had been printed out, but not needed, printed wrong, etc--to put back into the paper hopper (or whatever it is you call the place where you put paper to be printed on) to use the "good side" for something else. What made me laugh is when I picked up a piece (mis-printed on one side) that had a weird looking smudge on the good side. I felt the smudge--it wasn't sticky. Good. So, I picked up the stack...and put the smudged paper on top. Hmmm...that won't do. So, I stuck it in the middle of the stack, hoping (I guess) that the printer would be so busy printing, it wouldn't notice that smudge--but only if I put that paper in the middle. LOL I think I need another cup of coffee.
T.E.
I just did something that made me laugh at myself. I was gathering scrap copy paper--things that had been printed out, but not needed, printed wrong, etc--to put back into the paper hopper (or whatever it is you call the place where you put paper to be printed on) to use the "good side" for something else. What made me laugh is when I picked up a piece (mis-printed on one side) that had a weird looking smudge on the good side. I felt the smudge--it wasn't sticky. Good. So, I picked up the stack...and put the smudged paper on top. Hmmm...that won't do. So, I stuck it in the middle of the stack, hoping (I guess) that the printer would be so busy printing, it wouldn't notice that smudge--but only if I put that paper in the middle. LOL I think I need another cup of coffee.
T.E.
Monday, Wash Day, Part II: Recycle
Hello, F.O.T.E.'s,
Hope y'all had a great week last week. The temperatures seem to be cooling off a bit here, which is very welcome by The Ewe. Mostly, it's been under 90F during the day. Still too hot for me to do much outside, but very pleasant after the sun goes down.
So, is all your laundry washed up? ROTFLOL!!! (sorry) Mine is not. I believe my laundry holds the secret to perpetual energy. Even still, let's press on with today's treatise on laundry, entitled: "RECYCLE"
The first idea: "Recycle...Carefully"
Here, I am speaking in regard to hand-me-downs for the children. When Lioness was little, I saved every piece of clothing she had, in case we had more children and another girl. (Was *I* in for a surprise! lol) Well, when Lovable was born, she was born in a different season than Lioness, weighing 3 pounds more. How much of those carefully saved baby clothes do you think she was able to wear? Practically none. Still, I gathered more and more baby clothes, bought more and more Rubbermaid boxes and rented a storage unit to keep all our stuff that we couldn't cram into our home. Three years later, Musical was born--a pound heavier than Lovable and in yet a different season. So, though Musical and Lioness could have conceivably worn the same clothes (Musical was born in late Spring, Lioness in Summer) the weight difference was substantial AND...ahem...well, I couldn't even *find* the baby clothes amongst all the other umm...Swell Junk. Eventually, when I was ready to give away our baby clothes (we simply did not have room to keep everything we had) I discovered that most of them were either mildewed from storage, moth eaten or had sprung odd stains that were impossible to get out. So, all those carefully hoarded baby clothes went *in the dumpster* (some with tags attached) !!! because I had kept them so long they were ruined and unfit for any baby! ARGHHHH!!!! What a terrible waste! (Some day I'll tell you about the $500 uniform that broke me of hoarding...grrrr...)
So, what's my point? Don't save clothing too long. Here, we save what we could probably use within the year. I will buy clearance clothing at the end of a season for use the next year, but that's it. If it came from Goodwill, at the end of the season, to Goodwill it will return. As my precious friend, L.A., once told me, "If God could give it to you once, He can give it to you again," meaning that we cannot let fear turn us into misers. We trust that the Lord will provide all the things we need. He has never let us down--even when we began giving away the children's clothing (uh, after they'd outgrown it, I mean :-)
Next up: "Recycle...The Laundry!"
This is so simple, I don't know why I never thought of it. When the dryer stops running, put the clothes away. Then, put the wet clothes into the dryer and start it. LOL
Amazing how much laundry I can do in a day, when I am sure to listen for the "beep, beep" that tells me the dryer is finished. It does require self-discipline to stop what I'm doing and just go finish that load. I'll admit, I'm not real good at doing this except on the days I've committed myself to tackling as much dirty laundry as possible. Like I said last week, that's usually Monday and Thursday.
So, to summarize today's thoughts: "Recyle Carefully" and "Recycle the Laundry"!
I realized I forgot something last week. I could call this tip, "Recycle...Health Care Items," but I won't. When I'm treating blood stains, I've found that shampoo works great. Use it full strength on the stain...scrub it in and let it sit. I've let things sit for a few days before washing them, and it was fine.
Well, The Ewe must run. I need to (can you guess?) do a load of laundry. And a load of dishes. But, we won't talk about dishes for now. :-)
Hey, y'all keep your wool dry!
The Ewe
Hope y'all had a great week last week. The temperatures seem to be cooling off a bit here, which is very welcome by The Ewe. Mostly, it's been under 90F during the day. Still too hot for me to do much outside, but very pleasant after the sun goes down.
So, is all your laundry washed up? ROTFLOL!!! (sorry) Mine is not. I believe my laundry holds the secret to perpetual energy. Even still, let's press on with today's treatise on laundry, entitled: "RECYCLE"
The first idea: "Recycle...Carefully"
Here, I am speaking in regard to hand-me-downs for the children. When Lioness was little, I saved every piece of clothing she had, in case we had more children and another girl. (Was *I* in for a surprise! lol) Well, when Lovable was born, she was born in a different season than Lioness, weighing 3 pounds more. How much of those carefully saved baby clothes do you think she was able to wear? Practically none. Still, I gathered more and more baby clothes, bought more and more Rubbermaid boxes and rented a storage unit to keep all our stuff that we couldn't cram into our home. Three years later, Musical was born--a pound heavier than Lovable and in yet a different season. So, though Musical and Lioness could have conceivably worn the same clothes (Musical was born in late Spring, Lioness in Summer) the weight difference was substantial AND...ahem...well, I couldn't even *find* the baby clothes amongst all the other umm...Swell Junk. Eventually, when I was ready to give away our baby clothes (we simply did not have room to keep everything we had) I discovered that most of them were either mildewed from storage, moth eaten or had sprung odd stains that were impossible to get out. So, all those carefully hoarded baby clothes went *in the dumpster* (some with tags attached) !!! because I had kept them so long they were ruined and unfit for any baby! ARGHHHH!!!! What a terrible waste! (Some day I'll tell you about the $500 uniform that broke me of hoarding...grrrr...)
So, what's my point? Don't save clothing too long. Here, we save what we could probably use within the year. I will buy clearance clothing at the end of a season for use the next year, but that's it. If it came from Goodwill, at the end of the season, to Goodwill it will return. As my precious friend, L.A., once told me, "If God could give it to you once, He can give it to you again," meaning that we cannot let fear turn us into misers. We trust that the Lord will provide all the things we need. He has never let us down--even when we began giving away the children's clothing (uh, after they'd outgrown it, I mean :-)
Next up: "Recycle...The Laundry!"
This is so simple, I don't know why I never thought of it. When the dryer stops running, put the clothes away. Then, put the wet clothes into the dryer and start it. LOL
Amazing how much laundry I can do in a day, when I am sure to listen for the "beep, beep" that tells me the dryer is finished. It does require self-discipline to stop what I'm doing and just go finish that load. I'll admit, I'm not real good at doing this except on the days I've committed myself to tackling as much dirty laundry as possible. Like I said last week, that's usually Monday and Thursday.
So, to summarize today's thoughts: "Recyle Carefully" and "Recycle the Laundry"!
I realized I forgot something last week. I could call this tip, "Recycle...Health Care Items," but I won't. When I'm treating blood stains, I've found that shampoo works great. Use it full strength on the stain...scrub it in and let it sit. I've let things sit for a few days before washing them, and it was fine.
Well, The Ewe must run. I need to (can you guess?) do a load of laundry. And a load of dishes. But, we won't talk about dishes for now. :-)
Hey, y'all keep your wool dry!
The Ewe
Monday, September 15, 2008
Monday, Wash Day
Hello, F.O.T.E.'s,
(That's "Friends of The Ewe" for any newcomers ;-).
I'm elbow deep into the washing machine today--it being Monday and all. I usually do *some* kind of laundry every day, but on Monday and Thursday, I try to beat Mt. Washmore down (the lambs call it "Mt. Foldmore," since folding is the least enjoyed part).
We have tried many L.A.P.'s--Laundry Attack Plans--each with its own strengths/weaknesses. Most plus-sized families I know make laundry a topic of much study and experimentation. When you multiply the daily clothing, bedding and towels/miscellaneous times 7 every day...welcome to the power of compounding. :-)
I've decided I'd like to blog a series (stop laughing) about defeating laundry. I'm certainly no expert on efficiency or organization, but I do want to pass on any tips that have helped us. So...
I will share my thoughts on laundry in a 3-part series entitled....(drum roll)
"Reduce, Reuse and Recycle"
Today, "Reduce":
--Firstly, "Reduce... the Wardrobe"
Don't overestimate your children's clothing needs. Especially if you homeschool, little ones can get by with very few clothes. When they're little, they don't really care if they wear the same 4-5 outfits every week. Also, sometimes an outfit can last 2 days. Buy cheap over-the-door hooks for them to hang clothes that would do another day. An exception: we do try to keep each child in 6-7 pairs of undies which are in good repair and not overly stained (what if they were involved in an accident?) :-) Also, 2-3 nice Sunday outfits. When the girls were younger, I'd buy each of them 3 Land's End jersey, pullover dresses each season (actually, I bought 3 at the end of each season, in the size the girl would be in the next year). They would wear their Land's End dresses on Sundays until the dresses started to get worn/tight. This usually took 2 years. (!) Then, those dresses became weekday dresses, and the new Land's End dresses (purchased on clearance the last year) became the new Sunday dresses. Of course, as the girls got bigger, this lovely plan stopped working, as Land's End doesn't make pullover ladies' dresses like that, and I have a couple girls in ladies' sizes now. But, anyway, do try to limit the amount of clothing your children have.
One trick I'm using now, to help keep the clothes weeded down is the Broken Hanger Trick. We use those tubular, plastic clothes hangers. They are not hard to break, especially when a little person is a bit too short to easily get their clothes off the rod in the closet. ;-) So, when a hanger breaks, I choose (or if the child is old enough they do themselves) a garment to discard--either into the Goodwill box or the trash. I choose the rattiest of the ratty or the most stained or least liked or illest fitting--something that won't really be missed. I used to buy hangers at Walmart regularly, but I like this plan better. Granted, eventually I will have buy more hangers--we have to have *some* clothes!!--but I'm not buying nearly the amount I used to.
Next: "Reduce... the Paraphernalia" -- laundry gadgets, stain removers, etc...
I think I've tried nearly every laundry detergent and stain remover on the planet. I bought a bleach pen and never used it...I was afraid the residual bleach would spot the rest of the clothes...So, my laundry arsenal is down to cheap detergent (I didn't find much difference in effectiveness of the different brands), Clorox (the name brand...somehow, it seems to matter ??), cheap fabric softener sheets and dishwashing liquid. Yes, dishwashing liquid. I've stopped buying any stain remover, as I never found one that worked as well as Dawn or Palmolive dish soap. Most of our stains around here are food anyway, so it makes sense that Dawn would work. I tried the new Tide with Dawn...didn't seem to help much. Oh, btw, when you use Dawn as a stain remover, don't wet the stain, and don't dilute the Dawn. Just squirt it on full strength and scrub it in with a brush or between your hands. Let it sit at least an hour or so...up to a week. I can get most stains out this way.
And, if the stain is bad enough, and I've tried the stain treatment and washing 2-3 times...I toss the garment. Not worth more effort than that, unless it's a special piece of clothing.
Now, lest I sound heartless, I do let the lambs save back outgrown/stained clothing that has special meaning to them. Those items go into our sewing fabric chest of drawers (6 drawers--red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple) to be used (only by the owner of the Special Item) in a quilt or other crafty venture. The unbending rule is that the owner is the only person who can use that special cloth for a project. We have some precious items that were made for the girls by their Grandmom--we don't toss those things!
Here's another tip: "Reduce... the Sorting" --i.e. dirty laundry
I sort into "hot," "cold," and "hot with bleach." I don't do a lot of bleach loads--primarily just dish cloths and towels, and I don't even bleach those every time. Everything else gets either hot water or cold water. I don't do "darks and lights," "jeans only" or anything like that. (I do understand the rationale behind doing jeans separately--they *do* bleed forever). This is the only sorting system in which I get to keep my sanity and have the satisfaction of knowing a Lamb could take over, if need be. I don't have time for each piece of clothing to get special treatment--outside of stain removing. For clothing, coming to our house is like joining the Marines--the Few, the Proud...the Durable. :-) I try not to buy anything that needs hand washing...and very few things that can't be tumbled dry.
Reducing the sorting also is a part of our next laundry attack tactic...
Next: "Reduce... the Confusion"
--It is my goal to work myself out of a job and to raise up children who are *not* as clueless as I was when I left home. Learning to run a household was (is?) very strenuous for me. There was just so much I didn't know how to do...or even that you were *supposed* to *do it*! ("You dust THOSE?!?" "Yes, Dear. It's called a 'baseboard.'") So, I've got to stick with simple house care attack plans. One thing I do to be sure that someone else could step in and help w/ the laundry is dotting the undies. (not related to "crossing the T's") This would work for socks and anything else as well, but for us, we just dot undies. The firstborn gets 1 dot...the second born gets 2 dots...the 3rd child gets 3 dots...you get the drift. I put a Sharpie dot on the waist elastic of each pair of child's undies, in the back, on the outside. That way, if The Ram wants to bless me, he can easily tell whose drawers are whose. Or into whose drawers to put the drawers...I'll admit, it helps me, too. Another way we reduce confusion is to stick with mainly white socks for the children. We usually buy the same style, so everyone can share (within reason). White is good, too, because I can bleach them if (when) they get really dingy.
Finally, "Reduce...the Whining"
For years, I was amazed at how much faster my wonderful mother-in-law could do my laundry than I. Eventually, I realized that I wasted a lot of time just dreading the task. I would avoid putting the clean clothes away, because I feared it would "take all day." Once I just dove in and stopped dreading/complaining, I started making laundry headway.
While doing laundry, I try to remind myself how blessed we are to have clothing for all the children, with even extra to spare. I try to often pray for the family member whose shirt I'm hanging up or whose dress I'm de-staining. This is not to say that washing clothes is never a daunting task for me or that I just can't wait each day to get into my laundry room, but it *is* becoming an easier job as I continue to "Reduce."
Must run...The Ram needs clean clothes for work. ;-)
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
(That's "Friends of The Ewe" for any newcomers ;-).
I'm elbow deep into the washing machine today--it being Monday and all. I usually do *some* kind of laundry every day, but on Monday and Thursday, I try to beat Mt. Washmore down (the lambs call it "Mt. Foldmore," since folding is the least enjoyed part).
We have tried many L.A.P.'s--Laundry Attack Plans--each with its own strengths/weaknesses. Most plus-sized families I know make laundry a topic of much study and experimentation. When you multiply the daily clothing, bedding and towels/miscellaneous times 7 every day...welcome to the power of compounding. :-)
I've decided I'd like to blog a series (stop laughing) about defeating laundry. I'm certainly no expert on efficiency or organization, but I do want to pass on any tips that have helped us. So...
I will share my thoughts on laundry in a 3-part series entitled....(drum roll)
"Reduce, Reuse and Recycle"
Today, "Reduce":
--Firstly, "Reduce... the Wardrobe"
Don't overestimate your children's clothing needs. Especially if you homeschool, little ones can get by with very few clothes. When they're little, they don't really care if they wear the same 4-5 outfits every week. Also, sometimes an outfit can last 2 days. Buy cheap over-the-door hooks for them to hang clothes that would do another day. An exception: we do try to keep each child in 6-7 pairs of undies which are in good repair and not overly stained (what if they were involved in an accident?) :-) Also, 2-3 nice Sunday outfits. When the girls were younger, I'd buy each of them 3 Land's End jersey, pullover dresses each season (actually, I bought 3 at the end of each season, in the size the girl would be in the next year). They would wear their Land's End dresses on Sundays until the dresses started to get worn/tight. This usually took 2 years. (!) Then, those dresses became weekday dresses, and the new Land's End dresses (purchased on clearance the last year) became the new Sunday dresses. Of course, as the girls got bigger, this lovely plan stopped working, as Land's End doesn't make pullover ladies' dresses like that, and I have a couple girls in ladies' sizes now. But, anyway, do try to limit the amount of clothing your children have.
One trick I'm using now, to help keep the clothes weeded down is the Broken Hanger Trick. We use those tubular, plastic clothes hangers. They are not hard to break, especially when a little person is a bit too short to easily get their clothes off the rod in the closet. ;-) So, when a hanger breaks, I choose (or if the child is old enough they do themselves) a garment to discard--either into the Goodwill box or the trash. I choose the rattiest of the ratty or the most stained or least liked or illest fitting--something that won't really be missed. I used to buy hangers at Walmart regularly, but I like this plan better. Granted, eventually I will have buy more hangers--we have to have *some* clothes!!--but I'm not buying nearly the amount I used to.
Next: "Reduce... the Paraphernalia" -- laundry gadgets, stain removers, etc...
I think I've tried nearly every laundry detergent and stain remover on the planet. I bought a bleach pen and never used it...I was afraid the residual bleach would spot the rest of the clothes...So, my laundry arsenal is down to cheap detergent (I didn't find much difference in effectiveness of the different brands), Clorox (the name brand...somehow, it seems to matter ??), cheap fabric softener sheets and dishwashing liquid. Yes, dishwashing liquid. I've stopped buying any stain remover, as I never found one that worked as well as Dawn or Palmolive dish soap. Most of our stains around here are food anyway, so it makes sense that Dawn would work. I tried the new Tide with Dawn...didn't seem to help much. Oh, btw, when you use Dawn as a stain remover, don't wet the stain, and don't dilute the Dawn. Just squirt it on full strength and scrub it in with a brush or between your hands. Let it sit at least an hour or so...up to a week. I can get most stains out this way.
And, if the stain is bad enough, and I've tried the stain treatment and washing 2-3 times...I toss the garment. Not worth more effort than that, unless it's a special piece of clothing.
Now, lest I sound heartless, I do let the lambs save back outgrown/stained clothing that has special meaning to them. Those items go into our sewing fabric chest of drawers (6 drawers--red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple) to be used (only by the owner of the Special Item) in a quilt or other crafty venture. The unbending rule is that the owner is the only person who can use that special cloth for a project. We have some precious items that were made for the girls by their Grandmom--we don't toss those things!
Here's another tip: "Reduce... the Sorting" --i.e. dirty laundry
I sort into "hot," "cold," and "hot with bleach." I don't do a lot of bleach loads--primarily just dish cloths and towels, and I don't even bleach those every time. Everything else gets either hot water or cold water. I don't do "darks and lights," "jeans only" or anything like that. (I do understand the rationale behind doing jeans separately--they *do* bleed forever). This is the only sorting system in which I get to keep my sanity and have the satisfaction of knowing a Lamb could take over, if need be. I don't have time for each piece of clothing to get special treatment--outside of stain removing. For clothing, coming to our house is like joining the Marines--the Few, the Proud...the Durable. :-) I try not to buy anything that needs hand washing...and very few things that can't be tumbled dry.
Reducing the sorting also is a part of our next laundry attack tactic...
Next: "Reduce... the Confusion"
--It is my goal to work myself out of a job and to raise up children who are *not* as clueless as I was when I left home. Learning to run a household was (is?) very strenuous for me. There was just so much I didn't know how to do...or even that you were *supposed* to *do it*! ("You dust THOSE?!?" "Yes, Dear. It's called a 'baseboard.'") So, I've got to stick with simple house care attack plans. One thing I do to be sure that someone else could step in and help w/ the laundry is dotting the undies. (not related to "crossing the T's") This would work for socks and anything else as well, but for us, we just dot undies. The firstborn gets 1 dot...the second born gets 2 dots...the 3rd child gets 3 dots...you get the drift. I put a Sharpie dot on the waist elastic of each pair of child's undies, in the back, on the outside. That way, if The Ram wants to bless me, he can easily tell whose drawers are whose. Or into whose drawers to put the drawers...I'll admit, it helps me, too. Another way we reduce confusion is to stick with mainly white socks for the children. We usually buy the same style, so everyone can share (within reason). White is good, too, because I can bleach them if (when) they get really dingy.
Finally, "Reduce...the Whining"
For years, I was amazed at how much faster my wonderful mother-in-law could do my laundry than I. Eventually, I realized that I wasted a lot of time just dreading the task. I would avoid putting the clean clothes away, because I feared it would "take all day." Once I just dove in and stopped dreading/complaining, I started making laundry headway.
While doing laundry, I try to remind myself how blessed we are to have clothing for all the children, with even extra to spare. I try to often pray for the family member whose shirt I'm hanging up or whose dress I'm de-staining. This is not to say that washing clothes is never a daunting task for me or that I just can't wait each day to get into my laundry room, but it *is* becoming an easier job as I continue to "Reduce."
Must run...The Ram needs clean clothes for work. ;-)
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Hillbilly Hoedown a.k.a. Big Bean Binge
Howdy F.O.T.E.'s,
Well, things are just zinging along here. I'm so pleased with the diligence my Lambies are showing with their studies this year. Their co-operation helps make homeschooling a joy.
Let me tell you about our dinner last night...
We used to call it our "soul food dinner," but somehow it's evolved into a "Hillbilly Hoedown." I am very happy that my whole family loves pinto beans. We make them (uh, the beans not the family) the main dish, with sides of greens, bacon and hash browns. YUM YUM!
The night before, I sorted 8 cups of dry pinto beans, rinsed them, them let them soak all night in enough water to cover over them a couple inches. Now, 8 cups makes a *LOT* of beans! Once they had soaked all night, I put them in a large (large!) stockpot with water to cover. I added about 1/2 cup of dried onion flakes--one of my favorite pantry staples--about a tablespoon of oil and 2 teaspoons of salt. (I know adding salt at the beginning is controversial, but my mama always did it and I've done it nearly 20 years. And my beans are good. :-) I bring them to a quick boil, then lower the heat to let them simmer about 2 hours, at least. Last night, they simmered all afternoon. I stirred occasionally and added water if it got too low. Oh, yeah...and I keep the lid cocked a little to let out the steam. Not sure why. That's just how it's done.
While those beans were simmering all afternoon, I baked some thick sliced bacon in the oven. I really like doing it that way--no standing watch over a spattering pan of grease--very little clean up...flat slices and predictable performance. :-) I do this by covering rimmed cookie sheets (enough sheets to house all the bacon) with 2 sheets of foil. Preheat the oven to 400F. Bake the bacon for about 20 minutes. No turning...just let 'er rip. After the bacon gets as crispy as you like it, remove it to a plate lined w/ paper towels for draining.
The greens last night were spinach. I do those in the crockpot. I dumped a couple pounds of frozen spinach into the crockpot and added 1/2 cup of hot water and a teaspoon of chicken base (like for soup...kin to bouillon). I put a generous sprinkling of dried onion flakes and a teaspoon of minced garlic. Stirred it up well and set the crock to high for a couple hours. Once they were cooked, I drained them and kept them on "warm." Yummy.
The hash browns are the frozen patties, fried crisp in coconut oil in a large skillet. Lioness makes these--she seasons them with seasoned salt toward the end.
Finally, I made up a few gallons of tea (we had company coming) and a double batch of cornbread. Yee haw!
Too bad we didn't have any possum and hog jowl. Oh well. Maybe next time.
Gotta run...there's a bunch of Lambies who need tucking. (in)
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
Well, things are just zinging along here. I'm so pleased with the diligence my Lambies are showing with their studies this year. Their co-operation helps make homeschooling a joy.
Let me tell you about our dinner last night...
We used to call it our "soul food dinner," but somehow it's evolved into a "Hillbilly Hoedown." I am very happy that my whole family loves pinto beans. We make them (uh, the beans not the family) the main dish, with sides of greens, bacon and hash browns. YUM YUM!
The night before, I sorted 8 cups of dry pinto beans, rinsed them, them let them soak all night in enough water to cover over them a couple inches. Now, 8 cups makes a *LOT* of beans! Once they had soaked all night, I put them in a large (large!) stockpot with water to cover. I added about 1/2 cup of dried onion flakes--one of my favorite pantry staples--about a tablespoon of oil and 2 teaspoons of salt. (I know adding salt at the beginning is controversial, but my mama always did it and I've done it nearly 20 years. And my beans are good. :-) I bring them to a quick boil, then lower the heat to let them simmer about 2 hours, at least. Last night, they simmered all afternoon. I stirred occasionally and added water if it got too low. Oh, yeah...and I keep the lid cocked a little to let out the steam. Not sure why. That's just how it's done.
While those beans were simmering all afternoon, I baked some thick sliced bacon in the oven. I really like doing it that way--no standing watch over a spattering pan of grease--very little clean up...flat slices and predictable performance. :-) I do this by covering rimmed cookie sheets (enough sheets to house all the bacon) with 2 sheets of foil. Preheat the oven to 400F. Bake the bacon for about 20 minutes. No turning...just let 'er rip. After the bacon gets as crispy as you like it, remove it to a plate lined w/ paper towels for draining.
The greens last night were spinach. I do those in the crockpot. I dumped a couple pounds of frozen spinach into the crockpot and added 1/2 cup of hot water and a teaspoon of chicken base (like for soup...kin to bouillon). I put a generous sprinkling of dried onion flakes and a teaspoon of minced garlic. Stirred it up well and set the crock to high for a couple hours. Once they were cooked, I drained them and kept them on "warm." Yummy.
The hash browns are the frozen patties, fried crisp in coconut oil in a large skillet. Lioness makes these--she seasons them with seasoned salt toward the end.
Finally, I made up a few gallons of tea (we had company coming) and a double batch of cornbread. Yee haw!
Too bad we didn't have any possum and hog jowl. Oh well. Maybe next time.
Gotta run...there's a bunch of Lambies who need tucking. (in)
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
Saturday, September 06, 2008
Just Chattin'
Hello F.O.T.E.'s,
The Ram has taken the children to try out a playground we discovered yesterday. It's quiet around here (!) so I thought I'd touch base w/ you guys.
We have not yet found a church here. This is a real discouragement. We will visit another one tomorrow. The children are anxious to meet some other children. (Can't imagine!)
There are dozens of homeschooling groups here, but I'm finding it hard to "crack the code." As in, many of the groups seem pretty exclusive. I think the AL law plays into that--as many people feel the need to prove that homeschooling really educates children. So, most of the "cover schools" here have requirements far above what the state deems mandatory. For example, several I saw require member families to meet "X" number of times each month for group activities. Many covers require more reports--attendance, progress, etc--than the state does. Thus, it was not easy to find a cover school that aligned with our educational philosophy. :-) ie, the parents are the ones responsible. In Missouri, the state assumed homeschoolers *were* educating their children, until something proved otherwise. (Kinda like, "innocent until proven guilty") Down here, I feel like they think we're guilty until we prove we're innocent. lol
Anyway, the fact is, we did find a cover school that doesn't make us feel like criminals and the children *are* learning. I'm so happy with their progress so far this year.
Hey, speaking of which, we found an interesting computer game that is helping our kids learn/polish their multiplication facts. It's called "Timez Attack" (sic). Maybe you can Google it. It does use dragons in a castle, so that might be offensive to some. (just be warned) The little fellow who is defeating the dragons doesn't kill the dragons, they just go away. I was happy about that. I'm just not keen on games where something kills something else. Guess I'm a wuss. lol
Well, must run...the Flock will be back soon and I know they'll be hungry...
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
The Ram has taken the children to try out a playground we discovered yesterday. It's quiet around here (!) so I thought I'd touch base w/ you guys.
We have not yet found a church here. This is a real discouragement. We will visit another one tomorrow. The children are anxious to meet some other children. (Can't imagine!)
There are dozens of homeschooling groups here, but I'm finding it hard to "crack the code." As in, many of the groups seem pretty exclusive. I think the AL law plays into that--as many people feel the need to prove that homeschooling really educates children. So, most of the "cover schools" here have requirements far above what the state deems mandatory. For example, several I saw require member families to meet "X" number of times each month for group activities. Many covers require more reports--attendance, progress, etc--than the state does. Thus, it was not easy to find a cover school that aligned with our educational philosophy. :-) ie, the parents are the ones responsible. In Missouri, the state assumed homeschoolers *were* educating their children, until something proved otherwise. (Kinda like, "innocent until proven guilty") Down here, I feel like they think we're guilty until we prove we're innocent. lol
Anyway, the fact is, we did find a cover school that doesn't make us feel like criminals and the children *are* learning. I'm so happy with their progress so far this year.
Hey, speaking of which, we found an interesting computer game that is helping our kids learn/polish their multiplication facts. It's called "Timez Attack" (sic). Maybe you can Google it. It does use dragons in a castle, so that might be offensive to some. (just be warned) The little fellow who is defeating the dragons doesn't kill the dragons, they just go away. I was happy about that. I'm just not keen on games where something kills something else. Guess I'm a wuss. lol
Well, must run...the Flock will be back soon and I know they'll be hungry...
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe
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