Well hard to believe it's already the 14th of January. Time is flying by as usual. The house is quiet this morning...B, Squirrel and Dipstick have gone to cut down a large tree for wood. We won't use the wood - S's husband C is along and he will take the wood for their outdoor wood burner. Stretch is back at college - he went back last Sunday evening. Classes started Tuesday for him.
Inside the tv is on, the dishwasher is going, the wood furnace is going and it is snowing lightly outside. It is already warmer this morning at 16' F then it was all day yesterday but still pretty chilly. The snowflakes are actually bigger than they were yesterday as well - maybe they aren't as cold??
I was very thankful to have an unexpected day off yesterday - we all had a snow day though it didn't snow as much as was predicted. Having said that I'm thankful we didn't have to have school kids on buses - many do not dress as warm as they should for the weather and my bus at least does not warm up well. Guess the roads were pretty slick yesterday morning - and the wind was howling. I used my time to get the Christmas tree down and put away - ornaments also this year! Also inventoried both freezers and left one unplugged. I need to go down this morning and clean that out so it can be used again. Squirrel helped alot with both those jobs - probably would not have accomplished either one without his help.
Do have some goals for this year - will try to post them next time. One of the key ones is to spend more time being creative - whether that is blogging, working with my pictures or working on one of my other hobbies. In order to accomplish those however I have to also become more organized. Yikes! Guess I've got a start though as getting an inventory of the freezers was part of one. Now I just have to figure out how to keep an inventory current.
No pictures on the computer at this point in time as we had a computer crash already this year. It's back up - we had to set it back to factory settings! However I've still not got it back totally set up the way I want it. Step at a time.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Grinchy
Feeling rather "grinchy" today - can't get motivated to do much of anything. Kitchen is tidied and wiped down from supper last night and breakfast this morning. Laundry has been going. Dishwasher is loaded.
Laid out the kids' gifts on our bed. Trying to decide if I need to run and do some more shopping. Not nearly as many "fun" gifts this year. I know I need to go out and go to the bank as well as return one item that I found cheaper elsewhere. (not for the kids). And I still have shopping I do need to do for Hubby. Want to get that done no later than tomorrow. But at the moment my motivation is completely gone. I've only had 2 cups of coffee today - that may be part of it. Thankfully I don't have the coffee headache I usually do.
Need to start packing to go north. Am sure that is part of the struggle. I want to see Mom and Dad but the travel is exhausting. And the fact that Mom is clearly declining again makes it more difficult. There are so many projects I need to get done this week - cleaning and organizing so that when school starts back up maybe I can do a better job of keeping things up as well as have more time to be creative.
OK...enough whining. Just writing things out always seems to help me some. I will go start another 15 min timer and work on an area that needs work. Trust any readers who are still with me - in my long absences and when I'm grinchy are having a blessed holiday season.
Laid out the kids' gifts on our bed. Trying to decide if I need to run and do some more shopping. Not nearly as many "fun" gifts this year. I know I need to go out and go to the bank as well as return one item that I found cheaper elsewhere. (not for the kids). And I still have shopping I do need to do for Hubby. Want to get that done no later than tomorrow. But at the moment my motivation is completely gone. I've only had 2 cups of coffee today - that may be part of it. Thankfully I don't have the coffee headache I usually do.
Need to start packing to go north. Am sure that is part of the struggle. I want to see Mom and Dad but the travel is exhausting. And the fact that Mom is clearly declining again makes it more difficult. There are so many projects I need to get done this week - cleaning and organizing so that when school starts back up maybe I can do a better job of keeping things up as well as have more time to be creative.
OK...enough whining. Just writing things out always seems to help me some. I will go start another 15 min timer and work on an area that needs work. Trust any readers who are still with me - in my long absences and when I'm grinchy are having a blessed holiday season.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Short Update & Questions
This will be short...I was perusing blogs and websites hoping for inspiration when I realized I have to leave for work early this afternoon. I have not been getting along with buses this week...and end of last. First my turn signal lever thingy broken in the middle of route (Friday afternoon), Monday morning my bus would not start. Today my spare bus started and ran well until I was empty at the middle school - then it started almost knocking and spewing out blue smoke. So that bus is now in the shop and I have to go back to the shop to pick up my regular route bus (from Friday afternoon/Monday morning) which is supposed to be done by route time this afternoon. The turn signal lever thingy is fixed, worn brakes are replaced, muffler is replaced...hopefully we will be good for awhile.
The Christmas tree is up and mostly decorated - to the point that lights and ornaments are on. Still have Stretch's ornaments to put on - that is waiting on his arrival home from college. Won't be long until we need a smaller tree simply because I'm too short. It would not be done if not for Squirrel's assistance stringing lights and Dipsticks replacing blown bulbs. Some of the shopping is done. No wrapping is done.
I've been pondering the last few days what makes a true friend? Is it time spent together, phone calls, having hobbies or life events in common? What causes a friendship to fade away or be broken? How much does age have to do with lasting friendships?
Some of these questions come from friendships that have totally blown to pieces over the last few years - one with a woman who was a believer in Christ and one who was likely not. Other than those differences these two ladies were rather similar - neither seemed to be happy unless they could drag the people around them down to join their level...unless there was chaos surrounding them. Some of these questions come from emotions I'm feeling now and questions a third friend has asked me repeatedly about herself.
Alone.
The Christmas tree is up and mostly decorated - to the point that lights and ornaments are on. Still have Stretch's ornaments to put on - that is waiting on his arrival home from college. Won't be long until we need a smaller tree simply because I'm too short. It would not be done if not for Squirrel's assistance stringing lights and Dipsticks replacing blown bulbs. Some of the shopping is done. No wrapping is done.
I've been pondering the last few days what makes a true friend? Is it time spent together, phone calls, having hobbies or life events in common? What causes a friendship to fade away or be broken? How much does age have to do with lasting friendships?
Some of these questions come from friendships that have totally blown to pieces over the last few years - one with a woman who was a believer in Christ and one who was likely not. Other than those differences these two ladies were rather similar - neither seemed to be happy unless they could drag the people around them down to join their level...unless there was chaos surrounding them. Some of these questions come from emotions I'm feeling now and questions a third friend has asked me repeatedly about herself.
Alone.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Thankful List
In list style things I'm thankful for:
• My “new” husband who has been sleeping through the night and staying awake all day since he got his new Bipap machine. He admits to feeling so much better now that he is really getting sleep.
• My handsome boys – all 3 of them.
• Stretch’s healing in his leg – his strong witness during the whole thing, his passion for God, his enjoyment of school – and that he is home this weekend!
• Squirrel – I have seen so much growth in him – spiritually and emotionally as well as physically. He’s stepped up to be a helper since his brother has left for college. He is a dependable friend and son – gets his chores done without complaint and often goes above and beyond. He also has a great sense of humor.
• Dipstick – He is doing so much better in school this year. That is a huge blessing. He actually enjoys it mostly. I am thankful that the doing better in school means he gets to enjoy more privileges. I am thankful for how quickly he has adjusted to wearing glasses all the time and how much better he sees.
• My Mom and Dad – that we still have Mom and that she is able to say things to Dad like “I’m so glad you are here”. I am also especially thankful that Dad was not more seriously injured in the car accident he suffered the other night – and that the accident was ruled totally NOT his fault.
• My sister Karen who spends so much time and energy helping Dad out and making sure both get the care they need. I am also thankful for our close friendship – something we did not have as children as we were too competitive.
• My brothers – even though I don’t have as much contact with them
• My home
• Sunshine
• Extended family – and especially how accepting Hubby’s family have been of me
• My job – the kids on my school bus – even when they make me nuts
• Jesus Christ and the greatest Gift He gave me – that of salvation
Thursday, November 10, 2011
A beautiful morning and other ramblings
Cold this morning when I went out for bus route - just at freezing. But oh so pretty. The moon was full - a golden reddish orb low in the western sky. The eastern sky was just lighting up - no major red streaks but glowing across the fields. Most are harvested, with dried corn standing in others. A few have winter wheat growing bright green. I saw 4 deer this morning - 1, possibly 2 bucks and 2 does. So cool to see them running across the road just in front of the bus...stopping to look back to see if they should be concerned about the big "monster" before they took off for the woods.
The furnace is going...I need to add wood before I head for town. Water is running in the washer doing yet another load of towels, socks, etc. A clock is ticking quietly and the fan is running in one of the computers. Then there is the clicking of the keys as I type.
I just finished coffee with some cocoa powder mixed in. It requires a bit more sugar than normal but I'm really enjoying the taste combination. Had some toast with peanut butter and honey to go with it. Soon I will get around and head to town. The chickens are out of feed and Squirrel needs some jeans. He wore shorts to school again! In addition I need to make eye appointments for Dipstick and B as both need glasses. Those few things will take most of the rest of the time between now and bus route. Hopefully this evening I will get back to doing something creative daily. I've been slacking off and not disciplining myself to do so. Part of that is that I'm fighting the annual fall bronchitis/sinus junk and just don't have the energy. And I've been staying ready to go run boys though I haven't had to. I've also just been spending my evenings reading, which will enjoyable is not accomplishing creatively.
OK...better scoot for now...it's getting late and before I know it I will be out of time.
The furnace is going...I need to add wood before I head for town. Water is running in the washer doing yet another load of towels, socks, etc. A clock is ticking quietly and the fan is running in one of the computers. Then there is the clicking of the keys as I type.
I just finished coffee with some cocoa powder mixed in. It requires a bit more sugar than normal but I'm really enjoying the taste combination. Had some toast with peanut butter and honey to go with it. Soon I will get around and head to town. The chickens are out of feed and Squirrel needs some jeans. He wore shorts to school again! In addition I need to make eye appointments for Dipstick and B as both need glasses. Those few things will take most of the rest of the time between now and bus route. Hopefully this evening I will get back to doing something creative daily. I've been slacking off and not disciplining myself to do so. Part of that is that I'm fighting the annual fall bronchitis/sinus junk and just don't have the energy. And I've been staying ready to go run boys though I haven't had to. I've also just been spending my evenings reading, which will enjoyable is not accomplishing creatively.
OK...better scoot for now...it's getting late and before I know it I will be out of time.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Beautiful sunny fall day here today. So thankful for the sun. Feeling pretty cheerful.
B went for his sleep study Thursday night. It went well in that they brought in a CPAP machine around 2:00 am to get him fitted for it. But that indicates just how bad his breathing is when he's asleep...
Talking about sleep brings back memories of different places and ways I've slept. For as long as I can remember I've slept with a pillow tightly over my head. My logic when I was younger was that way if someone broke in I would not wake up to see them standing over my bed with a pipe. Not logical at all looking back but it worked for me then. It never really mattered if my feet were covered though at least not in hot areas. At school in the dorms I would sleep under pillow and covered in blankets so thoroughly that people would come into my room looking for me and not realize I was there. Of course I was much slimmer then and laying on my belly would not leave much of a bump. I remember doing that more in high school then younger. When I was 2nd, 3rd and 4th grade the boarding school I attended had many very tall trees around. I remember lying in my bunk looking out the windows and falling asleep to thoughts of being able to live among the tree tops. I don't remember much wind from those times though. On the other hand, Kijabe was "Place of the Wind" - it seemed there was always wind blowing. There were trees but it was more just the location on the edge of the Rift Valley. I love to listen to wind blowing now - especially at night when I am at home dressed in comfy clothes relaxing. Another favorite sound is the gentle sound of the surf in the Indian Ocean - day or night I loved to get somewhat alone on the beach and just listen to that sound. It is impossible for me to describe it - a continuous rolling swishing sound. Combine that with the warm sun and an ocean breeze...lovely. We slept with windows open to the ocean breeze and the sound though doors were always tightly locked.
I've slept on trains - we would take the overnight train from where we lived in Mombasa to the capital city. We would board around 6 pm - evening after a full day of doing last minute packing, laundry and baking. Mom would have packed a supper meal of some sort of sandwiches and fruit. Breakfast the next morning would be sweet rolls, hard boiled eggs, fruit and probably purchased chai. But come bedtime the bench seats would be turned into beds - the upper bunks serving as padding on the wall during the day. We would pull out our pillows and blankets and claim our bunks. I usually would have one of the middles - 6 beds to a cabin which was just right for our family. That middle bunk allowed me 6 inches or so of window space - the glass was down and the screens were up. I could hear the rhythmic repetitive clackety clack, thump bump of the train as it went down the tracks. Occasionally it would stop at little stations along the way. Then I could hear men talking and occasionally yelling/shouting and smell cigarette smoke through the open window. I never slept as well on the train - it wasn't my bed and it was stable. But it was still fun.
Occasionally brave dorm parents would take us tent camping...a bunch of teenage girls! In the African bush! We didn't have indoor bathroom facilities, no way of showering...but it was an adventure. We cooked over a fire...listened to the wild animals that were off in the distance.
I've slept in a hut where grain was stored and I could hear the critters moving around during the night. I've slept in hotels, on airplanes, on buses...probably other places I can't think of right now. Time to scoot as I need to get ready for work.
B went for his sleep study Thursday night. It went well in that they brought in a CPAP machine around 2:00 am to get him fitted for it. But that indicates just how bad his breathing is when he's asleep...
Talking about sleep brings back memories of different places and ways I've slept. For as long as I can remember I've slept with a pillow tightly over my head. My logic when I was younger was that way if someone broke in I would not wake up to see them standing over my bed with a pipe. Not logical at all looking back but it worked for me then. It never really mattered if my feet were covered though at least not in hot areas. At school in the dorms I would sleep under pillow and covered in blankets so thoroughly that people would come into my room looking for me and not realize I was there. Of course I was much slimmer then and laying on my belly would not leave much of a bump. I remember doing that more in high school then younger. When I was 2nd, 3rd and 4th grade the boarding school I attended had many very tall trees around. I remember lying in my bunk looking out the windows and falling asleep to thoughts of being able to live among the tree tops. I don't remember much wind from those times though. On the other hand, Kijabe was "Place of the Wind" - it seemed there was always wind blowing. There were trees but it was more just the location on the edge of the Rift Valley. I love to listen to wind blowing now - especially at night when I am at home dressed in comfy clothes relaxing. Another favorite sound is the gentle sound of the surf in the Indian Ocean - day or night I loved to get somewhat alone on the beach and just listen to that sound. It is impossible for me to describe it - a continuous rolling swishing sound. Combine that with the warm sun and an ocean breeze...lovely. We slept with windows open to the ocean breeze and the sound though doors were always tightly locked.
I've slept on trains - we would take the overnight train from where we lived in Mombasa to the capital city. We would board around 6 pm - evening after a full day of doing last minute packing, laundry and baking. Mom would have packed a supper meal of some sort of sandwiches and fruit. Breakfast the next morning would be sweet rolls, hard boiled eggs, fruit and probably purchased chai. But come bedtime the bench seats would be turned into beds - the upper bunks serving as padding on the wall during the day. We would pull out our pillows and blankets and claim our bunks. I usually would have one of the middles - 6 beds to a cabin which was just right for our family. That middle bunk allowed me 6 inches or so of window space - the glass was down and the screens were up. I could hear the rhythmic repetitive clackety clack, thump bump of the train as it went down the tracks. Occasionally it would stop at little stations along the way. Then I could hear men talking and occasionally yelling/shouting and smell cigarette smoke through the open window. I never slept as well on the train - it wasn't my bed and it was stable. But it was still fun.
Occasionally brave dorm parents would take us tent camping...a bunch of teenage girls! In the African bush! We didn't have indoor bathroom facilities, no way of showering...but it was an adventure. We cooked over a fire...listened to the wild animals that were off in the distance.
I've slept in a hut where grain was stored and I could hear the critters moving around during the night. I've slept in hotels, on airplanes, on buses...probably other places I can't think of right now. Time to scoot as I need to get ready for work.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Memory - Laundry
I am home alone tonight...Stretch is at college, Squirrel and Dipstick are out at youth group and B is away helping a neighbor with his combine. The house is very quiet right now...the dishwasher is loaded but not running, the tv is off...The loudest sound (outside of the clicking of my typing) is the hum of the dryer running. Which brings me to my "memory topic" of the day - laundry.
Laundry is never-ending in my house. I usually run a load or two at least every other day and there is nearly always clothes waiting to be folded. Thankfully I have the convenience of an electric washer and dryer that basically does all the work for me. All I have to do is sort the clothes, throw them in, add soap and press start. That's a far cry from what doing laundry in Africa was.
Mom ran a laundry day at least once a week. We had a ringer washing machine and rinsing was done by running the clothes through 2-3 tubs full of water. The ringer would turn so that it was over each tub and clothes would be hand-fed through it. As one tub would get too soapy to use it would be rotated out with the new one being the final rinse. I know that Mom soaked some of the clothes in a bucket before running them through the washer and some of the dirtiest would be hand scrubbed. After they were washed someone had to carry them outside and hang them to dry on the lines in the back yard. It was often my job to hang it out - bend over, grab, straighten, shake firmly, clip it up...repeat. I spent those hours day dreaming - weaving stories in my mind. I don't remember what they were about. If rain threatened and we had clothes on the line it was a mad scramble to run and get everything off before it got wet again. The mountain of laundry we 4 kids brought home from boarding school must have been daunting at times...I know it usually took the entire month break from school to get it all done.
Laundry at school was a different project. All our clothes, socks, towels, blankets, wash rags had to have our name on them somewhere. Mom would send away and order name tags which then had to be sewn in. We had large cloth laundry bags that were carried to the school laundry once a week (I think). Our socks had to be in a special net bag as did our unders though boys' unders did not. There were huge washers and lines for drying linens outside. Other things must have gone into dryers...I don't remember that part. Then students came in as a job and sorted and "put away" the laundry - each student had a box and that's where the clean clothes went. Certain afternoons were laundry pick-up days when we had lines waiting for us to hand them their clothes to carry back to the dorms. I worked in the laundry - mainly with other girls. We usually had a good time though there was definitely some teasing that went on as we got to see our current "crushes" pick up their laundry...and maybe be the one that got to give them their clean clothes...oh my be still my heart!
Occasionally - probably more often than I remember - girls did hand laundry in the dorms. That was done to either keep our nicer clothes nice or more often, at least on my part, because I did not have enough clothes to last an entire week - especially not when we no longer had to wear uniforms. I remember hand washing jeans in a sink then literally ringing them out...twist one way as tight as you and a friend could go then release and twist them the other way. Sometimes it was rinse and repeat and repeat and repeat. Then when as much water as possible was squeezed out, we would hang dry the clothes the rest of the way. That usually took at least an overnight to finish drying them...sometimes longer.
These laundry memories are not complete. I don't remember how laundry was done when we lived where there was VERY limited electricity nor how it was done when I was very young. Wish I had more memories of those days...instead of just snippets. But this whole writing about memories is good for me and fun. And I would love to post a picture of a ringer washing machine but I don't have the know-how at this point.
Laundry is never-ending in my house. I usually run a load or two at least every other day and there is nearly always clothes waiting to be folded. Thankfully I have the convenience of an electric washer and dryer that basically does all the work for me. All I have to do is sort the clothes, throw them in, add soap and press start. That's a far cry from what doing laundry in Africa was.
Mom ran a laundry day at least once a week. We had a ringer washing machine and rinsing was done by running the clothes through 2-3 tubs full of water. The ringer would turn so that it was over each tub and clothes would be hand-fed through it. As one tub would get too soapy to use it would be rotated out with the new one being the final rinse. I know that Mom soaked some of the clothes in a bucket before running them through the washer and some of the dirtiest would be hand scrubbed. After they were washed someone had to carry them outside and hang them to dry on the lines in the back yard. It was often my job to hang it out - bend over, grab, straighten, shake firmly, clip it up...repeat. I spent those hours day dreaming - weaving stories in my mind. I don't remember what they were about. If rain threatened and we had clothes on the line it was a mad scramble to run and get everything off before it got wet again. The mountain of laundry we 4 kids brought home from boarding school must have been daunting at times...I know it usually took the entire month break from school to get it all done.
Laundry at school was a different project. All our clothes, socks, towels, blankets, wash rags had to have our name on them somewhere. Mom would send away and order name tags which then had to be sewn in. We had large cloth laundry bags that were carried to the school laundry once a week (I think). Our socks had to be in a special net bag as did our unders though boys' unders did not. There were huge washers and lines for drying linens outside. Other things must have gone into dryers...I don't remember that part. Then students came in as a job and sorted and "put away" the laundry - each student had a box and that's where the clean clothes went. Certain afternoons were laundry pick-up days when we had lines waiting for us to hand them their clothes to carry back to the dorms. I worked in the laundry - mainly with other girls. We usually had a good time though there was definitely some teasing that went on as we got to see our current "crushes" pick up their laundry...and maybe be the one that got to give them their clean clothes...oh my be still my heart!
Occasionally - probably more often than I remember - girls did hand laundry in the dorms. That was done to either keep our nicer clothes nice or more often, at least on my part, because I did not have enough clothes to last an entire week - especially not when we no longer had to wear uniforms. I remember hand washing jeans in a sink then literally ringing them out...twist one way as tight as you and a friend could go then release and twist them the other way. Sometimes it was rinse and repeat and repeat and repeat. Then when as much water as possible was squeezed out, we would hang dry the clothes the rest of the way. That usually took at least an overnight to finish drying them...sometimes longer.
These laundry memories are not complete. I don't remember how laundry was done when we lived where there was VERY limited electricity nor how it was done when I was very young. Wish I had more memories of those days...instead of just snippets. But this whole writing about memories is good for me and fun. And I would love to post a picture of a ringer washing machine but I don't have the know-how at this point.
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