Still in Iowa. The weather today looks more like March than December, although the potential exists to be snowed in here. Rain is falling, but it's beginning to be mixed with sloshy "wintry mix," and snow is to follow later this evening.
This week on the farm was frustrating. I mentioned preparations for my foot surgery. Among those included getting the animals to a point where 1 person can take care of them in less than half an hour morning and evening. It's not working. My farm crew, which works so well on other peoples' farms and ranches, is not as enthusiastic about our own. Our place is in constant disarray, which, usually aggravating, is now anxiety-producing. How will someone else find what is needed at the right time? Well, that will be their problem. I'll be communing with Netflix and travel websites, not the critters.
The house itself is in good shape; tidy and organized, with one or two exceptions. I'll clear those up on Monday. I need Tuesday for hunting and gathering, and, then, we'll be good to go, meaning good for me to be ensconced on the couch. I'll have a servant and a service bell. Yay, me!!
But, for today, that is all miles and days away. Today I get to see my favorite chapter of the Narnia Chronicles on the wide screen! Reepicheep, Aslan and Caspian...three of my favorite guys!! Lunch with another cousin, a Bourne movie tonight, German home cooking and good friends. Ahhh......
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Friday, December 10, 2010
Nothing to do.....
We left home last night for a 3 1/2 hour drive. We got here (Iowa City) 7 hours later...
It would have helped us to not have had to drive through a snowstorm during the first third of our trip. It would have helped us if someone had remembered his meds and not made us stop in a strange pharmacy for an hour, getting them filled. It would have helped us if we had eaten before we left. Scratch that; road food and the break for road food are a pleasant part of our road trips.
Anyway, we made it here safely. John is off at a meeting in Cedar Rapids. Our cousins are at school and work for the day. Mary is still sleeping. And I am sitting on the sofa at 9:30am, drinking coffee, playing on the computer...with nothing to do!! Pity.
It would have helped us to not have had to drive through a snowstorm during the first third of our trip. It would have helped us if someone had remembered his meds and not made us stop in a strange pharmacy for an hour, getting them filled. It would have helped us if we had eaten before we left. Scratch that; road food and the break for road food are a pleasant part of our road trips.
Anyway, we made it here safely. John is off at a meeting in Cedar Rapids. Our cousins are at school and work for the day. Mary is still sleeping. And I am sitting on the sofa at 9:30am, drinking coffee, playing on the computer...with nothing to do!! Pity.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Busy Week
I always feel silly saying that my week has been busy. After all, isn't every family's week busy? You can plan and plan, but, with several personalities and agendas, all plans have to contain the caveat, "Unless..."
This week I've been getting busy to do nothing. Next week I am having minor surgery (bunions, be gone!) and won't be able to do much of anything for at least 2 weeks. So I've been cleaning, organizing and planning. Some aspects of this planning have NO room for "Unless," because I just plain won't be able to!
Tonight we head to Iowa City to spend the weekend with some extended family members who are also close friends. It'll hopefully be a relaxing way to prepare for next week. Unless....
This week I've been getting busy to do nothing. Next week I am having minor surgery (bunions, be gone!) and won't be able to do much of anything for at least 2 weeks. So I've been cleaning, organizing and planning. Some aspects of this planning have NO room for "Unless," because I just plain won't be able to!
Tonight we head to Iowa City to spend the weekend with some extended family members who are also close friends. It'll hopefully be a relaxing way to prepare for next week. Unless....
Monday, December 6, 2010
Ahhh.....Another peaceful, relaxing weekend.
Bwahahahhahahahaha!!!
It started with snow. Finally, a measurable snowfall. Only about 4", but enough to get the kids outside for an afternoon, enough to have to shovel off the cars, enough to make farm chores just a bit more complicated.
Then comes the cold. The high pressure, low pressure, whatever (I was never really good at meteorology) that comes after a snowstorm brings with it wind and low temperatures. Today's HIGH will be close to 18F. Right now it's 6F. Wind chills should bring us down below 0F. Some people would tell us that the horses should be in all day, but they're not. That's why they have fur coats, after all.
Miss Mary performed in our church's Boar's Head Festival this weekend. Her experiences remind me why we homeschool...and that's all I'm gonna say about that!! We also hosted a friend from Wisconsin, who wanted to see the Festival in hopes of bringing one to her congregation.
And today we're back to normal...whatever that is. Up at 7:30, first load of laundry in and critters fed before breakfast, computer time and cleaning/organizing to follow. A day in the life!!
Bwahahahhahahahaha!!!
It started with snow. Finally, a measurable snowfall. Only about 4", but enough to get the kids outside for an afternoon, enough to have to shovel off the cars, enough to make farm chores just a bit more complicated.
Then comes the cold. The high pressure, low pressure, whatever (I was never really good at meteorology) that comes after a snowstorm brings with it wind and low temperatures. Today's HIGH will be close to 18F. Right now it's 6F. Wind chills should bring us down below 0F. Some people would tell us that the horses should be in all day, but they're not. That's why they have fur coats, after all.
Miss Mary performed in our church's Boar's Head Festival this weekend. Her experiences remind me why we homeschool...and that's all I'm gonna say about that!! We also hosted a friend from Wisconsin, who wanted to see the Festival in hopes of bringing one to her congregation.
And today we're back to normal...whatever that is. Up at 7:30, first load of laundry in and critters fed before breakfast, computer time and cleaning/organizing to follow. A day in the life!!
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
SNOW!!
There's just something about the first snowfall. Ours came today. The total accumulation can probably be measured in microns, but it snowed!
It's cold and damp. That's what happens for a first snowfall. It gets cold, (duh!) but not quite could enough. Much of the snow melts as it hits the still-warm ground. The damp just lingers in the air.
Later in the winter, when it's truly cold, the snow won't melt. It'll stay on the ground, the air will stay dry, and, although it will be cold, it won't be this damp-chill-through-to-the-bone-cold. I can actually handle 5 degrees better than 35 degrees. It seems backwards, but that's the backwardness that is me!
And this exhilaration I'm feeling at the sight of the first snow won't last, of course. As each successive snowstorm comes, yes, I'll enjoy it. I'll enjoy the crispness, and the stark branches against the grey sky, the red of rose hips against the white of the snow, the puffs of steam when people and animals breathe. Come March, though, this very same damp cold and sloppy snow will wear and tear on the soul. That's one of the things that makes spring, true spring ("wuv, twue wuv") so wonderful. That's one of the reasons I would really not enjoy a life in Florida, or Arizona, or even Tennessee. I need, really need a thorough change of seasons during the year. And I don't just mean hot season, less hot season, tourist season, migrating bird season, hot season again.
But for now, I'm enjoying the first snow, the first frosty fingers and nose, the last time I forget gloves and a hat for a while.
It's cold and damp. That's what happens for a first snowfall. It gets cold, (duh!) but not quite could enough. Much of the snow melts as it hits the still-warm ground. The damp just lingers in the air.
Later in the winter, when it's truly cold, the snow won't melt. It'll stay on the ground, the air will stay dry, and, although it will be cold, it won't be this damp-chill-through-to-the-bone-cold. I can actually handle 5 degrees better than 35 degrees. It seems backwards, but that's the backwardness that is me!
And this exhilaration I'm feeling at the sight of the first snow won't last, of course. As each successive snowstorm comes, yes, I'll enjoy it. I'll enjoy the crispness, and the stark branches against the grey sky, the red of rose hips against the white of the snow, the puffs of steam when people and animals breathe. Come March, though, this very same damp cold and sloppy snow will wear and tear on the soul. That's one of the things that makes spring, true spring ("wuv, twue wuv") so wonderful. That's one of the reasons I would really not enjoy a life in Florida, or Arizona, or even Tennessee. I need, really need a thorough change of seasons during the year. And I don't just mean hot season, less hot season, tourist season, migrating bird season, hot season again.
But for now, I'm enjoying the first snow, the first frosty fingers and nose, the last time I forget gloves and a hat for a while.
Monday, November 29, 2010
High Pressure
If the pounding in my head and neck are any indication, we're in for some storminess pretty soon. Or not. Maybe I'm just exhausted. We had an eventful Thanksgiving.
Without going into any detail, we traveled 19 hours; the usual round trip is about 13 hours. 6 of us in a 5-passenger car. We started out in two cars; one car whose fan motor gave up the ghost along the way, and another which gave up the ghost altogether. Too bad about $1000 was put into the car before it did!
This week will see 3 of the 6 of us moving out of here into another home. 2 dogs, a cat and a guinea pig will join them. I will be cleaning like a banshee. Yay, me!!
Still working on planning a trip to Europe, and am looking forward to (?) bunion surgery in the middle of next month. Stay tuned....
Without going into any detail, we traveled 19 hours; the usual round trip is about 13 hours. 6 of us in a 5-passenger car. We started out in two cars; one car whose fan motor gave up the ghost along the way, and another which gave up the ghost altogether. Too bad about $1000 was put into the car before it did!
This week will see 3 of the 6 of us moving out of here into another home. 2 dogs, a cat and a guinea pig will join them. I will be cleaning like a banshee. Yay, me!!
Still working on planning a trip to Europe, and am looking forward to (?) bunion surgery in the middle of next month. Stay tuned....
Sunday, November 28, 2010
The Advent of our King
The advent of our King Our prayers must now employ,
And we must hymns of welcome sing In strains of holy joy.
The everlasting Son Incarnate deigns to be,
Himself a servant's form puts on To set His servants free.
O Zion's daughter rise To meet your lowly King,
Nor let your faithless heart despise The peace he comes to bring.
As judge, on clouds of light, He soon will come again
And His true members all unite With Him in heav'n to reign.
Before the dawning day Let sin's dark deeds be gone,
The sinful self be put away, The new self now put on.
All glory to the Son, Who comes to set us free,
With Father, Spirit, ever one Through all eternity.
And we must hymns of welcome sing In strains of holy joy.
The everlasting Son Incarnate deigns to be,
Himself a servant's form puts on To set His servants free.
O Zion's daughter rise To meet your lowly King,
Nor let your faithless heart despise The peace he comes to bring.
As judge, on clouds of light, He soon will come again
And His true members all unite With Him in heav'n to reign.
Before the dawning day Let sin's dark deeds be gone,
The sinful self be put away, The new self now put on.
All glory to the Son, Who comes to set us free,
With Father, Spirit, ever one Through all eternity.
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