On the homefront March 28 - April 3

**forestdale** · 03-27-2004, 02:09 PM

I survived another day at our store. Yay me! I had a wonderful sleep last night so now I'm ready to take on the world.

This morning I'll be cleaning out the chook house and gardening. I'm having lunch with two of my best friends so I'm really looking forward to that. I'll also get to see my wonderful 19 year old god-daughter, Casey. While I'm gardening I'll pick some bunches of herbs to take with me and I may have 6 spare eggs to share with my friends too. They always love it when I take them things from my garden. I haven't seen either of them since Christmas day and although we talk on the phone fairly frequently, I haven't yet told them about my move to voluntary simplicity. I'm sure it'll stimulate the conversation - as if it ever needed it. My son will come over and pick me up later. He asked me last night: "Mum, what time do you want me to break up the cacklefest?"

Sunshine, I hope things go well with your daughter. I'm guessing she's in the 15 - 17 age group. It's a very delicate time for them and I'm sending you good thoughts.

All other homesteaders, I hope you enjoy your sunday like I will enjoy mine.

Life's good.

**guest2** · 03-27-2004, 04:57 PM

Sounds like a lovely day Bethany!!!! Enjoy your time with your friends. Since you are a full day ahead of us, I'll try and come back to post Sunday.

**homesteadmamma** · 03-28-2004, 08:28 AM

Good morning everyone. Its dull here this morning but is suppose to really warm up today and this week. I can't wait because I should now be able to hang my clothes out on the line until late fall.

Bethany, it sounds like you were going to have a wonderful day. How did your friends accept "voluntary simplicity"?

Today is a day of rest here. I do have to make up a batch of bread though. After I've finished that, I'm going to quilt and sew away the afternoon.

Hope you all have a wonderful day.

btw - will soon be tapping the trees for maple syrup. Can't wait!!

**Katybird** · 03-28-2004, 10:20 AM

Today I have family coming over for dinner this afternoon. (late dinner). I will be making enchiladas but I have got to get a batch of rolls ready to rise (I promised DS I would make them). I am doing a little light housework and then getting started on the meal.

Have a great Sunday everyone!

**Strawberry** · 03-28-2004, 11:45 AM

Good morning! We're heading out in a few minutes for church.

I'm hoping today will be a rest day; I really need it. The last few days have been very emotional. Dh's friend's wife died unexpectedly, my uncle is not doing well health wise and isn't expected to live much longer, my aunt is exhausted from care for him at home, my sil was taked by ambulance to the hosptial and found out she has lupus, and my dd's 16 year old friend just found out Friday that she has Cancer.

Dd has been taking the news about her friend very hard. Last night a few close friends had a get-together here before the friends leaves today to go to Children's Hosiptal for surgery and Chemo. It's so hard on everyone when you need to travel 9 hours away from home to have treatment.

After church we're having a barbacue and then hoping to relax and read a book and maybe sneak in a nap.

Hope you all have a restful day!

**MJsLady** · 03-28-2004, 12:54 PM

Well so far today I have baked a batch of Michelle's brownies, and boy they are good also very very rich! I have also done a large baking of choc chip cookies, cleaned my kitchen, watered my flower beds and veggie garden. I also did a load of laundry that is drying now. I can hardly wait to get a clothes line too!
My Anasazi beans are over 6 inches tall already, and my peas ans sno pods are sprouting in my kitchen! We will fiinish digging out the garden tomorrow since there is no school and all the rest of my prouts and seeds will be planted! Finally!
MJ and Drew have been working on the car and it is almost finished.
I just finished peeling the eggs for tuna salad and decided to take a bit of a break!
I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday!

**forestdale** · 03-28-2004, 02:11 PM

Good morning homesteaders.

Tina, I hope things get better soon in your world. I trust you'll find some peace at church today and hope you get all the relaxation you need.

Melissa, it won't be long before you're harvesting beans and peas and every other seed that you plant in your garden. Gardening is such a joy and providing one's family with freshly grown vegetables is one of the year's simple delights.

CJ, I had a lovely time yesterday with my friends. I took over lemons, branches of bay leaves, pineapple sage, oregano, mint, watercress, basil, parsley, sweet peppers, lettuce and eggs. I also gave Jude some sweet pepper and tomato seeds that I saved because she wants to try growing some herself. I'm sure you'll agree, one of the joys of growing things is the chance to share it all with your friends and family.

On the question of voluntary simplicity, it went over fairly well, although they both said they thought it would be a tough thing to do. I agreed with them and said most worthwhile things are tough and that wouldn't stop me. They both said that they wouldn't want to voluntaruly drop their standard of living and I said that as far as I could see, my standard of living would improve because I would always be eating healthier food, I'm happier and instead of selling my time and soul to large corporations (like i did in the past) I'm working in beautiful surroundings in the open air, doing my own thing without having to compromise myself to earn a dollar. While I was telling them about what I'm doing it also occured to me that as well as the satisfaction that I get from doing this, I also now have respect for what I'm doing. I've never had that before. Other people used to respect what I did because I used to earn a lot of money, I travelled around and stayed in big hotels at company expense. But for me, there was never self respect doing that, it was just a way to earn a living. Things have changed now and I respect what I do and love myself for making the change.

My god daughter Casey was listening while I was talking about all this and she came over, hugged me and said: "You're awesome!" High praise indeed. I had a lovely time and came home smiling, which might have had something to do with the few glasses of wine I had but was mostly to do with this incredible feeling of satisfaction I have about doing something that pleases me.

Today I'm in the garden again collecting feathers from the backyard. (two of my girls are losing their feathers), moving a birdbath into the vegie patch and sowing some viola and allysum seeds and pruning in the front garden. I also have to bake bread, do some laundry and pick up a few groceries. I'm making barley and vegetable soup and hot bread for dinner.

Life's good.

**Michele Annette** · 03-28-2004, 03:13 PM

Bethany,

I am so happy that your friends and family accepted your new simplistic ways! That was a beautiful story. I also love the way you changed your life from a big corporate job. I am going though a similar change and it is kind of hard. You are an inspiration! I look forward to making some big changes like that in my life soon too!

Good for you!

**guest2** · 03-28-2004, 06:14 PM

Tina

Prayers being said for all those hurting around you.

to all of my homesteading thread buddies!!!!

Today we went to church and then drove all over the place trying to find a particular grocery store that DH wanted to go to.

We spent an hour looking for it but we did find some other really cool places to check out later. One is a rescue place for big cats like lions, tigers, panthers, etc. It's called Cat Tales and we could see a beautiful jaguar from the road. We're planning on going up and exploring it more thoroughly another time since it is open to the public. Jaysn drove us all home and did great!

We had leftovers for lunch and then my guys all started working on the garden and transplanting rose bushes outside. My side garden is now ready to plant and the back garden will be dug out and prepared this week. Two of the boys are out on a bike ride with a friend and Jeff and Josh are up at the school hitting golf balls.

I'm having some quiet time without them all. Ahhhhhhh..............

**guest2** · 03-28-2004, 09:14 PM

Carolyn was playing kissy face!!!!

You go girl!!!!

**QuilterMom** · 03-28-2004, 09:25 PM

LOL! Last week's thread had today's date on it so I posted there this morning instead of this new thread.

We were surprised this morning at church by friends of ours that are missionaries in Antigua (have been there since last July). They didn't tell us they were coming for a visit (to surprise us) so when we walked in church this morning I did a double take. We hugged and bawled all while worship service was going (singing). I have missed them so much. They came for dinner tonight and I was devastated to find out that they won't be back for good until summer 2005 (they were supposed to come home for good August of this year). They are needed there though, but I sure do miss my friend (the mom). We had a nice time with them over dinner tonight though and hopefully we'll spend more time with them this week.

We went to look at a house for sale by owner today. We like it so we're going to see about buying it if all terms can be agreed upon and such.

We also found out yesterday that a man in our Sunday School class passed away yesterday. He was only 48 and lost his battle with cancer. It was an honor to know him though - wonderful man. I am sad that I will never see him again in this lifetime though - I wish we'd had more time to get to know him better (we've only known him about a year). We talked a lot about grief and the grieving process in Sunday School today and I know it's going to take a while for all of us to accept that he's no longer here with us.

**guest2** · 03-28-2004, 09:41 PM

QM~I'm so sorry about the man from your class passing away. Be comforted knowing that you will see him again one day in heaven and that he is in no more pain.
Praying that this is the house for you and that you get it!

**homesteadmamma** · 03-29-2004, 09:42 AM

Good morning everyone. It is looking like a wonderful day here, with lots of sun. I love when the sun is out, just makes everything seem so much better.

Tina, lifting your family up in prayer.

Surferchick - you know I'm praying.

Today is laundry day here, so once the kids are up and fed, I'll start. I'm hoping it warms up enough today that I can hang a load outside. Will see.

I promised the kids I'd make them a batch of cinnamon buns, so while I'm doing that I also want to make a couple loaves of cinnamon bread if I can find a recipe for it.

Once the cinnamon buns are started, then I need to get doing the spring fling on the kitchen cupboards.

It looks like a busy day here. Have a great day on your homesteads.

**Mom23boys** · 03-29-2004, 10:24 AM

Good morning! I am home today trying to catch up on the boards, mail out some auction wins, and take care of Dakota who is home sick.

I am glad I called in to get the day off so I could get caught up on some things. I feel like there isn't enough time in the day to do everything that needs to be done. I am looking forward to summer! I need a long break. The teacher I work with wants me to work with her in summer school. I could make a extra $2000.00 for working for 7 weeks, 4 days a week from 8:30-1:00. I am debating. I could use the money, but would like to stay home. It is up in the air for now.

Anyway, Dakota was suppose to have baseball practice tonight, but we will have to wait and see how he feels before he goes.

I have supper in the slowcooker and laundry in the wash. I scrubbed and cleaned the bathrooms yesterday, so I don't have to work to hard in there.

It is so beautiful outside. Everything is so green. Our trees we planted last year are blooming. Leaves are everywhere.

We have had to mow twice already this year.

I hope you all have a great day on your homesteads.

**Strawberry** · 03-29-2004, 11:19 AM

Good morning everyone! It was wonderful to hear the robins this morning and it's suppose to be warm and sunny today. Right now it's still pretty cloudy.

Yesterday didn't turn out quite as restful as I was hoping. Out of town friends ended up showing up and spent a few hours visiting and I made dinner for all 11 of us. We did have a good time visiting.

Today I'm having a hard time getting motivated. I'm so tired and I feel achy all over. I'm hoping to get a few loads of laundry done and I have to bake bread and muffins. Other then that I'm planning on resting. Hopefully both dk will get their schoolwork done with too much complaining.

Hope you all have a great day!