Down on the Homestead April 25 - May 2

**forestdale** · 04-25-2004, 12:49 AM

Hello homesteaders!

CJ, I hope you have a wonderful birthday. You share your birthday with our ANZAC Day. That's the day Australians and New Zealanders hold sacred in remberrance of our soldiers killed in all wars and to honour all service personnel.
Debbie, you had a wonderfully productive day. Good news about that horrid family. The further away the better, I think.
Margery, I'm sorry about your fil's wallet.
Melissa, get well soon.

I've had a funny sort of day. I started out alright but I've got sore eyes and I'm very tired. I think the past week is catching up in me. I'm supposed to be going out to a BBQ later but I'm not going to go.
I took some cuttings off my vanilla orchids ealier. I hope they grow. I've done laundry and a little bit of gardening but basically I'm taking it easy.
Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day.

**homesteadmamma** · 04-25-2004, 08:48 AM

Good morning everyone. Thanks Bethany for the good wishes.

Today being Sunday will be a day of rest. I don't plan on doing much other than some quilting. I have everything cut out, so I can sew up the blocks real quick.

I probably will also play outside with the kids. Our weather is wonderful right now and the wind has finally stopped blowing. It was wicked yesterday, although very warm.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Sunday, down on the homestead..

**Heather** · 04-25-2004, 09:30 AM

Happy Birthday CJ!!

Today is going to be very quiet around here. We were all up late last night sitting around our bonfire. I plan on just staying in my housecoat most of the morning and reading. Other than that no plan, isn't it great to have days like this? It is pouring rain out as well so not much can be done outside.

Have a great day ladies!!

**MJsLady** · 04-25-2004, 09:36 AM

Well today is a gorgeous day! The morning sun is bravely trying to make its way through the mists of fog in the yards. The way it shimmers it almost looks like we have frost!
The laundry is laundering, I never seem to have it all done, this is a load of the kids stuff, they are supposed to do their own but I found this strewn about the guys bathroom and just could not take it! I hope to thoroughly clean that bath tomorrow as my main chore.
I have decided to take it easy and do just 1 big job per day and keep up with the dishes and such, perhaps then I will get my energy back!
Tina, I am so sorry about your mom.
Debbie, I am thrilled for you about the neighbors. Are you still going to try for the other house? PM me details please! LOL
Margery, that is awful about your fils wallet! I am glad however that he is doing better!
Pizza and movie night last night was so much fun! We watched the 2nd LOTR movie and it was better than the first, I was very bored with the first one! Of course those books are classics and ones I can not read for some reason, I can't get past the beginning! Kind of like Pride and Prejudice and ...oh shoot i have forgotten the other one like that! I can't even watch the movies!
Well I am enjoying a breakfast of pizza, have to eat the rest of mine before some one else snatches it!
OH! Ladies, please add an extra pray for Debbie B. I know she did not tell the whole story and it is not my place to, but she needs lots of love and prayers just now.
well all have a wonderful day!
hugs!

**Heather** · 04-25-2004, 09:49 AM

Prayers being said for Debbie!

**canadian gardener** · 04-25-2004, 12:44 PM

Good morning ladies.

Debbie, prayers from here too and hugs!

Bethany, you probably need some rest, good idea. Lot of stress for you in the last couple months. Your body is probably asking that you let it restore itself.

CJ Happy Birthday, and Many Happy Returns!

We were just recovering from the wallet wandering off, and my nephew called, my sil and bil's house was on fire.

Nobody hurt thank God, and equally thanking God that most of their stuff is ok, just smoke and water damage. It started in their electrical connection to the mains coming into the house, and so their electricity will be out till the insurance gets a man to rewire the house. It has damaged enough that will take some months before the house can be given a certificate to live in again.

No water, no telephone and some of the windows and walls are burnt or smashed. The house is boarded up and the insurance is paying for a couple of nights in a hotel.

They will come here after that to live till things are back to normal. Life is a bit busy. I don't have time to go thru the threads this morning, and I may be moving out to dh's hotel while sil and bil come here to live.

(dh is here on company stuff, and the hotel doesn't charge for spouses)

Meanwhile I've made room in fil's freezer for their stuff. Hoping hoping that the insurance will be good about stuff but it's not looking good to start.

They are fully insured but insurance companies are glad to take money, not always cheery to part with it, and that is totally understandable but it looks like a long stressful bit up ahead for my sister in law and her dh and their son who lives with them. His business was on the computer in the room by the mains where the fire began.

However we are just all very very grateful it happened in the day with someone home, and not in the night when people could have been hurt (the smoke alarm didn't go off right away in spite of being right in the area) or in the day with everyone gone.

People are fine, the photos, furniture and valuables are fine. There is insurance and it is much much better than it could have been.

I want to go home now, and be very very quiet for a long long time. Just a few days more.

Oh and my son decided to come visit in the middle of all this. He called on his way yesterday before the fire started. Extra hands will come in useful today I'm sure.

I'm off to make some lunch for everyone.

Life is full and rich!

**QuilterMom** · 04-25-2004, 01:14 PM

I hate to hear about all that Margery! (((((HUGS))))) for everyone!

Happy Birthday CJ!

We only made it to Sunday School today (meets AFTER church service). Ds had us up 3 different times last night screaming that his foot hurt and he wanted someone to rub it. There's nothing wrong with his foot - he just got that in his head after hearing me complain yesterday afternoon that my feet hurt (after being on my feet for 7 hours working the rummage sale at church) and that someone should rub them for me. Gotta love kids!

We ran by Sam's on the way home, Eckerd, and got more boxes at the health food store. We just finished lunch and will do a bit of yard work in a few. After that we're hitting the beach.

**guest2** · 04-25-2004, 01:19 PM

Prayers for your family Margery, for our Deb B. and for all of your that your may be blessed beyond your wildest imagination.

Today slept in after staying up to watch SeaBiscuit and Space Cowboys last night. We had decided yesterday not to try and go to church today with our colds.

DH is out taking the front bumper off the van. He's going to sand it down to get rid of the rust, primer it with Rustoleum and then paint it with paint that has rustoleum in it. Poor thing looks pretty bad right now (the bumper, not hubby

).

The boys are catching up on a few things here and playing with their friend Lee. Jeff saw Lee coming over this morning and said "Honey, here comes our 4th son!".

We just love that kid!

I'm hoping to get a few things done around here and maybe BBQ something later for lunch or dinner. It's simply a gorgeous day and I'm loving this warmer weather. It's currently 54 outside but feels so much warmer that we are all wearing shorts.

Have a blessed day everyone!!!! Love you all!

**forestdale** · 04-25-2004, 04:21 PM

Debbie, if it was 54 degrees here I'd be rugged up in jumpers (sweaters) and have my slippers on. Have fun in the "good" weather with all your men.

Margery, I hope everything works out for your family after the fire. Insurance companies can be difficult to deal with when you make a claim.

Heather, housecoat mornings + reading sounds like my kinda day.

Melissa, I'm not a LOTR fan either but I'm glad you had fun on your movie night.

Quilter, lol at your son. I hope you all enjoyed the beach today.

CJ, I'm glad you've had a relaxing birthday.

I have enough energy today to drag a horse to water and make it drink. I'm going to do some gardening today and make a start on decluttering my office. I worked out why I'm having trouble with it after I read a decluttering book. It's because my work was such a large part of my life until now and I'm unsure about how me shutting down my business will effect us. But I know what I'm doing now is the right thing so I'm biting the bullet and getting rid of everything that reminds me of my corporate life. I'm actually looking forward to it now that I understand it. I think it will take a couple of days to finish it though.

Hopefully I can find some time to clean out my chicken coop too. My two new Rhode Island Red girls are the most intelligent chooks I've ever had. They've already organised the other girls to do what they want and they know where I keep the corn that I give them each time I take their eggs. They are very impressive.

I hope everyone enjoys their day.

**Strawberry** · 04-25-2004, 06:23 PM

Good afternoon friends!

Happy Birthday CJ!

Margery - You must really want to get back to your quiet, peaceful home to rest. I'm sorry about everything that is happening. Thank God no one was hurt in the fire!

Bethany - I hope it becomes easier to declutter your office

Debbie and Melissa - I hope you take the time to rest so you can get well.

Prayers for Debbie B

Thank you all for your prayers and good thoughts for my mom. She is still in the hospital, although with the possible strike today I'm not sure for how long. She's about the same physically. Emotionally, it's up and down. My brother, who lives the closest (3 hours away), went to visit her today. I'll talk to him and maybe find out more later.

Today I've been busy with two case of strawberries. I've made freezer jam, froze slices, and have the dehydrator going too. I'd like to get another case maybe tomorrow.

Other than that I've been resting and reading a book. Dh has some side-line work to do this weekend so he's busy with that. Ds#1 has gone to work and the other dks have gone to friends. I am enjoying a quiet home!

Hope you're all having a wonderful Sunday!

**homesteadmamma** · 04-26-2004, 09:52 AM

Good morning everyone.

Tina, I can't believe those workers are walking off. The risk they are putting everyone at is unreal. I better not say anymore because I'll say some things that'll get me in trouble. It just bothers me that our government (both provincial and federal) are letting health care slide so far down.

Bethany - you need to get some rest and just a few days of relaxing.

Margery, so sorry to hear about whats going on down there. Hope everything works out fine.

I had a wonderful day yesterday. The kids and dh made a cake and although not quite cooked in the middle, we could eat it. When I was cutting it with the knife, I pretended I couldn't get the knife through. They thought that was pretty funny. Then right after I ate it, I fell on dd at the table and she laughed until she almost fell of the chair. Overall it was a lot of fun.

Then we went to see our new baby. QuilterMom, HE is merlin. Were calling him Bailey. We were going to get a female, but she was totally black and dh wanted one with color.

Afterwards it was quilting and I managed to get quite a bit done. A wonderful birthday.

Today I have lots to do:

~wash sheets and clothes
~hang outside to dry
~bake bread
~fling in the kitchen
~start on our taxes
~iron

So its going to be one busy day here. Have a great day everyone, down on your homestead.

**QuilterMom** · 04-26-2004, 09:55 AM

I showed dh homesteadmamma's pic of the new baby and he is about to stroke out because Bailey is a blue merle (we've wanted one and they are the first ones to be grabbed out of every litter here!). He said if you for some reason decide not to keep him just to put him in a box and air mail him to us.

Since we've already got 3 Aussies, what's one more added to the chaos??? LOL

Today is laundry day and I need to pack more. We're in the midst of homeschool - we do a bit then I move on to another task then we school again, etc.

**MJsLady** · 04-26-2004, 11:05 AM

Well today is a busy one! I did NOT go back to bed when MJ left, though I may nap later on!
I have beans n ham going in the crock pot.
Drew was so slow getting up today I told Mj to leave him here and I would put him to work...well he left BOTH boys home!
There is a lot to do, since we are putting together a yard sale at a friends this weekend! There is a large community one being held this Saturday so we are going to put ours on the same day to take advantage of the big ads!
So far we got the dumpster rolled to the end of the drive for the guy to take back, I got the potatoes and tomatoes planted (tom. seeds anyway) and got more area hoed and ready for the rest of my seeds. so far no sprouts form what I planted pre storm.
I have made 2 pitchers of tea, ice, jello (was craving some while so sick!), got the kids to replace a ys desk with one I am keeping and fixed eggs and biscuits for breakfast.
Now that we have eaten we are going outside for a while, I am going to finish planting, Drew is going to tackle some weeds we have that are the size of small trees and Chris is going to use my idiot stick to cut down some grass so we can at least see the flower beds!
then inside where I will work on bathrooms and put up the last bit of laundry from yesterday and they will be cleaning out and organizing their rooms.
It feels good to have energy and I won't over do, if I feel tired I promise to rest! In the mean time I will work as fast as I can to get things done!
Margery, I am so glad no one was hurt and that most stuff is savable!
Tina, prayers for your mom!
CJ, the puppy is adorable! My Diesel looks like an Aussie Terrier cross!
Deb, hope you feel better soon!
Hugs to any I missed!
OK break is over off to the trenches....

**homesteadmamma** · 04-26-2004, 11:22 AM

QuilterMom - there is another male there that is even more merle than Bailey. He is the bigger of the bunch and is adorable, but we fell in love with Bailey. Actually we fell in love with another one first, but he was taken. Out of 8 pups, there was only 1 female. Bailey looks a lot like his mom.

His mom is the most gentle dog I think I've seen. She just came and laid by her pups and let us pick them up, pet her and just remained as calm as could be. Just like she trusted us completely. And this is her first set of pups!!

Were sold on this breed of dogs, so once Bailey is around 6 months old, will be looking for another one. QuilterMom - you did a good sell job.

Bread is on the rise, first load of laundry is hung outside and my ironing is finished.

**SusieJD** · 04-26-2004, 11:28 AM

Good morning all! Busy morning, and I'm just getting ready to go out the door to a "Red Hat" ladies meeting this afternoon.
It's pretty cold here this morning and it looks like it's going to be a rainy day here in the woods.

Susie in MN