Making Hay While The Sun is Shining

"In the morning, O LORD, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch."
Psalm 5:3 NASB

Today's Schedule

• 5:15 AM rise and shine
  
• 6:00 AM fix breakfast
• 7:00 AM walk Nathan to bus stop
• 8:00 AM morning chores, clean bathrooms, make beds, wash dishes, iron, wash laundry
• 9:00 AM plant shrubs (6)
• 10:00 AM chop down a tree timber
• 11:00 AM advise hydroseed workers where they should spray on the remaining grass
• 12:00 NOON lunch break

Whew

Proposed Afternoon Schedule

• 1:00 PM make a trip to the market
• 3:30 PM get Nathan from bus stop
• 4:00 PM library with Nathan
• 4:30 PM pick up Jacob (new grandbaby) to bring home to babysit
• 5:00 PM make dinner
• 6:00 PM clean up kitchen
• 7:00 PM rock the baby on front porch
• 8:00 PM Nathan in bath and get him ready for bed
• 9:00 PM balance checkbook
• 10:00 PM bed
  

"I will lie down in peace and sleep, for you alone, O LORD, will keep me safe."
From Psalm 4:8

Edit: Since I put in a long day yesterday ... I'm taking it easy today (Friday). The only items not finished were balancing the checkbook and rocking the baby. As for cutting down the tree, I actually started that job last week using the saw blade on the end of my tree pruner. I'm off to Coeur d'Alene today ... County Assessor's office and maybe some strolling arounding town.

Remembering Our Fallen Heros

May we never forget the sacrifice of our brave men and women throughout our nation's rich heritage that have given the ultimate price for our freedom. As you celebrate this weekend, take time to teach your children and grandchildren the meaning of this holiday. Camping, cookouts, and water sports are fun ... but they should never overshadow why our country sets aside this day. Speaking of the day ... why does every other holiday involve changing the original date to accommodate a three day weekend??? So what's on your agenda?

In memory of dh's uncle Danny who succumbed to injuries while serving in the Korean war.

Home of the Brave
by Roger Robicheau

Through the feel of war they brave this day
How proud they stand, their unselfish way

Our soldiers bear what we cannot see
They assure our right to live life free

Each trained will face an unknown fate
Our support they need, don’t hesitate

Just imagine how this land would be
Without their courage - catastrophe

All the liberties we have grown to know
Would not exist, this life would go

Find a thankfulness within your mind
Speak gratitude for our bravest kind

Have the willingness to show you care
For fallen heroes, hold back no tear

Reach out to God with his guiding light
For our troops do pray, both day and night

America raise your flags to wave
For we truly are 'home of the brave'

This and That

Recently, we took Nathan to our local amusement park for a special citizen's day. He and I got in for free ... and our guests paid $12 each. Right away he made it known that he wanted to ride the wooden roller coaster ... but I opted for him to wait and go with daddy another time ;) ... Then he talked me in to riding the tilt-a-wheel which brought back my vertigo ... and nearly brought up my lunch :( I really just wanted to park myself on a bench and be a people watcher ... NOT! We walked a fast pace for about 2-1/2 hours ... by then I had blisters and sore shins from trying to keep up! That's when we ran in to Ronald McDonald ... and the purple blob (?) in photo. Anyone know the blob's name? Nathan made sure to tell Ronald he LOVES french fries.

Today I had a play date with my little grandson, Jacob ... My daughter is working a couple of partial days per week and brings him over for a few hours until daddy gets off work. His newly emerging social skills: blowing bubbles, cooing, and the occasional smile have me speaking motherese all over again!

Photos: Nathan, Ronald, Purple Blob 5/07; Jacob ... 8 weeks weighing in at 12 lbs!

Trials and Temptations of the Homemaker

Earlier this week we were hooked up to the giant "mother ship" in the sky; a connection that is nearly as fast as lightning! No more waiting, yawning, napping, muttering under my breath about molasses in January dial-up! Some days I just gave up waiting and twiddling my thumbs with the many pictures that never completely downloaded. I can zip right on over and visit with friends around the country, and up north in Canada in about 1/10 the time. Now that I don't have an "excuse" for my lack of posts, better get my act in gear and write you guys a letter.

I must admit that yesterday was one of those rare, but lazy days at home. Some times my energy level is pumped with adrenalin ... and once in a blue moon it's "park your fanny" on the couch and sip ice tea til noon. Being a stay at home mom and homemaker, I never get the "luxury" of taking a sick day. That's when a DDS (don't do squat) day is needed. Perhaps twice a year I take the day off, of course that's only during the school hours when I'm home alone ... but a day off now and then is a real SMS (save my sanity) moment. Given that I've been blazing new trails through the wilderness this past year, I guess I won't feel too guilty. Today, though, I put myself in high gear and worked out in the yard ... raking rocks and soil, spreading some wild flower seeds here and there. Adding more kitchen greens and coffee grounds to my growing compost pile, washing loads of laundry, and faux painting a time out stool for Nathan (it has to match my kitchen).

The dog has been behaving (shhh) since her thunder and lightning induced meltdown the other evening! Last night when she started yapping, I took a rolled up newspaper with a bit of Tabasco on it and thumped her nose! That got her attention and she suddenly obeyed when I told her to be quite. Speaking of the other night ... we also lost our power from the thunderstorm. So now picture this ... the dog in the garage without her night light ... and Nathan in his bed (not quite asleep) without his night light! Thankfully, I had an emergency battery operated one to put in my son's room ... the dog just had to be in the dark.

Since I've prattled on and on, you are probably wishing I still had my dial-up connection. Lucky you, it's my bedtime ... Nighty-nite!

"First thing in the morning, she dresses for work, rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started. She senses the worth of her work, is in no hurry to call it quits for the day. She's skilled in the crafts of home and hearth, diligent in homemaking."

from Proverbs 31 The Message Bible

Dear Deer

...What can the matter be? Oh daughter of mine, do you really think I wouldn't notice the front end damage to my car from grazing a deer the other night? Please don't hold back vital info such as that from me or I shall have to post a story about it on my blog!

"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God." Psalm 42:1

Phantom of the "Bark"ra

This post finds me with "noise" in my head! Barking sounds that aren't really there! Scary stuff! For Three nights this past week, my pooch decided that barking was her preferred means of communication. Not during the day ... but evening and night time ... enough to get me out of my nice sudsy bubble bath ... or up at night muttering something about a Korean meat market if you get my drift ;) Dh once read that, "Golden retrievers think life is a party and they're the guest of honor." I have to admit that lately she's been treated as the dawg that she is ... and not given the honor she thinks she deserves. Needless to say, last night was one heck of a barky night. I have resorted to putting her down in the basement's storage room in her kennel, with a night light and sometimes a movie playing during one of her "episodes." To top things off, she is frightened of lightning and thunder ... which occurred last night as well. Today I'm still "hearing" barking in my head as if I can't turn off her obnoxious voice. Time to buy a muzzle!

Tomorrow my satellite connection should be hooked up. The electrician/installation tech had a bad part on the dish last week and had to order a new part; thus the delay.

"You are to be my holy people. So do not eat the meat of an animal torn by wild beasts; throw it to the dogs." Exodus 22:31

Stewing

It takes a lot for me to get a bad attitude. Most days I run around with a Pollyanna spirit thrilled at life and finding the good in everything. And there is really nothing to complain about ... EXCEPT that DH IS AWAY ON VACATION (WITHOUT YOURS TRULY)! And to make matters worse, he actually calls me each morning full of all the fun facts of his trip! ... all the while I'm STUCK here making decision after decision about landscaping, blacktop, paint choices, concrete design, running the house, taking care of HIS kids ... including one that has SPECIAL NEEDS ... oh, and walking the dog! To say that I'm not thrilled at HIS year in advance, once postponed, all guy trip to historic East Coast battlefields vacation is an UNDERSTATEMENT. After all, I've been here for over a year (day-in-day-out) designing the home, planning OUR daughter's wedding last year, greeting OUR first grandson and wondering why I've gained weight! Do you think I have a bone to pick with him? Maybe I should just shut my mouth!

A quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping on a rainy day;

restraining her is like restraining the wind
or grasping oil with the hand.

Proverbs 27:15-16

Cartoon: Ten years from now, that's Yours Truly being fed by Nathan (hee, hee).

Birthday Wishes

Happy Birthday Mom!

"Happy Birthday" means much more
Than have a happy day.
Within these words lie lots of things
I never get to say.

It means I love you first of all,
Then thanks for all you do.
It means you mean a lot to me,
And that I'm proud of you.

But most of all, I guess it means
That I am thinking of
Your happiness on this, your day,
With pleasure and with love.

You're the best mom ... thanks for always being there for your family. Your loving ways and kindness are just part of your being. Thanks for being my mom. I love you! ...

Top photo: Mom age 7

Bottom photo: 2006

Poem by: Turlough O'Carolan

Weed or Wild Flower

It amazes me to think that what I once fought to eradicate from my manicured front lawn now seems to be just part of the natural landscape. I'm talking about weeds! You know ... dan-de-lions, etc. Many a morning I spent hunched over or on a knee pad pulling and prying out weeds from my yard. Now I can take a break from all that prissy work and spend my time chopping up firewood ;) I may not wait until DH returns to get my new chainsaw. Until now, I've managed using the saw-blade end of my long handled tree trimmer ... but some of the wood is a might thick and needs a power tool. Who says girls can't have fun? Vroooom, vroooom.

"And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these." Matthew 6:28-29

Off My Duff

OK ... I'm off my duff today! My brain has been overloaded again and was a blank slate filled with just bits and pieces of life ... nothing to string together to write about. A hodgepodge of ideas and memories just floating in grey matter. That is until last night when I got an email from dear old mom saying I needed to post more on my blog ... that she misses me. OK mom, one day soon, you will have to de-lurk and post a comment or two! :)

Yesterday, winter tried to rear its ugly head with a blast of cold weather including an icy mix of rain and snow puffs (my term used for Styrofoam looking bits of snow). But, alas, today is glorious with plenty of sunshine, fluffy white clouds, and a spring breeze to remind a person that winter is a thing of the past for the time being. One day of sunshine in North Idaho, makes up for the periods of gray and overcast skies.

On the home front, we had our gravel driveway paved and the exterior trim is being painted today. The great room's freestanding stove was installed, and my new wooden rockers from the Cracker Barrel Country Store arrived and I assembled them. They will be nice to use this summer out on our front porch balcony to rock the new grand baby. Next week I'd like to get red geraniums planted in some flower boxes. I also put in my mail order for some fabulous scented geraniums that will perfume the air with their various scented leaves. Weather permitting, the landscaper should start putting in the lawn and flowerbed sprinklers.

DH called last night to see if I wanted a buffalo robe (queen size blanket). Only he would ask me such a question ... and only his friend Bob would offer us such a possession. But, being that the winters are cold, I told him to ship it up and I may use it in the family room down in the basement. I'm hoping such a thing doesn't smell awful! (edit: I just google searched buffalo robes and was shocked to see they cost about $1,000 for the size we're getting!) Whilst I'm working getting the house in order, he's off to Gettysburg, Fredericksburg, Jamestown ... etc., etc. on the last of his all guy macho trips. He has some nerve leaving me here to do all the work! When he returns home, I'm going to take a few days off and visit a spa (alone ... or with a girlfriend).

It's too nice of a day to be surfing the web ... so I'm going outside to enjoy the sunshine. May the Good Lord bless your weekend and may you be a blessing to Him.

Something's Screwy

Not ready to post again ... and I just noticed that yesterday's post is missing the comments. While I try to figure it out ... you can post to this "blank page" ... Mrs. Mac