Sigh

When it was over, I took a deep breath and turned to my husband, gave him a big hug and sighed. Then I said we made it. Now for a long time our rear ends will not be keeping these bleachers warm anymore. He smiled at me understanding fully what I meant by that comment. We have raised four daughters. Four daughters in many activities...choir, musicals, volleyball, basketball, softball, cross country, track, golf, geek- bowl, pageants and plays. Each time we as parents were there in the stands, cheering, yelling and smiling. My husband said it has been over a decade. He is right. Our youngest daughter told us numerous times this year she thought we were the oldest parents in the stands. We reminded her she is lucky we are this old and had her! Our last high school sport is over, Thank you girls! We loved watching you all each and every minute!  Sigh...sigh...sigh  * What am I going to do with all my free time now?


     

Woody

We have a new addition to our family, or so I think. Its been here for almost a month now. Its been on facebook and twitter by our daughter but no one has claimed it. So it stays, My husband said it has to go by winter. He has not let it in. So it is here waiting to greet me every time I go outside. It is a friend to the dogs. Its becoming part of our family day by day. It came out of the woods. Very skinny. It looked weird and ugly as its head was huge compared to its body. I did not feed it as I too wanted it to go away. But it stayed. I felt sorry for it so I feed it and it kept staying. It would not let us touch it. I called all the neighbors, no one wanted it or knew who it belonged to. My husband wondered why our dogs let it come up to the house as they chase everything that comes near. And it looks like a woodchuck. So I named it Woody Woodchuck. It is a dachshund. It is fatter now and looks nice. it lets us pet it behind the ears then skitters away. It runs around the field with Brownie and Chippy when we ride the four wheeler on those short little legs. It does not let us hold it, I think someone was mean to it as it is very shy. It sleeps outside each night because my husband will not let it in the garage yet. But its getting colder. He said we will have to take it to the shelter. We do not need 3 dogs. But, it is still here and he did pet it tonight. Woody likes us. I can not have a house dog as I am allergic. But he can stay outside. So we may have a new addition to our family...or so I think.   

Wedding

I went to an Amish wedding this week. I was my first experience at one so I want to to write my thoughts down about it. It was on a Thursday, I guess that is wedding day. My husband could not go as he was shoveling out a grain bin getting ready for harvest. So I went alone as I didn't want to miss it. When I pulled up to the house I first noticticed  that I was one of 3 cars. They had a sign just for us to park. Then in the field beside the house was hundreds of buggys. I walked past maybe 50 children playing volleyball and basketball. They all turned to look at me I smiled back. I tried to talk with a few in passing but they had no interest in me, just what they were playing. Walking up the stone drivway I took a deep breath then asked the first man that looked at me and he told me to put my gift in the tent. The tent was filled with presents. It thought , this is going to take Emma all day to go through these presents and write thank you notes. Going up the hill I stood beside a young mother with 2 children. She told me how she knew the couple and asked how I did. She then told me where to go inside. I was so glad she talked with me as I was feeing like an outsider. Exactly at 5:30 everyone went into the garage that had been conected to the barn for more seating. The men all sat by each other on one side of the room. They had about 15 of us english friends in the middle with young girls filling the end of the table. On the other side was the women. All children were at tables in the front and back. Boys at a table and girls at another. Then a man started to chant, we all bowed and prayed for 5 min. The food started passing. All on china plates, real silverware and glasses. Potaoes,stuffing, noodles, gravey, corn, beans, two kinds of chicken. Once plates were empty all the bowls were passed again for seconds. Next came a platter of fresh fruit, 7-layer salad, veggies and cheese. Finally a bucket of ice cream, oreo dessert, butterscotch, cheery and pecan  pie and cake. last was a comb with the bride and grooms name on it and a full size candybar for everyone to take home.  The man chanted agin everyone bowed for 5 minutes and everyone got up to leave. I asked when leaving if we got to see the bride and groom and they said they were talking with the bishop. So the only one I knew was the parents whick I told thank- you for inviting me. I left at 6:30 and more buggys were driving in as they would have another meal at 7:00. They feed 500 people at 9:00. The wedding was at 12:00 (for 3 hours) then they feed 500 people at 5:30 and 7. I was so impressed. She had over 60 people helping with everything and she bought each one a gift. Plus she sewed all the wedding outfits for the men and woemen in the wedding. It was something to see. I feel blessed to have been invited and even though I felt uncomfortable because I didn't know exactly what to do I could feel the love and joy these people had for this young couple starting their life together. Family is important to them. Over 1500 people went to this all day event. WOW        

Underwater Rain

Last night before I went to sleep at the cottage I decided to walk down to the dock. The air was a bit crisp but it was refreshing after the hot day. The moon was casting a glow on the water that made it seem to sparkle on its reflection. As I walked over the dock I heard rain drops. I looked up at the sky puzzled as I felt not rain on my arms or face. With more curiosity I knelt down to look at the water and yes there was splash marks of raindrops and the sound that went with rain. Odd. I went back up to the cottage to get a flashlight to investigate more. Once back on the dock...  again it was raining in sound only. I turned on my flashlight to discover more minnows than I could count jumping up out of the water chasing one another playing tag. When looking out over the lake as a body of water not only were they jumping around my dock but all over the entire lake they were jumping. I quickly went to get my husband to hear the underwater rain of the minnows. Something I may never see again. Wow! I need to walk down to the lake more often at night.

Campfire

Yesterday we invited 3 extra people over to the lake. As the day went on the girls texting went out and more people came over. Then a friend was kayaking by in the water ,stopped to chat, an hour later the car drove up. She stayed to visit. Soon the neighbors wanted to see what was happening at our place and they were over. After working all day a college girl drove over. I have learned to always take more food then we need as people just drive by to see if we are there at the cottage. I took a whole box of porkburgers, I'm glad I did. There were 22 people around our campfire telling stories, laughing, giggling and just plain having a good time. Rex and I love it. What a fun night! Today is another day. I'm thawing the brats out as I never know whos coming for supper. Come join us!

Evenings

Each morning when I wake up I start to think about the evening. My husband and I each ask each other what are the plans for the evening. I check with each daughter to see where they will be that evening or if I need to be along. Then I check the calendar to see what it entails for the evening. All day when I am at work my mind will occasinally drift to the evening. How many cars will we need? What I will make for supper? Do I tutor tonight? Is it card night? Do I go to BONS? Do I need to go to town? What do I need to buy for groceries this week? Is there a ballgame tonight? Are there any birthdays? The list goes on and on... I really think I live for the evening as that is when I spend time with my family so its important to me. So...What are you doing this evening???????

Sigh

This week I feel a sigh of relief right through to my inner self. I have finished this years classes for my new extended degree. What does this mean? It means I do not have to read extra articles nor write and rewrite papers every weekend. I have stressed each week about points and if I will pass. I have cried numerous times and wonder what the Lord has in mind for me to have taken this path. But yet each week I survive and with the help of a close knit group I continue on. And now...another class is finished. I find myself thinking what am I now going to do this summer with this free time to myself. I will regroup and mentally prepare for yet another class. But for now I am enjoying this freedom of "no class"I am not stressed at the monent. I am enjoying time, time I squezzed in between all the other things I do daily. SIGH! SIGH! SIGH!

Cutting wood

Yesterday my husband and I cut wood. We both enjoy cutting wood. We get to be together all day. We talk about everything and anything. We laugh with each other and work hard. Halfway around the field and hours later I told him I just counldn't pick up another piece as I was to tired and to hot. So he said lets just get in the truck and rest awhile. As I sat there he said go ahead and take a nap then we will finish. So I closed my eyes, listened to the water running over the rocks in the stream, heard the birds talking to one another, and could hear the trees creaking in the wind. I got up and told my husband I just couldn't sleep so we may as well get back to work and finish filling the trailer. He then said I had been sleeping for over an hour and I was snoring. How in the world did I get so old that I can't even remember I was sleeping. guess I needed that nap. Back up and at it we finished the load. Now we can stay warm and have hot water for another three weeks.

Sleep

I do not sleep much each evening. If I sleep on one side I wake up because my shoulder hurts. I then turn to the other side until that arm falls asleep. If I sleep on my back I snore so loud I wake myself up. When I sleep on my stomach I wake up because I drank to much water as I was SO thirsty right before I went to bed. Back from the bathroom, I stick my feet out from the covers as they are hot. Then I wake up and throw the rest of the covers off as I am now hot all over. Later on I get up again to close the window as I am cold. Back to bed then the alarm rings, I just can't believe its time to get up, so I hit snooze. R-i-n-g time to really get up. I don't think I slept all night!
*Solution- I come home and take a nap each day that I can!

Hooked

I am hooked, each night I come home and sometime during the evening I check each of your blogs. I giggle, smile and and shake my head meaning oh yeah I get that! What I am trying to say is that I feel like I am part of your lives because of what I am reading. We are friends-I know your stories. I don't always comment but I read each and everyone. I am hooked on reading your hopes, dreams, accomplishments, sorrows, goals...notices. Have a wonderful evening...I did!

Finale

Well I made it all month my first try. I guess I have become a slicer. I am sitting here in my little cottage where I get bunches of my ideas and I regroup.
It is here that I want my family and friends to find peace, happiness and calmness. Here I want there to be good times together,bonding with nature, and memories made. Here I am myself without worries for a moment, without stress.
Here I want people to gather for week-ends and great food.
Here is where I fish,swim and sit on the dock looking at the sunsets.
Here is where we have outhouse stories.
Here is everyone working to finish the inside/outside of this little cottage so it has a part of all of us within it.
Here is where you can go just to go somewhere.
Here is a cottage standing since before I can even imagine.
Here is where I will become a writer.
THANKS to all as you have encouraged me and cheered me on. I am grateful!

Hotel

Yesterday we went to a hotel for a night. When the girls were little we would go there once a winter for years. It was a good way to beat the winter blues. The girls would swim for hours, then after breakfast until it was time to pull them out of the pool to check out. Most times they could talk their dad into staying one more hour after checkout, he loaded the car and gave in to his daughters once more. Last night when we arrived youngest and middle #3(came over from college for a few hours-not to miss anything) put down their bags an went for a walk. They kept saying everything is still the same. They were happy. They swam,(youngest had a friend from her vball team came to spend the night)exercised, played basketball and vball, played ping-pong and got all dressed up for a photo shoot. (That's what they do now that they are older). For this photo shoot dad and I followed them around holding cameras and taking pictures in and around everything, we all enjoyed it. We meet a lot of other folks and heard their stories of how they were there for the weekend. anniversaries, shopping,family gatherings,spring break, just to get away! Needless to say we all had a super time, lots of giggles. I'm glad we all went together.

Finding the right college

Four girls, four colleges. This week we took youngest to visit another college. She counted them up that she has been to about ten. After each one she would say something that she didn't like. Two weeks ago we went to Indiana Wesylan and she liked it there. Finally we are getting somewhere. She has a year to really decide but we want to narrow it down to three this year. The college we went to this week was Goshen College. We did the tour thing, got the free t-shirt, sat in on a nursing class, met the volleyball coach. My husband and I could tell her smile was a bit brighter, she had a sparkle about her. Then she said it, that she liked it here a lot. The next day she was invited back to practice with the team. She came out saying. This was the place for her and she is not looking anywhere else because they have everything she needs right here. Yes!!!! My husband and I are elated. We have a winner. She said they have asked her to come every week to practice, she is going to spend the night and meet with the nursing director. Part of the battle is finding out what career each daughter should take, then its the college, the rest will happen.
Our money has went to these colleges:
Me-Huntington, Ball State, St. Francis, IPFW, Indiana State
Husband- Purdue
Oldest- Buffton
Middle #1- Manchester, Vanderbilt
Middle #2- Trine, Purdue
Youngest- Is favoring Goshen

Interesting how everyone wants there own college (Purdue was on-line for Middle#2)We as parents just want our girls to have a job where they can support themselves for whatever life may bring them. So they can stand on their own if need be. That is really our last big job- that they get through college, after that they are old enough to be on their own and we hope we have steered them right.
*Youngest is excited about her college and so are we!

The Boys

Raising my family of girls this house has had the saying "The girls" always. Last night since my daughter's family moved back from Colorado my "Boys" got together for the first time. My grandson is 9mo old and my adopted grandsons are 5 and 7. (Neighbor boys that I took in since birth- we love their parents too) They have seen each other on facebook, but not the same as in person. I was the babysitter last night as the parents went to the movies. 7 is a bit more reserved and doesn't really want to play with a baby. However 5 talked up a storm. First was the questions. Am I still your grandson too Tams? Will you still come to my ballgame? Will you still come to my birthday Rexy and Tams? Yes, yes yes!! Ok. Then it was on to the baby, watch this baby. This is how you throw the ball. "Don't hit the baby with the ball." Why isn't he crawling? What is he doing? "He scoots around, he can't crawl yet." Oh he's swimming. Come on baby I can do that follow me under the table. There goes baby and 5 under the table. This is fun and soon 7 joins under the swimming table. That's when 5 says, Baby look at my big hands, soon yours will be this big too. Soon here comes alligator toy out from under the table. I didn't know alligator could move that fast. Lots of giggling is happening now they have baby sitting up and rolling ball to him. Baby is part of the group. Can baby come to our ball game? Can baby come to our birthday party? We are all Rexy and Tams grandsons. This baby is OK!

Shopping

I am not really a shopper, or I do not call myself one anyway. I do like a good sale. That is what I do best. I seem to spot those SALE signs clear across the store. I saw a clip on Sunday Morning this past week that said clothes are over priced 100%. I believe it, as somethings I never would pay that amount of money for what they are asking. I took my junior daughter with me and I was surprised at how much she is like me. I have trained her well. Two stores we did not buy a thing in and walked out empty handed. She just couldn't believe how many people are out shopping in the middle of the day. Usually we go into Fort Wayne on the week-end or the evening. "Why aren't these people working mom?" she asked. I stated some are working a different shift, some have the day off like us, some are retired, and some do not work. She was amazed still by how many people were in town on a Tuesday. Well I seemed to drop a lot of money off in those stores as were found her birthday presents. The older they get I let them pick out the gifts they want as I just have no idea what makes them happy. ( my taste is not the same as theirs) So we came home with our bags of goodies and very, very tired. I am really not a shopper.

Hot Water

No I'm not in hot water but we sure do use a lot of it in our house. I go to visit my friend who has a son and when he goes in to take a shower its zip-zip fast! He's in and out of that bathroom. I ask, "Is he always that speedy?" "Always" is her answer.Well that is not the case here at our house who has four daughters. They go in the bathroom and first you hear the CD start up. That's the first clue that it will be awhile. Then the singing starts. I think the girls do not know how loud they are, their voice(someday we will miss that singing) from the bathroom just booms. Then the music goes louder when the water joins in the duet. I have timed the girls and they usually take 40 minutes with the water running. Shaving the legs in the tub then adds on another twenty minutes. When my husband walks by I know he pounds on the door and yells. "Whats going on in there?" then he walks away with a smile on his face, as he has lived with these girls for 26years. The hair which follows then takes who knows how long to jell,brush and style. Then it starts all over with the next girl. With some shoving on who gets the bathroom next. Sometimes its who is the fastest and can get it there to lock the door first. Sometimes it is who can tackle the best that night. Then there is always one who figures out if she goes last she may get to stay up a bit later because she just can't seem to get out of there quick enough and gets a few minutes past her bedtime . Then sometimes they can really speed it up if a boy is waiting for a date or the vehicle is leaving and you best be in or we leave without you. Anyways, I am so happy we have our outside wood boiler as the girls and myself can stay in that shower as long as we want. This week end our daughter in college and our married daughter were back on different days and both times I said what are you doing showering here? Both said that our water is hotter here so they like to jump in. I then found out the college daughter does this often as she thinks the bathrooms are to small at school. My husband and I think they will never leave the bathroom. Until then we keep cutting wood (which we did yesterday) and keep filling the wood stove... as the hot water continues to flow at our house!

Sunday Morning

I do not go to church on Sunday very much anymore. I was a church hopper my whole life. I never found a church where I fit in. There was always drama going on. I took the girls faithfully when they were little. I took then to camp every summer. I took them to catechism classes two years each so they would have and understand religion. I do go to church if my mother is home as we go together. My husband has eggs, bacon and pancakes ready for our return every time we go. Now the girls can go if they want as they can drive. I get up and enjoy Sunday Morning on channel 15 every Sunday. I like the old fellow who hosts the show. I like the different news pieces they run as they are interesting to me. I like the different ways they can make a sun smile. My favorite is the trumpet playing at the beginning and end of the show. I look forward to it each week just like I did church. I watch it faithfully each week. Right now I have to go watch it with my family now. I love Sunday Mornings. Have a great day!

First Runner Up

Today I got up at four this morning to drive my daughter a little over two hours away for a Miss Teen Indiana pageant. She has already been in 3 others this year, each time getting first runner up. To her that is not good enough. She wants to win, she wants the crown on her head. We tell her she already has two other crowns this year, 4-H and Corn School. But that is not this one and she can see it and wants to feel it on her head. Other times she has been OK after, she just says I will try again. So we do, However this time I could see the hurt in her eyes. I really thought it was hers too. I guess we just don't know what the judges want. That is true because they never let you see the papers on how you were graded so we are just guessing how to improve. We keep asking how can I do something different but the answer is the same. Oh, you are doing just fine. Well to my daughter that doesn't help her a bit. So tonight she had a few tears, next week end is the last one for this year plus next year she will have to compete with the girls who are 22 years old. We have a hotel room booked in Shipsie for next week end (I could cancel) but she has already said can she try just one more time. I'm not sure. I'll have to think on it. What to do? She is one determined child. And I am one tired mother right now. I am also a very proud mother of my daughter who can interview with 5 judges staring at her, sing in front of an auditorium of people, jump around in active wear and answer a question on the spot. I would be breaking out in hives. I think she takes after her dad!

Rain

Tonight I woke up from my nap to the sound of pouring down rain. When I looked out the window you could not even see the road it was raining that hard. It didn't rain hard for a few minutes it rained that hard for over an hour. The bottom of our hill looks like a small pond. From there it has made an even bigger lake in our field. Then the water is rushing out the drainage pipe into the creek which is raising. We went down to the mill to see if the sub pumps were running and on our way there we went through water crossing the road. The first place was up to the top of our Yukon's tires. (I was glad we did not take the car) Then the next place we didn't see that the road was covered as it just looked wet. My husband had water coming over the top of our vehicle. He said,"Wow I didn't see that, guess we got our car washed." I thought it was fun! (glad I wasn't driving as I would have been in the ditch) I think people will have flooded basements tonight. I'm sure all this water has done damage. But tomorrow most of it will be gone and it sure will green up everything. It gave the earth an earth wash.

Books

Tonight we went to our Amish friends for a load of wood. We chatted about our day as they finished their supper. They were having meatballs, potatoes with asparagus gravy and bread. It looked yummy but we had already eaten. So we enjoyed sitting with them. The parents chat but the kids usually do not say much unless we ask them something. But wherever we move the 6 kids all follow as they do not want to miss a thing we are saying. After we loaded the wood on our trailer with the skid loader. I told them I had something for them but only if their parents approved. I then pulled out eight boxes of books. They were all sets of the same title. I had collected them over the years. However the last ten years they have been boxed up as I was teaching writing and did not have a classroom. Now that I am back in a classroom I do not need them as we have a book room with lots of books. I could have given them to my school but, no my school closed down a school this year and I saw all the things they disposed of. I was going to keep them for my daughter, but she teaches blind students so they can't read them. Then my youngest said she wants to be a nurse. So I decided to give them to our Amish friends school. They were so excited. It was like Christmas all over. Those kids could not wait to go to school and read those books. One girl said she has read every book in the classroom. Their parents took them all but about ten books. So I did a good thing that warmed my heart. My books have a new home and I have been invited to the Amish school next week to visit the classroom. I think I will go!

Driveway

When we moved to the woods and built our house I had visions of making lots of flowerbeds. Well that idea got nixed after I made one. Way to much work. weeding and weeding and more weeding. So to this day I still only have one flower bed. But...In the spring as you drive up my long driveway your mouth will drop and your eyes will get wide as its absolutely beautiful. I have planted hundreds of daffodils of all colors. Then there is the tulips that follow. It started when my dad started giving my sister and I a pot full of hyacinths just because he wanted to. (my dad has given me very few things over the years) So as he was still teaching I would get these flowers. I really didn't know where to put them so I replanted them in the woods. That started it all. Now there is a path way of flowers to my house. I hope everyone that drives up my driveway through the woods takes notice of the spectacular view I have taken years to create. Enjoy!

Allowed

I am not allowed to drive any of our equipment (except the car/Yukon)If you heard my history with equipment you would understand why. My father and my husband never let me drive anything. I may ride on the back or walk alongside. I have been given many chances but something always happens (not good) and I get banned. I'm OK with it, as I have learned my place. But...every once in awhile it can't be helped as I am the only one along and I have to drive something. I can see my husband look down at the ground then look up at me as he says, "I guess you will have to drive." Tonight was one of those nights. I get all excited when he says that. I smile as I set in the drivers seat. Then I can't remember where the gas is or the brake. I push the wrong levers and buttons. Finally I sort of get it going very slowly. He is cutting down an old gnarly mulberry tree next to a fence line. He hooks up the chain, then starts the chain saw up. I am to pull on the limb when it starts to fall and drag it into the field. I go backwards by mistake, then I get it going the right way. I pull and pull and yank it down. Victory! My husband does this five more times. I tell him I'm pretty good at this when we are in a wide open field. Seriously what could go wrong out here? Thank goodness nothing did tonight. Maybe soon I will be allowed to drive something again.

Eggs

Well spring is here. I look in my chicken coop at my girls + rooster. When I get home I go to the coop and open the gate to let the girls out. They all come running on their two feet, wings out running as fast as they can. Out they go right out into the woods. Scratching and pecking they cluck that sound that I know as pure joy. I think they wait for me all day. Just like you know the different sounds of your children. If they are hurt, excited , sad or happy. I know the sounds of my chickens voices. If they are bored in the winter. When they are sick and when spring is here their happy elated clucking. They look at me with smiles on their beaks strutting around in the woods happy to be looking for worms and bugs. Then I go into the coop and look in each of the nests. Then I smile and I'm almost clucking as out of 11 hens I have been given 9 eggs from the girls. Some are still warm to the touch. I always tell the girls thank-you for the eggs and I'll see them tomorrow. I absolutely love my feathered friends. I know I make them just as happy as they make me. I look forward each night to see how many treasures I find in those nests. I have had chickens since I was little. It was always my job at home. I think I will always have chickens. They are some of my best friends!

Fishing

Today I wanted to do something for me. I told everyone in my family I wanted to go fishing sometime in the afternoon. So I did all the stuff we do on the week-end, dishes, laundry, vaccum etc. Took the guys in the field working lunch then went fishing. I enjoyed the quiet. I enjoyed the tugs on my pole. I enjoyed the splashing in the bucket. I enjoyed fishing. Then it was back to being the mom. I took the guys supper at the field then put the animals away. I spent over an hour cleaning the fish that we all will enjoy for supper tomorrow. I must say I felt a bit like the little red hen doing all the work and everyone will enjoy the meal. It is always fun to catch and eat the fish, not so fun to clean them. Since my grandpa showed me how to clean fish when I was little I have always been fast and good at it. So everyone says i get to clean them because I'm so good. This is something that is not fun after hours upon hours. So when I fish I am very picky about what goes into the bucket as I know I'll be the one cleaning them. The fish are biting and tomorrow I'll be going to the lake right after school to catch and clean some more. I do enjoy fishing.

Parks

Today I drove to Toledo with my eldest daughter,her husband and my grandson. We went to see my sister who drove down five hours to visit her mother in law. For us it was only an hour and a half drive.I do not get to see my sister often with our busy lives. Today she met my grandson. He was all smiles and warmed her heart. We went to a nearby park. Every parking spot was full. In fact we drove around looking for a spot and I saw people out standing in parking spots until their car full could come around and get it. There were people everywhere. The play equipment was swinging with children. Dogs were on leashes enjoying the warmth of the day. People were walking, running, biking, and talking. There was even a wedding in the garden. I thought it looked like Central Park in NYC. It was fun to watch all these people in Toledo enjoying the park. However I said to my sister, I like my own acres the best. There are just so many people here. I have all this at home, lots of trails and not all these strangers walking on them. She agreed as she has property and our parents place (Named- Peaceful Woods) we both enjoy walking and talking together. We enjoyed our time spent together and we were glad that someone had donated the land we went to today as a park so all those people today could enjoy the outdoors. We are blessed as we have what people in the city do not get to just walk out their back doors and enjoy. Enjoy your yards!

Cards

Last night I didn't get to post on time and here is the reason. We have a group of 8 of us that play cards together every month. We go to different houses and all bring yummy food.(except me...I buy mine at Wal-mart) We have a good time! Last night it was at our house. When I got home I frantically cleaned just the 3 rooms I knew they would be in and see. I was red in the face and sweating, rushing all over , hiding this and that pile of junk I collect.Light a candle, ready. Then they arrived, everyone happy to see one another. We ate, played cards and laughed and laughed until we all were crying. I love card party night. We have trophies for the winner and loser and candy bars for loners. ( Husband tries for trophies I try for candy) We are done at nine, one couple leaving right away to get to bed. (we are getting older and sleep is important if you have a busy day ahead) The other two couples wanted to drive over to the cottage to see our progress. We ended up showing our little cottage off then standing outside in the gorgeous evening and chatting until 12:30. On the way home I thought uh oh...I forgot to blog! Then I remembered RA saying it was OK, just do your best. So today I will post twice so I don't miss a day. I sure had fun last night so it was all worth it! Nothing beats getting together with wonderful people who you can share and have fun with and enjoy each others hopes and dreams and sorrows and advice... and just being YOU!

Ladybugs

They are not real ladybugs. When I was little on the farm we would find nests of ladybugs hiding around the base of trees. They were bright red with distinct black dots. My grandma would say if we found a nest they would bring us good luck. She also said they were good for your garden as they ate little aphids. That was the last I saw a real ladybug. Now they are orange with not so black dots and they smell bad when you squish them. They bite, and it hurts. I do not like them. It seems I have had a cough for a few weeks. I went to bed with a coughdrop in my mouth. When it was half gone I took it out and put it on my nightstand. In the morning I woke up looked over at it and there it was with ten of those ugly ladybugs on my cough drop! UUGG How did they get in my bedroom? Well tonight I'm going to get the vacuum and suck them up and throw them back outside. Everyone says they have these orange invaders in their homes. What happened to the real red ladybugs? They would stay outside and not eat coughdrops.

Outdoor Track

When we bought the 30acres at the bottom of the hill. The first thing we did was take out the fence row and make a track around it. My husband took the disk around and around to smooth it down. I followed him picking up rocks. Then the grass grew. Then the girls tied on their shoes and away they went. The track is exactly a mile. They run around and around and we are happy as we always worried when they ran on the road that someone would take them. I have walked many miles around that track. In the winter we cross country ski around it. My husband sits by the door honking the horn on the four-wheeler. That is my signal that its time for a date ride. Each night he picks me up for a ride around the field and we discuss our day. Now that spring is here I look forward to those times around the field. Every time we go around the track Brownie and Chippy are right there. Ride, Walk or Run. We sure have enjoyed our outdoor track, its given us exercise and time to know each other.

Chippy- the Wonder Dog

Well Chippy Houdini is at it again. We go to work each day and when we come home our dog Chippy is out of her pen. We thought she was digging under, so we put boards and blocks and logs all around the bottom of the pen. The next day when we drove up the driveway there was Chippy wagging her tail end at us. Next we thought she was squeezing between the gate and the barn. So we put a bigger chain around the door. The next day Chippy was out running around with Brownie, our older dog. Then we thought she was jumping on top of the dog house and over the fence. Out again. We then put up some big poles and moved the doghouse. Its beginning to look like a junk yard around Chippy's pen now.Everyday we come home and everyday Chippy is out of her pen. Next we put a lead rope from the pen to the dog house. That worked but she can't go all over in the pen. So we tried again without the rope. My husband thinks she is climbing over the fence. What dog does that! She is very smart. By now my husband is super mad at the dog and would put up a video camera if he could. Instead we drove to Rural King and bought an electric fence. He strung a wire on the top and a wire down low and put Chippy in. Within minutes we heard yelping.She had been zapped and was in the doghouse.When we got home today Chippy was still in her doghouse (probably all day) and now we LET her out and she can run around with Brownie. **Case solved the dog is not getting out anymore!

Easy

This Slice of Life thing is fun and easy. I find it easy to come up with typing material each day, in fact I always have a few ideas and I have to choose,that is never a problem. For me the hard part is picking only one thing to write about. My girls say everyday , "Are you writing about me today?" "Pick me! Pick Me!"(RM-now I know what you mean about that when you said it last year about your kids.)I think it is fun to read my post out loud to my family and others. I think they are looking forward to it each day. I say,"You have got to hear this one!" (RA-Know I know how your find it fun to read all the posts and comment on them to encourage people) I have found there are so many people out there that have the same connections as I do. (MH-I have had to use a notebook to write down where I have been some days as I can't remember who I have commented on the day before.) The hard part for me is remembering to fit it in before midnight each day. I have went to bed twice and had to get back up in a hurry. (TH-I think of you being retired and yet you are more organized with your day than I am...I need to get a routine going for this SOL.)Just wanted you all to know I am really enjoying this, and YES it is fitting into my life...its fun and easy! Slice On!!

They're Back

Tonight I was out stacking wood when I heard them. I stopped in my tracks, listened intently, then smiled. I look forward to the frogs singing every spring. It is music to my ears. My girls all notice them too. Maybe since they were born I stop the car if no one is behind me then roll down all the windows and say..."Girls listen, the frogs are making music for just us." If a car is behind me I still roll down the windows and say as we are passing the swamp, "Did you hear that?" Now for the next few weeks I will hear the sounds of the swamp as I drive down the road. Sometimes they are so loud I think they have speakers in the swamp. Those frogs sure know how to throw a party! I imagine them all dancing around and having a chior of froggy's celebrating the glorious day they have had. (I only hear them in the evening)I hope you all can take a drive in the country and find a low spot (swampy) towards evening and enjoy the concert. I know I will be.

Homes

The last two months our oldest daughter and her husband have been looking at houses. My husband has rode along to everyone to give his opinion. I wait until they want to see it again then I go. To me each one is fine and I could move in. My husband says I would be happy in a tent. The truth is I would be happy anywhere he is. Today we went to a, for sale by owner, actually we have been to a few like that. You can tell the pride they have in the place, that they have been kind to it and it has served them well. Today I even felt like they didn't really want to sell but because of whatever reason they were going to. I can't imagine selling my home. I love it here! Its right for me. Sure I wish a window was here or the bathroom was bigger. But you are never done with a house, it keeps giving you hopes and dreams. Each year you want to remodel, get a new roof, paint some part, add something. Plus each year outside you feel like maybe I should have another flower bed or add red raspberry bushes since your daughter eats so many! I'm already thinking of what spring might spur in us to do around here. A house is something you just keep working on. Anyway...I hope my daughter finds the right house, the one she sees as, just right. One that when she leaves she says that is the one. Until then I will ride along and look at houses. I'll say, "Oh this one is nice!" Then my husband will give his opinion about the furnace or the buildings or the roof or the basement. Good thing he is going along! Hopefully in this buyers market the perfect house can be found.

Parent Contact

This years class is not a funny bunch. They are loud but yet they listen and do well on testing. For that I am grateful more than you know. Well for years I would tell the class I was not going to have a system to keep track of their behavior, they should just know how to behave. For all those years it worked...except this one. Out of 20 children 6 have been diagnosed with ADD. That's a lot in one room. Well they are all over the place. They never walk they prance, skip, run and twirl down the hallway and in the room. So, I have a clothes pin clip system that has 3 tries to move up(at the top you get 2 stickers and a fruit snack) or 3 tries to move down to the dreaded Parent Contact. Where I call the parent and I talk and they talk telling them what they did wrong, plus a note to be signed. Today a little girl first was sitting on her exercise ball(which is her chair-we have 8in our room) I looked over and there she was rolling on her stomach going back and forth like an airplane. Then she sat up and was bouncing like Tigger as high as she could. Down the clip went. During recess she was talking in line and had to stand by the fence with the other offenders. Down went the clip. At reading time she was 5minutes late getting there because she wouldn't stop digging in her pencil box (for I have no idea what?) Plus she was making bird noises. They were really quite good ones. There went the clip. When asked why she was acting this way. she replied,"I just really don't know why but I started this morning and I tried to be good but its one of those days. It just happens to me all the time." I looked at her and smiled then giggled and said Please try harder to behave, I sure love you but I will have to call your mom. She smiled back at me not saying a word. Her mother was mad at her but I said she made me laugh and she was good the rest of the day. I told the mom tomorrow is a new day and I hope it is better. *Its been a rough week with this bunch but today they made me laugh...next week will be better!

Glass Rock

When I was a little girl I remember going to grandpa and grandmas farm house. There, going into the parlor holding the door open was the prettiest rock I had ever seen. It was a blueish green big chunk of glass. To me it was huge and heavy and smooth. I always touched it each time I went to visit. I would hold it on my lap and make wishes. When my grandparents moved to the lake, the glass rock held the door open going into the hallway that lead to a bedroom and the bathroom. The rock always caught my eye when I went through that doorway. It still seemed large to me. I would always think, that sure is a beautiful glass rock. When my grandparents died and I went to the auction, there was the rock on the table with other treasures. The auctioneer lumped a bunch of stuff together and the bidding started. I kept bidding and bidding and won. He said, "What do you choose?" I took the Glass Rock. He said out loud, "That's what you want?" "Yep!" He didn't know that I would have kept bidding as high as I needed because I was going to have it. Now the rock has a new home. Mine. Its in my bedroom holding the bathroom door open. I see it everyday. When our cottage is done it is going to move there, as now it will follow me wherever I go. I know its just a chunk of glass, but to me it is so much more as it holds memories of my relatives.

Fuzzy

28 years I have been married. For one of our wedding gifts we got a lamp and a blanket that is brown and has a big picture of two lion heads that are hiding in the tall grass. I have never liked that blanket. At first I would hide it behind the couch. Every night my husband would come home and pull that blanket out and cover up with it in his recliner. Next I would put it in a closet. Seriously who wants big lion heads decorating their living room. Not me! Each night he would go to the closet and drag out that blanket. When the girls blessed our family, they had their special blankets and dad had his. It was called dad's blankie for years then it changed over time into being called fuzzy blankie. The girls have snuggled up with dad, played peek-a-boo, had tug of war games and cuddled all with fuzzy. Now fuzzy has its place with the other blankets stacked up at the end of the couch. Each family member has there favorite. Dad comes home after work and supper, sits in his recliner and sits under fuzzy. He's sitting there now as I look over at him sleeping as I'm watching TV. I don't mind that old blanket anymore its part of my life after 28 years.

Heartstrings

I'm sitting here with tears in my eyes but yet a smile on my face. A colleague whom I have worked beside for 26 years had heart surgery today. She is doing well, and my heart sighs with relief. To finish my day I have been reading blogs, I am overwhelmed as there are so many. I read a few that spark my interest. As I read each one I am touched by these heartfelt stories. I have laughed and cried tonight. I have shared them out loud with my family and feel connected to these new friends that I have never met. How I am looking forward to the rest of the days that follow to read more of their stories, to feel my heartache because of giggling to much or getting all chocked up. Pass on kindness and pay it forward. Keep Sharing!

Late

Well it's late, 11:15 and I am the last of the BONS to post again! First I thought to myself well...its because they have done this before so they are faster than me. That's true. Then I thought maybe its because they have lots of ideas ready to go. Not true (I read TH and MH post on how they couldn't come up with ideas. TH even had a list and nothing struck her to write about that day.)Then I thought about what I should write about and I remember reading that one of you read every ones slices first to get ideas. That helps-true. Well its late, but I'm always up late. I stay up till the news starts, that's 11:00. I love staying up late because no one else is up. I have full reign of the remote and I can watch whatever I wish. I love TV shows. It doesn't matter what the show is I just like TV. It stems back when my dad took our TV to the basement when I was in middle school. We were not doing our chores fast enough nor reading enough. See our dad would ask us questions around the dinner table about what we were reading. Well anyway, I didn't have a TV for 6yrs and now I know all the characters by heart and I have seen every episode of lots of series. It makes me happy. I can never get cable as I would watch even more and my husband may get rid of my TV. It's late, I've watched my TV shows, I sliced and its quiet. I'm smiling! :) In 30min it will be another day...another slice.

Driving

Driving here,driving there that's a big part of my day. Get up and go, go, go and try not to be late. How many hours do I spend driving? I really do not want to know the answer to that. I have all the necessities in my vehicle. Food, pillow, blanket,umbrella,case of water,jumper cables,tools, flashlight, and more snacks. Pick up this kid, go get that kid, groceries, shopping, more driving. There are days when I say ,"The car is not moving today". I stick to it, if they want a ride somewhere, find a friend or go yourself. Today my car is resting in the garage all day! I am not driving anywhere.

Trains

Number #3 daughter is what we call a "foamer for trains". She talks about the trains with her dad pretty much daily. She went to Trine to college partly because she can see the tracks from her dorm window and count the cars going by. She has our engineers cell numbers and they actually stop on campus to pick her up. I have found out she does this more than I know. When we have a track crew out, I hear later that after classes she goes out and chats with these workers. She knows all our employees by name and what their job is. (I don't even know that!) She knows when other companies engines are on our tracks and she has to go see what they look like inside and out. Her uncles I think find her amusing. For gifts she wants Thomas the train stuff. She talked about maybe she should go to a different college, the next day she texts us saying,nope she couldn't leave the trains. Well I know her dad loves it that she calls him constantly how many cars are coming at him. I love it that she is interested in the family business. So today sometime we are going over to the new train barn to see the progress on this building. And you bet Number #3 daughter will be going with us.

Last

I just actually climbed into bed then turned to look at my clock. Oh my goodness its 11:30. I rolled over, then my eyes got really big. I forgot to slice! Oh panic,I could just quit, not an option as all BONS are trying so...get up go to the computer read all 4 of your blogs. Nice job by the way! Sit down and think hard for a minute. Got it. Last... I'm the last one to get up every morning as I am not a morning person. I get ready to go to work, pack my husbands lunch, put my hair in a pony tail and run out the door in 15 minutes. Because I go run on the tread mill in the morning I am the last one to my team meeting to walk in. Not late, just last. It seems at the end of the day leaving school I am the last one to get my kids out the door. I have good intentions but those children can never get their hats and gloves on, and whose boots are these? I will blame the first graders for being last. At supper I'm the last one to eat and dish up my plate as I want to make sure there is enough for everyone. Then I'm last to find a seat in the living room to watch TV as I was cleaning up. So I end up on the floor sitting not the sofa as everyone else has the cushion seats. I'm last to go to bed as I love watching TV late till 11:00. Now I feel like I must be one of the last ones to slice today! Well there is a few more minutes maybe I'm not really last! * Tomorrow is Saturday I hope to be last again as I want to sleep in! :)

Frig. Food

We are just getting home from a long day. I sit here at the kitchen table as my youngest daughter goes to the frig. stands there with the door wide open just looking...and looking...and looking. As I sit here watching her I remember her three older sisters doing the same thing. Then the speech would follow by my husband or myself. "Don't just stand there looking, think about what you want before you open the door." "What are you doing with that door open? Its not an air conditioner."Or, "Shut that door you are letting all the cold air out."
Did it help us harping at them? Nope. They still all do it. Now I see her give me that sneaky look. I know what shes doing. She thinks if the door is open and shes hiding behind it I will not know she is eating almost all the red raspberries that are $2.50 for a tiny, teeny box. Well there goes the fruit for the lunches tomorrow, I will put a banana in! Next I see she she is drinking something, my guess is that she is drinking her sisters juice. The juice her sister bought with her own money and puts a new marker line on it every time she drinks out of it so she knows if anyone has drank a sip. Yep she is going to get yelled at tomorrow by the sister. But...she is the youngest and she will get away with it as the youngest does. Now she has moved on shutting the door,finally. Good night. I think I will get up and look in that frig. to see if I can find something my stomach is hungry for. I will not stand there to long looking, well... maybe.

Car wash

I'm going to try really hard to write a little bit everyday for the SOL challenge...what I am trying to say is that I am going to write about whatever comes into my mind. It may not be about the cottage this month. Today I took my youngest daughter to Ft. Wayne for her appt. While she was busy I decided to go to the car wash, as my car was filthy. I have never been to one that did not have an attendant. Well I got my gas, paid for the wash then pushed the buttons. The door opened, I went in slowly as it said and the door came down on my trunk. Then the washing started not hitting my car. I then tried to get out of the car wash but the door would not open. I went froward and back inside the thing, panicking by now thinking I will not be on time to get my daughter. Finally the door went up and I was free. Upon getting out and seeing the huge dent in my trunk I pulled around to talk to the gas station attendant. She was nice enough, took pictures, the car wash door was a mess and out of commission. However the maintenance man said he was not coming in until morning. I told my husband they will probably hit it with a sledge hammer in the morning and say it was my fault. I do not have much faith in our system or people after last summer being rear ended and the fiasco we went through. Anyway I made it home, my husband said stupid things happen everyday (he did not yell at me). And...me, well it will be along time before I ever go in another car wash. I'll get out my bucket and old rag. Anyone want the FREE car wash they gave me?

Chores

My husband has worked outside in the cold all day. After eating supper he usually goes outside to do our few chores. Tonight I told him to keep his feet up in the recliner and enjoy the warmth of his snugly blanket, I'll go outside and do the chores. First I took the scraps from the house out to the chicken coop. I save all the fruit peels and outside lettuce leaves as a treat for the hens. I enjoy going to the coop. I talk to the girls and they are always happy to see me. They cackle and I giggle. We are friends. I see 2 brown eggs in the nest. I thank them giving them each a feather rub and say good night. After taking the eggs inside,wash dry, then put them in the carton in the frig I go back out. This time I get a scoop of dog food and head out toward the fenced pen. Chippy is waiting wiggling her hind end. She is happy to see me too. She goes right in to her bed of straw, turns around and puts her paw up to shake goodnight. As I close her gate and put an extra cement block in front of it I can see Chippy's eyes smiling at me. I know she is already thinking of how she will get out of that pen. She is Chippy Houdini! Great dog escape artist. Next its over to the wood stove, I open the door and instantly feel the red coals burning. I throw in about 8 split logs then turn around to look at the stack that is left standing. I think to myself that it may last until the end of the month, then we will be stacking more. Last its back to the garage with Brownie at my heels. She has already followed me every step in this night feeding. What a good friend she is to walk under the night stars. I close the garage door and give her a small scoop of dog food and a dog biscuit. She is the keeper of the property. All day she guards the house from squirrels and at night she will bark if she hears a car. Going back into the house I smile at my sleeping husband. Glad he slept...glad I did the chores.

Sign

Going to my grandparents house one would get a treat entering the bathroom. As you would sit on the toilet and look forward you could read many signs. Some were funny, some were serious. To me they were fun to read. When I asked grandma about them she said, "Oh your grandpa picked those up different places we vacationed". That is when the house was a cottage. Once it was a home they still were on the wall. When grandpa passed away I never saw those signs again. They were replaced by flower pictures and a mirror. When I went up north to my parents outhouse it had bath pictures in it, and some funny signs the grand kids had given them as gifts. They made me smile as I remembered my childhood readings. Fun as you are sitting. That summer grandma passed away and there was an auction. I bought many treasures that I may write about at different times, but when I saw a box of junk held up above the auctioneers head I caught a glimpse of something familiar. There was a bathroom sign. I don't know what happened to all the others, but there was one... and I bought it. On a piece of pine it read, Early to bed early to rise fish like hell and make up lies. I can remember reading that one and giggling as we were never allowed to say the "H" word out loud at home. But there it was on my grandparents wall. Now it will hang in my outhouse waiting for me to find more signs to join it. All funny ones for people to read as they are sitting! I hope visitors enjoy the walls of my outhouse.

Attic

This week my husband has been working on the space in the cottage that he calls the attic. In the cottage it is where a peak in the roof line goes up and so it really will be a space to store maybe a few sleeping bags and some blankets. In our house we do not have an attic. I wanted one but the design of our home did not allow it. So instead I have a storage room. What I mean when I say I wanted one, is that I loved going into the attic as a child at my grandparents. It was a secret place that grandma only let me go in with her very rarely. In the upstairs back bedroom there was a small little door. A door just right for a little girl with an imagination. That room had shelves and boxes lining it. There were old pictures and toys up there that my father had played with when he was a boy. She would let me hold them and look at them, but never could I take them out of the attic. They were forever banished to that room. Sometimes I would go into that room when grandma wasn't looking, open the door and just stick my head in and look around. I never stepped a foot inside as grandma might call for me and I would not hear her. I didn't want to get in trouble, just look at those toys sitting on the shelves. When they sold the old farmhouse I wondered what happened to those toys? Then at my parents house when I was growing up, we had and attic in our room. My sister and I shared a room. When we were teenagers I wanted my own space so I moved into the attic. I put a mattress in there and slept for a few weeks until my dad said the bats maybe moving in. A few weeks ago my mom had me go through the little door to the attic to get something out of it. Yeah, bat poop all over, but looking around I saw boxes and old toys... memories of long ago. I still love attics. My new attic is not a room but I do hope to put some memories up inside it for someone to find... someday.

Painting

We are painting and staining the inside of the cottage. With each coat it looks brighter and cleaner. It looks so nice. What I really liked was that we were all together over there, working and talking,talking and working. It was just fun. The girls said they like winter but they can't wait for summer so they can play in the water again. My husband and I just smile as we just enjoy being around them listening to their giggles. We enjoy being inside learning more about our daughters as they chat and talk with us. So... as we paint and stain all the rooms we will continue to learn more about our kids and they will learn more about us as our cottage gets closer to moving into.