summer 2011

summer 2011

Paul and I, all 16 kids and Ashley, Benjamin's wife...Christmas 2012

Paul and I, all 16 kids and Ashley, Benjamin's wife...Christmas 2012
family

Thursday, July 27, 2023

when it rains...

 ...it pours...the hot water heater is on the fritz, so a cold shower last night.  Paul takes these things so well, he's learned that life goes like this. It's always something.  So we're leaving tomorrow for camping, and my car just went into the shop this morning.  It may well be something our mechanic cannot fix, alignment or something.  So we'll fit everything into our truck, and I'll remind myself that if Laura and Mary could fit everything they owned into one wagon to move across the country, we can probably manage three nights' worth of gear into the truck. Plus, there IS a Dollar General not too far from the campground, of course there is.

Today is beautiful.  The sun is shining, the birds singing, and it's going into the low 90's.  I didn't go to the pool because it's so nice out, I'll be in the backyard instead.  The camping pile on the table is growing, it's not organized or packed up yet, we're not leaving until tomorrow ha.

My old Emmaljunga double...I got it, and the girls think it's kind of bulky and hard to push, but Tennyson and Rhys liked it.

An oldie...Miss Sonja and me...

The roses are blooming again!
Kathryn and I...
Sweet little Jamie...

It's quiet here today, yesterday not so much.  Kathryn came in for a visit after our trip to Target.  It was really a good day.  I rocked Jamison to sleep, while Kathryn read stories to the other two.  I had marinated chicken in Cornell sauce, then grilled it.  Kathryn chopped onions and cut peppers, and peeled the corn.  Chicken fajitas and local sweet corn, mmm.  

The girls happily met up with Jonny, he's in Norway too, from Germany.  So my four youngest are 21, 19, 17, and 15.  
Paul has to go from camping Sunday to driving to Boston to pick the girls up from the airport.  I will have my hands full with Grant and Ruth, as Sam and Grace are heading to the hospital on Monday morning, Grace is being induced, grandchild #13 will be arriving!  

Ah well.  Never a dull moment.  We went to Ben and Ashley's house on Sunday to feed and water their chickens, their dog, and their kitties, and water their plants, as they were still away in Norway.  We spent the night there, and took care of the animals again in the morning, stayed there all day keeping their pup happy...but.  We had Sunny and Suri there with us too, and...one chicken, which turned out to be their favorite chicken, of course, got out of the pen, and Sunny pounced.  She killed the chicken.  Paul felt awful.  I did too.  Then of course we had to tell Benjamin and Ashley.  oh dear.  Not fun, not at all.   I'm a wimpy girl, I was on the verge of tears all day long yesterday, and still tear up every time I think of it.  I didn't even KNOW the chicken, so it's not really the sadness of the chicken dying, but mostly that we were responsible for it.  They had someone else housesitting for most of the time they were gone, then Sonja and Char and Cam went from Saturday and Sunday to take care of things, we took over because they left for their trip on Sunday.  I guess we shouldn't have brought our dogs, then one of us would've been here alone, me, and Paul would've been there alone...we didn't see the sense in that, but in hindsight...

And, that was all written yesterday.  I went to Costco with Miss Kathryn.  We got some hot dogs from the snack bar and brought them back here, then into our swim suits and out on to the pool deck...ahh, the water was nice.  Grace came over with Grant and Ruth, we had a nice busy day.

Grant loves baby cousin Jamison.  Grant and Ruth will be having a new baby sister in a few days!

So as fun as yesterday was, well, it just solidified this:  I am Queen Procrastinator Extraordinaire. 

Paul and I had a late dinner of taco salad, then I was too tired to pack.  I threw a few more things on the table pile, then put my feet up.  So of course I woke up at 5:39 and my mind was like the little ticker running on the bottom of CNN, bombarding with headline news:  pillows! Sheets!  Hairbrush!  A tarp to cover the chairs when it rains!  Is my towel still on the deck, and now it's raining?!  Sneakers and socks!  (I only wear Birkenstocks in the summer, but they get slippery in the rain!).  

So I got up, showered and washed my hair, in nice warm water, thankfully we had the seven hundred dollars for a new hot water tank, and I have a nice hot husband to install it.   I packed my clothes, pillows, sheets, threw a few more things on the table, and here I am...procrastinating again.  Well, there IS a load of towels and my jammies in the wash (the washer keeps throwing a code, F20 flashing, so I have to turn it off and back on...it's always SOMETHING.). I don't like sleeping bags, so I settled on a really heavy quilt, with a top sheet of course...camping or no camping, I am the Princess and the Pea when I sleep. 

I want to grab a few solar lights from the yard, and remember the "fun" marshmallows that Evelyn brought over the other day, they're like Cinnamon Toast Crunch...for the grandkids.  I have to go over to Emily's house and get a steak, she (and Mariel) bought half a cow, for our Friday night dinner.  I want to peel and slice some carrots (we just like them raw, and they're so much better than baby carrots!), and cucumbers, and gather the grape tomatoes and lettuce from the garden.  

Yes, we're leaving this afternoon around one o'clock.  So yes, I do have to move it move it.  

Oh Lordy, camping in the rain in tents with dogs...when we have a perfectly good dry house.  I shouldn't be having these thoughts yet, I should save them for when things are getting soaked and the dogs do that shake-y thing in the tent.

Have a really good day...and remember, this is your life.  Not tomorrow, not next week, not later when you can put your feet up...right now.  :)






2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Have fun camping! Sorry about the chicken:( I understand feeling bad bc it was on your watch 😞
Valerie

Terri D said...

Gosh, so much happening and all good!! Have a good camping trip, safe travels for all, and keep us posted about the baby!! xo