A little of this . . a little of that . . .
I keep seeing all these beautiful spring flower pictures all over the internet and I’ve just been so busy I haven’t thought about bringing any flowers in the house. But today, I ran out and picked some lilacs and some lily of the valley. And Drew picked me a beautiful bouquet of wildflowers yesterday while at Belva Deer. My front rooms smell so wonderful!
Another busy weekend is in the books. And we didn’t get near as much accomplished as we would have liked. We did, finally, get the chicken run completely done. Yeah! The babies are now in with the older girls. That’s not going as smoothly as I would have hoped. I really hope they make friends with each other soon so I can quit worrying. We are constantly going out and checking on them, afraid we’re going to find one of the babies dead. Those older girls can be mean.
We started out Saturday checking things off our to-do list. Joe got the mowing done, I got the tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers planted and the rest of the my flowers. As we were getting ready to start on the mulch Joe got a phone call. Quick change of plans. Friends we hadn’t seen for ages called and asked if we wanted to meet in the Amanas for the afternoon. Of course we said yes! I wish I had taken pictures but I totally forgot. We had so much fun getting caught up with our friends Fred and Denise. They moved here from Texas 13 years ago and we met them right after they moved. Fred’s sister was with them visiting. This was her first time visiting here and she loved it. It was a great afternoon and evening catching up with old friends and making a new one. Definitely worth the break from getting projects done at home!
Sunday we thought we were going to work on getting the mulch put down but once we started we realized that to do the job right we really needed to get some landscaping materials to keep the mulch in around the last two sides of the house. Otherwise it just keeps washing away. And we want to finish a deck we started a few years back because it just looks awful right now the way things are. So we did a lot of measuring and talking and figuring out and measuring and writing things down and we have a list so we can go back to Menards, again, and get more supplies. This is the year of getting things done around here and I’m so excited! One night this week we’ll run to Menards and then we’ll have everything we need to get two more projects finished. Yeah!
Later we met Dad and Mom at Belva Deer for our first picnic of the season. The weather was absolutely beautiful. Drew took his new scooter and had fun on it. We walked around the campground and stopped and talked to the Sigourney campers that were there. Our camper is still in storage. We’ve decided to get our projects done before we think about camping – but after being out there and talking to friends, Joe was talking about bringing it home this week. I’m not ready to camp but it’s always nice to have it home!
We got rain! We’ve been so dry here. We were in a drought going into winter and then we didn’t get much moisture throughout the winter. No rain so far this spring and things were not looking good. Our county had just issued a burn ban this week. But then yesterday evening and throughout the night we got rain! And the forecast says we should be getting more today. Thunderstorms and lots of rain. Yeah. My plan for the day is finishing up my typing and then stitching the rest of the day away. I’ve gotten behind on my stitching due to spending all my time outside the last few days so it’s time to get caught up and there’s nothing better than stitching on a rainy day, unless it’s reading a good book of course! (And I’m right in the middle of a good series so I just might have to read a little too!)
I ran out to Harper’s Corner, the local Amish greenhouse that opened up last year, to pick up a bag of potting soil. They have potting soil at the best price in town. I love this little greenhouse – they called it Harper’s Corner because they live down the road from Harper’s Corner – the farm where Bill Harper’s lived for years. Now his grandson lives there. Bill was my first 4-H leader and such a great guy. He always had a smile on his face. I think everybody in town knew Bill. It’s the perfect name! I did bring home a 40 pound bad of potting soil but I also came home with this planter. I just couldn’t pass it up – it’s recycled and it’s chicken related and it’s filled with Hens and Chicks. It just had to come home with me!
Wow -it’s Monday. I have no idea what happened to the weekend. We had the first nice weekend weather wise in so long and it just flew by. Friday night we ran to Ottumwa to get supplies to build the chicken enclosure and Saturday morning saw us up and outside building the darn thing. Unfortunately we ended up having to make another Ottumwa run and a run to town to our local farm and home store before we could finish and it took us literally the whole day and we’re still not done. But – we were able to get enough done that the chickens are no longer running free all over the yard destroying everything in their paths! I do feel bad – they are some very unhappy chickens right now. And I do miss looking out and seeing them wandering around. And yet – we can’t have them destroying the yard like they were doing. We’ll let them out to free range now and then but not on a daily morning to night basis anymore. And I’m sure they’ll be a little happier when we get everything done and they have more room to run. We didn’t get back in the house Saturday night until after 7:00 so a quick meal of leftovers and we were beat!
Sunday saw us up early working in the yard. Mom had given me a bunch of hostas and I had to get those in the ground. Then I worked on picking up junk in the yard. Where does it all come from? People must just throw their garbage out their windows. I know they do when they turn onto our gravel road because I find beer cans and fast food containers along that side of the house a lot. Grrrr. So, I picked up, organized, got cushions out and on chairs, hung my new wind chime Abby gave me for Christmas (love it!) up on the pergola, pulled out an old rose bush that was just not pretty anymore, checked in on the chickens numerous times to make sure they were okay, then in for a quick lunch and a quick shower and we loaded up the truck with furniture for Aaron. He has been in his apartment for a couple of years now and never had a bed. He just slept on his couch. He finally decided he wanted his old bed and dresser. And Dad and Mom had a recliner to give him. So we loaded it all up and headed to Washington. Got it all unloaded and now this mom feels better knowing her baby has a bed to sleep in – although whether he actually sleeps in it or not remains to be seen!
After all of that we took Aaron out for supper. We had such a nice time. Dad and Mom were with us and Eric and Drew. It was nice to spend time with the boys and watch them interact. They are 26, 19 and 7 – such an age difference – and yet they get along so well and you can just see the love they have for each other! When we pulled back into our driveway around 7:30 Joe asked if I wanted to start putting mulch down. No – I did not. But – yes I took advantage of his offer and we got a start on the flower beds until it got too dark to see. We got just enough done to see we were going to need more mulch. And so spring finally begins – long days spent outside working to get things done that need to be done after a long winter. Lots of late nights and early mornings. But we enjoy it. Today after picking Drew up from school we’ll run to the new greenhouse in town, pick up a handful of flowers and potting soil, run over to Mom’s for some more hosta and back home to get everything planted. We’re supposed to get rain the next few days. I hope we do – we are really needing the rain.
Our local grocery store is running a one day sale today and they are offering bags of mulch five for $10.00. Now that’s a good deal around here, I won’t have to drive out of town and I’m in desperate need of mulch. Not only have we not put any new mulch down the last few years, my beautiful, wonderful chickens have destroyed what was left. (the chickens don’t know it yet but their days of roaming free are coming to an abrupt halt very soon) So, after dropping Drew off at school I made a quick trip to Brother’s Market.
Usually we get our mulch at Menards and I always at least have Joe to help me and usually one or two boys along to help too. But since Joe is out of town, Drew is in school and Eric is home in bed, I was on my own. The store always offers to help carry out groceries, (which I always say no to, I need all the exercise I can get!) and they offered to help load the mulch so for once I agreed to the help. Only to discover that my help was a female clerk older than me. Now I felt guilty making her help me but she wouldn’t take no for an answer. So, we go outside and there is an old friend – his daughter and mine graduated high school together and our families spent many a night sitting together watching a softball game or volleyball game or you name it supporting the girls. (Of course I’ve known him and his wife all my life even though they are a few years older than me. We all grew up here and I see his wife when I sub at school as she is an Associate there. And she used to cut my hair as she used to work as a hairdresser. It’s a small community!) But I hadn’t seen him in years as the girls have been out of school for years now and he travels for work like Joe does. He was loading up a trailer with mulch for his blueberry patch. He immediately asked me how many bags I was wanting and offered to help. I helped him throw a few more bags onto his trailer, he pulled ahead, waited for me to get my truck, and helped me and the store worker fill my truck. During this time a young man I’ve known for years from working at the school walked up, put his stuff off to the side and proceeded to start helping us too. He works at the store so I told him he needed to be sure and go clock in before helping and he informed me he wasn’t working there today. He just saw I needed help and stopped to lend a hand. After getting the truck loaded up and thanking everyone, I left the store with such a good feeling inside. This is why I love living in my small community. People you haven’t seen in years will take time out of their busy day and stop whatever they are doing to lend a hand. A young man, someone who remembers me from years ago when he was just a sweet little boy needing some extra help at school, will go out of his way to help me just because he can. The caring and kindness people show each other on a day to day basis, the small little things they do for each other without wanting anything in return, this is what makes my little community and so many communities in this big old world so special. Those two made my day and they didn’t even know it!
Now that I’m basically done subbing at school (I was there Monday and am scheduled for one more day in May), it’s time to get back into following a routine and being more frugal around here. We (I) kind of fell off the wagon the past few weeks and it’s not pretty. Way too many nights of eating out and running to the store on a whim and being too tired to keep up with more than the basics around here.
One big thing we did accomplish had to do with my vacuum cleaner. I have a Shark that we bought probably 5 or 6 years ago and I’ve loved it but I noticed awhile back that the plastic stretchy hose had cracked. The first crack I noticed I wrapped in duct tape for a quick fix and it really did work. It didn’t look too pretty but hey – who sees my vacuum cleaner but me! Then I noticed it had cracked in another spot that I couldn’t tape up. So I did what I always do when I need help – asked Joe to fix it! We did some research and discovered we could order a replacement part through Amazon. I ordered the part along with a new set of filters so I could clean one set and have those filters drying and still use the vacuum with another set and lo and behold – it’s like I have a brand new vacuum. It’s works like it’s brand new! And when the filters came – it came with two sets so now I have three sets in all! And even better – while cleaning out the office the other day I came across an Amazon gift card I forgot I had that I was able to use so the hose and replacement filters only cost me a few dollars out of pocket. So now I have a new old vacuum cleaner that will hopefully last me for a long long time! And now to get back into my three day a week vacuuming schedule!
I haven’t been here in awhile but I have an excuse – I’ve been busy subbing at the school. They’ve kept me busy busy this month and I’ve enjoyed it. And yet, I am glad to see the end is near. I have two more days scheduled to be there before school lets out for the summer and I’m guessing that will be it for me until the new year starts in the fall. As much as I enjoy being there and spending time will all the kids and seeing Drew throughout the day, my place is really here at home. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about that.
I read something the other day about a woman who didn’t feel complete if she wasn’t working outside the home. She didn’t feel like she was accomplishing anything or contributing to the world. That got me to thinking. Up until about three years ago, I had always worked outside of the home. I started my first job when I was a sophomore in high school working at the local ice cream shop. I loved that job. I loved the owners of the shop. They were husband and wife and they treated all of us like their children. They had two sons who were like brothers to me. I worked at a grocery store through college. I spent nine years working in the office of an electrical contractor. I had a great boss who truly lived the idea that employees came first and happy employees meant a thriving business. Then I spent two years working at the school as a one on one aid with a behavior disorder student. I loved that boy and I still see him and talk to him today as he lives here in town. I developed a relationship with him that has lasted throughout the years. Afer getting laid off from my position there I went to work for a social services agency doing transcription work. I was there for 11 years before getting laid off due to government budget cuts. 22 support staff were laid off all at once. Totally unexpectedly. From there I worked in the City Clerk’s Office in town part time for about 2 1/2 years before making the decision to stay home with Drew.
I enjoyed my work at the school and with the social services agency the most. I felt that I was making a difference in people’s lives at both of those jobs. I know I made a difference in my student’s life at the school. And I had mentally ill and ID people who would call or stop in at the office at the social services job just to see me and talk with me. I felt if nothing else I was making their day better just be being someone they could talk to with no judgement. I would simply listen. After working at those two places, going to work for the city was such a drastic change. I just didn’t enjoy that job at all. I wasn’t helping anyone. Instead I was listening to constant complaints – complaints against the city and the city employees and how everyone was out to undercut everyone else. I got to see a lot of people in a whole differnet light working there. I had great coworkers and they love their jobs and work hard for the city but it just wasn’t for me. I didn’t feel like I was making a difference there. All I could think about was how I felt like I was wasting my time there.
And throughout all the years of working outside the home I always just wanted to be home. I’ve never been the person who wants to climb the ladder and work my way to the top. I never saw myself as being the person who makes a difference in the world although I did find satisfaction in making a difference in small ways in people’s lives when working jobs where I could do that. I worked because I felt it was the thing to do. I worked because it was expected. I worked becuase we had bills to pay, kids and a house and vehicles and all the things that go with that. And now I’m home. I do transcription from home in the mornings to bring in a little bit of income. I sell my cross stitch to bring in income. Because we still have all those bills that need to be paid!
But as I was working this past month at the school I realized that home is where I am supposed to be. Home is where I make a difference. Being home, being here for Joe and for Drew. This is where I feel complete. When I work outside the home I find myself getting lost. I can’t concentrate on what is important in my life – my family, my home. I spend my time gone from home and then when I am home, I’m spending my time doing what has to be done to get through until the next day. I get home and I help Drew get his homework done, I do the chores, I fix supper, I pack my lunch for the next day, I make sure enough laundry is done so we all have clothes to wear . Even sitting down to supper is a chore. I rush to get it on the table, I rush to get through supper so I can rush to get the dishes done. We sit down, turn the TV on and zone out for an hour or so and then off to bed to start all over again the next day.
And I don’t enjoy helping Drew with homework. I push him just to get it done so I can get on with the next thing on my list. I don’t enjoy feeding the chickens or even gathering the eggs. I hurry so I can get back inside to start supper. I fix a supper that is quick and easy and makes enough for leftovers for lunch the next day. I don’t enjoy the process of deciding what we’re going to have, and then spending time in the kitchen fixing a meal. It’s just one more thing that I have to get done. And the list goes on. I feel like my life is just one big blur of getting from one step to the next so I can get to bed at a decent time so I can get up and start all over. I don’t enjoy any of it.
So I’m thankful that right now I can be home. I feel like I am making a difference being at home. I’m making a difference for my family. And to me, that’s the most important job in the world. Making my home a fun, relaxing, enjoyable place to be. Being here for Drew. Not just to make sure he gets his homework done and has clean clothes for school but being here for him. Being able to pick him up from school. Being able to take the time to really listen to him and to play with him and to just be here. And being here for Joe. Run an errand for him or go out to lunch with him once in awhile during the week. Being here to talk to him when he needs it. I didn’t realize how much we don’t bond when I’m working outside the home. Because I’m not focused on us. I’m focused on getting through the day and being ready for the next day. I’m here for Eric when he needs me and for Aaron when he wants to stop by for a visit. I’m here for Abby when I can be to watch the grandkids or answer a question or whatever the need may be.
I don’t get bored being at home. I never run out of things to do. I don’t feel like my worth has to be tied to a job. My home is my worth. My home is my job. My home is where my life is centered. My home and my family. Yes, we do without and cut corners and don’t always get everything we want because I’m not working outside the home. But I remember once, after Eric was born and I made the decision to stay at home for awhile before going back to work. When I told my boss at the time what I had decided to do he told me to never feel I had to apologize to anybody for wanting to be home with my family. That being there for my family was the most important job I could ever have. He was right and I feel blessed to be able to be home now. I don’t begrudge those women who want to work outside the home. I just know for me I’m here where I am needed most. I’m right where I belong.
Yesterday after getting my typing done I worked on Easter baskets and filling eggs. Drew will be home for Easter break after today and there’s no way I could get this done with him in the house. It was fun to fill a basket for Bayah and to look for pretty pink and frilly things! We try to keep it simple with little fun things and not too much candy. They will get enough candy that day the way it is. Drew will get a little more in his basket. A bigger Lego set and a sweatshirt he was in dire need of along with a few little things. Something fun and something needed! I filled over 120 eggs. Way too many to be sure but the kids love to find them and find the treasures inside. Candy, little trinkets and coins. I hope it’s warm enough to hide them outside but the weather doesn’t look too promising.
Then I worked on cleaning my ceilings. Our house is old – it was built in 1900. And even though it was a farm house it’s a small house, one story with very low ceilings. When we bought the place back in 1988 it needed a lot of work. It still does – we don’t get in a hurry! Anyway, we did do some remodeling in the way of sheetrock and at that time popcorn ceilings were popular. As Joe had worked construction some he was able to do the work himself and he was a master at popcorn ceilings! (I know popcorn ceilings are not the in thing and I totally understand why but he’s a fan and he did do all the work so I live with them!) Unfortunately over the years those ceilings have gotten dingy and they are a magnet for cobwebs. The only way I knew to try and clean them was using the vacuum and it has gotten harder and harder for me to do. It really hurts my shoulders and arms. And then comes Pinterest! A paint roller and new roller brush run under water and voila – just roll it across the ceiling and the cobwebs role right off along with the grunge from a certain brand of candle that I love to burn but leaves so much dark soot on the ceiling that I no longer burn them. But that’s another story. And yes, I lost a little bit of popcorn too but that’s a small price to pay! So, instead of using the broom handle connected to the roller like suggested I used a shorter piece of dowel. An advantage to having low ceilings! I was so excited to try this out and then even more excited when it worked. I only have the back porch and my bedroom ceiling to finish. And best of all – it cost me nothing. I already had everything needed! It’s the little things isn’t it??!!
I’m sitting here with the TV on watching Sister Wives – not sure why I watch this show but I do. Joe thinks I’m crazy to watch it but he’s gone tonight for work so I have a free evening to watch what I want and since Dew wanst to entertain himself right now I’m watching what I want! I have Drew behind me playing away with his train set in the dining room and I can hear the rain coming down. I love love the rain! It’s just nice and cozy right now. I feel like we’ve been so busy lately and yet we’ve really not been doing much of anything. We haven’t accomplished anything big around here. Once in awhile it’s nice to do nothing but once the weather starts to cooperate we’re going to have to get busy and get things done around here.
I spent the day in town today with a friend. How nice to spend a day just visiting. We hadn’t gotten together since way before Christmas and it was just time. I’ve become something of a hermit lately. I like to be home. I’m content to be home. I’ve gotten really good at isolating and I have to make myself spend time out and about. When I don’t it gets harder and harder for me to get out and socialize. It was nice to get out and converse with somebody in person and just get away from the house and I need to make myself do it more often. The longer I go without socializing the harder it gets for me to get out and I have to make myself get out of my comfort zone of home!
I have gotten a lot of stitching done over the last few weeks. These two are getting filled with crushed walnut shells and then I’ll stitch them up. I’m not sure if I want to sell these or keep them for myself. I’ll probably try and sell them and then stitch up two more for myself. I’m loving how they are turning out and will hate to see them go. I love Tina Woltman designs. They are so prim perfect!