Oct. 11, 2008 - Life With Farm Animals

Taking Care Of Animals

I knew having animals required alot of work, but taking care of baby animals is even more work. Our baby chicks are over a month old now. All of them are still alive. Everyone seems impressed that we have been able to keep all of them alive. Some of them are very use to us and climb up on our hands to be held. One likes to climb up our arms and sit on our shoulders. Others are still shy and get upset when we try to pick them up. Those chicks will be the ones we sell.

We have moved the chicks out of the brooder box DH set up in his workshed.The move came just in time. The box was getting small for 16 growing chicks. They are now in the big house. It will get crowded in the months to come as they grow bigger. That is why we will be selling some of them.

The chicks don't require as much attention as they did when they were very little. However, we still have to constantly check their food and water. We also give their water trough good scrubbings regular to keep bacteria and viruses at bay. We also have to keep their feeding trough cleaned out and filled. They seem to think the feeding trough is a bed and a bathroom. They are for ever sleeping and pooping in it.

Our big chickens are now outside chickens. We have been letting them roam the yard during the day for several weeks now. They were a bit bewildered the first night wondering why they couldn't get back in the chicken house. They have adjusted and sleep under the chicken house at night and enjoy their freedom during the day. Their fate is still undetermined. They may wind up in our freezer, yet. That sounds cruel, I know.  It will be better for us to feast on them instead of the fate they would face if the coyotes or racoons that roam our neck of the woods gets ahold of them.

By spring time, our little chicks should be ready to start producing eggs. I can't wait. Although we spend extra money to buy good organic eggs at the store, nothing beats eggs fresh from the chicken house. Bake goods especially benefit from the fresh eggs.

Dogs are the only other animal we have here on our little farm. They still require a great deal of attention. I wash the outside dogs water and food bowls at least twice a week. Now that it is getting cooler, I have put a basket on our deck for our 14 year old fiest. This basket is full of towels and old sheets. It is tucked in a corner of the deck and Cheyenne spends a great deal of time curled up in it. I wash her bedding once a week. Our lab's doghouse needs to be winterized. It once was a well house, so it is insulated, but we pile it full of cedar shavings to provide her a warm place to curl up.

Annie Oakley is still our spoiled child. She requires the attention most toodlers need. There are times I have to stop my work to pick her up and hold her. She is so sweet and funny.

One reason my animals get so much of my attention is that my mothering instincts kick in when I take care of them. With only one child to nuture, I had so much left over it needed to go somewhere else. LOL. My animals are special to me. They are special to DH though he won't admit it.

It has been awhile since I checked on the chicks, so I best be doing so.

Oct. 10, 2008 - Farm Living Is The Life For Me

Happenings Here On The Farm

Very busy is the words that best describe the way things have been around the farm. My garden is producing its last few veggies of the growing season. We still have fresh garden tomatoes to enjoy. My sweet pepper plants are bending over due to its laden branches. We have 4 rows of fall lettuce up as well as a row of spinach. All of it should be ready for harvest by next weekend.

Apples are still plentiful. So plentiful in fact that alot of them are going to the cows. We are trying to eat as many as we possibly can. We are saving the best ones to eat on. There has been plenty of applesauce and apple pies eaten. All of us have put up applesauce in the freezer or have canned quarts full. My mother and grandmother have made apple pies to put in the freezer. My father has given I don't know how many 5 gallon buckets full away. Last year, the apple crop was a total loss due to a late frost. This year's crop has made up for it. I hate the thought of wasting any of them, but at they are going to good use feeding the cows. 

The persimmon trees are also full of fruit. My grandmother is harvesting them. Persimmons are a required taste. I have never aquired the taste. People of my grandmother's generation learned to eat what they could growing up on a farm and during the Great Depression. I told my grandmother I wasn't desperate enough right now to eat persimmons. One day it may come to that.

With all of these trees overflowing with God's bounty, I feel guilty that I am not harvesting more. Especially, since I have felt the need to put up as much food as possible this summer, like many of you have. That foresight has proven to be good thing in light of the economy at this time. I think of of the moral tale of the grasshopper and the ants. These verses in Proverbs also come to mind, Proverbs 6:6-8 "Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest." Should I be doing more than I am? I don't know, maybe, but I do have plenty put up and will depend on the Lord to provide for us as He always does.

Here is a list of the bounty provided by God stored in our cabinets and freezer:

• 21 pints of applesauce in the freezer
• 15 pints of peaches in the freezer
• 10 pints of crowder peas in the freezer ( may get more from my parents)
• 15 pint bags of corn-on-the-cob in the freezer
• 5 quart bags & a gallon bag of sweet peppers in the freezer (with more to come)
• 33 pints of tomatoe juice in the cabinet
• 15 pints of green beans in the cabinet (canned by my wonderful MIL)

That may not sound like much to those of you with large families, but it will provide for us well over the winter and fall. With the other staples I have stored in our cabinets, we should be okay if things get worse. Our ultimate provision is depending and trusting in the good Lord for our needs and well-being. He provides all we need.

Sep. 20, 2008 - Fall is in the Air

Fall is Fast Approaching

After last weekend's heat and humidity, this weekend has been cool and dry. We had rain on Monday and Tuesday. A cold front came through on Wednesday; cooling the air, drying it out, and bringing a nip to the air. The highs here have been in the high 70's. Thursday morning, I threw open the windows. We have had them opened every day since then (except at night, our allergies won't allow it.) This kind of weather makes me want to spend every minute I can outside. I have done just that. 

Thursday morning, I went out to work in my garden beds. I started pruning my tomato plants and pulling up the ones I don't think I can keep alive for much longer. I also started pulling up most of the grape tomato vines. They can get to be like weeds and take over. I saved 2 that aren't near any of the other plants I have left. Hopefully with the pruning I gave them and the fertilizer (chicken water) I put on them, they will keep producing grape tomatoes well past the first few frosts. I still have my regular tomato vines to prune. There are still plenty of big tomatoes on those vines, which should provide tomatoes on into the fall. My pepper vines are still going strong. I have put up 3 more pint bags in the freezer. I am still dong applesauce. I have 18 pints in the freezer. I want to have 20. DD is eating it as almost as fast as I can make it. The last batch I made, I put some in cup size containers for DH to take to work next week. I have another half of a 5 gallon bucket full to do. Hopefully that will get me up to 20 pints.

The change in the weather has given DH a head cold, which has made him feel miserable for the last few days. Today, he feels much better. We are getting ready to go to a birthday dinner for DD at my parents's house. Last night, we went to my in-laws for her birthday dinner there. Her birthday is in Monday. DH and I will have a 19 year old. At times that is so hard to believe.     

Time for me to go. I have 2 loads of clothes to hang up before I get ready to go. Until, next time! 

Sep. 8, 2008 - A Hectic Homecoming

Our Beach Trip

We got from the beach last Monday at lunchtime. I have been so busy since then. This is the first chance I have had to sit down and compose an entry.

We had a wonderful time at the beach. We slept late and took naps. We ate well and didn't pig out on junk food. I was pleased about that fact. We rode around the campground in the golf cart. We went to the ocean to play. The water was relatively calm, despite all the hurricanes churning in the Atlantic. We were able to float over the waves the majority of the time. We all rested and relaxed. None of us realized how tired we were. We came home with mild sunburns. We used sunscreen and covered up when we sat on the beach. We got the majority of our sun out in the ocean.  

We arrived home at 1:00, Monday afternoon. We unpacked the camper and car. I started washing clothes and unpacked the cooler. DD took care of putting away her things and then checked on her assignments for the week. DH put away all of the camping stuff and started mowing the grass.

Tuesday morning, DH headed back to work. I did a few odds-n-ends, then took DD to her class. Once back home, I had more clothes to  wash. I also put up the peaches my aunt had given me last week. About a 1/3 of them went bad while we were away, but I still had enough for 3 pints and a mess for supper that night. DH finished up the grass when he got home from work.

Wednesday morning, found me still washing clothes. I was washing all the clothes and linens from our trip in addition to all of the linens from the camper so I can prepare them for storage this winter. I also was washing and preparing all of our swimming towels and suits for winter storage. I finally got all of the clothes we didn't wear up. I always pack more than we will ever need. (My daddy taught me well; be prepared for any kind of weather and pack more than you need just in case.) I had many other odd jobs that needed to be taken care of. We didn't go to Bible Study. I was busy with more clothes and DH was finishing up work on our brooder for the chicks we were expecting in the mail Friday.

Thursday morning, I left the house early so I could get the grocery shopping done before I had to take DD to her dentist appopintment. I alson had to squeeze in a trip to the feed mill to pick up a few things for the chicks and our brooder. DD's appointment was at 11:30. It took forever. We finally got gone around 12:45. Back home, I continued working on laundry. DH bought home sub sandwiches from Subway for supper. He went to band practice and I continued working on laundry.

Friday morning, I left the house early again. This time to go to the post office to pick up our chicks that arrived by mail. When I got the home; I had to take each one out of the box, wipe their bottoms (in case they were pasted shut), and stick their beaks in the water so they would know where it was. All of them survived the trip. All 15 of them, plus an extra one in case some don't survive the trip. So we have 16 in total. I sat a good 20 minutes or more just watching them. They are very entertaining. So the rest of my day was spent chick watching and washing clothes. DH got off at lunch. He ran a few errands and then came home to take over the chick watching duties. We even found time to fit in an afternoon nap.

Saturday, DH worked on odd jobs when he wasn't chick watching. He hung up my seashell pictures I bought with my birthday money. I finally finished the clothes. I got all of the swimming stuff stored for winter and almost all of the camper linens ready for storage.

Sunday, we had a lazy afternoon after church. We watched a little tv, took a nap, and went to my parnets' house, in between chick watching.

Today has been no less busy. I was up early. Took care of my morning routine and went outside to work. I watered my flower pots. I took up tomato plants and picked tomatoes. I came in and got cleaned up. I then washed more clothes. (Where do they all come from?)  I cleaned the laundry room and kitchen. I washed the dogs' bowls and the chicks' water bottle. The chicks aren't requiring as much attention but they have still took up a big chunk of time. I hung up a load of clothes. DD is working on her ironing and I still have mine to do. I have clothes to fold up. It would be nice to have all of them finished and out away before I went to bed. We will see. We are having Chicken Broccoli Alfredo for supper. DH called and said he was on his way home, so I must say farewell. Until next time.

Aug. 27, 2008 - Late Summer Bounty

Late Summer Produce

My garden is continuing to put on tomatoes and sweet peppers. I now have 28 pints of tomato juice from our vines and 3 pints of sweet peppers in the freezer from our pepper plants. There is still more waiting to be done. We are still getting apples from my grandmother's apple tree. I made applesauce this afternoon. We now have a total of 9 pints in the freezer. I still have more to do tomorrow. I finished all the peaches my aunt had gotten for us that yielded 12 pints of peaches in the freezer. Another aunt gave my a half of bushel to do. I am tickled with all of my hard work. I feel like many of you. I feel the need to put up as much food as I possibly can.

We finally have all of the birthday celebrations over for this month. We went to 4 different parties and dinners to celebrate 5 birthdays. Last Friday night was the last one. It was mine and my niece's. We really enjoyed ourselves. Our nephew and great-nephew kept evryone on their toes with their busyness.

Friday and Sunday afternoon, we took 2 of our last swims in the pool. My FIL is closing it on the Sept. 6th. I may take one more dip so I can scrub the sides of the pool. Sunday night, I tackled a mount of laundry to big to be called Mt. Washmore. It was more like a Mount Everest of laundry. Monday, I had to straighten out the mess we made of the house over the weekend, including putting away all of the laundry I folded up the night before. I also cleaned the laundry room and kitchen. I also started picking out clothes to take with us on our trip to the beach this weekend.

Tuesday, I got an early start. I did my morning routine and put up peppers before we left to take  DD to her on campus class. I went shopping while she was in class and spent some of my birthday money I received from my family. I went into 2 stores I never had the time to really look around in; Bed, Bath, and Beyond, and Linen-n-Things. At BB&B, I found an expandable bamboo spice rack. My wire one wasn't very made well and didn't make it easy to get to my spices, but the bamboo one is better built and makes it easier to reach them. At L-n-T, I found 2 pictures of shells I had been looking for to put in our bathroom since we moved into our new home 2 years ago. I have looked and looked. I never found what I was looking for until yesterday.

Today, I had an appointment to be at 9:00 in town, then, I went grocery shopping. Back home, DD was doing her schoolwork. After a quick trip up to my Momma's house, we made tomatoe juice and applesauce. We also made a potato salad to go along with our fried chicken and baked beans. DD did her ironing and I still have a little to do. We aren't going to Bible Study with DH tonight. DD and I are going to continue packing for our trip to the beach.

Labor Day Weekend At The Beach

Did I mention we are going to the beach? For years, our family has gone to the beach on Labor Day Weekend. I have been going since I was born and have missed very few years. DH thought with his attendance policy at work we wouldn't be able to do it anymore. Last year, we didn't. We went to Charleston in late October. Now that he knows exactly how the policy works, he decided we could go again. I couldn't live at the beach or spend an extend time there but I love going at least once a year.

The beach we go to has become very popular and commericalized. We will be staying at the campground we have always stayed at, although their prices out of this world. We won't venture into the city limits. We will stay at the campground. We will eat, sleep, and go the ocean. (I don't drive that far just to swimming in a pool, when I have one here at home.) After supper, we will ride around the campground on a golf cart we will rent. One night, we will adventure to a small hamlet south of there for a bite of something to eat. The thing that I am looking forward to the most is being able to do nothing. There won't be any apples, tomatoes, peppers, peaches, or housework that needs to be done. (All of that will await me when I get back home.) I can spend time on the beach reading, dozing, or just watching the waves crash. DH and I can sit and talk about our plans and dreams. DD and I can build our sandcastles. We can play card games. I am ready.  

Aug. 9, 2008 - A Late Summer Saturday

A Wonderful Saturday

Today has absolutely wonderful. The temp. has been in the mid 80s. No humidity whatsoever. The sky is a brillant blue with white fluffy clouds floating by. The kind of day I could spend all day outside. DH and I did just that, well, most of the day.

We got up late and ate breakfast. DH ran some errands. I took care of my morning routine. Next, I swept the deck and cleaned out table. I cleaned the sliding glass door. The front porch was next on my list. I also put some fresh potting soil in my flower boxes on the front porch and gave them a good watering. When DH got home, hewent outside. DH worked on a few odds-n-ends. We took a lunch break. After lunch, DH cleaned out the chicken house in preparation for the baby chicks we hope to get in September. We decided just to let our old chickens run loose and take their chances living in the wild so to speak instead of killing them. They are way to old to try to eat. They laid eggs for 2 1/2 years, which is amazing. I finished watering my flowers. I worked on some odds-n-ends. When DH was finished with the chicken house, we went swimming. DD stayed at home. DH and I had the whole pool to ourselves. We had an enjoyable time swimming and talking. We needed that time together.  

Back home, we got cleaned up. DH settled down to watch the NASCAR Nationwide Race and "Ask This Old House". I made a double batch of Peanut Butter Bars. I just pulled them out of the oven. They are filling the house with a wonderful aroma. DH is now putting gas in our cars. He tried to when he was out earlier but the gas station was packed. I need to go and fix supper. Tonight's menu is Cube Steak, Parmesan Noodles, Sugar Peas, Slaw, and Pickles. The rest of the week's menu is forthcoming.  

What's For Supper Saturday?

Here is what I have planned for supper this week. When I make out my menu, I always plan supper for every night and the one breakfast I cook, Sunday's breakfast. That is why there is a breakfast including in my "What's for Supper Saturday?".

Saturday:I posted tonight's menu above

Sunday:Breakfast-Bacon/Egg/Cheese Sandwiches, Fruit

          Supper-Roast, Sour Cream Pot.s, Steamed Veggies

Monday:Chicken, Noodles, Corn, Tomato Slices

Tuesday:Steak, Baked Potatoes, Salad

Wednesday:Turkey Sandwiches, Popcorn, Fruit

Thursday:Ordering Supper Out

Friday:BBQ Wienes, Mac-n-Cheese, Pinto Beans

Tuesday night, DD is spending the night with my mother. So, DH and I will have a date night meal, maybe by candlelight or outside on the deck. The turkey for the sandwiches will come a turkey breast I will throwing in the crockpot. This is the favorite way for our family to have turkey on a sandwich. The BBQ sauce for the cocktail wienes I got from Crystal Miller's website, The Family Homestead. The Mac-n-Cheese is homemade. It is a recipe I found and altered until I got it just how my family likes it. I will have to post it sometime. That is what is cooking on the Farm.

Jul. 29, 2008 - The Bounty of God's Earth

Garden Bounty

Things have been busy here at the farm. The good kind of busy that shows when you put in all the hard work. The garden is starting to swing into its late summer frenzy of putting on vegetables, which means the canning and freezing season is gearing up around our house. We got several ears of corn from my daddy's corn patch. I put up 11 pint-size bags of corn-on-the-cob, with 4 to 5 ears of corn in each bag, in the freezer. It doesn't sound like much, but it will provide corn to eat for our family of 3 over the winter. Our tomatoes are plentiful. We have been eating them in some sort variation almost every night. I finally had to can some for juice yesterday. I only canned 2 pints of juice. I know that hardly seems worth the effort, but what little I had would have gone bad if I didn't do something with them. My sweet peppers are doing very well, too. I cut up and put up pepper, yesterday, too. I cap them, quarter them, clean them up, and then freeze them. I use the frozen pepper for soups, stews, sauces, and stir-frys. If I am making potato salad, a salad, or need pepper to put on sandwiches; I will buy a fresh one. After the disappointment of my squash and cucumbers vines dying, I am pleased my tomatoes and peppers are doing so well.

A DD College Update

DD and I went back to the community college she will be attending for a meeting with her Learning Assistance Advisor. Since DD has an hearing impairment, certain arrangements have to be made to insure she can function in the classroom.  The advisor was very helpful and informative. We think we have worked out a solution that will best benefit her. We bought her other 2 books which cost around $100. So, in all we have spent $500 on books. That is $100 less than her tuition cost us. No wonder public schools can't afford to buy books with publishers charging outrageous prices for them. None of the book we used  for homeschooling cost as much as these books do.    

Jul. 9, 2008 - Just When You Thought Life Couldn't Get Any Crazier......

It Did!

It was back to work for DH on Monday and it was time for me to get back on my chore schedule. I knew the last half of this week would be busy, so I decided to do the bulk of my housecleaning Monday and Tuesday. I kept the house picked up last week and took care of the daily chores. I didn't do any cleaning last week, except when we moved all the appliances to clean. I am so glad I did, because today and the next 2 will be filled with getting DD registered at a local community college.

We have loooked at several options since graduation, on-line courses and community colleges. At the community college we picked, she can do a combination of going to class and interent classes, depending on availability. This whole process has started causing alot of upheaval in our home.

DH wants DD to get out of the house and have a taste of the real world. DD has brought this on herself because she has not showed a zest for breaking out of her shell, her routine, or some of her childish ways. We want her under our protection until we transfer that duty to her future husband, but she can't use that as an excuse to be lazy and to show no inclination of trying to better herself. We know she is scared and confused about all this growing up business, but we also know her weaknesses.

Needless to say, she is TERRIFIED (with a capital T, underlined at least 3 times, and an !)!!!! She doesn't understand why we are making her do this. DH doesn't understand all the tears and fears.  I see both sides. I know since I am the one not working that getting all of this figured out and accomplished is up to me, but I am the one stuck in the middle. They are driving me crazy.  I want to step out of it and let them hash it out, but that can't happen. I need to find a way of dealing with all this pressure without ripping my hair out and running around like a lunatic eating grass. 

DH has taken a hard line on this. He sees the need for the little chick to leave the nest. I agree, but can't we just kick her out on a limb instead of the whole tree. He wants her in the classroom on campus so she has to deal with situations on her own. I agree, but I think we need to ease her into the whole thing. She has always been high-strung and resistant to change. We have agreed on a combination of on campus classes and internet classes. Hopefully that will ease alot of DD's fears.

To top all of the drama between DH and DD, is my mother giving her sage advice.  She was talking to me on the phone about this. She told me I didn't sound positive or covinced, DD could do this. That is so not true. I have a peace about all of this. DD can do this. I am not worried about the testing, her in the classroom, or her driving to the college. (Although, I am worried about the other idiot drivers on the road. We have some real clowns around here.)  She also told me to it was time to cut the cord strings. That statement coming from her is so laughable. She has a 34 year-old she needs to cut the cord with. (BTW, I am going to be 39 soon. I don't mean to sound disprespectful ,but there is a long and complicated history between us that is difficult to fully explain.)

I know in the end, God's plan will prevail, not any of our's. That is the comfort I have taken and what has helped me not become the lunatic I talked about early. Please pray for us, especially DD, as we face this new frontier.

Jul. 6, 2008 - Peace Be With You

Blessed Be The Name Of The Lord

The Lord's Day dawned cloudy and dreary here. We are praying for much needed rain. DH and DD are at chapel. I am here at home with an inflammed sciatic nerve. I can't sit or stand for very long. I feel the best when I am sitting on the heating pad. So in my rare moment of alone time, I decided I would put up a post and give an account of our weekend.

Indepedence Day

DD's friend spent the night with us. The girls woke up to pancakes and fruit for breakfast. DH borrowed my brother's four wheeler and took our guest on a ride through the pasture. DD didn't want to go, so she stayed in and helped me clean-up the dishes. When they finished riding, they watched Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. I was in the kitchen making Banana Nut Bread for my father. I meant to make it for him on Father's Day, but got busy with graduation and didn't have time to. I also made Banana Pudding for the cookout at my parents house tonight. I was working on Grilled Cheese Sandwiches for lunch, when the friend's mother showed up to take her home. DD and I cleaned up the kitchen after lunch and then we all took a nap.

After our nap, we got ready to go to the cookout. I made sour cream mashed potatoes to go with the chicken and steak my parents were grilling. my grandmother, aunts, uncles, and their families were there, too. The boys were running around playing army. (All of the great- grandkids are boys except for our DD.) We, adults, sat around, talked,and ate. As darkness fell, we gathered up our chairs and positioned them to watch the fireworks. My parents live on a hill. We can watch fireworks going off on our end of our county and the neighboring county. The fireworks went off for an hour or more. We left around 10:30 pm. We were in bed by 11:00. I couldn't sleep until my pain pill kicked in. My sciatic nerve had been bothering me all week, but being on my feet several days in a row, cooking and baking did me in. I finally went to sleep, after the 2nd pain pill.

Saturday: A Day of Leisure

I slept in. I slowly got up and went out to water my flowers. I managed to wash clothes and hang some up outside. I did a little house straightening but spent most of the day in my chair with my feet up, sitting on the heating pad. I did finishing an embroidering project. DH ran a few errands in the morning, and settled down to watch a movie after lunch. I watched a little and then went to take a nap. DD and I worked on supper, afterwards. DH went to band practice at chapel. DD and I worked on embroidering. I watched some of the race at Daytona on the computer. I went back and forth between the TV and the computer, all the while embroidering. DD wen to bed around 9:00. DH got home around 9:30 and we went to bed shortly there after.

Today

My back and hip feels so much better today. I am going to spend most of the day in my chair on the heating pad. I think one more day of rest will make all of the difference. DH heads back to work tomorrow. DD and I have a busy week ahead of us. We have a shopping trip and  lunch date planned. We need to look at registering her at the local community college. She is volunteering 2 days at the library. We plan on going swimming several times this week. I am getting tried just thinking about it.  LOL.

I hope everyone enjoys their day of rest. God bless you and your family. Have a blessed, wonderful week!

Jul. 3, 2008 - Our Week So Far

Tuesday

DH finished working on his home improvement  project. He ran a few errands and did a few odd jobs. DD straightened up her room and got things ready for her guest. I straightened up the house, washed clothes, made 2 batches of cookie dough, baked one batch of cookie dough, and cooked eggs and potaoes for the potato salad.  I got the pork chops marinating and then fixed DH and I homegrown tomato sandwiches for lunch.

DD's guest arrived around 12:30 pm. They settled down in front of the TV with their snack foods and watched Dragon Heart. DH and I went to our room. He laid down and took a nap. I folded and put away clothes. I also got some papers graded. When the movie was over, the girls played games and talked with me as I worked in the kitchen. I had baked another batch of cookies and fixed the potato salad. I sat down and played games with them when I finished. After that, they started watching Ghost Rider. We ate supper outside, since the weather was so nice. We have had very beautiful days for the past few days. The  temps have been in the 80s and the humidity has been low. We ate outside Monday night, too. DD's guest stayed until 7:30. I think they had a good time.

Wednesday

DD and DH went on a drive first thing this morning. She drove to the library where she volunteers. We hope in the near future she will be comfortable enough she can drive all by herself to the library so I won't have to. I did my morning routine. When they got back home, DD drove up to her mamaw's house (my mother) to spend the day with her and her cousins. DH and I tackled some major cleaning jobs. We moved the oven and frig in the kitchen and cleaned behind and underneath them. Talk about YUCKY! The oven was just that. I cleaned both sides and it needed it.  We moved the washer, dryer, and frig in the laundry room and cleaned underneath them. I washed all them down, too. I mopped the floor in there. While finished up a few things, DH tackled cleaning the area where our hot water heater and air handler is housed.

DD came home around 2. The week's activities were catching up with her. She wanted to take a nap. DH and I did, too. I developed a headache. I think it was from all of the dust from our cleaning. We all took a nice long nap. I washed clothes when we woke up. DH worked on a few odd jobs and changed oil in the cars. We got supper from Subway. We settled down for a little TV viewing, then it was off to bed.

Thursday

DH and  DD went on another drive this morning. I did my morning routine. DH and I went to get groceries while DD did a little cleaning to prepare for her guest that will be spending the night tonight. Our guest arrived around 2:00. They started watching Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.  We headed to my in-laws house for some swimming and a cookout.  We headed home around 7 and finished watching the movie and then started watching  Raiders of the Lost Ark. Now that it has gotten dark enough, we are going out on the deck for a little star gazing. Good Night!