Ecuador

Our 17 year old son (my baby!) is spending nearly two weeks in Ecuador on a mission trip. His primary objective is to assist with the building of a church, conduct community service, assist with Vacation Bible School, help out with a medical clinic and have a great time while totally cut off from Mom and Dad with 200 other youth and adult supervisors. We haven't heard a word from our eldest since dropping him off at Minneapolis airport, but the organizers had warned us that 'no news is good news' as the plan is that none of the young people will attempt to place international telephone calls from Quito (where they landed) nor from the remote villages where they are serving nor from Guayaquil where they fly out of.

Talk about dispelling the myth that we are over-protective homeschooling parents. We sent our child off with an airline ticket, passport, itinerary and two bags loaded to the 50 lb. limit (including tent and solar shower as the conditions are very primitive). He also has a calling card - which he was supposed to use to call during his layover in Miami, but didn't - as electronic devices such as cell phones are contraband on this expedition.

Join us in praying that this journey will be a safe one and that his very basic Spanish will have allowed him to communicate with the locals (just being able to do things like...find the bathroom, locate his luggage, etc.). You can check out the trip updates on ultimateworkout.org - he is on the UW17 trip to Ecuador.

Summer

Due to my lack of attention to anything on the computer, I plan to post a lot in the next few weeks.

We are roasting in North Dakota. The heat index in our neck of the woods is supposed to be in excess of 100 degrees today. I was shocked this morning to see that the sheep apparently can let themselves out of the barn. Hank and I trotted through the still dew wet grass planning to release the woolly girls early to allow them time to eat the succulent green grass before their permanent wool coats forced them to lay in the barn or under trees, presumably hoping for cooler days ahead. Instead we found the barn door had been flung open, allowing the girls to eat far earlier than I had planned. My favorite husband had released them from their night-time home before leaving for work - feeling bad for both them and me (I stayed up late, late the night before and had wished for a morning to sleep later).

During July and August I always feel the pinch of being a single income family. It seems to be a perceived pinch, but the planned purchase of a plethora of school books for our homeschooling the next year always presents a daunting figure. I begin to scheme, plot, plan and consider how this might feel when I am able to contribute to our bottom line. Add to the pending purchase my favorite husband's run to Ikea for much-needed bookcases (love them, just didn't love the deduction from the check book), the soon completion of our upstairs bathroom and all necessary supplies to accomplish the project, the purchase of a new hot water heater (the old one shorted out in a shower of sparks resembling the 4th of July), and the purchase of a new pump for the animal water and I turn into a quivering mass of nerves when balancing the check book. Never mind that in September I will breathe a sigh of relief - and then to express new concerns to the propane man in November about the prices.

Ahh, the dog days of summer.

Electronic Age

Yesterday we spent a few minutes at one of our many favorite libraries. I was alarmed to discover that we are to now check-out our own books using a handy-dandy scanner. Additionally, I observed a librarian instructing a patron on how to reserve a computer for herself and how to do it without assistance the next time. What will happen to the librarians??! Will their role be reduced to that of reshelving the books that I have plucked from the shelf and checked out for myself?

I see this trend continuing when, at a store that shall remain nameless, I discovered a self check out line. My favorite husband enjoys this, but I want someone to thank me - even if it is not a sincere response.

Troubling...

Field Trip

Wed-Fri of last week found the kids and I traveling to Thunder Bay, Canada, with 38 other people. This field trip was arranged through the 'Wednesday School' that the girls now attend (which is through a Christian school that invites homeschool students in every week). We left early, early on Wednesday morning, traveling through Duluth, MN and up the North Shore to Thunder Bay.

Activities while there included: a visit to Ft. William (amazing place - check it out), North America's largest amethyst mine, the Terry Fox memorial (again, google this young man - his story is incredible), Keccebaka (sp?) Falls, and much more. On the return trip to stopped at Grand Portage and Pigeon Falls. The combination of Fort William and the fort at Grand Portage made a great learning experience. Fort William is totally set in the period with all workers within the fort speaking as though the fur trade is currently happening. The staff at Grand Portage are dressed in period costume, but speak about the fur trade in present day terms. Our guide in the Great Hall at Grand Portage was exceptional. Experiencing both forts gave the kids a chance to understand how and why it all happened. This was the culmination of a year studying Canada at Wednesday school (or K4K as it is known). Additionally, it rounded out the study done several years ago on the state of Minnesota as the students did a unit on the voyagers.

Sadly, the teacher who made this all happen retired this spring. We do look forward to getting to know the new teacher, but will really miss Mrs. L.

We got home, to our house, at 1:30A Saturday morning. The kids and I slept all day Saturday and much of Sunday.

Hopefully, if the planets are aligned just right, if the bytes and megabytes are flowing through the lines correctly and IF no one calls in to break our very tenuous connection - I will share some photos in a future post.

Peer Pressure, Speaking

Peer Pressure - family members on my favorite husband's side communicate with one another via myspace. I have an account so I can be listed as a "friend" and see some accounts kept private, but do absolutely NOTHING with it. I don't have the time, the high speed access nor the inclination to keep up with the cool graphics and other features I see out there. I do, however, enjoy catching up on the family news. It appears that one niece has received a significant promotion, another has a new job and possibly a new relationship, and one of my favorite husband's sisters has passed an exam for her job. We did get the 'heads up' that one nephew is getting married in August, but much of what used to be a telephone call or an e-mail is now out there on myspace. Not commenting re: good/bad, just there.

Speaking - Next week I am giving a series of five seminars on homeschooling. Someone referred to me as "an experienced homeschool parent." I still don't feel like it, but realized that after doing this for 11 years, I probably am.

One more thing for today

Since I have a speedy internet connection (for the moment) - I'll continue sharing. #1 son is heading to Ecuador on a mission trip in July. He is really excited. A HUGE thank you to all of you who have donated to make this possible.

#1 son is a little leery about the national delicacy of guinea pig (we watched the Globe Trekker on Ecuador) and disappointed that the tour won't include a stop at the Galapagos Islands. He has decided that strictly vegetarian is the best route to take when heading outside of the homeland.

Right now preparations are underway, including waiting for his passport to arrive. Does it really need to take 10 weeks?? Now we shop for very light items for him to take along as there is, of course, a weight limit on the luggage. Fun, fun. Can't wait to share photos and stories of his adventures.

Gas Prices

50 miles to Fargo - OUCH.

Book Recommendations

I find myself with a lot more time on my hands now that I'm not doing things like, oh, learning the parts of the nephron, memorizing the process of sperm production-taking the trip from genesis to implantation, memorizing 200 of the muscles in the body, reviewing karotyping and so much more fun stuff. SO, I find myself standing in the library, staring at the books wanting to play 'catch-up' from the many months I missed but don't know where to start. Do you have any recommendations?

Why we live here

Friday night

A huge storm swept past our house on Friday night. A funnel cloud was spotted within this storm about 45 minutes prior to the same system sweeping past our house. We watched the clouds swirl from the doorway of the outside entry to our basement. The camera only captured a fraction of the scope of the clouds across the sky.

Grades/Next Year

My grades came out at 4.0 for this semester. Overall GPA is 3.88 due to two 'B's' last spring. I'm OK with it. Next year brings chemistry and microbiology, among other fun stuff. I know, those of you who began this journey with me feel like I should be done by now. Patience for us all...I am still able to homeschool the kids (who also did quite well this year in their schoolwork) while managing a full time class load.

NO classes this summer so we will do fun things like Botany and maybe even a unit on Birds with the girls. It feels odd not to awaken at 5AM to study anatomy and physiology!

Tiny Lamb

Here is the 3.0 lb. lamb with #1 son. In this photo the lamb is about one week old.

Bar Envy

One of the unique foods in the upper midwest includes 'bars.' When we first moved here I was asked to supply bars for a funeral luncheon. The only bars I knew of were rice krispie bars - not something I associated with a funeral, but rather a backyard event with children. I made what I thought would pass for bars. My Mom warned me I was sending cake. Sure enough, the thank you note thanked me for the delicious cake. Thus began my quest to understand 'bars.'

Actually quest overstates the situation. Frankly it only comes up once a year or so. I hadn't given it much thought until the girls' piano teacher asked me to bring a pan of bars to the piano recital lunch. Don't worry about bringing them plated, she had bar trays! The pressure...I couldn't take it. Many farm women have a specialty type (or two or three). I'm not there. I shopped for a box of brownies. I thought I had it licked. I followed the directions carefully, baking in a beautiful clear glass 9x13 pan. I even carefully sprinkled powdered sugar on top. I had it licked...until I proudly carried my offering into the church kitchen. I found that I need a bar pan. This is a 9x13 no stick pan with a lid (not foil, you cretin). The other women eyed my brownies with suspicion as they didn't come in a BAR PAN. I took over half of my brownies home! Shopping.

Spring

Rather than give a day by day update, I will summarize the 2007 lambing season.

Totals include: 19 ewes, 38 lambs. Unfortunately, that number does not stand as the number 'on the ground' as the professionals say. This spring we were reminded that farming does not mean white fluffy lambs jumping around without assistance from the humans.

#19 had one lamb dead and after examination we (#1 husband and I) determined she had another inside of her. This involved literal extraction and a glove on my hand that extended all the way to my shoulder. The lamb was dead and had been for at least a day. That was one of the hardest things I have ever done. Favorite husband did more than his share as well. We remained in agreement that we never want to do that again. #19 seems to have a pelvis too narrow to accommodate lambs. Bye, bye.

Another sheep had triplets. The youngest was not doing well. We brought her in the house and literally snatched her from the brink of death. Sunny bonded with Hank and we found her chasing cars with him as she did not consider herself a sheep. Well, sadly, after being with us for three weeks we found her dead - no apparent cause. The same week we lost two more lambs - again, without obvious reasons. We consulted the experts at NDSU, but without a necropsy (autopsy for a sheep) we had only speculation. Speculation that extended to the lambs possibly succumbing to overspray from nearby fields, having drank from the creek that may have contained field run-off - who knows!? We certainly don't, but losing three lambs, especially Sunny (the bottle lamb who thought she was a dog) was very difficult.

But the happy news is that one sheep had a set of triplets that contain the tiniest lamb we have ever seen. We actually took our kitchen scale out to weight the smallest little guy. He tipped the scales at a whopping three pounds. A 'normal' lamb weighs around eight. Our #1 daughter wants to keep him, but I think his cuteness will wear off as he grows larger.

It's not all warm and fuzzy on the farm.

Another lamb

Hank

This is how Hank watched the 'action' in the barn during lambing.

Another

Photo for you

In Like a Lion

Our yard the Day Before Christmas

Grandma

The smell kept me from pretending this was Grandma’s living room. I could explain away the nursing home furniture -- the couches and chairs with their slippery, scrubbable surfaces. I missed the golden-rod colored couch that always rested against the living room’s north wall in Grandma’s small house, the blue chair that clicked as it spun all the way around, the clock ticking on the wall hanging above the desk in a corner. Her desk was full of cubbyholes stuffed with airmail envelopes from Norway and black-and-white photos of people I barely recognized. For a few moments I imagined I was eight years old again – a long time ago, more than 25 years, but I couldn’t get away from the smell. Gone was the mixture of cigarette smoke, coffee, and caramel rolls baking, the memory rudely replaced by the odor of bodily functions, the kind kids snickered about as ten-year-olds, the odor of slightly unwashed bodies and the underlying current of disinfectant. I couldn’t make that go away. An involuntary deep breath abruptly rushed me back to reality. My Grandma had been an incredible woman and because of the disease, Alzheimer’s, that was gradually consuming her mind, she was being torn from me a little bit at a time.

The first sign that something was out of sorts was the year I turned 27. I didn’t receive a birthday card from Grandma. She always prided herself on making certain that greetings arrived on the exact day of the birthday, not one day late, not two days early. She trusted the U.S. Postal System would do their job if she did hers. Grandma even enclosed a few dollars from her meager Social Security income with each card. That year there was nothing, not late, not early. I didn’t say anything to anyone, not wanting to sound greedy as if I were missing the money, but I did miss the sentiment.

Today, Grandma sat tilted to one side in a wheelchair. A scarf covered her wisps of hair that before, had always been concealed by a carefully groomed wig. Grandma was dressed in one of her usual polyester outfits, but now it was stained down the front where some of her lunch landed. Grandma smiled readily, but the smile didn’t go all of the way to her eyes – only a blankness looked back at me.

My Grandma always was a powerful force in my life. My earliest memories are of her alone. Grandpa died when I was two years old. Grandma chose, for reasons she never shared with me, to live the rest of her life without a spouse. She was alone, without marital companionship, but never lacked friends. The coffee pot percolated constantly at Grandma’s. She kept a stash of homemade caramel rolls or a cake in the kitchen ready to share with friends and family who dropped by throughout the day and sometimes far into the night. Mavis, the woman from across the street; Thelva, the Avon lady; Joyce, the neighborhood busybody – all left cigarette butts ringed with bright red and pink lipstick in the ashtray on Grandma’s coffee table as they gossiped far into the night.

I didn’t know that today would be the last time I saw Grandma communicate in a meaningful way. On the television, Lawrence Welk and his orchestra began to play the hymn, “In the Garden.” Grandma started humming the melody. Mom immediately picked up on Grandma’s interest and started singing the words. I was stunned to hear Grandma switch to harmony and begin to vocalize the lyrics. Even though she didn’t know my name or that she had just eaten chicken for lunch, Grandma knew all of the words to every verse of that song. I could not stop the tears from flowing down my cheeks when I heard my mom urging Grandma, “Sing, Mother, sing,” as Mom too, seemed to realize this was a significant moment. When the song ended, Grandma sank back into her blank stare.

Through the preceding few years, visits to Grandma’s house became less frequent. One trip, however, stands out in my memory. My aunts, mother, and I traveled to Minot to prepare a party for Grandma’s 80th birthday. Little and big, the changes we experienced upon walking through the door of her home were undeniable. The kitchen’s overwhelming stench smacked us in the face. A small amount of detective work brought me to one of the pantry shelves where Grandma had placed several cans of orange juice concentrate. Maybe she just had a “senior moment” and forgot, but Grandma’s kitchen never had crumbs on the counter or a dirty dish in the sink, reason told me.

Now, this afternoon, Grandma no longer recognized me, her granddaughter. I tried to remind her of what I thought we meant to one another. I introduced myself and even used the private, childish nickname that was just between the two of us. There was no light in her eyes -- I was just a nice lady who came to see her, gave her a kiss on the cheek, a gentle hug, and chattered for a while about things she didn’t seem to understand. My “I love you Grandma” and “good-bye” were muted as I choked back tears.

.....

Several months later, at her funeral, I felt relief. I didn’t mourn for the woman that lay in the casket. I had been grieving in small amounts over the years, ever since we heard that her mind would be taken from us. The woman I had adored and who had loved me back with a love that was so huge that each of her 11 grandchildren presumed they were her favorite had been gone from me for a long time. This day was a formality and became the time we could acknowledge to one another, and those who had cared for her in her emptiness, what an incredible woman my Grandmother had been.

This week at our house

I need to rest. Our week was crazy.

To recap the "highlights":

Both girls are ill - one had the virus move up into her head to cause sinus problems, the other had hers move down into a cough. Developing.

My favorite husband and son spent Wednesday evening (and early Thursday morning) in the emergency department with hubby tortured by what turned out to be kidney stones. Where was I? Well, I had been in town with the kids at a church youth group meeting when my favorite husband called me to say his symptoms (extreme pain) had worsened. He actually considered coming home (WHY?!). Instead he chose to take our now-driving son with him so that he could be driven home safely. I took the car full of groceries and two sick girls home (I didn't want the girls to wait in the germ-filled emergency room when already ill). My night was spent pacing, cleaning, folding clothes and all sorts of other mindless pursuits until the men arrived at 2AM. Symptoms gone on Thursday, apparently the stone(s) had passed.

Last night I was shopping for a few items for the kids in the small town nearby when I got the call from home that the dog had been run over and they (the remainder of the family) were bringing him into the vet. Fortune smiled upon Hank as he only needed stitches on his head where he was cut quite badly. He was covered in dust (rocks imbedded into his collar as well) and had many abrasions on his legs. We don't know what he tangled with, but it was something mechanical and he was able to get home. $170 and two hours later (pain pills, antibiotics, suturing fee, etc.) we brought our dog home, thankful that the event was not as bad as it could have been (understatement).

I need to rest, but school, home, family, church duties all clamor for attention. I must remember Thanksgiving is coming and I am so blessed.

Refocus

I spent yesterday watching, and participating in, a public auction sale of many items from my great-aunt's estate. The weather was crisp and clear, the sun even peeked out from behind the clouds occasionally. A virtual army of helpers began at 7AM to get the remaining items out onto trailers to allow potential bidders the opportunity to examine the items prior to the start of the event at 10AM. There were many unique items, but a lot of just "stuff" that we all seem to accumulate.

These auctions are typically community events, with some coming from far and many from near. Oddly enough, some small, very unique and old items never made it into the auctioneer's hands - having been taken by someone who took advantage of the trusting nature of the event. Knowing that I may have been standing close to someone who would do this troubles me.

The bidding began with a trailer full of tools and other miscellaneous garage items. Short work was made of that trailer and we moved on to the many household items which were to be sold. I purchased a few special things, but the budget did not allow for several things that went far too high. A very unique item sold was a baseball autographed by Satchel Paige. My great uncle and his brother belonged to a community baseball league and saw Satchel Paige play in a nearby town. While at the game, they each had a baseball autographed by Paige. It was fun to see someone take away that piece of history. I did purchase a few boxes of books, some from the late 1800's. I would enjoy keeping a few, but would consider selling some. I'm not quite sure how to go about that appropriately. Research project for another day.

I'm processing what could be considered the indignity of seeing someone's goods spread out for strangers to paw through OR I could examine this as a chance to share with others some of the wonderful things my family members had accumulated over their lifetime(s). Is this a glass half-empty or half-full question?

A related, but different subject....

I have been doing a lot of reading about preserving family histories. My father's family information is held by one of my uncles. My mom's family information is dispersed throughout many family members in the generation prior to mine. I'm not sure at what point my generation will be entrusted with photos (or copies thereof) and their accompanying stories or the family heirlooms that may not be valued monetarily, but rather in the memories that accompany them. Maybe when I turn 50?! I just hope that someday there isn't a box of old, old black and white photographs being auctioned for $5 to a complete stranger (as I saw yesterday) who only values them for the uniqueness of the pictures, not for the stories and memories that could, or should, accompany each of them.

One more....

Standing in line at Target last Sunday, I observed an elderly lady struggling to use her debit card for payment. I admired the patience of the young clerk who was very kind and assisted this woman with using a previously unused card. I also was overwhelmed by the courage shown by the elderly woman who had grown up probably purchasing items for mere pennies with the actual coin clutched in her childish hand to learning something completely new like using a debit card. It doesn't sound difficult to most of us, but she is someone, a stranger, I really admired.

Here we are again

-The sheep and calves have left for their winter homes. The lack of rain this summer has left our pasture with less grass than previous years. We had hoped to allow a period of recovery for the grass during warmer weather, but snow/rain is predicted for Wednesday so the recovery will be a sum total of two days.

-The three kids enjoyed a great weekend with my aunt and uncle as tour guides in and around Bismarck. My parents also experienced two nights with three kids in their hotel room (all were in Bismarck for an event). Sights seen by the children included a personal tour of the capitol, the state historical museum, time at the Lewis and Clark interpretive center and much more. The kindness shown continues to be greatly appreciated.

-We mourn, with friends, the loss of a lovely 18 year old. While we did not know the young lady, we feel the anguish and deep grief of several of her family members.

-Enjoyed a brief visit from my favorite husband's brother and wife. We spent a delightful evening out to dinner in Fargo, celebrating the brother's 50th birthday. Our entire family was then honored to have them spend the night at our house.

-Speaking of students-School is going well. We have begun cat dissection in anatomy and physiology. Prior to calling the ASPCA, let me assure you that I did not supply the model; I am not at all comfortable with this event, but am pressing forward as this is a required part of my education - despite the smell of the preservative making me physically ill last week (note to self: eat lunch prior to lab today).

-SNOW, that 4-letter word, looms in the forecast for tomorrow. It was 80 degrees on Saturday.

-Spending time with friends in person or via e-mail continues to be a highlight of our week/day. Keep those cards, letters, e-mails, instant messages, etc. coming. This year we PLAN to send out Christmas/Holiday/End of December cards to you all (unless we have no idea where you live or have lost your address in the paper abyss or if we have been cut from your list because we have not sent such a greeting in x-can't recall-x number of years) in which we plan to include a...drumroll please....a family photo. The reason for the great excitement? In the last formal portrait of our family we had two children-the eldest was 4 and the youngest was still in diapers. Things have changed considerably since that time - gray hair, another child (not necessarily related), let's just say that time has marched on.

-Quilting. I just found a lady in church who excels in this art. Our #1 daughter hopes to pursue a 4H quilting project and I hope to tap this woman's expertise.

-Outsourcing is a hot topic in our house. We purchased a computer system from DELL, along with several YEARS of support. The printer has started to do some bizarre things - like splitting lines of text, skipping lines of text - basically making printing illegible. I telephoned DELL - and, of course, found myself talking to someone in INDIA who gave me his American name as "Sam." Sam spent an hour on the telephone with me, assuring himself that I was, indeed, presenting the problem accurately and had not reset any settings within a variety of programs which would somehow cause printing to suddenly go crazy. Sam then told me that he would consult with his supervisor and then call me back with the solution. We reviewed my time zone - CENTRAL - 7PM. Sam was advised that he could call up until 10:30PM. I made a point of staying off of our archaic dial-up connection wishing to have this resolved ASAP. No call. Off to bed. AT ONE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING (OK, it was 12:58AM) the telephone rang. "Hello Mrs. XX, this is Sam from Dell, prepared to walk you through the solution to your printer issue." "WHAT?" "DO YOU REALIZE IT IS ONE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING?" "I am so sorry Mrs. XX. Enjoy your rest and I will call you this evening." Keep in mind that this is not verbatim as I had been SLEEPING prior to hearing from SAM. Also note that this evening it will be one week since I heard from Sam-and the printer saga continues. There won't be a Christmas letter unless we can get it out of our computer. Ahh, outsourcing at its finest.

-Reading about McDonaldization. Interesting.

Trying Again

Oh, to have put together a lovely post, detailin g our activities only to have it lost when our dial-up connection is severed. To recap:

The kids are great. School is underway - and all are excited about new books and activities. We found a piano teacher that seems to have great possibilities. She pointed out some deficiencies in our #1 daughter's piano education - the absence of scale practice is one. Easily corrected. #2 daughter had her first lesson and is quite excited. The Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Cadet program has been very good. #1 son was taken up flying - a front seat ride. He loved it and now has aspirations of a pilot's license.

17 lambs took a ride to "go away" somewhere. It is time - prices are up, we need the pasture to recover from having 50+ sheep on it.

My favorite husband and I are well. He continues to enjoy his position at work and is enjoying the crisp, late summer days. I am a bit weary after a controversy resulting in a long, late meeting last night with frustrating results. Too bad we can't just walk away, but the organization is our church. It is intriguing to me as to how some interpret Christianity - and apply the interpretation selectively. Moving is a possibility (what would I call the update at that point? Hmm, I have my pick of states). What are nurses being paid in your state? How does the cost of living look? Meanwhile, we plan to scale back our involvement to reduce frustration. We have missed traveling due to weekend commitments and hope to take that back up again. I hear the Badlands calling my name. School, however, is great. Thus far A&P's "A" is holding. Tests abound this week. One in speech on Friday, another in Cultural Anthropology on Thursday. A quiz on the pectoral girdle, upper appendages and spinal column today - 19/18 - missed one and got two extra points. Fun, fun.

Happy Birthday - "Little" One

Today we celebrate our youngest daughter's 9th birthday. Nine years ago, I labored on Labor Day. She was a scheduled induction and my doctor showed up in the morning wearing shorts and sandals heading out to a party. He checked in on me every two hours or so and was in frequent contact with the nurse. We were blessed that all of my brothers and their significant others were available to care for our oldest two children as we had commuted from North Dakota back to Illinois to have the baby (can you tell I LOVED my OB-and had to COBRA insurance and had to stay "in the plan?"). Following her birth (with my physician approporiately attired and present), we were surrounded by family members - all of us awed by yet another miracle.

I celebrate her birthdays with great joy, but a tinge of sadness as the little girl is rapidly disappearing, replaced by a delightful adolescent.

Animals, animals

Animal update:

1. Baby chicks everywhere. Hens are not offering eggs to people, but rather hoarding them in nests in the grass, in a corner of a shed, under piles of wood. Lots of babies.

2. Dog-sitting my parent's dog, Moco. She is a good dog, but loves to sleep on the couch. She has no shame or embarrassment about it.

3. One calf died (three left) despite the best efforts of all involved (especially the kids). They were quite sad. Lots of digging to do after that one. #1 son measured the dead and then measured the hole - 5'x4'. We took turns using the shovel. Took the good part of an afternoon.

4. The sheep are good, very good. We loaned three out to a friend who wants them to mow down grass and play with her kids. We sent our three bottle lambs to her house. I think we could make some $ this way! :).

5. Hank, our dog, failed 4H dog class. This makes the third time he has failed the basic class. Everytime we see progress, but not enough to pass. Developing.

6. Barn cats, barn cats available. Choose your color. 25# of food disappears weekly.

Car 54 Where Are You?

Are you old enough to remember that one? The yearly list, put out by some helpful university, that details what the incoming college freshman have never heard of always depresses me. I used to laugh at what I knew that they didn't, but now....

What's up with us?

August has been crazy. I took a summer class - comp 2, complete with a full-blown research paper in one month. Loads of fun, incredibly intense. And, drumroll please - YES, an A! I am jazzed. After taking one, count it one, day of summer vacation on Monday (8/21), I rolled into fall classes. Human Anatomy and Physiology, Fundamentals of Public Speaking, Cultural Anthropology and Mental Health. Loads of fun to be had out there for sure. 13 credits. I would actually like to take more, but the university charges by the credit hour rather than a flat rate for full-time/part-time students. Must remember to call to complain about that. I called my congressmen last week to complain about fuel prices and the lack of alternatives. Maybe another call is due there. Lined up piano lessons for the girls on Tuesday afternoons. Son is in Civil Air Patrol Cadet Program - got to fly in the front seat of a Cessna two weeks ago with another flight scheduled for Sunday morning.

The kids have been going, going too. My favorite husband and #1 son just returned from a weekend event in the Boundary Waters on a canoe trip. They saw lots of wildlife, bathed infrequently (not at all), carried all of their belongings on their back and had a great male bonding time. This was with a church youth group.

The previous weekend I took the kids on a church campout - a significantly more sedate event compared to the one hubby and son took on. This consisted of tent camping Friday and Saturday nights. All went well until my camping comfort was tested - severely tested. Saturday evening the wind picked up and it started sprinkling. Someone drove by our camping spot and said there was a tornado watch along with damaging hail, high winds and torrential rain (a hurricane?). Well, that's all it took for me to pack EVERYTHING except the tents into my car and hustle the kids (5 - I had a few extras along) into the nearest building basement, which happened to be a boys dorm. No mind - off the laundry room where we spent the night on the floor. No complaints here. Nearly all campers headed back to their soggy digs, but not me (nor my charges). The line was drawn in the sand and I wasn't going to go back outside at the point. Again, a good time was had by all (as I was in the hallway that night trying to work on my research paper!). The kids had fun with others jamming on various stringed instruments and playing Pit in the hallway (next to me trying to read government reports re: avian flu).

Another cool family outing was to the Science Museum of Minnesota to view the Bodyworlds display (check www.bodyworlds.com). WOWIE, ZOWIE. The kids thought it was too cool as well. If it comes within 250 miles (that is how far we drove that day - one way), pack up the truck and go to see it. I highly recommend renting the little handsets for additional tour info. Absolutely incredible. Hubby, who is a nurse, thought it was really cool. 16 year old son said it was amazing. 12 year old daugher loved it. Even 8 year old daughter found it to be intriuging. PLUS, I got a project credit for A&P. It was an expensive day (we went with a homeschool field trip group), but so worth it.

Upcoming plans? Well, one of Favorite Husband's brothers and wife are visiting in September - can't wait! School for the kids starts at the beginning of September - yes we are still homeschooling. Some of my classes meet on-line, I'm in classroom from 11-2 three days a week, hs early and late along with hubby doing it. It can be done. I'm learning the bones in the skull for a quiz on 8/29 (so is everyone else in the house!). Let's see, frontal, zygomatic, temporal, lactimal, mandible, maxillary, mastoid process, stylus process, occipital, coronal suture, etc. You get the idea.

Back into the fray. If you are still out there reading - drop me an e-mail.

Baked, Fried, Overdone

I CAN complain about the hot and the cold. The thermometers I passed yesterday had triple digit temps displayed. 110 was the highest. No air-conditioning at our house. I also spent the afternoon retrieving our #1 son from where he was assisting with the horse program at a summer camp 3 hours away. Enough said.

A very bright spot - I spent the evening with two friends seeing a local summer production of Fiddler on The Roof at an outdoor venue. We had a lovely time (although quite warm).

Meanwhile, we are soaking up the heat for this winter.

Sweet? 16 and more

1. #1 son turns 16 today. Driver's license is in hand - eek!

2. First summer class completed for me. A, thank you. GPA is at 3.714 and dean's list spring semester. In Comp II right now, until 8/17 - fall classes begin 8/22. Not much of a break.

3. Homeschool seminar went great. Planning next year.

4. #73 (sickly little lamb) died. Very sad.

5. 5 chicks added to the menagarie.

6. We are breaking heat records in ND. There is a "burning ban" right now which means that our paper garbage waits for rain.

7. That's all for now - forming an essay that isn't in shorthand.

Here is what is happening

Again, in 'shorthand'

-3 guinea keets hatched in an incubator in the living room (28 days). Now residing in a habitat created for them in a refurbished fish tank, again, in the living room. Why? Why Not? Actually, the preferred food for adult birds is wood ticks. Need I say more? It was/is a great biology lesson for all 3 kids. They researched the ideal living conditions/food and put it all together.

-grades in for me - 2 a's, 2 b's. Disappointed, but not discouraged. Summer classes to follow - developmental psychology and comp II. Yippee.

-Son starting driver's education this week. Blessings to those who are willing (and have the control) to teach young men this skill.

-Son joining the civil air patrol cadet program. Great kids involved. We are always watching for good social opportunities because, you know (dripping w sarcasm) those homeschooled kids don't know how to socialize.

-All 3 children signed up for 4-H. Developing.

-Two of my brothers (w families) coming to ND at the beginning of June. Always a great time. Wish all 3 brothers could be here at the same time.

-To do: sign kids up for swimming, find a piano teacher for the girls, develop sophomore curriculum for son, schedule a brief vacation (have you seen the fuel prices?), fence more of the pasture in woven wire - 52 sheep eat a lot of grass - very quickly.

-Wanted: small diesel vehicle for husband to convert to veg oil fuel.

-Sheep are all OK. #19 acting a bit odd - dosed with wormer and penicillin. Improvements seen.

-Reading: consuming anything and everything that doesn't have to do with school. Some 'bubblegum' reading too. Developing a summer reading list for all 3 kids to be distributed at the beginning of June.

-Homeschool: Done for the year. Ahhhhhh.

-Developing: 3 seminars on homeschooling and a 4 day retreat schedule. Frightened.

-Musing: Interpersonal communications class highlighted the need for different levels of relationships. Missing - I/Thou friends. Relocating to an interwoven farm community does not allow relationships to easily develop, especially when you live in the middle of nowhere. Not whining, just musing.

-Sigh: 40 is fast approaching. Now I'm whining.

-Enjoying: beautiful weather. We have horrifying winters, but spring/summer/autumn can't be beat. The clear blue sky makes every day amazing.

-Planning/Equipping: Husband and son taking a canoe trip to Boundary Waters (Canada/MN) with the church youth group in August. Need to equip with backpacks, etc. Due to the lack of sanitary facilities (or any facilities at all) I'm passing on the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful scenery, this time.

-Camping: The weekend prior to the big canoe event, I'm camping with the kids at yet another youth group event (lest you think I'm getting soft!).

-Gardening: Giving it yet another try. The wind and my lack of experience really keeps me challenged in this area, but the thought of garden fresh tomatoes keeps me going.

That's all folks! I'm mulling over more for later.

AHHH

Second semester is over. As promised (predicted, warned, forecast) grades won't be as stellar. Comparative Lit was a bear - more like a book club with not a lot of instruction and papers due with ambiguous requirements. The final day of class consisted of power point presentations. It was apparent that the expectations were not clearly laid out as no two were alike in either content or presentation.

Today has been a bit of lazy day - with moments of intense activity as I attempt to locate the floors of the various rooms in our home. I warned the children and small animals to get out of the way. I have 3 weeks off and then begin summer classes. No rest for the weary/behind schedule (like 20+ years). I also want to exercise more - that gets shoved way, way down on the list when the list is long.

I did meet with my advisor re: transferring out at the end of next year. She laid out a very ambitious and stupid plan that included taking 20 credits a semester including chemistry, microbiology and anatomy and physiology - while dabbling in economics, speech and some other humanities class - oh yes, and college algebra. Since I value my marriage and family, a lesser load will be taken. It will take longer, but I won't be living alone at the end of the year.

The children are all signed up for 4H. It seems to be a great program - I never participated as a child, not sure why - but it will be fun for the kids. Son #1 is looking at the Civil Air Patrol Cadet program. I have had a terrible time reaching the organization to glean information. This doesn't bode well.

The animals are all good. Favorite husband has been collecting fencing from various sources. We need to fence another section of our land in woven wire (the big squares) as 52 sheep consume a lot of grass. Despite the fact that we have 35 acres, it needs to be fenced prior to sheep use (or I put the kids on horseback out there to watch them all day).

#1 son is also planning to take drivers ed class at the end of this month, IF he completes all of his freshman work. Motivation at its finest.

Hopefully I'll be back a little more often.

Two of #23's babies laying with her-she had triplets

#10 with her baby

One Month Later....

Head count - 26 sheep; 25 lambs; 1-2 pregnant ewes left to birth; one pony; 6 chickens; one dog; three children; two parents; multiple barn cats, far too many to count, but enough to give away.

3 weeks left in my school; math books nearly finished for the kids (a major milestone)

Laundry on the clothesline - wow!

Here we are

Arrived yesterday - 20 pregnant sheep, one pony. Sheep shorn last week, due to lamb beginning 4/7.

Spotted this morning - one coyote running along the road less than one mile east of our house (considering a mutton meal?).

Car - it was a fuse! (read: easy fix)

Confusion - comparative lit class, certainly evolving and not as presented by the professor. Promise - this will not be an "A" class, much to my disappointment, although interpersonal communication class instructor would say that I am not projecting the correct vision for the future. Let's just call it reality. Plans have not been made to have a working knowledge of Heidinger, Socrates, Plato, Sofres, Freud, Jung, etc., (spelling? much less...) despite the assignment received at 10PM last night via e-mail to have prepared for Tuesday at 9AM. Is this lit or psych?

Outside - two kids Saturday night, sleeping. YES, voluntarily - working on an honor for winter camping. I'm supposed to do it too - auggh.

Strep throat? - youngest child ill since Weds. evening w 103+ fever, sore throat Saturday night w white spots. Off to have a swab, rapid results - negative. Ahh. Sleep for me for Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat? Minimal and not uninterrupted.

Sleep needed - not happening until Thursday night.

smm

Two more things

1. Lest you be concerned that the children are being neglected (I may have left you with that impression!) - my schoolwork is done at 5AM and 9PM. Why did I spend so much time sleeping before this semester??

2. I am an aunt again - my brother and his wife became parents to a second lovely little girl. No name yet, but a girl born on St. Patrick's Day should be Bridget or something like that?? Probably not.

Out of the Loop

Yes, I've been out of "it" - full time school, full time kids, full time house, full time, full time, full time (hit the record player, there's a skip).

Brief update:

Car - back up and going - ball joints, tie rod ends replaced. #1 son learned a lot about front end work. Amazing former mechanic husband. Now to fix that pesky problem that showed up this week - headlights go on and won't turn off, the dash lights are out. Obviously electrical - replaced the headlamp switch - didn't work. Small repairs such as these sure beat a monthly car payment.

Husband - Recovering from a bout of mild flu-like symptoms. Enjoying his new position at work as house-wide float, PIC nurse and something else that I don't recall. Looking forward to fishing with #1 son. His family - Mom had heart rhythm problems; hospitalized and sent home w incident monitor..more to follow on this.

#1 son - Braces removed; height measured 6'1.5". Found out that his sister's jeans fit around the waist, but certainly don't have the length needed; doing incredibly well in math (absorbing concepts I must have slept through in algebra); becoming quite handy around the house/farm.

#1 daughter - Headgear on (the same day brother's braces were removed - fortunately the ortho's office takes payments and has up to date magazines because I'm going to be going there forever); 5'7" tall at 12 years old - recently celebrated a birthday; very capable in the kitchen; looking forward to lambing time which is scheduled to start 4/7; enjoys "Wednesday school" as there are two very nice girls her age who are good friends.

#2 daughter - Keeping with her brother and sister; recently talked Grandma into roller-blading in my kitchen(!): Loves Wednesday school (would now be a good time to say THANK YOU to those who have sponsored the kids? - I guess every day would be that time); also looking forward to lambing; lives in superlatives so she LOVES her babydolls, her cat and doing everyting everyone else is doing.

Dog - "fixed" after Christmas - don't worry, we can't even tell that anything ever happened.

Farm animals - #7 sheep died this week, don't know why; considering getting rid of all chickens or possibly keeping 1-2 in a small cage due to avian flu issues; sheep to be shorn before start of lambing - perhaps when they come to their summer home which isn't feeling very summer-like right now at a chilly 30 degrees.

Me? - see above. No, really I'm taking 4 classes which could be overwhelming if I allowed it to be, but I breathe into a paper bag and am just fine. Taking 400 level comparative literature; 300 level elements of health; 200 level interpersonal communications and 100 level fundamentals of music. Three are on-line, one in classroom two hours a week. Finals are the first week of May so don't expect me back here before that time. I am trying to figure out a way to get a small desk into the main part of our very small house so I can have my school work in an single place rather than spread out from living room to kitchen to family room - I need to find a desk for this too. School will be out before I get this project done. I'm trying to figure out if summer school is on the docket.

That's all for now folks.......

Incredible Husband

My husband is raising my car from the ashes - think a phoenix - today. There is a lot of front end work going on which will also include new front tires. I am thankful that he can do the work because the price would more than double if we sent the car out to be repaired, but I sure wish this could have waited for a little longer, especially since it is so close to the "extra" holiday spending that went on at our house.

Books

I went book shopping yesterday - not for "fun" books, but for next semester's books. I am taking four classes - 1)comparative literature; 2)elements of health; 3)fundamentals of music; and 4)interpersonal communication. The book for health was used at $45; the CD for music was $92.75; the communication book was $78.25. I didn't purchase the books for literature from the bookstore because there isn't a text but several novels that I intend to purchase, used, on Amazon or some other on-line service. I can get all but one (still searching) for less than $3.00/each. Wasn't there discussion some time ago about why text books are so very expensive???

I Gotta Wear Shades

To borrow a line from the song...can't recall the title, that is my husband's dept....I gotta wear shades. That may not sound like a big deal to many of you, but it has been cloudy here for several weeks. We did see the sun briefly last Saturday afternoon, however, until yesterday there weren't any other sightings. Yesterday the sun not only peeked, but came completely out from behind the clouds - it was amazing. Hank immediately moved from his spot in front of the woodstove to a spot of sunshine. I transferred to a chair that allowed the sun to shine directly on my face, where I promptly fell asleep. It was wonderful!

Field Trip

Last night the kids and I joined the church youth group for a field trip through a Fargo Fire Station. The station is quite new (on 15th St. N for the locals) and is quite amazing. The facilities are spacious and up to date, the fire fighters friendly and informative. Incredibly, they managed to keep the interest of the children from age 4 through 15. There wasn't a single highlight to note, in fact, there were several - the model of Fargo that is used to work with other agencies on disaster drills to assure that responses are coordinated between each agency (the kids just saw a really neat model that looked like a model railroad); of course, the cool fire truck-lights and sirens- and equipment; and watching several firemen slide down the fire pole! Thanks guys!

Weather, etc.

Yes, we talk about the weather a lot in ND. For the past few weeks it has been quite foggy in the morning. It is very pretty with the snow on the ground (did I mention that we received approx. 10" of snow last Thursday?), but makes for interesting driving. Temps have been above normal (the average normal low in January is -1) for which we have been thankful.

My favorite husband celebrated his 40 something birthday last week. He enjoyed hearing from several of his siblings. The same day we celebrated our family Christmas. I might be willing to make this a tradition as shopping after the official day made for less expensive wrapping paper, bows, and gifts.

We (the children and I - husband was working) enjoyed a wonderful Christmas Day with friends. Great friends, wonderful food, fun sledding, a delightful day. Christmas Eve was not quite as pleasant. The children and I found ourselves watching traffic zoom by on 94 while waiting for a tow truck. The tow truck driver was efficient, but not very talkative.

Classes started for the children yesterday. I begin classes next week. I plan to purchase books today. "Wednesday school" for the kids is canceled for this week leaving us with an extra day to catch-up.

We enjoyed the cards and letters we received from each of you. We appreciate seeing photos of children that can't be that big (because that means that I am growing older) and reading about what each family has been doing.

Growing

On each birthday in our home we measure the children's height. Our son is pleased to have passed the six foot mark (6' 1/2" to be precise). Daughter #1 is quickly heading toward passing me at 5'6". Daughter #2 is exactly 12" shorter than her sister, measuring in at 4'6".

Again, there was a query

To celebrate a variety of recent events (favorite husband's birthday, end of a semester, $1.99 gasoline-although that is a thing of the past here) we enjoyed a meal out. We went to Saffron an Indian restaurant in Fargo. The kids weren't sure about heading into the unknown, but all enjoyed the experience.

Someone Asked

One of you out there (I think it was only one individual) asked how I did in my two classes. As the results were favorable I am pleased to share that I enter my 2nd semester of college with a 4.0 GPA.

Shopping

Haven't done a bit of it (shopping that is) for my family. When you all are standing in the return line, I'll be wrestling with the large, hairy woman over sale items. She is stocking up for next year, I'm purchasing post-Christmas gifts. Want to take bets on who will win?

Transmission

I peered out the window yesterday at my husband who was carefully scrutinizing one of the parts of my car. It turned out to the transmission dip stick. Favorite husband says the fluid looks "burnt" which is not good. Monday brings the changing of the fluid and will, hopefully, find no pieces of metal which is a very, very bad sign. I guess I'm getting a transmisison and front tires for Christmas. Now I am saying "bah humbug."

Too Warm?

It rained here last night and the snow is melting. Could it be too warm?

Merry Christmas

I'm skipping the politically correct "Happy Holidays." In fact, I'm almost becoming irritated by the generic greeting. At what point did society become so sensitive that people are unable to accept a greeting that differs from their own beliefs? I don't mind having someone tell me "Happy Hannukah," "Happy Easter," "Happy Sweetest Day" (a Hallmark holiday if ever there was one). I'm slipping closer to "Bah Humbug."

School Update

Well, I have been anxiously checking the progress (on-line) of the grading of my Comp I class. There are 50 points outstanding right now. I am down 10 points for the class for the semester. If I didn't completely blow it the final project (a power point presentation) I should have an A. I did get an "A" in Intro to Psych, so at the moment, I am a 4.0 student. Now I'm searching for scholarships for old people like me.

Hank

Our 80 lbs. puppy - yes, only 7 months old. Someone found the garbage in this photo and had neglected to rid himself of the evidence. Hank failed obedience school the first time and has a slot booked in the next session.

NO TRAVEL

We are cocooning today. School goes on when you are homeschooled, but not much else is happening. No travel is advised through our segment of North Dakota - the mall has even closed! Keeping warm....

Gas Prices

The sky is falling?! No, it's just the gas prices plummeting. Isn't it sad when I say that our prices are ONLY $2.07/gallon? My favorite husband said that we will have a celebratory dinner out when the prices drop to $2.00/gallon. The $ we will save in the tank (compared to the $3.00/gallon) will more than pay for a lovely evening.

Chickens

The chickens are being transferred to their winter quarters today (my parent's barn). Making this happen meant that Hank's dog cage and the cat carrier were hauled to the barn, all exits were blocked after nightfall and the fun began. The kids went out and captured the fowl, stuffing them into the cages. The cat carrier was reserved for a mother hen and her three chicks. Our youngest came in with a tale of catching the largest gray rooster by the tail. He still has his feathers, but didn't escape her clutches.

Maybe Dad will have better luck with eggs. Our girls have been hiding them everywhere but in the nest boxes. I have asked the kids to build a chicken tractor for next year (go ahead and google it).

Boycott

Am I the only one irritated by the Christmas music and merchandise that was in the stores before Halloween? I was doing a really fast grocery run last night in a national chain store and was quite irritated to pass aisles of Christmas items while ignoring the Christmas carols playing on the overhead speakers. I'm not planning to do anything with Christmas until after Thanksgiving. Bah humbug!

Happy Birthday

Today my youngest brother turns 34. He is celebrating an "adult birthday" today - he is at work. I wonder if he brought treats for the other staff? Best wishes.

What's up at our house?

I am still in school - 4 papers due in 4 weeks and not a complete thought to be found in my head (hence the updated blogging - procrastination at its finest). My "a" in intro to psychology is still holding, we'll see how comp I is looking after I meet with the teacher today.

The kids are great. They haven't been riding the horses quite as much because of deer hunting season. I know, most hunters are incredibly responsible and wouldn't shoot at a horse and rider, but it's the odd weirdo (with a gun and ammo) that worries me - you know the stereotypical guy - he's been drinking, dressed in brilliant orange, has a gun and a deer tag, and the season ends in just a few days.

My favorite husband has been attending classes this week for work. It's odd to see him heading out the door in "civilian" clothes vs. the lovely maroon scrubs.

I've been doing the odd bit of cleaning - my mother-in-law is coming for a visit next week. She is quite wonderful and doesn't expect any special treatment, but hey - doesn't everyone clean when their mother-in-law comes to stay??

Weather, weather, weather

TODAY is predicted to be the last day of beautiful (depends upon your definition) weather until April. Temperatures in the 60's are unheard of in ND in November, but yesterday was amazing and today is expected to be the same. All outside work or play that happens best without gloves should be completed today. Snow is predicted for this weekend. Brrr.

Flunked!

No, not me, Hank. Hank is attending obedience school on Monday evenings. This week the instructor took me aside and said that I may wish to enroll him in the next series starting in January - not the advanced series, but a repeat. She tried to soften the blow by saying he is a puppy, has a hard head and needs to realize he isn't in charge. So, starting in January, Matthew and Hank are continuing to attend obedience school - after they finish the current series in December!

Grades, Etc.

I am rejoicing, grabbing the good news and not thinking about tomorrow. The university that I attend allows students the ability to review grades on-line. Thus far I am getting a solid A in both intro to psychology and comp I. A bit of a disappointment though - my first paper came back 47/50. I made a couple of foolish mistakes and have, hopefully, learned lessons for the next one.

Special thanks to my cheering section here at home. They tiptoed about while I was agonizing over my first college paper.

This weekend I need to draft a contrast/comparison paper. Topics are still shuffling around in my mind - the instructor says it has to matter to you and you shouldn't know the outcome until you have done the "t" chart. Huh? Motherhood doesn't operate in a t-chart world (my previous careers didn't lend themselves to this process either). The majority of the decisions in my world happen either very quickly (stop hitting your sister/brother; yes, we need orange juice; the tank is 1/2 full, we are filling up) or the data is still being collected for the really big ones (I could have charted the college decision). Pending.

This afternoon the kids are enjoying the newly-repaired wood splitter. They are stocking a little shed with split wood to burn in the wood stove in the house. No t-chart needed here - heating costs are going up, wood is mostly free....you do the math.

The girls studied about South Africa this week at Wednesday school (the year's focus is Africa). Child #3 chattered for 50 miles on the way home about diamonds, apartheid, Nelson Mandela and more. I don't get to sit with them during the unit study time - I hang out with the five high school students who have younger siblings in attendance. The spread between a four year old and an 8th grader is broad enough for Mrs. Lund to teach without adding high schoolers to the mix. In addition, high school students need every moment to study (at least their parents think so). My "job" is to make sure that the high school students have a quiet place to study. I don't teach anyone except my child. This does give us time together to review tough concepts. I also have time to study without distractions like laundry, housecleaning, the telephone, etc.

I need to get the soup on (literally) for tonight. The french bread is rising and the soup needs to be bubbling.

Happy weekend to you!

How are you?

I am very, very tired. It has been a long week – and I’ve got a few more days before I start again. However, who says when the week begins again? Does it really start with the first day of the week or can you arbitrarily decide when you want a new week?

Child #3 has been sick with a cold since last Wednesday. She is improving, but managed to share. Her colds typically drop into a cough, mine goes to my sinuses. My Dad has had cardiac issues, not resolved yet, but will be. We finally found shoes for church for child #2. She is 11, but wears the same size of shoes that I do. Appropriate footwear for an 11 year old and a thirty-something (nearly 40) year-old differ dramatically. The list could go on and on, but I'm turning the corner and as soon as the fog lifts outside it will lift inside too.

Shopping

My favorite husband went shopping (at a farm auction) and look at what he brought home! Particulars? Ford, 1950something, dump truck-obviously, drove it home, ? .


He was excited so I'm happy too!

The view from my front porch

The photo was taken today, October 6, at 8:20 A.M.

Just for the record - it was 80+ degrees (farenheit) on Sunday (10/2).

This is ND weather at it's finest. Yesterday I-94 was closed from Mandan, ND to the Montana border.

The Forum reviews some of the events of yesterday related to the storm. http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm?id=104980&section=news

My vow to keep the heat off until November changed last night!

Hey baby, where have you been?

I've dropped off the face of the blogging earth. What do I do when I'm not blogging? Well, fun stuff like putting together a rough draft of my first paper for Comp I, getting school up and going for my kids, farm work, housework, laundry, blah, blah, blah....I'm sure you can relate!

Congratulations to friends Don and Gina on the wonderful news that they are expecting baby #1!

Say it isn't so

Apparently Fargo is no longer a "small town" where you can leave your car running in the parking lot. What is this winter going to be like? Imagine the AAA calls.

http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm?id=103507&section=News

Hold Me Back and more

I went to Comp I class today. We are actually doing some interesting stuff - hey, my writing can always use improvement - anyway, the assignment was to read and mark-up an essay. It wasn't long, 5 pages or so. It was a great piece. The author was incredibly descriptive. It was not a hard read.

In class we were asked to form groups of 2-3. No one approaches the old lady in the class, so I asked two very nice young men if I could join them. Sure. They pulled out their books - not a mark in them - HEY guys, you are paying for this class!!! WRITE IN THE BOOK - you paid for it. It turned out that they hadn't even read the assignment. I want a good grade. SO...I admit it, I took over the group, told the note taker what to write and approved it before it was turned in. I guess I'll have to find another group next week - although I was kind and they were very sweet they may not want me back. It's really weird taking a class with young folks who are nearly the same age as my son.

I'm not going to school because I didn't have anything else going on this week....

Happy news - Our youngest turned EIGHT today. She was so excited for this day to come and then the mailbox....not a birthday card in there. Pain, agony, disappointment were written all over her face as she came dragging back from getting the mail. How do you fix that one? I guess I need to send more cards to others so that my kids get some in return. She was crushed. For days she has been counting how many cards might come, who might send them, etc. I think she had pictured the mailman staggering to the door under the weight. Well, little one, happy birthday anyway.

It seems so long ago that my favorite husband walked and I waddled into the hospital to be induced on Labor Day. Ten LONG hours later the product of my labor (literally) was a 8 lb. 16.5 oz. little girl. Dr. Wilson came into the room in shorts and sandals just having come back from a barbeque. Ahh, memories.

We measured today - Birthday girl grew .5", #1 daughter (simply for means of identification, not preference) grew .5" and our son grew .75" - all since 7/14. We measure the childrens' height on every birthday of theirs and on my favorite husband's bday (my bday is only 2 weeks from our son's so it doesn't make sense to use mine).

To conclude the evening, I attach a photo taken of one of the calves. He is standing in front of a wheat field that has been harvested. The content look on his face is due to the fact that the photograph was taken before he was castrated this past Sunday.

Can't wrap my mind around it

As stated in The Forum http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm?id=101773&section=News , the devastation after the hurricane brings back memories of the flood of 97 in Grand Forks, ND. I recall watching two newscasters lose their polished appearance as they continued to broadcast far into the night. They weren't reporting on the disaster outside as much as they were reading offers of shelter from individuals up and down the Red River Valley. A typical announcement would be "John Smith on Rt 24 can take in a family of up to six and has corral space for animals. Call XXX-XXXX." Those men loosened their ties, were unshaven, rolled up their sleeves and just read announcements of incredible offers such as these to those fleeing the flood in Grand Forks and the surrounding area.

I appreciate Peggy Noonan's article today http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/pnoonan/ She uses the term "piggism" to refer to the looters. She is being kind.

Now on the home front. How do we deal with $3+ gasoline when we commute in excess of 45 miles one way?
-Horses? No, there aren't a lot of hitching posts in town - but maybe there should be.
-My favorite husband is reading a lot about biodiesel. Does anyone have an old diesel vehicle that he could test his theories on? He is looking for a small diesel pick-up.
-Stay home? We are supposed to begin our 100 mile one way/once a week trek to Detroit Lakes, MN next week. Is that going to happen? We were having difficulty imagining where the tuition $ would come from. Now I can't imagine where the gas $ will turn up.
-Make every trip to "town" count. No more running into Fargo for just one thing. EVERY trip will be jam-packed with errands and there will be a lot fewer of them. Today I am shifting appointments around to coincide with my husband's work days so that we can ride with him. It will be a monster-long day in Fargo as he usually works 12 hour shifts, but given the alternative...

Trying to wrap my mind around it.

This Week

It's been a mixed week.

-The kids started some school work. They are getting a jump on the "official" start date of Sept. 6.
-I attended my classes. Thus far it's actually fun. I know, all of you who have told me that it wouldn't be that hard - you can say I told you so.
-My favorite husband had quite a few days off of work, but the projects he had hoped to finish kept moving to the back burner while other things became urgent. He was disappointed, but I'm sure it will all work out. A farm has a never ending list of things to do and ours is no exception.
-One of our kittens died today. The kids found it this morning - barely alive. It looked like a predator of some sort had gotten it. The kids made it comfortable (as much as they could) and buried it this afternoon. No, the vet couldn't have fixed this either.
-I have heard from several friends, via e-mail and telephone. It is always nice to hear (or read) a friendly voice.

I hope you have a great weekend.

New Farm Employee

I threatened to get a social security # for Hank following his most recent vet visit. Actually the vet gave me the idea. I asked if we should have Hank's dew claws removed. The vet then asked me if Hank was going to be a working dog. Well, yes, of course. The response was that if he was going to be a working dog we should have the claws removed because they were more likely to catch and tear while "working."

I was telling my parents about this and wanting to get him a SS#. They told me that if we file "farm" on our income tax forms that we can claim Hank's food and vet bills since he can be considered an employee and is a working dog!! YES!

I'm, like, freaking out

I did it. I signed up for two classes (6 credits) - that makes me a part time student. I've gotten a student ID, laptop (the school supplies one to each student), class schedule and books (OVERPRICED). Now the next thing to master is the vocabulary. No, I'm not talking about the "academic" talk. I am referring to the language used by the much younger students. Overheard while waiting in line to pay $65 for two very small books:

"I like let Ashley take my car. I'm freaking out because she like isn't a very good driver and she like just took my car instead of taking hers. I like told her that she could $%# take her own car, but she just took mine. I'm freaking out."

I may not have it verbatim, but you get the idea. How will these kids function in the business world? Will e-mail replace the face to face meetings or the telephone conversations that call for intelligent discourse? I need to like not get too arrogant, but it's really difficult when I overhear what the kids are talking about -maybe it's just left over from summer!

Library Comparison

I've told you a little about the two libraries in Fargo/Moorhead that we frequent. It is difficult to pick a favorite but let me share a few of the differences.

-Fargo has a separate children's section. This is a thumbs up in my book as the non-fiction at Moorhead are mixed with the adult's (I think I mentioned this). I like knowing that my kids are contained in an area while I am off checking the adult side.
-Fargo seems to have more books. I haven't checked the actual volume count, but the feel overall is bigger.
-Moorhead has Fargo beat hands down with their customer service. It is a rare thing at Fargo to find a librarian out from behind the counter and when they are it is generally to shelve books, not interact with customers. Is that what we are, customers? Not sure about the appropriate terminology, but Moorhead could really teach Fargo how to work with the people that come to check out books. Is this due to management expectations/the type of personnel hired/too busy to assist others/???
-Moorhead has a grace period for overdue fines on books. YEAH - we routinely have stacks of books checked out and the fines add up so fast! Moorhead also notifies the card holders via e-mail to inform as to the overdue items. Bravo - way to use technology and save a stamp. Fargo still mails the overdue notices (with the fine that you have accumulated listed on the notice).

Do I have a favorite? Not yet. Do you use the library? Check it out today (oh that sounds like a public service announcement!)

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday 3rd birthday to Payton. We have never met - OR and ND aren't too close and we haven't ventured back to the west coast for quite some time. Happy birthday little girl!

This is taped to my kitchen windowsill

Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 - 1882)

Those of you who know me well probably know why.

A Sighting!!!!

What did I see? It's a rare thing - seeing what I saw today. Before I share the actual sight, let me tell you that this is an event that occurs so infrequently that there are few that can give an eyewitness report. I've seen it, in my own front yard. No, it's not that long-lost woodpecker, not an insect. It was a farmer in shorts (gasp). Oh, you city people are tuning out right now. I can hear thinking (I do have that gift) - Shorts - everyone wears them after coming home from a hard day's work. NOT here. No way. Farmers are fully dressed at all times and on all occasions.

My best examples come from my great-uncles with whom my father farmed when I was young girl. We lived in the center of ND and my great-uncles were mostly grain farmers - sunflowers were just being cultivated in our part of ND. The "uniform" for a well-dressed farmer was work boots (not tennis shoes), blue jeans (no designer names please), a t-shirt (usually white), and a cotton long-sleeved shirt over the t-shirt. OH, I nearly forgot the hat, always a hat. Generally the farmer advertised the seed company that gave him the hat or perhaps his favorite implement dealer. A farmer's legs were NEVER seen. I mean NEVER. I am sure their legs were/are neon white.

It wasn't until I was well into my 20's that I saw my father in shorts - and that was on a super hot day in Michigan. Of course, he did NOT wear them out of the house. Now I have heard that my Dad wore shorts in Hawaii when he and Mom went there for one of my brother's weddings (his only wedding - 3 brothers). There was supposed to be photographic evidence brought back. Wouldn't you know it - every photo that was taken of Dad in shorts had him behind a bush, standing behind the car door. It reminded me of Wilson on Tool Time.

OK, back to the shorts - funny story to go along with it. When I was a child the very small town where I lived decided to build a swimming pool. Funds were raised. Everyone thought it was a great idea for the kids. Well, the pool staff put together a schedule of lessons - and there was an adult lesson time set for the evening (had to do it after the farmers were out of the field). Wives literally dragged their farmer husbands to lessons as there must have been an advertisement that said couples attend together. My parents took the lessons (peer pressure). I would love to have been a mouse in the locker room when the farmers all put on their newly purchased swimming trunks. Picture the tan lines - including the hat line. We had to wait in the car during the lesson, I never did see anyone's glowing white legs, but the stories are still being told about how my Dad sank like a stone.

I guess I should have had the camera out - you'll just have to take my word for it. And no, I'm not going to tell you the farmer's name.

What's Up?

We are doing home/farm kinds of things today. I have three loads of laundry drying on the clothesline with a fourth in the machine. Favorite husband is working on the starter for the tractor. The kids have been riding horses and are now going to assist with my task of cleaning out stalls in the barn.

Tomorrow we are going to celebrate my Dad's birthday. It was yesterday, but work/errands kept us all apart. We are going to have strudels as the main course. No, it's not the pastry strudel. Strudel is also a German dish of thinly stretched dough rolled up and steamed on top of potatoes (of course), onions and meat. Quite tasty, but time consuming to prepare. Usually we have it once a year - rarely twice. If you want to get crazy you pour cream on top of the whole dish. Can you count the calories and the fat??

The tame kitten count remains at 12. I think that will be all that have a chance of surviving the winter. Fall kittens usually do not make it. I'm really not enjoying buying a large bag of food every week. It's time to give some away. Anyone interested? You can pick your color.

Hank was at the vet this week for his "big boy" shots - rabies, etc. He has gained 15 lbs. in the last month. It's getting a little harder to move him when he doesn't want to go. Hank has picked up some sheep herding skills. Good dog!

#1 Son learned yesterday that his braces are on for approx. another 5 months. He is quite disappointed as the previous target date was October.

The final, for the moment, news tidbit is that we have received 2.5 inches of rain the past two days. Yes, that rain gauge is working nicely and I am the one who put it up!

Happy weekend to you.

Couldn't do it!

We loaded up all of the young sheep and cut out those that we wanted to keep. We had finished when Son #1 called my attention to Daughter #1. She was standing over #48 crying. #48 is a male lamb who we bottle fed because he had "failure to thrive." We decided that if meant that much to her that we could take him off of the trailer too. 17 are being prepared for sale.

A pot of gold?

What do you find if it's a double rainbow? We just saw this during a break in the storm tonight.

Gas Prices Again

Are you as irritated by the high gas prices as I am? I was checking historical data on www.ndgasprices.com. Why are prices at least $1.00 higher than last year at the same time? What has changed in the world in ONE year that could cause prices to jump this much?

From Africa?

Last week our family went into Valley City to the Dairy Queen for an ice cream treat. Behind us in line we noticed a group of five young men (late teens/early 20's) with pretty good tans, farm clothes and talking in another language. Since everyone in ND talks to everyone else while waiting in line (a BIT of a generalization) the lady in front of us asked them where they were from. It turns out that they are working with a custom combining outfit and are from Africa! Everyone then got into the conversation (there are no secrets here) and were asking questions about where they had been combining, how they got the jobs here in the U.S., etc. They said they had an agent in Africa (I think South Africa) who assisted them in getting summer employment. Too cool!

Today is THE day

The kids are, even as I write, sorting the sheep. The list has been on the refrigerator for two days - ever since I got the call from my Dad that prices are up for lambs and that we should get them on a heavy diet of corn and push them out the door. A red underline under your number (if you are a sheep) means that you get to stay. A red circle around your number means that your days are numbered (literally). There are several undecided sheep that have no mark made near their #.

We plan to keep 25 ewes to lamb next spring. We had 13 that lambed this spring. Five were "open" (didn't have babies). SO - 18 of last year's flock will stay on. The remaining slots will be taken by ewe lambs from this year. What gets you a pass on going away in the trailer? Well, we are looking for lambs that are from a multiple birth and have a long body. The multiple birth is a trait that is likely to carry forward (desirable). The long body enables the sheep to carry the multiple babies easier.

Two sheep are being kept in the flock just because. One of our two first bottle lambs is still with us and is the matriarch of the flock. We don't breed her but keep her on because she is a calming influence on the flock. We also keep Peter. He was a bottle lamb a few years later. He is quite cute (even as a sheep, and that's saying something!) and seems to also be a good influence.

This will be a noisy job - the mothers and babies don't accept being separated very well.

Sunset

Sunset on Friday evening (about 9pm). Stop and be quiet for a moment.

Sunday Morning

The kids went out to feed the calves and found lamb #44 dead. No cause of death is known. The lamb was buried before breakfast.

My Dad brought over a load of hay. After unloading the hay the horses hooves were trimmed and they tried to castrate the calves. Let's say the calves need to grow a bit more before they become steers.

More new creatures

This is one of the three new calves that arrived here on Wednesday. The other two didn't feel like posing for photos.

The calves feeding schedule has been altered a bit. The place where they came from fed at 3 and 3 - that's 3AM and 3PM. We don't choose to go that route (as our son said - I'm not sure if that's getting up early or staying up late) so feeding time at the zoo is 7AM, 7PM. That's more like it!

At the moment all three are bull calves. On Sunday, I believe, their status will be altered to steer.

Mi Casa

Yes, this is where we live. I know, our summer project should be painting it. Well, we've tried - last summer the favorite husband diligently scraped and painted a section on the east side (not in these photos). This year it peels. It's old, old wood. I'm not freaking out about it. My sister-in-law says our house has a "beautiful patina."

This photo is from the north west side of the house.

This photo is looking from the southwest. The pictures from my front door are taken from the glass doors.


Look at the beautiful blue sky!! Today has been a perfect summer day. It was cool last night and is absolutely perfect today.

It Lives

It was a somewhat Igor moment (wasn't he Frankenstein's side kick?). The favorite husband and son have been working on an outboard motor given to them by, deep breath here....husband's brother's father-in-law.

This little gem is designed to ease the burden upon the 15-year-old's rowing arms and allow for greater fishing expeditions. There was a lot of father and son bonding as the carbuerator was rebuilt and hoses examined. After several days (and a lot of photographs) of this bonding time, they sprang the motor back to life. This is where the Igor moment kicks in - It lives master, it lives - or something like that.

Lonely

Did you think all of my posts had to be about the weather or animals?

We are nearing the beginning of our school year and I've been thinking about how lonely homeschooling and farm life can be - especially when the two are combined.

Farm life is, out of necessity, quite solitary - or at least confined to your immediate family. I believe that big farms are less family oriented than the smaller, hobby farm. The large(er) farm necessitates contact with vendors and the additional assistance required to make such a farm possible. Our little 30+ acre farm does not require much outside help. We did have someone in to shear the sheep, but that's about it!

Homeschooling is also a somewhat lonely pursuit - again, aside from contact with your immediate family. Our proximity does dictate who and when we see others (along with those pesky gas prices!). We have to be deliberate about interacting - it's not just the neighbor walking her dog in the evening stopping to chat. It's actually traveling to someone's home (this assumes an invitation) to hang out.

Why do I muse about this? Why now? Answers? Only questions.

Harvest Begins

Harvest has begun. The large wheat field to the south of our house was harvested yesterday by at least three combines. The field is very large so we could not see all of the equipment that was working. We speculated that the work began late in the day because it was very humid all morning - the drier the grain, the easier to remove it from the head. We further wondered if so much equipment was being used because we had the threat of severe thundershowers last night, which brings the possiblity of hail. Hail does the harvesting for farmers - pounding the grain into the ground making it all but impossible to pick-up with equipment.

My Dad has a line on three calves - about 3 days old - who may come to live with us for a while. They would be "bucket broke" vs. needing to be fed with a bottle. This should add some more excitement to our days. Let's see - horses, sheep, chickens, dog, cats, and now cows. Why not?

National Night Out

It's National Night Out Day (huh?). The only reason I know that is because the kids are having their Toastmaster's meeting in the park in West Fargo tonight. Our son is the toastmaster and has been looking up some information on neighborhoods and foolish criminals to add to his presentation.

Speaking of stupid criminals http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm?id=98707&section=News I imagine that someone will think twice before tossing a cigarette out of their window!!

Wave Violation

If you have read my post about the wave (see archives - maybe April?) you will recognize the following as a definite violation of the wave protocol.

The kids and I were driving with my sister-in-law last Thursday. We were in her vehicle (out of state plates - whew) and were checking out some of the local attractions - yes, there are a few you skeptics! We were on a gravel road and passed someone going in the opposite direction - they waved. Sister-in-law, being a very outgoing person, waved back, but committed a major infraction - she also honked! I was mortified until I remembered that we were travelling in a vehicle with out of state plates and that the wave/honk recipient would realize that a stranger had committed the infraction.

Back to the one finger (the INDEX finger) wave for me.

News in ND

I LOVE the TV news in ND! When we moved here from Chicago (just before the flood of '97) I laughed at the local news. They reported EVERYTHING, it seemed, from lost dogs to milestone anniversaries and block parties. It felt so small town compared to the big city news.

After living here for 8 years I love the television news - I appreciate the fact that virtually every crime is reported by the newscasters, not just the most sensational crimes because that is all the larger cities have time to share. I really think it's great when the lead story is about the wheat harvest or the street fair in Fargo - that tells me that there is no bad news to use as the lead.

Has the news changed or is it me?

Let's Get Physical (Physically Fit)

OK - it's time again (still) to get out there and move. I have been inspired by my former employer. He turns 50 this week and has become, according to reports (I haven't actually seen this phenomenon) quite buff and physically fit. He has a training schedule that makes me cry (see http://www.lifeisatri.blogspot.com/). If he can move from a coffee guzzling, paper pushing, doughnut eating, couch potato, to a Lance Armstrong wanna be - why can't I? OK, I don't drink coffee, I prefer to burn the paper, haven't eaten a doughnut in months (do you know how much fat is in a Krispy Kreme? - you can feel veins and arteries closing up as you eat), and don't really do the couch potato thing. I guess it's just time to move in a purposeful manner.

Happy birthday Mr. D - enjoy the big FIVE OH.

We Are Family

This past week we were excited that one of my brothers and his family visited us in ND. Kent is an incredibly talented carpenter and has assisted with renovating portions of our parents home (along with another brother, Richard, and his family last summer). This year the focus was on completing the crown molding in the dining room and renovating the library. Exceptional job. Between wallpaper removal, sanding, trim and other work, we enjoyed spending time with them - their little girl was so excited to see all of the cousins. They are driving, even as I write, back to their home on the west coast.

My brother, Kris, and his wife made me an aunt again - their "little" (9 lbs. 6 oz.) girl was born on Friday. She is a beautiful little girl - love the internet - we were able to see photos so very quickly.

Resume

I've found my resume file. I thought I would update it - haven't done that in nearly 8 years. The big question is - How do I describe what I have been doing for the past eight years? I have worked per diem for several organizations - editing policies and procedures, fun stuff like that. However, the bulk of my time has been spent managing our house, CFO, sheep ranch manager, principal and primary educator (including curriculum development, instruction, discipline and so much more), church commitments, and so much more.

Seriously - how do I fill in that gap without frightening anyone?

Varmits

Well, it has happened again. Yes, skunk trouble. My favorite husband was coming home from work late one night last week. He opened the door to our cold porch and surprised a skunk who was eating dog food. Unlike the previous surprises, this skunk decided to let loose with it's favorite weapon - without any warning. The odor, or rather stench, was overpowering and throughout the house immediately - even though the actual back door was closed.

We woke Matthew up (how could the kids sleep with that overpowering smell?) and the two men cleared the porch of the winter coats, recycling bins and everything else in the way of the skunk's exit. He/she didn't choose to leave, so the choice was made for it - yes, a single shot took care of the offender, but the smell lingers on.

I burned candles, scrubbed the walls and cement on the porch, hung all of the winter wear on the clothesline - and yet it still continues.

The day after the "event" my favorite husband was at work and asked one of the other nurses to smell him. "I will not!" she said quite indignantly. After he explained that it was not for an inappropriate reason (and she is also from a farm) - she did give him a cursory sniff. Nothing. Ahh, home free. NOT QUITE - no more than five minutes later an aide came into the room and said, "I smell skunk!"