Moving trucks and a little bit of chaos

For the fourth time in 9 months a moving truck has been loaded up with all earthly possessions and driven off to a new address filled with hope and expectation. Two of our sons and one of our daughters moved last fall. Today another daughter's household was boxed up and moved out upsetting her 5 little children, creating chaos in the family.

Our oldest daughter and her family live in Europe. We try to get to see them about once a year. 5 little grandchildren far away from extended family pull at my heart strings. We always have a wonderful time whenever we visit our grandchildren no matter where they live. We usually march along to their every day lives, pre school, church meetings, the grocery store. Visiting in Europe is quite the adventure just going to the grocery store where a picture on the package is priceless.

This visit we have been helping prepare for an international move. There are 4 parts to this move. One part slow boat, another part air freight. A third part the items needed for a summer in the states, the 4th part, trying to keep up with all of the furniture the Embassy provides that needs to stay here in perfect condition.  The biggest trick is keeping under the 7000 pound weight limit.

WOW!  What a week. The truck pulled out this afternoon. We have furniture inspection on Friday. Our flight is next Tuesday, theirs is over that weekend.  We have a birthday celebration in the middle of it all.

A move across town is difficult. A move across country is more difficult. In the first 10 years we were married we moved 13 times. I know how to move. The current house we are living in is the longest I have lived in any house in my entire life.  An international move is a new experience for me. I am thankful for the opportunity to help my children make changes in their lives.  We have had an enjoyable visit and look forward to visiting again when they are settled in their new home, wherever that might be.

The Great Out of Doors

Last week was a lot of hard work, but so much fun as I cooked, chatted and got to know the young women from church and their leaders as we camped and worked together. I had fun baking outside in the most amazing contraptions in order to offer brownies (from a cardboard box), a layered birthday cake (dutch oven), whole wheat bread and cinnamon swirl bread (plastic bin wonder oven). To me it is an adventure to go off the beaten path and try to be self sufficient when the norm is not available.

While I was away lounging in my hammock my sweet husband attacked the side porch. We have been using it for a long while as a workshop, the saw has been set up and the wood stacked for a quick place to prepare the next home improvement project. It has been wonderful, but slowly the sawdust was taking over, and what with the summer settling in, we needed to evict some critters who were becoming too comfortable and needed to be reminded that people live in houses and critters in the woods.

It was nice to come home and see the finished project, not to mention a place to put all of the camping gear while the washer goes through it's regiment to clean it all up again. My sweetheart and a yellow jacket had a stinging run-in while visiting on the porch, and the new refrigerator went kapoot and had to be dealt with (why do things break down just after the warranty runs out?)but all in all a great deal was accomplished outside last week.

The day I cam home from camp I had a house full of little ones waiting for me here at the house. They will be with us for two weeks and we are having fun teaching them the adventures of being outside at Grandma and Grandpa's house.

We have been pulling weeds, planting flowers, strolling down the lane, playing slip and slide, swinging and having picnics, to their amazement, all outside. Cries of "it is hot" have been met with a quick shower from the hose and a tall glass of lemonade. We are learning together that there are a lot of fun things to do outside on a warm summer day. Winter is spent inside doing homework, summer sun calls for fun outside by the pool.

I have hung up the hammock and stocked the freezer with popsicles, it is time for summer relaxing.

What do you do when the days are long and warm?

Girls Camp

Ever since before I was born my family has gone camping.

I love to sleep outside and cook over a fire.

Now I would not love to do this on a 24/7 routine, but for a week, once a year, I am in heaven.

I love the peace of no TV or telephone.

The smell of bacon in the morning sets the mood for a wonderful day.

I enjoy creating a delicious meal for my family using the fire and a few simple tools, it makes me feel content.

I like being able to sit under a tree with a good book and not feel the need to go anywhere.

I like that my children can run and yell and carry on all day long.

I enjoy stories and songs around the campfire in the evening.

It is true that camping is a bit of work to get ready, but over the years I have gathered plastic bins that stay packed with supplies.

It is true as well that cleaning up after is a chore, but I have a wonderful washing machine, and it is camping gear, it will wait on the deck while I get the job done.

This year I am camping with the girls from church, I am the cook.

My husband is worried about me, I am thrilled for the opportunity.

Yesterday I practiced baking brownies in a cardboard box with charcoal, they were yummy--totally amazing.

Today I make the last minute lists to be sure I don't forget anything--old brains need a little help.

Tomorrow we load it up and start a fun adventure.

I am so excited.

Wonder Oven Magic

I took a class at church a few months ago and was amazed.

It was a cooking class. The bread was moist and delicious.

The instructions spotty.

My desire to learn--high.

I came home with a pattern and a few website addresses.

I eventually gathered my tools:
left over fabric
a bean bag chair
locking top large plastic storage bin
large stock pot that would fit...
...3 metal juice cans

The pattern, though strange looking, sewed up surprisingly easy.

I laid out a sheet and filled up the two odd shaped pillows with the beans from the chair.

When they were just full enough I put them in the storage bin.

And then I started cooking.

Mix up the bread as usual, place dough in the cans and let rise a bit in the stock pot filled half way with warm water, cover and secure each can and turn up the heat. Put the lid on the stock pot and tie in place while letting it boil for 10 minutes. Transfer to Wonder Oven and let set for 2 or more hours.

Delicious hot, moist bread that will melt in your mouth, never overdone.

The same directions for soup or stew. Fill the pot with soup ingredients, boil for 10 minutes with lid on pot. Place in wonder oven and leave for 2 or more hours--hot dinner when you are ready.

Today I am painting, but I am not worried, dinner is in the Magic Wonder Oven doing it's thing waiting for dinnertime. I may be a dirty mess, but a hot delicious home cooked dinner will be ready when we are.

15 minutes on the stove and a roast, 3 loaves of bread or a large pot of stew is hot and ready to go when needed--from 2 to 6 hours later--no more fuel needed.

Perfect for camping.

Perfect for a busy day.

Perfect for a hot summer afternoon.

I am still learning, but I have experimented enough to know that magic comes from this wonderful box sitting in my kitchen.

I may live in the modern age but there is still quite a lot I can learn from my pioneer forebears. They got up in the morning and prepared for the day's travel by putting a hot pot in the hay box so dinner would be ready to eat when they stopped for the night.

I have a magic box and wonderful things appear when you open the lid.

January R&R

My sweetheart brought me along on his business trip this week. We have been in Colorado Springs. Every year he seems to have a week long trip in January and since the children have been on their own, he has invited me to join him. It has become my yearly R&R trip.

I take the time to catch up on 'me':

• reading a novel
• cleaning out my email
• long soaking baths
• crocheting
• home improvement shows
• sleeping in
• taking a walk
• looking out the window and dreaming
• working on preschool lesson plans
• crocheting
• reading some of my favorite magazines

I don't usually venture out of the hotel too far--I am not that adventuresome. I am especially happy if the room has a microwave and a fridge. If they provide free breakfast it is a bonus. Sometimes I look like a squirrel gathering food and utensils to provide for lunch in the room.

It snowed while we were here on Wednesday night. It was cold and blustery outside. My sweetheart and I looked at the weather, and then the stash in the fridge I had accumulated, and decided to stay in. We had quite the feast of Mexican left overs, comfort food left overs (steak, potatoes and veggies), some soup for an appetizer, orange slices to garnish the plates, and warm cookies for dessert--It was delicious.

We were to be in the hotel 5 nights. The second night we had to change rooms because the air quality in our non smoking room diminished, courtesy of one of our neighbors. During the third day this same sneaky neighbor encouraged us to change again. When my sweetheart came back from work early that day he got quite the surprise when he went to our room and it was being cleaned. The housekeeper told him that the people in the room had checked out!! Thank goodness for cell phones.

I did this to my sweetheart one other time, while we were in England, and our cell phones did not work--eventually we found each other again. I look quite comical as I repack our suitcases and try to haul two peoples gear from room to room. Then there was the night we changed rooms in California and my daughter could not remember the change and did not know where we were.

The people here have been so friendly and kind. It has been a pleasure to take my January R&R in Colorado Springs. Today we catch a flight home. I have Saturday to do some laundry and repack my bag before I head out on Sunday afternoon. Charlotte is my destination and a week of fun with the grandchildren while their mom and dad go on their own January business trip R&R. It should be a fun week.