Freakishly Frugal

Condensing and simplifying

2009-02-01T20:45:00.002-06:00

So...most people who read this blog are also aware of and read my other blog. I've decided there is no need for seperating my life into two differnet blogs: one for homeschooling, and one for "life", because the two very often interrupt and affect each other. Therefore, I'd like y'all to hop on over to my "other blog" which will be where I do my posting from now on. See you there!

The Chicken Lady is Real

2009-01-09T21:43:00.004-06:00

How could I have forgotten to tell my fine friends in Blogland about my inheritance of chickens? I'm now going to be a lovely chicken lady, as my parents are setting me up with gorgeous clucking hens which will provide me with more eggs than I could ever consume myself. They have yet to arrive...the coop is still in the works. But let it be known to all that I have secured myself some chicky bawk bawks and will soon be out enjoying their company. And eggs.

I also, on Christmas morning, became the proud owner of a REAL clothesline. Up until now, regardless of where I have lived, I have strung cording from one tree to another, lucky if I can hang a load and a half of clothing before there is no room left. Not any longer, dear friends. Now I have SIX lines of cording between two poles. That's far more than one and a half loads of laundry. Of course I will have to wait until the ground thaws to put this to use, but I'm nonetheless tickled pink at the thought of all those clothes whipping around in the wind.

Actually, the greatest things about these Christmas gifts aren't the items themselves...although those are lovely. What's really grand about these gifts is that they move us closer to self sufficiency and are just part of something where the fact that people give you these things as gifts means they understand where you are. They get it. Its not just some stupid thing you talk about. Its something you really believe in. And when people get that, it makes even that much more real.

2009 - Edge of a Cliff

2009-01-03T05:48:00.005-06:00

Christmas is over, New Year's is gone. Sigh. Back to life.

Actually I had something I wanted to post awhile back, but I figured it was really grinchy and un-holiday like of me to say so in the midst of the Christmas/New Years celebration. But now that all that is past...

After all the Christmas Eve duties had been taken care of and I was collapsing into bed, I had one very real thought that wouldn't leave my brain.

"What next?"

As in, after Christmas is said and done, after the cocktail shrimp is devoured, the shredded gift wrap stuffed into contractor sized garbage bags, and the childhood hyperactivity is cut off by long overdue sleep...what next?

See, in my opinion, the Christmas hustle and bustle temporariliy distracted most everyone from the impending economic doom that most every sane adult knows is coming. After the warm holiday fuzzies are gone, what's left? Christmas to me was much like standing at the edge of a cliff, knowing that most people I know will plunge face first down the side of it, and that its just a matter of time before I lose my footing and join them in the economic tumble. The trick is how to fall with the least amount of pain.

Now, I'm sure its not all doom and gloom. I don't want to depress anyone! After all, there are financial gurus out there who have the answers. Like Suze Orman who recently published an article telling folks great ways to save money; number one being switch to regular gas instead of always choosing premium. Or that we should get our haircut every eight weeks instead of six...and occasionally skip the massage. Thank you, Suze! Now I can afford to eat!

It's hard to get excited about the economic future when the yahoos in control have no idea what's really going on. Can you say punt? Anyhow, I've been thoroughly enjoying the information over at Backwoods Home. They have a great forum with intelligent useful discussion. Unless of course you thought Suze's information was earth shatteringly useful...then, stick with her.

Christmas Unplugged #9: But, Mom!!!

2008-12-23T07:13:00.004-06:00

There are a lot of commercials on Cartoon Network. My five year old's favorite is for Nintendo DS. He told me about a month ago that he wanted one.

"Well, you probably won't get one of those," I said. "That's out of our price range."

He frowned and said "So you're telling me Santa doesn't exist."

"What?" fumbles Mama.

He said, "Well, just because you and Dad can't afford it doesn't mean Santa can't make it and bring it to me."

Ah, childhood innocence. We've now explained that times are rough for everyone, including Santa. We've also explained that having a DS isn't that exciting if you don't have the money to buy games for it. I tried to give him a dose of "reality"...all the while still playing up the Santa thing. (Which seems kind of hypocritical and backwards when you think about it...)

The DS question recently came up again, and my lovely child was quick to point out..."But Mom, you got a new computer for Christmas."

Yep. I did.

Nothing gets past him. Then I had to explain to him that Mom's laptop is for working, not playing. And that Dad found it "used" (returned from a company that leased it but never touched it) and got an incredibly good deal on it. I invited him to do the same with any video game system he'd like.

Being patient is tough, I know. But its an essential thing to learn if you want to live frugally. It saves a ridiculous amount of money if you're willing to hunt...and wait...and hunt. Which is how I got my laptop. And how the frugal girl got her 97 cent dress. Isn't patience great?

Now explain that to my kids, who are so excited with the anticipation of Christmas morning, that they could power a small country with their energy.

Its a puppy!

2008-12-15T20:25:00.006-06:00

Just thought I would share some pictures of the little snuggle bug that my mom brought home today. She's so far nameless...almost 8 weeks old.

Me and the puppy.

My mom and the puppy.

My dad taking a little rest with the tired out puppy.

The boys adore her...Iggy thinks he's died and gone to heaven having a new puppy in the house. I tried to explain it's Grandma's dog, not his...but what can you do? You live with your grandparents and they get a new dog? I mean, really. Does it get any better at five years old ? :)

Christmas Unplugged #8: The year of early presents

2008-12-15T12:51:00.003-06:00

We've never been a open your presents early type family. And we still aren't. But oddly enough, most of the adults in this family already have the gifts they are getting for Christmas.

Here's the catch up from the past few days:

A) My husband met the kids and I for lunch (after a homeschooling adventure with our new group) and he flopped a laptop on the table in front of me. "Merry Christmas," said he, with a big smile. Now, I did not ask for a laptop. I never would have put something that expensive on my list. It does not, however, mean I didn't giggle and get all giddy and do a happy dance at the sight of my very own laptop. Because I most certainly did. :) I am a writer. Laptop equals convenience. Laptop also means when the kids are doing their schoolwork (on the computer), I can do "my work". And that, my friends, makes for a very happy mama. It means, in my fantasy world, that I can work on my book more often and eventually make millions and buy the Little Farm in the Big Woods. (For those who are wondering, my husband got a screaming deal on aforementioned piece of technology. Its about a $1500 laptop...he spent a little over $400.)Wicked awesome. I mean, truly wicked.

B) My husband also purchased two other computers that day from the same little local shop. One for his father (Christmas gift that three siblings were going in on together) and one for his sister (which she paid for). Because he walked in and bought three computers, the shop owner (who we know) gave him an MP4 player for free. My husband said " Well, gee. I'm good for Christmas then!" and is so proud of his little toy. (I'm so lame, he showed it to me and I didn't even know what it was. And then when he told me what it was, I said "Yeah? Well what is that supposed to do?" Technology. Not one of my strong points.)

C) My mother is on her way north to pick up her new dog. For those who don't remember, she recently lost her 11 year old Golden Retriever to cancer. She happened to mention to my father "All I really want for Christmas is a dog." And through this really weird twist of fate, all the cards fell together and they are going to 99% sure pick up the new dog today.

D) My dad...well, I guess I can't really write about his gift specifically...since there is a half chance he might read this blog...but he already has his gift. He just doesn't realize its his. I'll explain more...well, after Christmas when he puts the pieces all together.

So there you have it. Early Christmas presents all around. Oh...and I should add about the Christmas gift that showed up yesterday, completely unexpected. The inside cat who accidentally got out on Thanksgiving and has been missing for two weeks was found ALIVE yesterday...right before the really nasty storm hit. He's really skinny and looks like he's been in a couple fights...but I think he will survive. Cats who come back...that's a pretty cool Christmas gift, too.

Christmas Unplugged #7: Be Silly

2008-12-09T20:20:00.005-06:00

So every year we have a cookie exchange on my mom's mother's side of the family. This year, the hostess decided to toss things up a bit and gave us the challenge to come to the cookie exchange in the most ridiculous formal or cheesy Christmas attire we could muster.

At first, I frowned. Me being a major tightwad in most areas of life thought "Seriously, you want me to SPEND MONEY on a costume that afterwards I'm going to not have any reason to keep? For a two hour party?" But I thought and thought, and wanting to participate in the holiday fun, was determined to find something that would work for me at the party...and then afterwards.

What I found was a ballerina costume that fit me. For $1.50 at the Salvation Army. Seriously? Who has this great luck?!? Now, I've always wanted to be a ballerina...but seeing as how I occasionally like to eat, I never saw that dream becoming a reality. And how we found a ballerina costume (or maybe ice skater?) that would fit a size 8-10 gal (as opposed to a size 1-2 darling)is beyond me, but once again, I smile at my good fortune.

And so I went to the party as the Minnesota Ice Fairy. Underneath the ballerina costume, I wore my grandma's white long underwear, a white top of mine, my mom's poofy purple winter hat, scarf and gloves, and a purple shirt/jacket type thing. Or and my white Sorel boots I got from an auction last summer for about 37 cents (it was a box of boots for $3). I drove myself and three other ladies an hour north in a snowstorm to get the exchange. It was wild. All I could think was "If we go in the ditch, what will the cop say when he comes upon all our lovely costumed selves?"

So all in all, it was great fun. Silly, cheap fun. With cookies.

Oh yes, and in case you're wondering...the ballerina outfit will be donated to my grandmother's dress up closet. That way if I ever feel like playing dressup with all the little girls...I'll have something that actually fits me. :)

Christmas Unplugged #6: Warm fuzzies for cheap

2008-12-02T05:54:00.004-06:00

I like Christmas shows. Last night the cartoon Grinch was on. I suggested to the boys we should watch it together.

My oldest (5.5) wasn't so sure. The construx car he was working on was, after all, wickedly interesting. My youngest (4.5) didn't understand why we needed to watch the Grinch this particular evening. "Mom," he said "We have the movie."

Alas, we do. But there is something about the Grinch being on regular ol' tv (not cable) during the holiday season. It's a signal. The Christmas season has really arrived.

Not to be deterred, when the Grinch came on, I turned on the television and sat on the couch. And then something magical happened.

Child number one climbed up on the couch and snuggled by me.

Child number two climbed up on the couch and snuggled by me.

We watched and giggled and laughed and smiled.

Child number two said," Mom...when I grow up, I want to be your kid."

Child number one gave me a completely-out-of-the-blue kiss on the cheek.

I thought about mentioning they hadn't really wanted to watch the movie, but I let my sarcasm go for the moment and enjoyed my perfeclty simple, lovely Christmasy moment.

Christmas Unplugged #5: The Tightwad Hunt for Christmas Treasures

2008-11-29T14:12:00.004-06:00

I went shopping yesterday.

Now, I didn't camp out overnight anywhere. I didn't even have to set an alarm to wake up early. I was not involved in any stampedes or fist fights. But I did score some insanely wonderful the-Big-Guy-is-smiling-on-me-today kind of deals.

I stopped at Goodwill, who I thought was having a 50% off day, but instead were having a "boxed toy event". I wasn't sure what that meant until I scored a giant Star Wars Lego ship (for sale at Walmart this year for $118) for $6.99. Read that number again. Six dollars and ninety nine cents. That's quite a discount for a box with a smashed corner, if you ask me. I opened up the box when I got home (hiding, so the boys wouldn't find me) and it appears that someone has already played with it...maybe it was a display? All the lego ship pieces appear to be there, all the little star wars character lego figures are there...I'm not sure what stroke of luck caused this lego ship to be at the Goodwill for $111 less than it was at Walmart...I can't find a thing missing or wrong with it. I am pretty sure this might be our "find" of the season.

I stopped at Salvation Army. The boys have been asking for Barbie dolls for some time now. (Yes, well rounded men they will grow up to be.) So...me, being out of the Barbie loop for some time, had no idea how expensive they had gotten to be. Even on Craiglist, they were going for way more than I wanted to spend. Even the non-collector ones. Anyhow, so Salvation Army WAS 50% off and guess who happened to find BAGS of barbie dolls for $1.50? Yup. Me. I did a happy dance and stuffed them in my cart.

I love it when the tightwad hunt for treasures is so sweetly rewarded. :)

Christmas Unplugged #4: Give every holiday their deserved celebration...

2008-11-27T20:24:00.005-06:00

Poor Thanksgiving. Once again you're shafted. I suspect it may be that you don't have the decorating or merchandising power of Halloween and Christmas. Because there you are, completely squashed over; lost in a jumble of Halloween costumes and Christmas lights.

Thanksgiving, I think you may even come to be known by a different name. I saw it on a greeting card this year: Black Friday Eve. Dear Thanksgiving, is that what we've reduced you to? Merely a holiday to stuff ourselves...and then look at ads, planning our shopping stategy for the next day?

And yet, you don't complain. You sit silently and take the consumerist abuse. Grand Thanksgiving, you can be assured we've tried to do our part to stop the insanity. Our homeschool celebrated your history and discussed, at length, what you stand for. We've not decorated with one twinkling light or pine scented anything. We haven't turned on Jingle Bells or Silent Night. No Its a Wonderful Life. No Christmas library books. We are a Christmas-free zone until you've had your day to shine.

Lovely Thanksgiving, I wish all holidays could be as simple as you.

Christmas Unplugged #3: The "List Thing"

2008-11-26T09:39:00.002-06:00

If you are a family who engages in the exchange of Christmas lists, lets strive to bring peace and harmony by ahdering to these two rules:

1) Those giving the lists should be mindful of who they are giving the list to...and what it contains. There's nothing worse than Grandma-on-a-tight-budget receiving Granddaughter #13's Christmas wish list containing the latest gaming system, ultra expensive brandname clothes, and whatever i-Thingamajig is the hot item today.

2) Those receiving the list should be careful to, as closely as possible, follow the list they were given. Perhaps this only happens to me, but I struggle with the task to make an appropriate list for my kids...and then have the gift buyers consistently purchase something so far off base from what was on the list that I wonder if they were actually buying for some other kid. Not that my kids are picky...I guess its more my issue. It makes me want to instate another rule: If you're going to consistently not purchase anything remotely close to anything my children have expressed an interest in, DON'T ASK WHAT THEY WANT FOR CHRISTMAS.

You can see how rules 1 and 2 can work nicely together. If list-makers can be financially appropriate in the gift suggestions, and list receivers can actually look at the list they've been given, this "List Thing" might prove to be useful.

Christmas Unplugged #2: An Opportunity

2008-11-23T07:05:00.006-06:00

Christmas, by its very nature, is a complicated holiday. Why, you ask? Three things.

1. Family.
2. Money.
3. Priorities concerning both of those.

On one side of my extended family, the adults no longer exchange gifts, and all the billions of cousins (ok, really there's only 10) trade names with another cousin. The oldest is in tweendom. The youngest is barely born. There is a $5-$10 limit on the gift item. Really, this is not a complicated thing.

Last night, while at a birthday party for an adult member of the above mentioned extended family, the topic came around to the 2008 Christmas name exchange. The longer it was discussed, the more I got the impression its not going to happen this year. And while sometimes I'm all for nixing out on the gift exchange, this time it causes a wee bit of uneasiness.

The reasons for people being iffy on the exchange are because "money is tight" this year. (Gee. I hadn't got that memo...) Now, I understand and agree that financially, all members of the extended family are in a decidedly worse financial situation than they were last year at this time...whatever that means for them. (Meaning, everyone is feeling the pinch, but the pinch for some means having to bag lunch their noon meal at work, and for some it means only being able to afford one Coach purse this year.) BUT - seriously. Five bucks? You can't afford five bucks for a kids gift?

Five bucks. Equal to almost a pack of cigarettes or almost a venti mocha at Starbucks. Seriously? You can't do that?

Now, its not that Christmas should be about the gifts. Don't get me wrong. I'm all for uncommercializing and unconsumerizing the holiday. But if you're going to bow out of a gift exchange for a kid because five bucks is too much...and then expect one-income-Grandma-and-Grandpa to make up the difference for a Happy Christmas at Grandma and Granpa's house...and then leave Christmas to grab a Pepsi, two packs of cigarettes and a donut while pumping gas at Super America...seriously. Step off.

I wonder if its more like five bucks for a toy? why even bother. you can't get anything decent for five bucks. Oddly enough, if I handed my kids five bucks at a garage sale or the Salvation Army and said "Go nuts!" they'd probably sing me the "Best Mom Ever" song and then have a stroke from total excitement.

In any event, regardless of what is really happening here, I think its an opportunity for a lot of learning and change. Here are a few points to ponder:

1. Take the time to assess your priorities and realize how lame you sound when you can't afford to be in the gift exchange, but can afford to feed your various addictions. "Thanks, Mom and Dad, for all the help you've given me, but I think I'm sidin' with Starbucks this year..."
2. Perhaps think of cutting down your gift giving in other areas. If your kid shows up to a family Christmas looking like he's just robbed The Gap and talks like he owns Toys-R-Us...but you can't afford to exchange with the extended family? Hmmm.
3. Heavens to betsy, buy second hand. Besides being cheaper, you won't have all the annoying packaging that takes an entire Christmas morning dumpster to get rid of! (Someone else already threw that away the first time it was purchased.)
4. What a perfect opportunity to once again point out that Christmas is about giving. Did we get that? Giving. Not receiving. Not about YOU. About THEM. Once again class? G-I-V-I-N-G. Good, there will be a quiz tomorrow.
5. Its a great time to talk money with your kids. "This is the dollar limit, so make a list of items you're interested in receiving that are under that amount." If the kids are of a certain age, it (can be) an eye-opening experience. If not of a certain age, it still doesn't hurt to keep drilling it in that not everyone can afford the remote control talking parrot doll that you just have to have...

Unless, of course, you happen to find it at the Salvation Army on a 50% off day. Now that would be cool.

Christmas Unplugged #1: The thing about homemade Christmas gifts...

2008-11-22T06:04:00.003-06:00

Note: I have decided to start a series in my blog called "Christmas Unplugged" where I will post my thoughts on having a simpler Christmas, and also tips/ideas on how to get...well, more simple. (Is that grammatically correct?) Hope you enjoy!

My sister called me the other night and asked if I had any ideas for Christmas gifts for our parents that were cheap/free. "You are, after all, the person with the most creative ideas about that stuff," she said.

Um, thanks?

So...I started to think of some things that my sister could give to my parents that wouldn't break her non-existent budget or cramp her style of not eating leftovers. (Sorry, couldn't resist that jab. I'm working on my bitter attitude.) And while I was considering the gift options that I thought would appeal to her, something else occured to me.

Homemade gifts are cute and wonderful and all...but sometimes they serve absolutely no purpose. Which, in the long run, (and depending on your opinions about consumerism/waste/clutter/living with less)might not be any better than if you would have dropped twenty bucks at Wally Worldy.

Let me explain. Its not that I'm really a Scrooge. Its just that everyone gets sooo caught up in having a gift for each and every person on their list that sometimes its more about having something to fill the spot than actually considering if the gift makes sense. For instance, there are a great many recipes for sugar scrub around the internet, and lovely ways to bottle them. However, if the people you're giving them to aren't going to actually use sugar scrub...have you saved yourself anything? I remember when jar mixes were the big thing for Christmas. I also remember going to people's houses who had received those jar mixes a year and a half after they'd got them...and finding them still sitting on their shelves.

Then again, people are weird about gifts. Some people are so taken with a homemade gift, that they don't want to use it. Because so and so made it for me. And I suppose you're not going to change people, but I don't get it. If I make you a batch of barbeque sauce and give it to you for Christmas...you should probably eat it sometime in the next year. I can always make more. Its ok.

So...there you have it. My revelation about homemade gifts. They are great...if given for the right reasons. Then again, a gift should never be about just being able to check off someone's name from a long list of have-to-dos. My fear is that sometimes, for a lot of people, that's all Christmas gifting really boils down to.

What is a meal without bread?

2008-11-21T16:42:00.005-06:00

So the first thing you have to do when you have a free moment (or a couple hours) is make these yummy wheat pan buns. I just finished making them to go with the meatloaf we're having for supper tonight. (I'd post the meatloaf recipe...but meatloaf with me is one of those dump-as-you-go projects...kind of one big gloppy glop that thankfully turns out pretty tasty.) Anyhow. The buns. Fantabulous. Seriously, try them. Soon. (The only thing I'd change is an additional tsp of salt, but if you're planning on slathering something on those buns when you serve them...like butter...its probably not necessary. I have this weird habit of not putting anything on my bread when I eat it with supper.) Anyhow, thanks Jill Moss for the recipe. It will now become a staple at our house, too.

The first thing I have to do when I have a free moment (or a couple hours)...like, after the boys go to bed tonight, is continue working on my oldest son's Christmas present - a corduroy quilt. a) no, I've never made a quilt before. I've finished LOTS of quilt tops...but never got them to the quilting stage. But this time, dear blog readers, it shall happen. b) my son has an unnatural obsession with corduroy. Really, this blanket will be cool for him...for those of you who might have been thinking I was completely off my rocker by making my almost 6 year old something as lame as a quilt for one of his Christmas presents. He's a fabric guy. Corduroy is it. He's happy as a clam when he gets to wear his corduroy pants somewhere. (Oh, and the fabric for his quilt has been collected various places...mostly cut out of corduroy pants I've got at garage sales for cheap, or have found for free.) Anyhow...so I'll keep you informed on how that all goes.

High Fives and Scowls

2008-11-18T16:27:00.003-06:00

A big high five goes out to Young Living Essential Oils...my order arrived a couple days ago and now the medicine drawer is full. Thank you, essential oil delivery goddess. My arsenel of "witch medicine" (as some of the family calls it) is once again, FULL!

A major scowl is given to the reappearance of my heart issue, known under the name of IST (Innappropriate Sinus Tachycardia). I mean, really. You haven't bothered me for two years...and you choose to strike now? Without any warning at all? GRRRR. Last time I dealt with IST, I had to go on some sort of heart medication...I don't remember what it was though. In any event, I'm hoping to trudge through this resurgence of IST without meds...and so far, we seem to be ok. Caffeine and sugar are absolute no-nos, though...I have found that I have to be pretty particular about what I eat, so as not to irritate my ticker.

Another high five to BHM, which I raved about in my last post. I'm still raving. Read the issue again...still raving. Seriously, check it out.

A scowl to total writer's block. My brain is so alive with stuff that's trying to get out...and I get a minute to sit down at the computer...and that white screen stares back at me. So I come here, to my blog...because I always have something to say here...thinking it will jog that writer part of my brain...hmmmm. Still workin' on that...

Ah...nice people

2008-11-15T21:43:00.002-06:00

First item: Recently, after a bit of searching around on craigslist.org, we came across a post of someone wanting to provide a Thanksgiving dinner to a family who couldn't afford one of their own. Now while this was cool all on its own, what is amazing is to see all the other people who are stepping up (after reading the original post) to do the same in their areas of the state. How cool is that?

Next item: I have been on the search for a good sustainable living magazine for quite awhile now. We subscribe to a magazine called Countryside and Small Stock Journal, and would also occasionally purchase a copy of Grit. I would always look for others that fit the bill, but would often find out the magazine I was paging through was packaged as an ode to sustainable living but was really more of a "simple living for people who don't know the difference between a duck and a goose" or "green living is the latest fad" or "martha stewart shows you how to decorate your farmhouse, but real farmers can't afford to do it" kind of things. Come on, if I'm going to read a magazine I want to learn something!!! WELL, today, Hubster and I found the new winner. (Drumroll, please...) Backwoods Home Magazine was read (by both of us) pretty much cover to cover this evening. That, in itself, speaks volumes to its fabulous-ness. If you're anything like the nutty whackjobs that live here (me being top nutty whackjob of them all) you might want to check out BHM as well. I'm tickled to check out one of the books they talked about in this issue called "Can America Be Saved From Stupid People?" I mean, seriously. I didn't realize they had complied all my personal essays and published them!! (Hee Hee!)

The best laid plans

2008-11-12T06:31:00.003-06:00

You know,I had these grandiose plans for the past week that my husband has been gone hutning. I was going to get caught up in blogland, read a book or two,and maybe write a couple songs. Or at least a poem. Or half a novel. You know, things that require my full concentration. Nevermind that there are two kids running around. I was still going to get it done.

Reality smacked me upside the head, and this is what we did instead:

1. Lots of baking. LOTS. But no bread...which is what I was supposed to get done.
2. Freecycling a ton of stuff to some great people who needed/wanted what we no longer needed/wanted.
3. I was reunited with some online buddies at an old fashioned life type forum, and took some time to catch up with them.
4. Implemented some new/different things into our homeschooling.
5. Learned about the love and logic method of discipline through a friend, and dabbled my toes in it.
6. Watched over a hospice type situation, with my mom's 11 year old golden retriever who has cancer.
7. Got really frustrated at Walmart, while buying flour, when I realized there were Christmas carols playing over the loudspeaker. And then giggled a bit when my almost six year old told the cashier what he thought of that.

Oh well! Apparently that "writing baby" isn't ready to be born, and the book I wanted to read didn't come in at the library anyway. Plans change. We still had a good time.

Right now my plan is to grab a cup of coffee and take a look outside. We officially have snow on everything, and its kinda pretty. :)

And there you have it...

2008-11-05T17:59:00.001-06:00

So we have a new President. Congrats, Obama.

For those who are wondering - Yes I voted, which was apparently a big deal, because as a rule, I don't vote. But this year it kind of got to me that America has allowed me some groovy things (homeschooling, refusal of vaccines, etc.) so I could maybe get out and vote. The whole thing makes me mad though, the obvious two party rich-popular-kid thing that most of us experienced (and HATED) in high school, the campaigns that have nothing to do with what they are going to do, but more about how the other person sucks, the player/dater talk where they promise you the moon to get elected, and the fact that Americans are so uneducated, they think the president actually has more power than he does. Oh, and don't forget the occasional comments like "Vote for McCain. If he dies while in office, we'd have a hot woman as our president". Seriously, America. Grow up.

My presidential vote was cast for someone who ended up getting just shy of 500,000 votes. Some said I wasted my vote in offering my thumbs up to a small, third-ish party candidate. I guess I don't understand that whole thing...seeing as how this is America, and you should vote for who you think would be a good President...regardless of whether or not you think they have any chance of actually winning.

In any event, my guess is this year will be like most other Presidential elections. People will pour their hearts and souls (and generally uneducated opinions) into convincing people who to vote for, and after the votes are in, they'll go back to Starbucks or wherever and forget much of what happened this past month. By the time Mr. Obama is sworn in, people will have moved onto the next big drama and will start looking for ways to attack his presidency.

Gee. I don't think I would ever get elected president. Besides the fact I couldn't afford the campaign, I am way too sarcastic.

Daylight Savings Time...seriously??

2008-11-02T11:23:00.000-06:00

Last night, I was quite crabby. Why? Because it was brought to my attention that we needed to set the clocks back an hour before bedtime. Now, some people love this time of year because it means they gain that magical surprise hour of sleep that they don't have to account for. But me...I LOATHE this time of year. Its not so much that the sun comes up now at 6:30 am instead of 7:30 am. My alarm goes off at 5 am, so I'm up to see the sun regardless. What does irk me, however, is the fact that now we will have darkness at 5 pm instead of 6 pm. And each day on into the winter will get darker earlier...and earlier...and earlier.

Ick. Ick. Ick.

Good recipes

2008-10-29T21:20:00.000-05:00

People have been asking for some recipes that I use...so here goes:

Pasties:
Pasties actually start with this refrigerator dough recipe . After that is all done, I find leftovers of some sort - beef stew, turkey dinner, ham/cheese/broccoli, roast and veggies...whatever. You take a small portion (about fist sized or smaller) of the fridge dough, flatten it out, put a scoop of the leftover yummies in, wrap up the dough so its all enclosed, put it in a freezer bag and pop it in the freezer. When you want some lovely pasty goodness, you pull one out of the freezer, put it in a 400 degree oven for 45ish minutes and there you have it. We make a bunch of these after having stew or roast/veggies and put them in the freezer and call it our convenience food. It's a really hearty meal. I used to make them out to be HUGE but now we don't make them quite as big.

Here are a couple others we enjoy:
Soft Pretzels these are really good dipped in cream cheese...especially if you make your own!
Create-a-muffin basically how to create any kind of muffin, which is pretty cool when you realize how to scientifically (?) make a muffin work...you can come up with some great and creative combinations of ingredients!

When I find some more that we use that I can link to, I will post them. Copying down recipes takes a big chunk 'o time...and I'm supposed to be making pasties right now, so...ta-ta for now...

Clarification...while sistah bakes up a storm

2008-10-28T19:15:00.001-05:00

Apparently we need a clairifcation regarding yesterday's post. I didn't mean to insinuate that we were suddenly in financial ruin. (Sorry hubster, you may now resume normal breathing.) My post and recent ponderings regarding finances are not necessarily about not having money. It's about being conscious of how we spend the money we have.

There are two ways to look at money: "Hey! It's only $20!" or "Yeah, but its a whole $20..." The challenge is to still operate under the "but its a whole..." when you technically have the funds to live by the "it's only..." way of life.

I remember living at our old house and surviving on very little. It wasn't necessarily easy, but it was simple...if that makes any sense. We made it. And although I don't really want to return to the uncertaintly we experienced in that glorious season of life, there were incredibly valuable lessons learned during that time. And to be (oddly, but thankfully) taken out of that situation and yet forget the lessons learned...somehow seems counterproductive and (dare I say) irresponsible.

I need not comment on the economy. Most people who read this blog are aware of what life is like on Main Street America because they live there. A few of us are even farther away from Wall Street...like perhaps in a cave in the northwoods :) I just know so many people right now who are struggling. And I don't think the economic situation of the country is going to get any better anytime soon. Even if it was, it just feels (for me) incredibly comfortable and right and responsible to live wastelessly. Frugally. Simply.

So there you have it. Not that I was ever a "store shopper" - even at our most un-frugal time I still preferred Goodwill and Salvation Army - but I've gone back to reading up on freecycle, craigslist, and seriously threatening to join The Compact. Dragged out all the really good cookbooks (old, old, and old), reading up on my Amish magazines...and just basically gettin' back to da' goodness that "was".

Oh..and the latter part of the title of this post...today we started more sourdough bread (meaning its raising overnight and we'll bake it tomorrow) and also made ham broth. I made Amish friendship bread starter, and also potato refrigerator dough. I will make pasties tomorrow...which are like pot pies, but with a bread dough crust...and no pie tin. Kinda like a hot pocket, only with good stuff inside (in this case, leftover turkey, gravy, and veggies).

And there you have it. A happy mama who baked most her day away and did it on the cheap. Can't get much better than that!

A crisp night with sparkly grass

2008-10-27T22:14:00.000-05:00

There is already frost outside. The grass is sparkly and I can see my breath.

There is a lot I don't get about the world. Like, how you can have done thousands of dollars worth of work for someone and not see the money for it. And how said people who haven't paid up thousands of dollars (and are in no way hurting for money themselves) don't understand that by not paying their bill, it means the person who is waiting for their thousands of dollars can't pay their own bills. On a different subject, I also don't understand how you can finally be sitting ok financially and within two days, suddenly aren't as comfortable as you thought you were...and at a very wrong time of the year to make that realization. Additionally, I don't get complicated people, or their reactions to how I choose to live. Like...what effect does it have on you? I didn't do it for you.

But you know, its funny. I went into this past weekend feeling just a little bit "iffy" about a lot of things. And plowing my way through this weekend (head down, and into the wind) has brought me through to the other side with a much clearer picture of Life. I have this awesome sense of clarity. Like, I "get it". I know I get it because when I wake up tomorrow morning, when there is still bound to be frost, I'll crack a giant smile before I even push the denim quilt off of me. And that's a beautiful thing.

Almost not store-bought

2008-10-22T19:50:00.000-05:00

Today while we were eating supper, I realized almost everything on the table was either from the farm or homemade. From the farm: raw milk, eggs, and bacon. Homemade by us: Honey wheat bread, strawberry jam and grape jelly, salsa. From the store: sour cream and peanut butter. I guess the butter was from the store too...I forget because in spring/summer, we get our butter from the farm. So anyhow, just realizing that was kinda cool. Sometimes I forget (that perfectionism/all-or-nothing thing creeping in again) how not..."mainstream" (?) we are. And I probably shouldn't be so hard on myself when a Dunn Brother's drink finds its way into my hands. Because really, we're doing just fine.

Speaking of not store-bought, I started my sourdough starter today. I used to make this all the time at the old house, but since moving here, the one time I tried to make it, it pretty much exploded out of the jar. So hopefully it works this time. The recipe I use is from the Complete Tightwad Gazette.

Starter:
2 cups white flour
2 cups room temp water
1 Tbsp yeast

Combine in a non-metal container, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let sit out (room temp) for 48 hours. It will foam and smell "sour", but not bad. (Sour, like sourdough.) Refrigerate after the 48 hours.

To make the bread:
5 1/2 cups flour (can use half whole wheat)
2 cups starter
1 Tbsp salt
1 cup water.
Dissolve salt in water. Add starter and then flour. Stir, knead into a ball. Cover with damp cloth and let rise overnight at room temp. Next morning, punch down dough, divide in half. Shape each half into a round loaf and make an x slash on each top. Place both loaves on greased baking sheet. Cover with damp towel. Let rise for aobut 4 more hours. Place a pan of water on the bottom rack of your oven, and heat to 400 degrees. Bake bread for 35 minutes. (Each time you remove some starter, you must feed it so just add back 1 and 1/2 cups water and 1 and 1/2 cups flour. Stir, cover loosely, and return starter to the fridge.)

And as long as we're on the not-store-bought thing here, I'm very soon placing an order for EOs (essential oils) so we can fill up the medicine box here. Oils are my "witch medicine" as some people lovingly refer to it as. Best get us stocked up before the winter comes...

And now I'm thinking....wow, maybe the occasional snobby coffee drink might be the only thing that keeps me "normal". :)

What I really need to do is...

2008-10-21T22:10:00.000-05:00

Some years back, when I was the mama to a 13 month old and a brand new baby, I had a mini-freak out. Ok, I had more than one mini-freak out. And some of my freak outs weren't so mini. But anyhow. The point is, I ended up having quite a few chats with someone in the psychological field who my health insurance company paid nicely, I'm sure. One day he and I got to talking about writing.

Him: Why does writing make you so upset?
Me: Because I don't have time to do it.
Him: Well, you have two very young kids. There will be time when they grow.
Me: But I want to do it now.
Him: What are you afraid of in waiting? That you will forget how?
Me: I'm not going to forget how. Its part of who I am.
Him: Then what are you afraid of in taking a break?
Me : (silent)
Him: If you want to write, why don't you just try writing a little everyday. About something you like.
Me: Because there is no point in that.
Him: Because its not published? Because its not making you money?
Me: Because there is no purpose if the writing doesn't have a purpose.
Him: Maybe the purpose is that it makes you happy. Just write for the sake of writing. Don't worry about what its going to turn into or when it will be published or how much it will make you. Just write to write.

After that, I went home, and within a week I had two notebooks full of the beginning of a novel called "Greener Grass". I still have it somewhere. There really was no point to it, except that it made me happy.

My husband and I have always joked that sometimes I have "writing babies" and they require "long labors". I know I have a story baby when my brain is all jumbled up and I can't think straight and things are just...weird. (You know, like I've been blogging about for how long.) And then all of a sudden, I sit down at the computer and everything comes spilling out and I end up with pages and pages of writing...and a much clearer head...and a writing baby is born.

I have folders full of published print articles and writing clips I've done. I have articles in places online I can't even find anymore. I have two novels finished and with an agent, (although I'm pretty sure they are dead right now). I also have boxes and boxes of writing that nothing has been done with.

For me, writing is a release. Writing is as much a part of me as breathing is. Its what I do. I think I need to write.

Perfectionism at 29

2008-10-21T05:51:00.000-05:00

There is a conversation with myself I'd like to blog about here, but I can't think clearly enough to make it make sense on paper. Or on the screen, as it were. My brain is so foggy and blocked. Like everything flittering about on the outside edge is fine. Frantic, but fine. Once you get past that outside layer though, its either totally blank, or so thick you don't want to go in. I haven't decided which - it must be a fine line between the two.

I'm so stuck right now on labels and defintions. Not in a stupid high school sort of way, but more in the sense that we grow up and have these lives and jobs and families and are set in knowing who we are and in some general sense, fit ourselves into some label or definition so we know how to operate and who we get along with. I'm a mom. I'm a wife. I'm a writer. I'm a homeschooler. I'm shootin' for self-sufficiency. Etc.

But all of those labels or definitions come with qualifications. All of those labels or definitions can be broken down farther and separate people even more. "I'm a homeschooler AND an unschooler. I'm working towards self-sufficiency, but I'm not a vegetarian." Its almost like you can't just say, for instance, that you're a homeschooler, because there are so many subsections of homeschooling...you don't want people to assume you are something that you're not, right? So you have to figure out exactly where you are. Or do you? Because who does it matter to?

I think in some weird way, this is how perfectionism comes to haunt me in adulthood. I'm not a clean freak or anything outward like that. Perfectionism now is a closet kind of thing, all up in my head, pertaining to things no one else can see.

What does a simple person do? What does a frugal person do? And if I stop and treat myself to a Dunn Brothers, what does that make me? I want to do it all the right way. Fit under the heading so nice and neatly. But the problem is I cross over into so many columns with so many different kinds of handwriting, I can't hardly fit myself onto one page.

And why should it bother me? The people in my life who intrigue me the most are the ones who "don't quite fit". Those who are unusually unusual. Who have a rich and varied existence. but aren't self- serving or in it for the "look at me!" factor. So why should I feel bad about my inability to fit? I didn't fit 20 years ago, and its stupid to think I would fit as an adult.

I changed the heading of my blog to "I'm Just Me" because it was helpful for me to just start thinking of me in terms of "me". Without definitions or qualifications. As in, these are the things I do because I'm me, and that's all.

Does anyone else get this, or am I just really overthinking in the wee hours of morning?

Pictures Tell the Story...

2008-10-20T12:38:00.000-05:00

That pretty much sums it up. Wildlife, beautiful scenery, settting up deer stands...oh, and the kids learning about archery. Goodbye until next spring, lovely cabin...

I'm a gorgeous princess of the northwoods

2008-10-15T22:10:00.000-05:00

Actually, I'm not sure about the gorgeous part. That's a matter of opinion. But I will be the WARMEST princess of the northwoods. Anniversary gifts are in and I am the proud recipient of silky warm long underwear and a fleece baklava. No jewelry or perfume for this chick. The one thing I hate most in the world is being cold. In fact, I've been known to be so cold it makes me want to throw up. I've always been like this. I will be in many layers from now until about May. I thrive in hundred degree heat - that's why I'm a roofer. I don't handle cold well...and I generally think its cold when a lot of other people are in t-shirts. Me and cold, bitter enemies. Thus you can see why long underwear and a baklava are absolutely perfect gifts for this chick-ee-poo.

And its a fantastic thing that I received these warming gifts because...(drumroll) we're going to the northwoods cabin again! (Leaving tomorrow morning.) I haven't been there in two years, and now we go twice in two weeks? I will never understand my good fortune, but I'll take it while it lasts. Perhaps this makes up for a really rough August of not seeing my husband for more than two minutes the entire month? Whatever. It all evens out, right? Life moves on and I'm going to be warm. So life is good.

Talk to you Sunday night...hopefully with lots of wildlife pictures!

Eight years later

2008-10-15T07:02:00.000-05:00

So technically I've known Hubster for nine years, but today marks that day we tied the knot...eight years ago. Its been a journey...I certainly didn't know the reality of being married to a cop/firefighter...and I'm not sure he knew quite what a nutty/whackjob/crunch-o-matic hottie he was ropin' in. But we've made it work. I've learned to "appreciate" his schedule, and he's learned to "appreciate" my incessantly odd questions.

Thanks, my dear, for being smart when I said "I know I have a heart condition, but I'd really like to have a home birth..." and being open minded when I said "I really think we should homeschool." Sometimes I fear I added to your "outcast" designation from your family...and I'm also glad you don't care. I like that you keep our freezer filled, that you love being with our kids...and all that other stuff you do with me. :) Someday, we will be at our little farm in the big woods. Thanks for riding along on the journey beside me. May it be long, crunchy, and a little bit freaky.

Too early...can't wait!

2008-10-12T21:25:00.000-05:00

Too early:
While shopping today in Walmart, I did one of those audible gasp oh-my-god kind of things and people turned around to see what my problem was. My problem?
How can you have endcaps of Halloween dog costumes in the same two feet as Christmas decorations? Its just TOO early!!! Drives me nuts every year.

Can't wait!:
On a lighter (and much more enjoyable note) we are making our own wine this year - started it this evening. Grapes from the vine in the backyard. Should be interesting...cross your fingers and we will see how it turns out. A successful batch means I will invite any willing participants over to taste test...anyone game?

Return to the "Real World"

2008-10-12T07:00:00.000-05:00

I should first start off by saying that when I left for the cabin Tuesday morning, I jokingly said to those within earshot "Gee, you know with no electricity or cell phone service, just think of what could happen while we are away...and we'd have no knowledge of it. You know, like the stock market could crash and we wouldn't even know."

Weird, huh?

Anyhow, so we are back to the real world, although I would really like it if my real world was the cabin. It's just a totally different way of life up there and one I'd like to have fill up every corner of my existence. Ever read Little House in the Big Woods? Yup. There is something really great about having to actually decide if you want a cup of coffee because its a process to make it. There is something really great about being so far out that your youngest son goes out on the front step of the cabin for a before bedtime bathroom break (with his father) and his father calls back into the cabin for the gun because the bear is right there. (Just shot into the air to scare him off, no bear killing goin' on.)Its so quiet up there. Its so beautiful up there. Its so don't-worry-about-stupid-stuff up there. Did I mention I love it up there?

Alas, I'm back here. My blood tests came back all normal, so bursitis is the diagnosis for now. The first two days I was at the cabin I felt really crappy. The last two days, actually felt good.

Yesterday we went to visit my mother in law, who is now at a nursing home in subacute care. They hope to have her home by Christmas. She has been able to sit up in a wheelchair for six days now, but can only be in the chair for about an hour. Yesterday while hubby and I were there, we got to take her outside in the gardens for the first time!! She hasn't been outside since the accident. Her long term memory is still great (although she doesn't remember much about the accident) but her short term memory is not so great. She repeats herself a lot. But I'll listen to her all day...she's certainly deserves the attention. I keep trying to think of what I can bring her to entertain herself...I can't imagine laying there all day, I'd be bored to death. But she can't really hold anything yet, so crossword puzzles or things like that aren't an option yet because of her shoulder. Maybe books on cd? Anyone have any other ideas?

And now, a word from your friendly doctor...

2008-10-06T18:05:00.000-05:00

Well, per my doctor, I'm not dying. That's good news. (And also shows you the sarcastic dry humor that I appreciate so much in my small town doc! A lot of people don't like him. I, on the other hand, think he's FABULOUS.)

Other than that, he's not sure (yet) what's going on. He said the simplest diagnosis would be bursitis (inflamed bursas around my joints). But there was "other stuff going on" so he wasn't completely comfy just saying it was that. So he tested me for about seven different things with a whole lot of my blood. (Gout, lupus, RA, etc.) He said he would know more when those tests came back, which won't be for a couple days. And since I'll be at the cabin with absolutely zero cell phone service, I'll get those results either Friday or Saturday when we return home. So until we know more, its apply lots of heat and take lots of anti-inflammatories.

So that's what I know, which isn't a whole lot, but I guess its more than "There is nothing wrong, stop whining". Have a great week, and when I return, hopefully I'll have test results to share...and lots of cabin pictures!

Cabin Vacation!

2008-10-06T06:56:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow my family (Hubby, kids, mom and dad, me) is taking off to the cabin for four days. The cabin is far north, past Orr, not far from the Canadian border. It is true backwoods living. No electric, no running water...and its QUIET!! I have not been there for a couple years, so its going to be a real treat to be up there. Fall is my favorite time of year, so its a bonus. I should come back with some fantabulous pictures to share with you all...

I enjoy trips to the cabin because they really seem to clear my head. I mean, really. You're in the middle of the woods. You don't see people for as long as you are up there. Its miles and miles back to the main road, and after that, I don't know how many miles it is back to an actual town. I LOVE it. I could live like that.

Today I'm running around with my husband (childless, thanks Mom). Alone time even to have an uninterrupted conversation with him is a rarity. So today will be nice. In a few hours we have to be at the doctor to figure out what the heck is going on with my joints (sore) and limbs (numb), and although I don't want some majorly dramatic diagnosis, I REALLY don't want to go in and hear "There's nothing wrong, you're just sore. Invest in a case of Motrin." Because anything that makes me this sore and crabby is not "nothing". I guess we will just have to wait and see. Of course, I'll post the details when we return later this evening. Until then...

Is anybody home?

2008-10-03T06:54:00.000-05:00

I feel like i've been absent from life for about three weeks. Between my mother-in-law's benefit (which is now over), the roof from Hades (which is now done), and some health issues of my own which have popped up (probably going to the doctor on Monday), I feel like I've not even really been here. Here, not meaning blogland (although I've been absent from that, too) Here actually referring to life. You know those times when you just kind of go through the motions and feel like a zombie, either physically or mentally? Yep, been there a lot lately. Hoping to return to a less zombie-like, more involved state of of mind.

Briefly - my mother-in-law's benefit was a huge success. Last I heard they made about 42K, but that wasn't including all the people they had to pay (like the catering place we held the benefit at, and reimbursements, etc.) They served over 700people. The kids games that I was in charge of were actually busier than I thought it would be, we made $150, and each ticket was a buck, so that's a bunch of kids! The live auction and silent auctions were very successful!

The roof from Hades - done as of yesterday about 6 pm. I never want to see that place again. First off, it was like being in the Cosmos...weird things happening all the time. Secondly, I think this house was a close relative to the Winchester house in CA. Seriously, I think the house grew every night. My dad was short 11 square of shingles. That's 33 bundles. That's...like...almost 700 shingles. We have NEVER been short on a roof before, let alone a whole pallet. I mean, really. WEIRD stuff going on there.

Health issues - I am really not a fan of doctors, but I'm not sure that a 29 year old female is supposed to have serious joint pain that gets worse at night and is completely unrelated to roofing. This has actually been bothering me since February/March, and is just getting worse. It actually feels better when I'm doing something, and just about sends me up a wall when I lay down to sleep for the night. Apparently, this would be normal for someone who is 80. But I'm not 80. So a trip to the doctor (with much grumbling and protesting from me) is on the schedule.

More later...

Will the REAL enemy please stand up?

2008-09-21T21:29:00.000-05:00

Warning: If you're adverse to profanity, best not read tonight's post.

Ok, last post we talked about the killer bees at the house we are currently roofing. But it has been brought to my attention that the real enemies of this job are not the stinging wasp type things that fly by our heads constantly throughout the day. The real enemies, my dear blog reading friends, are the homeowners. That's right. Homeowners who 1. believe they have more money than God (or maybe they do) and 2. use it as an excuse to be complete asswipes.

To make a long story short, we are two days into a job that will take us at least another week (and that's only if the weather cooperates, which it sounds like, from the latest weather report, it won't). The homeowners have already picked out every single thing that they feel isn't up to snuff or, as they phrased it, asthetically pleasing. Keep in mind we are two days into the job. Keep in mind, when we left the roof on Friday, it was a rush in getting things sealed in while it was thundering and lightening. And it did all get covered before the rain came. So, mam, I'm not sure I give a rats ass if the shingle above the garage hangs over 1/8th of an inch. Mam, I had completely planned on going back to trim that for you before the job was done. However, I'm pretty sure that my utility knife is a conductor of electricity, and I'm not sure that your wealthy and totally-out-of-touch-with-reality opinion of my unfinished work is worth electrocuting myself. Also, mam, YOU chose the color of shingles for your roof. Color samples were delivered to your house by way of my father (the owner of the company, who, by the way, has never been accused of being unprofessional until your holier-than-thou self bestowed that upon him). He sat with you and held your hand while you and your husband chose the color you wanted. No, its not a 168 % perfect match. If you want a perfect match, you will have to time machine your wealthy crazy ass back to when your mansion was built and get the shingles they were making at that time. Also, mam, don't complain about the speed at which we work. You were told that if you wanted weaved valleys (which we tried to convince you NOT to get) it would take longer longer. You chose weaved valleys. Therefore it takes longer. In the real world, we take responsibility for our choices. Apparently you don't live there.

S-E-R-I-O-U-S-L-Y. Its hard enough to work on a house that is huge and steep and 27 different roof lines and angles. Its really sucky when the homeowners are snob asses who appear to be both bi-polar and impossible to please.

And now, dear blog readers, I would like to thank you for putting up with my profanity. I hope to return to a somewhat less sassy existence sometime soon. Or wait. I was always sassy....

Killer Bees Attack!

2008-09-18T06:31:00.001-05:00

So the good news about going back to work today was that I had created a much worse roof in my mind than this actually turned out to be. Its not an easy one, by any means, but I'm pretty sure no one will die on it...which I was a little worried about when we left this morning.

The so-so news is that the house is in a development that I swear you need a credit check just to be able to drive down their streets. These houses cost more than I will ever see in two entire lifetimes. Lots of "jogging" women in very coordinated exercize type outfits, but I'm not sure any of them were sweating, and I know that none of their tans were real. But who am I to judge? If it works for you, rock yourself out. Besides,I did enough sweating for all those honey chick ladies combined.

The bad news is that we came across a ton of bees/wasps. Two ground nests, and about nine nests on the front of the house, hanging in the gables. We had four cans of bee spray and they did NOTHING to the ultra chemically enhanced killer bees that were flying out of the ground at us. We had to actually leave the jobsite to buy a CASE of wasp killer. (Who buys that stuff by the case??) Anyhow, in our return killing spree, my Dad got stung once, and that was our only injury...amazingly enough. Thank God he's not allergic anymore. Tomorrow when we return, we will be well armed with spray and ready to fire, should any stragglers still remain.

Anyhow...the air on the roof is thinner...or clearer...or something, so you get a lot of thinking done. Or maybe its that its quiet on a roof (except for the nail gun and occasional profane phrase) so you actually have the ability to think. So I'm enjoying that part immensely. It distracts me from the steep pitch that I'm walking on.

Back to work!

2008-09-18T06:31:00.000-05:00

So I thought it was mildly appropriate that I would remember to write in my chick-on-a-roof inspired blog on a morning that I am going back to work on a roof. This is (I think) the last roof of the season. If so, we're going out with a bang. It's really steep, and really big.

Its been awhile since I've been on a roof though, maybe almost a month...is that possible? I've used my "time off" keeping up my other blog (find the link on the left - Wake Up, Start Learning) and making the necessary (for our family, at least) switch to deschooling/unschooling.

I've also been baking a lot. Made a wicked batch of my honey wheat bread, a couple batches of soup, caramel french toast, and a new recipe we tried called Pilgrim's Bread. Oldest is on a mission to get me to make Puppy Chow. I have thus far denied his request as I know that when the bucket is made, there will be a ton of it that goes into MY tummy.

I again have a mending pile. About six pairs of the boys jeans need knee repair. I like my mending pile. The fact that I have one makes me smile, because it means I am remembering to get back to "simple", as stated in my last post. Notice, I haven't DONE the mending yet. But it WILL happen.

I've just been inspired lately. A new customer came to my mom's store...(man, I should put up a link to that, shouldn't I?) and gets to talking and we find out her daughter homeschools, but what's even cooler is that this woman (the customer) actually lives in northern WI and is off-grid!

I'm also doing a lot of thinking about how I need to live the life that feels good to me, not trying to copy what someone else is doing. Meaning, its great to be old-fashioned and greenish and simple, but if you're just doing it to copy, its not worth doing. I'm a recovering perfectionist, and I've blogged here before about how I live an all-or-nothing life (which I'm also trying to recover from). Meaning, if baking bread is something I like to do, do it. But it won't always work out that I have the time to do it (like, this week when I will be roofing) and I shouldn't feel guilty about not being able to do it. Right? Because I need to be genuine to the life I actually live. What is important to me is to live a rich, filled life. And that probably has many many facets of it to explore that would be easier done if I wouldn't be so tied to fitting into one certain lifestyle.

Woah. These are some pretty deep musings to be having before I get on a roof. I had better stop for now...I don't want to get dizzy!

Itching to get back...

2008-09-13T17:42:00.000-05:00

...to simplicity, that is.

Sometimes I think that our time spent living paycheck to paycheck (or...well, what would be less than that? You know, when the paycheck doesn't cover what is owed?)was good for us in that our life was very simple. I know, not having any money is sucky and complicated in its own way, but at some point of got-no-money living, you have to give up what you can - mental baggage included - and just survive. When you spend $75 a month on groceries for 4 people...and that isn't even money you can put your hands on (meaning not really yours) you just start realizing what doesn't matter and what does. So what doesn't matter (which is a hell of a lot) goes to the wayside.

We are now at a point where we have a pocketful of pennies (and quarters too!) to jingle together. And while this is eases up the money-causes-stress part of life, it oddly enough makes things more complicated. And I'm not even sure I can explain why.
Something about there is money in the checkbook so its not a cardinal sin to stop at Walmart and grab a few things or take the boys out to McDonalds...except that we don't need to, and it just snowballs into spending money on things we don't really need or looking at the checkbook and saying "Where did all that money go we just deposited?"

I guess I'm walking a fine line here. While I don't think that we have to save every single penny we make, and its ok to splurge every so often and have fun, I DO think there are changes in attitude and lifestyle that are very connected to how you spend your money. I guess I'm just feeling I need to find that happy medium...and I don't know where that is when I think deep down inside I'm really just a chick living in the northwoods with no electricity, bartering for all her goodies. Insight would be appreciated.

Visited Shirley

2008-08-30T22:50:00.000-05:00

So yesterday Jay and I went up to see his mama. Up until this point, I've only been hearing about what's going on...haven't had any visual reference to put with anything. Now while I'm sure she's doing WAY better than she was, it was REALLY hard to see her there in her state...and I am NOT an emotional person by any standards. She looks completely helpless and I feel terrible for her. Not that I didn't before, but its just different after seeing her. She said hi when we walked in, but didn't say anything after that, it seems to be really uncomfortable for her to communicate...plus she faded in and out of sleeping while we were there. Plus, she is still on the vent (when we were there at least) and I have this major fear of tubes, especially breathing, so I was totally trying to breathe for her the entire time we were visiting...if that makes ANY sense at all. So keep her in your thoughts...keep sending those positive vibes. This will be a long haul.

Today was a pretty good day. I (mistakenly) taught the boys to play badminton and in three days they have got to the point where I actually have to PLAY. Those little buggers are good. They serve and it goes over the net and they actually return the birdie. It was good fun...but exhausting. We must have played for three hours today. Wicked good fun. Remind me who it was who thought it would be a great idea to teach them such a lovely sport...

Oh no, she started a second one??

2008-08-28T20:44:00.001-05:00

Just a heads up, I have started a second blog that will be just for my homeschooling stuff...if you're at all interested in checking it out. Not much there yet, but its planned to be the place I can a) sort of journal what we are doing for as far as homeschool and b) a place I can send friends and relatives who are wondering "what the hell this homeschool thing is that you're doing..." You will find a link to it on the left hand side of this blog under Places I go. Its called Wake Up, Start Learning. Feel free to check it out. Crazy Mama on a Roof will now be my place to rant and vent or talk about baking...or, you know. Whatever else comes up.

We finished the roof today. Could NOT keep up with the Mexican crew on the roof next to us. Then again, it was 8 Mexicans (them) to three white folk (us) so I'm not sure if it was mathematically even possible. And I'm pretty sure they were on meth or something because I'm positive I saw a few of them lift off the roof and fly. I have never seen people move so fast on a roof. Anyhow....It was hot. But we are done. Some hosebeast messed up a shingle order and now we have to be on a wicked steep roof tomorrow unloading 150 bundles of shingles at 7 am. (Quick math...what's 150 bundles multiplied by 60 pounds?)Are you kidding me??? Oh well, we aren't starting that roof until next week sometime...but we need to be there when the delivery truck is there tomorrow or they will just drop the shingles on the ground. Which means it would be 150 bundles up a ladder. Not cool.

So thats' as much as I know at this point. Deschooling book is cliff noted and ready for a sweet mama who is patiently awaiting its arrival at her house on monday...I'm visiting my mother in law tomorrow at the hospital...so that will be awesome to see her. I'll let you know how it goes!

Good things

2008-08-27T22:47:00.000-05:00

1. Its raining
2. My mother in law is back in MN at a local hospital. Which means I can visit her and figure out what's going on with her condition without relying on non-existent phone calls from those closer in proximity to her.
3. We kicked ass on a roof today and should finish it tomorrow, assuming the rain only sprinkles this evening and not tomorrow all day.
4. I'm still wickedly excited about this Deschooling book I read because it is totally changing the way I'm looking at learning.
5. I figured something BIG out. I operate on an all-or-nothing basis. And it is the downfall for most things I screw up. I want to commit whole heartedly 110% to something, and fall into a total guilt induced coma when any single small detail strays from THE PLAN. All-or-nothing, it turns out, doesn't really work for me. At all. There are (in complete honesty) so many parts of me that are total contradictions to each other. I can be found at a church...but I'm an establishment fightin' hippy...but I can keep up with husband-loving, family-taking-care-of June Cleaver. I can go from finger snappin' jazz in a coffee shop to standing on a roof with a nail gun, sweatin' my ass off an hour later. (I know, I just did it this morning.) I make my own laundry soap, but totally dig a good Americano. I'm an Amish wannabe who plays a mean guitar and someday could be a rockstar. ETc, ETc. To commit to any ONE of these things by itself makes me feel incomplete and disjointed. Because there is generally a whole other side of me. You can't fit a square peg into a round hole. And sometimes my peg is an oversized trapezoid. And its ok, I just figured out. Because these contracitions are what a rich life is made of. And if there is on thing that I ever accomplish on this earth, I hope its that I give my family the opportunity to experience a rich life right along with me.

I can finally sit down...

2008-08-24T20:32:00.000-05:00

It feels like its been a year since I last wrote. In fact, I can't remember all the things that have happened since I last wrote. My husband arrived safely home to me from CO at 3 am on Tuesday morning...and left this evening to return to work. Last week, his mom seemed to be getting worse (organs not working like they should, needed dialysis, etc.) As of right now, however, it seems like she's headed in a better direction. According to what was posted on the caring bridge, she might be on her way home very soon. But as far as I know, that was what some "weekend doctor" suggested, and the family was waiting to see what her regular doc (who has been working on her since the accident) says on Monday.

Other than that, I've been passing the time by reading the most fantastic book called "Deschooling Gently" by Tammy Takahashi. It was reviewed in Secular Homeschooler in the last issue. The book was just what I needed to read, as I (the mama who went to public school and was straight A student and is really anal retentive) really need to "de-school" for my kids to get the most out of homeschooling (and for my husband to not go utterly insane when I talk his ear off for ten hours about how I'm afraid I'm just not doing school the right way). Its a grrrrrrreat book. I think she refers to herself as a unschooler at one point...but also lots of other things...and she's not evangelical about her exact method of homeschooling. She's simply written a book reminding people that homeschooling can be anything you want it to be, and to not be tied to what you remember school being when you were there. Considering the "school issues" I've been dealing with over the past month (read: psychosis in my own anal retentive, really-have-to-let-it-go brain) this book might possibly allow me to breathe.

I think the boys and I are hitting the State Fair tomorrow. The rest of the week I'm working on a roof. And waiting for updates on my mama-in-law. Will keep you posted. Thanks again to everyone for your awesome support.

I am a responsible citizen...

2008-08-19T21:18:00.001-05:00

So...because irresponsiblity irks me at every level, its always been a big deal to me to talk with my kids about how to be "responsible citizens". This is something we talk about all the time, and its just part of what we do. But oh for God's sake, today it was just insane. They took responsible citizen to the total extreme and it was hilarious to watch. We were in Walmart this evening and they became posessed by some responsibility demon and started like...zoning for the employees. Every little thing that was out of place they were on it. So we had all these customers watching my kids and smiling ("oh isn't that just so cute") while I'm thinking "Ok...um...is there a point where it isn't cute anymore? Because if there is, I think they've crossed it." The would come to a new aisle in the food department and put their hands on their hips and announce (quite sternly) "Someone here has been VERY irresponsible" and then would walk to whatever item was on the ground and put it back into place. At one point, my oldest turns to me and says "So, Mom. What's with all the irresponsibility here?" Oh. My. The best was when they got to the baking aisle and the employees must have just loaded up the bottom shelf with marshmallows because most of them had slid out of the shelf and onto the floor. My kids just about had a heart attack at this point and go running to the marshmallows to put them back in the shelf, except that because the shelf was way too full to begin with, everytime they put one package on the pile, like...four more packages came sliding out on to the floor. I very gently told them that I didn't think there was anyway to remedy this situation and we had done our best. And my oldest says, "Mom. I will NOT give up." And that little gomer sat there and got every last damn package of marshmallows into the shelf. And they stayed.

We went to the park to play with our homeschool friends today and even though we were only able to stay for an hour (and missed hanging out with Sarah!) it was great. I have to say that I am really lucky to be a part of such a supportive group of people. Since my mother-in-law's accident, they're all just ready to help at a moment's notice and are always sending uplifting emails and all that. And they don't have to do that. But they do, and that's what so awesome about them.

Jay should be home sometime after midnight. I got a hold of him about 8 pm and he was going through Mitchell, SD. It will be great to see him. I am just hoping that everything with Shirley holds together until we can both get back out there again. I'm ready to go anytime if we need to go, I just hope its not a situation where we "need to go", if you know what I mean. Once again I just have to say I can't believe how this started and what its turned out to be. It just goes to show you that you never really know. Kiss your babies and your honeys tonight!

Im on the PHONE!!!

2008-08-18T20:37:00.000-05:00

Why is it that your kids can ignore you for a good chunk of the day, but as soon as you put a phone next to your head, they have REALLY pressing questions that need to be answered right now or they will, like, DIE?? I am not a person who talks on the phone very much. In fact, my kids can probably go two or three weeks without seeing me answer a phone. Except for my husband or parents, no one calls me and I don't call anyone. WELL...over the last couple days,in dealing with issues regarding my mother-in-law, I feel like I have had a phone attached to my head. Now that's fine, its all productive work...but the KIDS....seriously. Why do you only want to ask about using the computer when I'm on the phone? Why do you only want to play the guitar when I'm on the phone? Why do you want to play demo derby with your monster trucks when I'm on the phone? Why did the quiet lego building game die out when I dialed the last phone number? I do not understand it.

I went and picked up my pretty piece of pink wood from the guitar shop. Since some people have asked, I really don't think the people sold it to me knowing what a piece of crap it was. They bought it because their teen daughter wanted to learn how to play...and learned a half song and gave up. I have played guitar since I was 10 and I didn't even know what a serious piece of crap it was. Cheap? Yes. Something I bought to beat on outside and not care if the kids spilled my coffee by it or got dirt on it while slamming on the brakes while riding bikes? Yes. Would I have known it was missing a tiny piece used for adjusting a neck and needed an entire re-fret job? Maybe if I regularly repaired guitars and didn't just PLAY them. Oh well. We picked it up, Kyle (at the shop) expressed his saddness to me that he couldn't fix it (they are really nice there) and I took it home and promptly put it in the boys closet. They were totally stoked. They are not yet old enough to care that it is flaming pink.

My husband is planning to return home late tomorrow night. His mother is nowhere near out of the woods as far as I know. Jay is coming home with his brother in law (who has to bring his daughter home because she starts school in less than a week) because Jay didn't think his brother in law should make the 15 hour drive alone. Jay also figures that if his mom will be out there for an extended period of time that people will start coming back and going out again at different times so there are always people there, instead of everyone staying a big chunk of time and then having to all leave at the same time. Jay plans to go back to CO again, when exactly that will be is up in the air...depends who calls with what news at what time. If things remain as they are now, my guess is that he and I will be going to CO on his next string of days off, which would start the 28th of August...I think. Of course everything is up in the air. I just still can't believe how this started less than a week ago with "your mom got hit by a car and broke her leg" and very quickly went to major trauma and organ not working and tons of other insane stuff. She currently has pneumonia, her lungs and heart are working very hard, and she will have surgery tomorrow to put in a breathing and feeding tube. (Apparently because she's a larger person, it requires surgery to do). So anyhow....that's what I know. I appreciate all of your well wishes. Sarah, thanks a ton for posting on the caring bridge site. That really meant a lot to me. I'll kepp you all updated...

Homeschooling is weird

2008-08-17T22:27:00.000-05:00

So when you're a homeschooler, every little thing can turn into a learning lesson. So when I very carefully (and without much detail) explained to the boys that Grandma Shirley was "bumped by a car" and broke her leg...it somehow turned into "Let's grab out skeleton book and look at bones" and "how do they do surgery, mom...do they shrink down like on the Magic Schoolbus and go inside her body?" and "where is Colorado, mom. On the big map on the wall...how long does it take to get there? How big is it?" And so the conversation I had so carefully planned out (how much DO you tell a four and five year old who are pretty darn smart for 4 and 5, but still don't need to know about breathing tubes and organ failure?) actually turned into a totally schooly kind of thing. Oddly enough. The best thing was when Colton asked "Mom, but if she broke her leg, why doesn't her leg fall off?" and I tried to explain muscles and tendons and things like that...and he still didn't get it. So when we were done with our whole grandma-shirley-is-in-the-hospital- conversation and we went upstairs, I mentioned in passing to my mom that Colton was wondering how bones can break and not fall off. She says, "I have the perfect example!" and she goes the the fridge and pulls out a thawed chicken wing, breaks the bone inside, and gives it to Colton...thus explaining the bone inside can be broken but the wing doesn't necessarily fall apart. There you go, Grandma. See....you CAN homeschool!

I'm not sure what the plan is for the week ahead. Jay just told me on the phone that he is planning to come home Tuesday now...he "thinks". His brother in law and niece have to come home Tuesday so he figured he would ride with them since his brother in law shouldn't "travel alone"...but I'm reserving judgement until they figure out how Shirley is tomorrow. We will just have to see what happens.

Thanks for all your well wishes. I really appreciate them. I've got some pretty rockin' awesome friends.

Crappy phone calls

2008-08-15T07:44:00.000-05:00

Crappy phone call #1: So I could start off by telling you about the phone call I got from the guitar shop man, where I took my beloved pink guitar to get fixed because it needed a neck adjustment. You couldn't play a D chord, I discovered, because the bottom string played all the same notes no matter what fret you pushed. He called last night to tell me he had looked at it and that basically I bought such a cheap piece of crap that the piece that needs to be adjusted on the guitar isnt' even there and that what it really needs is a re-fret job which is millions more than what I paid for the damn thing. So basically I bought a really pretty piece of pink wood. Crap.

Really a Lot more crappy phone call #2: Most of you already know this because most the people who read this blog already got an email about it, but my mother-in-law was hit by a car while vacationing in CO and has a lot of broken bones. My hubby and his brothers and father left yesterday morning to drive out there and be with her. I really don't have a lot of details about what happened, but I'm hoping when they finish the 15 hour drive and check in that there will be a little more information. I'm worried about what this means for my mother-in law. She's 60 and her knees and hips were already in rough shape. So...now you know what I know. I'll post more when I get an update. Thanks in advance for any finger crossing or positive thoughts you might send out her way.

Write a song, have some ice cream

2008-08-08T19:03:00.000-05:00

So if you're ever stressed out, my advice is to sit down with your guitar (the really nice one your husband bought you, or the pink one you just couldn't pass up at the garage sale on Thursday because it was $30. Thirty effin' dollars!!!) and write a song. Write a nice song that makes you feel better about how crappy people can be and how you still, for some reason, feel the need to be responsible and good natured. Use a line like "I'm not mad, I'm not angry, life is hard, no one said it wouldn't be" and then pair it with "but its almost like I try so hard I fall so far behind, watch the others race ahead, they laugh as they go by" and then say something about you just do what you do because its the right thing to do. And then its just a smidgen easier to deal with your sister or other people you lump together with her as seriously-give-me-a-freakin-break kind of people.

But then you might still be stressed out because the anal retentive part of you can't wrap your brain around the fact that homeschooling really can be w-h-a-t-e-v-e-r you want it to be, and that being a roofer means not knowing what your schedule will be in Sepetmber or October and that school might get jacked around. It can't be planned out second by second. Then when you sit down and think about it, you might realize that being married to a cop means you pretty much will never know 110% what your schedule will EVER be, and that part of the reason homeschooling was such an attractive choice was that it was flexible. Repeat after me, class: FLEXIBLE. And then you sit down with your husband who reminds you several times that FLEXIBLE means not being stressed out that you don't or can't schedule every second of the school week. And that Life happens, and this is real Life, and your kids are possibly better for it than sitting in a classroom for 32 hours a day . Then the best thing is that he quotes a very experienced and cool homeschooler we met at a info meeting in January who said something along the lines that "sometimes life sucks or things come up or its just a crappy day and you look at your school day plan and say Screw it. And you all go out for ice cream." And you laugh and decide that you really need to calm down and de-school yourself and not compare your "school" to the public school, because there was a reason you chose not to send the kids there.

Then you smile and write it all down in your blog for your friends to read.

Saturday Night Live

2008-08-03T07:50:00.000-05:00

Although I was not watching TV last night, I was part of what I can only assume was some candid camera or off the wall Saturday Night Live skit. I went to a bonfire at my grandma's house. The players in this skit were my kids and I, my mom, my grandma and grandma, two cousins, their mom and grandma and an aimless wandering orphan neighbor kid. The skit went something like this: We arrive to find the two cousins acting in their usual primadonna drama queen selves, their mom and grandma pampering and catering to their every need. (Really? Bugs at a campout? Who would have guessed? And no you're not coming to a campout and spending all the time in the house watching tv.) My grandfather, whose mind is only about 1/4 there, was adding his usual completely bipolar additions. I mean, between the f-bombs he was dropping (thanks Grandpa!) and the crying-because-life-is-so-beautiful moments, I felt like I had ADD. I couldn't follow what was going on. Then my oldest son's chair broke and he (being overtired) decided to join in the drama and tell me it was the best chair ever and he's just heartbroken. Never mind that he never uses the thing and probably didn't remember he even owned it until I grabbed it for the bonfire. Anyhow, he doesn't deal with change well so there is some amount of discussion that goes on. But it irks me to no end when someone completely uninvolved (cousins grandma on other side of family) is going to "fix" things. Showing concern is one thing. In situations like this with my oldest, its here-is-the-discussion-we-are-having...and its done. Please don't hash it over thirteen times with my kid. Leave it alone. You're making it worse. THEN...the orphan child comes over. His name is Jesse and I have no idea how old he is...guessing somewhere about 4...but he's told us everything from 17 to 2. He lives at the next house and just wanders over to play. Now it would be one thing if he wandered over and then his Mom yelled at him and he went home. But she doesn't. He's ALWAYS over at my grandma's house. And its not like she can watch him from her window...there are a ton of trees and its pretty hidden. This time, he was over for no less than an hour before she came looking for him, and then (get this) said "Ok Jesse, five more minutes and then you have to come home." Um...was he invited over??? Roaring fire...no supervision unless one of us decides to watch him...Anyhow, the five minutes turned into about 20 or 30 and then she finally called him home and yells THANKS to us. I should have yelled back "Yeah, the bill for your child care will be in the mail..." It just pisses me off when people don't watch their kids and that I'm too responsible to NOT watch them when they're around. I come from that world where I can't leave my kids in my own yard for more than ten minutes without checking on them...even less if I can't hear them...and they can't really get anywhere!!! So it totally floors me that kids can run around for hours and their parents have no clue where they are. Or that the parents just assume they are being watched by someone else. And then ultimately it makes me think of my sister. And that is just a whole other ballgame.

Whatever. Then my grandpa broke his chair, threw out some more f-bombs and it was time for me and my crew to leave. I love my cave. Although I'm sure there was some teaching moment in the whole mess. It did make me happy when Colton (my oldest) said to the orphan child "Um...does your mom know you're over here? Because you should probably tell her or she might get mad." So my kids DO listen!

On another note, I've talked to the MOPS leaders and stepping down proved to not be a big deal at all. They basically agreed that my life is chaos and that I'm "responsible" for choosing to make this choice. Ah...responsible...I think that should be our character word for the week in school....

Hot. I quit.

2008-07-29T21:04:00.000-05:00

The hot part: So today it was no less than five million degrees out if you figure in the 95% humidity. I want to be done with this roof. Its too steep. Everyone cross your fingers that tommorow we plow through it and cap it off. Its entirely possible it could happen. Maybe you want to cross your legs as well as your fingers just for extra luck.

The "I quit" part is that today I took a long hard look at my life, the living situation, the insanity and the chaos, and emailed the leader of Foley MOPS (mothers of preschoolers) and told her I believe I am no longer capable of being on her leadership team. I'm not sure how this news will be received. Now part of me feels really guilty and selfish and irresponsible about this, seeing as how the MOPS year starts in one month. But the other part of me says that I need to be realistic about what I can and can't do and...I realistically can't do this. #1 I only see my husband on days he doesn't work (seeing as how we don't technically live in the same house during his work week) and it seems that responsibilities for this MOPS group fall on a day I could actually see my husband. Which means he's home (for serious? Wow! He's home???) and I'm not with him. Not that we need to be joined at the hip, but dang, when you don't get to see him every day...or every other day...or even once a week...its kind of nice to take the oppourtunity when it presents itself. #2This group is located up by The House and so doing something for this group requires a whole night, because since I don't live in the town anymore, I can't just pop over. Its a 45-60 minute drive one way. #3 Also, cripes...I'm homeschooling. Which, as some people apparently don't realize, takes a little planning. So whatever. Today was the drop-something-you-can't-do day, so I chose MOPS. And I'm rambling because I feel guilty. So now you all can tell me to get over it and move on because life sucks sometimes and you just can't do and be a part of everything you want to do and be a part of. Its a great lesson I should pass on to my kids.

Are we on roof #7?

2008-07-22T21:48:00.001-05:00

Yes, I think we are. Its in the town where The House is so I think I know just about anyone who would walk by. Of course, they don't recognize me all sweaty and black with roofing shit all over me...oh well. We started and finished the garage today and tomorrow we will move to the house...its quite steep. It shall be a wicked good time. I'll take pictures and try to figure out how to post them.

Still madly in love with my guitar and the man who bought it for me. Play on Wannamish Rockers! (and bake some bread when your fingers get sore and need a break from the strings!)

The kids are insane. Must be a big storm coming, because the last couple days have been like "Who stole my kids and replaced them with these other life forms who are demonically possessed?" My oldest, who is five, has turned into some fifteen year old who is constantly talking back. The problem is, he's so damn smart and sarcastic and just plain witty that his comebacks are amazing. I have to stop and remember I'm the mom and should not be so amused by his...um, wit. So I tell him whatever disciplinary tactic I pull out of my ass...and after he's left the room...I turn to my husband and raise my eyebrow. Half upset like "Can you believe that little goon just said that?" And half in awe "Wow, I wonder where he gets his gi-normously sarcastic brain from?"

Gee. I wonder.

Busy, busy little bee

2008-07-21T08:07:00.000-05:00

Sorry I've been out for a week. We did our fundraising garage sale this past weekend for my parenting group I run up in Foley, and it went pretty well. We made about $500. The weather was terrible and our two huge signs at the major intersections (which sounds funny when you're talking about Foley) blew over. We had a lot of help from the members though (which wasn't the case last year) so we had fun while it was going on. Its always fun to do things outside of the "thing" that you are supposed to be meeting for. I met a really neat homeschooling mom who came to the garage sale, too, so that was an extra bonus!

I have also been away from the computer because I've been playing my guitar a lot. I just got a new one (thanks, hubby!) I've mostly played my 12 string since I was 10, and have never had a full size 6 string (I do now!) so its been wicked fun playing it. The boys want to learn how to play now, and my hubby has even pulled out and dusted off his electric guitar. It can get a little noisy here at times, as you can imagine. Its been soooooo fun though. My husband wasn't kidding when he told me I could never really be Amish because I'd have to give up music. I'd probably shrivel up.

Anyhow, we went to the demo derby at Elk River last night. Wanted to go to the afternoon one, but it was cancelled due to lack of drivers. Seriously? How does that happen? So we hung out and went to the night one...and then I remembered why I don't like the night ones (seriously stupid drunk people in bleachers? GREAT IDEA.) We still had fun...the boys had a blast. The other highlight of the day was when the boys decided to dance for the KCLD guy because he was giving away t-shirts. (Which was hilarious to me, because usually they won't say boo to anyone). So they start doing all these crazy dancing moves and the guy gives us a Kung Fu Panda computer game...which is WAY cooler than a t-shirt. So they were totally stoked about that.

Anyhow, that's all I have time for now. I'll try not to be such a stranger.

No fear

2008-07-13T21:16:00.000-05:00

That is what my oldest son has. Absolutely no fear. Today, my oldest, who at the beginning of the season was just kind of sort of learning how to be really and truly comfy in the water...did a front flip off the diving board at a pool party. Like launched himself off the board and did a full sommersault in the air. Not just once, oh no. About 14 times. And he survived all 14 of them. Seriously. This is a kid who has never jumped off a diving board before. Oh. my. God.

The pool party was a great time, saw a few relatives we haven't seen in a long time and got caught up on life. They are teachers...I was concerned about the homeschooling thing coming up...they commended me for making such a "good decision". It was cool. I respect them as teachers and for some reason, it was a big deal to me to get a pat on the back from them.

I did have the joy of sitting and watching my sister getting freak-outishly pissy with her one year old for the stupidest things...she yells at him like he's 16. In tone and language and whatever. He was picking at the side of his stroller while he was sitting in it. And she's yelling at him and grabbing his arms like he's just dumped a gi-normous pile of dog shit in the middle of the dinner table. She asked me today "Do you want to switch kids?" I laughed told her no, and she in shock was like "Seriously?" What I wanted to say was: in like 5 months you're going to have two kids, and you want to pawn off this totally doll-face, easiest-baby-I've-ever-seen for a 4 and 5 year old who don't stop? Oh, that's right. Because, in her world, you probably don't have to supervise a 4 and 5 year old and they can just do what they want...but a 16 month old, you actually have to keep an eye on because he might fall into the pool? I have no idea how two kids will work for her when one really doesn't. I try not to think about it too much though. A person can drive themselves crazy with what ifs.

Other than that...last day on roof #6 tomorrow. Then I'm off for either a week or a little more than a week. Construction is grand like that...schedules are constantly getting changed around. I'm dealing with some weird intestinal thing that I'm slowly getting over. So I'm hoping that doesn't affect working tomorrow. My tummy has been quite sensitive lately. Can't even do coffee. Been sucking in the yogurt and goodness like that...its getting better, but taking time.

Bad Boy...Timeout!

2008-07-11T06:12:00.000-05:00

So here is what I don't get. My brother-in-law was pulled over for his 4th DUI I don't even know how long ago. I bring this up because my mom got roped into babysitting their one year old next week sometime because supposedly my brother in law will go in for his 9 millionth sentencing hearing or something. I say 9 millionth because he's been in a several times already for an apparent hearing...and then nothing happens. The public defender was too busy or it got pushed off for some other reason. My sister is sure that everytime they go, her husband is going to get his "ass taken away to jail right there" - you know, drama. MY hsuband, who happens to be a cop and is helpful in answering questions on subjects such as these, tells my mother and I, "Nah, they won't take him right from there. They usually give them a week or so to get their affairs in order before they go into serve their sentence."

I don't get it. You drive wickedly over the legal limit without a license and get caught for the 4th time. I'm sorry...why are we being so nice to you? Why do you suddenly have all these rights and things we have to worry about? You broke the law.

It would be like if I had a three year old who wadded up an entire roll of toilet paper and shoved it down the toilet for the 8th time, after being told that it was wrong 7 times previously. And I said "Ooohh, I'm REALLY mad at you, and you're going to be in big trouble...but Mommy can't fit you for a lecture and time out for another week, so come back here in a week and we will talk." And then in a week, when our talk is supposed to happen, I say, "Know what? I'm still too busy. Come back tomorrow." And then my three year old decides after these two meetings that he actually didn't really understand what was expected of him, and wants me to explain why he's in trouble in different terms. (That would be like when my brother in law decided that, yep - he'd driven drunk...but had the cop that had taken care of the entire issue really followed protocol? And that report that he signed, he didn't really sign it in the right place on the form...) Back to the three year old. Then when my three year old finally does show up for his time out lecture, I say "You're going in a time out, but you have an hour to get your stuff together. Clean your room and kiss your daddy because you're going to be in that chair for ten minutes, buster!" And then when he did get in the time out chair, I gave him gold fish crackers and orange juice, a video, and let someone else come in and teach him how to make a fish painting out of glitter glue (a skill to be productive in society.)

I don't know. Doesn't it take the sting out of the punishment when you don't have to serve it right away? Doesn't it take the sting out of the punishment when you broke the law, but the cops/legal system have so many things they CAN'T do to you because you still have a billion rights?

Yes I'm cynical and sarcastic and probably horrible. Or maybe just old fashioned. Or maybe tired of being one of the people who bust their ass trying to be responsible and do things right...and watching those who aren't... squeak right ahead.

Good day? Bad day? You decide.

2008-07-10T22:57:00.000-05:00

Great things about today:
1. I got a surprise day off of work due to Home Depot's screw up on an order. Kind of hard to put in a skylight on a roof when they don't fill the order.
2. I got to hang with my kids.
3. School went really well. I mean, REALLY well.
4. Got a wicked cool kick ass 50s looking dress at a garage sale for 50 cents. I just about peed my pants.
5. I took above mentioned dress home and...it fits. Amazingly well. Almost peed my pants again.
6. I went to my monthly meeting for SPIRITT (Supporting Parents in Raising Infants Through Teens) and we got everything set for our garage sale that happens next weeked (Saturday, the 19th). Everything will be a quarter. Its insanely great fun.
7. I was able to add a couple cds of Jason Mraz to my collection.

Not great things about today:
1. Found out my aunt...or my uncle's soon-to-be ex wife....has cervical cancer. I think she's four years older than me.

So that's the day in a nutshell. Gotta fly.

Fishing is awesome, not getting paid is...well, not.

2008-07-08T21:44:00.000-05:00

Fishing with kids is awesome. Yesterday I got a surprise day off to spend with my hubby and kids. How awesomely cool is that? Anyhow, we decided to take the boys shore fishing (first time this year) and we had an absoulte blast. In three hours we caught 28 fish! None of them were big enough to keep, but it was just fine. There was enough fishin' action going on to keep my crazy kids entertained, so I was cool with that. Hubby actually caught a nice sized bass but the bass tangled himself into a fallen tree just off shore and when me, the only adult wearing water shoes, ventured out in the above-the-knee-depth water to save my husband's fish...it got off. I was sad for him...it was a nice fish. I impressed ny husband and children with my abilty to rip nightcrawlers in half, bait the kids hooks, cast them out, and take off (most) fish. Hubby said I was "cute". Awww. Gee, once I learn how to take off the fish that swallow the hook all the way down to their toes...think of how impressed he will be! (I've never been good at that whole pliers yank thing.)

As for today, another hot day on the roof. Its a nice roof though because its not steep at all. I'm kind of bummed out for my Dad though because he's having a hard time getting the money he's supposed to get from these jobs. I don't think there is one roof we've done this year that he's been paid everything he's supposed to be paid. The REALLY sad thing is that I think every job we have done this year had been insurance work. What's with the insurance companies okaying a job and then taking three months to cough up the money? Not like normal people have 10 grand sitting around to just buy material and pay their workers out of their pocket when the insurance companies don't cough up in a timely manner. That, and the price increases on construction stuff is just through the effin' roof. I think my dad has got three price increases this spring/summer already on shingles. It just bums me out to see people work so hard and then it seems like every week that goes by, he makes less and less money for the same amount of work. But I'm sure that's going around in a lot of different trades and businesses. It just makes me mad.

Ok, enough of that. I have to get to bed and rest up for another day of hanging out with my nail gun. Tomorrow is also AMISH FRIENDSHIP bread day. I can't wait!

Tooth Fairy already?

2008-07-06T14:16:00.001-05:00

You have got be kidding. Someone tell me that its normal for five year olds to get a wiggly tooth and then lose it two days later. Five years old? I don't think I lost my first tooth until I was 7. So when my oldest came up to me a few days ago and said "Mom, I have a loose tooth!" I thought he was kidding. He wasn't. This morning he woke us up with a "Mom! Dad! My tooth fell out!" Oh my! I started thinking this was way too early, it's the hormones in all the food. But then my kids really don't get a lot of that stuff. We get all our dairy from a raw milk and hormone-less dairy, most the meat we eat is whatever my husband gets when he's hunting. I mean, I know you can't avoid all the crap, but still. Then my mom reminded me that my oldest got his baby teeth really early. Like wicked early, first tooth at two months. So anyway, it was a wild weekend here, with all the tooth stuff and all.

I got a lot of baking in. Four loaves of honey wheat, a new Rhubarb Crunch recipe, a loaf of rhubarb bread...and we're still going. I felt pretty crabby at the beginning of the weekend. Just really tense or something. But as soon as I started baking and could get into my garden and just "be", I was a happy gal.

Well that's all for now. Must scoot off to a picnic at my sisters house. Yes, THAT sister. (Sarah and Jen, you just nod your heads with me.) I'm sure a lengthy (but not necessarily civil) commentary will follow tonight. Only a few more days until Amish bread. Yuuuummmmmyyy!

Day #2 on Roof #6

2008-07-02T20:22:00.000-05:00

Since we had shade today, we were able to completely roof a garage and a playhouse in four hours. It was awesome. We are now done roofing until Monday...holiday vacation!!!

The boys and I are getting involved in some Flat Travelers...we got a link to a homeschooling Flat Traveler group through Minnesota Homeschoolers' Alliance. My oldest made a Flat Traveler today named "Brenda, the Happy Traveler" (don't ask me where the name came from) and my youngest made a toad named "Take Five, the Traveling Toad" (again...I don't know.) I'm hoping this is a good experience for eveyrone involved. It will be nice to do some learning about different parts of the country (and out of the country!) through this project.

I'm not sure what the plans are for the coming weekend. I have a ton of stuff I need to take care of, like finishing up my publication of the Blue Caboose, a family newsletter I'm in charge of that should have been mailed out like a thousand years ago. I also should get moving on the 25 cent garage sale I'm in charge of for the parenting group I run out of Foley. Its only a couple weeks away and I really need to get my ass in gear about publicizing it. I also plan to run to Heppner's tomorrow and look at some math curriculum (Ick! Curriculum ! I wasn't going to use it!) I was looking at Saxon K for math but the suggested Singapore Math so I'm going to take a look at what they have. Basically I suck at math myself and don't understand anything that has to go with numbers, so I figure I should have some help in teaching that subject so I don't mess the kids up completely.

Other than that, not much to report. Pretty excited to have an extra day of no work that I didn't plan on. Let's see what crazy fun things we can do with it...we will probably start with baking a batch of bread....

When the yard floods....swim!

2008-06-30T20:50:00.000-05:00

We live on a creek that today decided to come up quite a bit into the backyard. We of course assumed that the beavers had dammed up the culvert again. But after a walk in the woods we discovered there was no dammin' going on. So we aren't sure why its up so high. In any event, it was AWESOME for the boys. What better way to spend a hot day than swimming in your own backyard...that you shouldn't be able to swim in? They had a blast.

Whilst the boys were running and sommersalting in their temporary swimming hole, I was sprawled out in the (not underwater) grass reading my first issue (#3) of the Secular Homeschooling Magazine. Let me tell you, if you don't subscribe to this little gem, you definitely should. I know posts have been passed around about the Bitter Homeschoolers List and The Overacheiving Homeschooler Quiz...but the entire magazine is hilarious and awesome.

I started Jen's Amish Friendship starter recipe today...wickedly excited to try it since after actually reading the recipe, its a lot different than the one I used to make a few years back. The boys have been eating banana bread around here like crazy...so something different will be nice.

AND we started up school again today. It went amazingly well. It was like everyone (including Mom) just fell back into their old comfy place and things just made sense. Yesterdays post, plus a few comments from some lovely friends (thanks, sarah and jen) and a couple Secular Homeschooling articles really made me feel better about everything. The joy of homeschooling is that its what you want it to be, what works for you and your family. I'd do well to keep this wee tidbit in mind.

We start a roof in Otsego tomorrow. I'd best go get some shut-eye.

About this homeschool thing...

2008-06-29T21:11:00.000-05:00

Today I made a decision about homeschooling. I've really got to stop being so boxed in by what I remember school to be or what I think school is supposed to be or whatever things conventional wisdom tells me I'm supposed to be doing. I've been in world of mental hurt the last month trying to figure out how to make school at this house work when I'll probably be roofing through November. I mean, really. How do you NOT start school the day after Labor Day? Isn't that the way its supposed to be? The way its always been? Isn't that what I'm supposed to do?

I freaked out about this internally, really wanting to help my dad out and also appreciating the farm money we are able to shove in a mason jar...but seriously...what about school?

My husband was quite supportive in this freakout...and reminded me that the point of homeschooling was that it is flexible and you can make it work for the family. He assured me there would be nothing wrong with running school from November to April - the non-roofing season. We also talked about the fact that what we can accomplish at home in those six months would still be more than what probably happened in public school. It was a nice pep talk. And I thought I was kosher with it all.

Still, the problem is this. A) I actually like teaching the kids. I mean, I REALLY like it. Its fun. So this season of sweating my ass off forty feet up in the air isn't feeding that. (Although, don't get me wrong, I enjoy roofing too. ) B) I think the boys benefit from having an hour or so of structured learning time. The summertime constant do-what-you-want all week can sometimes lead to other issues. (Not that playing in the backyard is bad. I'm not saying that at all. I just notice that when they have nine days of total unstructuredness, it shows in their behavior.)

So after some thinking, I decided I'm actually going to start/continue school NOW. Starting tomorrow we're back to a somewhat regular school thingy. I realize the days I'm on the roof, we won't have "school" until mid afternoon when I get home, but its ok. And I also realize school those days might consist of talking about the frog they found that day with Grandma and googling what kind it was and reading a story about a frog...and that's sometimes enough for everyone. But, at least for this season of life, I'll feel like I'm living in a school-like world (regardless of what roof I'm working on) and they will have that almost daily connection with Mom that's focused.

I don't know if this makes sense to anyone else, but I feel better. Thanks for letting me sort out the issues.

I wish I was Barbara...

2008-06-28T21:49:00.000-05:00

I'm a huge fan of British comedy. My favorite is Good Neighbors from the late 70s/early 80s. Its a good night when Husband and I can relax on the couch and watch a few episodes. For those who don't know, its a show about a couple who live in a pretty upscale neighborhood and decide they want to live a self sufficient life. So suddenly their fancy home and yard get turned into a vegetable garden with a chicken coop, etc...and they learn about doing without. I've always liked the show. Husband and I used to laugh about it back when we lived in The House (that was always cold) because in one episode of good Neighbors they actually put a hot rock into the sheets to warm their bed up...and we actually thought about trying it. Anyway, all of that to get to the point that Barbara, the wife in the show, is always so chipper. Not that their life is easy...because choosing the self-sufficient route can suck a lot of the time...but she almost always had good spirits about her. A warm smile. She was just something happy and content.

Me...I am NOT Barbara. And I wish I could be. Although I choose the less-is-more lifestyle...and wish that we could be more so...and know that when the farm comes we WILL be...I am NOT Barbara. I'm not chipper and happy and warm. I am serious and cynical and bitter and sarcastic. I want to bake my bread and sew stuff and eat from my garden and smile knowing we are on a good path and doing what is right. But instead I bake my bread and think about stupid irresponsible people who are screwing the system and I sew things and think about all the really hard working honest people who are getting royally screwed over by the system. I wish I could be Barbara and, not to ignore all the crap that is going on everywhere, but that I could just smile and know that in the larger scheme of things, its ok. After all, I woke up...so tis a good day, no? So anyhow, it appears an attitude adjustment is on the horizon. Stay tuned to find out exactly how that works out for me. It just seems so pointless to work so hard at self sufficiency if you're going to be bitter for the entire journey. End of lesson, class dismissed.

I only know the Hi-yah moves...

2008-06-27T21:26:00.000-05:00

...says my oldest son after seeing Kung Fu Panda yesterday. "Mom, I love doing Kung Fu, but I only know the Hi-yah moves." And then he whips across the floor in his own version of Poe. Or Tigress. Or whoever he and his brother are pretending to be. It was pretty cute. The movie wasn't half bad. I'm generally not a fan of movies, but this one wasn't too shabby. I was warned that the movie had a lot of fighting in it. I kind of laughed and said "The title didn't give that away?"

So yesterday was good. Today, however, was a rough day. The boys were in that I-can't-possibly-listen-to-my-mother-for-more-than-eight-seconds mood. It was insane. We hit a few homeschool garage sales (WAHOO!!) and intended on going to the beach with another family, but between the weather (which whipped right over The House formerly mentioned in an earlier post) and the crap-ass behavior of the boys, the beach didn't happen. Hopefully some sort of impression has been made (referring to the loss of the beach time) and tomorrow will go more smoothly. We will see.

I have been drinking a ton and a half of water today and finally feel like myself again. It is amazing what can happen when you don't get enough H2O. Important little elements, they are. I should make a mental note of this for the next roof. And invest in some Gatorade (thanks, Jen.)

Well, that's all for now. Husband is home tonight (WAHOO!!). He is patiently waiting for me to wrap up that blogging thing I do. Hint taken. Adios.

Too much sun will make you....sick.

2008-06-26T22:06:00.000-05:00

So...no, its not that the blogging thing got boring and I moved on...I've actually been absent for the last few days trying to recover from too much sun and not enough water. We drink a ton of water while we are roofing but I just don't know how to counteract nature's sauna other than not being on the roof at all. The good news is we are done with the roof (YES!!!). The bad news is I think I'm doing a bit of a battle against dehydration. I can't shake this nausea or the tiredness. I'll just keep sucking down the water and hoping it goes away.

I'd really like to write something more intelligent, but I'm short a few brain cells this evening. A highlight today was after we got off the roof we went to a few garage sales and I managed to increase out Magic Treehouse book collection by about ten books for WAY less than I would buy them in the store. So that was wicked cool. That's all for now. Stay out of the sun.

Of Boys and Blisters

2008-06-23T19:26:00.000-05:00

I learned today that a nasty sunburn can blister and peel an entire week after getting the actual burn. Yes, I wear sunblock on the roof. However I am starting to think a blonde on a roof in the blazing sun has no hope of escaping lobster-hood no matter what she does. Anyhow, so now I sport that ultra sexy diseased skin look. Which is quite different than the occasional jewelry and makeup motif I wore yesterday. What a difference a day can make!

The boys are better but Husband is sick now. He went home early last night(midnight) and slept until morning. Bummer for the short night, but it gave him great opportunity to clean many items out of The House during the day today. (The House, for people who don't know, is the house we formerly lived in which, through some weird and wicked twist of fate, ended up being the fastest house sold...and also the longest foreclosure ever. Look for a more detailed explanation later. The short story is we sold the house in a day - amazing! - and were asked to be out in 30 days, so we moved into my parents' basement until we found something we wanted to buy. Two days before the house actually closed -we had already moved out - we were told by our mortgage company "Oops, sorry, (giggle, giggle) we misquoted your payoff by $30,000. So you didn't actually sell your house for enough to cover the cost..." Anyhow...that was a year ago. It went into foreclosure while we attempted to resell and resell. Fast forward to now, we still own this house -after some serious screwups with Countrywide's paperwork, and the foreclosure process has started ALL OVER again. Husband decided since we techinically still own the house, we are entitiled to anything in it, and so today he went and took out all the things we left there for the supposed new owners that we would have taken had they not requested we leave them. Since they didn't move in, we figure the air conditioners and other items like that are ours to take. I'm having a huge moral dillema with this. I understand we still own it, but it feels like I'm stealing or something. Someone please, tell me I'm a horrible person...or tell me to get over it.)

Like I said, look for The House story in a later post. Its really quite entertaining. I apologize in advance for any profanity that may come into play.

That's all for now. We are on Day 5 of this not-at-all-coppoerative roof. I'm hoping that Day 7 brings closure. But that would mean some miraculous weather changes. Hot sun is NOT condusive to getting anything done on a roof.

So I thought I'd try this blogging thing...

2008-06-22T13:31:00.001-05:00

It seems that reading blogs is the only way that I can stay caught up on my friends' lives, so I thought I'd try my hand at reciprocating the information. I've never done this before...so bear with me.

For those who don't know me, here's a brief intro. I'm the homeschooling mama of two sons, ages 4 and 5. I'm married to a wicked awesome action figure of a husband and I love him to pieces. I'm a roofer in the summer (thus the name of the blog) and I'm also a writer.

Ok now that all that is out of the way, today was rather lovely. Hubby worked last night and so the boys and I had a sleepover. My youngest woke up complaining of a stomachache and the oldest was complaining of a sore throat. So I said "We should probably stay home from church." However, the longer they were awake, the "better they felt." No temps, no nothing. So me, making what I thought was a really great mom decision, decided we would drive the hour to church anyway. (We moved out of the area of our church but plan to move back soon so we still attend there. Occasionally. Because if you're going to spend money on gas, church is the place to go. Um...right?) Anyhow, my children are still of nursery age so I suck all that sitting-in-church-by-myself goodness that I can get until they HAVE to sit with me. So off they go to the "toy room" and in I go to "big church". Everything is fine until the sermon is over and the "toy room" 13 year old volunteer taps me on the shoulder and says "Um, your youngest just puked all over." Awesome. So I feel like the really crappy mom then. Like I should have believed the kid when he said he had a stomachache. Damn. So I go into the nursery, clean up the puke - because all the volunteers didn't have kids and were pretty sure they would sympathy puke if they had to be near it - and took my sweet children back home. Another hour.

Oh well, life goes on. There is always next Sunday. I'm singing for special music and should probably get going on what that exact song is going to be.