Wednesday, February 29, 2012

We get a boy and a girl, Poppie sometimes is not paying attention.

I checked my goat several times yesterday, two of mine were due to have babies and two of Mokies due the same day.  Copper and Caramel were running and jumping, Cubbie had one in a feeder laying with her, he just laid by her content to sleep on her shoulder.  Curious and Cartoons ran after babies they never did catch one but they gave it a good try.  Second had let one out of the pen so she jerked it up and dropped it hard on the ground she got in trouble for that.  I thought Jewels looked odd and would have hers first,  Lilly didn't look as uncomfortable.  We let the kids play in the pen for quite a while then we went over to check on Mokie's two does.  Snowpine and Ducky seemed to be a little aggressive toward one another but no real signs of progress.  We took the kids in the house,  I feed them sandwiches and Mokie took the older two to school.  Poppie held Bubbie on his lap, she sat up proudly and looked all around at her world.  When she sets on Poppie lap she gets to see so much more of the world, Poppie has long arms to wrap around her and she tucks into a nice little seat, a hole by his side, when Nannie and Mommie hold her she gets caught up in the "pillows" and doesn't get a good view of the world, plus her little seat is not nearly as roomy. She watched Cubbie run around the room,  We had been sitting there a little while and there was no sound coming from the table, Cubbie had finished her sandwich and come to entertain Bubbie, but not Curious or Cartoons. I went to check on them and there they were sitting in the same chair fast asleep, Cartoons head on Curious's shoulder,  I snapped a few photos I later sent to their mom's.  Curious's older brother said he thought that they should save the picture for future teasing use.  The pictures and the site of them was truly cute.

I got to go to CAKLS I had a great time catching up with all of my friends.  I got to share adult time and catch up on all the news of each of my friends lives.  I made arrangements for Lady to pick me up some coconut oil, Got to banter with Short's hubbie.  I got to share coffee, didn't eat the pie but brought Poppie a piece, I got to be out in the world with a wonderful caring bunch of ladies, one of my favorite things.  I came home dropped Mokie's car off at her house, talked to her for a minute,  I heard a baby goat screaming at my house so told her I had to go check on them.  Cubbie came along with me.  Cubbie went through the gate and was first to pass the birthing house, she said "Nannie a baby"  I thought she meant one of the older ones but when I looked in the house there lay a crying brown and white baby, he was crying his head off, no momma, I picked him up and went to find momma.  She was near the feeder with a little brown headed white doeling.  I told Cubbie to go get her momma, off she ran.  I tried to get the little male to nurse, he was a happy participant in that idea.  He couldn't stand on his back feet so I needed to give him some selenium.  The doeling was a lot littler but happily standing and nursing.  Mokie, Bubbie and Cubbie soon came over.  She said "dad just feed them and didn't see them?"  When Poppie came with the girls, he said they weren't here when I left,  Mokie and I think that she had had the baby in the birthing house but when he brought the hay past she had followed him out and given birth to the second one by the feeder and that is how they got separated.  The little brown one had faded into the dirt color and Poppoe hadn't seen him.  Jewels is a second year momma, first set of twins.  She is a good momma if not an attentive or overly protective momma.  The little doeling looks alot like her little Pokaspot that she had last year.  Pokaspot was killed by the cougar at the neighbors house last year.  The buckling looks alot like Pansy brown buckling that  was later named, Howard, I think.  We haven't named them yet.  I will name them with P names as I had named Jewels before we started the first letter thing and Pansy was Jewels momma so they will get P names.  I like Paisley for the doeling, not sure yet on the buckling.  I had a great day all toll yesterday.  Today I have listings to do, laundry, and have to get stuff together to go teach ladies to make soap at my mom's tomorrow.  Oh, and I am thinking Mokie may have babies this morning.  her ducky was starting to show signs of pushing last night...... tomorrow.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Boys are definitely a creature unto themselves. How else would we get men the same way?

I think one of my earliest memories of understanding that boys were different from girls is having two little brothers stair stepped younger than me as my playmates.  I am thinking I was around 4 when one day we were comparing parts as many a young child does.  It just seemed so odd to me that we all had different parts but mine were the only ones that you couldn't aim.   I had to hover over the pottie while them got to stand.  I had no idea at the time that all parts weren't different it is just that one of my brother were circumcised and one not.  I do remember that I did try my best to stand and go but that was never much of a success.  I spent my young child as a bit of a tomboy.  We got new neighbors and they spent the whole day playing with me and my brothers and had no idea I was a girl until my mom bathed me and I had to put on a dress, I had no hair so they hadn't even guessed, though they were much older 5 and 6.  I did have a little sister at the time but she was still really little so no girls to play with.  My "aunt" Margaret lived next door, if you can call the property next to fifty acres next door.  She had two little boys just younger than me.  My cousins lived a couple of properties over, I had three older girls cousins. One a girlie girl that didn't spend enough time with me for me to have any clear memories of her so I am thinking we didn't spend any real time together, oh I did think of one her combing her long hair in the mirror.  One way older and one that I did spend alot of time with, but as an adult she is married and has a beautiful wife, and I recall her being tougher than my two boy cousins who I did spend time with. One of them drowned his momma's chickens in a mud puddles so was mean enough I didn't spend alot of time with him, unless he was in a nice mood.  I do remember that being called his name by my mom was a terrible insult and if you were called him name you were in some big trouble.  So with this as the playmate pool I had as a little girl is it any wonder I am outspoken and not thought of as girlie girl?  It was a surprise to me as an older adult to find out that she is in there some where but the boys just scared her into hiding. 

I recall the new neighbor boys as liking snakes, alot, they used to chase me around with them and put them on my shoulder.  I to this day hyperventilate when I am to near one. (My friend Twins oldest daughter once brought one up to me and put it on my shoulder and I just couldn't even talk or scream, she meant no harm but I couldn't move.)  I remember about that time my dad getting a brand new car.  We took it on a road trip to visit my grandparents in Geer Idaho.  If you have never been to Geer it is in a canyon on the Clearwater river, the highway in on one side of the river next to the canyon wall, there is a bridge across to Geer it is all set on a step hill.  My Grandma Gladys and Grandpa Jim lived in a house a ways up the side of the mountain over looking the railroad tracks below.  We had a nice visit I am think but don't really recall.  I do remember coming out of the house behind my Momma after hugging my Grandma goodbye, she was carry my baby sister.  Dad was in front of her and we were going toward the car.  The two boys were already in the car.  All of a sudden the car started rolling down the drive and over the side of the mountain, it was a little mountain but a mountain none the less.  My dad, in his black cowboy hat, was running as fast as he could after the car, he never caught up to it, which is a good thing as it would have killed him had he.  The car continued down the bank and came to rest on it trunk against the railroad track and the bank.  My dad ran to the car and opened the door.  There inside of the car were a 2 year old and a three year old, scared to death.  They were none the worse for wear, well except for Red had a black toenail.  Mom and Dad were so happy they were alright that the fact that Dad's brand new car was totalled didn't even matter in the moment.  You couldn't even back a car up for months with them in the car or they would scream, lesson learned, don't play with the gear shift on a steep hill or any other time for that matter. 

The times those boys did something that we girls wouldn't have thought up in a million years are endless.  My Little Brother when he was just short of 18 months used to say ready set go and then charge across the room and head butt you.  You would cry and he would laugh.  He went with my dad to town one day and returned with a turban.  He had said ready set go and jump clean through the window on to the highway.  My dad stopped the truck and there he stood blood from head to toe saying "wait for me, wait for me."  We called the nurse a "bully brat" when she was scrubbing the gravel from his scalp, the doctor said it was the closest we had seen to having a patient scalped.  My dad passed out at 187 stitches, and my dad never passed out at anything, well except for when we went to Canada and Sister fell off the bed, as a tiny infant, and had to have stitches, maybe he only got jittery when his kids had stitches, I digress.  When my dad walked into the house with Little Brother in his turban all my mom could say is "I knew something was wrong with Little brother."  He had a lovely turban and in the photos taken the next day he also had two slices on his face where he must have felt the need to have a clean shave with his turban as he slice not one side of his chin with the razor but took a second swipe for good measure or maybe balance.  He never could run across the floor at full tilt and head butt you after that, a blessing to my head to be sure. 

I am not sure I will ever get how the little boys or the adult boys, I.E. mans, mind works for that matter.  I innocently thought maybe it was just my brothers that did these things on a regular bases, but no, when Goofy came along you could put her in the sandbox and she would stay there and play for ever.  Not so my Bug you set him in the sandbox turned to pick something up and he was gone.  We had an 80 foot tall bull pine in the front yard, and as I looked back there he was half way up it, not bad for a 2 year old, though his dad was not happy to have to climb up after him, he had no intention of coming down on his own, up was so much more fun.  That was only the beginning of our adventures with the Bug, he got more challenging every year.  Still looking forward to the day he balances out and settles down on all levels, sometimes I see glimpses but then they can be fleeting. 

My daughter in law always looks at me like I am crazy, or a bug, when I say boys are a whole different creature than girls.  Well Eldest isn't all that exploratory but he has his moments, he just hides them well from her.  I say, and I stand by it, to my dying breathe raising a girl is nothing like raising a boy.  I am so glad the Lord blessed me with 4 girls and a boy.  I am not sure I could have managed more than one, well then there was our foster Son,  He was a challenge unto himself and he did nothing make me think my opinion of boy wasn't right on the mark.  So today I leave you, telling you an more of the tales of the boys in my life would not go down well with the cornflakes, I tried to tell only the ones suitable for morning reading...lol..... tomorrow.

Monday, February 27, 2012

Piglets getting fat and sassy, Caramel and Copperhead froliced, Fat Goats in waiting.

Church was as inspiring and welcoming this week as it was last week.  The Lord has lead us to a home to worship him in, prayers requires patience to its fruition sometimes.  It was odd, yesterday in my blog I made a statement about sometimes you could be at the wrong church and may need to look for another one.  The same sentence came out of the Preachers mouth during the sermon, it was an assurance from God in some respects that we were where we were supposed to be.  It is nice to have a new family in Christ to praise God with. 

We stopped at the store and got stuff to make chicken dinner, ok, so I haven't done away with the non laying chickens yet so had to buy one, sad.... Came home made, the big dinner for lunch that Booboo is still getting used to.  The Ladies shared the blessing duties, as they have since they were little and could barely remember what to say to the Lord.  Shortly after dinner I went out with Poppie to see how the piglets and baby goats were doing.  The younger piglets are looking so good, it was surely a learning experience to have put them in with the older piglets, a mistake we will never make again.  They are so much bigger in just the short time we have had them apart.  They don't even look like the same piglets,  They are fat and sassy, and loving it.  The two baby goats were out in the pen with their momma and the other goats.  Copperhead has the neatest marking in the red color on his had almost a dappling of reds.  They were so cute as they ran around.  Saddie Sue tried to see what they were and Clea was having none of it.  She was ready to defend her babies from the danger of the tiny doxie.  It was so funny to see them head to head, not sure who would have won in the end.  Probably Cleo but I would never count Saddie Sue out in any contest.  The other does are all getting fat and look miserable.  Several of them will have babies any time in the next week.  It will be so much fun to see what color and sex babies they drop.  They could look like boar or be the color of their momma's breeding.  I am not quite sure when Glenda and Gladys are even due.  We think they were bred when they came but if not they would have gotten bred shortly after they got her so it will be fun to see what they have.  It was a nice Sunday all in all.

My mom called me late in the even, she wants me to come make soap on Thursday.  I have to check to see if I can get coconut oil that quickly.  I don't have any on hand.  I might be able to have Lady, pick some up for me in Zootown on Wednesday.  I know they have it at Walmart again.  I will have to see if I have lye on hand, I know I have one of the lyes on hand but need to make sure it is the sodium hydroxide.  If not I am not sure I can order it in by Thursday.  I asked if we could do it next week but the elderly lady that wants to learn is going to have surgery next week so I hope I can get it figured out for this week.  I am not sure where I could get lye in Zootown,  I do so hate meth makers it is so hard to get lye now.  I can't imagine putting it into my body like they do, well except on bagels, but I digress.  I have listings to do.  I have a lot of inventory and just need to buckle down and list it so I can sell it.  I need to do about 10 pieces a day.  I prefer to do a marathon of listing but they sell better and get looked at more if I list several pieces a day instead of all at once.  Coffee, is here and getting cold, and Poppie hates for me to drink cold coffee so have a great day...... tomorrow.

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Spring Fling was nice event. Church this morning, a glorious day with the Lord.

The venue for the Spring Fling was at the Elementary School Gym.  It was a bigger space much brighter and open.  The traffic was study but slow. There were several other local events taking place, wresting, basketball and a funeral for a beloved member of the community who was laid to rest. It was a great time to visit with friends, acquaintances and make new ones.  The Ladies bought a heap of books at great prices, they made  friends with the wood artist that was next to our table.  He later brought me a couple of his small pieces as gifts to them.  It was such a nice thing for him to have done.  He said they had been a help to him and made his day go by faster.  They had also been running with their friends a little and lost their markers in a giant wresting mat.  They will have to ask the secretary on Monday to help them get them back when the mat is opened up.  I spent time teaching Knitter how to longtail so that was fun. I also told her how it was legal to list her puppies on Craigstlist.  We had a nice visit.  Offered an acquaintance part of our space at the Flea market for her Relay for life sales.  I told her it would be my donation to the cause. Mokie won one of the raffle baskets.  Bubbie didn't like the whole thing all that much, she let us know that she would have preferred to be at home enjoying her day.  I was summoned by name across the room near the end.  I got over there to see what they needed me for and the lovely ladies from the Friend of the Library wanted me to be included into their group photos for the newspaper.  They gave me a shirt, and Booboo too, as she got to hold one in front of the group sign in the photo.  I was very honored to be included as one of them.  I told  TinyBell that I could use my new shirt as a pass for having no grandkids on Friends of the Library day,  she thought that was a nice idea in deed. Mokie talked Booboo out of her shirt, but paid for each of the girls to have a Library shirt that they are using as nighties,  It was all in a all a wonderful family friendly event.  People ate spaghetti, bought books, bid on the silent auctions, joined in the raffles, bought non-profit baked goods, crafts and all had a great time, such a wonderful growing event for out little town. I hope the Friends of the Library made enough to fill their coffers for all the events they give us throughout the year.  They are truly a blessing for our children's library experiences.

Off to Church this morning,  Sister may be going as well to check it out,  I do hope so I think she would enjoy going.  The girls can't wait to go back this morning.  Poppie is excited to go and that is such a blessing in my life, and his.  I know that I am prepared to have a joyous time, sharing and communing with the Lord.  I think that God intended that going to Church be an uplifting, soul cleansing, and God praising time.  I can't think of the words to describe what you should get out of going to Church when God is calling you to go, maybe there aren't words that can.  I also think that if you aren't getting that from your Church you could be at the wrong Church.  Church should not be a sad hollow happening.  If it is you are in the wrong place, either physically or spiritually.  Prayer can help you make it right and be in the right place with God.  God likes when we talk to him and how else is there but prayer?  Sing hosanna, sing hosanna, sing hosanna to the king of kings, everybody sing hosanna, sing hosanna, sing hosanna to the King.  Enjoy your day with the Lord, whether it be in your home, your church, the woods or your special place with God, I know I am going to.  Just think of the possibilities..... tomorrow.

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Spring Fling today, come on out if you want to enjoy the fun.

Today is the Spring Fling,  the girls made their foccacia's and pie to donate.  We had a great conversation about donating and give time to the causes that you hold dear in you life.  They understand the cause of a Library, in that they understand getting to participate in the events that the Library sponsors or puts on for the benefit of the children in our area.  They were excited that their baked offering will contribute to the outcome of the fundraising.  We had a nice baking time.  Yogie made the dough, sliced the apple, mixed the filling, rolled the dough, prettied the top and fluted the edges.  Booboo peeled most of the apples to help, she oiled her pans, kneaded onions, cheese, herbs in to her dough and shaped it into the pie pans to make the little foccacias.  I had made the dough earlier in the day so that it was nice and raise when they got home or they would have been up all night making it.

I am behind, have alot of stuff done but nothing is packed or ready to go. I have to pack up soap, upcycled items and just see what happens.  I had kids all day so didn't get alot of time to do it yesterday,  Bubbie actually laid under my arm and slept while I finished up 4 four of the 6 covers I have to have done by Monday.  I am convoing with another lady that wants some of my longies so should have an order for them early in the week.  I really have to make lots of new listings on Monday, I will have time then and am getting enough traffic to make the effort worth the doing.  I am glad I am getting lots of interest on my Etsy store.  That is really great, it took me awhile to get steady clients on Ebay so now that it is starting to happen on Etsy that is great, and gives me incentive to work harder at listing and making the upcycled items, I do really like to make them, makes me feel good to be green.  Well coffee to drink, and I have to get off my bum and get it in order or I won't make the Spring Fling and it should be so much fun, I would hate to miss it. ...... tomorrow.

Friday, February 24, 2012

Red is actually Caramel, Mokie gets a pair as well, Drama Queen meets them.



Poppie had just come home from taking the girls to school when Boy, Cubbie, Second and Curious came into the house excited. Boy said "A baby goat is coming."  Mokie came in behind them dropped Bubbie in my arms and off she went. I put Bubbie in the swing and went to see if I could help. Poppie stayed in the house with the kids, he didn't feel the need to go do more work on baby goats, especially ones not at his house. I started to leave the house, and Curious was pointing her finger saying "one baby goat"  she is actually making good strides again.  She went through a long spell of not doing good but whatever the stumbling block or whoever the stumbling block was, the block is gone now.  I went to see if I could help.  Son was still there had not left for work yet.  There was a nice little buckling on the ground, nice Boer baby, a little tiny black around his eyes and frosted ears but for the most part typical Boer color, his momma is half Boer so he is three quarters.  She has always had a single but not yesterday, there were little feet sticking out and there soon came a second little buckling, classic Boer coloring.  They are a little bit smaller than Cleo's but then their momma Flicka is half Nigerian, so they were a nice set of bucklings.  It is good that the Boer's had bucklings, our breeding concept st for food on the Boer end and the bucklings make good withers and nicer meat in the end.  Yogie remembered that Cleo was Red's momma so decided she had to change his name to Caramel.  So nice names for the bucklings at our house.  Unsure what Mokie and the kids will name theirs.  Mokie and I went back to the house babies and momma all tucked in,  the kids couldn't wait they all wanted to go see the babies.   So they got to go see, here they are.....
Worked on diaper covers, trying to get ready for the Spring Fling, but I have been selling diaper covers this week took an order for 6 last night and have to get them done and ready to ship.  I am so glad my upcycled items are beginning to get a clientele on Etsy.  I was going to donate a Peacock feather painting but in the end I made up a nice layette basket for the silent auction.  It is bits and pieces of alot of the items I upcycle all nice baby items.  The basket I picked up at a secondhand store a year or so back, it has the coolest grapevine handle.  If you are in the area tomorrow come on out to the Spring Fling there will be spaghetti, bake sale items, books, books and more books to buy and lots of crafters and non profits to visit.  It is the second annual and already it has out grown the first building. Yogie didn't go to AWANA's it was her choice to come home from school.  Booboo went.  I think in the end God was who Yogie wanted the relationship with and as she now has a warm welcoming alternative on Sundays she no longer feels the need to have to brave a fear to go.  Booboo just likes communing with the Lord and goes to both. 

Drama Queen and Princess came by to see the goat babies, piggies and all the other animals.  Drama Queen has been on a diet, and I hope a lifestyle change, since her heart attack.  She looks better than she has in years and years.  She asked me lots of diet and exercise questions. I know I don't look my best right now, but it is not because I don't eat a good diet, a good diet is a lifestyle change.  We are pretty close to the earth in our eating patterns here.  If God made it we eat it as close to the way he made it as we can, a good diet to have.  I am not big on the processed "good for you" things that the big food companies are promoting and getting our doctors to encourage us to eat.  We eat lard, butter and coconut oil, I only buy margarine for Poppie, he won't eat butter, he was raised on a homestead with no refrigeration and his Grandma made lots and lots of butter from the cows.  The end result in those days was rancid butter, he is getting a little better at eating it but whines, so I treat him to the margarine sometimes.  I just can't abide feeding him a compound only one molecule different than plastic, and don't get me started on rapeseed oil or cottonseed oil.  Drama Queen got an earful of my closer to the land philosophies.  I did tell her she needs to read my Nourishing Traditions Book, a wonderful read and lifestyle concept.  The bottom line is that I spend a great deal of time sedimentary, watching kids, knitting, crocheting, carving and working on art, which doesn't promote any exercise.  My lifestyle needs for me to be more proactive in the exercise department, no doing chores and getting firewood is not enough but it does keep me more healthy than someone who gets no exercise.  I have to start being more active, but where do I find the time? a dilemma to be sure.  My lifestyle is being a yo yo more than not,  80 down and 60 back, but as unbelievable as it may seem eating is not the evil in my life it is the lack of movement.  Now if I could just figure out to put it into my life in a routinal way.  Coffee, then the morning "tea", diaper covers to make, a fling to get ready for, carving orders on hold, baking to oversee with the girls later, see where do I find the time?...... tomorrow.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Poppie finds Copper and Red. Poppie to the rescue, he's good like that.

It was raining cats and dogs yesterday when we got up, the wind was howling and it was a nasty day.  Poppie decided to spend the day home again with me.  He was in a lot of pain from the weather, It is probably the most pain he is in of late. A nasty drop in the barometer and he is cut to his knees.  He helped with the vacuuming and we had a slow paced day. We had Cubbie, Boy and Second while Mokie took Bubbie to the doctor.  She is one hundred percent ok, her hips have passed all the tests.  The sun peaked out enough for the kids to start asking to go and play in the new snow.  I said they could go play in the back yard.  They hadn't been out of the house more than 15 minutes and they had wandered to the driveway and we playing by the trailer with the grain on it.  They hadn't got a chance to have Brother move it into the barns.  Poppie told them to get in the house.  I gave them a lecture each, a swat on their bums and told them to stand in the corner until Mokie returned,  they had been told several times a day, all week, not to go into the driveway.  Cubbie was in her corner for about 10 minutes when I let her out, she is a follower in this not a leader.  Mokie eventually came home and they got another lecture and she took them to pre-school.

Poppie kind of drug his feet about doing the chores so he decided they could be done then the girls got home from school, which is only really a couple hours after he normally does them anyway, I do them early when I do them.  The girls were just home when Yogie and Poppie came into the house with a surprise.  He had in his arms a nice fat very dry buckling.  Cleo had had a baby,  I asked him if there was another one, he said no just the one.  I said she always has twins. He said no, just the one, she had already dropped her afterbirth.  I called Mokie while we admired the baby.  She came over with her baby and kids in a flash, no coat and the wind blowing snow all around.  Poppie went out to finish feeding and she admired my baby with me.  Poppie came back in as Cleo was hollering for her baby.  he took the baby to the goat shed and tried to drag Cleo in with it but she wouldn't come.  Meanwhile Mokie and I were talking, she said no way there is only one she was too big and always has twins.  She decided to go help Poppie and look for herself. They looked at the afterbirth and looked around the feeder where it was.  The feeder is tight up against the small barn wall.  Poppie said wait I see something.  Down in behind the feeder was something white stuck between the wall and the feeder.  There was a little bum sticking up in the air.  Head down there lay a baby.  Mokie tried to help and said its dead, Poppie pushed the feeder out of the way.  There he was, and he was moving.  They got him out, he is the bigger twin.  lighter red head. They put him on the ground, Cleo was happy to see him, she knew he was there.  Took him a little bit to get his feet under him, but he is fine and dandy.  Yogie named the first one Red, he is a beautiful classic Boer.  The lost one is a little lighter in color and as I said a little bigger. Booboo called him Copperhead, Copper for short.  I will list them on Craigslist as bucks but if they don't sell, I will wither one for sure and maybe keep the other as a young buck, Caesar is 5 this year and a buck life expectancy is 8 to 10 years, so need to always be thinking of the future.  They are the best quality Boer's I have.  It was sure a blessing the the Lord send a storm that made Poppie late doing the chores, had he done them on time he wouldn't have been there to saved Copper and he would have died by tomorrows chore time.  God blessed us with a blizzard, babies do like to come in the snowing and the blowing.  But a blizzard and Poppie saved our buckling, love the way God sends us blessing...... tomorrow.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Burning the Koran, removing a public prayer, Obama ended the Iraq war, really?

Today on the news people were killed over the military burning the Koran, 2 reporters killed in Syria, a statue that has honored Veterans for over a half century and a child's campaign to remove a written prayer from a public place.  I read earlier in the week where Obama fulfilled his campaign promise to end the Iraq war, posted by a history major, what?  The Today show tried to explain how to be politically correct when talking about politics.  Ok, I am a self admitted moderate republican.  I find the Tea Party and the Occupy Wall Street movement both the end extremes of the same problem. I loved Nixon and took a lot of ribbing about him in my high school years. Yes, he got caught covering up his men's mistakes and yes, he should have reported them and not tried to cover it up but on the whole he was the model for my politics.  He was a moderate republican.  He meant the democrats in a place where they could actually work things out.  Do you really think the Tea Party and the OWS have time to shut up, see anything from the others point of view and figure out how to get our country back on track, not likely.  I find Obama to be as extreme as the tea partiests in the house and senate both causing our country alot of harm.  It is funny to me that any one would write a list of accomplishments for Obama and include the end of the Iraq, what about the July 18, 2008 agreement Bush signed with Iraq, Obama was just honoring an agreement that Bush already agreed too.  If you want to brag about your man at least credit him with something he actually did or set in motion. 

I think politics fueled by faith differences is much in the news.  Why should it be any different to burn the Koran than destroying a statue of Jesus or a Prayer displayed in public.  One we are demand to remove by the offended but the other we have to apologize for?  Both should be equally wrong.  I hate that the atheists want equal treatment in public displays but since they don't believe in anything they come out on top because they don't care about anything enough to display their passion.  So, to be politically correct we display nothing, isn't that their statue, their prayer, the government just enforced their beliefs on us in a public forum, the honoring of nothing.  I saw the little girl that is so adamant about the public prayer being removed.  She said when she was ten her mother had cancer and she prayed and prayed to God but God didn't hear her so there must not be a  God and she was out to make sure no one could honor publicly something that doesn't exist.  Ok, is that a spoiled child throwing a tantrum or what?  I pray to God all the time and never presume that God will always answer my prayers, my way, in my time.  She didn't get what she wanted when she wanted it so God must be a lie.  I am thinking she probably didn't have the faith and the patience to wait for God to answer her prays and didn't know enough about praying to know that it is God's will not ours.  I am sorry but I know lots of people dying of, or who have died of cancer; and just because I prayed to God they shouldn't have died or I got to disavow the fact that God lives. What? I think her faith was less than a mustard seed or never was there in the first place, or she was a ten year old who didn't understand pray in the first place and now has a jaded view of God.   I find it sad that the two reports died in Syria but that was part of their passion and job.  Doesn't that bring new light to the Social Media war, the Arab Spring, that a year ago the young people thought it was going to change the world in a peaceful manner with out blood shed, to the history majors of the world, young and old, study your history and pay attention or you will repeat the past.  Revolution doesn't occur without the passion of youth and the bloodshed of innocent bystanders.  Change always has a cost, sometimes huge atrocious costs, look how many have already died and how many will follow.  If it is worth the cost these people are willing to pay to change their world it will happen, but not by sitting at home behind a computer screen, anyone who thought so was deluded and not paying attention.  Obama is touted for bringing health care to the US, well is the end result of health care going to be the cost that Europe, and especially Greece, is currently paying, surely the Senate, the House and the President can get off their bums and compromise to make it something we can all live with, without breaking the backs of our children for generations..... just a few words of thought about today's news and headlines.... tomorrow.

One down and one to go, well half of one, Kids this morning. Getting ready for the Spring Fling.

I have mentioned my teeth on more than one occasion, I am sure, but yesterday while holding Bubbie so she could talk to the world, well any one in her world that wanted to listen.  She was in my lap setting against my knee smiling at Poppie as he talked to her from his chair to mine any way.  I was rocking her with my knee and worrying my tooth.  The broken one is pretty wiggly at this point, so I and just wiggling it like a little kid does their teeth, when I decided to wiggle the wisdom tooth on the other side, it is always much more painful and sometime when I eat I accidentally bite wrong and it causes me lots of pain.  It has a big callous around it from the slow movement it has made over the last 4 years.  I wiggled it a little and Poppis sort of growled at me, as he doesn't like me worrying them.  I felt it pop all of a sudden, I had felt the pop before, when I finally worked the first half of the broken tooth out.  I worried it more, and tried to be sneaky about it as Poppie was not happy with me.  I pushed really hard on it and it came out all of a sudden, I was happy but the pain was shooting.  Bubbie was smiling at the world and just happy to be there in my lap.  I held the tooth in my hand and let the waves of pain wash over me.  I finally told Poppie it was out, he was glad but still doesn't like me worrying them, so now I only have half of one to go.  I took some Tylenol, which didn't help much, and went to bed after Mokie picked up the kids.  It was funny, the tooth hurt coming out but the underlying pain on the bone that has been constant for so long was gone, what a blessing.  This morning, I feel lopsided bone pain on one side and nothing on the other, well a little pain from it coming out but the bone pain is gone. I am hoping to worry the other one out soon, it will be so nice to have the pain gone.  It has been way to long in coming.  No, I am not my mother, I did not use a leather punch and morphine, and a child to keep me awake.  I was patient and subtle.  There is a difference, and no it is not just semantics.

I had the kids yesterday, Mokie got called into work, it was nice to have Poppie home, he was in a lot of pain, still is this morning.  I think I have kids this morning while Mokie takes Bubbie to the clinic but just for a short while.  I finished an order of diaper covers, convoed with a couple of people that may want Upluks or covers.  I am actually beginning to get regular orders, I tweaked the covers a little and think I like the changes better, my designs are ever changing, I like the R&D of designing.  I have to send a little cashmere dress out today, took an order to carve two dragons.  I am hoping to get some pen and inking done later.  I will hold off on most of my antler work until after Saturday.  Saturday is the Second Annual Spring Fling Fundraiser for the Library.  They have a spaghetti feed, bake sales, book sales, and craft booth spaces.  They are also having a silent auction,  I am going to donate a peacock painting to the auction and a basket of upcycled baby items to the raffle.  The girls will get to come with me.  I think Mokie and maybe Bubbie, not sure about Bubbie.  Booboo and Yogie are going to make something to donate to the bake sale. 

I have whined long enough, no more whining about my teeth or the kids.  I do so love the kids I just get exhausted once in awhile, but their little smiles make up for it, Bubbie's is huge.  Cubbie always says "Nannie I love you", especially after I give her something to eat.  Bubbie and Cubbie, both love me they just say it differently or the way they can at the ages they are.  Boy is on much better behavior he doesn't want Poppie banning him from our house again. Coffee, what a lovely man..... tomorrow.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Four ton of grain hauled, stopped by Grandma and Grandpa's, nice day away.

We got up bright and early yesterday, we had ordered two ton of grain and Son and Mokie two as well. Poppie borrowed Thor's truck, we sure can't wait for ours to be fixed and back on the road.  Maybe we were to learn patience and be humbled by not having Poppie's truck to drive, God works in mysterious ways sometimes. I made arrangements to meet Twin there she had saved me up a couple garbage bags of woven wool, as it is a wool no one is using to upcycle yet it is pretty easy and inexpensive to get.  She has a great resource for wools so had collect a bunch for me to figure out how to use in my upcycling.  She is an upcycler as well, we make very similar but totally different styled items, sort of like being a twin from a difference mother but as different as night and day, our life story.  We got to the feed store no problems, Twin gifted me with the wool. The girls got to see cows and bulls.  Four ton was a heavy load but the grain store man and Poppie got it balanced on the trailer so it wasn't to heavy on the truck,  it rode well but we had to go slow.  We stopped at Mom and Dad's on the way back,  the trailer tire was low so couldn't stay long but we did have a nice visit.  The girls and I had taken soap to Grandma.  The girls and the triplets had a great time.  Dad showed me all the driftwood he had collected from a massive drift wood build up near there house. My mom asked me to come and teach her friend, who is in her 80's, to make soap. I told her I would be glad to but would like to ask one of her old friends from when I was a little girl that is from near where she lives and a friend of hers that she had introduced me to on facebook but I have not yet meant.  It would be a nice time to share and visit with one another. Mom would also get to meet a new friend and reconnect with an old one.

Poppie is very sore from the trip yesterday, he can't go help his friend this morning.  Traveling in a vehicle is one of the most painful things that Poppie does. He will need a day or two to heal up from the travel, that is pretty typical and always the way of any traveling we do.  It will be nice to have the day with Poppie, but I think Mokie is going to get him to go rescue her car, she doesn't know he is in pain.  She had a flat tire on the road last night, Poppie had told her that if she didn't stopped driving her car on that low tire it would happen but some kids have to learn the hard way.  I will let her know how much pain he is in so hopefully she will help him more and it will go smoothly. We also have grain to unload from the trailer, thank goodness Brother does it with is son's bobcat.

 I have several upcycled orders to make up.  I am glad my upcycled items are starting to sell more, I know with my sensitive lungs, that carving is going to be something I can do less and less as I get older, it will be sad to lose my carving, I do love it so. I can wear a hepa filter, and have one but it drives me crazy so I am not good at remembering to do it. I do love the upcycling and my mind keeps creating new ideas for me to explore, which is half the fun.  Just finished crotcheting a couple of covers and got an order for more, and maybe a pair of upluks..... tomorrow.

Monday, February 20, 2012

Church was a joy, a blessing for our souls, our Ladies and ourselves. The Lord be Praised.

The Ladies were up bright and shinning yesterday. They eat their breakfast and had their little dresses on by 8 o'clock.  They wanted me to curl their hair right then and there. I told them that since they both had hair like me, on different levels, that I wouldn't curl it until 9.  I told them to read to one another and tidy up the front room.  Their excitement was barely contained but somehow they made it to 9.  I put 4 big ringlets into Yogie's hair.  Booboos took six.  Yogie's, amazingly enough, last a little longer, but her hair is a little thinner. I sprayed hairspray on them to keep the curl in as long as possible.  I rarely put any product in their hair, or mine for that matter, we had found, unscientifically, that our homemade goat soaps don't seem to work on people's hair that use alot of product or cream rinse on their hair. We made our own flax based rinse.  I think the soap has enough good oils and goat milk in it that it doesn't need it and the product plus shampoo causes a feeling of residue and build up.  The shampoo liquid or bar, works better for people that don't use product.  I know I digress.  Poppie gave them each 4 quarters and had me right a check for the offering and off we went.

We got to the Church and Miss Violin came out to greet us, she and I had spoken of our going to Church and she had been so kind in our discussions and welcoming, there she was again opening the door and excited to have new children to teach God's word to.  The Preacher and his wife, Pianist, were there to greet us,  they offered us coffee, I was too excited to have any but the offer was so refreshing, I had never been offered coffee before Church.  We all got to know each other a little bit, the Church has coffee each Sunday, once a month a little breakfast snack and once a month a buffet, or potluck.  I felt at home from the moment I walked in the Church.  We shared a bit of family history and who we might know in common.  Preacher and Pianist, recognised the girls from the farmers market.  We share our past Church associations, I explained the Church I was raised in is no longer here in town and we had made a choice not to go out of the community to go to Church.  I feel that you should go to Church in your community and build community love of God and a network of support where you live.  I told them that the girls went to AWANA's but due to extenuating circumstances that the Church that sponsors the AWANA's was not going to be a good fit for us as a family.  The girls would probably still go, if they chose too. Poppie and I had also been raise and gone as adults in Churches more similar to their Church.  They were very understanding and welcoming.

The service started and we began with Jesus Loves Me, the Preacher made it a participatory song, it was fun and kept the girls involved.  His lesson was inspiring, then there was a small intermission, and more people joined the service.  Two more children came, after a short resinging of the two selected songs, where again we got to participated during Jesus Loves Me.  Miss Violin and her dear mother sang a lovely piece to the congregation, she played the violin durin offering,  then she took the children to Sunday school and the Preacher gave us an inspired sermon.  The service was lovely from beginning to end, I think we felt so welcomed it made us feel at home. I was so happy to come home with the love of Jesus, God and a Church that really wanted us there, they didn't just acknowledge us and go on about their business they really wanted us there.  They really were glad they came and we were glad to have gone.  We will be going back again next Sunday.  I am hoping to talk to Sister, as she and I were both looking for a Church to go to in our community over the last few years since our Church really left the community when Dad and Mom moved, dad was the Preacher.  I do hope she will come and see if she likes it.  Lord be praised that he brought us to Church in his time, waiting to go was a lesson in patience but waiting to go to the right Church was a blessing to be sure... tomorrow.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

The day the Pig rodeo came to Nannyland, mud pooh and kids of all sizes.

I got to go out and help do chores in the morning yesterday.  I hadn't been out for a while hoping to get the cold out of my lungs.  It was a lovely crisp morning.  I noticed right away the littlest pigs looked to be not growing at the pace they had been.  Poppie sees them everyday so didn't really see a difference.  I told him right away we had to get the two bigger pigs away from the littler ones they were stealing all of their food.  Poppie was a little frustrated that he hadn't seen it so we had a long debate on where we could more them too, and decided in the end we would board  Swiss Miss Chops in to her pen in the barn and give the piglets her outbuilding and outside yard area.  We also had to make sure Caesar's pen was secure for him.  He had been in with the ladies since September, but as it will soon be birthing time he had to go back to his pen.  Cinnamon is going with him, he is over from Mokies until hers are done birthing.  Poppie used most of a roll of wire shirring up their fence, Cinnamon can jump Caesar can not so had to make sure no one could escape and go walk about.  Poppie worked on the pen, I helped pull up wire and lead Mishka on my wrist or put her leash over a fence post, she is learning not to wander but to stay with us when we are out side.  Mokie came over and left Bubbie with the Booboo, who was supposed to be cleaning her room but mostly drawing pictures and working on her artwork.  Yogie and Boy played in the yard, fed the bunnies and played in the snow.  Cubbie kind of wandered around from us to Mokie.  Mokie was cleaning out her goat pens, Poppie had to chainsaw the bottom of the gate free from the ice for her.  He got the buck pen done and we went in and had a coffee break before we went to work on the piglet pen.  Once we had our coffee I found an old section of double picket fence that worked as a barrier for the purpose of separating the pens, so know building just screwing it up securely.  The pen making done it was time to catch pigs.

Mokie agreed to help us as Son was painting one of the kids bedrooms.  We at first decided we would catch the two bigger one rather than move the seven smaller ones, less work right? not so much.  Mokie got on her rubber boots, and climbed into the pen.  The spring like weather has made it a six inch to a foot deep soup of pig poop and mud that would be a lovely mud bath at any fancy resort.  It looks like a nice mud pudding.  She climbed in and tried to catch one of the bigger pigs, after a few minutes of chasing them it was obvious she wasn't going to catch them.  She kept getting stuck in the mud, her boots would suction when she got in the deeper areas, Boy climbed over the sty and was stuck in his new boots.  We told him to get out and come let Nannie wash his boots off with the hose.  Yogie got on her older boots and jumped in with Mokie,  Booboo came outside to help, Son had taken Bubbie.  We told her she had to go get a different pair of shoes on, she came out a little later in my tennis shoes, but as she was needed she got in any way, now I have to wash my shoes.   She was not all that happy about helping once she got in, Mokie got mud on her and she cried.  I told her to just get over it and help.  We, by this time, decided to move the smaller pigs, they were easier to catch and we were actually able to lift them over the fences, hadn't thought of that at the onset of our plan.  Most of them took all three of us to get them over the fence, Poppie and I carried them across the goat pen to the new piglet pen.  It was still not easy catching them, some of them Yogie scarred to Mokie and she would grab them.  Some got away as a grease pig with slippery muddy pooh will do.  Mokie lunged and fell full body into the muddy soup, came up with mud down the whole front of her.  Yogie and Booboo had mud to their knees.  Mokie caught the last two by cornering them in the house and dragging them out.  The little piglet were happy to be in their new pen with no big bullies to eat all the food and pick on them.  We should see a marked difference in no time in their sizes.  I felt I had let Poppie down not helping out lately but now I am much healthier for having not been outside. It was a lovely day all in all, and I can still see Mokie laying in the mud, all had laughed when she fell in, even her.  It was too funny not to.   The goats and pigs are all where they are the safest from other animals, and spring is on its way.  I have a mud bath to prove it.  Sunday to enjoy a day with the Lord we going to try out a Church today, the girls can't wait...... tomorrow.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Whitney Houston going home, kids with no momma yesterday, huuuuh.

Mokie called to ask if I would take care of kids yesterday around 8, Poppie and the kids had gone and I was happily heating 5 pounds of beans to soak and can.  I have now canned 23 quarts and 3 pints.  I was just trying to finish the 20 lb bag up, then make Upluks, and clean house.  I had a long talk on the phone with Mokie, explained that Boy no longer had an invitation it visit as Poppie had withdrawn it.  I could hear Boy in the background screaming after we had had a long talk where I explained that Poppie could not longer stand Boy abusing his momma.  She hung up, I smelled beans.  I hurried into the kitchen to find my large pan of beans stuck to the burner burning away.  I was not happy, I as a child of 10 had ruined my grandmother Thelma's pan the same way.  I was able to get the pan to pop from the burn, pan not ruined just 5 pounds of beans.  They made a wonderful treat for Swiss Miss Chops, she enjoyed having them.  I had just cleaned up the mess, and had no canning to do, when Boy came into the house.  He came over and said, Nannie I am sorry. (he apparently had gotten in alot of trouble from his momma, he even got a spanking)  I said he would have to talk to Poppie and that Nannie didn't want to hear him being mean to anyone and especially not his momma or I would send him home.  He said with sadness is his voice he would be good.  His momma and the kids came over about 10 or 15 minutes later.  I was to take care of Curious, Cartoons, Second and Boy.  Mokie wouldn't take him to see Grandma White or get grain, she was going to get some grain to tide them over until Poppie and I go on Monday, we are getting 4 tons.  She told him she didn't want him being naughty at Grandma and Grandpa's.  He was to stay with Nannie, help with the kids and talk it over with Poppie.  I actually had a good day with the kids.  They played outside and Curious, of her own accord sneaked over to Mokie's yard, so had to come in the house and stay with Nannie.  The other two came in a little later and they had lunch, Curious began to cry over having to have lunch.  I told her "you don't even know what I am serving so just get up to your chair and eat."  She saw I meant business and got up and ate her spaghetti and milk.  They were not allowed to watch cartoons as they had tore up my room, threw all my blankets on the floor and played with my knitting machine the day before.  They had to stay in the front room watch cooking shows or play with toys.  They actually played with the toys and all got along quite well. Curious and Cartoons were picked up around 4, Second had gone around 2.  Poppie got home around 1 and wouldn't accept boys apology.  He said I have heard it before you are always mean to your mom.  He gave him quite a lecture.  Boy sat in his chair and cried quietly.  He then said, ' Poppie I am sorry and will be good."  Poppie said, "we will see but you need to be telling the truth cause you can't stay at our house if you are going to be naughty."  I think they finally worked it out to some satisfaction.  Hopefully Boy has learned his lesson.  Mokie picked him up around 4ish.

This morning, I have been watching the coverage of Whitney Houston's death and Going Home.  I think it is very sad.  I still amazes me how people with so much have so little in their lives that they cope with it with the drugs.  I know she may not have died of the drugs but whether she did or didn't she lived her later life in a haze much of the time.  I don't belief that money and the things that go with it are a blessing.  I think she had a blessed childhood.  She seemed to have had a lovely relationship with a good Church and she loved God to the best of her ability.  Isn't that what is all about,  her song "Didn't we almost have it all"  sang to my heart when I saw her singing in her choir as a little girl.  She did have it all, she was one of God's own.  We should never judge the heart of a person, that is entirely between God and them but even her last song spoke to God, "Jesus loves me" and in the end she knows he did.  Godspeed to a lovely sad life with ups and downs, don't we all have them in ours?....... tomorrow.

Friday, February 17, 2012

Goofy, Elvis and Chubbie come to visit. Cousins get to know each other.

Goofy brought Elvis, who was born two years ago on the eighth January, and Chubbie, to visit and meet their Nannie and Poppie.  Chubbie, is 8 months old, was preemie, so funny enough is almost the same size as Bubbie.  Bubbie is actually longer, but Chubbie is heavier.  They definitely look like cousins.  Took photos of one and all, (will add some to the blog later as I have to do it from the other computer)  the babies sat on Mokies lap and sort of looked like a set of twins.  They live on the boarder of Arizona and Mexico so it was a special visit that doesn't come often.  They will be in town until Monday, so will get to see them some more before they go.  The girls were happy to have the little ones to visit.  Goofy, is very thin and has ulcerated colitis so is battling that.  She unlike Poppie is still addicted to the smoking, so I hope she can over come that in the future. Mokie took them out to see some of the goats as they were leaving and Goofy was afraid of the nicest goat so not sure what she will think of Ceasar.  Goofy picked out Upluks for her little ones, I hope they enjoy them. Elvis liked the Barbie motor home and yacht, ok, so the girls live here and we don't have GI Joe toys, but he did seem really interested in Barbie and her dress. We all had a wonderful time getting to know our grand babies.  Chubbie, like all babies thought that Nannies pillows were the most comfy and decided she needed a nap right then and there.  Little Niecy does the exact same thing when she comes.  I guess Nannie is a baby comforter, I think a good thing in the end assessment of things.

Curious had an odd day, she actually ate the breakfast I gave her, which never happens she usually screams at me, and the burger Mokie brought her from Zootown.  Mokie couldn't have her teeth done as the swelling is not completely down yet, but she did get a temporary reline. Curious, is back to talking better again, she went through a stage of refusing to talk for the last couple months.  She was very verbal yesterday and wanted me to know the backpack was hers.  I said yes it was but since it was here she didn't need to worry about it.  She got her pannies out and showed them to me.  I asked her if she used them at home, She smiled and said yes.  I said you can put them on and be a big girl here if you will used the pottie.   She smiled and said NO.  I told her that she couldn't wear them at my house unless she would used the pottie, she shock her head and said no.  So, I told her she had to put the pannies up and away in the back pack.  I hope she starts using them here,  I think she does very well with them at home, she just refuses to us them at Mokie or my house.  Sometimes she is alot of work, makes me very tired on the days she is here when there are babies and other kids.  I only had 5 yesterday, and then Goofy's so a house full.  Mokie was back around noon, so only a few hours.  Mokie told me she had another appointment on Tuesday, I gave  her the evil eye, she said I forgot and called to make the appointment for a different day, so I can do my Tuesday stuff.  Really it is the only day of the week I have really any plans and she always messes them up.  I am glad the appointment was changed.  I am planning of visiting the Herbalist and going to CAKLS. 

Poppie brought me coffee, and a day without kids, well a day without kids doesn't mean no kids it just means a day with kids with moms so I don't have to do all the work.  Boy was really naughty last night, tired, but naughty.  The rule is if you are mean to your mom at Nannies, she doesn't like it and disciplines the naughty child.  Elvis got a lecture from Nannie and Boy got in real trouble, actually per Poppie, Nannie is to tell Boy if he is as naughty today as he was yesterday, he is not to be at Nannie's house when Poppie gets home.  Boy is to apologize to his mom and not be so mean and rude or Poppie doesn't want to see him.  That should help Boy have an attitude adjustment, Boy does like to come visit and loves Poppie.  Coffee to drink and a message to deliver to a little boy when he comes this morning.... tomorrow.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Poppie comes to the rescue, grain to order, kids today, a new year of pages.

I guess that I am on to the second year of postings on my blog.  I, as most of you know, will never write the next great American novel, don't want to and don't care to.  I have never blogged as a way to become famous, get recognised or share great kernels of wisdom that people can't live without.  I know that alot of bloggers do, but no not looking for that here.  I do read blogs and it is surprising how many are very similar.  Most are about cute little families living cute little lives, alot of those are very good Christian families sharing God with their readers,  I am not sure I fit into that category but then maybe I do.  Some blogs are bout ranting and raving anger issues, others are wonderful recipe or craft blogs, while still others are Church messages or political agendas, I am thinking maybe mine is mostly a diary.  My grandmother Gladys was a great diary writer.  I remember once ready a page or two out of one shortly after her death.  Two of my aunts had dibs on her diaries and were fighting over them at the time, so I wasn't able to truly enjoy then, and in the end I am not sure who got them.  One still claims the other did something with them, and neither admit to having them, sad I would so like to get to share them.  I have decided on that note, anyone who wants to can read mine so there is no danger of it being stolen I am giving it away to any and all who care to share it.  A new year of clean pages.

Earlier in the week while at his friends house Poppie saved to baby lambs.  The lambs weren't expected to arrive until next month but Poppie was helping to clean a rabbit cage when he heard an odd noise that wouldn't stop.  He final walked down to the barn area to see what was going on.  There at the top of the horse pen was a tiny little white lamb, screaming her little head off, no other sheep around.  Poppie picked her up and went over to the sheep pen and there was a second one, that one nearer to it's momma.  He picked them both up and put them in a little sheep stall, the Shetland Pony had been trying to stomp the second one he found so he figure they need to be off with their momma without the other animals for a bit.  He called me on the phone by accident while trying to call his friend with the information.  His friend immediately joined him and they got them all tucked in safe and sound.  Professor hadn't been expecting them for a month, but it seems the little rams that they hadn't paid attention to last fall were doing a duty that was to be reserved for the big ram.  It looks like two other ewe's are soon to have babies as well, at least this time they will be expecting them.

Hoping to go get grain on Friday, maybe the Professor and Herbalist will come along this time,  they would like to check out where we get grain so that will be a nice little excursion.  I can't imaging going some place with Herbalist and it not being an exciting excursion.  I will have the kids today, Mokie has to go have the reline done on her dentures.  They will take her teeth away at 8 this morning and send her on her way, she will have several hours of shopping time in Zootown, without her teeth.  I am not sure how much fun that will be but at least she won't have to drag the baby, who had her shots this week and is still not happy about it, around. I am not sure how many I will have between 3 and 6 but Poppie will be here part of the time to help so that is good in the long term. 

I made my first batches of pressure canned food yesterday.  I wanted a canner with the wing nuts and a thicker one.  I looked at a lot of them and they varied from 200 to 600 dollars.  Really pretty much out of my range.  I looked on eBay, I know used ones are not recommended but I came across one I liked.  It was an old but a very simple model.  I is around 82 years old.  It looked in immaculate condition.  There were lots of pictures, including ones where he had used it.  I bid on it and due to my sneaky eBay skills, of biding odd pennies over what I am willing to pay got it.  I won if for 70.47 plus shipping, the other bidder thought they would be sneaky and bid 70.07 at the last minute, but I never bid zero zero bids, I am the queen of eBaying. Ok, seriously, I still worried until I got it, it didn't come with a manual and I spent the week it was being sent scanning the Internet for info on it.  I have found that through much studying, that it is a National brand, loved by many a housewife, but it is more like the newer All Americans.  I did read that I should have the gauge checked of accuracy, and my friend at the extension office reminded be of that again last night on facebook.  I will have it checked soon.  I received it in the mail and it is prettier in person than in photos.  I have seen ones a couple years old that are not in as nice condition, so that gave me some confidence to use it.  Herbalist was over and I asked her how to use it, though I had read three different manuals in the last week on how.  She explained it the way I had read it so I had a little confidence that I could do it.  Yesterday morning, I brought up the manual on my computer, and was ready to go.  I did every step word for word,  I succeed.  I manage to make 8 quarts and 3 pints.  I am so proud.  I had been doing a bad thing for years, using old recipes to make vegetable water bath style, I know that is not good but I was so scared of the pressure canner I had paralyzed myself to the need to do so.  I have now conquered a fear I have carried for 38 years.  Poppie and I spent the afternoon looking for a bigger one to buy as a second pressure canner, we actually ended up liking the process better than water bath.  I regret that my fear had limited me for so long.  I am a new person today with a new toy.  Look out meats, veggies, soups. stews, the possibilities are endless.  As Twin told me, I may never need the grocery store again.... tomorrow.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Today is the end of my year of daily blogging. It has been a journal, and a life's journey.

I began my blog as a bit of a lark a year ago today. I originally thought it would be a place of listing recipes, stories of our life here at Nannyland, a place to say what I want, and a place to grow as a person.  My intent was to write it for my kids, grand kids and as a testament to the Lord in some respects, with the hope that one person would read it and check out the Bible, and maybe find the Lord. I am not sure that that has always been the path that it has taken, I do think that I have tried to be faithful to that endeavor.  I know that it was my original goal to write everyday for a year, I have upheld that goal and have never missed a day, there have been a few days that I found I have more to say than one post a day would hold so wrote two, I have written 402 past posts. I have found it interesting to see number one anyone interested in reading my blog and then amazed at the amount of people who did and returned.  I have now had 12,337 page views, since August I average about 1400ish or more a month.  I have had over 35 countries visit my page, and a number of those countries consistently.  My first regular visiting country was Italy which I couldn't fathom why, later I learned it was my friend Lady Hero visiting when she was there.

I think in many ways I have stayed true to my original intent but along the way, I found no one really was all that interested in my recipes, and are the least read posts I have made.  I see the most page views when the blog is controversial and in your faces but I don't think that is the best representation of who I am or what my blog is about, I can be in your face so that is a legitimate part of my blog and I am not ashamed of any of those pages.  I have many readers who read for the animals, kids and the simple paced life we are allowed to live, we have no expectations of doing anything great or out of the ordinary just stumble along through our lives, and those reader enjoy the journey with us.  My readers vary alot sometimes, any where from 124 as an all time high and as low as 2, but that was in the beginning, usually now I have around 30 to 50 but can and do hit 90ish a day, but usually only if I have been mouthy.  I am not sure how the readers know that that blog is even there, maybe those ones are shared more, don't really know.  I have not started a "new" blog, that shows the me now and change meant change of blog.  I have a friend who starts a new blog every time she changes her ideas about what her blog should be.  No, you only get this one a darwinish evolution of me at my most blunt, basic and honest.

I have found peace in my blog, explored my past ( and still am), worked through issues with friends, neighbors, my kids and family, shared the coming of my grand kids and my relationships with them.  I have shared my love of animals and the never ending changes that occur when they are apart of your life,  You have gotten to know me in ways I am not sure you wanted to but I have always been, or tried to be, honest about who I am, what I believe and where I hope to go with my life.  I have let you share my life with my kids, grandkids, some of my friends, and most of all my love of the dear and wonderful Poppie.  I have tried to share my love of God, though I am sure some would say I fall short of what they expect a relationship with God should be, really?  I think in the end God gets to set the pace of his relationship with anyone and it is not for anyone to judge the relationship God has with anyone.  Remember that when you look down your nose on what you perceive as some one not being a Christian, how would you know the heart of anyone but yourself, do you even know your own heart that well?  I have loved every minute of blogging and am thinking I will continue on my way, I am not swearing to a daily blog for the next whole year, but do like the morning cleansing of my soul that it gives me, so I am thinking I shall continue on.  I invite you to share my journey, as some of you have, if you click on to the next blog thinking what drivel that is ok too, your life is your own and you get to decide your own path.  I am proud to have shared with those of you who get even a moments interest, joy or sadness from my posts.  I am a work in progress and you are invited to watch me fail, succeed, crash, grow and love.... tomorrow.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Valentines Day, a day of love, but isn't everyday we have a day of love?

I remember the exact minute that I meant Poppie, only 32 years, 3month, 21 days, 8 hours, 20 minutes ago, I am not sure that sounds as romantic as when a teenager or a young married couple says it but does it make it any less about the love I share for a wonderful man? I have loved him from the moment I meant him, I didn't have a great torrential love hate relationship where it finally came to me in an epiphany that I really love him.  I just saw him and immediately felt a sense of wanting to know him, protect him from the world and be with him.  He has made my life complete, he has never dominated me, I have always been able to walk right up to the edge of what I could get away with and in one little word he can make me know I need to stop, if that is obey I obey my husband.  He is my friend, my co-parent, my workmate, my life and my lover.  I can not and don't ever want to imagine a day without him.  He completes me in a way I can never explain, and many a person have shaken their head at our pairing over the years, but I am not sure it matters what others think of us, it only matters what we think of us.  He is the whole world to me and I would have lived a lesser life without him.  I just love him.

My kids surprised me with hand drawn hearts as soon as they got up.  They proudly displayed their art work to me and told me they love me, it anything more special?  They love me just because.  I will surprise them with something special later today.  Poppie rarely does anything for Valentines day, but always wakes me up sometime after midnight to tell me happy what ever day he is expressing love to me about, simple but he is a simple man, and he did today as well. A couple of days ago he mentioned he may take me to dinner, that is a surprise and we may go.  I have Booboo's bug from Friday, a good thing is that in the end it wasn't her tummy but a bug everyone can share, and she shared it with me.  I still have a headache and sick tummy, it sort of comes and goes but maybe it will go this morning and stay away and we can go.  Mokie has offered to have the girls for pizza.  I have the kids today, so Bubbie can go have her sonogram.  The Doctor checked her again yesterday when she got her shots and her hips seems to be getting better, as most babies out grow it, but they still want to do the sonogram to make sure they don't miss something so. Curious, Boy, Cubbie and Second for sure maybe Cartoons but I don't know.

Happy Valentines to one and all, I hope you get to spend it with the ones you love.  I will think of my dearest, my kids and my grandkids today.  They are all special Valentines in my life and have made my life better for their being in it.  Coffee from Popppie..... tomorrow.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Dog training, Mishka is the easiest and smartest dog we have ever trained.

We do so love our giant puppy, she has just turned four months old and is just a little bit smaller than our Lab/golden retriever cross. She is very lovable and always forgives, eventually, I have never heard her growl.  She settles disputes with the great Sadie Sue, our doxie, by putting her paw on her and holding her down until she is ready to play again.  She was dropped into the middle of my front room with a wonderful yellow bow.  She laid there like she was in a very frightful place, having never been in a house, and looked like a lost soul.  She wasn't sure what to make of all the petting and attention, having been one of five with nothing that the Herbalist found remarkable about her so she was kind of left to her own and didn't even have a nick name like some of her siblings.  I loved her from the first time I saw her, when Poppie gifted me with her I was so happy to have her.  I named her right away and she knew her name in less than an hour.  I thought that that was very bright of her.  I am still amazed by her quick intelligence and ability to learn.  She can lead, but likes it better when a child is doing the leading and will happily lead well for a child, did from the moment we put a leash on her.  If I lead her I have some success if Poppie leads her she is obstinate, I don't think she always wants to do things Poppies way.  She learned to sit with in minutes of Poppie and Yogie working with her.  She learn to shake her paw with you yesterday afternoon after a few minutes of working with her, she will shake if you say shake or if you click your fingers at her.  She is a bit of a wanderer but we are working on that.  She isn't wandering to be naughty I think just curious.  Poppie put her leash on her and then put her on the porch you would have thought he had beat her, she lay there liked she was tied up and she pouted.  Poppie, after awhile, felt sorry for her so she came in the house.  I think she must have been paying attention to child discipline at the this house.  If one of the kids are naught they have to stand in the corner.  So when Poppie let her in the house, from being on the leash and naughty, she immediately went to the corner and sat with her nose in the corner, she would look around every little bit like the kids do.  We thought it was funny and a fluke but the next time she was naughty she went to the corner again and sat like she was a crying child peaking out every once in awhile to see if she was still in trouble.  I told Poppie I couldn't believe how smart she is to have made that connection with the kids.  It is totally funny and cute when she does it.  Sadie Sue is, as I have said before a bit of a cripple, her pelvis was stepped on as a tiny puppy and never healed correctly, the vet said she is fine but will always have problems.  The cold is very hard on her, as it makes her so she can't move, if she jumps off the couch wrong it can make it so she can't walk until her hip resets itself.  The worst part is she doesn't have a good control of her peeing, she is usually good about going out side to poop but not always to pee.  Mishka is having a little problem learning to always go out side as well, I have come to the conclusion it has nothing to do with knowing go outside but more for attention, or thinking that if Sadie Sue can do it she should be able to .  I spent the afternoon, cleaning the carpets in all of the house but the girls rooms, doing those later in the week, and shortly after I got them done Mishka peed on my carpet.  She doesn't hid it she just does it right in front of us,  Poppie rubbed her nose in it and put her outside on her leash.  She sat on the porch and cried, when he eventually let her back in, after he used my carpet cleaner, that was still out, to clean up the puddle, she immediately went to the corner she had decided is hers and sat there peaking at us.  I am think she was judging wether we were still upset with her.  She came over for loves once Poppie called her, he asked her for a shake and all was well with her.  Mokie and I are thinking we are going to teach her and Rootbeer to pull that new goat cart.  She should be big enough to do it soon and she is bright about learning so it should be a piece of cake to teach her, probably a lot easier than teaching Rootbeer.

I will have Mokie's kids and extras today.  Bubbie has shots today and tomorrow, she has to have a sonogram on her hips, they are going to make sure they are alright.  Her hip doesn't work just right and they may have to brace it.  It is hereditary on Son's side, Yogie actually had problems when she was little as well, they wanted to break her hips when she was two to fix them.  I asked them at the time if it would make a difference in her having a baby, they said no, so as she can and does walk well I declined to let them break them to fix them.  She walks a little funny but she runs well and has never had a problem so I think she is just fine the way God made her. Have a great day, two days of babies and kids, but the rest of the week is mine.  I have lots of carving and inking to do.  Been taking a bit of a hiatus but it is time to get back to it.  Coffee to drink and life to get on with..... tomorrow.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Trust, it there a more important aspect of life? Who and why do we trust?

I caught the tail end of Dr Stanley's sermon this morning. I like what I heard and am recording a rerun of the program later this morning to share with Poppie we both enjoy his sermons a great deal.  His point was about trust. God asks us to trust him.  We and many of the Prophets of the Bible get impatient and try to read ahead or do what we want and forget to trust God in his time not ours. Jesus never ask the disciples to obey him, they were asked to trust him.  If you trust in Jesus, the obey is the result.  I try every day to trust the Lord, I fall short but I awake and try again.  Jesus knows that we are human, and fall short of his glory and sin everyday, the important part is to get back up and try anew.  When we trust the Lord he blesses our lives, Dr Stanley stated that alot of people when they are blessed with more and more they lose sight of the Lord and wander away from him. They loose their trust in him.  Life on this earth is hard and trusting and needing the Lord is an important part of faith.  The more we trust in the Lord and let him lead us in our lives the more our lives our enriched, enrichment has nothing to do with money, for some it does I suppose, but true richness is never about what we have but our relationship with God, our families and people in general.

Do you trust your mate?  I can say that almost always I have trusted mine, I was going to say I had always trusted mine but I think that that would be a lie, I think that that would be a lie for anyone. We fall short of trusting God on a daily basis so how could we trust our mate more than God.  I am to love God more than my mate so it would only make sense that trust would be the same.  I can say that I trust Poppie next to God.  Do I trust my kids, well probably not always, not every time and in the end it would be most or some of the time.  Two are children and I know, "little kids don't lie"  "they have to be taught to lie".  Really do the great they that say things like this ever spend time with little kids.  They lie and they do sneaky things of their own accord, no one had to teach them it is human behavior. The Bible tells us we are born into sin.  We don't wake up one morning somewhere in our childhood and it is set upon us, we are born that way.  So, no I don't always trust me two little girls, I am supposed to teach them to be better than their human nature, that is my job I am their mom, and as their mom I am to guide them to the Lord so they can trust him.  Do I trust my older kids, sometime always and sometime never.  They are adults with their own lives, they give me what they are comfortable giving me of their lives, but they have the right to their privacy and their own lives.  Trust is a part of that but I am not and should not expect to be more important to them than God or their spouses.  Trust has nuances that can't step over their personal lives. I know I am making trust sound like something that changes depending upon who you are with, well  isn't it.  Trust means that you put your life into someone hands without question.  I can do that with God, with Poppie, but from there each of us have needs that may in a moment out weigh our love or need to help someone or their needs.  Can you trust without hesitation someone else, even your child?  I am not saying that they would do me any intentional harm but as humans they have an innate need to protect themselves, and theirs, above me, so if it wasn't something that would harm me can't I always say that they would pick my needs over theirs or their child's?  NO, I can't say I trust my adult kids without pause. I can trust them to love me, care about me and try to do the best for me, but they are not God and I don't expect them to  be. I trust people in general less than my kids, though I do know where to not trust my kids, but do I know less about people, yes.  We trust people in general at face value. We trust what we see in them,  We don't know how they live their lives, if you think you know anything about someone Else's private personal life you are kidding yourself, or are delusional.  I don't think God intended or wanted us to know that much about the private lives of anyone but ourselves.  We are given what people allow us to share of their lives and nothing more. We have enough to handle just trying to figure out ourselves, who would want the stress of someone Else's problems.  We are only asked to share problems of our friends when they trust us with a little piece of their problems, we can never know the whole scope of their problems or for that matter their joys and happiness.  Life is a very personal thing, Trust in the end is the most import aspect of our relationships, friends, family, spouse and God..... tomorrow.

Saturday, February 11, 2012

No grandkids or pseudo's today, yay, sorry had to say it. Talking to your kids grows their brain, duh!

No grandbabies or pseudo grandkids today, yay, I know that is supposed to be terrible but it is the truth and I said it.  My two little girls are spoiled in many ways and my older kids will tell you that.  The one that fights with them daily and then leaves her kids here to fight with them maybe the most.  But she does in ways understand their stress as well, my older kids never had to compete with anyone but each other for our time.  Yes, Poppie was at work and busy at night when he wasn't, but he was always one on one with the kids.  Sometimes they had other things to do and blamed us for not being there when they had time to spend with us, but we were always here, and they could and did get one on one time.  My two little girls have to share their time with grandkids.  Don't get me wrong we love our grandkids dearly and never turn them down when they are dropped off to stay with us, but as our older kids don't always know what are live is about they don't take into consideration that we may have had plans and they didn't even ask before they dropped off the kids.  My girls have to work around kids and grandkids almost daily.  They have to share their rooms, their toys and our time.  They don't go home to a different place that is all theirs with no one coming or going in their lives.  I am just saying, they are spoiled but they have to share their parents in ways my older kids never dreamed of.  Yes, they benefit from it in ways but they lose out in ways that the older kids never understand but resent what they see as their having had a better live than they did. I try to tell the older kids that we are just doing the best we can at the time we are doing it.  Sometimes now, the older ones have situations with their owns kids that make them understand but they would rarely admit it or give us verbal credit for us having tried to do our best, well some of them are better at it than others on that come to think of it....

I was just listening to some know it all that did a study on children on the news and he has come to the observations that speaking to a children, and have lots of conversations with your child and exposing them to lots of conversations, increases there intelligence and their verbal skill.  I sometime wonder why it takes so much money and time to study these things when anyone with common sense, time to spend and love a child could have told him that for free.  I have never talked baby talk to any of my siblings (as babies), my children or grandchildren.  All of my children spoke early, spoke correctly and spoke words that people were amazed that they knew.  It is called spending quality time with your child.  I know working is a fact of life for some mothers, but if you can why is it so hard to just spend time with your baby, your toddler or your child.  Why did you have them if you didn't want to spend time with them, talking to you baby is so important.  The Doctor told my daughter last week, your baby is so in tune with you it amazes me.  My daughter TALKS to her baby just like her mother talked to her, and her mother talked to  her.  My family always have people say about our babies, they are so alert and aware from the beginning, it is not an exception in our family it is the rule, we spend time generationaly with our babies and kids.  I know I sounds smug but that is not what I mean to sound like, it is a fact of live in my live, and how I was taught.  If you have a baby love it, talk to it and spend time with it.  Your life is not more important than your child's, don't leave them home to make it more easy for you to go shopping, they learn when they shop, don't leave them home so you can have this wonderful date night time, they learn when they get to go to the restaurant.  They are a part of your life for so short a time, and that time means so much in their lives, spend time with your child.  They wonder why the US is behind in teaching our children, did you ever think it was because our lives are  more important than our children's now, not so in the past, Mothers and Fathers spent time with their kids and not "on improving themselves, or living their lives'".  If you want to improve education get back to the basics talk to your child, read to your child, let it play with that old cardboard box.  Do you really think paying the least someone will take to watch your child, while you play, is the way to raise or educate your child?  I am now climbing down off my soap box, I get so exasperated at stupidity and million dollar studies that told us what people who care and spend time with kids already know.... time is priceless..... tomorrow.

Friday, February 10, 2012

Mokie wants a goat cart, quick long trip and I will owe Poppie big time, Mokie too.

Had a good day at the Zoo, it was very long though. Yogie's appointment went over so it was well over an hour.  We got the Costco cards and did a little shopping there. Had Chinese food and Mokie bought the kids milkshakes at McDonald's.  Now Booboo is sick this morning so we are trying to figure out what she ate.  It is a never ending battle for her, she eats simple usually so it is sort of just a what did you eat backtrack.  We are thinking it was the milkshakes so will put that on the list.  Gave her pepto but she is still nauseous so will have to stay home again today.  It is getting hard on her school time. That is so bad as she is a wonderful learner.

Mokie has found a goat cart on Craiglist so we are off on a 80 to 90 mile trip to get it.  I may buy a stanchion as well, both are very reasonable and in almost new shape, hundreds less than new prices so it is worth the trip but I hate the travel. We plan to teach RootBeer to pull it for this year and Mokie will raise up another goat as a second goat cart goat.  Poppie is kindly watching the kids again today. Cartoons, Curious, Second, Boy and Cubbie.  We are taking Bubbie he refuses to watch her and them all at once.

I hope it is a short uneventful trip.  I would love to get home in the early afternoon and have a slow uneventful evening.  The girls have a movie recorded and have planned a  family night.  Have a great day and remember to thank the Lord for the day he has given us.... tomorrow.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Off to the Zoo, Poppie to babysit. Long day of doing lots of nothing. Goodbye old friend.

We ladies are off for a Ladies day. Mokie, Cubbie, Bubbie, Yogie, Booboo and me.  It sounds like a bears picnic of some kind.  Funny how they have mostly bear names and all cartoonish.  I guess maybe my mind is big on little kids thoughts.  Maybe the kid in me will never grow up, I think sort of a good thing.  Yogie and Cubbie have dentist appointments, 4 hours apart so time to do shopping in between.  We hope to make the cereal sale, stock, up can't afford it if I don't, and I get to get the organic stuff too. yay.  We might be able to make the local meat sale if we plan it right as well, double yay. Mokie wants to stop and get a Costco card as well.  I hope to get a little shopping for the girls in and they all want to eat Chinese, which is a good girlie thing, as we all like it Poppie not so much. 

Poppie is going to be taking care of Curious, Cartoons and Boy.  I hope it is an uneventful day for him.  He fell on the ice on Tuesday and really hurt his bum.  Even Lady Jay felt sorry for him.  It will be good for him to have a slower paced day, he has been pushing himself pretty hard of late.  He has gotten spring fever and wants to do so many things, he has a plan a mile deep to get done this spring.  I am excited about the ideas he has put forth but know that he will be exhausted if he reaches his goals.  He can be so driven and it is my job to makes sure he doesn't over do it and hurt himself.  I can pick up some of the slack if I try.  I think that I am going to focus more on that this year and not as much on my crafts, art and other projects. 

Unfortunately Pansy did not make it, Mokie was devastated yesterday to say goodbye to her old friend. Son has put a new rule that if we can't prove it by teeth we are not taking any ones opinion on the age of a goat, they didn't have from birth.  Pansy was mistreated due to ignorance, Mokie was told she was 3 when she got her, and it turns out that that was not the case,  we are estimating she was 10 to 12 and to old to be bred.  Mokie was heartbroken, to loose her friend and that she unknowingly caused her death.  She should never have been bred and she died of being bred to death.  We had only started to suspect that she was older after she was bred,  and it had become apparent she was much older than we had been told.  We are sorry for her pain and the hardness she endured.  We have learned alot about goats along the way and sadly some of our goats have paid the price but it was from ignorance and bad information.  We are dedicated to do the right things by our goats and have studied as much as we can, but misinformation can't be helped and we know alot more than we did when we began and were stupid to it all... Godspeed old friend... tomorrow.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Our foster kid called and talked to Poppie, Pansy is hanging on. Life goes on.

Years ago a young man, in his teens, asked us to be his foster parents, he didn't know us well when he asked but we said yes and it shocked him more that we took him in than had we said no.  He was with us a while, and then due to troubles with the law he spent sometime in Miles City.  We hear from him once in awhile, but when he was a young adult we saw him alot.  He is and will always be one of our kids in our hearts.  He had good things to say to  Poppie, he says if we had had him when we was younger he may have been president.  It was nice for Poppie to hear such a nice endorsement of the time he spent with us.  I think it was soul cleansing for Poppie to know he had made a difference in his life.

Mokie was prepared for her dear goat to die, but Pansy is managing to hang on and is up and walking, for a goat that is a milestone. She may make it through and surprise us in the end.  She is heavily pregnant so maybe she will make it long enough to have her baby or babies, and maybe with God's will she will add time to her own life.  I pray God makes it the least painful for her in the long run.

I am finishing up my first pair of Upluks with upcycled soles we will see how the finished product comes out. No kids today which will be nice, busy day with all five of the kids, all five and under.  I spent
 time with Bubbie, she is smiling the cutest smiles now.  She is the happiest little thing, even having been sick she is a trooper.  Poppie dug out the baby swing, the batteries were dead but if I pushed it every once in a while it was just fine.  She liked it.  Curious was having an off day, wouldn't eat and even though her mom is having success with her potty training she just screamed at  me when I asked her if she wanted to go so I put her in a diaper and let her have her tantrum.  She has some mental problems that they are  trying to diagnose, and they are working with a therapist with her.  She is usually a happy little girl, but every once is a while something sets her off and she screams, she is not very verbal otherwise.  Cartoons bounced about and he, Boy and Second went out and played.  Second would fall on the ice, cry all the way to the house to tell me, then happily want to go out again, this happen three times.  She just wanted to have me acknowledge she had fallen she wasn't ever hurt.  I helped two friends do their taxes, so it was a long busy day.  Kids, friends and baby.... tomorrow.