Today summer really begins for us...... just think of the thoughts we will think!!

I worked yesterday and it was nice, I got into the mind set of the dewy decimal system and maybe got stuck there a little. I have always been the kind of a person that when I am set on doing something my "type A" personality can rear it's ugly head.  I am not the kind that needs to destroy the enemy or conquer the competition, more I find that I am the competition and I have a need to get it done.  I sometimes can get so wrapped up in it I forget those around me.  When I have friends who say how do you get so much done, it is because I have put on my alter-ego "Debra" and went to work.  Years ago when I went to work at a position where I was the manager, I actually used my real first name Debra so I could remember to be that person.  I do have to very different person who lives in me and Debra is the one that gets things done, sometime she is overbearing.... I don't let her come out that much.  I prefer, Nannie, she is much nicer and more of a slob, but like-able.. ..

The ladies and I started the day this morning in the Lord. We read and discussed the Word and that is a marvelous way to start the day and a new summer.  We have chores to get done but we are hoping to talk Poppie into taking us burl hunting, we will see how far we get. I do have to make some tie dyed soap and we want to rearrange the house some but for now it is a wondrous beginning to the summer. I hope a summer that is childlike and full of the thoughts we will think up.  The Ladies will soon be teenagers and the thinks of childhood will be lost to them, but maybe we can pull a summer or two out before they loose the wonder of childhood.

I hope that your day started in the Lord, if not there is always time to pick up his Word and encapsulate yourself in it.  It brings me such happiness and warmth.  The more I dive in the more I feel complete and comforted.  I know that to those that don't believe that is hog wash but to those that do you to know that warmth of a hug that reading your Bible can bring.  I pray you are save and if not I pray for your salvation, a life in Christ Jesus is like no other, it is a fulfilled and whole life in a way the lost will never experience... tomorrow. 

Car show day, vanilla soaps a changing amazing thing to watch...... My new books have a home of honor..

We got up, not so early, and went to the annual car show.  It was the biggest one that we have ever had todate. When it first started it only took up one lawn, the one in front of the old school, this year it filled that lawn the lawn by the bank and a great deal of the bank parking lot.  Many more cars this year.  Lady and I got to go to the rummage sale across the street.  I got a cool coffee bean molds to make small coffee soap bars.  I got a double old vintage frame for pictures of the little Ladies.  I also picked up a coleman lantern, I thought it was a good find for Poppie.  He was not impressed, Brother didn't think so either and so I gave it to Mokie for Son, maybe he will appreciate it, no one else did.

I came home, after picking up chicken strip sandwiches for Poppie and the Ladies.  I got my book cases all moved around and got my 1952 complete set of Britannica Great Books, it is a pristine set and I got a great deal on them from the library, all set up in their new home.  I am so proud of them, I can't wait to read them all.  It won't be a short term goal, there are 54 of them.  All the great authors are spotlighted, well all the ones prior to 1952.  Exciting project to see through.

Lady and Sweetie went up the creek camping we are going to go up and visit them.  We have been wanting to get to go camping but haven't found the time. We would really like to go but it looks like to go we might have to go on Sunday after Church or we might have to go Saturday night and come home to go to Church and then return, but some how we will figure it out.  Booboo made pie crust and I made it into a couple of pie to take to Lady and Sweetie's camp site.  Booboo made 3 little personal pies with the leftover crusts. Funny this morning I cut the vanilla and huckleberry soap, it was all the same color, but slowly the vanilla is changing with the access to air.  It is becoming browner and browner, leaving a nice two tone soap, it was overpoweringly vanilla, I hope that the huckleberry starts to balance out but who knows.

I have been working out the logistics of a big knife handle order with one of my regular handle buyers.  It was funny I told him one would be an exceptional handle to carve.  He asked me if I knew a carver.  I have been making handle for him for years and he had no idea I carves handles and have probably carved more than I have scrimshawed.  He was delighted to know I carved handles but was disappointed that he did not know before now.  Funny how things slip past in a relationship.  But then I would think that in ways that would be the norm and not the unusual. We tend to get into a rut and never know that we put on blinders and only see what we expect to see in people, including our friends.  I get so caught up in thinking of things from my point of view that I forget my friends may, and of course they do, have the same fears, anxieties, apprehensions and joys out of their side of our friendships as I do but we each fear that we are not living up to or upholding our side as they do.  We all forget we only see things from one side and totally forget the other side or fail to see that the other side is so similar to our own side.  The bottom line is that we never know what is going on in anyone's life but our own, we know not the fears, the trials and the tribulations that others face, we only see ourselves and obsess about that never thinking that all our friends are going through the exact same issues we are and as many as we are going through.  We all live a life in blinders when all we have to do is start to see that we are so much more the same as our fellow man than different.  We look to ourselves when we need to look to God, and stop living for ourselves, live for God and be a blessing by using the blessing he gives us to aid our fellow man.... tomorrow.  

Strawberry habanero jams, huckleberry french milled soap and my time just seems to slip away.

I never would have thought that taking care of littles would have been a buffer.  I no longer have them daily, though they did come on Monday with no warning and totally changed a planned day.  I didn't used to have to many plans for my days but I have of recent.  I am subbing regularly this month and so have to sort of follow a plan.  Monday it was nice to have the ability to call in and they were considerate of my need for non-planning.  Drama needed to go to the emergency room again and Mokie took her without letting me know so when Son dropped off the littles it was a moment of panic.  I got to go in on Tuesday instead, I do like the brain stimulation that I get from the subbing I do.  I however have found that with new responsibilities I have sometimes no time for you all and I do apologize for that but I can not change what comes down my pike. I did get to finish up making my two cases of strawberries in to jelly Monday.  I made some on Sunday, the strawberry habanero and then got to make strawberry rhubarb and strawberry rhubarb habanero on Monday.  I got to use dutch gel for the first time and found that is by far and above the best pectin I have ever used.  I will endeavor to keep it on hand.  I made each batch with 10 cups of fruit, 14 cups of sugar and 2/3 cup of pectin, one 1/3 of the fruit was chopped habanero, and it really is good and has a kick.  I plan on using it as a meat savory and on ice cream.  I also will have it available with my other jams at the Farmer's Market.  I think I will be standing in for Flower Child to open the market this year and if she is fortunate enough to sell her business and move on to the life she is hoping to, I will take it over permanently.  Which I am looking forward to, though I will miss Flower Child.  Again something I could not have accomplished with the littles daily.

I got up this morning and rebatched soap into French milled Huckleberry soap.  It does smell good so far.  I made it two toned and can't wait to see it finished.  I have plans to see about marketing it to a few establishments, so wish me luck.  I do love my soap and would like to share it more.  I have to get some together for the school, I was asked to have some there to sell, which will be nice. 

I am going into volunteer today and try and get a project I am working on as a sub further along the way.  I will be doing that more and more once my subbing stent is at a close and back to when needed. 

I pray that you are searching for the Lord in your life.  If you are you will find him.  He loves that people seek him and he will make sure you will find him.  He gave us his Word so that we would seek and find him.  He gave us his Word that we might know him better.  If you want to find the Lord he is the embodiment of his Word and he lives there.  The Bible is a living breathing being, The Word is Christ Jesus and if you seek he will be found and through the Word you will be saved if you but seek.... tomorrow.