Because My Wife Said So!

Posted! Dea, said it was my turn to post and that I was getting rather lazy about it. This is a fact I most heartily deny. I prefer to believe that I just have become much more successful at delegating. Somehow she doesn't see it that way.

For one, I'm not going to answer her questions from her last post. I just don't think that way. Having said that, I am really interested to see what other people think. So Please, don't follow my bad example. Truly, I have a different perspective. I explained it to Deanna the other night as being just a pinball in life trying to accomplish as much as I can with whatever I have at hand. When I sink too low, I can trust God to hit the flipper and send me in the direction He wants. So, most of my goals have a more immediate and/or narrow focus. If you read my "blessings" post then you understand. It's all I can do to try to accomplish those things without spending energy for anything farther down the road. This year is jam packed full of things I truly need to get done and I don't have enough time to accomplish them all. So? I hit the "bumpers" I can as the Lord directs and trust His bigger plan.
Having said all that, it is one of the more endearing things about Deanna that I have grown to love. Her optimistic view of the future. With all sincerity it has served us both very well in several ways. For one, when contemplating all that is on my "plate" gets to be too much, I can count on her to distract me with what we might have for "desert" next week. If you get my drift. Plus, many times God has used her "optimistic planning" to actually accomplish what I would have been too practical to hope for. Many times her careful planning for something she didn't know we would be able to do has actually made the difference. I don't know if you understand what I just said there but it's the truth. She plans well and leaves room for God to work and maintains flexible for that.
It's one of the things about Deanna that I think God knew I needed and wasn't going to get on my own.

Here is a classic example: I wasn't kidding when I said I counted my blessings in all that I have to do. My house feels like it's falling apart around me, but there was a time when it wasn't even a house. Go back 10 or 12 years. Deanna has me drive north of Warrens, back in the woods a ways (so to speak) and I pull into a dilapidated parking lot of a gas/station/convenience store/hardware store/butcher shop.
The gas pumps are ripped up and leaning against the front wall. There is more grass than asphalt in the parking lot. Only three very small windows, up high, in front. There are 55 gallon drums slowly rusting on the side.
It's a concrete block building with "rolled roofing" that has seen better days. There are refrigeration units literally scattered all the way around the building. Out back is a 1955 ice cream truck sitting on it's frame and rear axle. The motor and front suspension removed to place another refrigeration unit under the hood to become One improvised beer cooler. Inside were still shelves, cash registers, freezers, even a meat band saw. All of which had definitely seen better days. When I looked at the place I was wondering when my last tetanus shot was. Deanna was the one thinking "house". She completely shrugged off my statement regarding her twisted sense of humor.
I remember regaling her with the impossibilities: Our credit was "tanked". I was making just above minimum wage. She wasn't really working and Oh! I barely knew which end of hammer you used to hit a nail with! "C'mon you have got to be kidding!"
"Fat lot I knew".
Deanna had hope and prayer. God had a plan and blessings to bestow. It just worked. With a lot of help from family and friends. I mean, I still have to label which side of the hammer is the business end.

Anyway, Without Deanna, I would probably still be in an apartment. I just wouldn't have the vision.

There, that's a nice long post. Now I have a faucet to replace and fence posts to pound. Thank you God for the day and time to do it!

Numbers 6:24
Will

Questions

Here is a challenge for you. Think of all of the things that you planned when you first graduated high school. Did you stick with those dreams? Have you accomplished any of those dreams?

Now think of the dreams that you have for your life now. I challenge you to do the following below and then either post them on your blog or email them back to Will and I.

Challenge:

List 10 things you want to accomplish before you die.

(My answers)

1) Finish all 4 books that I have started writing and any others that I have
roaming around in my head. They don't have to be published, they
just have to be done.

2) See both of my kids graduated and on their own. Seeing them happy
would be nice, but you know how life is.

3) Have a clean house every day all day. Probably will have to wait until
the kids are gone.

4) Own and run a restaurant. Does not seem to be coming together, but
I have ALWAYS wanted to do it.

5) Own a motorhome and travel more.

6) Complete my family tree back to the 1500's on all sides, including the
Donaldson sides etc. 8 Different sides. Can be done. What a blast!

7) Complete the 4 quilts that I have started.

8) Have my own craft room with everything in it's place and the time to
create anything and everything that I can think of. I love creating
and have no time for it now.

9) Sing in a new singing group with my Dad, my cousin Kris and my Uncle
Ken. This is hopefully going to happen starting next week. I LOVE TO
SING IN QUARTETS AND GROUPS.

10) Finish my house completely and have it look like I dream it can
look. Have it be a home that people feel comfortable in and just
want to visit. That goes for the yard too.


Now list 10 places that you would like to visit before you die:

1) Alaska. I want to cruise and then overland tour Alaska as well as visit
cousins Stan and Terri and Greta and her hubby. Should probably
take about a month.

2) See the redwoods and Oregon, as well as genealogy in Washington
state.

3) Gettysburg

4) I would like to travel to Maryland and New Hampshire and see where
Will's parents lived when they grew up.

5) Washington DC . I want to spend days at the Smithsonian.

6) The Grand Canyon

7) The place where my Mom and Dad spend the winters in Texas and
have them show us around.

8) Canada again for more genealogy.

9) A trip out west to Glacier National Park, Yellowstone etc. I want to
see it all. It could take a month (now you know why I want a motor-
home.

10) I would like to go to Holland and see where Will lived.


Ok. There's my 10. What are yours?

There's another post about all of this and my meandering thoughts on Dea's corner as well as that recipe.

Have a great day!
dea

Work....work...Do you love me?

Now that I can dance? I don't know why that dumb song came into my mind when I was thinking about what is going on around here, but it did. Now I'll probably be singing it all day. It could be that for the first time in months, I have actually had a productive day or two.

Of course the "stupid things happen to me rule" still seems to be in effect. Starting with Friday. I took the day off to try to get something accomplished. It went like this.....

7:30 am - I try to start the lawnmower.....batteries dead.
Hook up the charger.
7:40 am - I try to start the weedeater and the trigger breaks off in my hand.

I have now been trying to work for a whole 10 minutes and have managed to break 2 pieces of equipment. This is going really well so far. SO....I decide that I'm going to take care of this problem right now. I got my junk together and headed to Wally World to purchase a new battery and a new weed eater. Then I ran errands. By 10:30 I had traveled 80 miles, had fixed the lawnmower and had the new weed eater going.

Vicki and Curt came over to help and we started in. Peggy that lives with us had gone out of town and Amanda was at work. I had set it up with them that this would be the perfect time to start texturing and painting in their apartment. So we started in there, but since most of it was ceiling, we had to do that part in small sections and then let the blood flow back into our arms. By the end of the day, we had finished a third of the apartment, mowed the yard, weed eatered the yard and painted the picnic table.

After Will got home, we all sat around a campfire roasting hot dogs and marshmallows. Fun times. It felt nice to get something done. Saturday afternoon and evening was spent working on Jessalyn's "Independence Hall" project. Oh joy.

Sunday was church and then Jessa had a birthday party. Jacob rode his bike into church and then home afterwards. When Jessa and I got home he already had the frozen pizzas in the oven. Then I took Jessa to her party while Jake's friend Luke came and picked him up for the afternoon. Then it was back to work on apartment for me. Where the stupid things rule came into play again.

Let's just say that I cannot fly. I bounce very well, off the wall and then off of the floor as I fall off of a ladder/chair. Not good. My head is still sore and a little swimmy, and where I landed on the floor on the base of my spine is very sore. It probably would not be that sore, but I had surgery there years ago and there is no flesh between my spine and skin. Pretty easily damaged. I have to keep working, because sitting down and laying down are pretty painful. I called into work yesterday and today. Somehow riding around in a bouncy jeep does'nt sound like fun. Maybe tomorrow.

All in All it was a pretty productive time with Curt and Vicki's help. We managed to get the apartment done, part of the house stained, the picnic table painted, 2 flower beds weeded and planted and also finished Jessalyn's project and got it to school. Now if I could have another week or two like that, life would be good. Even if I do have to put up with the stupid things rule.

Don't know what I'll do today to keep moving, so that I don't stiffen up, but there's plenty to chose from. Will is helping Dad this morning to move some stuff. Then I hope to get him to "till" the rest of the garden. I have 25 tomato plants and 20 green pepper plants to get in, as well as the usual green beans, wax beans, peas, carrots, squash, melons, etc. I'm praying for a productive garden this year to share with family and friends. Sure helps on the food bill. We are already picking rhubarb and freezing it as well as eating it. I am going to try making rhubarb jam, and some other mixes like rhubarb strawberry etc. Look for a rhubarb cake recipe on my Dea's corner blog. If you have any good rhubarb recipe let me know. I love recipes. I collect them.

Will has a week off starting Friday. I hope he's ready for my "honey-do" list. I've been working on it for quite awhile. For every one thing we take off I seem to have to add 3 or 4 more. No more sightings of the bear, but I'm not so sure that he isn't still around.

Lilacs are starting to bloom around here. Beautiful, beautiful smell. I wish I could put it on the blog for you. I just love stopping at a mail box that is surrounded by lilacs. Makes you pause a minute and enjoy.

Well, dishes await me and I suppose that the laundry does too. Oh well, as Will would say, Thank you God that I have dishes and that we have so many clothes. We are truly blessed. This last weekend I have realized that we are truly blessed with great friends. I don't know that I have ever met more helpful people than Curt and Vicki. No matter what, no matter when, they are right there for us. We love them for it too. I hope you all have people in your life like them. Whatever you need, no questions asked. What an example to live up to.

God Bless,
dea

The bear went over the mountain..

Well, the bear went over the road? Catchy tune? WE SAW THE BEAR AGAIN! Jessalyn and I had to go and deliver something in Warrens and were just getting ready to pull out onto the road from the driveway, when she started yelling Bear! Bear! Sure enough, there he was walking from the opposite side of the road over to our side about 200 feet away. We sat and watched him as I tried to call Will on the cell phone, so that he could bring the camera. He of course did not hear his phone because he was under the tub trying to fix the drain, that had decided to crack adding to the stress of his last post. I digress.

Since he did not answer, I left Jessa in the car and ran pretty dog gone fast into the house (I didn't even fall! Huge accomplishment for Mrs. Non-graceful). When I got into the house, I was yelling at the top of my lungs "BEAR! GET THE CAMERA!!!!" I didn't even look back to see if Will was coming, I knew he was. I grabbed the camera and ran for the car. He was right behind me. I almost tossed him the camera, ordered him to get into the back seat and turn the camera on (man am I bossy in sometimes) and away we went. Jessa had been watching and he had crossed back over the road again. So there we were looking into the dense woods for him. We drove slow, backed up, drove forward, backed up again, etc for about 5 minutes when Will tried to take a picture of what we thought was the bear, the camera's battery died. Great! The stupid things rule again.

Back to the house for batteries. Will ran in this time. Much more graceful than I am, even if he was in slippers. Back down the road we go...pull forward, back up....when all of a sudden Jessa's yelling "BEAR, BEAR" again. Here we are looking off to our right and slightly behind us and the dumb thing walks out onto the road in front of us, 100 feet away or so. I was slightly gratified by my husband's comments then. Up until now, I felt like a whimp by being so overwhelmed by this bear and the instant awe/fear it has caused me (ok, panic), but Will took it all in stride with a "holy cow" and a few other choice descriptive words. The line comes to me from the John Candy movie "Big Bear! Big, big Bear".

So....the chase was on!!! We drove down to take his picture with Will frantically turning buttons on, etc. Of course this is a digital camera and there is no hurry in them. By the time the thing cooperated, the bear was so far into the woods that we could see him, but it was not a clear picture. If fact after he downloaded them, they are actually pictures of black lumps in the woods. Part of me hopes the thing is gone but part of me hopes he comes around again, just so that we can get a picture of him. We assume it's a "HE" because there are no little ones in tow, but that could just mean that there were no available "he man bears " around. Anyway, it was a little excitement for our little family. Poor Jake he got off the bus just as we were pulling back into the yard after te chase.

We went to Jacob's final choir concert of the year last night. Really, really good. We are so proud of the boy. His choir teacher is gone after this year and we are so sad about it. She is a great teacher and has taken a group of boys with no training and made them into a fine choir. We will miss her next year.

School is winding down here. Jessa's on a safety patrol trip today to Wisconsin Dells. Water parks etc. Can you say sun burn? I send sun block, but you know the story...."I forgot" or the water washed it away. Jacob used it on his trip, but forgot to put it on his back because he could not see his back. I'm going to ask Jessa to wear a shirt over her suit.

I took the day off to try to find myself. I had a 6 hour meeting yesterday for Cranfest as well as this whole last week and the rest of this week is devoted to helping Jessalyn with her Social Studies project. She is building Independence Hall and it requires two sets of hands at least to hold things etc.
Bills and shopping this morning, with painting in the apartment this afternoon. Peggy went out of town on vacation and Amanda is working, so it is a perfect time for me to get in and finish the taping and painting in the apartment. Will wanted me to write a whole list of the things that I am doing right now for you, but I think that if I did, someone would send me to a "loonie bin". Let's just say that I need 12 more hours in the day and the energy to work all 12.

Working in my flower beds tonight. I think that is one of the things that helps to keep me sane or at least as close to sane as I get. I love to just sit there and pull weeds, enjoy the weather and watch my hummingbirds. Simple things. Air, dirt and nature. Does it get any better?

Been thinking about planning a hiking, camping adventure where we would only use what we could carry in back packs. I'm not so sure how the rest of the family would feel about it and since I try to be prepared for every instance when we camp, it would be difficult for me to pick and chose. All in all though, I think it might be a great experience. Have to think some more about it.

Have a great day!
dea

Feeling Overwhelmed? Start Counting...

...Your Blessings!

Thank You Lord that I have not one but two bathrooms to repair. I know there are some who have no bathrooms. They would love the opportunity to rip out the wall to replace a leaky drain and trap. These same people (having been one myself) would count me blessed indeed to have a Master bath that needs the floor replaced before the toilet falls through it. Thank you that I have the health and ability to do it. Please continue to supply the funds.

Thank You Lord for a the Leaky roof that has caused much of this damage. It is SO much better than no roof at all. I am, -without sarcasm in any way-, very grateful that my septic system which has become in need of repair, still in fact works; for now. I appreciate and give thanks for the plan you have helped us to come up with to battle these things. I gratefully accept any modifications in that plan that You deem necessary.

I so very appreciate this home that shelters my family and provides me with so many lessons and opportunities. I also appreciate Knowing that I have only a very limited time to repair my fence before it falls down and becomes a total loss. I am comforted by the knowledge that if I am able to save the fence, I can use the very same stain and water proofer that I desperately need on my house. That will save me a lot.
Thank you.
Again, I am grateful that you have shown me that I need to stain the fence and the house before I replace the soffet and fascia that I so carefully hand carved years ago and is now literally in pieces that are warped, rotted and falling down. I am comforted to know that as usual You will be there and be full of patience when I am not. I am grateful for a loving Father that I can ask to protect me and guide me as I attempt to get these things accomplished before winter comes again.
By the way, It was nice that I was saved the chore of putting my Christmas lights away. The ice dams the ripped them to shreds made putting them in the trash so much easier.
You Lord are faithful even in the little things.
The dog's kennel is in desperate need of attention yet still functions to keep the wonderful companions you have given us safe.

Thank you again for the wonderful way you have supplied our needs including the bathroom fixtures I have already replaced (honestly, they were given to us!) and at the same time supplied free-of-charge, like-new carpeting for me to install in the one room with the most furniture and stacks of "stuff" to move and that has needed organizing for so very long.
It will now force us to accomplish that organizing before the carpet (which is in Granpa's shed) gets ruined.
Please continue to grant us Your wisdom as we attempt the tasks you have given.

I also am very grateful that just maybe my beloved Niece who I have missed so very much may actually come to visit us this month; sometime;
maybe.

Even though I do not have the home and property (that you gave me!) in a state or condition that I would desire for her arrival, I do pray it may happen and be a blessing for us all. Even if it isn't possible after all, Thank you Lord for the warm feeling it has given just thinking about a hug from her after all these years! SERIOUSLY!

I am so grateful for my Family that I Love so much and have here with me, that even though some of the above sounds like sarcasm, ALL of it is said with a smile on my face as I am even grateful for the sense of Humor that You have given me, that lets me smile when the rest of the world would be pulling out their hair.
Oh, yeah, Thank You Lord that I still have hair!
Will

Here is an interesting link!

Let me know what you think! Oh, and thanks to ALL the people who sent it to me.

http://www.eyeblast.tv/public/video.aspx?RsrcID=2036



Will.

Bear Paw Prints

After much ado, here are the bear paw prints we promised. They're not that great but we think they are pretty awesome considering they are from two days after our visit from the bear.

When you look at the picture you have to try to see in your mind how the bear was standing. I believe these are from his front paws. It would appear that the left paw was turned inwards as he was standing. The right paw print is the clearer of the two. The flashlight next to the print is exactly 6 inches (152.4mm) long.

I'm sorry that we weren't able to get pictures of the bear. For some reason Deanna was more concerned about getting inside. I still get a grin from the fact that when she turned to grab the dog, the dog was already at the door whining to get inside...

May God's Love Bloom and Blossom in your hearts and a special Thank you and greetings to all the Moms!

Will

No Garden yet.

It's ready to plant the stuff that I need to, but last night we had severe storms with possibility of large hail, so I decided to give it another day. Remember stupid things happen to me, so guess where the only hail would fall?

I'm still having a hard time taking the dog out by myself at night without being nervous. Something about meeting a bear and seeing how fast they can run. You can be sure that I will keep taking out my great big flash light!

Yesterday it was 84 degrees outside. Two weeks ago we had 4 inches of snow. Go figure. Spring in Wisconsin.

Jessalyn is still working on her project. She has at least 30 pages of printed information on Independence Hall. She's having a hard time keeping all the dates and people in order. I am serving as Secretary to help her keep organized. I think that it's going to be a long haul this weekend. She has grand plans, but I don't know how they will come together for her.

The kids delivered May baskets last Wednesday night at youth group. Do any of you remember May baskets? I guess that you used to make little baskets full of goodies and deliver them to your neighbors. Maybe you did that before you ran around the May pole? I know that my grandparents talked about May baskets, but I never really thought about it before.

As far as remodeling....well......ummm........maybe I start today? We have been working on different spring cleaning projects that need to get done before we can start to paint etc, but we are getting much closer. We are ready to start staining outside, now that the weather is warmer, but I think that this week and weekend will be devoted to cleaning out the living room, repainting and new carpet. That is if things don't change. We are supposed to go help at a work day at my Aunt Marj's house. Now that Uncle Lloyd is gone, we are all pulling together to help them get the farm ready for sale. It's listed, now we just need to get it ready.

Things are busy, but so much easier now that cold weather is gone. Also, I just counted the other day and there are only 142 days until Cranfest. Talk about a shock. I know it was just here. Life goes on.....

Have a great day!
dea

I think I need a V8?

We finally have some decent weather around here and are playing "catch up". Will has been just thrilled with his work shop. He has already started loading it with tools. He very quickly shingled it and the other night came home and painted it. I am impressed. It must have been the right gift. Something to call his own. I am just tickled pink to see it.

I have managed to start so many projects and then get side tracked by something or someone else. I have started spring cleaning, so that I can do my painting, but find that I need an extra 10 hours a day. I really wish I had it, but then I guess I would need the energy to make use of all of those hours. Sure would be nice though.

Today is the busy day again. Work this morning and early afternoon. Then I go and play for a group that sings for three of the local nursing homes and assisted living houses. Then grab Jake from school and run back to Warrens to pick up Jessa after voice lessons. Come on home, cook supper and then try to get more cleaning done. Although tonight if the weather will cooperate, I plan on planting part of my garden: Asparagus, Strawberries, white onions, red onions, potatoes and green onions. I may even throw in some brussel sprouts. I am also slowly laying out the pattern of paving stones for the courtyard. I should be able to fall into bed sometime and start again tomorrow. Thankfully, with warm weather somehow I seem to have more energy left after the mail route. I do long for the days when I take on a full time route though and only work 5 days a week, yet make more money. Sounds like a plan to me.

Hope you all have a wonderful week. I will try to figure out a way to get "bear paw print pictures" from our visitor last week onto the blog. Believe me I still watch for him each and every time I go out.

God bless.
dea

Birthday dinner and all that stuff

We had an spur of the moment birthday dinner for Will last night. It was the first night that we had free since his birthday. I asked him what he wanted to eat and his answer was sooooo helpful, "YES". What a guy! It makes it easier when I ask Jacob. He is usually prepared with an answer that he has thought over. Jessalyn takes after her Dad.

I chose chicken with sauce (a family favorite). It's easy and tastes really, really good. He didn't have the traditional birthday cake though. I started making this new banana bar recipe that is kind of like banana pudding in bar shape. Everyone loves it, so that's what he got. He was happy.

We had our friends Bill and LInda over since they have just got home after spending the winter in Texas. Mom and Dad were invited, but Pop is sick so just Mom came. Peggy and Amanda came in and it was just a nice evening. No tv. Nothing but great conversation and food. It was nice.

Today the rain starts and is supposed to continue for the whole weekend last I heard. This means more problems for the local farmers who have yet to get their crops in the wet ground. Last year we had no rain and ended up losing quite a bit of corn etc and this year we are getting lots and lots of rain added to the wet ground from all of that snow. Corn, oat and wheat prices could be pretty pricey for awhile.

Will and I have decided to try to stock up on food etc this summer for the winter. I would love to get it all ready like you do when you live far away from civilization. It would be nice not to have to spend that much money for groceries all winter. I plan on canning lots of stuff. We'll see how we do as the summer progresses.

Well, time to get busy. I just wanted to let everyone know that we are alive and kicking.

Have a great day.
dea