Psalm 27:4 The Happy Palace Homestead

Shopping, Cleaning, Hmmm

The day after Christmas found me up & trying to open my eyes (I stayed up too late).  The age old dilemma had struck - shopping or cleaning?  SHOPPING!

My dear friend, Heather, picked me up & we left about 9:15.  Off to the fabric store!  We found a few things that we just "needed" to have.  Heather was on a hunt for wrapping paper and I, of course, have projects to buy for.  In the next couple of weeks Kurt will be the proud owner of a new "special" pillow and a scarf to match this year's winter coat.  And I found the cutest fabric with chickens & roosters to make a backing for a little cross stitch that Karra made for me.  The chickens she stitched even look like my Barred Rocks!  It says "Happy Chicken Lays a Happy Egg!"  (I'm always telling people that grumpy chickens don't lay happy eggs.  We have to keep the chickens happy!)

We had a nice lunch at Cosi's (salads for both of us - aren't we good?).  THEN we headed off to our favorite bookstore - 1/2 price Books.  Ooooo, 20% off the entire store!  It had started to sprinkle while we were eating & it wasn't long after we got to the bookstore that it started to pour! and thunder!  Nothing like a good ol' thunderstorm in late December.  I had 6 or 7 clearance books in my arms before I ever took my list out of my purse~  I just love this store!  My dear MIL will be proud of me, I bought 3 books on herbs - growing & using.  I'm starting to get interested in herbal remedies (I know, like I don't have enough on my plate!)  I'm really looking forward to a cookbook called Homemade Health.  It has a chapter called, "Enjoy Being a Girl:  Calm Those Turbulent Hormones";  I figure we can take care of the departure & onslaught in one fell swoop!  I also found Back to Basics for $10!  Another awesome book.  It has basic info on just about everything our ancestors did on a homestead/farm:  woodworking, blacksmithing, soapmaking, candlemaking, spinning, gardening & preserving, animal raising and butchering, on & on.  It's going to make a nice companion to my Encyclopedia of Country Living.  Now, I need some companion bookshelves (hint, hing).

When we left the bookstore, it was still pouring down rain.  We drove to Kroger so that I could get some milk, but we felt more like ducks swimming in a monsoon.  It was incredible.  We did manage to get in & out of Kroger & on our way home without drowning.

After a not so healthy supper (never mind), I decided that I needed to tackle something else on my cleaning list, afterall, I only have 3 days of solitude left.  Now,  I had cleaned my bathroom cupboard & drawer & the top shelf in the linen closet on Christmas (I was really being lazy on my first day alone) and had thrown away 4 bags of trash & expired medicines.   So, I decide to clean my nightstand, shouldn't take too long.  Well, 2 hours later, I had a huge pile of old cards to pitch; 3 neat little piles of notes for the kids from Joel's folks; a few more cards for he & I to preserve; and a sweet pile of homemade notes & cards to Mommy from my kids.  I think my MIL is right (yes, I really said that my MIL is right!) why do we spend $3 or $4 on a store bought card and sign our name, when a note or letter means so much more?  The bday cards I kept are the ones where my SIL thanked me for praying for her and told me what a blessing I am in her life.  I think instead of store bought cards this year, I'd rather send a letter or even a quick note to let a dear friend or family member know how much they mean to me.  I know that some of you with fall bdays are thinking 'this is never going to happen'!

Well, I guess I have to get off the computer & go attack my to do list again.  I think I'll open the windows & let in some of this absurd 60+ December weather.  It's so pleasant outside - soggy, but pleasant.  I'll try to stay away from my new books for a while.  I think it's time to start seeing that evil machine again in the mornings.  At least when it works, it gives me time to read!

And that's what's happening on the homestead

Untitled Comment

9:38 AM, Saturday, December 27, 2008 .. Posted by Vickie

Sounds like a really good day!

Take care.