Important matters.

Remember when I used to do productive things?  Like garden?  And pickle beans?  And make grape juice?  And fun things like that?

 

It seems like forever ago.  And I so miss it.  My Mom sends me pictures of her homemade goodness and for the moment, I get to live vicariously through her.

 

Instead of these 'productive things', I've now resorted to writing you a weekly list of the happenings around here.  Most of which are of little importance to anyone besides those living here.  And most of which are completely random.

 

Productive or not, these are days here on the homestead.  At least for the time being.  And while I wish to one day be productive again, by ya know, like having a milk goat or something, it just ain't that season right now.  

 

I'm still praying for peace about this.  Cuz girlfriend wants a dairy goat.

1.  Stuart officially starts teaching next Wednesday and today I'm heading into his classroom to help him get a few things ready.  I can't believe, after all this schooling, and after all this time, we've almost reached this monumental day!  Hallelujah!  He has a job!  And we get a paycheck!

 

2.  If you follow me on Facebook, you know what I'm about to say.

 

Are you ready for this?

 

While laying in bed last night, I felt a slight pinch on my arm.  Thinking it was a spider, I quickly reached down to squish the demon.  What I felt was much smaller, so when I pinched it, I held it up to the light to make sure it wasn't something poisonous (because, let's be honest, that stuff exists down here).  You guys - it was a flea.  I had a flea in my bed.

 

I then proceeded to die.

 

The next morning, Stuart examined the dogs - and sure enough, he found another flea on Cali.  Greeeeat.

 

To be honest, over breakfast, I whelled up with tears, told Stuart I was overwhelemed by all the creepy-crawly-nasty things that live down here, and exclaimed that this is why people jumped in covered wagons and headed out West.

 

Ya, I'm sure that's why they moved out West.  Because of the fleas.  He said.

 

It is.  I said.  Because fleas are stupid and they bite and they make you feel like a horrible housekeeper.  And if I had a covered wagon, I may at times contemplate driving to where they don't exist.  Like Washington.

 

Regardless, Stuart had to go to work, so I was left with a flea-ridden bedroom and two flea-ridden dogs.  I spent approximately 67.8 hours cleaning and cleaning and spraying and spraying and washing and washing and treating and treating.  Only to have Stuart come home from work to quickly find four more on the floor.

 

I wish every flea in the world would die.  And I mean that.

 

Sorry God, I know you created them with purpose, but having them in my house is making me crazy.  The grand total we've seen is nine, so I'm hoping we were able to nip 'em in the bud before they got too bad.  The newly-bathed dogs are confined to the sun room and have been treated with multiple medicines, so hopefully those will kick in soon.

 

Until then, we're in the slums.

 

By the way, you should probably follow all my amazing updates on Facebook - because I like to talk about things like fleas.  You know, important things.

 

3.  I forgot what I was going to put down for number three because my mind is still reeling about this whole flea situation.  Dangit.

 

4.  Oh ya.  Do you want to know what an amazing mother I have?  She bought and sent me a bottle of real maple syrup.  Weren't we just talking about that?!?!

 

I can hardly wait to eat oatmeal drizzled in pure maple goodness.

 

5.  Because of the price of food down here (or maybe it's just that danged 'ol budget again), we've decided to look into a membership at a local Sam's Club.  A friend and I (ya, I have friends, what-what) went to price out some items there last week and found the nuts, bulk beans, baking supplies (ie: baking soda, aluminum-free baking powder, cinnamon, etc.) and a few other items were priced very well.  While I'm still mourning the loss of Azure Standard, I'm hoping to at least save some money by purchasing in bulk down here.  Do any of you shop there?  How do you like it?

 

6.  My belly is already giant, as in the stage when your belly button starts to look really funny and you wonder how it can look so foreign when you've had the same one your whole life.  Belly buttons are weird anyway, let's be honest.

 

But I can feel (and see!) the baby move a lot at this stage...and that's wonderful.  Except when I get kicked in the bladder.  

 

And speaking of bladders, the other night I had just finished washing dishes and was filling the Brita pitcher with tap water.  For some reason, hearing the water run made me really have to go and I had to quickly cross my legs and really focus on not wetting my pants.  Stuart came in at that very moment, of course.

 

What are you doing? Why are you standing like that?

 

(I start laughing, which only makes things worse).

Because I was filling the water pitcher and hearing the water run made me really have to go to the bathroom and now I'm worried I can't make it.

 

What?  

 

(Apparently, I was laughing too hard for him to hear actual words.  I then proceeded to repeat myself.)

 

Honey, I still can't tell what you're saying.

 

Luckily, at this point, I was angry that he was having such a hard time understanding me and thus was distracted from the lack of bladder control I was experiencing.

 

Don't worry.  I made it to the bathroom after all.

 

7.  I spent a few days last week washing all the baby clothes we have.  Boy clothes AND girl clothes.  Not because we're having one of each, but because we have to be prepared for either one since it will be a surprise!  I wanted to have everything fresh and organized (it's not yet, but at least washing it all was a start!).  

 

My point is this:  While I sat for hours folding little bitty baby clothes, I pondered baby girls and baby boys.  What gender was I really hoping for?  What did I hope the baby would be?

 

I folded a little old dress of Georgia's, and thought, that's it.  I want another little girl.

 

Then I folded some old overalls of my nephews and though, that's it.  It's gotta be a boy.

 

Regardless, my opinion isn't going to change whatever it is already, so I guess we'll just have to wait and see what the Lord has planned.

 

I do hope it's a girl.

 

And a boy.

 

But not at the same time.

 

You know what I mean?

 

Not that I wouldn't love it either way.

 

Never mind. 

 

7.  That is all.  For the moment.  You're welcome for the update on such important matters.

 

May your weekend be wonderful and sweet, my friends!  And free of fleas.  The end.