It's December and the holidays are rapidly approaching.  This year has been a different kind of year for me.  I find that my life is changing.  My hopes and dreams, my goals for the future, my spiritual values, everything is changing for me.  With all these changes I am just having a hard time getting in to the holiday spirit.  I love giving gifts.  I especially love making things for people.  I don't think that will ever change.  But the whole decorate the house, bring in a tree, plan parties and a big dinner for the holiday, I'm just having a hard time getting into all of that.

December has always been a hard month for me.  My mother's birthday was December 25. During this time of year I miss my family more than the rest of the year.  I feel more like an orphan in December than any other month.  I miss my children.  They all live far away and I rarely get to see them.   I don't even know where my oldest two children are any more. Letters started coming back as undeliverable.  They have moved and left no forwarding address.  And I have moved so they don't know where to find me.  This saddens me to no end.  I got a holiday card from my daughter.  But I probably won't hear from the rest of them at all again this holiday season.  That makes me sad.

December brings the beginning of winter.  My least favorite season of the year.  It is cold and dark.  But it is a time for reflection.  For going within yourself to take a hard look at your life.  It's a time to make changes within yourself.  Let go of old painful things and embrace the new.  That's a lot of what this year has been about for me.  Letting go of the old and embracing the new.

This year has been a real spiritual journey for me.  I left the church and christianity over 20 years ago.  This year I have made the spiritual journey not back to the god of my childhood but a journey to JAH Rastafari.  I am learning a whole new way to look at god.  Instead of the god of the iron fist that I grew up with, I have met a God of unconditional love.  JAH is teaching me how to live and love unconditionally.  I am embracing the path of Rastafari with open arms.  I look forward to continuing this journey of One Love, One Heart.

As we go into this holiday season I wish for each of you my friends that you may find that which you are seeking.  I wish that you are each able to let go of the things of the past that are holding you back and embrace the new.  I wish that your dreams all come true.  I wish you peace and happiness.

Hurricane Sandy

As most of you know Hurricane Sandy came to pay a visit this week. I started out on Saturday stressing about my friend who lives in Jamaica. I finally heard from him late Sunday evening. He and his family came through the storm okay. He wouldn't go in to any detail about damage or anything. But no loss of life and that was all that was important to him.

We started clearing our yard and porch on Saturday. On Sunday we finished putting away everything that might blow away. I debated all day about whether or not to put out the recycling. I finally decided to put it out in case they came by to pick it up. They usually come early in the morning and the storm was not expected until around noon. Bad mistake. I also spent a lot of time debating about whether or not to take my son to his class on Monday morning. His class is from ten until twelve. The storm was supposed to hit around noon so I thought we might go. Then late Sunday night we got an email that they were canceling the class. Good decision.

My husband borrowed a generator from work. He also borrowed an extra pump as he was expecting the basement to flood. We got up Monday morning to wind. Lots and lots of wind. But there was no rain. They kept saying we were going to get torrential rain on Monday. Fortunately that never happened. We spent the day looking out the windows to see what was happening. After all our preparation we wanted the storm to hit and be done with. The wind kept getting stronger and stronger. Finally our recycling bin went flying down the street leaving a trail of recycling behind it. Still no rain. We followed the progress of the storm on tv. Finally around 7:00 the power started to flicker a bit. By 7:30 it was out. We built a fire in the fireplace and lit candles. It was an early night to bed for all of us.

Tuesday morning we got up to a cold house. My husband got up before I did and wired the generator so it would run the furnace and the refrigerator and a couple of outlets. Oh and the kitchen stove. By the time I got up the house was warming up nicely. We tried the tv but it would kick out every time the generator kicked on. The internet was the same way. We would barely get it up and it would go out again. We finally gave up on both of them.

The refrigerator seemed to be working but it was getting warmer every time my husband checked it. All of the fancy electronics were working but the compressor was not kicking in. When the temperature got over 50 in the refrigerator we gave up on it. He disconnected it from the generator. At that point we could only hope that the power would return shortly. There was no place open where we could buy ice. Later that night the battery on my husband's computer fried. All of the recycling of power fried it so he could no longer use it. That left us with only cell phones to connect with the outside world. Cell phone reception was very sporatic. I have a friend who sent me a message at 7:00 in the evening. I got it at midnight.

My husband went out to get gas for the generator. He found a place not far from hom that only had premium gas. But he was only charging $4.00 per gallon. He tried to find coffee but nothing was open.

Wednesday morning we got up and went through the same routine. He started the generator and then I got up. We notice that after we turned off the refrigerature the computers were not cycling as often. So he decided to try the tv and internet again. It worked. Everything worked. We had no electricity but we had tv and internet. The phones were still pretty iffy. No calls could be made but some text messages were going through. Another homeschooling mom came over with her daughter to get warm and to charge batteries. Cell phone, dvd player, iPod, you know the important things. It was nice visiting with her. My husband decided he couldn't take all the girliness so he went out to find gas again. This time all he could find was a guy selling gas out of a tank on the back of a truck for $8.00 a gallon. While he was gone we heard on the news of a gas station not far away that had regular gas for $3.59 a gallon. They said people were waiting over an hour to get gas. When we told him about this he decided to go fill the gas tank on his truck. He waited 2.5 hours to fill his gas tank.

Thursday we had internet and tv still. Cell phone service was getting a little more stable. We even received a phone call on our home phone. I cleaned out all the food out of the refrigerator except for a few things that I thought might be okay, fresh fruit and some condiments. Everything else went. I wasn't able to clean out the freezer because the garbage cans are full. We have no idea when the garbage people will be coming again. I hope soon with all this rotting food. My son's computer fried this morning. I think we are going to have to replace it. We spent the evening watching tv and relaxing until time to turn off the generator for the night.

Did I ever tell you what a water bed feels like after four days of no heater? Let me tell you, it gets cold, very very cold. The kind of cold that sucks the warmth out of your bones. He is going to go out today and find an extension cord so he can plug the heater to the bed in. We are not going to be able to sleep on it another night.

So it is day five of the hurricane. We are still waiting for electricity. We are eating simple foods that do not have to be refrigerated. We are antsy to get out of the house. They are saying another week before we get power back. We are fortunate though. We have no damage to our house or cars. No one that we know was killed by this horrible storm. All we have lost is a bit of food and a computer that may not even have been storm related. We give thanks that we were protected during this event. We pray for those who were not so fortunate. May they find peace as they try to rebuild their lives. We pray for the 67 people in our area who lost their lives during this storm.

Hug your children a littler closer tonight.

It is now the fifth evening that we will me going to bed with no electricity, no heat overnight.  It gets cold by morning.  And the togetherness is beginning to get to us all.  But we are alive.  I am trying to remember those who have really suffered.  But it is getting harder as time goes by.  I know that many of you can relate.  

We woke up on Saturday morning around 5:30.  We could see the soft glow of the red numbers on the alarm clock.  The power had returned.  A few minutes later we heard a neighbor shouting Woo Hoo in the street.  Apparently his power was also back on.  Stores have not been able to replenish their stock.  Many places are still without power.  But life is beginning to return to normal for us.  I continue to pray for those who will never have normal again.  

62 Things

My friend Taryn over at Wooly Moss Roots posted the other day about a friend of hers who makes a list of random things about herself and posts them every year on her birthday.  Taryn posted 27 things about herself because it was her 27th birthday.  So today I am going to try to post 62 things about myself.  I don't know if I can come up with that many things.  As we get older memory fades a bit and we forget too many things.

Hey that's number 1:  I forget things now.  Like when I go into a room and forget what I went in there for.

2:  When I was growing up I said I wanted 13 kids.  A football team and a cheerleader.  Well I have five boys and one girl.  Not quite enough for a football team.  But it's a start.

3:  There are 32 years between my oldest son and my youngest.

4:  I love to sit by the water.  Water calms my spirit and helps me feel at peace.

5:  I have lived in nine states.

6:  I hope to someday be able to go to Jamaica.  I want to walk the land that Bob Marley walked and rest my eyes on his final resting place.

7:  I was and probably still am the black sheep of my family.

8:  I am 17 years older than my husband.

9:  I am vegetarian.  Someday I would like to go vegan but I really love cheese.

10:  I have survived cancer.

11:  Fall is my favorite season.  I think because I was born in September.

12:  I am a middle child and the only girl in my family.

13:  I have always wanted a sister.

14:  I don't like being in crowds of people.

15:  My favorite color changes often.  Today it is green.

16:  I would love to drive a hybrid car.

17:  I love to cook but I hate to clean up  afterwards.

18:  Nothing sounds nicer than the laughter of a child.

19:  Sewing calms me.

20:  I have a goal of learning how to make soap.

21:  I am fat.  Not fluffy, not undertall.  I am fat.  Always have been.  Always will be.

22:  I hate science.  It's hard being a homeschooling mom when you hate science.  Especially when your child loves science.

23:  When I was a child we used to go to Missouri to visit relatives every year.  One year I tried to chop wood like I saw my brother do.  I missed and dropped the axe on my leg.  Instead of going for help I hid in the outhouse and tried to stop the bleeding with toilet paper.  Man did I get in trouble over that.

24:  I love antiques.

25:  My favorite possession is my grandfather's 150 year old oil lamp.

26:  I am trying very hard to live the Rastafari way of life.  Sometimes unconditional love is very hard to offer.

27:  My favorite snack food is nuts.  But my body doesn't like nuts any more.  Got to find a new snack food.

28:  I love long hippie skirts.

29:  I love Reggae music.

30:  I have lived in New Jersey for 15 years.

31:  My garden was a total bust this year.  I got one cherry tomato out of it.

32:  I don't like fast food but I eat it because we are on the go so much it's just easier.

33:  My favorite singer is Bob Marley.

34:  I love to sit by a warm fire with a good book.  Probably another reason why I love fall.

35:  I have not had a birthday party since I was 13 years old.

36:  I used to hang out at Jesus Freak communes in the 60's.

37:  I want dreadlocks.

38:  I like to stay up late at night.  The quiet is so peaceful.

39:  I love to sit on my rocker on my front porch.

40:  I want to learn to cook Ital.  But every recipe I find has scotch bonnet peppers.  These things are so hot you are not supposed to even cut them open.  You take them out of the pot before you serve the meal.  I hate spicy hot foods.

41:  I do love soup.

42:  I spend way too much time on the computer.

43:  I love candles so much I have learned to make them.  Now I sell them.

44:  I love the smell of babies.

45:  I am not political.  I frequently don't vote at all.

46:  My favorite candle scent is JamaicaMeCrazy.

47:  I may be 62 today but my mind feels like I'm 18 and my body feels like it's 100.

48:  I love everyone no matter what color, what race, what size.

49:  My favorite drink is iced coffee.

50:  My favorite song is Redemption Song.

51:  I would love to live on the side of a mountain with a little stream through my backyard.

52:  I have eight grandchildren.

53:  My ten year old says that I am nice and I cook really good and I sew good.

54:  I want to throw the tv in the trash.  But the new shows start this week so probably not.  I have to see who survives the plane crash on Grey's Anatomy.

55:  I love to cook with garlic.

56:  I think I have watched the Bob Marley movie 15 times since it came out in April.

57:  I love the 60"s movie.

58:  I own four sewing machines.  I want to get an embroidery machine and a quilting machine.

59:  I love to work on the computer by oil lamp light.

60:  I love to bake bread, but my son is rapidly becoming a better bread baker than I am.

61:  I have a collection of fairies.

62:  I can't believe I made it to the end of this list.

I don't think I will repeat this next year.  But it was fun to do.  We went out to dinner on Friday to celebrate my birthday.  Today I will be teaching a class to a group of homeschoolers.  My youngest son bought me a VW car at the Hippie Museum for my birthday.  My daughter sent me a gift certificate to Amazon.com.  My husband gave me the Official High Times Cook Book and a necklace that says One Family, One Love, One Heart on one side and has the Tree of Love on the other side.

Guess Who This Is

And guess what he is doing?

Yes after 3 months in the NICU, Baby Sean is in his carseat on his way home.  His parents are beyond happy.  If you haven't read about Baby Sean check out these posts.  http://kathishippiehaven.blogspot.com/2012/07/i-am-copying-post-about-baby-sean-born.html

and
http://kathishippiehaven.blogspot.com/2012/07/updates-on-baby-sean.html

and
http://kathishippiehaven.blogspot.com/2012/07/updates-on-baby-sean_29.html

I am so happy that this beautiful child is now on his way home.  (Actually is home by now.)  He can now begin life with his family.  I want to thank those of my readers who have contributed money or gifts to Sean and his family.  You did good.

A Strawberry Almost

I posted the other day about our one lone tomato that we were able to harvest this year. We also have not had a single strawberry. I planted 25 strawberry plants. 17 of them survived the night. After that the plants seemed healthy and happy. They were soon covered with blossoms. Every day we checked for tiny little green strawberries. Eventually we started to see the tiny green berries. Then the next day, no berry. As soon as the little green berries were about 1/2 inch long, they were stolen. There were so many blossoms though that I thought it wouldn't be a problem. They will grow and soon we will have berries. As the weeks went on though it was the same thing. Nice blossoms, tiny green berries, and then nothing. Unlike the tomatoes that stayed on the vine until they started to turn red, the strawberries were gone as soon as they started to grow.

Friday I came home and parked at the end of the driveway. I saw a bird in the middle of the strawberry patch. He was working and working on something. Every once in a while I saw a bit of red pop up and then out of the bird's reach. I went out to check to see what the bird was working on. Imagine my surprise when I saw one beautiful large red half eaten strawberry still on the vine. Somehow this guy had survived long enough to grow and turn red. I'm so sorry I forgot to take a picture of it. I didn't want the bird to think he could eat out of my garden so I picked the strawberry and threw it out in the yard far away from the garden. I'm sure the bird came back to finish his treat.

Next year I am putting a net over my strawberry patch. I am planting marigolds all around my tomatoes. I'm going to fertilize everything this fall so maybe something else will grow in my garden beds. Maybe next year I will actually get something out of my garden for me. I guess this year is my learning curve. Hopefully next year will yield a few decent crops.

Updates on baby Sean

Just wanted to share updates on this little miracle baby. He is now up to four pounds at seven weeks old. Here is the link to updates and pictures.

http://www.hybridrastamama.com/2012/07/a-baby-sean-update-with-pictures-to.html

The Most Expensive Tomato Ever

We bought a house last fall.  I spent the whole winter looking forward to my first real garden in years.  I planned what I was going to plant.  I drew pictures of how I would lay it out.  I ordered seeds.  When it was warm enough I started bugging my husband to build the frames for my two raised garden beds.  Then we filled the beds with dirt.  Since it was still pretty chilly most of the time I only planted carrots.  The books all say that carrots can grow in February.  I was so happy when about a month later I saw the little 1/4 inch tall carrot plants.  Then another month went by and they were about 1/2 inch tall.  Now it's been four months and my struggling little carrots are about four inches tall now.  I pulled on today to see what the carrot part looked like.  It's there.  It's about 1/8 of an inch long but it does look like a carrot.  Maybe in another four or five months there will actually be carrots big enough to eat.

I started seeds indoors, but most of them did not grow right or at all.  When it got warm enough I planted these tiny plants in the garden beds.  They didn't look like they were going to do well so I went out and bought some plants.  Then I ordered some more plants online.  I put in 25 strawberry plants that said they would bear in June.  I was so pleased when I saw the first blossoms on the 18 plants that survived the first week.  Pretty soon there were tiny little green strawberries replacing the blossoms.  Then there was nothing.  Something had eaten all of the tiny little green berries.  About the same time I started seeing blossoms on the tomato plants.  Now these were all Amish heirloom plants that I had ordered because I knew they would be so hardy.  The tomatoes have all be growing very well.  One day I saw a beautiful green tomato on the Amish Paste Tomato plant.  I watched it every day.  One day it was starting to turn red.  I thought it needed a couple more days before it would be ready to pick.  The next day I went to check on it.  It was gone.  There would be others I told myself.  I had a dozen or so tiny little cherry tomatoes.  Some of them had a bit of yellow on them.  Some even started to have red streaks.  I watched as they slowly ripened so I could pick them.  One by one, just as they were about ready to pick, they disappeared.  Yesterday I found one little cherry tomato that was red and ready to pick.  I brought it in the house and washed it.  One quick chomp and it was gone.  But oh it tasted so good.  I grew that tomato.

So let's see now, I spend $50 to 60 for wood to build the frames.  Then we spent $120 for the dirt to fill the frames.  I spent about $35 on seeds that I ordered and another $20 for the little trays to plant the seeds in.  The plants that I ordered online came to about $60.00.  Then there was the $45 I spent at the plant store.  Add in all the time that my son and spent working in the garden.  Wow, how do you account for that.  And the water we used to water the garden during this drought. 

I still have some herbs that I will be able to pick and dry for the winter.  Not basil though.  The basil just does not seem to want to grow.  And the basil plants that I bought disappeared the day after I planted them.  Neither does the lettuce.  Now that is something I thought would grow anywhere.   I have a nice size bean plant but no beans on it.  My green peppers look exactly the same as they did the day I planted them.  Well, except for the holes that have been nibbled in the leaves. 

I think my garden this year is pretty much gonna be a bust.  This fall I will fertilize the soil well before winter comes.  Maybe that will help for next year.  I'm also going to invest in some marigolds and other plants to deter animal next year.  Oh well, such is my experience as a first year gardener.

So let's add it up:
Wood for the frames:   $60.00
Dirt to fill the frames:  $120.00
Seeds, and plants:          $160.00
1 tiny cherry tomato:     PRICELESS

Updates on Baby Sean

For updates on Baby Sean check out this post.

http://www.hybridrastamama.com/2012/07/baby-sean-is-growing-adorable-photos.html#more

I am copying a post about Baby Sean, born on June 10, 2012.  He needs help and I know some of you will be able to help him.  Here is the post from Hybrid Rasta Mama:

On June 10th 2012, Baby Sean was born. He is truly a miracle baby and both he and his family need our help.

From 2001 until June 2011, I was fortunate enough to have five of the most caring, uplifting, generous and supportive people caring for my grandmother who suffered from dementia. This family literally fell into our lives and because of their selflessness, my grandmother lived 94 wonderful years. Without the care and support she received, I doubt that my daughter would have had the opportunity to spend two years with a great-grandmother who loved her, even when she did not have a clue who she was.

Caroline was my grandmother’s main caretaker but her entire family (husband Tony and their three young children) did everything that my family could not. They bathed her, they cleaned up her bathroom accidents, they fed her nourishing foods, they told her stories, they took her to concerts, they took her camping, they took her to family events, and the list goes on. They lived with her 24 hours per day, 7 days per week with no time off. They embraced her and together, they become an expanded family.

After my grandmother passed away in June 2011, I not only mourned her death but I mourned the loss of my extended family. Although I knew we would keep in touch, it would still be different.

Fast forward to the end of May 2012. Caroline had been experiencing a headache that defied words. She decided to go to the hospital, knowing that something serious was going on. A short while after her arrival, she learned that she was 26 weeks pregnant and in a major health crisis. That headache was the result of preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. Both Caroline and her unborn baby were in serious trouble.

Caroline was put on hospital bed rest where a fabulous team of doctors and nurses did all they could to keep Caroline’s baby where he should be…in his warm, watery womb. Unfortunately, Caroline’s placenta was too thick, her baby was not getting nourishment, and his life was in danger. After his heart kept stopping, Caroline underwent an emergency C-section to save both her baby’s life as well as hers.  

15 days after walking into the hospital for a headache, Caroline gave birth to a 1 pound 10 ounce baby boy she and her husband named Sean Feleti Jeremiah Mokofisi.

Baby Sean is a miracle. He is a fighter. And he has a long road ahead of him. However, Baby Sean is already breathing well on his own, a miracle and something pretty rare for a baby only 28 weeks gestational age. He has had some significant health challenges since his birth but has fought through them with the help of a wonderful and talented team of doctors.

Baby Sean is not able to be held or breastfeed but Caroline is pumping milk and the hospital has been very supportive of her through this. They are also open to supplementing with donor milk, knowing how crucial breastmilk is to a premature baby.

Caroline has had some health challenges as she recovers from not only the C-section but the preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. However, she is expected to be released from the hospital soon. Baby Sean is not so fortunate. His stay will be quite lengthy.

This is where YOU come in.

Caroline and her family were already at a financial disadvantage before this incredible journey began. They work hard, they are generous people – giving to those even less fortunate than they are. They give everything they have to care for their children and give them the best life possible. But the economic cards have been stacked against them and the financial impact of such a lengthy and complex hospital stay for both Caroline and Baby Sean will be devastating to them.

Once Caroline is released from the hospital, she will have to travel 45 minutes each direction to see her baby daily. The cost of gasoline is going to make this near impossible. On top of that, Caroline needs to begin preparing for Baby Sean’s arrival home and literally does not have the resources to purchase the most basic of baby supplies let alone some of the special supplies a premature baby with Sean’s health needs might require.

Today we are reaching out to you. Could you donate $1 – just ONE DOLLAR – to help Baby Sean? Your donation will go towards clothes, cloth diapers, a car seat, and other premature baby essentials. In addition, it will help this beautiful family make the daily trip to bond with and bring breastmilk to their precious son.

If you aren’t able to donate, perhaps you know someone who could. In lieu of a donation, we are asking for help in spreading the word.

We know that in these tough economic times, it is difficult to know when to give and what cause deserves our hard earned dollar. This baby needs our help now! Imagine if this was your baby and all you needed was a little financial cushion so you could start your baby’s life out right?

Caroline, Tony, their entire family and Baby Sean are already deeply grateful, humbled, and moved to tears by the mere fact that we are raising funds to assist them in their greatest hour of need. So thank you for your help. It literally will make a world of difference in this family and child’s lives.

HOW TO HELP

To donate to the Help Baby Sean fund, please click the DONATE button below. You will be taken to Paypal where you can donate even if you do not have a Paypal account.

Together, we WILL be able to help Baby Sean and his family get off to the best start possible. Again, thank you and many, many blessings for your generosity!

Please do what you can to help Baby Sean and his family.  If you can repost this urgent need.

We really have a kitchen again.

I can't believe it, we really have a kitchen again.  We have a sink with running water.  The dishwasher works.  The stove is working.  We have a window that opens.  We even have cabinets up on the walls.  All I can say is thank you to my wonderful talented husband and the two friends who helped him do all the work.  All that he has left to do is to hang the range hood and then add baseboards and a bit of trim work. We also have a small piece of wallpaper to add. I can start unpacking boxes and putting things away as soon as I get over this dreaded summer cold.  Hopefully within the next few days I will have my home back in one piece again with no boxes standing around.   I hope to never eat another microwave meal again. 

We still have a few minor issues to clear up for the inspectors. but none of them effect the main floor of the house.  They are mostly in the basement and finishing off the window on the outside.  So here are pictures for you to admire.

 New window is all trimmed out and looking good. 

 The range hood will go where the wire is hanging out of the wall.  And the pantry is already fully stocked.

 Need to fill in the wallpaper here above the basement door.

 Sink has a small sink for food trash with a garbage disposal attached to it.  Then there is a dedicated filter water faucet on the far right.

 Fancy, smacy refrigerator.  I've never seen a Sub-Zero refrigerator before.

 I love the vinyl sheets on the refrigerator door.  I have them covered with encouraging quotes and music lyrics.  And they are dry erase so you can change them whenever you want.

It's beginning to look like a Kitchen

After a few weeks of not having a kitchen and living in total chaos it is finally starting to come together.  We finally got the first two sets of cabinets in and their countertops set in place.  The new refrigerator is in place as well.  Tomorrow the inspector will come tomorrow to inspect the window.  If she passes it we will be able to drywall the last wall and really finish putting it back together.  I really hope she passes it tomorrow.  This will be her third time here.  We have done everything she asked us to do so hopefully.....

This has been an experience.  And not a painfree one.  On Saturday I tried to help my husband move a cabinet in from the back porch as it was starting to rain.  We got all the way into the kitchen when I dropped it on my toe.  That threw me off balance and I ended up flat on my back on the floor.  Since my knees don't work very well it was hard to get back up.  I finally figured out what to do and my husband was able to help me up.  For a while I thought we were going to have to call a tow truck to get me up.

The really great thing is that I will be able to cook dinner on the stove tonight.  We will not have to eat microwave or bar b que.

Just a note to let you know we passed the building inspection.  We can now finish the drywall and put the rest of the kitchen together.  By the end of next week I should have at least a working kitchen if not a finished kitchen.

Kitchen Remodel

 Well the kitchen remodel is coming along.  Right now it's a big empty room.  The window went from this

to this 

to this

Sorry, it's hard to get a good picture of a window.  Especially on a sunny day.

The walls started out like this       and now look like this    

This wall now looks like this   

Today they are putting in a vent into this pipe for the plumbing.  And they are replacing the gas lines for the stove in the kitchen.  Tomorrow they will lay the new floor.  Then we have to wait for the inspectors to come and check the work that has been done so far.  So it looks like nothing else will get done for a few days.

It's certainly been an experience.  We are learning to live with just a microwave and the bar b que.  We have also gotten very familiar with all the local fast food establishments.  I know it will all be worth it in the end, but it sure is a mess as we go along.

Some of the garden is growing

 I thought I would update some of my garden pictures today.  You can barely see the tomatoes in the back but they are getting big.  The bottom leaves are turning yellow.  I think because of all the rain we have had recently.  There's peas and sage in the foreground of this picture.  And you can't see them but there are tiny little carrots.  I planted these carrots almost two months ago and they are still only about an inch tall.  I don't know if this is normal or not.  They are beginning to look like carrot leaves though.  So I guess they are doing something.

 This is my patchouli plant.  Something seems to be liking it.  I hope they don't eat the whole thing.

 We planted 25 strawberry plants.  There are 16 remaining.  I found two that were dug up and replanted them.  But I don't know if they will live or not.

 This is an echinea.  Okay so I can't spell that.  Anyway, it's a purple cone flower.  You can see the thyme beside it as well.

 Oregano back in the corner.  And chives that are doing very well.

 Next to the chives you can see the lettuce that I dropped the whole package of seeds.  I should have lots of lettuce in a few weeks.

 This little corner is basil.  Again I dropped the package of seeds.  It was a very clumsy day that day.

 THis corner has the little baby carrots.  There are three rows of them but they are so small.  I hope at least some of them grow in to carrots.

And, we have one strawberry blossom.  So if nothing else our 25 plants will at least produce one strawberry.  (I hope a lot more will grow.)

So that's the up date of my garden.  It's growing.  I'm inpatiently waiting.  Happy Gardening to all of you.

Kitchen Remodeling

We are finally starting the renovations in our kitchen.I never dreamed what a major project this would turn out to be.  We are putting in all new cabinets, countertops, and a new sink.  We are also putting in a new floor and even replacing the window that goes down behind the sink with one that will stop above the sink.  I will be able to open the window finally.

 

All of the cabinets are out and stacked on the back deck.  We have filled in all the holes on the walls and replaced any missing or broken pieces of drywall.  Last night we painted three of the walls.  The paint is a lot darker green than I thought it was once you put it solidly on the walls.  But once we get the light colored cabinets up it will balance out I think.  After all, the only part of the walls that will show is the part between the upper and lower cabinets.  Tonight we will put the second coat of paint on the walls.  Tomorrow he will paint the ceiling white.  Then we are putting a wall paper boarder around the top of the walls.

All of the light switches and plug covers will look like this.  This matches the curtains in the kitchen.

 

Our dumpster was delivered today.  Over the weekend the pile of broken cabinets will go into the dumpster.  We also have knocked down a broken fireplace that was in the back yard.  It will go into the dumpster as well.

The dining room is stacked with boxes of all of our kitchen things and parts that will be going into the kitchen.  It really is totally trashed in here right now.  But I think it will all come together soon.

As of Monday morning we will have no running water in the kitchen.  No sink, no stove, no dishwasher.  For now we will be eating microwavable food on paper plates.  We will also be using the bar b que for burgers and things like that.