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Monday, May 12, 2008
9:37:51 PM EDT
Feeling Hopeful
The eagle has landed!
Yep, our mobile home is here. It didn't go without incident; I'm sure we'll be the talk of the neighborhood for a couple of weeks. After all, our home blocked the highway for at least forty-five minutes.
I'm glad Cliff's brother was here; he thrives on this sort of thing.
All's well that ends well.
Now to get electricity hooked up, water piped out there, and the Culligan man on the scene.
Written by mosie1944
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Sunday, May 11, 2008
8:18:56 PM EDT
Feeling Hopeful
Maybe?
That's Cliff and his brother, talking to the guy who will bring our mobile home out here; they're outside visiting as I type this.
That guy is a real individual, very independent. OK, he's what I'd call a typical truck driver; so Cliff's brother, Don, is swapping trucker-tales with him.
He plans to try and bring our home out tomorrow. Since we've been disappointed before, I'm not holding my breath... but I'm also remembering that I need to trust God's timing.
P.S. Missouri is a big state. There were no storms around us last night. Thanks to everyone for your concern.
Written by mosie1944
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Saturday, May 10, 2008
8:32:50 PM EDT
Feeling Chillin'
Hearing thunder in the distance
Cliff's brother is visiting
Cliff's brother, Don, does mechanic work for a living. He's also rather hyper, and doesn't "sit around" well. So when he visits, Cliff lines up several tasks that they can do together. They can chat while they're working, Don can smoke because they're in the shop, and life is good.
Cliff had never changed spark plugs in our Mercury Grand Marquis, so that was task number one for Don. In the old days, changing spark plugs was a simple task. Not so any more.
Don also changed the air filter, fuel filter, and transmission oil and filter. These are things Cliff wasn't confident about doing, although he says, "I could do it now, after watching him."
Now Don is a Chevy man, and is always badmouthing Fords. When I told him we planned to keep this car as long as it would run because we like it, he said, "Not if I don't work on it for a whole day."
"Why is that?" I asked.
"It's got a Tritan motor, and it'll need the timing chain replaced soon."
::shrugs::
Whatever.
Oh, by the way: Happy, happy birthday to my only baby boy, Jimbo!
Written by mosie1944
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Friday, May 9, 2008
11:52:48 PM EDT
Feeling Hopeful
Happy Mother's Day
Cliff and I were discussing parenting today, as we traveled here and there.
“You know,” I said, “it really isn’t necessary to spank kids to get them to behave.”
“I know,” he said.
We’ve both regretted spanking our two children when they were growing up.
Oh, don’t get me wrong: Kids need discipline.
But I’ve learned that discipline doesn’t necessarily mean physical punishment.
You see, I’ve done some babysitting in my time.
Because those weren’t my children, I didn’t feel I should spank them or hit them. And I found out you can manage a child just fine, without hurting them physically.
I only wish I had known this forty years ago.
I apologize to both my kids for ever hurting them. It wasn’t necessary. I regret that I ever spanked them.
In my defense, it was what I knew; it was how I was raised.
Do I fault my mother for spankings I received?
No way!
Because that’s what she knew. That was how things were done back then.
Cliff grew up receiving even harsher punishments than what I received.
Just like me... it was all he knew.
But we both agree there are better ways to deal with a child.
Happy Mother’s Day.
Please, people... learn from our mistakes.
Written by mosie1944
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Thursday, May 8, 2008
12:58:30 PM EDT
Feeling Chillin'
Cliff's garden (ha!)
After a couple of garden-free years around here, mostly due to annual droughts and tomato blight that discouraged me, Cliff took over the gardening last year.
For some reason, cucumber beetles did not kill his vines; tomato blight, although it did appear, didn't manage to wipe out his plants entirely.
This year once again, Cliff decided to garden. But somehow I've become involved. Running the rototiller hurts my knees, but I've done it several times. I planted corn. I set out the tomato and pepper plants. I hilled the taters. Cliff did the initial tilling (which is the hardest part) and planted the early crops.
So I think I'll stop calling it Cliff's garden. Look what I brought in from OUR garden today!
A handful of radishes.
Let's see if my claiming half the garden jinxes it.
Written by mosie1944
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Wednesday, May 7, 2008
4:33:21 PM EDT
Feeling Happy
I hit the jackpot!
I went back to the same steep bank where I found several morels yesterday, and I really scored! I love it when you find six, eight, or ten mushrooms in one spot. It only took me about twenty minutes to find all these.
Thirty-two of them altogether. We ate dozens of them for lunch today; now we'll have more tomorrow.
Here are two tiny snails I noticed while mushroom-hunting.
Written by mosie1944
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Tuesday, May 6, 2008
10:10:42 PM EDT
Feeling Quiet
Hearing "House of the Rising Sun" - CCR
In answer to comments
"Hummm do you think the kids eat them? Most kids are so picky but I think I would really like them."
The kids might eat them, or they might not. Their father has taught them that it's OK to trespass on their neighbor's property and steal mushrooms, so they don't know any better. I've even known him to send them here to gather mushrooms while he stays at home doing whatever it is he does. And the oldest kid is only fourteen. Anyhow, morels sell for $35 per pound and up, so who cares if they like them?
"Can you compare them in taste to any other common food?"
Well, I'd guess shitake mushrooms come closest in taste. But morels are better.
"I wonder where you can actually buy morels?"
I don't know where you are, but in my area you can purchase them at the Kansas City Market... only in season, which would be April and the early part of May. Or you'll find them on Kansas City Craigslist.
"I see you are soaking them. Tell me how you prepare them please."
I soak them in salt water to get rid of the bugs and tiny snails that are in the crevices of the morels. If I only have a few, I braise them in butter with some diced onions and sweet pepper and then scramble eggs with them. When I have plenty, I have a couple of ways of preparing them: The simplest is to roll them in flour and fry them. The other way I fix them is to dip them in an egg wash and then roll them in a mix of half flour, half Hi-Ho cracker crumbs.
Oh, and don't be surprised if I delete this entry at sometime tomorrow. One never knows which neighbors are reading this... although I'd say if the shoe fits, wear it. I'll feel much better for venting.---------------- Now playing: creedence clearwater revival - rollin on a rivervia FoxyTunes
Written by mosie1944
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5:33:30 PM EDT
Feeling Happy
Tomorrow we eat morels
After mushroom-hunting several times yesterday and today, I finally have enough for a real FEAST for me and Cliff tomorrow... probably over a half-gallon. The ones I found this afternoon were fairly close together, all on one hillside. I love it when that happens.
I can almost taste them now.
Oh, I found my neighbor's kid's coat carefully hung on a branch in one of the better mushroom spots on my place. Some things never change. But then I think of all the problems that neighbor has and I realize I wouldn't trade places with him for all the mushrooms in Missouri.
Karma is a mighty force.
Written by mosie1944
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8:18:34 AM EDT
Feeling Happy
A night at the cabin, 2008
I went to the cabin yesterday as soon as Cliff left for work at 2:30, figuring to spend a couple of hours there. I took a good book along.
The temperature was perfect, there was a gentle breeze... and I realized I didn't want to go back to the house. However, I hadn't taken anything along to eat. So Sadie and I came to the house, brought in the mail, got five hot dogs out of the freezer, and returned to the cabin.
I'd relax in my lounge chair reading for awhile, then I'd go look for mushrooms. Sometimes I sat in silence, enjoying the chirping of the birds. Other times I listened to my cabin music: Iris Dement, Red Crow Westerman, and other folk singers.
When I turned in around ten o'clock, I went to sleep to the music of barred owls hooting "who-cooks-for-you" in the distance, with Sadie snuggled beside me as close as she could possibly get. (If you click on that link, you can actually listen to the sound of a barred owl.)
I believe I'll keep my cabin.
Oh, and in spite of a certain trespasser I sighted yesterday, I found these:
Just the right amount to dice and cook with some scrambled eggs, which has become our favorite way to eat morels.
Written by mosie1944
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Sunday, May 4, 2008
10:04:15 PM EDT
Feeling Happy
Hearing Cliff talking on the phone with his older brother
What a wonderful day!
Yesterday I found myself getting depressed over the long wait for our mobile home to arrive. So this morning I suggested to Cliff that we take a road trip on the Gold Wing and get away from it all.
We decided to go to Versailles to visit Aunt Gertrude. We took lots of detours and were actually lost for a half-hour or so, but it was great fun; and the timing was perfect. We arrived at Aunt Gert's as she was setting her usual feast on the table. She always has family members present for Sunday dinner, and we had a good visit. I helped her with dishes and we found a different route home.
It was a perfect day for a ride, with temperatures in the 60's, very little wind, and spring-green everywhere.
Just the tonic I needed.
Written by mosie1944
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