Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Sold!!

And not a moment too soon!  Millie and Heather are gone.  I put them on craigslist yesterday and a guy came and picked them up today.  No regrets and if they weren't bottle babies I would have loved them.  I'll say it again though.........the Goodwife ain't cut out for bottle feeding.  I HATE it and will never do it again.  My stress level was through the roof the entire time I've had these clingy, silly, obnoxious things.  Live, learn, and move on!

I also wanted to let ya'll know I'm taking a bit of a bloggin' break.  I'm still here and will still be here, just got lots on my mind and am taking a step back to regroup.  I'll post if somethin' exciting or profound comes up, or if God puts somethin' on my heart, but it will probably be hit and miss for awhile.  ;)

Till next time...........
God Bless!


Sunday, May 16, 2010

Memories of Grampa and Gran'ma.....

My grandpa was a salty old soul.  Only went through the 6th grade as so many boys of his generation did, he was in the Army and fought in Korea before marrying my grandma.  He was a paratrooper and got shot in the lower back.  Grandpa has a purple heart among other medals, but I don't know what.  I've never seen them and he never talked about it to anybody except for me.  About the only thing he ever said was he asked me if I'd ever eaten sushi.  He said It wadn't bad except for the eyeballs.............  He told me stories about being a young boy and rollin' up corn husks and smoking them and he taught me lots about fishin' and gardenin'.  He was a truck driver for most of my dad's childhood and then he worked at Mobil Chemical until he got sick and couldn't work anymore. 

Grandpa and Grandma with their Christmas present of pictures of me and my sister.  I'm on the left in the Ernie shirt...

I don't ever remember my grandpa not sick.  He got sick the year after I was born, so I don't remember him any other way.  He had diabetes, congestive heart failure, gout, and a slew of other troubles.  He taught me a lot about how to be.  No matter how sick he was, you could go in the bedroom and say How ya feelin' Grampa?  and he'd always say Purty good, or Oh I'm tollable...... On his good days he'd go out to the garage and sit in a padded rocking chair and tinker.  He made bird houses, and picnic tables and all kind of stuff from that chair.  On his bad days he'd have a TV tray set up next to the bed with a dismantled VCR on it.  He'd roll over, reach out and tinker for a few minutes, then roll back over to rest.  He never complained, EVER that I'd heard of.  Oh he'd get grouchy with others but he never complained.  When I was a real little girl I used to love going to visit him in the hospital.  He was always on the cardic floor and the nurses would take us in the little room and show us our Grandpa's print out.  She'd tear a big long sheet of it off and let us take it home.......See, that's your grandpa's heart beats!  He always, always saved part of his supper for us, and I grew to love hospital mashed taters and gravy.  I'll never forget once when I was older, probably about 15 or 16, he was in the hospital and I was up there with Gran'ma.  He'd just put a big ole wad of skoal in and the doctor came in.  Grandpa got all wild eyed and frantically started brushing the sheet off where he'd spilled skoal.  The doctor came sauntering over, looked at Grandpa appraisingly, and said....Open your mouth Charlie.......Grandpa shook his head no.....Charlie, open your mouth......again, a kind of a grunt and frantic head shaking No!  Charlie, OPEN your mouth.....Grandpa took a big ole gulp and when he opened his mouth there wasn't nary a bit of skoal in sight!  It's so funny cuz there was little bits of chew all over the bed, and he'd been spittin' in the trash can.  It wasn't like he was foolin' anybody! 

Me with a catfish...I was 3 years old.  That is Dad and Sister 3 in the background...
He and my grandma used to take me and my sister camping in the old slide in pickup truck camper.  I was just amazed by the gas lamps that were on the wall!  My gramps was an amazing fisherman.  He's have 6 poles lined up on the bottom, fishin' for catfish.  He'd hook a fish and then holler Come'ere Skunk! and real this 'un in for me!  I never lost a fish that Grandpa hooked for me no matter how long it took my little 5 year old self to get it hauled into the bank!  We used to fish at a place called Lake Greenwood.  Fishing there with my daddy and Grandpa are some of my earliest and clearest memories.  There was a big sandy washout and we'd walk down that and sit on the spit of sand at the bottom to fish.  Grandpa always fished out of an old metal folding chair, and the legs of that chair would sink down so far that he was almost sitting on the ground.  I remember once trying to set the hook in a fish like Grandpa did..........my line came flying outta that water so fast!  It smacked into the bank behind us.  Grandpa just chuckled and shook his head.  Oh how I loved that man. 

Spending the night at Grandma and Grandpa's I'd get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and Grandpa'd be standing in the kitchen with a spatula in hand.  Want an fried egg samwitch? he'd say.  Grandpa....it's 1 in the mornin!  Why would I want a fried egg samwitch?  He's the first person I remember making me an ice cream cone at home. I thought that was just amazing...ice cream cones at home!  When I was little, every Sunday after church we went to Grandma and Grandpa's for sunday dinner (meaning the noon meal).  All my dad's sisters would be there (except for Sister 3) and his brother.  My cousins would be there and it was such a good memory.  I miss those times. 

Now don't get me wrong, Grandpa had his faults.  He was a crotchety old sort and especially hard on my dad, (his oldest child).  They never did really get on too well, but the three of us spent lots of time together and they loved each other.  They were too much alike to get on very well, just like me and my dad are, although my daddy and I have a much better relationship than he and grandpa had.  He was hard on my Grandma too.  They were pretty much just like Archie and Edith Bunker, you know, from the TV show?  I don't remember him ever saying a cross word to me though.  I could ask him anything and I spent lots of fond hours at his knee, soaking up anything he wanted to tell me about.  He taught me about the proper way to raise livestock, how to make things grow and thrive.  He died when The Youngun was 18 months old and I still miss him so much. 

Left to right...Dad, Grandpa holding the Youngun, me......

Grandma got cancer when I was a senior in high school or maybe it was shortly after I graduated. 

It was such a shock to us because she was always so cheerful and happy,  always so healthy.  She got sick and they gave her 3 months.  She lived 3 years after that, always cheerful and hopeful. I miss her so much too.  When she gave you a kiss, boy you stayed kissed!  She's put both hands on either side of your face, scrunch it together and pull you in for a nice hard pucker right on the mouth.  Oh how I'd like to have one of those kisses right now!   She was always there when we needed her.  She'd call every single day (even though she lived only about 6 blocks away) to see how ever'body was.  Just callin' to see how you'uns was doin' is all.....  She died when I was 3 months pregnant with The Youngun.  A mercy at the end with the cancer and all, but it sure doesn't make you miss them any less.  The Youngun was her first great - grandchild and she never got to see her.  She did know about her though and that makes me happy.   Such a packrat Grandma was!  I remember once cleaning her freezer out for her.  I found bags of peaches in there that were 20 years old!  Grandma never took a music lesson in her life, but Grandpa bought her an old organ at the sale barn and she could sit down at that thing and play hymns by ear. Complete with chords and everything!  I don't remember Grandma ever sayin' a bad word about anybody.  She was always smilin' and happy. 

Grandma in the background, isn't she lovely!  My sister, me on the floor, who knows what I'm doing...Grandpa laying down.

Grandma, me, my sister
I do remember a time when she got fired up at me.  I was a young teenager, and Grandpa was havin' a bad spell.  I went down to visit them and talk with Grandpa, see what I could do.  Grandma went in the bedroom and said Charlie, Sarah is here and she's gonna have some toast with us.  Now I'd already eaten breakfast and wasn't hungry and was trying to lose weight.  I said Grama, I don't want no toast, I'm not hungry.  I'll never forget her lookin' at me with her eyes blazing......You are gonna eat some toast because I think if you eat Granpa will eat!!  Brother, I ate toast!  LOL! 

She willed my grandpa back from death I don't know how many times.  And then when she got sick, he kept himself going for her.  He was determined not to die before she did.  After she died, he just wilted away.  He pretty much stopped eating.  He was always a big solid man, a good 300 lbs in his prime.  He wasted away down to nothing after she died.  He'd go all day and eat nothing but a chicken leg.  I made a sort of spice bread/fruit cake that he really liked, so I'd make those up for him and he'd eat that.  They had brandy in them and I've never made one since he died.  Still have half a bottle of that brandy in the cabinet. 

Grandpa opening Christmas presents.  This was The Youngun's first Christmas as well as the second Christmas without Grandma..  Left to right...Grandpa, my mom, The Youngun, Dad, cousin L.  Sister 1, me in striped sweater, cousin K, cousin M (white sweater)

So many things make me think of Grandpa and Grandma.........every time I use a pressure cooker.  Every time I make vegetable soup, or cook neckbones.  Everytime I go fishin' or work in the garden, or hear an organ they come to mind.    He and Grandma were such a huge part of my childhood, such good influences on my life.  I like to think of Grandpa up in heaven, sittin' in his old fishin' chair, catching catfish and Grandma playing her organ and waiting for the rest of the family to get there so we can have a big ole Sunday dinner again!  They had a hard life financially and with Grandpa's health, but a rich one in other ways.  I love them both so much and am thankful to have had them in my life for as long as I did.

Till next time..........God Bless!

Friday, May 14, 2010

Garden Update.........

After being afraid I was gonna have to replant the whole shebang, the sun came out, the ground warmed up and stuff started poppin!


Notice our "watch hawk".  He keeps the pesky blackbirds from eatin' the tops offa my tomaotes and peppers!  Rhubarb over there to the left and some 'maters that you can't see yet.

Black Seeded Simpson, spinach, and romaine.  Also radishes, beets, carrots and some onions.

Potatoes, corn, green beans, peppers, and more tomatoes


Witty bitty peach! 

Lotsa witty bitty peaches!

Till next time...........God Bless!

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Yard Sale Goodies..........

Last Friday Darlin' Deb, The Youngun and I went yard salin'!  Whoo hoo, the bargains to be had!  All this loot........and mind you the trunk of my car is full.........
for only 2 bucks!  That's right, I said 2 bucks!  That yardsale was a homeschoolers dream!  These are just some of the educational books I got.  I still have to unload the trunk of my car, and yes it's still in there from Friday!  I had a large stack of books, mostly just all the educational books and they said if you will take them all it's only 2$, so I said why not!  You can never ever have too many books!

A wonderful spelling primer, several health books, a reading book, some math books, geography, and social studies.  We've already begun using some of them and they are wonderful! 

I got some other goodies at the first yard sale, but will blog about those in a later post. 

Till next time..........God Bless!


Saturday, May 8, 2010

Thursday, May 6, 2010

It's That Time Again...........More Confessions of the Goodwife.....

Yes dear readers, it's that time again.  Time for me to bare my soul, and let you in on yet another of the Goodwife's shameful little secrets.........

I love Stone Cold Steve Austin. There, I said it and I'm not ashamed of it.  The man makes my gizzard tingle. The Man knows this and thinks its funny.  I of course fell in love with this one first.......

My sexy hunk a hubby!
He REALLY makes my gizzard quiver..........and then this one came on the scene via the WWF...

Can anybody perhaps tell me why I would find Stone Cold Steve Austin so attractive? 

Inconceivable isn't it? 
Stone Cold doesn't wrestle anymore, and we don't have TV so couldn't watch even if  he did, but he is making movies and that just thrills me.  The man is eye candy to the extreme for me and I will buy every movie he makes.  If the story is horrible, I'll still watch it, just to get my Stone Cold fix.  I loved his movie The Condemned and we just bought Damage and watched it.  It had a good story and I got to see a very vulnerable side to my boy that made me once again want to soothe all his hurts and just give him a hug!

Anywho, I'll leave with two more pics of my two favorite guys, with my number one on top of course!  ;)

Till next time..........God Bless

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

My Love for..............

Kidney beans!  Oh how I love kidney beans!  I'd forgotten how much I like healthy food due to my 2 month foray to the dark side.  Today for a snack I had 1/2 cup of home canned kidney beans sprinkled with chipotle pepper, and topped with some chopped onion.  Delish!  Did I mention that you've never enjoyed kidney beans until you've eaten some you've canned yourself?  They are so creamy and good!  I eat them cold right out of the jar! 

I'm also in love with onions.  Oh onions you lowly vegetable!  With your crunchy spicy sweetness, how I adore you in all ways!

It feels good to be waxing poetic about good food again!  ;)  And no cracks about what beans and onions might do to my digestive system.....I can be fit and farty, or fat and farty........isn't it better to be gassy from good food than from bad?  ;)

Till next time......I'm unTHICKINandsoTHINNIN!

Who'd a Thunk It?

Snowballs in May!

We had one heck of a hail storm hit my town on Monday afternoon.  Sky got all black, and the thunder started rolling.  I watched some wicked lightening, then the power went out.  I was standing in the kitchen when it sounded like a body go dropped on the roof, then it just kept pounding.  I glanced out the front door and saw golf ball sized hail coming down sideways.  The biggest ones were very slushy, like wet snowballs, but the marble sized ones were rock hard. 
If you are bored and care to see the news photos you can click that there link.  It was very bizarre, came down the highway from the northwest, traveling south east.  My friend Darlin' Deb works at the school which is about 1.5 miles south west of my house and it didn't hail at all there.  Her house is about 1 mile straight west of me and it hailed there..........and the town The Man works in is 18 miles south and it didn't even rain or cloud up! 
We didn't have any damage, except for being out of power for about 12 hours, and a few dings in Black Betty (our old Chevy pickup), a couple dings in the house siding, and some in the garage. 
Here's hoping you are all hale and hearty!
Till next time..........God Bless!

Read more: http://mylivesignature.com/mls_wizard3_2.php#ixzz0hvX9pMgU

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Well well well............

Weigh in this morning I was up again.  Total weight gained from my two month sabbatical from living right.......11.6 lbs.  Am I proud of myself?  Nope, but I'm not going to beat myself up either.  As my WW buddies say, it's a marathon, or it's a war not a battle.  I'm back on the train, back to feeling centered, back to wanting to be healthy. 

I'm lifting again, and running again and it feels good.

There are five kids in my dad's family.  In this picture they are from left to right.....Baby Bro, my Dad, Girl 2, Girl 3, and Girl 1

My dad is the oldest, then the three girls, then his baby brother.  Baby Bro had a heart attack Sunday night, he's isn't even 50 yet.  Girl 1 has a multitude of health problems, Girl 2 had bipass surgery last summer, Girl 3 needs knee surgery on both knees, and my dad is a mess from top to bottom with diabetes, high blood pressure, and he's had 2 back surgeries.  They are all (with the exception of girl 2) more than 100 lbs overweight.  I love them all so very much and I don't want this to be me.  It will NOT be me.  I'm still healthy and I intend to stay that way!

Till next time.....I'm fighting the fight, and I'm going back to walking the walk, till I'm once again unTHICKINand soTHINNIN!


Well It's Official..........

The Goodwife isn't cut out for bottle feeding.  I really don't like it.  It's not the time commitment, I'm always ready to go out and play with my goats, it's just the unnaturalness of it all.  I worry myself silly if they are getting enough to eat!  Are they hungry all the time? I mean, my dam raised kids just have a suck here and a suck there whenever they want.  I worry about Millie and Heather having hunger pains all day long!  I have taught them how to nurse off of Tulip, (and who knew a bottle baby could be so stupid about boobs??) so they get their morning meal that way.  Of course they drink LOTS more when they do this and I'm not sure if that's good for them.............

The lesson is this..........barring a medical problem where my intervention is necessary to save the life of the kid.........I will not be bottle feeding any goats born here at Goodwife Farm!

I'll leave you with some pics of the new girls on their first jaunt outside.......

Who needs a mountain when you've got a person to jump off of?
And yes, I'm totally aware that I'm laying in a pile of horse poop......I'm as low maintenence as it comes.....

Num, num, num.........

Till next time............God Bless!

Saturday, May 1, 2010

May First..........

I've been struggling for almost two months now.  I don't want to struggle with this anymore.  Of course I don't want to have food issues at all, so I suppose that's neither here nor there.  I have been so tired and miserable the past few weeks.  I know it is because of what I'm eating and the fact that I'm not working out.  I don't lead a sedentary lifestyle.  Nobody who lives on a homestead does, but working out, running and lifting weights gives me energy!  I've just been a mess.  So tired and run down.  I know it's my lack of exercise and my food choices catching up to me.  I don't want to be tired anymore and since I'm fortunate in being able to correct the problem, I'm going to! 

This morning I was checking my email and my blogs.  Carrie over at Farming on Faith had this post this morning.  As you know in my profile I state that I try to live my life as a Proverbs 31 woman.  There were two parts of this post that really struck me this morning.  This is the first part.  Bold italics is the Bible verse, normal italics is what Carrie wrote.

17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.

* She puts on that exercise DVD she bought at Walmart and actually does it! OUCH

She tries to stay healthy for the well being of her family. Every time she fails in this area ~she starts back again. Ok~give yourself another pat on the back here. I feel your pain. Seriously~ we don't feel well when we neglect our physical body. We can't be all we need to be for the Lord if we are not taking care of ourselves. Ouch again!

The second part was this.....

26  She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
* Even when she has PMS she is nice and kind. Even when she has over scheduled
herself again she doesn't make her family pay for it. Ouch again! OK~you might need a nap or two to get this one accomplished. I give you permission to take a power nap. It does a world of good!

Boy howdy!  I needed to hear that this morning.  I went right out and lifted weights.  I know it will make me feel better.  I have to get back on track because the abuse that I'm heaping on my body is sapping the energy I need to be a shining light for Jesus. 

Also......anybody who knows me knows that PMS is something I really struggle with.  I totally understand why they used to make women go sit in a hut alone for 3 days.  It would be safer for everybody if my family would make me do that!

Anyway........right now I'm losing the battle, but the tide is turning and I'll never ever give up.  One battle lost does not lose the war! 

Till next time...........I'm fighting to be unTHICKINand trying to be THINNIN!