Just Daily Doings

It must be a weekly thing right now to get an arctic blast. Today the temperature is 10° with a "real feel" of minus 5-14. Tomorrow's forecast says wind chills of -14. The guys went out and cut a load of firewood today. I guess they thought that would be a warmer job than door installation.

Plus Thomas is the man for the topic at Bible study this evening so he wanted some time to study for that. 

Austin and Matthew went this late afternoon to unload doors at the shop. Eight doors came in on this load. Melvin is busy with his hatchet at the cow's water trough. That's a sheet of ice he's thrown that you see between the rails.

I've been doing housework, reading and writing today. Fighting a headache so am not very active. Laundry and kitchen work are all I'm getting done.

The boys feel certain that their time for ice skating has come this week. If it weren't for Bible study this evening they would likely be on a pond somewhere. But maybe tomorrow evening or the next. It doesn't appear as though it will warm up until Saturday.

On Monday Thomas made a second trip to his mom's place in southern WV, taking Melvin with him. They didn't have quite as long a day as they did last week and feel certain that the water lines are repaired in the house now. The water source is a spring in a cave so they traced the lines back to the source and saw that there is a good bit of work to be done there yet. There are whole sections of the line missing. Which means yet another trip.

Thomas was thankful to be able to send Austin and Matthew out for a three door installation on Monday. They can do it on their own now which is a tremendous blessing.

Last evening the guys were all gone to Romney for another evening of work on the Kid's Club building. They report good progress. Will it be ready for Kid's Club to begin in March? 

A group from here, along with people from elsewhere, went to Honduras for a week of Bible school for the native children this week. This is the third year they've done it, I believe. 

In my last post I mentioned Melvin's thirst for reading. He gathered up the books he's read recently so he could record them. I snapped a picture of the stack. The fat book on the bottom is a (well read or used) Sherlock Holmes collection.

We ate a late breakfast today and a very late lunch so I made a peach cobbler for a light "meal" before Bible study. It's something quick and good. I don't know what they'll want to eat when they get home. I'm not going but even if I did, I wouldn't want to eat again when I got home. But they do! Long, hollow legs. Lol

My nose is running a lot today. Don't know if I'm fighting a cold? Or is it because I read of another mother's miscarriage? (That DID make my nose run sorely. I know that kind of loss too well.) Or because I cut up onions? Or maybe all of the above.

I've been reading a lot. Free Kindle books. G. A. Henty books. The Five Little Peppers and How They Grew. Also On Sunday a friend gave me a magazine called Above Rubies. Very interesting family type stories/testimonies. She says the magazine is free.

Tell me about life in your world. Is it cold? Do you have animals to care for? Is your house warm? What challenges are you facing? 

Week Past

A pen drawing by Christopher

Last week Tuesday Stephen came home from Penn Valley for the rest of the week. He didn't come to our house until evening, stayed long enough to get supper and then went out again and stayed with a friend overnight.Thomas was also gone for the evening (at a meeting) after a hard day of work.

Melvin and Christopher were with the school children at an event called Turkey-in-the-Hole that started between 5 & 6 pm and lasted until noon the next day. They roasted a turkey underground overnight and then had a turkey meal the next day. They made other foods to go with their turkey.

On Wednesday Thomas, Austin and Matthew went to work. Stephen and the younger ones came home about mid-day. Melvin went right to work on a bird feeder he is repairing for Grandpas. Christopher went straight to sleep on the couch and slept all afternoon.

I spent the day doing cleaning, laundry and cooking. Cleaning out refrigerators. Washing windows. Making bread (that flopped because I was trying to do too many things at once). I don't remember what else I did. I just know I was going full steam ahead all day.

Of course, Thursday was Thanksgiving day. Thomas and sons spent the forenoon cutting a dump trailer load of firewood. The boys had some time to help me with housework before they went to do the wood. Austin was actually not feeling strong in his back so he stayed here and helped a lot.

My parents, Thomas' mom, my sister and family, a Mexican friend of Stephen's and a local community boy* were here for the feast at 1:00. Everyone helped with the meal so all I made was cranberry salad, mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes.

Why in the world do we make so much food on Thanksgiving day? Has that question ever crossed your mind? I asked one party not to bring sweets to the gathering and was told it isn't Thanksgiving without sweets. We've lost a vision I do believe.

We spent the afternoon sitting and visiting, eating more, playing games and etc. Thomas with some other manly help built racks or shelves in his newest job trailer- one that is more suited to the door business.

Friday had Thomas and sons going back to work, putting in garage doors. Stephen had his own agenda while at home, detailing and replacing brakes on his "new" car, doing online projects and doing a paint job for someone. 

Melvin, Christopher and *our young friend Christopher (we call him Chris) helped me peel and cut up some apples to can as applesauce and chunky applesauce.

Saturday was another busy day with Thomas and sons going off to another job while the two youngest, Chris and I held down the fort. We didn't try to do too much. Finished laundry, cleaned up the house, did some cooking and cleaned the church basement.

On Sunday we met with our fellow believers for singing, Bible study and preaching. A lot of our congregation was gone for one reason or another. Our Bible study was in Psalm 109. Check it out. What do you make of it?

We had a restful day, ate lunch, napped, read and just enjoyed some down time. Thomas has been so busy with his work that I scarcely know him anymore. He took Chris home in the afternoon. 

We are scheduled to sing at a church in PA this coming Sunday so we also took some time over the past week to do some song practice.

Monday was another day with most everyone being around here. Thomas had some work away. Austin and Matthew were repairing the job trailer. It was a beautiful day.

Basketball game

In the evening the men had a meeting at church, leaving Melvin, Christopher and I here for the evening. Stephen left from there to return to his duties in PA.

A whole week gone just like that! How was your week?