And the beat goes on... And the beat goes on...

I haven't felt very motivated to write in recent weeks. Nothing overwhelming has captured my thoughts and made me feel compelled to share. Days are busy, weeks flow into months and time goes on. I don't seem to be moving ahead a great deal but I don't think I am moving backwards either. 

I don't see much of the news except when I sign on to my computer at the beginning of the day and my home page for CTV pops up. At times I am grateful for the lack of world events, at others I feel as though I am being an ostrich and need to pull my head out of the sand. I have let friendships out West slide and been poor about keeping in touch. While in the East I have insulated myself with people around me who are positive, affirming and avoided as much drama as I can. So life goes on...

We had a good dump of snow last weekend and had fair warning so I ensured that I was prepared on Saturday. Jess and I made a quick trip across (slang for over to Maine, USA) and fueled up, got milk and a few necessary items and headed home. Everyone we talked to thought we were being silly. Snow? Nah! Or hardly any! The border guard always ask's "What is the purpose of your trip?" Me "Going to Danforth, fuel, milk and getting ready for the storm!" Him, "Ha! Nah, it's all good." Well, we made our fastest trip yet, less than an hour there and back including 3 stops! (I MIGHT have been speeding... shhh!) When I got home Len and I proceeded to spend the next 3 hours winterizing the joint. Put all planters, odds and sods away - anything that could get in the snow plow's way. Tape the plastic around the base of the house and bring some wood inside. All set! HIT ME SNOW!

All night, nothing. I heard rain dripping on the plastic outside my window but no snow. Imagine my surprise when I got up to get Jess ready for Sunday School and to spend the next 4 hours prepping for the community Halloween party for the kids - there was at least 5" of snow in my dooryard! (Dooryard means front yard) Needless to say I was stunned! I guess the dripping I heard was the snow melting off the roof.

First - a call from the church - cancelled today. Second, call to the Rec Council President - let's cancel the party. The power then went off at least 6 times but we did fine. We were warm by the stove and I cooked my first meal - pot roast with veggies from start to finish on the woodstove and boiled the water for hot chocolate! Pioneer ME!

Halloween came and went. The snow melted so the kids could go out. Jess went with the neighbours and I handed out candy. Rachel stayed in Canterbury - but decided that the haul was much better in our neighbourhood - and at 17 maybe this should be her last year trick or treating - you think? 

Jessica's pumpkin - Nightmare Before Christmas

Rachel's vomiting pumpkin

My little Zombie

Len has been having mousy issues, so I spoke to Glenn about a barn cat. He has been holding one for us, sort of and it was a matter of picking it up. So on Wednesday, Jess and I picked him up - a beautiful little orange and white tabby - who I knew had proven himself to be a mouser and brought him home. Well, doesn't our little farm seem complete now? We have a cat! Dog! Goat! Chickens! I feel like an animal collector now.

Rachel with Finnegan 2

The girls are starting to love it. Even Rachel, she has moments of frustration and loneliness which as a mother breaks my heart - but she is finding out her priorities. She is learning that popularity, labels, money - are not good values. (Yes she still likes those things but knows they are not the MOST important things in her life.) She is studying SO hard! She has school Monday, then 2.5 hours of drivers education. Tues & Wed she has 2 hours of tutoring after school and Thurs always has homework. The girl is exhausted by Friday. Yes, she would like to get out more on the weekends and sometimes it happens, but she is also bonding more with the animals. 

Freya and her pumpkin

All of us think we got the BEST animals! I really believe that Freya the goat is pregnant too, so expect an update on Sarah the Vet and the birth about mid February! That will be a Kodak moment for sure! We have discovered that the goat and chickens are great at recycling pumpkins too. I don't think I throw anything out these days. If it is meat or protein - dog. Veggies - chickens and goat. Breads - all farm animals! Coffee grinds and egg shells - compost.

I really enjoy my community and I am working hard with my good friend Anita to set up a 4-H club for the kids. I really hope that we get the 6 we need to get started and believe it WILL grow after that. There are so many positive opportunities for kids in 4-H and potential experiences that we are rural parents can't give them. The kids out here need to have activities and we need to stop driving 30 miles or more every time they want to do something.

It is cold today, it is 9:30am after the clocks went back an hour and it has warmed up to 0c degrees. We have prepped for the winter as mentioned and now need to start work on birthdays and Christmas. Both of the girls have November birthdays and it is a struggle to make it all work. I know I need to help them celebrate those days but it sure doesn't fit well into the budget. Christmas is around the corner and I vow to have a living room and some furniture for us to enjoy while we gather round the tree. This means making money appear out of my butt - as I so eloquently tell the girls. (I don't say money doesn't grow on trees - because it does - but we don't cut down our forest.) 

Rachel turns 17 this Thursday and as I recall what I was doing 17 years ago, I realize how far I have come. My baby is a young woman - she is smarter and more mature every day - she makes more of an effort to help me and is exploring her future - I am very proud of her. As you can see she is gorgeous and is starting to realize that she has to create her own value system, not what the world tells her it is. This is hard, she still wants - and I believe she should get SOME of those wants. It is the needs, that she is really learning. As we sit and talk about the world revolutions, I know my baby is going to be OK. Although she has struggled through the move, she still likes our home and farm.

Have a great week everyone. I need to go make some money appear out of my butt to give my girl a birthday to remember. Her sweet 16 was very sad for her so 17 has to at least be somewhat memorable for good reasons. Brr! Time for another log on the fire!