Monday, April 2, 2012

update

Three days left have we in this house. We've gotten most of our things packed up and moved over to the new place. Today Mom and I worked on big meals to freeze so that I'll have some margin for cooking as we get adjusted. It has been unbelievable to have her and Dad here.

Ziah is teething again, and he's a bear! Poor kid. I think it's his two top middle teeth. 

Jason and my dad have been working at the new house for 2 weeks, 10-14 hours a day. As probably happens to anyone who starts poking too deep into the recesses of a 100 year old home, they're running into "problems." Such problems include, but are not limited to, the electrical wiring being a nightmare, parts of the septic system being blocked / utterly inadequate / drain pipes running uphill, and finding that one of the main support beams of the house, located in the basement, was simply sliced in half and moved aside by whoever installed the heating system years ago and didn't have a curvy enough pipe to go around the beam. This house is full of surprises!


The dog we're dog-sitting went missing today. We've had her for several months, and now, three days before we turn her over to her parents, she's gone. Drrr. No sign of her along the roads closest to us. My hope is that she is safe and warm in a neighbor's house, though the closest neighbors are miles away. 


What else...what else.....


I have been pondering unschooling, disciplining (or not) children, and simplifying our kitchen and food systems. The food thing has been a Lent focus for me. One of the best concepts I've gathered is that with traditional cooking you've got to think two dinners in advance. So if you're cooking one dinner, you're soaking beans for the next dinner and maybe soaking grains for the following one. I don't know. As a friend and I were discussing, getting into traditional food prep is a big deal. Some of the concepts I'm already on board with, but others seem like they'd take all day and night. I'm sure it won't seem this way after I've gained more knowledge and developed better habits, but sheesh maneezy. It's back to the basics, but it feels like back to the holy cow, maybe I'll stay in blissful ignorance. And I already value homemade meals and whole foods. I can't imagine coming to this from being a staunch boxed macaroni and cheese eater. I have to plug a website though that has been helpful to me, because the author, Wardeh, makes very accessible print outs and holds webinars and generally tries to make good eating approachable. www.gnowflins.com.


And on that, I sign out for the night.
Happy trailing to you all.