One Day at a Time

The garden is still gardening. 

My neighbors don't even want more vegetables.  This counter full went into a cardboard tray from Aldi and was delivered to the food bank. 

Holding Mimi Camp for seven grandchildren the week before school starts was not the best idea.  I am so tired. 

This morning I asked my husband why he was waking me up so early on Saturday. I was crushed to find out it was Friday and I really did have to get up.  We are only making breakfast and putting two children on the bus this year.   

After feeding them and getting them off to school I sat in my chair.  Mr Merry went out with the weed wacker and it's motor burned up. We had to go to the hardware store to pick up a new one which I ordered on line because it was $40 cheaper to order it on line and pick it up at the store which is less than a mile from my house. This meant I had to get dressed. 

By the time we got home it was lunch time. I made sandwiches and then he weed wacked while I did dishes.  By then it was time to start planning the afterschool snack and getting them off the bus. 

Mom picked up the kids and we left to go get my prescriptions.  And then I made dinner (cucumbers, tomatoes and yellow squash - his with a side of a bratwurst burger, mine with a piece of salmon). And it took me until 6:45 p.m.  

And basically that is how my days have been going - a whole lotta nothing.  I haven't even walked for three days - I am just too tired.  Hopefully I can get into a routine by next week and maybe get it together.

I did get my act together for the first day of school. 

Okay, so it is mostly store bought. 

 I did fry the eggs. 

After school apples with salted caramel spread and toppings. Thanks Aldi. 

Farm Marketing

 The garden keeps growing. Today I put photos on our neighborhood page and advertised free vegetables with free front door delivery. 

I still have a few cucumbers left but the peppers are gone. 

I will be back with my Mimi Camp review next week! 

Mimi Camp

Somehow school is starting in two weeks. And that means my daughter teachers are going back to mandatory whatevers this coming week.  And that means that my grandchildren will be coming here. 

Still Reaping what we Sow. 

When I counted heads and realized five out of the seven participants under high school age will be here during the day for five days, I surrendered, invited the two remaining grade school grands and decided it was Mimi Camp. 

Unfortunately they are mature young men (mostly) and a girl and they are not longer pacified with cute little crafts and themed snacks.  And Mimi is gets tired quickly when they run wild.  I quickly planned some outings to tire them out.

Monday we will go park to park in my town and they can run, play sports, whatever, while I watch them from my lawn chair.

Tuesday we are going to the amusement park. Each child can pick one thing (that makes 7 things) to do and I wrote that we would go home when Mimi gets tired. 

Wednesday we will travel 45 minutes to a children's museum where I will renew my grandparents pass allowing myself and unlimited legal grandchildren a year's admission to climbing walls, engineering activities, pinball machines and all kinds of stuff to tire them out.

Thursday is my church day and I imagine grampa will allow unlimited screen time.

And Friday we are driving them up to Lake Erie for a picnic on the beach (no swimming) and a trip to a diner for gigantic milk shakes. 

I am sure I will return with plenty of pictures but this is to advise you of my absence next week. I will be TIRED.  

There is a young woman in a small village next to us. She is an attractive blonde with three adorable young children and a very handsome, ruggled husband who is a full-time welder and a volunteer firefighter. She is a leader in the "Embers", the volunteer fire department's women's group who help with the annual breakfast fundraiser, the booth at the village festival and all the other activities. 

She is very sweet and nice and popular and everything I just said about her and her life is important.  

It is important because that is how to help you afford healthcare in this country.  

Megan has cancer. And the fire department is rallying to make sure she can afford treatments. 

Last Sunday the fire department sponsored a Chicken BBQ.  Every business and family in the village volunteered to help.

Firemen barbequed the chicken and roasted the corn. There were cups of cole slaw and homemade baked beans. A local candy maker donated chocolate covered pretzels as a dessert. 

There were over 100 raffle baskets donated for drawings.  There was a second raffle for more expensive tickets that included a freezer and a 1/4 beef donated by a local beef producer.  

We were smart to get there early because they sold out of the 400 dinners in 45 minutes. And because it was the week after the village festival, they still had some boxes of hamburgers in the freezer and were able to start frying burgers for those who missed out on chicken.  

I have not heard the total amount raised, but it will be substantial.  

Megan's family is lucky that they have life long ties to the village, that they are well known and, to be honest, they are an attractive and sympathetic family in photos. Because that is the formula to raise money for health emergencies.