The Day Before

I wrote about this day last year: “We watched Breaking Bad Sunday night. I made all the kids take showers because no one had had one Saturday. Amena was making a big stink about wanting to stay up and the boys were being hyper. I turned the TV off and Amena went to the room she and Laura shared with Helena. The boys settled down. Daniel and I finished Breaking Bad.

“In the morning, I slept in. I don’t remember if it was until 7 or 8 but either way, I really had wanted to be up and going by then. We ate breakfast. We went to Walmart. I remember Daniel at the table. Nothing specific or in particular, just being himself. At Walmart he and Amena helped get the things we wanted for snacks. Capri Suns. Cheezits. Water. Fruit snacks. Daniel pointed out that a certain kind were a better deal than another because although the first cost more, there were more packets and per packet was less. We got cereal & Rice Dream.

“While we put things away, Laura got a spray bottle to help us keep cool. When she got back out, I went in to get subways for lunch because it was so late. We got gas and got a map that Daniel and Amena had fun studying. We finally left the hotel at a little after 1.

“At this rate, we were going to take 6 or 7 days to get to Idaho instead of the 3 or 4 I’d planned on. I felt a sense of urgency—we needed to be moving along. I really felt that Helena hadn’t been completely truthful and up front with me about all of her medical issues and how much they would slow us down. I had plans and wanted to be moving along and felt the need to go. When we stopped for gas, I explained to her that the reason we were going was to see Papa and that he had just been admitted to the hospital. I examined the map and thought that we should be able to make it to Sioux Falls.

“Why Sioux Falls? It appears that that was too far. We stopped for supper at a nice rest area just into Wisconsin. It was very warm and extremely humid. The kids had fun playing on the playground. We ate left over Subway sandwiches, crackers, Cliff Bars, and drank lemonade Capri Suns. All the kids were having so much fun. And then it was time to go.

“It was at that rest area I overheard a girl say that her mom was so cool she had her at home. I was wearing my Midwifery Today t-shirt.

“We stopped for has and at a couple of rest areas. I kept seeing Motel 6 signs and wondered if we shouldn’t stop. I kept thinking, no, we’d make it to Sioux Falls. It would be late but we’d get a little rest before we’d have to check out at 11 or 12. Daniel opined that we might as well just drive all night, why stop somewhere at 4:00 in the morning?”

Yesterday Nick helped me work on Daniel’s grave. I added to Daniel’s Grave Site page about it (http://www.mywindingroadtomidwifery.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2012-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&updated-max=2013-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=22). Grandma, I am going to work on my printing project today.

Much of my afternoon yesterday was spent in the kitchen. I made a zucchini rum cake and four loaves of zucchini bread; I was getting rid of the zucchini I had in the freezer from last year since we have new coming on this year. We had nachos for supper so I cooked two pounds of pinto beans and about two pounds of hamburger (which we could have used more of but that’s what I had thawed out so that’s what we got). We also had tomatoes, onions, peppers, lettuce, salsa and sour cream. They turned out pretty good.

Adam came over and brought some food that he cooked up. He actually cleaned up his mess to but left his leftovers in the back refrigerator. I guess that means he’ll be back at some point in time.

Milking this morning went well. The goats were well behaved. Even Goldilocks let me milk her with no issues AND she let the boys have most of their breakfast without issue. Snowflake went out to be staked with no issues as well. However, when Laura went to take Princess out, things did not go so well. Cedric came in while I was straining milk and asked if Laura could move one of the stakes. I said sure and told him he could get the sledge hammer and take out to her which he did. Then he came back and said she needed someone to help her. I told him I’d be out as soon as I was done with the milk. When I went out, Laura is laying on the ground across Princess’s neck and Princess is also laying on the ground—it looked almost like they’d been practicing steer wrestling. Anyway, I took Princess and she went right out. When I came back, I told Laura that the goats are kind of like dogs in that dogs can tell when you are afraid of them and goats can tell when you don’t like them. I’m not sure that’s entirely correct; goats are incredibly stubborn as well and I’m sure that figures into the whole equation.

I am not sure what today holds yet other than Joanna working, institute for Laura, mutual for Amena, and Cub Scouts for Cedric and Seth. Paul and Laura left for work some time ago (it’s currently 9:59) and Joanna just finished showering. Amena and Cedric are out with the goats I believe, Seth is reading for his 20 daily minutes and Joseph is working on some phonics worksheets.

AD, I think the fact that you will be 60 on your next birthday isn’t nearly as scary as the thought that I’m only 15 years younger than you. Where on earth does the time go? Give David a hug for me when you see him?

I hope you all have a spectacular day.