I'll Let You Know

Good morning! I hadn’t really intended to get up quite this early but sometime the bathroom is calling and you really can’t resist. There are some pretty clouds out and the temperature feels pretty good at the moment. The dogs went out before peeing or pooping on the floor which is a good thing. I cannot begin to express how much I dislike cleaning up after them.

Yesterday. Well. What a day.

Joanna was going to take Amena to the church to meet her ride to camp but was stranded in the rain with no top on her Jeep. Silly girl. Laura ended up taking her instead. She got off safe and sound. She had a lot of fun last year and had really been looking forward to this year. She said that last year, a lot of the first year girls were so homesick that they cried. Amena didn’t. I am not at all surprised. It will be interesting to hear what she has to say about it when she gets home Saturday.

The boys and I cleared off the counter in the kitchen and Seth and Joseph helped to clean the washer and dryer. Cedric cleaned the downstairs bathroom. Seth and Joseph took care of most of the mess by the brown chair with some final help from Cedric. Seth cleaned the living room with minimal help from his brothers. Seth also cleaned their room.

I love the picture. This is from Comet Pond on July 3.

Most of that happened before lunch. After lunch I told them they could watch a movie for a break while having popsicles. I had intended to work on my story while they did that but sometimes I just can’t sit when I know there are things that need to be done so I finished the counter and started cutting apples for the pies I planned to make for dessert. Then I chopped rhubarb and that, of course, brought on an allergy attack because I thought of Daniel and the recipe I used is one I got from Grandma that she told me she made before Papa died so I was thinking of Papa as well. I had checked Facebook as well and Lisa Marcoux (the wonderful teacher’s aide in Joseph’s class last year) has a daughter who had a friend who just died and I saw a post about that and of course that helped bring on more allergies. My heart goes out to the family of this boy.

Three boys at Comet Pond on July 3. Cedric is always in the water.

Once I was done chopping rhubarb, I put the pies together. The movie ended sometime about then and the boys finished up a few odds and ends. We’d also folded and put away two loads of laundry. When the boys had done everything I asked them to, they went to play with Daniel’s Legos in the back room with the stipulation that when I called them out to take care of another load of laundry they had to come do it without complaining. When it was time to do another load and then another, they did so all was well.

When the pies were in the oven, I cut the ends off a pound of green beans and then cut up four bell peppers, a bunch of scallions and three onions for part of supper. Then I cut up eight pounds of chicken. The green beans were for Oriental Green Beans which is another recipe I got from Grandma (but have lost so I had to look it up online). They’re really good and you can use canned or frozen green beans but fresh are ever so much better.

Children and clouds at Goguen's on July 20.

So, for supper we had Bombay Kadai which two thirds of the chicken was used for. I cheated and used two bottles of stuff that Paul bought some time ago. It says it’s ‘cilantro & tomato cooking sauce.” It is really good even though it was a touch spicy for Paul. That one was Indian. The remaining third of the chicken and the peppers, scallions and onions were used with Peanut Satay Stir Fry Sauce which is Thai. It was good as well and more to Paul’s liking heat-wise. Rice rounded out the meal and lemonade that Laura made.

Seth and Joseph at Goguen's on July 20.

Cedric cleared off the table while I was in the shower and when Laura got home from taking some things to Salvation Army for me and stopping at Walmart for herself, she swept and helped Cedric put another leaf in the table and wiped it off. We were expecting the Spanish-speaking missionaries but they called and said something had come up and would it be okay if we got the English-speaking elders. I said it was and called Paul to let him know because we had something unique in mind for the Spanish-speaking. Anyway, it was all good. Except for Cedric’s behavior afterward which did improve after a serious talking to.

Clouds at Goguen's on July 20.

Last night I checked Seth’s temperature and it was a bit high. 100.45°. He hasn’t been improving like Dr. Worden thought he might so I am going to call this morning and see about getting him in today. Most of the time he seems okay but his cough has gotten worse and last night he was worn out. Noone is in the office until 8:00 and I know from experience that it does no good to call before or after hours because all you get is an answering service and I’m not really sure what good they are because all they tell you is that it’s before or after hours and if it’s an emergency, call 911 or go to the ER. So. That’s on the agenda.

In the meantime, have whatever kind of day you’d like—wonderful would be the best.