I have a very rare break at the craziness of my job, so, decided to do a quick update. I do this, over tea and zucchini bread. Mostly because, it is probably the only opportunity to drink tea and eat zucchini bread that I will have. Follow along:
This past weekend, we had no obligations. Nobody needed to be carted/hauled/present/taken/obligated to be anywhere for anything. Well, except Kaila, who had to babysit all weekend, but, all her babysitting jobs were within walking distance. So, I decided to get caught up on stuff. I made a full turkey dinner. Mowed the lawn, cleaned out the van, cleaned the house, weeded my gardens (YAY! First year pretty much EVER that I have kept my gardens up this long! Progress!) ordered a new dryer, grocery shopped, and, cooked.
By "cooked" I mean, I cooked everything. I turned the turkey carcass into stock, and the stock into turkey veggie rice soup, the kids helped
Anyhow. After a solid eight hours of cooking yesterday, dinner time rolled around. The refrigerator (AKA, The only appliance I own that hasn't had to be replaced since I bought it 6 years ago.) was full of all this veggie goodness, the soup was simmering in an enormous stock pot on the stove, and the kids were hungry. As were all seven of the various neighbor kids that seem to live at my house these days. The extras were sent home, and my own kids filed in for dinner. "What's for dinner?" they inquired.
"What do you mean, what's for dinner? I just spent all day cooking it! We have soup! We have broccoli salad! Bearded Man smoked ribs out on his smoker! And, after dinner, there are cookies and zucchini bread!"
"But. We don't LIKE soup. Or broccoli. Can we just have PB&J, or cereal or something?"
"There are approximately four thousand servings of soup in that pot! Eat soup!!!"
"You should probably freeze it. You will have soup for your work lunches!" They informed me.
Lexi tried some soup. That was about it. I now have a refrigerator full of all things veggie, and, no one to eat them. Except the zucchini bread. They will be all over that. Thus, the rare break at work, in which I incorporated zucchini bread and tea, as, the scavengers at home will likely eat most of it before I have a chance at it.
It's hard to believe, but, the Second Annual Dick Family Trip to Black Lake has come and gone already. It's this weird little time warp, in which, once you are gone, you can barely believe it happened, and it's a nice memory, but, once you are there, it seems like you never really left, and everything is exactly the same as it was (yesterday) when you were here last. This year, more notice was taken of the campers next door to us. They just so happen to have two boys that just so happen to be the same ages as our two girls. All I have to say about that, is, a "One foot apart at all times" rule was instated fairly early in the week.
Some high lights of the trip included : Water Tubing! Both of my boys loved it, both of my girls hated it. And, nobody could go fast enough for George. We discovered Lexi can scream loudly enough that she can be heard clear across the lake, during her (only) attempt at tubing.
A near death experience out on the lake one day, when three of us families went out, it turns out, ahead of a storm. Boats were stuck, my glasses were lost, one boat broke down, and waves were crashing over our wildly tossing boat. Everyone and everything ended up okay in the long run, but, it was a pretty intense hour or so...
Crazy heat. Every day was nearly unbearable, as everyone wilted under high temps. So, most afternoons were spent in the water.
Fishing. There was a lot of fishing, and threats aimed at Bearded Man, regarding his alarm going off every. single. day. of. our. vacation. The only day it did not go off; the last day of vacation. However, his boss called him early, asking him to come in. So, out of the nine days off I had: Not one of them was spent sleeping in. But, I suppose lots of fish were caught, so, there is that.
George has been offered a job working at the camp ground the summer he turns 16. Just like at home, we couldn't keep him from his wanders to visit people. One morning, after searching the entire campground for him to no avail, I finally decided he was probably visiting again. Sure enough. He was having coffee with the Grandparents of two kids across the way from our cabin, as the grandkids slept. They were so charmed by George, that, he was promptly invited for breakfast, where, they made him pancakes and bacon. He made his rounds, not unlike at home, and already has a job lined up in ten years. Because: George. That's why.
It was just a nice week. The same people come every year, so, it's sort of becoming a reunion at this point. The kids love it, and, we are already re-booked for next year.
On to the appliances. 6.5 years ago, shortly after I had George, as nursing school graduation was fast approaching, and the washer was on it's last legs, and the refrigerator was ridiculously small, I decided we should go buy new appliances. There was an income tax credit for anyone who switched to Energy Star appliances that year, as well as some incredible rebates. I managed to score a new washer, dryer, dishwasher and refrigerator for an incredible price, after all the rebates and tax credits were accounted for. I was absolutely smugly proud of my brains and savings at the time. And, all this was purchased with all four of the children - including a weeks old George in tow, in February, thru the snow, and with less than enthusiastic sales associates at Lowes. The delivery people were even worse than the sales associates, and all clearly hated their jobs. Also, somehow my refrigerator was lost in transit, and we waited forever for it. But, I saved lots of money, right?
Within 1 year and 2 months, (two months after the warranty ran out), the dishwasher was dead.
After 5 years of constant fighting with it, the washer died.
It made it to 6.5 years, but, now the dryer is dead, too. I pick up the new one tomorrow after work.
I was hoping to just fix it (again), but, the Bearded Repair Man has announced it is irreparable. So, in full house/van cleaning regalia, including my hair up in a brightly colored handkerchief and sticking out in a million different directions, I grudgingly hopped into the van to go get a new dryer. The clothing situation is dire, currently. I don't have time to mess with this anymore.
To their credit, the Sears sales associates are a lot nicer than the Lowes people were. Since we seem to be becoming regular customers and all that... even WITH the insane clothes and hair-do, they were very nice. I asked them to show me a large capacity dryer. There were precisely two of them available. One of which happened to be the match to my washer. I have found that, to have large capacity, to accommodate large families, one must also have a paycheck of large capacities. Because those appliances are way more expensive than the reasonably priced appliances for smaller needs. (By the way. I do not currently possess large capacity paychecks...) So, tomorrow, I will put all the seats in the minivan down, and haul another appliance home. As much as I was anti mini van in the beginning, I have to say, it has proven invaluable since I have owned it. There. I admitted it. I kind of like the van.
Till next time!
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