What a Storm!!!

Wow, we really had a screaming storm this week. We had a nice steady rain most of the week, however we woke up to a beautiful snow yesterday am, but then it switched to rain. Yesterday was the worst, we had to dig a ditch around the back porch to keep it from getting flooded. We routed all the water down into the garden, and then had an overflow into the big juniper tree and flower bed below the garden. It was raining steadily, so we were pretty drenched by the time it was thru.

It was after that I noticed we had a leak in the front room, water was literally running down the north wall. David was out of town, but luckily Nic was here, so he helped me dig the ditches and then he and Norm climbed up on the roof, dragging a huge black plastic sheet. The wind kicked up while they were covering the roof, so it was a pretty crazy time up there. I could here the thumping and banging as they struggled to set the plastic, and hold it down with bricks and pallets. It worked, the leaking stopped, and now we have to figure out how to fix the roof. We just had it redone last winter, so it's probably someplace the flashing isn't set right or something. Auugh!

My silly chickens didn't have the sense to get out of the rain, so they were pretty soggy by the end of the day. Gina helped me run them into the hutch about 5 pm, their feathers were soaked, they looked sopping wet, but they didn't want to go it, until I put some goodies in there to eat. Stupid chickens!

We probably got 3 inches or rain over the past few days, maybe that much just yesterday, who knows? At least we are high ground and didn't have to evacuate. People close to the Verde river and Oak creek were encouraged to get out yesterday, and they are supposed to peak at above flood level tonight. I won't complain, we sure need the moisture. Maybe this is the year the drought will finally ease up.

Finally, Christmas Pictures

I'm so slow, I just downloaded my pics from Christmas, and here's a few. So exciting, it's raining here, and supposed to rain all week! For Arizona, that's such good news. We'll be sick of it by the weekend, but we need all the moisture we can get.

Several of the chickens are laying now, we're getting 2-3 a day. doesn't sound like much, but it adds up. Mom's going to give me a few of her hens too, when they're a little bigger. Hopefully I'll get enough to sell some to the neighbors, there are a couple people that want fresh eggs.

Not much going on, we've been sick for the past week, I've had a sinus infection from he--. That and the weather has put me in bed for days at a time, I hate that! I'm about ready to take the Christmas decorations down, I like them and don't get in a hurry. The tree is naked again, waiting to go back in the box. I took all the ornaments and decorations off on Sunday afternoon. There are still ornaments that the kids made in grade school- my favorites. When they get their own places and settled more, I plan to give them the ones they made, but for now I get to keep them. I love the Nativity set, and that is usually the last thing put away.

I spent a bunch of money at the local yarn shop, up in Jerome. Knit 1, Bead 2 has such beautiful yarns! The plan was to buy some sock yarn for my niece for her birthday, but of course I couldn't leave without some yarn for me too. and a yarn winder, to create balls of yarn that pull from the center- much easier to work with than a hank of yarn. The bad thing is, when I took the car in for an oil change today, I ended up with bigger problems- the battery was very corroded and had to be replaced. I realized when they showed it to me that I hadn't looked under the hood for months, so I had no idea! My little red car is at 67,000 miles, so I also have to get the timing belt replaced. $$$$$ Why does it always happen in the winter, and after we've spent a wad on Christmas? At least we didn't charge anything for Xmas, but still. Well, at least I have a good car, and it's paid for, so maintenance is a small price to pay.

Reading, Writing and Resting

Someone asked me what I'm writing- it's named "Totally Committed- My spiritual journey up the rocky dirt road of life". Partly my life history, but mostly about what it's like to consciously have a spiritual path while working on a marriage, kids and career. I've read a lot of books about taking a spiritual journey somewhere else in the world, learning and growing and finding love, but I've not read much about the real world- how do you live a normal life and have a strong spiritual life as well. I know, a lot of people do it, but very few write it down. We'll see how it goes. I'm about 65-70 pages in. I'm currently reading 'A Secret Garden'. It's an old book, and quite good. I know it's a high school English favorite, but somehow I never read it then. Although I was a reading snob, if it wasn't over 350 pages, it just wasn't developed enough. Oh brother, so naive!

Yesterday I hit the wall, and literally couldn't move most of the day. I really don't understand what happens, but it's like my muscles stop working; fatigue, weakness, weird. Today's much better!
I'm also working on an index for the Haines/Cramblit Chronicles, the family history book about my mother's family. We tried to get an index together before it went to print, but Word 2003 wouldn't create it, and I hadn't used 2007 much yet. Several of the books' covers were messed up, the ink was coming off the beautiful picture of my grandparents on the front. I talked to the publisher, and they told me I could bring in the books that are bad and they will recover them, so I'm hoping that I can give them a couple pages of index to include in those books. We have distributed all but 8 of the first 50 books we published, so I'm planning to print another 20 or so. The hope is to put them on the internet somehow, to let other family members know it's available. The Cramblit line goes back to the late 1700's in it, as does the Chamberlains and it might be useful for other family lines besides the Haines' clan. Any how, I'm really proud of it, and I want to have enough copies available for the future.

Today I made laundry soap- it's surprisingly easy. I found a recipe on the internet for a liquid gel type. You take a bar of Zote soap, or a large bar of Ivory, grate it in a food processor or by hand, then mix it in 12 cups of water and cook it until the soap is completely dissolved, stirring regularly. Add 1 cup of Washing Soda- Arm and Hammer makes it, and 1 cup of Borax and 8 more cups of water, heat that until everything is completely dissolved, cook it on low/med for another 5-10 minutes until it's well blended, stirring regularly. Using a 5 gallon bucket, carefully pour the soap mixture into the bucket and add another 40 cups of hot water, stirring to mix completely. Let it cool and use it! It takes about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of detergent per load, a little more if clothes are heavily soiled. The first time I made it, I only made a third of the recipe, and it made just over a gallon of detergent, and worked very well.

2010, where'd that come from???

I was writing bills yesterday, and kept stumbling over the date. I remember being so blown away by surviving to the millenium, and thinking how awesome it was to watch the change of a century and into a new millenium all at the same time. I keep telling myself I'm not old, I'm still in midlife- and here I am experiencing the most amazing time in history. At the turn of the last century, 55 was old age, now we have another 20 years to look forward to, easily. Most of my grandparents lived into their 80's, pretty unheard of in 1900 I think. Now we are 10 years into the century, and I'm wondering where the last 10 years went. We moved here just over 10 years ago, and I still feel like this is a new experience. Another 2 years and we will be here as long as we were on the Colorado farm. That's hard to believe~

I'm still working on a book, I hit a writing block a month ago though, and haven't been willing to sit down to write for weeks. Time to get back on the computer. I really want to finish this thing!~

New Years was a very fun evening, Nic and Gina came over, we watched movies and played games. I have to say, I actually won at Trivial Pursuit! I haven't played it in years, and I thought I'd be pretty lousy. Maybe the kids let me win.....

Great Day in the Winter

We had such a great Christmas! Most of my family was here; the kids,my Mom, both sisters, David's brother, even Dakota made it for dinner on Christmas day. Hap had sick family and couldn't come, but Allison and all of her family were here, along with Debbie and Kim. The weather was lovely, we had tons of food and everyone had a good time. I love my family! Gina and Nic made 6 pies- peanut butter pie, pecan, pumpkin. They also made cookies, pumpkin pie bars and a beautiful german chocolate cake. She also made orange fluff. Megan brought spiced cranberry sauce, ham, Allison made the best rolls ever, they brought salad and veggie tray. Deb and Kim brought more pecan pies- chocolate and regular. So even though I did a lot of cooking, everyone helped so much it was pretty darn easy.

Jared and Heather flew in last Wednesday, and Jared had to fly back on Sunday. We have Heather until this Wednesday. It's so fun to visit with them and hearing all their escapades.

I made gifts this year- fancy spa stuff. Men's Pine soap, Women's lavender soap, bath salts, bath fizzies, hand cream and even a few lip balms. They are made with almond oil, coconut oil, cocoa butter and/or olive oil, and essential oils. Everything turned out really good, if I do say so myself. I made the soaps the old fashioned way- lye, water, coconut oil, nice rich things. It was a lot of work, but fun, and everyone seemed to like them.