New Dress

Lorna had out grown all but one of her dresses so after finding a good deal online for some fabric this was the result.




This is the same pattern I used for this dress with a few minor alterations, gathering in the front center and a higher neckline, Lorna picked this pattern since it looks like the dresses in the A&E version of Pride and Prejudice which is one of her favorite movies (mine too). I recently ordered a supplement to the pattern which will give us a few bodice styles to choose from.

Liturgy

We've been searching once again for a church home in the area. We had hoped to be able to start to driving to church in L.A. again but gas prices just won't allow it. We know that we need to find a place within a "reasonable" distance so that's what we have been doing. One thing I noticed this morning was how much the Divine Service from TLH was something I relied upon. The church we visited this morning used a different setting out of LSB. I felt lost and frustrated during the whole service, unable to really concentrate on the words because I was trying to keep up with the music. By the end of the service I gave up trying to sing along and just read the words while the music was played. I wasn't alone, the congregation stumbled over the service as well so it must have been a new setting for them too. For me this just highlights a downfall of having so many settings and hymnals to choose from, you never know what you are going to get when you walk in a church. I wonder how the older people in the church feel about the changing liturgy if it's so difficult for me and I've only been doing it for 6 years.

We met with a pastor from a different congregation this last week. It was nice to have someone be totally honest with us about the practices of their congregation but at the same time it was disheartening. The pastor isn't sure if he will accept Lorna's confirmation, not because he doubts that she has been catechized but because of her age, this congregation doesn't confirm until the end of 8th grade and she would only be in 7th grade in the government school system. We also asked about their practice of once a month communion and were saddened by the response that it was often enough and not really all that important. The pastor didn't see a need for more frequent communion and that it was more important to get out earlier because people didn't want to have service go too late. Hearing these words from a pastor made me want to weep, to have such a low opinion of such a great gift is just beyond words.

So you might be wondering where that leaves us. We have 2 options at this point, to try the church down the street which has practices far outside our comfort zone or continue with the church whose pastor we met with this last week. Decisions, decisions...

Wild Flowers

These are a few of the wild flowers that we have been fortunate to have on the hills around us. The lack of rain means that the season is almost at an end so I wanted to share a few pictures of my favorites before they are gone.

April Gymkhana

This is going to be an odd gymkhana post since I don't have any pictures of Lorna riding. She hasn't been released by the doctor to really ride yet but we attended the April show anyway. Malachi still had scooping duty and Lorna wanted to help out and see her friends.

Lorna started out doing ribbons for those riders who wanted them. She then proceeded to help out in the arena. She helped set up and tear down an event and stood guard over one of the barrels during the event in case it needed to be reset after a ride.



It was difficult for her to just sit back and watch but she was able to learn a few things about what it takes to put on a show.

Kirsten's new dress

I'm taking a break from other stuff so I decided to make a new dress for one of Lorna's American Girl dolls. I've had this page bookmarked for awhile and just now tried out one of the patterns. The patterns are easy and quick, my favorite kind of project!

Time cont...

I now have 2 comments on the subject both expressing that they don't know what they could possibly cut in order to have more time. Has anyone ever tried writing down what they do for a week and then looking to see if there is anything that can be cut that wastes time? I know that lots of people use this method when they are looking for ways to save money so it stands to reason that the same method could be used for time.

I know that when we lived in a suburban environment I wasted a lot of time driving places. After looking at all the time wasted for very little gain I changed our habits. It helped when we moved to a small town where everything was at least a 30 minute drive each way. Now I spend one day going to the library, market and anywhere else that is necessary; there really isn't anything that can't wait for an errand day. I make out the menu for a month at a time so I don't run out of food, we aren't locked into whatever is on the menu but it serves as a guideline. Of course this doesn't work so well when you are in the midst of a big project, like moving, but once you are settled in a place it works well (at least it does for me). I was a lot better about cleaning when I tutored in the mornings, cleaning was easier to keep up on then just trying to do a deep clean once a week or so. This is definitely something I could do now to save time and back-breaking labor. I'm also a mean mommy and make my kids help with chores. Lorna's only chore outside of her room and horse is the dishes. Malachi is in charge of the trash, dogs, dusting, and sweeping/mopping the floor. None of these tasks take very long in a house the size of ours but it means I'm free to tackle other big things that come up and to spend time making meals from scratch. Everyone is in charge of their own laundry and sheets, I do the towels but since I have a washing machine this never takes more than a few minutes :) I tried a new way to plan school this year, planning all the lessons for the whole year ahead of time and then just cutting and pasting what we are doing for the week. It works better for me than planning once a week and because I'm cutting and pasting I don't have to worry about getting behind.

We are slowly adding a few outside activities. Lorna has horse stuff 3 times a month, two of those times are during a school day. The one show a month on a Saturday has become a family outing, something we all look forward to. This week I tried singing with our local Sweet Adelines chorus. It looks like it will be a great way for me to get out of the house by myself so I plan on making this a normal activity. I know that there is no way I can commit to anything else on weekends because we need time to cut firewood, since we all do this together it's just another way to spend time as a family.

These are just some things that work for us that might not work for others. One of the things we never had when we both worked full-time jobs outside the home was time together; so we've come up with things that work for us now that I'm home. It took awhile to find what works but we didn't stop trying because it's worth it to find "time".

$4 gas and more

Yesterday we had yet another follow-up with the surgeon who has been working with Lorna, everything is looking great, and saw a few stations at $4 a gallon for gas. It isn't even close to summer yet so this is depressing. But even though gas is the highest I've ever seen it there were still tons of people towing travel trailers and toys on the freeways. It amazes me every weekend when I see the campgrounds and lake shore filling up with people and their boats, I don't know how they do it.

Is anyone else having problems with Blogger? My last post was something I posted over the weekend but somehow it didn't show up so I had to repost the draft copy. I also cannot load pictures because the connection constantly times out. I thought it might be our connection but I've had no problems posting pictures and updating my Live Journal. Don't visit that page if you are embarrassed by feminine products.

Time

I was thinking about this topic as I thought about line drying the clothes. I have tons of free time. It seems like I should be ashamed of this fact since most of the people I read emails from talk about how little time they have; but it's true, I have lots of time to myself. My free time might be spread out throughout the day but there is rarely a day I can't sit down and read for at least a few hours.

I have fond memories of walking to the store and playing games with my grandmother over the summers when I was growing up. She didn't drive and we had to walk or take a bus everywhere. One thing that she seemed to have in abundance was time. We would spend one morning walking to the store, having lunch, and then returning home. The next day we might play a few games, watch TV, and hang up the laundry. I don't remember her ever being in a hurry or pressed for time.

Today few people seem to have any extra time. They are constantly running here and there and rarely stopping to do much more than catch their breath. I wonder how children will remember their parents and grandparents. Will they have the same type of memories that I have of playing games and just enjoying each other? Or will they remember being in the car on the way to one activity or another and never really having time to talk?

I just finished In Defense of Food and one of the things the author mentions is the lack of time we as Americans spend on preparing and eating food. Convenience foods are something that are common in today's world since so few people have extra time. Where has all the time gone?

People don't have time to hang up the laundry, cook food, or just enjoy life. Why is that?

Ways we save

The topic of hanging laundry out came up on Loopers and made me think of all the ways we use to try to save money. I thought I'd make a list of the ways we save.

Obviously since this is how I got started on this topic, we hang our laundry up. We also stopped using fabric softener, we don't notice a difference in the softness of our clothes so it's no big sacrifice. Since I have a front load washer I use about 1/4 to 1/2 of the suggested small load amount of detergent. Our washer also only uses 10 gallons of water per load. I use the dirty wash water to water the trees, it saves us water and electricity for the well pump.

Since I'm talking about water, we only flush when we have to. To wash the dishes we fill up one side of the sink with about 2 inches of water and soap. As we rinse the dishes the water is added to the wash water so we have plenty of water for the big pots at the end of the dishes.

We heat with wood. The forest is only a few miles from our front door. We buy permits from the USDA so we can cut dead wood to use as firewood. With permits, gas, and upkeep on the chainsaw we spend about $30 per cord of wood. We use about 2.5 cords during the winter. The forest service does controlled burns on the dead wood in the forest, so instead of wasting all the wood we use it in our home. The cost for a comparable amount of propane heat would be about $500, possibly more with the rising costs of propane. It's also a free source of exercise, cutting and hauling wood is a lot of work :)

Since propane is so expensive we've lowered the thermostat on the water heater. The water is just hot enough to take a shower without using any cold water. We also do all our laundry on cold.

I've written about our use of florescent lights and power strips before. We also make sure to only have lights on in the rooms we are in. We don't leave any lights on overnight and very rarely use the porch light.

I love to use reusable products. We started using washcloths for napkins. We switched to dishcloths for the dishes and counters as well, they clean better than sponges anyway. I don't use swiffers or disposable bathroom wipes. Instead I use microfiber cloths for dusting and rags with natural cleaners for the bathroom. All of these things are added to whatever load of laundry is available so we don't create any extra laundry, which would defeat the purpose of using reusable products. I switched to reusable feminine products over a year ago and can't imagine ever going back, I never realized how much money I wasted on those uncomfortable things!

We combine our trips and only run errands once a week. We got really good at not making extra trips out when we only had one vehicle. Even though we've relaxed that a bit since getting a second, more fuel efficient vehicle we still don't go out much. I order in the books I want at the library and pick them up on one of the 2 days a week they are open. Since I'm already out I go to the little local market if we need anything and hit the post office on the way home. Paul does all the other errands when he's out for work and goes to the post office on the way home (there is no mail service where we live so we are assigned a PO box). We buy in bulk at Sam's Club for most of our stuff, it saves us a tremendous amount and it's on the way home for Paul. Combining errands seems like such a simple thing but it is also something many people don't think about. Consider how much money and time is wasted by daily trips out, there are very few things that can't wait until the next errand day.

I think that's it, at least it's all I can think of right now. I'm sure there are other little things that we do everyday that I can't bring to mind but you get the idea.

Washer fixed

After waiting almost 2 weeks for parts my washer is finally fixed!

Every time a repairman comes out he comments on the fact that the washer sits outside under the carport. Technically there isn't anything in the service agreement about it having to be inside but they don't like it. This time he said the new rule is that anything small, all undergarments and the like, have to be put in a mesh garment bag to be washed or I void my warranty on the new pump. They even provided a bag. Easy enough and I have no problem using it.

I'm pretty sure the problem with the washer had to do with it being moved and abused so many times over the past 5 years. A nut came loose which caused the washer to spin improperly. Over time it stripped a few part making the belt come off. The pump issue may be because of it being outside and having frozen a few times. An enclosure for the washer and dryer (it is not in use because we don't have a 220 outlet) is next on my to-do list. I'm thinking we can insulate it and be rid of any more problems when the temperature drops below freezing.

Of course I have to finish the siding on the outside of the deck first. We always have a problem finishing up the little pieces and parts of a project. We only have a few small pieces of plywood left to cut and a few pieces of trim left to nail up but it seems to be difficult to find time to do it. That's the plan for Saturday, finish the outside of the deck!

Doctor update

Lorna saw the surgeon today and all the tubes were removed! He says he wants to see her again in a month, which will give us a break from these long drives. She is getting around better without any pain now that everything is out.

This appointment wasn't easy to get. We got a call from the surgeon's office yesterday trying to reschedule for next week. It seems a big donor for the hospital died a few weeks ago and the memorial was today. It was mandatory that all the doctors attend and they were informed less than 24 hours ahead of time. I refused to be pushed off. At our last appointment the surgeon wanted to remove the tubes in one week, which would have been last Thursday but since he was too booked they pushed us off until today. There was no way I was going to let Lorna suffer for yet another week. We offered to take her anywhere and they relented and "squeezed" us in. She was the only patient seen this morning and it was still over an hour after her appointment time until she was seen. I felt sorry for the family who showed up while we were waiting. They had driven over an hour to get there only to find their appointment was canceled, they hadn't received the message. It's frustrating trying to get in to see this doctor, he only holds office hours 2 days a week and he's the only pediatric urologist for several hundred miles.

Use Turnouts!

Why is it that many people think road signs only apply to others?

I had to run some errands this afternoon and got stuck behind a pick-up towing a travel trailer. The driver had 13 cars behind him on a 2 lane highway that has signs that say "Slower vehicles use turnouts". The driver was traveling 30-40 mph when the speed limit is 55mph. This is an ongoing problem on a few of the roads around here. Many people don't think these signs apply to them. They have no problem going past people who get over for them but they won't budge for the rest of us!

It starts

As fuel prices continue to creep up, we are currently at $3.70 a gallon for regular unleaded and over $4.00 a gallon for diesel, I'm starting to notice a climb in prices of everything else.

The first thing I noticed was shipping rates. Last time I ordered horse supplies online the oversize charge was 40 cents a pound, up from 20 cents a pound before that. Now the charge is 70 cents a pound. That adds up quickly on some of the bigger items making it cheaper to get them in the city even though the selection isn't very good. The next thing I noticed was food at the local market, the price of meat and milk is inching up. We found that the price of milk at Sam's Club actually went down by 70 cents a gallon so we made sure to stock up there.

Today I found out the farrier has raised his rates by $10! The price to get the horse's hooves trimmed, a 10 minutes job at most, is now $45. I'm really pleased with the availability and skill our farrier has so we will continue to support this young man, but it was quite a shock. I'm just hoping Ginger's hooves continue to only need trimming every three months!

Wash and stuff

This week hasn't been a very good one so I'm really glad it's about over!

After being sick for a few weeks, Paul went to the doctor. He was given codeine cough syrup and meds because he has bronchitis. He's feeling much better.

Lorna had a follow-up appointment with the surgeon yesterday. We had to leave at 4:30am to get there by 8:30am. We then sat there for 2.5 hours before she was called for an x-ray. The surgeon then popped his head in to say everything is progressing nicely and he would see us next week. So all that driving and waiting for a 2 minute visit. He didn't even look at the surgery site! Of course there were no open appointments so we have to wait until a week from Tuesday. That means Lorna has to have the catheter in an additional 4 days because the surgeon is so busy. Frustrating.

This pictures ends my week.



The washer stopped working this week. The repairman said the belt slipped and cannot be put back on because he needs a few more parts. He is replacing the pump as well since he said it didn't sound quite right, at least it will save me another call a few months from now. Everything is under warranty so I'm only inconvenienced for the next 8 days. I could rent a washer and get reimbursed but since there is no where to do that in town I'm going to skip it; it's not worth the hassle of driving to the big city 50 miles away.

Overall none of this stuff is really all that big of a deal but coming on the heels of the surgery last week I'm exhausted. Next week will be better I'm sure.

Update

I didn't mean to let it go so long before posting again. Lorna had surgery last Friday and we were gone until Sunday. So far the recovery is going well. She was up this morning feeding her horse for the first time since the surgery. The surgeon gave us the bad news that she won't be able to ride for 3 months. That was the first thing she asked in recovery, when she could get back on her horse. I'm a little skeptical though. The surgeon said she could go back to her normal activities including any sports in a month or two, but when I mentioned her horse he blew a gasket. It seems he doesn't like horses or "horse people" as he put it so he said it would be longer. I'm having a difficult time figuring out how riding a bike or anything else is different than a horse. She will be having a number of appointments as she continues to heal so I'll probably just keep asking when she can get back to riding, maybe he will change his mind as things progress :)

Affluenza part 2

I finished the book a few days ago and have been thinking about the "treatment" prescribed. I agree with a lot of it but I do not agree with one of their methods for changing things, through legislation. No matter whether I agree with them or not I don't thinking forcing people to change their habits is the answer. I think education and social pressure go a lot further toward changing attitudes than any benefits gained through mandating change.

I also have a problem with some of the examples they use. There were a number of people the authors mentioned that had made great changes within their lives. These people downsized and learned to live with less, and in a few cases started their own organizations to help bring about change in other peoples' lives. In all of these cases though the people had good incomes to start out with. It's like a number of the homesteading magazines I have read. They talk about how these people live on very little and have no bills but it's only because they started out with land and supplies. These people are not your average citizen deciding to make some changes in their life. I'm not saying it's a bad thing just pointing out that it's a lot easier to liquidate your possessions and downsize when you have something to liquidate.

The overriding premise was that we can and should live with less. I firmly agree with that idea. My reasons for doing that are different than the authors' though. I also stand by the idea that money may not buy happiness but I think it can go a long way to buying piece of mind. It's a lot easier to consider changes in your life when you aren't worried how you are going to pay the electric bill and put food on the table. Of course, my ideas of having enough are way different than many others.

March Gymkhana

This was Lorna's best show yet!
The past month Lorna and Ginger have been working on loping without bucking and it has paid off. Lorna beat all her previous times in the 7 events today, some by as much as 40 seconds! She was consistent in her placing with 4 second places and 3 first places winning high points for her division. We are so proud of Lorna. It was amazing to see her confidence after making it through the day loping the events. Everyone remarked that she did incredibly and her instructor couldn't be more pleased. It's incredible to think that when she started lessons last August that she was terrified of her horse. She's only been doing gymkhana shows on Ginger since January so this is a great accomplishment. If you've been looking at the pictures as I've posted them you should see a difference in these.




The increase in speed is apparent when you look at Ginger's hooves and mane.

Malachi continued helping out the club by scooping manure. In recognition for his hard work the club has decided to add $1 to everyone's fees to pay him. A few others gave him a few additional dollars in thanks as well. We had the biggest turn-out we've seen with 30 riders so it was a long day of being on scooping duty.

Affluenza

I've been slogging through the book Affluenza for the last few days.

I want to start off by saying that a lot of what the book has to say so far is good. I'm about half-way through but I'm starting to get frustrated with the on-going "preaching" about the problems of society. I think by page 50 I got the idea. I'm now ready for the "cure" or at least "treatment" for this disease.

I'm also having a hard time with a few of the arguments. One thing that is really bothering me is the idea of the exploitation of the poor unskilled laborers of the world. America's fixation with acquiring things isn't healthy and it's done at the expense of those poor people working for low wages. But if we were to fix our problems with consumption wouldn't these poor people be without any income and thus worse off? If we stop buying they stop working, how is this going to solve their problems? Can you complain about the country's love of buying things in one breath and then complain about the low wages of the people making these products? Something just doesn't seem right about the argument.

I'm also wondering about the lack of explanation about how much is too much. My definition of waste is probably different than most others. We are extremely frugal when it comes to electric and water usage so I think most people waste a tremendous amount. But even my electric usage could be considered a problem by someone who doesn't use any. Is it too much to own a second home, or boat, or ATVs, or is it just too much to want a nice first home? Is it just the desire to acquire more no matter what we have?

I guess I'm just wondering how far the author is advocating we go to treat the "disease" he claims we have. The farther I read the more it seems that any possessions are too much but maybe I'm missing the point.

Sick

Paul and I have been sick for the last week but it finally looks like it's just about over. Usually when we take Lorna down for appointments with the specialists one or more of us come back with a cold. This time Paul and I came back with the flu. Most of the weekend was rainy and cold so I don't feel like I missed out on much. Yesterday was just beautiful with temps in the 60's. Since I was still feeling rotten I didn't get to enjoy it. I plan on making up for that today since I'm feeling better, the weather is still wonderful, and my seeds from Baker Creek came in the mail yesterday! For once I was ready before the seeds got here since I got the dirt ready last week before I got sick.

Surgery Scheduled

After months of fighting with insurance and doctors, Lorna's surgery is scheduled for March 14th. The surgeon said they expect her to be released on the Sunday following. Since we live 3+ hours away we decided to get a room as close to the hospital as possible. UCLA has a hotel for families of patients but they are booked, the school has a hotel and it's booked as well. We found a small hotel that offers little more than a bed and bathroom a few blocks away that had a room available, they don't provide parking. I think we have all the problems worked out, we plan on paying for hospital parking and then walking to the hotel. Maybe I'm just cheap but it seems a bit much to charge patients for parking. Since they charge $8 every time you enter the structure (even if it's the same day) we don't plan on moving the car until it's time to leave.