tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58551624400228759772024-03-19T13:01:23.201-04:00garden now - think later! A military spouse's take on blooming where you are planted. I continue to pretend I am living on my dream farm while in reality, I live on a military base, gardening in a plot alongside a Navy flightline, with half of my homesteading supplies perpetually packed in boxes and have a habit of being overly involved in every community we live in. I'm a busy mom to 2 boys and a spouse to a Navy sailor soon nearing retirement. I love this chaotic life wouldn't trade it for anything! Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916896512933101955noreply@blogger.comBlogger681125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855162440022875977.post-64777225009184696342017-03-02T17:29:00.000-05:002017-03-02T17:29:35.223-05:00Struggling With Multi-Tasking!<span style="font-size: large;">I've been just swamped with life lately. I've been finding it very difficult to get everything done that needs doing! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Update on my knee surgery - it went well, all the hardware and metal has been removed and I'm on the road to recovery again. The good part is that this surgery happened in the winter, so I'm not missing out on any nice weather!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRRypnVvVwHNWUDZnouqp24sNffZydCOYOpHV7KtyFmyWDcFFssxHdStS6wZCpjh90OK0MZaZ390bK-9XL6bCxbMfUQWuYKs7z5jWdwaYE7oZB4geqorfWXDfHIsz1_BAWR_qOZpUK0Ba3/s1600/File_003.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRRypnVvVwHNWUDZnouqp24sNffZydCOYOpHV7KtyFmyWDcFFssxHdStS6wZCpjh90OK0MZaZ390bK-9XL6bCxbMfUQWuYKs7z5jWdwaYE7oZB4geqorfWXDfHIsz1_BAWR_qOZpUK0Ba3/s320/File_003.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Why does it seem like everyone has down time except me?! I'm not even sure these are my kids, since the internet wasn't even down when I took this photo...</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My schedule has been a constant stream of doctor appointments, physical therapy appointments, trying to get taxes done, kids' birthdays, hubby's crazy work schedule and a nonstop stream of kids' activities. L is on the robotics team again this year, so they have had regional championships, then he made it to state championships last weekend. I think that is as far as his team will go this year. (Last year Loch's team, with hubby as coach, made it to the World Robotics Championship in KY!) </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjChkxrrQOLzZAHMaR-ZuiVM8uPCrxr3QgK4RuRGuuiF-U1FkjUawKA_tmSQdzlCDiurNcY3-MpXacz8WyVLSqcFsODT07xHEO6JOMQDHuPTy3by5XFYco3uSPUzh3ySBPbg6k81wrrNyTB/s1600/File_001.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjChkxrrQOLzZAHMaR-ZuiVM8uPCrxr3QgK4RuRGuuiF-U1FkjUawKA_tmSQdzlCDiurNcY3-MpXacz8WyVLSqcFsODT07xHEO6JOMQDHuPTy3by5XFYco3uSPUzh3ySBPbg6k81wrrNyTB/s320/File_001.jpeg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">L with his team's robotics design</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">F was selected to attend a Percussion "Master Class" for middle and high school percussionists, so that ate up 2 Saturdays, and now he has been selected for Honors/Festival Band, which entails frequent after school practices and a few competitions with other schools. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Don't get me wrong, I'm super proud of them both but - yikes, sailing practice hasn't even started yet for spring! I'm just exhausted to be honest.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Dtn3diildFLFxbEa5rOh4nZ3kxqrP0j0ylUTp8hclTMoW9GZwk0hg6BDUBEZ2LGckGkhys7XxPpInwikMPCFAFUfwCUBzNrbtQb64nnedqrS5ReGVqa0qAIaPj7b2hQXXobi8v9DOb9P/s1600/File_004.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Dtn3diildFLFxbEa5rOh4nZ3kxqrP0j0ylUTp8hclTMoW9GZwk0hg6BDUBEZ2LGckGkhys7XxPpInwikMPCFAFUfwCUBzNrbtQb64nnedqrS5ReGVqa0qAIaPj7b2hQXXobi8v9DOb9P/s320/File_004.jpeg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">I have medical appointments that require driving in DC traffic, yuk!</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And... amidst all the chaos, it's already time for the military to tell us where to move next! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtFl6oy-GxWPo03s_VDWEKNv1vZ-haPdrw7tWYZQZqY6lGtorBzZO1LYXF9gkeePklqN42LPZFeZ_9He_JSEPhHcH2XNr3985pDX_J-3oofm91bxK7wVGAH8Y_7doWfTdMR7QzKbni8pzM/s1600/576ac0a084264d9796f2ac33c01ca6b5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtFl6oy-GxWPo03s_VDWEKNv1vZ-haPdrw7tWYZQZqY6lGtorBzZO1LYXF9gkeePklqN42LPZFeZ_9He_JSEPhHcH2XNr3985pDX_J-3oofm91bxK7wVGAH8Y_7doWfTdMR7QzKbni8pzM/s320/576ac0a084264d9796f2ac33c01ca6b5.png" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Thanks for hanging in there with me, I have a lot of kinks to work out so apologies for being so sporadic with my posting! I will leave you with this photo taken during the unseasonably warm weather we have been having... back to snow showers tomorrow!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuB3eIC54J7jBxh0d2n3P213WAVAmGn9t3990g77SbBwm3e71hCI4iXa5wQccz4HDCSrPcJF3hRi23-6RayshTYRw3jfQDH5-W8l0sNXKQAMzY2Ihl6ATgmgdr4AWcjsi57RSEF7G5Io_I/s1600/File_000.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuB3eIC54J7jBxh0d2n3P213WAVAmGn9t3990g77SbBwm3e71hCI4iXa5wQccz4HDCSrPcJF3hRi23-6RayshTYRw3jfQDH5-W8l0sNXKQAMzY2Ihl6ATgmgdr4AWcjsi57RSEF7G5Io_I/s320/File_000.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916896512933101955noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855162440022875977.post-86568992233548013132017-01-26T20:17:00.001-05:002017-01-26T20:17:46.440-05:00Odds and Ends<span style="font-size: large;">This week has had me busy doing all kinds of last minute chores and preparations around the house before I go in for surgery. Yes, surgery! By the time some of you read this, I will be under the knife getting a whole bunch of metal pins, wires and screws out of my knee. This is the second part of a long process I have been dealing with since last summer. Needless to say, I am actually looking forward to this surgery and being able to eventually (hopefully) get some type of normal back. After my first surgery I was actually in an immobilizer for 2 MONTHS, and couldn't drive for 4 months. It was awful, and very isolating. After many months of physical therapy I was doing pretty well when my hardware started working its way out and became obvious that it needed to be removed in order for me to progress. The shrapnel in there was never designed to be permanent, so I knew this was coming. Just hoping that recovery isn't as long this time since it should mainly involve muscle and tissue healing and not bone. In short, the past year has been.... challenging. Also the reason why my garden didn't really happen for me last summer!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Anyway</i>... in prepping for my surgery I've spent most of the week doing things that are going to get very neglected in the coming weeks - cleaning the house, cleaning aquariums, laundry, prepping freezer meals, grocery shopping, etc. I won't be able to go upstairs after surgery, so I had to make sure the kids cleaned their room, bathrooms, etc. I shudder to think what it will look like up there next time I am able to climb stairs! As for grocery shopping, hubby is perfectly capable and willing to do it, but I am such a bargain and sale/coupon shopper that I know he would spend more than I would so it's easier for me to just do it.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpFY5g8SNLrpgxNHidDGeKXXj5gFuIEnN-qTQP-qGlAcBW3-Goqu5_DG2LvF8zlFjWzH9B1FZyW5_j_De0_xLt4pj6TMbfetER7Nu11x4dDjACuS0lQYEXL51tACnba1hhcZi5jzj_4aFH/s1600/IMG_8322.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpFY5g8SNLrpgxNHidDGeKXXj5gFuIEnN-qTQP-qGlAcBW3-Goqu5_DG2LvF8zlFjWzH9B1FZyW5_j_De0_xLt4pj6TMbfetER7Nu11x4dDjACuS0lQYEXL51tACnba1hhcZi5jzj_4aFH/s320/IMG_8322.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I have been working on refreshing my sourdough starter over the past month. I was having some issues with the dough rising for a couple of weeks but I think I just needed to be patient while it revived, because last night, this happened! <i>Finally</i>!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4DWNqwzd5so3wHMbzmCa0rs7RitppjgH3EdwVcwhL5eoMlA9bovWPxpm468nN6mkjUjFHFaOfdtMKR3OzTcmtlQUDzZiGWvxLzW4eS2VCQovmGyUvlwhfppD5-BvK489rcIAutS_KCaAl/s1600/IMG_8327.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4DWNqwzd5so3wHMbzmCa0rs7RitppjgH3EdwVcwhL5eoMlA9bovWPxpm468nN6mkjUjFHFaOfdtMKR3OzTcmtlQUDzZiGWvxLzW4eS2VCQovmGyUvlwhfppD5-BvK489rcIAutS_KCaAl/s320/IMG_8327.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Crummy cold and rainy weather has had me doing lots of "one-dish comfort meals". I'm hoping the boys paid attention so they can assume some of the cooking while I am down and out!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipD0MOf0LvjUly6A3wCBNLZMSG9qqaWBhI8DEfZcaLImIiPf6Xvw3B6PcARVZIYymkQcF4dVqzeyaw8Fquy6nNt-Dq_uq8DXAW-jw5stkx8l1p6ftU6g4wYdY3kBxeBO2xA8A6tBqAy0kc/s1600/IMG_8343.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipD0MOf0LvjUly6A3wCBNLZMSG9qqaWBhI8DEfZcaLImIiPf6Xvw3B6PcARVZIYymkQcF4dVqzeyaw8Fquy6nNt-Dq_uq8DXAW-jw5stkx8l1p6ftU6g4wYdY3kBxeBO2xA8A6tBqAy0kc/s320/IMG_8343.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I will try and check in as soon as my painkillers wear off.<i>.. I definitely don't want to blog while medicated, who knows what I might write?!</i></span></div>
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<br />Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916896512933101955noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855162440022875977.post-30387094799570133752017-01-19T11:27:00.001-05:002017-01-19T11:27:31.311-05:002-4-6-8...What can I depreciate?<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This week is filled with things that are completely uninteresting to blog about!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYYwjpsu0fvKuFsnVljfN4QNQYamXeRlWfsTpugE_zTxzUBJLaMU0CNHbqglvogxFG1_uhiBWp7v0Ye5GjIiBmfCLwhIOcafEnTphBLGSX4slO0Dw_Aiydw56uMpjtt4nh_Qr0xfkHcD_4/s1600/images.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYYwjpsu0fvKuFsnVljfN4QNQYamXeRlWfsTpugE_zTxzUBJLaMU0CNHbqglvogxFG1_uhiBWp7v0Ye5GjIiBmfCLwhIOcafEnTphBLGSX4slO0Dw_Aiydw56uMpjtt4nh_Qr0xfkHcD_4/s320/images.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Rental properties, a home daycare business, military stuff, 3 different states to file in plus Federal means I am a busy girl right now!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Of course before any of that can happen, I have to organize my files, shred old stuff, clean my desk... which morphs into cleaning the kitchen, bathrooms, etc. Anyone else find themselves in "Preparation Mode" before tackling a large project, then feeling like all kinds of other unrelated stuff needs to happen too? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Oh yeah... I believe it's called <i><span style="font-size: large;">PROCRASTINATION!</span></i></span></div>
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Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916896512933101955noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855162440022875977.post-54631578964943403072017-01-11T22:53:00.003-05:002017-01-11T22:59:55.772-05:00I aim to please!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Thing 1 walks in from school and says "it smells great, mom" and proceeds to peek into the crock pot...</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">"too much celery"</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Thing 2 takes a look and says...</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">"yuck, too many beans"</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Glad everyone is happy, then. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I've never frozen my bean & ham soup before but I'm going to try it. Anyone know if freezing will ruin the texture of the beans? Besides chili, what are your favorite soups to make big batches of and freeze?</span></div>
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<br />Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916896512933101955noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855162440022875977.post-40248601362468132652017-01-09T22:33:00.000-05:002017-01-09T22:39:19.581-05:00I'm ready to get my feet wet again...<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1DFh_pwTVN_J67KlPMm-PXqQ2ox3oXZpUy_Nppcd2qLcmyd6LPiIBxAvXfceHHoFedb2USk-3Tz3Xr4JquwoRm7dDM9Dy9BIXiZBvkTdYmgVdl3iMom2alQUFBGUTKocSSJSUmcMlA0ji/s1600/12049391_10203697573558607_7605683136513667846_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1DFh_pwTVN_J67KlPMm-PXqQ2ox3oXZpUy_Nppcd2qLcmyd6LPiIBxAvXfceHHoFedb2USk-3Tz3Xr4JquwoRm7dDM9Dy9BIXiZBvkTdYmgVdl3iMom2alQUFBGUTKocSSJSUmcMlA0ji/s320/12049391_10203697573558607_7605683136513667846_n.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There is no graceful way to make a comeback, is there? </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Somehow, I lost my muse. One week turned into a month, which turned into many more. To be honest, since the Big Military Move I felt lost about subject matter. I had gotten way too comfortable living multiple military tours in the same home in Virginia, other than the deployments it didn't even feel like a military life because we had roots planted for so many years.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXZaYm_qlg8KvMZfZ8QfqAmKMnERzCcS6Iu4FyoUIdVHmRNsDVLsUmzesNce9kprB7PMbJUCiylvLLT3-ERBnwZrbtxZ5cj_UHEnASX16YbI5KQIRBcM_uO8E8LtQany20pOe2bl3Qy975/s1600/13254616_10204914304576122_4935649849835676847_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXZaYm_qlg8KvMZfZ8QfqAmKMnERzCcS6Iu4FyoUIdVHmRNsDVLsUmzesNce9kprB7PMbJUCiylvLLT3-ERBnwZrbtxZ5cj_UHEnASX16YbI5KQIRBcM_uO8E8LtQany20pOe2bl3Qy975/s320/13254616_10204914304576122_4935649849835676847_n.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Proof of Life!</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In retrospect, I think I boxed myself in by focusing too much on blogging mainly about gardening. So much so, that when we moved and I found myself in government quarters living on base with a concrete pad for a backyard - I thought that anyone who was following me would no longer have any interest in what little ol' me was up to.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Yes, I was able to score a community garden plot on base, but that came with a host of issues that I touched on a bit in some previous posts. The bottom line, though, is that my life <i>completely</i> changed. like the rug was pulled right out from under me!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">New schools to deal with, little kids quickly became teenagers, new sports to travel to, higher cost of living to adjust to, and not the least of my wrenches thrown in was deciding that, after 12 years of being a stay at home mom, I would return to work. After a few weeks of the initial shock of 50+ hour workweeks as a Navy certified childcare provider, the blog was a luxury item at the very end of a long list of "must do's".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Many things have happened, some very stressful, some exciting. Don't worry, I'm okay, the man is ok and the kids are great - but we are in for an eventful 2017 as well. I will recap some of these events in future posts, but gardening in anything other than my wee raised bed in my tiny yard is a pipe dream for this year, anyway.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN2xSN9XRy67xhjK5WihFgAK3D7jVTVDDF3_nwTO9M2x7o0_Zn4vElowa3AieV3iFwoH1QT5PlVDoVLH3Dy2v3o2lB-SIIiBS2aWZ6BSjG_qJqqpl4TgYMPBOxA_laYDRYbpXQCwhFE6ND/s1600/13230344_10204846460680067_2501154025879800077_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN2xSN9XRy67xhjK5WihFgAK3D7jVTVDDF3_nwTO9M2x7o0_Zn4vElowa3AieV3iFwoH1QT5PlVDoVLH3Dy2v3o2lB-SIIiBS2aWZ6BSjG_qJqqpl4TgYMPBOxA_laYDRYbpXQCwhFE6ND/s320/13230344_10204846460680067_2501154025879800077_n.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I still get dirty, just not as often as I'd like!</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have been wanting to post for about 2 weeks now, and really thinking about how much I miss blogging and how fulfilling it is to be able to write and connect with others in this way. Facebook is no substitute for real journaling of what goes on in my life. My focus will change somewhat, I expect that I will write about everything from kids to military life, paying down debt to cooking, gardening, sewing and the other things that I love to do. Lots of photos and posts about what has transpired during my absence so these experiences can be looked back upon by my family. I would love to document the process we go through as we deal with looming military retirement and that transition from military life to civilian life in hopes of connecting with others that may be in the same situation. <i><b>Life in general, really.</b> </i>I even debated on changing the name of the blog, except that it's a nightmare to do that, and I have every intention of having my dream garden again, sooner rather than later. We are getting <i>very</i> close to military retirement, which means... a "Forever Home" and all the things that come with actually being able to CHOOSE our home for once!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So, the name stays. I hope you do, too - if any of my friends are still out there! Even if it's just my mom reading though, I am back on the wagon!</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A parting shot.... it's COLD here, 2ยบ last night!</span></i></div>
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***</div>
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Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916896512933101955noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855162440022875977.post-34052348774391959102015-06-09T19:07:00.000-04:002017-01-09T21:21:43.880-05:00Beeches!<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY3Gv8jlnVu_lj74K9s-i0LLru27sqBr3x_qDi-vsfN5Mez9OEg_tpGj4vR9n7m11C-dabtk05iOPw67fdwYtImTyZ1vwR8hJKDYVdfavXWSDcxEOtsBKUYgkn0nRuHB1d4nSu7DDK6uZN/s1600/blogger-image--1328933273.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY3Gv8jlnVu_lj74K9s-i0LLru27sqBr3x_qDi-vsfN5Mez9OEg_tpGj4vR9n7m11C-dabtk05iOPw67fdwYtImTyZ1vwR8hJKDYVdfavXWSDcxEOtsBKUYgkn0nRuHB1d4nSu7DDK6uZN/s400/blogger-image--1328933273.jpg" style="text-align: start;" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: '"trebuchet ms"', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yep, that's about all I had to say last week in the garden. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here's one racing me to the garden plot as I drive down the street. They are like flies here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Fun Fact</i>: Woodchucks don't actually chuck any wood. They eat gardens.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">More <i>Beeches</i>โฆ</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw63dt4SOIZP8xQfRk1ruTDaXseIynE5YZcN0uDTwDx9ZHNStFxnbsHQ751SouOx_5lxYSirI5DHF9BAGSWOT-Hs62Gu0maJ63GEEfmnEONhCHQFhLG8NCtZvoq-5Jq81u-3kYWdbE35mS/s400/blogger-image-1339560771.jpg" style="text-align: start;" width="300" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I resorted to a natural dust to see if I could stop them, since I was handpicking 60-80 a dayโฆ</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Result? It's like I sprinkled cocaine all over my potatoes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">They continue to party with the next generation now.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Some of us found out that nearly half of the plot tenants are using Roundup. Hmmm, must be why it's June and some of the plots aren't planted yet. The "waiting period". It's in the contract we all signed that there can't be chemical insecticides or pesticides, but I guess some people don't care one bit. Spraying in 15 mph wind, and even having their kids spraying. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho98L32Xjb5IVhVG1wkhB9cepNON6KmmcCtvHuVXJAHybBKXjMRPMFib-_53wMZMDOG861Hm1TBfCFN12wXh1sOutXKVaEhvCOimL-EopeDYS44gV5eCF-jkD-SszEG1ALd0iIrDZPxZ0s/s640/blogger-image--223185753.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho98L32Xjb5IVhVG1wkhB9cepNON6KmmcCtvHuVXJAHybBKXjMRPMFib-_53wMZMDOG861Hm1TBfCFN12wXh1sOutXKVaEhvCOimL-EopeDYS44gV5eCF-jkD-SszEG1ALd0iIrDZPxZ0s/s400/blogger-image--223185753.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw63dt4SOIZP8xQfRk1ruTDaXseIynE5YZcN0uDTwDx9ZHNStFxnbsHQ751SouOx_5lxYSirI5DHF9BAGSWOT-Hs62Gu0maJ63GEEfmnEONhCHQFhLG8NCtZvoq-5Jq81u-3kYWdbE35mS/s640/blogger-image-1339560771.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Beeches</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A normal plot is covered in weeds in just 48 hours, so there really is no other explanation for it, especially when we don't see them ever working the plot. (Oh, and finding jugs of it under tarps is another clue!) We are expected to "self govern" down there or we could easily just have the gardens closed since the base doesn't really have time to manage it - therefore we don't really want to become too "vocal" with complaints. I'm thinkingโฆ. a little nighttime mission to teach them a lesson. Who is to say they didn't kill their own plants with overspray? Yeah, I'm like that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Dark photo, but this is my garden right nowโฆ</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The first harvest isโฆ. a Tokyo White Cross Turnip!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioccEBexPs0ad5bWZf7-ntYSI6fiLiyOO5Rjb3FAJwd2kcWCJRyPwQ9B2X5C_SvJEq0NH1absww-Ph61rlcqBfMgxjo6QGpl-ZvVHroTwO-rlWPmwsXJv1fMvwke5c60unTxuoeWujurpp/s400/blogger-image-18741497.jpg" style="text-align: start;" width="300" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is the turnip/rutabaga bed. I used old seed from 2009 so only had about half germinate, so will need to get some new stuff in there next week.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">My Brandywines are looking really good. Even though I won't get much out of those potatoes, I will keep them going at the other end of the garden, just to act as host so those stupid Colorado Potato Beetles won't venture into my tomato bed!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Little jalapeรฑos.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I've been doing a lot of busy night dinners here lately. The kids have tennis for several hours every. single. night. โฆ. so frozen veggies have become my best friend along with grilling tons of meat and slicing and freezing it so I can just fling it in a pan pre-cooked. Hey, it's better than Sonic, right?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I made a double batch of hummus to help with tennis munchies, but they seemed to eat even faster so I don't think that is going to last as long as I thought it was. Tweenage boys are bottomless pits.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I didn't mean to take so long between posts, and I am NOT going A.W.O.L. again like last time, I have just been really busy with things - things I can eventually share with you, but it involves me going back to <i>work. </i>Yep, you heard right! I have no clue how to juggle all these things since I have been a stay at home mom since they were born. I know it will work itself out, I just don't know when or how! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Bonus: I actually wrote a full post last week while typing on the little phone keyboard during tennis practiceโฆ. I get home and "POOF"! it was all gone. So I won't be trusting the blogger "app" anytime soon. I was so mad I couldn't come near the blog for a few days.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Now is time for me to catch up and see what I've been missing on my favorite blogsโฆ <i>that's you</i>!</span></div>
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<br />Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916896512933101955noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855162440022875977.post-49657920465464204832015-05-18T17:58:00.000-04:002015-05-18T20:17:32.165-04:00Slow Growth and Bug Guts<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Things are moving very slowly in the garden. Or it seems like it when compared to my garden plot neighbors. Everyone else out there buys their plants whereas I plant seeds. I'm not talking about tomatoes and peppers, but these people are </span><i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">buying beans and lettuce and cucumber plants</i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">! They sprout in like 2 days, they can't wait 2 days? And lettuce! Lettuce sprouts in like 2 hours! For my money and budget, I'll stick with seeds, even if it takes longer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Tick, tock...</span><br />
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<img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWIh4gQ8OLSbj_OvUdfxiQ5VneN3gJqIDDuAauEeNIRYnsIoXTHlys7XTYsVKBkzwPqrmfBv7yAwae3o0oONwJy2iLJp87wvBgMj_VEedHpFcFgI9J4lCU7vFO2sVADM-6lZe7aBHfdbKw/s320/blogger-image--758773675.jpg" style="text-align: start;" width="320" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">At least starting from seed means the plants are used to this poor soil and actively chose to sprout and grow there. No transplant shock here in the dried out riverbed! Seriously thoughโฆ bean starter plants?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Speaking of beans, this year considering the wildlife circumstances, I started my bean seeds under these hoops. I'm hoping to get them past that sprout stage when the birds swoop in and take them all out in one shot. Once they have a few leaves on them I plan on moving the hoops over the lettuces to give them some shade and help thwart bunny attacks!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My tomato & pepper bed is coming along. All survived the transplant well and although small, they are putting out nice new foliage at a rapid rate.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My Tokyo White Cross turnips are up! Along with a lone ladybug doing her job. She needs to recruit all her beneficial buddies to get here asap becauseโฆ</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8UQ0j2vyvqp34JG_ti6VneVhSFMB6URnCFseQpJzp4inGODPpWwquQ3JSnoqAuC4iP4vl5c6a3zoiH_j5HbfZc8GaZ2EuV3m2xF3qWCjziFz-VUrA1M9tVtOWL9M6FoByDhG31IJ-uGXj/s640/blogger-image--799608402.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: start;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8UQ0j2vyvqp34JG_ti6VneVhSFMB6URnCFseQpJzp4inGODPpWwquQ3JSnoqAuC4iP4vl5c6a3zoiH_j5HbfZc8GaZ2EuV3m2xF3qWCjziFz-VUrA1M9tVtOWL9M6FoByDhG31IJ-uGXj/s640/blogger-image--799608402.jpg" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>โฆ because of these little b@$t@rds! </i> Yep, you will hear a lot of that language in the Flightline Garden! It's okay, it's a Navy base, so cussing like a sailor is expected and encouraged. :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Colorado Potato Beetles! My plants aren't even 8 inches tall!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Funny story thoughโฆ so I'm on my little toy wagon/scooter thing I <strike>stole </strike> liberated from my neighbors in Virginia (anyone remember the Mt. Everest of crap on the curb when my neighbors were evicted?) - and I'm scooting down the row of potatoes handpicking and squishing these little buggers when one of my plot neighbors comes over for advice. This nice gal and new gardener wanted to ask about her plants and seeds and plot in general. I feel the need to show her the infidels currently infiltrating the plots since they were probably headed her way at the other end of the garden. I show her the beetle, show her the eggs, then tell her that most sprays don't work on them, tell her about handpicking them into a bucket of soapy water, then fill her in on the Dr. Bronner's soap spray, blah blahโฆ. yeah, then proceed to tell her that it's awesome to just squeeze them with your bare hands and wait for the <i>crunch</i>. As if that wasn't enough I pick one up and say <i>"like this!" </i>- and squeeze a beetle that was absolutely packed with eggs that squirted everywhere. Seriously - I think I had orange beetle eggs on my face. What has become of me? Doesn't matter if I love the insect or hate it, I have to touch them <i>all, </i>and I have forgotten that most people aren't that into it. Being a gardener sure puts you at one with all the living things around you, and not just plants! I hope I didn't freak her out, but I'm pretty sure she now refers to me as "The Crazy Chick at Plot 59". </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In the kitchen, I've managed to add another dish to the crock pot/freezer repertoireโฆ </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Chicken Tikka Masala!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The kids even liked curry! Paired with rice in the rice cooker and it's an easy dinner. I dumbed down the curry for the kids but since they liked it I will keep raising the curry/spice level until I hit their ceiling of what they will tolerate. Yep, that's the kind of mom I am - we'll stop just short of fire.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My new "Maryland" wild yeast starter was looking great after just 3 weeks, all bubbly and puffy n'stuffโฆ honestly better than my years-old Virginia starter ever looked, so I decided to try baking the first loaf of sourdough this morning...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yeah, this just happened. Unbelievable. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Best loaf of sourdough I've ever made!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCXiwbj2tjLzU-JMGkdzLQ43reJxXDD07AiSkM8oxD6uggNn5uiZIMQi28jAHSfa89gIpyglt5V0fsiNCDIIEicB9dju3m26ro8NYJexu2FIhHcNQ8kRipEoAWDe7MV1gbwBY5X9hYbNqO/s640/blogger-image-1283253791.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCXiwbj2tjLzU-JMGkdzLQ43reJxXDD07AiSkM8oxD6uggNn5uiZIMQi28jAHSfa89gIpyglt5V0fsiNCDIIEicB9dju3m26ro8NYJexu2FIhHcNQ8kRipEoAWDe7MV1gbwBY5X9hYbNqO/s640/blogger-image-1283253791.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Maryland wild yeast strains are a hit here :)</span></div>
Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916896512933101955noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855162440022875977.post-73793933320327270712015-05-08T13:10:00.001-04:002015-05-08T13:18:35.290-04:00Friday Randomness<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There is really no interesting news on the garden front this week. Everything is still barely coming up, and the ground looks like a dried up river bed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">First up award goes to the garlic!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I did this in the garden - sprained my ankle something awful! Fell in a groundhog hole on my way to the water spigot. Thought I was falling into a well for a minute! Got ice on it right away and it's slowly getting better, but I can't drive my stick now :(</span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Wildlife: 1 Gardener: 0</b></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Really? <i>8 bucks a ja</i>r for "heirloom" tomato sauce? Apparently the rest of us growers and canners need a class in marketing. ASAP.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2vizIM9v2KyBrmLNQ6Z6tUU7IMcitYrGhU6zwmwsYmz5wLB6HUr2lXaUn_XfAEnd-PmzCKD-_O2w9F8R-HczttwakSu72V7bjejIAzlq-qMTMPyQdA-I6aTp9ZvkjXDXpYukgq6mh1M19/s640/blogger-image-53195281.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2vizIM9v2KyBrmLNQ6Z6tUU7IMcitYrGhU6zwmwsYmz5wLB6HUr2lXaUn_XfAEnd-PmzCKD-_O2w9F8R-HczttwakSu72V7bjejIAzlq-qMTMPyQdA-I6aTp9ZvkjXDXpYukgq6mh1M19/s400/blogger-image-53195281.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The aftermath of cherry blossom festival time and crabapple season maniaโฆ. cherry tree vomit all over town. Stuck to every car and plastered all over the siding on homes, and dogs tracking in petals all over the floor.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Fg_umlBwpPhN3Mrfe1_aoP03HUhQjtRuhiRAmUBgiNNFeMa4dEySJ2wwojA6jkefUQuT_d_SeS8yVAsAoV6c-n-Nw6NyUMzK2pgT-ZSt1C_e_DWchYmBxDGyvDvbOoXmGPOpC3myDvK7/s640/blogger-image-704733130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Fg_umlBwpPhN3Mrfe1_aoP03HUhQjtRuhiRAmUBgiNNFeMa4dEySJ2wwojA6jkefUQuT_d_SeS8yVAsAoV6c-n-Nw6NyUMzK2pgT-ZSt1C_e_DWchYmBxDGyvDvbOoXmGPOpC3myDvK7/s400/blogger-image-704733130.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And yes...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: x-large;">Monster Old Bay</span></b><span style="font-size: large;">: </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">because, Maryland. We bathe in it and fill up our fuel tanks with it here.</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Bb3cmZVX-mqws7s0QJYAtVfVQUt1uXJfYyJU4qGehlcGv71e00yK-HOVi3ZbpF8tqs9zmeQrvRt-rohpcCkxnxEeaCs9Q3mDPV86nBqdKAG519mzgDu5KQwBjBLB_Y_N-yW7P-0BhasC/s640/blogger-image-1151442199.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Bb3cmZVX-mqws7s0QJYAtVfVQUt1uXJfYyJU4qGehlcGv71e00yK-HOVi3ZbpF8tqs9zmeQrvRt-rohpcCkxnxEeaCs9Q3mDPV86nBqdKAG519mzgDu5KQwBjBLB_Y_N-yW7P-0BhasC/s400/blogger-image-1151442199.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'll be back at it tomorrow, I'm going to have a talk with that groundhog. Have a great weekend y'all!</span></div>
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Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916896512933101955noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855162440022875977.post-58461765506093655922015-05-01T09:11:00.004-04:002015-05-01T09:11:41.481-04:00That's the PLAN, anywayโฆ<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">First, a refresher of what the plot looks like:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLCE-y5C8CNfzri1fOEzU-VY7VWltwWQlNL38zkwRhGaEFGtGEajdS9QDs2ITH_CrLtYdc2OglYrSuQF6srW5ketV-IyJA7kwNO5-6xBg7xtaZS02Nlx0fbwo3yHTzmHmCeSNwFpHN2gv4/s1600/IMG_0068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLCE-y5C8CNfzri1fOEzU-VY7VWltwWQlNL38zkwRhGaEFGtGEajdS9QDs2ITH_CrLtYdc2OglYrSuQF6srW5ketV-IyJA7kwNO5-6xBg7xtaZS02Nlx0fbwo3yHTzmHmCeSNwFpHN2gv4/s1600/IMG_0068.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The big reveal of "<i>the Plan</i>"โฆ</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKLaoL3qayGNQe6s4pm0AzLJgGpT3VppHnUmFv5cZFQ0M53P_cwHdL6tSQJDxe67rQMBVLAqG8MZvjhyr2EZtDNZLPVGOUoe1qEWFusZiMN2sy2Us10oZo2r8FpiW0v0aRGVsgSW6bct5v/s1600/IMG_0161.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKLaoL3qayGNQe6s4pm0AzLJgGpT3VppHnUmFv5cZFQ0M53P_cwHdL6tSQJDxe67rQMBVLAqG8MZvjhyr2EZtDNZLPVGOUoe1qEWFusZiMN2sy2Us10oZo2r8FpiW0v0aRGVsgSW6bct5v/s1600/IMG_0161.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></span></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">โฆand the expected outcome</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHMHxRRKDg8YXDSyyWJUBJOhzEkmdut62ypeuOIEgzizRiiApuxfFUJX-aJ2p2m6w_k4DyEeGh73XpoYIn9npHvtvIG0Kj9kE4AvG7Cg58uFhTacVhLmE82W68Q_WEHW7V4sOC4kEIIjsM/s1600/8da8c3d8e11da61d7886025a62be2d18f82e1c673007a357471c8a21ae70b8e0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHMHxRRKDg8YXDSyyWJUBJOhzEkmdut62ypeuOIEgzizRiiApuxfFUJX-aJ2p2m6w_k4DyEeGh73XpoYIn9npHvtvIG0Kj9kE4AvG7Cg58uFhTacVhLmE82W68Q_WEHW7V4sOC4kEIIjsM/s1600/8da8c3d8e11da61d7886025a62be2d18f82e1c673007a357471c8a21ae70b8e0.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My new garden adventure might just end here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">No, I'm too stubborn, I will adapt and overcome and outwit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My underground plot dweller says:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4kbUg1Z5EyuQ5p8QJpZM5Dxhw1AkosQMygq4uooMxMu6MxPUVvv51D1wYvRw9gLaMoYUC8MrCejLrh-zk8LOulZnz7ADG5dbuprLCrbwKOp3afkbAt2F8xeFsy1r3QRSwCFUwqF-co0DC/s1600/3613736_orig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4kbUg1Z5EyuQ5p8QJpZM5Dxhw1AkosQMygq4uooMxMu6MxPUVvv51D1wYvRw9gLaMoYUC8MrCejLrh-zk8LOulZnz7ADG5dbuprLCrbwKOp3afkbAt2F8xeFsy1r3QRSwCFUwqF-co0DC/s1600/3613736_orig.jpg" height="400" width="313" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This week just brought more work and prepping in the garden. Many of you know that I have always grown all my seedlings under lights and heat mats and all that good stuff, but I actually had to buy my tomatoes and peppers this year, the horror! I wasn't sure if we would get a plot back in late winter so I wasn't about to go crazy messing up the house with all that stuff, but next year I surely will :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">For those that have never seen mail order seedlings, here you go. I ordered a few heirloom peppers and tomatoes from Burpee, they arrived in beautiful condition and are hardening off in the backyard right now. The rest of my tomatoes and peppers were purchased locally from a small business.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8VP9LXDsLuvzT7eXCEOB0Wxfuge5p58X-c4nWO7ffLmsJwOIKN-x_Xvt4B3zlBSfQ9I0Hw7ssWDY91Su6akQb6zDHFndYmKKgLcF7mhwHBg87ut0_usCqH8MrwjBknAwN9pVNTsuDpErn/s1600/IMG_0146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8VP9LXDsLuvzT7eXCEOB0Wxfuge5p58X-c4nWO7ffLmsJwOIKN-x_Xvt4B3zlBSfQ9I0Hw7ssWDY91Su6akQb6zDHFndYmKKgLcF7mhwHBg87ut0_usCqH8MrwjBknAwN9pVNTsuDpErn/s1600/IMG_0146.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hubby has been working hard to build whatever my heart desires, as long as its bamboo and he gets to use his new machete and his Japanese saw.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLh4JLF6YsgLAcPDtM1nPmgrtk0SAJx4cBaPlKsoDpP-0vPgwavjrNy1pEcG0U2AGRxhONz-QM0xfNOOtSeBRtYNzD636Fy6AQSOPOxuetCr6S-BaSVraQU4qkDbvMxOv7a4UZXWoa9BfX/s1600/IMG_0090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLh4JLF6YsgLAcPDtM1nPmgrtk0SAJx4cBaPlKsoDpP-0vPgwavjrNy1pEcG0U2AGRxhONz-QM0xfNOOtSeBRtYNzD636Fy6AQSOPOxuetCr6S-BaSVraQU4qkDbvMxOv7a4UZXWoa9BfX/s1600/IMG_0090.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My new bamboo gateโฆ it even has rope hinges!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilLLktbNH9_JGaMMtCHKLcfvk8_QcK8d51AxbSvMybh7X_dPP-gnrZ_DLbd-XH46yLUtCNhbDOxv-RTyx9cthk3PzydQStkJZN7OIbWtywz5MdBbtI3TbEr6_6N8sch3DcY7RjDv4c7cHo/s1600/IMG_0088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilLLktbNH9_JGaMMtCHKLcfvk8_QcK8d51AxbSvMybh7X_dPP-gnrZ_DLbd-XH46yLUtCNhbDOxv-RTyx9cthk3PzydQStkJZN7OIbWtywz5MdBbtI3TbEr6_6N8sch3DcY7RjDv4c7cHo/s1600/IMG_0088.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is the bamboo thicket that is next to the community garden, as much as we want and it's free.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhriEw5Ps3hUzNPB24j72VqlqhRztnFMEs498UCi7FbiZewdk-_AjEQ79KeTduEuPcBqglgXzbtrtPolBTcCuRParv2kab1ijhU-r8JIzekWpAQ2VuLdY137qqBjizXB0AAioDKAmR268fn/s1600/IMG_0093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhriEw5Ps3hUzNPB24j72VqlqhRztnFMEs498UCi7FbiZewdk-_AjEQ79KeTduEuPcBqglgXzbtrtPolBTcCuRParv2kab1ijhU-r8JIzekWpAQ2VuLdY137qqBjizXB0AAioDKAmR268fn/s1600/IMG_0093.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">He has really streamlined the process of hauling it out.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD6SGh14P3pP2Kc8JYlKQnLfGFrEJa5qzw9KILVr8bCU-DV-4bMiWInTmrzR0-SWO0q9pQPK-6znu0kmF9s3ekj5Fe693HT2T4bGyfou6anbnuKasK3bV_0U5rZmX5w7pO3UJ-Vmq4ths6/s1600/IMG_0077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD6SGh14P3pP2Kc8JYlKQnLfGFrEJa5qzw9KILVr8bCU-DV-4bMiWInTmrzR0-SWO0q9pQPK-6znu0kmF9s3ekj5Fe693HT2T4bGyfou6anbnuKasK3bV_0U5rZmX5w7pO3UJ-Vmq4ths6/s1600/IMG_0077.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Just one of the interesting things found in the gardenโฆ a sign of the trouble we are going to have this summer!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Meanwhile, indoors at the military homestead, I am starting a new "starter". My last sourdough starter that I had for several years did not PCS with us. PCS is a common military acronym that stands for Permanent Change of Station, aka <i>moving</i>. As in, "the last PCS all my stuff got broken"โฆ that's the most common usage you will hear, followed by "PCS'ing soon, they won't tell us whereโฆ" LOL</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So anyway, having to make a new starter capturing all new <i>Maryland</i> wild yeast. <i>Interested to see what the new yeast strain bread will taste like, maybe crab? Or high taxes?</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Starter Day 1</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Day 2</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Day 4 and the first feeding. Things are moving a little slow due to our lower temperatures this week, but we definitely have action. It will be chilling under a tea towel this week and be fed daily.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I will leave you with a photo I took yesterday of one of our local U.S. Post Offices. It's open like 2 hours a day, and check out the <i>chickens</i> behind it. I love this place!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Postal Chickens, nice.</span></div>
<br />Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916896512933101955noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855162440022875977.post-64637989610536831272015-04-27T09:26:00.001-04:002015-04-27T09:26:50.527-04:00Weekend Work<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span id="goog_1580784516"></span><span id="goog_1580784517"></span>Definitely nothing pretty going on in the garden, but lots of work accomplished this weekend. Let's start by horrifying Grandmaโฆ yes, mom - that's a <i>machete</i> Finn is working with! With supervision, of course! The man has been wanting a machete for quite some time and now that we are gardening on the edge of a bamboo forest, this seemed like the right time to make the purchase. He is wasting no time in making me everything from fences and gates to trellises and stakes, and even teaching Finn - but just to cut twine.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQifa5W59v3YxW_2iNIlGEck3jOg4aW8__mReKSbXPVeFBbT9VGwmUjMspYxTY-E7zA_9dLgbS6aWm1tmKx-0Hr2HM0Difew_8OvmcJZjmUkFyXs4ZxBcIpXRKXEx6r9H9ENammcn0EUb6/s640/blogger-image-1198590944.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQifa5W59v3YxW_2iNIlGEck3jOg4aW8__mReKSbXPVeFBbT9VGwmUjMspYxTY-E7zA_9dLgbS6aWm1tmKx-0Hr2HM0Difew_8OvmcJZjmUkFyXs4ZxBcIpXRKXEx6r9H9ENammcn0EUb6/s400/blogger-image-1198590944.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Finn planted my turnips and rutabagas.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd8_W-3nsyI1bgWBF0dbMajlrSijVlfLn7DWVfuQfOQTRyJddyUgVCruIf4hns-NjN4Kd2zGreIipB5VhyphenhyphenoSrt2a6_BZT9lUkNjuQQHrUaYl-cKkMLJWG6DxMN4g0SVYel6o1x_2ajR1Uk/s640/blogger-image-896949676.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd8_W-3nsyI1bgWBF0dbMajlrSijVlfLn7DWVfuQfOQTRyJddyUgVCruIf4hns-NjN4Kd2zGreIipB5VhyphenhyphenoSrt2a6_BZT9lUkNjuQQHrUaYl-cKkMLJWG6DxMN4g0SVYel6o1x_2ajR1Uk/s400/blogger-image-896949676.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Some of the bamboo the man and Thing 2 hauled out. What a great resource, and free too!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw5WdYnRjMiB21Zs0JayC3PZfWi1A7FFZwyZvqgu03C1s3zHArqAIcFPfyR2bldrVGmx4VQQhAitPivhLmq2A864flEHuzKG8877_QpGzB16Y_H7f5NrlKWPMCM7qUjl0aswZUSW5ufFQC/s640/blogger-image-2098312406.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw5WdYnRjMiB21Zs0JayC3PZfWi1A7FFZwyZvqgu03C1s3zHArqAIcFPfyR2bldrVGmx4VQQhAitPivhLmq2A864flEHuzKG8877_QpGzB16Y_H7f5NrlKWPMCM7qUjl0aswZUSW5ufFQC/s640/blogger-image-2098312406.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Fingerling Potatoes were planted, along with garlic and onions surrounding them, in hopes of deterring wildlife. (yeah, right!) There are groundhog holes in everyone's garden plots here and there was a gopher <i>watching us</i> from the far corner, plotting no doubt.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Just a few tomatoes and peppers went in, the rest will go in about a week since I'm not totally believing that our cold temps are gone for good. A much bigger staking system will go in later, these little poles are just so anyone that tries to step on my seedlings will be <strike>impaled</strike> warned!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I scored 72 marigolds for $5 at the local big box store. I do this every year, nothing wrong with them of course other than they need to be deadheaded and planted asap. I take all the ugly for cheapโฆ most people just don't realize how plants work and I will gladly reap the benefits! Of course, I will need all 72 plants, you know, to "repel" that gopher that watched me plant them. Ha!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">When Thing 2 isn't in his garden clothes, he often looks like this. He has turned into quite the Style King. He claims he is "Punk Rock". I'm an 80's girl so I won't complain as long as the straight A's keep coming! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In contrast to the brown of the garden, the trees in my neighborhood are beautiful. Cherry trees just finished, but the Redbuds, Dogwoods and Crabapple trees are peaking right now. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Any type of fun projects at home are taking a back burner right now to the garden work that needs to be done. I had forgotten how much work it can be getting a garden started from nothing! So many challenges to this particular garden. We can't use "sharp" objects so things like metal fencing and stakes are supposed to be out, and I'm following the rules, but everyone around me is putting up chicken wire like crazy. Funny thing is that they are putting up 3-4 ft fences and for the cost I don't see the point - anything less than 8 feet isn't keeping deer out and we have tons of groundhogs here and they are just going under! I cheaped out with deer netting and just am trying to put enough poles and structure inside the fence that it will be difficult for deer to judge if there is room for them to land. The netting was $15 for 200 ft so I don't' feel bad if it doesn't work. We also have to be out of the garden every year by Nov 1st, so that precludes me having a nice working, aging compost pile. The base lets pasture grow over it all every year so I can't get in there to keep things cultivated or mulched, etc. That also precludes me growing my cold weather peas, spinach, kale, etc. I'm still very grateful however for even having a plot, it's virtually unheard of on a military base!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The biggest challenge, by farโฆ is the <i>WIND! </i>It howls at about 35-45 mph all day, every day. I will leave you for this windy video to laugh at - you can't hear a thing I'm saying in it but I'm basically telling you about the challenges I outlined above. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Grab your popcorn and prepare to laugh at my predicament!</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I should take bets on the sidebar on whether the groundhogs, gophers, deer or wind will let me harvest anything this year, and what it might be!</span></i></div>
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Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916896512933101955noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855162440022875977.post-28656647896983248462015-04-24T11:36:00.000-04:002015-04-24T11:36:38.223-04:00What it's like hereโฆ<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's difficult to know where to start with updating you on the events of the past year, but I think starting out by giving you some photos of where we live is a good place to begin. Although we still live in the Mid-Atlantic and we are only 90 minutes from Washington D.C., the difference couldn't be any more stark from the D.C. and Virginia Beach areas. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I am absolutely in love with this area! It has all of the water we enjoyed in Virginia Beach, but none of the development. You can actually get to the water here, pretty much wherever you want. We lived close to the oceanfront in Virginia yet couldn't get near it due to development and parking restrictions and crowds. Here, you can pretty much pull your car over anywhere and launch a kayak or throw a line in and nobody thinks anything of it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Navy is the largest employer here due to the test base (all the newest technology is tested here), but historically this area is rural, with most making a living off the water or farming. This is about ground zero for watermen and their legendary Chesapeake Blue Crab harvesting. The result of this is that this place is heaven for seafood. Everyone knows of my love of crab cakes so it's about perfect here. All of Southern Maryland is a peninsula bordered on 3 sides by the Potomac River, Patuxent River and Chesapeake Bay, which effectively isolates us from the craziness that is the Northern Virginia/D.C. metro area.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is part of "our backyard" - the pier where we fish on base, I was able to get up early and catch sunrise! I refer to everything on the base as our backyard since we live right on base!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3hyphenhyphendPDbOHwoCjyQhIy9p5YruiGePI7gDKGilVFf9iEuvf9hpTMRGGgUuXV7aqh4U3I0UFG7FH-08TyOAtXnFDRRlNMoVyyjzvAFhI7vDzhgLYF5-pLr6hlI7AwvAPLO-hbZdvQv0yBbUj/s1600/IMGP1721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3hyphenhyphendPDbOHwoCjyQhIy9p5YruiGePI7gDKGilVFf9iEuvf9hpTMRGGgUuXV7aqh4U3I0UFG7FH-08TyOAtXnFDRRlNMoVyyjzvAFhI7vDzhgLYF5-pLr6hlI7AwvAPLO-hbZdvQv0yBbUj/s1600/IMGP1721.JPG" height="263" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Another shot of the pier at sunrise.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg36IT8-aUJP3aXvU9IhHt0hBPftQ4CgSQJHe2BjUNsrjw0e8ZYzEEg9gaIcYSNsVWKa5_2R6cECRtvOdMnzB-P8e0nlYwjNaMefeP91OUQvwwPjVPKe1YL75lvvj6Neqycqo3X5bFEwpLd/s1600/IMGP1724.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg36IT8-aUJP3aXvU9IhHt0hBPftQ4CgSQJHe2BjUNsrjw0e8ZYzEEg9gaIcYSNsVWKa5_2R6cECRtvOdMnzB-P8e0nlYwjNaMefeP91OUQvwwPjVPKe1YL75lvvj6Neqycqo3X5bFEwpLd/s1600/IMGP1724.JPG" height="263" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is the woods and trail that is behind our house. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3lOhp4CRPN7g464JgxuaYWHOY2ZjxVgMGteSuyK2D7r03wrvYZgIpYxS2mLzlSB2VbybgCUmoSbExdSmJdLdMThTpE_qK7V4P0f5U3UPdsQdMYS8dq3o2TRy9WNiMvltlwHWLLXIrgDND/s1600/IMGP1788.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3lOhp4CRPN7g464JgxuaYWHOY2ZjxVgMGteSuyK2D7r03wrvYZgIpYxS2mLzlSB2VbybgCUmoSbExdSmJdLdMThTpE_qK7V4P0f5U3UPdsQdMYS8dq3o2TRy9WNiMvltlwHWLLXIrgDND/s1600/IMGP1788.JPG" height="263" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> We finally live among hardwoods and forest! Our area is usually forested right up to the water line here, unlike the open areas and scrub of Virginia.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Many roads here look like this:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifIY6ZDtZZoOHez8zlVdTA-itlQW8G3aaeA0a7pQX3VfSVNDGruHNdSAKKPhH3iX1uPrLdBgivVgINDBnbc8gdgcZd8jiBI41W0_aNmoifnAmgSHRdWRegOT9tXa8Ulwacj_l-kn5phaTq/s1600/IMG_7735.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifIY6ZDtZZoOHez8zlVdTA-itlQW8G3aaeA0a7pQX3VfSVNDGruHNdSAKKPhH3iX1uPrLdBgivVgINDBnbc8gdgcZd8jiBI41W0_aNmoifnAmgSHRdWRegOT9tXa8Ulwacj_l-kn5phaTq/s1600/IMG_7735.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The result are these awesome secluded beaches all over that the trails just end at.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Water EVERYWHERE.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOjS5UmmAgCKv6XMCruLylZDxA5Q8ccZIIQ7B3o0YRVvPbMNlvqRH9HPzyIRn6hFwA8tSON_lONNvTJju0NuuWGJRu_XPH4CUYsR0eH2qXVex98jphGcYCNpp7w1jXm9qFj7Ca4Yc-7Twr/s1600/IMG_7909.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOjS5UmmAgCKv6XMCruLylZDxA5Q8ccZIIQ7B3o0YRVvPbMNlvqRH9HPzyIRn6hFwA8tSON_lONNvTJju0NuuWGJRu_XPH4CUYsR0eH2qXVex98jphGcYCNpp7w1jXm9qFj7Ca4Yc-7Twr/s1600/IMG_7909.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's actually quite common here to keep kayaks at the ready and we don't look out of place! In the spring through fall many people that work at the base just keep their kayak on the roof and actually manage to kayak or fish on their lunch hour. This place is very outdoor oriented. If you like the city you would probably not like it here!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFRaRCOSKlGsUKT6wfaOM_H2XkYurFZwYiXjPkjN-7_R77O4XSU3cgIp1Eq_Opu9gFDbqnq1DNRk3WS8tX_67o2VS3wyjqvcfRCFNnjm3gvYwlx_UnrUWquTxGIpLechcTkzhyofwL8fXO/s1600/IMG_7745.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFRaRCOSKlGsUKT6wfaOM_H2XkYurFZwYiXjPkjN-7_R77O4XSU3cgIp1Eq_Opu9gFDbqnq1DNRk3WS8tX_67o2VS3wyjqvcfRCFNnjm3gvYwlx_UnrUWquTxGIpLechcTkzhyofwL8fXO/s1600/IMG_7745.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Lots of fishing and hunting right on base.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkIqvNnMRadcmhnqyJJLnOkmaTTUe8O3e53ECCln-tx4DHPVUDilFfThrJ3ySYEm2TRvOxHApaw7M6MpS0xXTYw4BxrOseheJzhEAGgwy8pyvA0AFQwP67M29DvWtgpRGzbgXhoJKbeo0H/s1600/IMG_1102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkIqvNnMRadcmhnqyJJLnOkmaTTUe8O3e53ECCln-tx4DHPVUDilFfThrJ3ySYEm2TRvOxHApaw7M6MpS0xXTYw4BxrOseheJzhEAGgwy8pyvA0AFQwP67M29DvWtgpRGzbgXhoJKbeo0H/s1600/IMG_1102.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is one of our fishing spots, hubby and the kids always pack trash bags to pick up litter while they are there.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEUBt2xzYLEnlRQ1elk6_dPye2vQtQFc7fZsDPVlw2fidBfvefyAEIOWmJ65hBTDvlTgdm3Xq6Z2hTU9zP46sVx-qrQnXbL3tXRNCqwH4ZkyVDTQuH4Hy2at7KZFn1NvSRKR1Bbsq9f_lO/s1600/IMG_7850.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEUBt2xzYLEnlRQ1elk6_dPye2vQtQFc7fZsDPVlw2fidBfvefyAEIOWmJ65hBTDvlTgdm3Xq6Z2hTU9zP46sVx-qrQnXbL3tXRNCqwH4ZkyVDTQuH4Hy2at7KZFn1NvSRKR1Bbsq9f_lO/s1600/IMG_7850.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Marley & Sprocket love it here too! You would never guess Marley is turning 14 years old this summer!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hopefully you can imagine a little better the area we live in now. We only have ONE road here that has all the stores, etc on it. <i>Just one</i>. It's awesome!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">When you envision this area, it really is water and forest everywhere. We have left the power boats behind in the south and here sailboats and crab fishing boats are king. If you think of the old Chesapeake Bay photographs you have may have seen in books of watermen and their boats, it's pretty much still that way here. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQt8VHSIHmLKD0-pCjHFXVMbrIOc95CRJk8KW2rnZfk2o3vZGJXcPco2zcN_96CVJFo3PZ1CaA3VOjtJqEI5jQq7ycsDRJLiMuGkPTlRMRZ2m9yQBVHqarq1_pDAkQgrZuKHr5HlUkCqMm/s1600/AA-Trip_Ideas-St._Geo_Isl_-_smith_creek_fishermen_main.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQt8VHSIHmLKD0-pCjHFXVMbrIOc95CRJk8KW2rnZfk2o3vZGJXcPco2zcN_96CVJFo3PZ1CaA3VOjtJqEI5jQq7ycsDRJLiMuGkPTlRMRZ2m9yQBVHqarq1_pDAkQgrZuKHr5HlUkCqMm/s1600/AA-Trip_Ideas-St._Geo_Isl_-_smith_creek_fishermen_main.jpg" height="172" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Crab pots everywhere here, on docks, boats and stacked behind barns!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQUmS_pjPP22zMSyhVn0lxmffrN5FFOFC8akLSre_xv0pj7w20lHMQMCOtjour0GqajLU0mfb81f6snwuiAu42yfWhG31jTCBFRxkJcwA92D7YloGQdpW-2MqMIxkG7MHfeRBSxqlV7xmC/s1600/crabpots.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQUmS_pjPP22zMSyhVn0lxmffrN5FFOFC8akLSre_xv0pj7w20lHMQMCOtjour0GqajLU0mfb81f6snwuiAu42yfWhG31jTCBFRxkJcwA92D7YloGQdpW-2MqMIxkG7MHfeRBSxqlV7xmC/s1600/crabpots.JPG" height="481" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">For the uninitiated, this is the beautiful Chesapeake Blue Crab, it's Latin name <i style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22px; text-align: start;"><b>Callinectes sapidus </b></i> translates to "Beautiful Swimmer". Indeed.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1EF8UKIvOLGcttHPhYDASWW6dkK7gP4KpinBPM9nwVKwbEcNrVrtrPkkagBA5l_KZ-yh-e1AIHAIYP2LtetQ1PYA5mfv8m8zXTbnAap4qwYzovHsrO9Ot2IvQdnNRyq_pqbs0f1Lp9sQN/s1600/dp-nws-blue-crab-maine-20150316.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1EF8UKIvOLGcttHPhYDASWW6dkK7gP4KpinBPM9nwVKwbEcNrVrtrPkkagBA5l_KZ-yh-e1AIHAIYP2LtetQ1PYA5mfv8m8zXTbnAap4qwYzovHsrO9Ot2IvQdnNRyq_pqbs0f1Lp9sQN/s1600/dp-nws-blue-crab-maine-20150316.jpeg" height="457" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's also a hot bed of Revolutionary War history here, which is way more than I can blog about, but it's cool stuff.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'm off to the garden plot in 40 mph winds to plant. It's always 40 mph winds, sighโฆ.. Challenging, but it should give you something to laugh at when you see me trying to grow things there! Should have a garden plot update on the next post, it's all been fence building so far this week.</span></div>
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Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916896512933101955noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855162440022875977.post-50158416900788332112015-04-21T21:35:00.003-04:002015-04-21T21:35:39.965-04:00Back in the Game...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There is no graceful way to make a comeback, but here I am!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A lot has happened...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguQAzkHmWiEzX_Jj2xdgPUIT3LMWplfJKXk3IdCk5mibty4HqBxuZbsEhQkLgG5pK2kZVZlR4TqjQHXqbQcEQWgfylA_kmKLh2dqPSHDRnXcDzxPHLnbSxZiJmWMcyJUc0XLpOSVtYwQxZ/s1600/IMG_9306.BMP" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguQAzkHmWiEzX_Jj2xdgPUIT3LMWplfJKXk3IdCk5mibty4HqBxuZbsEhQkLgG5pK2kZVZlR4TqjQHXqbQcEQWgfylA_kmKLh2dqPSHDRnXcDzxPHLnbSxZiJmWMcyJUc0XLpOSVtYwQxZ/s1600/IMG_9306.BMP" height="640" width="440" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our new home has about 300 sq feet in the backyard - no joke. It felt a little ridiculous to blog about everything <i>except</i> a garden on a garden blog!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">That has changed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Meet my new gardenโฆ</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjywaIxmwVvdYhuinax9uV-_qKUnnM10Z-rhLsuyAnyjsFCg2oTMcRv-ftZJ32ULkHQtaLvUUBg0O7ybZBWgFGaoS348g47iKwd0AbtN7EWe_bG3IDkucdgiqoGHDqP8jqCt9YWrHX8EZ_s/s1600/IMG_9804.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjywaIxmwVvdYhuinax9uV-_qKUnnM10Z-rhLsuyAnyjsFCg2oTMcRv-ftZJ32ULkHQtaLvUUBg0O7ybZBWgFGaoS348g47iKwd0AbtN7EWe_bG3IDkucdgiqoGHDqP8jqCt9YWrHX8EZ_s/s1600/IMG_9804.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Yes, it is a plot right on the flight line! We are very fortunate that our base has a community garden, and you better believe I jumped at the chance! I thought I might go crazy this summer with one tomato plant in a bucket in my little backyard but I am not only gardening,<i> I am getting to garden like I never have before!</i></span><br />
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Yes, I am so excited to be doing a lot of hard work! My Virginia garden was work in the beginning, but I always had raised beds and they are soooooo much easier than in-ground gardening. As you can see in the above photo, I am truly starting from nothing! Well, the good fortune of living on a military base that will give you a little plot of land is certainly not nothing, we are very blessed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Below you can see my car next to my plot, and this is the water spigot, so I will be doing a lot of hiking with a mile of hose. Beyond my car is the flight line. Yes, the runway for fighter jets and all manner of other really cool test aircraft on our base. Hearing protection is a must in my garden! The JSF F-35 takes off here and if you know anything about that, you know how loud they are.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLPg4ekOxlHdNSP1eihvODzzvn8uKrgkZy0T5sgzPKRNu-JGGKHvtzrGfZywNEmyZgJHSl_ctbTCQTbqMd8TTg5NjjVhEHu_QQm3mS7raExjiJ0KcAdCwODU_7krBspQlxEHoROiYFoKGO/s1600/IMG_9894.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLPg4ekOxlHdNSP1eihvODzzvn8uKrgkZy0T5sgzPKRNu-JGGKHvtzrGfZywNEmyZgJHSl_ctbTCQTbqMd8TTg5NjjVhEHu_QQm3mS7raExjiJ0KcAdCwODU_7krBspQlxEHoROiYFoKGO/s1600/IMG_9894.JPG" height="481" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Yes, you will find things like this in my garden. One of those things that is fun and cool yet makes you wonder who said<i> "Yes, I think we will just leave this here."</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixfuNCbYuGHfK1u8GnKHZpFPWvQVKyA7pcQu2F72feEnXXiO9CBs9vmzRrvSphu60Iy-AowZTiGavyjChwbixSZI5pixjc2Y5-jcFzuPceN8PCegHXVq3cVHXnGRpQBnWeIN0uR9HRe5y1/s1600/IMG_9805.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixfuNCbYuGHfK1u8GnKHZpFPWvQVKyA7pcQu2F72feEnXXiO9CBs9vmzRrvSphu60Iy-AowZTiGavyjChwbixSZI5pixjc2Y5-jcFzuPceN8PCegHXVq3cVHXnGRpQBnWeIN0uR9HRe5y1/s1600/IMG_9805.JPG" height="468" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We got our plot finally marked off and water turned on just this week. The plot is 30' x 75'. HUGE compared to what I had previously. Scary, considering I was harvesting 500+ lbs of produce from a garden half this size ! First order of business was to lay down some pathways so I could envision the plot and actually <i>reduce</i> the amount of space to plant. Child labor laws were then thrown out the window and we began tilling and erecting fences.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg71j79lZZjW4OKwUqpGrGiuKZfJ6ZAQyHcTZRWZ1xk5iiB47XGp18tU-CJ6MIXTHWVSORC8B6y8kNhjw_xAnrAUMnGSgr1nVX3bVeklmgbZlLGdk2F1nKk0ftTkSOdpIXb_WKAJC4dKSKz/s1600/IMG_0055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg71j79lZZjW4OKwUqpGrGiuKZfJ6ZAQyHcTZRWZ1xk5iiB47XGp18tU-CJ6MIXTHWVSORC8B6y8kNhjw_xAnrAUMnGSgr1nVX3bVeklmgbZlLGdk2F1nKk0ftTkSOdpIXb_WKAJC4dKSKz/s1600/IMG_0055.JPG" height="481" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A friend of mine that moved here from Virginia Beach also has the plot right next to ours so I'm sure it will be a fun summer - plus that's even more kids to put to work!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Below is a shot of the entire plot.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbX-GE-D0CPCYktFXZZoNoBeqw4tRJx1ZM8K0R9uWu9-15XBCfBDQPDXSIgq00Xz-XOwZ_OOtSkC7LonD_qal6Zimb5GkXvWlOJRbR3jepUf6-iHzYsHPVv391o-VWYefb-VZxpJ4jut45/s1600/IMG_0068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbX-GE-D0CPCYktFXZZoNoBeqw4tRJx1ZM8K0R9uWu9-15XBCfBDQPDXSIgq00Xz-XOwZ_OOtSkC7LonD_qal6Zimb5GkXvWlOJRbR3jepUf6-iHzYsHPVv391o-VWYefb-VZxpJ4jut45/s1600/IMG_0068.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Now, the return of the famous SEED BINDER, and fun with garden design.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB_t037E63j5a6Jc0qGJdK7FV8DD2cQfZ-h6qs9Y2DuX0uq80S3UIL3rRlN2RYcPDE92R5c7vFcCeuCTSJcSu_IAdMku7MpIy9w8Du8TrcgAhmK9DsZO5u7reSP8zXoqHa_wItlRvBBUg2/s1600/IMG_0074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB_t037E63j5a6Jc0qGJdK7FV8DD2cQfZ-h6qs9Y2DuX0uq80S3UIL3rRlN2RYcPDE92R5c7vFcCeuCTSJcSu_IAdMku7MpIy9w8Du8TrcgAhmK9DsZO5u7reSP8zXoqHa_wItlRvBBUg2/s1600/IMG_0074.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Last but not least, a few photos of our new homeโฆ more to come later on that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Cherry Trees entering my neighborhood. We actually live <i>on base</i>, inside the gates.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw2z1rbIS6n8bXyCvI1S6Q3_0VHHG7nHx8oqa2FNqSNYYg8EI041iMElnXo2if49PVWAF0ctTNTcdbhb2deeQ38E2KD9zN-LnWWXOIeFn5ZbVWsfbLnjkg46f3SAn-Ssyf-gPk1Rilx87e/s1600/IMG_9939.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw2z1rbIS6n8bXyCvI1S6Q3_0VHHG7nHx8oqa2FNqSNYYg8EI041iMElnXo2if49PVWAF0ctTNTcdbhb2deeQ38E2KD9zN-LnWWXOIeFn5ZbVWsfbLnjkg46f3SAn-Ssyf-gPk1Rilx87e/s1600/IMG_9939.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">This is our home. 1941 former officer barracks. The conversion was done so that each home consists of <i>two</i> row houses, and they are on the historic register of MD so limited changes could be made. The result is a pretty "interesting" floor plan. We have the original wood floors though and loads of character. We have 7 windows in the dining room alone, this house is ALL WINDOWS! Pretty, but FRIGID in the winter! Colder than I ever remember being inside a house, and I'm from Minnesota so you know that's cold. I think I took this on 9/11/14 since I see my flag is at half staff.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our back yard is tiny. We have a "reel" mower!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXQ4DleIRDaQ0-geWOPHXXIBsxU3s85I4QhPvX2rJ6XNr7n__WCvAtj-azrohQfzYRQy8Z8DmRkxk_Wmbkk4tHmo0MSFGB_zDIqDoFvcLJV65ni-Pm1ZnzLYqF6aZceAyK6jC3Ljsndr_V/s1600/IMG_7594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXQ4DleIRDaQ0-geWOPHXXIBsxU3s85I4QhPvX2rJ6XNr7n__WCvAtj-azrohQfzYRQy8Z8DmRkxk_Wmbkk4tHmo0MSFGB_zDIqDoFvcLJV65ni-Pm1ZnzLYqF6aZceAyK6jC3Ljsndr_V/s1600/IMG_7594.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Who needs a yard though? We have 3 campgrounds on base, fishing pier, we can launch our kayaks or fish from over 40 little coves and beaches. This is on base right down the streetโฆ</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg1SrR-2yLYBr93zMNKzGZrE7IFDEyZrjWZ5VEfmKSDBIPe8A5ZsX1sm7oiSoFYzRqGq95YKLG6lqfGdVF0-PbLHtj-YJov9ugQw_OSQWQh-SRY39zIVHGV6kmPlSh691QJOMUXC62G5P0/s1600/IMG_7680.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg1SrR-2yLYBr93zMNKzGZrE7IFDEyZrjWZ5VEfmKSDBIPe8A5ZsX1sm7oiSoFYzRqGq95YKLG6lqfGdVF0-PbLHtj-YJov9ugQw_OSQWQh-SRY39zIVHGV6kmPlSh691QJOMUXC62G5P0/s1600/IMG_7680.jpg" height="521" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Just to show we are indeed aliveโฆ and hubby is <i>not</i> deployed!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0cN14F-N0VcF6Q37W8jGHrMP0wW-rxteQtLKddc-nfBuTZKQh-ZfBcoZcGqfQSI9T55BLmVqW76Avyu8_K2pC0Lk5v172_RbFqaC4DJ9zJ7Kb0JprhZf69maWidSs5YyAGq7cVQ7-9MIJ/s1600/IMG_7304.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0cN14F-N0VcF6Q37W8jGHrMP0wW-rxteQtLKddc-nfBuTZKQh-ZfBcoZcGqfQSI9T55BLmVqW76Avyu8_K2pC0Lk5v172_RbFqaC4DJ9zJ7Kb0JprhZf69maWidSs5YyAGq7cVQ7-9MIJ/s1600/IMG_7304.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And because no post about Maryland is complete without a Blue Crab, I will just set this right here...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqMB-gZpI0x0alVPduLJZiJ6RQxspT0D8e_NayTf_BfoyxTIwxH5cc5iShs_T7bPLwLOcUnB0hRC1BgdX8FR5hm3eJJegklyCkcGY2tdVIBIh2wZp5sFvk2f_d27RrpowTjy_7y-0sKpn8/s1600/IMG_7686.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqMB-gZpI0x0alVPduLJZiJ6RQxspT0D8e_NayTf_BfoyxTIwxH5cc5iShs_T7bPLwLOcUnB0hRC1BgdX8FR5hm3eJJegklyCkcGY2tdVIBIh2wZp5sFvk2f_d27RrpowTjy_7y-0sKpn8/s1600/IMG_7686.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I have missed blogging so much, there was never a time where I was glad to not be blogging. I think I just needed time to regroup and had a lot of changes going on, which I will periodically regurgitate as blog posts to bring you up to speed! I still can't believe I am going to have a real deal, old skool in-ground garden this year!!!</span></div>
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<br />Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916896512933101955noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855162440022875977.post-75107710722863387422014-05-08T14:03:00.004-04:002014-05-08T14:09:26.986-04:00Homecoming Day in Picturesโฆ<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">NINE. MONTHS. <i>AGAIN</i>. Wowโฆ</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Things are settling down around here (besides the upcoming move!) and it's time to try and get back into a routine that involves Sailor Husband being present and accounted forโฆ. <i>for the next 3 years</i>, believe it or not! He has been on sea duty for 6 straight years, I don't even want to get too comfortable thinking about a 3 year tour of shore duty for him since I know it can be yanked out from under us at any time, but we have to try and think positively. Homecoming Day is now a memory, so here are some long overdue photos of the event.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Weather: Cold with 50 mph wind gusts, but no rain thankfully!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Bright and early, stuck in homecoming traffic!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN46Dys8Awt8pna7juQjHolZrtC78ijmjWesuziJ-KAxmAcjJR7smbr0vXQwzb31W8PesqdP6cahQwvBpqDBAIXlmLdcTO4ws5T2fbMAf4jQ3w3DCIokoVwfPPUbYawuadh2AM4rprcAvb/s1600/IMG_6645.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN46Dys8Awt8pna7juQjHolZrtC78ijmjWesuziJ-KAxmAcjJR7smbr0vXQwzb31W8PesqdP6cahQwvBpqDBAIXlmLdcTO4ws5T2fbMAf4jQ3w3DCIokoVwfPPUbYawuadh2AM4rprcAvb/s1600/IMG_6645.jpg" height="221" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">An hour later, first glimpse of the USS Harry S. Truman</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV4ikhmX3ggJFQEm-PjHR3w1FHKKCKzsrZys6Iqrt1WT28F8Z7mGGVJehuZev0niHWMnpZ3dfXp54nYaFUOsfgL-JC5Ex_w-nNel1ZbijzcgIi3erefPw8KrCspql_noUtegWMaVKT63MK/s1600/IMGP0903.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV4ikhmX3ggJFQEm-PjHR3w1FHKKCKzsrZys6Iqrt1WT28F8Z7mGGVJehuZev0niHWMnpZ3dfXp54nYaFUOsfgL-JC5Ex_w-nNel1ZbijzcgIi3erefPw8KrCspql_noUtegWMaVKT63MK/s1600/IMGP0903.JPG" height="263" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">She is powered by a fleet of tugboats coming in, they are responsible for porting her safely from about a mile out at least. This whole process<i> takes hours</i>.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_RtMDwVf2w5agDAFLuMZo1mpPRvsuK6_8M_5iyYaleKWUACUmeyMRrH7LVTQ7_ZbBm76N20hj-4PE-w9l-FD1QO7IjW10gtf6Jj9tEVZEPQDMod8chzqGGSP_lVMxeQqtzxTZYMbxWLhE/s1600/IMGP0932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_RtMDwVf2w5agDAFLuMZo1mpPRvsuK6_8M_5iyYaleKWUACUmeyMRrH7LVTQ7_ZbBm76N20hj-4PE-w9l-FD1QO7IjW10gtf6Jj9tEVZEPQDMod8chzqGGSP_lVMxeQqtzxTZYMbxWLhE/s1600/IMGP0932.JPG" height="263" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A little closerโฆ</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3sad4ZPHZGM95nQmvAB9zc4WRcPWu89cCqXxHqVOIUi3BhO6j5WdKyvl6xVX10-zMln3_aSHH6sv1TWLzO6pa9NM3MhUX4Cx40v2ysLj74jNf77EwO169zfRfHh5GKDFW5MYck7CtpvpX/s1600/IMG_6652.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3sad4ZPHZGM95nQmvAB9zc4WRcPWu89cCqXxHqVOIUi3BhO6j5WdKyvl6xVX10-zMln3_aSHH6sv1TWLzO6pa9NM3MhUX4Cx40v2ysLj74jNf77EwO169zfRfHh5GKDFW5MYck7CtpvpX/s1600/IMG_6652.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">closerโฆ</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyvn5hKTGEWe0IjBH7VO79uluasDmLNUkAtLLIi12-MkYzH4gqARo-RWGDuBj0B5FXRZBvx6IPO_I1AZRGe0w89Q5nLNVa7a_Y9bZGbcMw1f7DKd8IOZX12Z3vPmaTN56isAwLf93SUIyQ/s1600/IMGP0941.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyvn5hKTGEWe0IjBH7VO79uluasDmLNUkAtLLIi12-MkYzH4gqARo-RWGDuBj0B5FXRZBvx6IPO_I1AZRGe0w89Q5nLNVa7a_Y9bZGbcMw1f7DKd8IOZX12Z3vPmaTN56isAwLf93SUIyQ/s1600/IMGP0941.JPG" height="263" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Finn not remembering <i>how darn big that boat is</i>!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSnTtYZIFnLoqWnQOOmGlr2vTt3rRQ8-xKSxNEkM-RGZDlJh5LYlKHVLKS0dqoXix8j9cX6HLWxosOhWoeDPik7GvscgPAuRum9dJaaVzjVSL6UtHkGWBc9dZM1aRUE0kEYMli4AWApxtR/s1600/IMGP0947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSnTtYZIFnLoqWnQOOmGlr2vTt3rRQ8-xKSxNEkM-RGZDlJh5LYlKHVLKS0dqoXix8j9cX6HLWxosOhWoeDPik7GvscgPAuRum9dJaaVzjVSL6UtHkGWBc9dZM1aRUE0kEYMli4AWApxtR/s1600/IMGP0947.JPG" height="263" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Close enough to see random sailors being really, really happy!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBe87oIoGjmnYBDWIKqxM8xaEXzQ_vbp8s0bDUC6eZdu0XwiuR-gxgUTGaPMOCwEkuUiqFfBF-R_p5wYsN2RkAqINu4YElsC4-ATLOsPlugY5WLk8jBHDgFOHj94oCgSev2fPqYIOISLcs/s1600/IMGP0965.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBe87oIoGjmnYBDWIKqxM8xaEXzQ_vbp8s0bDUC6eZdu0XwiuR-gxgUTGaPMOCwEkuUiqFfBF-R_p5wYsN2RkAqINu4YElsC4-ATLOsPlugY5WLk8jBHDgFOHj94oCgSev2fPqYIOISLcs/s1600/IMGP0965.JPG" height="400" width="345" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Quick video of "Shift Colors". This is a big deal, when ship's colors (flag) goes up, they are tied up and officially <i>IN PORT</i>!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The boys looking small while waiting. This is the worst part, waiting up to several hours for lines to be fastened and 5500+ sailors trying to line up by height to get off. <i> Just kidding, was checking to see if you were paying attention! </i>But they do disembark by rank, so we don't have to wait nearly as long as we did years ago!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEX16VuPIm-wnFCvtMmx3kY1fdSYUXpENaOkrGX7IveV5jTMXEohId48l7QPly0-cMlgq_J28FVseck2Mrh89bzUVIX0zJwOSUwASAvqYf5iwdyh7V0daXfniIUuVCvtJ_iSU70RVVUDUb/s1600/IMGP0978.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEX16VuPIm-wnFCvtMmx3kY1fdSYUXpENaOkrGX7IveV5jTMXEohId48l7QPly0-cMlgq_J28FVseck2Mrh89bzUVIX0zJwOSUwASAvqYf5iwdyh7V0daXfniIUuVCvtJ_iSU70RVVUDUb/s1600/IMGP0978.jpg" height="400" width="332" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Thanks to hubby snapping this pic onboard, you can see what goes on in the hangar bay onboard as they are also waiting, waiting, waitingโฆ Almost 6000 sailorsโฆ think about that for a second. That's a big a$$ boat, that's what that is.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0_06vOjZ5b6FuF3lvJZ1KADwpghPE5scPGzEHVr2rYR_IA4mCaT7PjrpbbYQ21NrK2V3crhj2kwFaQxNDhujikvKtdZrvyUPOxrVvWOf_4QHtpzB0gm_PYrIgZBkvJnvo92XpxXHDbdde/s1600/IMG_0945.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0_06vOjZ5b6FuF3lvJZ1KADwpghPE5scPGzEHVr2rYR_IA4mCaT7PjrpbbYQ21NrK2V3crhj2kwFaQxNDhujikvKtdZrvyUPOxrVvWOf_4QHtpzB0gm_PYrIgZBkvJnvo92XpxXHDbdde/s1600/IMG_0945.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Fast forward to the good part!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtRV6g4kdF3_ag61cwo5w7VCQ_sHDLo8uhgwTlCGXy9P70cmjwEHnkOp3AFhEW98YmZ5tCucRhbSht1d6nChGow1ugmEKTJKYd5kfnbCg7skK3OKFFH8iDVsKgeAho6abhfG0-ME2ZHxJC/s1600/IMGP0985.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtRV6g4kdF3_ag61cwo5w7VCQ_sHDLo8uhgwTlCGXy9P70cmjwEHnkOp3AFhEW98YmZ5tCucRhbSht1d6nChGow1ugmEKTJKYd5kfnbCg7skK3OKFFH8iDVsKgeAho6abhfG0-ME2ZHxJC/s1600/IMGP0985.JPG" height="400" width="288" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I'm just glad nobody tripped and knocked out any teeth.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB0Xk3rO4-rrQ0AH62rQ1Up4-7RMs7Nkierp08zaC9kDJdrgHFsZ0L5iyBANrvfcDS2oO3b8WSYSRbIzF5HcbjLbMpGz1ldq54iuW2FyNYssrwsGT0fPgVHPDJt2hM61UOI1Kr5P2TrD67/s1600/IMGP0988.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB0Xk3rO4-rrQ0AH62rQ1Up4-7RMs7Nkierp08zaC9kDJdrgHFsZ0L5iyBANrvfcDS2oO3b8WSYSRbIzF5HcbjLbMpGz1ldq54iuW2FyNYssrwsGT0fPgVHPDJt2hM61UOI1Kr5P2TrD67/s1600/IMGP0988.JPG" height="420" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">and everybody says "awwwwwโฆโฆ"</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOLooCJLl8GwMoA8WkSYTY3VtTcEckKfGylXrJ3gRKgm_XwtveJN1cjPG6GS88E6Li6fn8Gi-z0Cu3To4PVZ6txbxzG5urF7H1A-I0zv2UMna8ibmWpf6Bus3sIACght6efAYgC4TUdvG1/s1600/IMGP1010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOLooCJLl8GwMoA8WkSYTY3VtTcEckKfGylXrJ3gRKgm_XwtveJN1cjPG6GS88E6Li6fn8Gi-z0Cu3To4PVZ6txbxzG5urF7H1A-I0zv2UMna8ibmWpf6Bus3sIACght6efAYgC4TUdvG1/s1600/IMGP1010.JPG" height="640" width="396" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I think this is Deployment #5 or 6 under our belt now, I stopped counting! Roughly 36-40 months in total? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">WOW</span>.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcCnBii-iGBlNbz2aHgB6hHItApKF_6m4nO8qM-SnAOfPmGanY-Y8570n3w711PslsNFtnBFpivuCUK0qI3JPliWVeP-mww0huIV9-G72agVJyCwfkcbDbyJm6EQoRg3wqPC9tIaBP90p6/s1600/IMGP0932_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcCnBii-iGBlNbz2aHgB6hHItApKF_6m4nO8qM-SnAOfPmGanY-Y8570n3w711PslsNFtnBFpivuCUK0qI3JPliWVeP-mww0huIV9-G72agVJyCwfkcbDbyJm6EQoRg3wqPC9tIaBP90p6/s1600/IMGP0932_edited-1.jpg" height="420" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and CUT! โฆthat's a wrap!</span></i></div>
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<br />Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916896512933101955noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855162440022875977.post-46745696084375952652014-04-17T20:57:00.001-04:002014-04-17T20:57:40.572-04:00Mail Order Brides must feel like this!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Seriously. <i><b>Tomorrow</b> is the day! </i>This is my umpteenth deployment but there's always this feeling - mail order brides must feel a bit like this! So much fanfare goes into these homecoming meetingsโฆ <i>will he even like me?</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>If he doesn't, too bad. We have papers already! :)</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I know, it seems funny but a lot changes over a year. Schedules have to be adjusted to allow for another person being physically here, not just an idea at the other end of a computer. I have changed. For the better, I hope! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A big one: I cut the awful hair!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA5b4QLCvSqhRBRnnIvU8gd1utS4bkIUlQPlWh1GN0FEiWKGPXlybD68RtEqg5E6QpwvTRJW7M4lojC5Me9WzUe6m9uY3fLqtuobjt5mg4PaiJIVAO1Y06n0Y7zUKTiujMY8n-q05dRDan/s1600/1376514_10200874957674974_121363112_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA5b4QLCvSqhRBRnnIvU8gd1utS4bkIUlQPlWh1GN0FEiWKGPXlybD68RtEqg5E6QpwvTRJW7M4lojC5Me9WzUe6m9uY3fLqtuobjt5mg4PaiJIVAO1Y06n0Y7zUKTiujMY8n-q05dRDan/s1600/1376514_10200874957674974_121363112_n.jpg" height="400" width="252" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now I'm a blonde.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsaM8gaZzM0rQybR3zd2cjotw8q0ohaci42Jp5zyL3u5riB4XYRIH4b666TY_xjuvVdOl0I4UNRGruMWOkVM30J9QSjpa1XwTrfI_OG1I8g3haCKPvdYwtffQGfnx8By3rHgqVkh__L2OD/s1600/1982201_10200874957874979_1686099187_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsaM8gaZzM0rQybR3zd2cjotw8q0ohaci42Jp5zyL3u5riB4XYRIH4b666TY_xjuvVdOl0I4UNRGruMWOkVM30J9QSjpa1XwTrfI_OG1I8g3haCKPvdYwtffQGfnx8By3rHgqVkh__L2OD/s1600/1982201_10200874957874979_1686099187_n.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Another good change: I lost 15 pounds. That was a lot on my short frame, and I feel better - I just hope he notices!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The kids are HUGE. They both had growth spurts while he was gone, and I'm afraid it will be like pouring salt in a wound when he sees them. At least after so many deployments we both have the wisdom to expect these kinds of shocks and try to prepare for them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Today went by really fastโฆ</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We were greeted by the sight of his squadron's pilots flying in, the scream of SuperHornets never sounded so good. Quiet is overrated!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9XPTxAyO_mKfGAwJkvRO5oyIjG_JAsQupjPRmHLeYuz-07QyX5MpQjId9cR-Q8o7YHFzafwCZZaXtjIWXaedlbWye67DUPr6JS5VZgiM00W6NqI38z7E2gXYSVyoud_NeU9PSWf3LeXkU/s1600/1920473_10152402577084468_1897179767300468326_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9XPTxAyO_mKfGAwJkvRO5oyIjG_JAsQupjPRmHLeYuz-07QyX5MpQjId9cR-Q8o7YHFzafwCZZaXtjIWXaedlbWye67DUPr6JS5VZgiM00W6NqI38z7E2gXYSVyoud_NeU9PSWf3LeXkU/s1600/1920473_10152402577084468_1897179767300468326_n.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Next up was to get the house super cleaned. I joked on Facebook that the first child to get Spiderman footprints on my fridge or cemented toothpaste left in the sink will be caned. Maybe that's not a jokeโฆ I told them to eat over the sink LOL.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Then it was time for "the girls" to get their blowouts and pedi-pedi's. Sprocket is super cute in her purple bows but those had about a 2 second lifespan.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRR4nOCP2e_rCJ1GKpoZ0p-P_mmsJEjxl3_P0yBLrZtCtZdGa8Bh7S1-CF88O0kpQ-G-jr24FP9A4mBlVdEB3kHjqRI90VrJMVe2kZVYceDsfc5dzhWUlkAiDWYG-aUcvxJa5fjqTQitzW/s1600/IMG_6613.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRR4nOCP2e_rCJ1GKpoZ0p-P_mmsJEjxl3_P0yBLrZtCtZdGa8Bh7S1-CF88O0kpQ-G-jr24FP9A4mBlVdEB3kHjqRI90VrJMVe2kZVYceDsfc5dzhWUlkAiDWYG-aUcvxJa5fjqTQitzW/s1600/IMG_6613.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Got my bling for my outfitโฆ</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3SSyyTbtC13X0j-pptS10Hefj8AJwBDQripu4WfjO7uql_GdqKyxyWchieOHFv22PRDLgLIePnw8f_r8HZuIv8uydFFFVW3cccQ3P_75u9aWZhlEAD6n0OAU9E_zGnnJAjPa8OkgUxh2K/s1600/IMG_6542.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3SSyyTbtC13X0j-pptS10Hefj8AJwBDQripu4WfjO7uql_GdqKyxyWchieOHFv22PRDLgLIePnw8f_r8HZuIv8uydFFFVW3cccQ3P_75u9aWZhlEAD6n0OAU9E_zGnnJAjPa8OkgUxh2K/s1600/IMG_6542.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Why the "75"?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUOEP3C9WIs0MBljxPffKGQ8btFSnygjtwd3WLR4x7fcRQ4dzhridzYrfHX54axTnuKyWlaPPtMmzjF4vHIbbpGJAfcnMyieqDJkoiVDD96LiWFCy54pDgGRQPmaubewVSEBBaE7QW8Da2/s1600/IMG_6543.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUOEP3C9WIs0MBljxPffKGQ8btFSnygjtwd3WLR4x7fcRQ4dzhridzYrfHX54axTnuKyWlaPPtMmzjF4vHIbbpGJAfcnMyieqDJkoiVDD96LiWFCy54pDgGRQPmaubewVSEBBaE7QW8Da2/s1600/IMG_6543.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Then it was off to the "Night Before" party near the pier in Norfolk.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLfV-z9iQpMT4ckUhrV2h47hLl1292-nMvIQ4E90-xw666tgzOlCea96xx0gWhYEFX_zfPdzG4OS5D5__0-nySuRENxqrYqUWFP5nKaLfPpHxWuaCGwwMNHDzMPCfCVIQCKKk1dCNFvCsY/s1600/IMG_6631.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLfV-z9iQpMT4ckUhrV2h47hLl1292-nMvIQ4E90-xw666tgzOlCea96xx0gWhYEFX_zfPdzG4OS5D5__0-nySuRENxqrYqUWFP5nKaLfPpHxWuaCGwwMNHDzMPCfCVIQCKKk1dCNFvCsY/s1600/IMG_6631.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Loch was at a birthday party so it was just Finn & me. Finn is looking every bit of his status as surgery recovery patient, but he needed the fresh air. Maybe not the 48ยบ temps and 40 mph wind gusts down there. The weather is not going to cooperate tomorrow, but at least there is no rain forecasted.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My dad will love this one: tonight's party was a typical D.O.D. event. Scheduled from 4-8 pm, they ran out of food by 4:40 pm, although the Limbo and Electric Slide on the dance floor was going strong against a backdrop of a huge Security Briefing video being shown on a loop. Pretty funny stuff.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Miles of cupcakes, however. So that was dinner - because I'm <i>not cooking!</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidTFw74N9dO5Pzo18avfvwW6z_shTceJOLPPhdhUEMU1-9XiuP2sJ4C70BatC18PT6F54ld-gVj67X3Xw2fq6FXtJl55YxxYaYTr4tLRRVyr8KbQVSFyqJTsmbXP0rkadrz8NZxMRpWOG1/s1600/IMG_6633.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidTFw74N9dO5Pzo18avfvwW6z_shTceJOLPPhdhUEMU1-9XiuP2sJ4C70BatC18PT6F54ld-gVj67X3Xw2fq6FXtJl55YxxYaYTr4tLRRVyr8KbQVSFyqJTsmbXP0rkadrz8NZxMRpWOG1/s1600/IMG_6633.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It was really difficult to take a photo of the etching on the glasses we received tonight, but it has the ship and name on it. Although <i>I think </i>these are pretty cool mementos to stash away, I'm pretty sure hubby will roll his eyes. Not more shipโฆ. ! Doesn't matter anyways I guess since they will get broken courtesy of our next government move :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I saved the outfit for last! This is bigger than prom, ladies. You just don't divulge the outfit until the last minute! Well, here it isโฆ</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And, courtesy of our current Polar Vortex I will most likely be covering it up with a trench coat!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If any family or friends are interested,<a href="http://navylive.dodlive.mil/2014/04/17/harry-s-truman-carrier-strike-group-homecoming/" target="_blank"> this link</a> will be active soon and will be streaming live the USS Harry S. Truman Homecoming tomorrow.</span></div>
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<b style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Welcome Home USS Harry S. Truman and Airwing</i></b></div>
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<b style="font-size: x-large;"><i>"Give 'em Hell!"</i></b></div>
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<u>and <i><b>especially</b></i></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>"Tonight, We Ride!"</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><b> <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: center;">No sleep tonightโฆ !</span></b></span></div>
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<br /><br />Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916896512933101955noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855162440022875977.post-14409838267917354122014-04-15T20:03:00.005-04:002014-04-15T20:03:57.889-04:00Head is spinning!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Thank you to all my blogger friends that are still here for me :) I am working on reading up on all your blogs to see what I've missed and I will be ready to start commenting again soon! I set a goal for myself to post twice a week while I relearn how to "schedule my day" to allow for blogging - failed right out of the gate! This week has been INSANE though! The Navy has publicly released the homecoming date so I feel comfortable letting you all know that it is at the end of this weekโฆ which is FANTASTIC news, but I have to get through this week first! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Loch had his spring orchestra concertโฆ yes, in the past year he has ditched the fiddle and now plays the cello. Next year however, he will be playing Contrabass. Or Double Bass, Stand Up Bassโฆ String Bassโฆ LOL they are all the same thing just depends on where you are from.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnqnq3g3FToBAcm_Rkas6lUYVkjcuMJlN41wbjcxH0s4FWCEGOEO0W7W-h9NEN_0JowofVjJ-aoPVA-05d9oZEhgQAl3YM2PcohmWQaqg4dx810CMPaCM2qigWcr9OhMiPFOpJYNhAM0ZT/s1600/IMG_6553.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnqnq3g3FToBAcm_Rkas6lUYVkjcuMJlN41wbjcxH0s4FWCEGOEO0W7W-h9NEN_0JowofVjJ-aoPVA-05d9oZEhgQAl3YM2PcohmWQaqg4dx810CMPaCM2qigWcr9OhMiPFOpJYNhAM0ZT/s1600/IMG_6553.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here is some video, sorry but my phone cut out halfway through. He is on cello, 2 rows in front of the Bass, if that makes sense. These are first year orchestra students, all in 5th Grade.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So that got checked off the list.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Next up was Finn's surgery. He had his tonsils out the other dayโฆ <i>again</i>. For the uninitiated, here is a quick rundown of how that happens:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In about 3-5% of kids under the age of 5 that have their tonsils removed via one of the newer, less invasive techniques (debridement, radio wave, laser, etc)โฆ they <i>grow back</i>! Finn's were back bigger than ever, larger than an adult's even. His sleep apnea came back and was affecting his schoolwork since he was so tired all the time, so they had to come out again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This time he had it done the traditional way with a scalpel. His surgery was almost an hour which is quite long for that procedure. He had so much scar tissue from the previous one that the Dr. said it was very difficult to separate the tonsil from the muscle through all of that so they had to be very, very careful. Did you know that a main artery in the neck lies just 2 mm from the tonsil bed? Yeah, me neither until afterwards and so I've been pretty freaked out keeping an eye on him during recovery to ensure there isn't a sudden bleed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Waiting before surgeryโฆ</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1nwLSl6lXcWMZT-hTSnn1VIsLEB9zviEvss3mnNVEWhndTbfzWHEkXcOH-Tlocykh0NFM3NPeTJ_nAKKTqzayyYpPHqTZvUAP-BwfjzF_piUPSU4NzmWl1giIoGMjb-RJGkZtS3fqpXhG/s1600/IMG_6562.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1nwLSl6lXcWMZT-hTSnn1VIsLEB9zviEvss3mnNVEWhndTbfzWHEkXcOH-Tlocykh0NFM3NPeTJ_nAKKTqzayyYpPHqTZvUAP-BwfjzF_piUPSU4NzmWl1giIoGMjb-RJGkZtS3fqpXhG/s1600/IMG_6562.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Still happyโฆ</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGSEKB9N73zr1CdJnRY5smDZdwtBbO8FiqO4DvbLRp-n8meQqeN5GWT3DlaJzmevGazAEzHHLvbDby2xzZY-NiHln-GWF_w0PZBN7g4q3-Ku-_mk6tqpgckeNAFmEKnE5kHZXSY0WkgXhA/s1600/IMG_6570.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGSEKB9N73zr1CdJnRY5smDZdwtBbO8FiqO4DvbLRp-n8meQqeN5GWT3DlaJzmevGazAEzHHLvbDby2xzZY-NiHln-GWF_w0PZBN7g4q3-Ku-_mk6tqpgckeNAFmEKnE5kHZXSY0WkgXhA/s1600/IMG_6570.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6l1TOidWtAuBUrrULgrkhdTv5RGo8BNIH5gpCp1wN7LvLTJmCia0YuFm4j-tTwmTFFS9_LCmySDyMGbzHFUT03IWf8fyhfaCQuGoImCo4L4O01G0rzTl1_m5UEp-5JLFX3ZdN9k7ITTCK/s1600/IMG_6576.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6l1TOidWtAuBUrrULgrkhdTv5RGo8BNIH5gpCp1wN7LvLTJmCia0YuFm4j-tTwmTFFS9_LCmySDyMGbzHFUT03IWf8fyhfaCQuGoImCo4L4O01G0rzTl1_m5UEp-5JLFX3ZdN9k7ITTCK/s1600/IMG_6576.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here is a blast from the past of CUTE! Finn's 1st time at the age of 4. Recovery was a breeze here, only about 3-4 days.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBrPyBWwgsJsnGAZpyLOXv5jyR9WquzqQ01WjCqdxElwqplcwoiope4ZAgQyWgyaFxPVqlQHW9XQ6RQPx7r-lZejCTZHjbLfBGLhbOstskFQIs-eaqY6vyTmCv4kR9EqHnW7wTyuLOm8Yp/s1600/IMG_6563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBrPyBWwgsJsnGAZpyLOXv5jyR9WquzqQ01WjCqdxElwqplcwoiope4ZAgQyWgyaFxPVqlQHW9XQ6RQPx7r-lZejCTZHjbLfBGLhbOstskFQIs-eaqY6vyTmCv4kR9EqHnW7wTyuLOm8Yp/s1600/IMG_6563.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG49uPIjIa36xQ5LqYgrhcy5TOuvWpm3ScjLfr37noK7_bHT9yTdKVDxp8pDruU6CIKZArhQ8VFn3yfZElew3slfY93URE9F_ALfbR2yCnVr5rkG22wkJpJBHt5Idly4NrhG_WobMB47jy/s1600/IMG_6564.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG49uPIjIa36xQ5LqYgrhcy5TOuvWpm3ScjLfr37noK7_bHT9yTdKVDxp8pDruU6CIKZArhQ8VFn3yfZElew3slfY93URE9F_ALfbR2yCnVr5rkG22wkJpJBHt5Idly4NrhG_WobMB47jy/s1600/IMG_6564.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This time, they found his adenoids had grown back too (for the THIRD time) so they came out as well, should be the last time since he is older now and older kids don't usually show any regrowth.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">He is on Day 5 of recovery now, it has been really rough but he is hanging in there. He is off the hydrocodone as of today and on regular kid Tylenol. Hoping he will be feeling lots better on Homecoming Day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I haven't had time to enjoy Virginia! She is greening up beautifully after a long winter, and my azaleas should open up within a week or two!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIRGRQEgcqLf7EmXvGnvG85sQeN6ffCW15qDj8sK6OW4YoWDV8FJwx2OZ_o_Sw_liRJrjS9JuMBEZOV2NSwEbPWTMqIwIzg0CzaPFq3oXvmLliUbo1LmXhpz-pOceaf26rXpCNYBcwzYxe/s1600/IMG_6535.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIRGRQEgcqLf7EmXvGnvG85sQeN6ffCW15qDj8sK6OW4YoWDV8FJwx2OZ_o_Sw_liRJrjS9JuMBEZOV2NSwEbPWTMqIwIzg0CzaPFq3oXvmLliUbo1LmXhpz-pOceaf26rXpCNYBcwzYxe/s1600/IMG_6535.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Next post will be a Homecoming Prep post!</span></div>
<br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>**Added: my brand new weather alert radio just went off, about jumped out of my skin! What a cool little piece of equipment! Apparently we have 60 mph winds and hail headed here within 30 minutes so I'm signing offโฆ what a weird weather day, went from storms and 78ยบ to a warning of 32ยบ temps tonight. Wacky, but so is everywhere this year!</i></span>Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916896512933101955noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855162440022875977.post-24488901194524090192014-04-06T20:50:00.003-04:002014-04-06T21:46:20.920-04:00Not just a new chapter, but a whole new book!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I'm here. I miss you all. I miss myself. I'm asking forgiveness for being a bad follower of all your wonderful blogs and posts! I gave the blog a new look to reflect our current deployment :) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Something happened today that really made me realize how much of an outlet blogging was for me. I had a very long conversation via Facebook with another military spouse in another state whom I have never even met. I helped her out with photos and ideas for her brand new garden. I referred her to my blog for some photos of plants for beneficials and an hour later I started wondering why I stopped blogging. I didn't have a good answer. I'd lost my passion for awhile I guess, or it just had to be put on the back burner for awhile.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The past year has been pretty stressful and packed full of change for me. Not necessarily for our household, but for me definitely. Hubby has been deployed a very long time, we are at 9 months now. While not his longest yet, it is approaching that! During that time my kids have grown, WOW have they grown. I now have about one night a week that I'm not shuttling them somewhere or otherwise performing some function for their team sports or school activities. My gardening has come to a complete halt as I start <i>removing </i>garden beds instead of creating, preparing for upcoming military orders and turning over our house as a rental home. All being done alone, while we wait for the current deployment to end. Dealing with a few other issues that have come up that I can't go into detail about now, suffice it to say this past year has been a real challenge financially, but a challenge I am prevailing over. Details will follow on that in a few months but be assured nothing bad has happened to anyone in our family - everyone is healthy and happy in that regard :) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Changes since I last checked in:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Loch has ditched the fiddle and now plays the cello.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Winter Swim Team finally ended, although Summer Team starts next month!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Where did those muscles come from? </i> Loch has "wings" now! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcnNHluvpoKag_GYEVT2xDbG6I_PvTf1mIotpxFiBZjO0UbOdYXnk2oZyIoLxB2Ho3aQ7z12DwRJh5xYsOZ_mVzIPhmNfRvbGjqlPYtkzw29_mJ6cNSmGn4NGamyd4etyO_EHz3Tyio_Qt/s1600/Loch+L..JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcnNHluvpoKag_GYEVT2xDbG6I_PvTf1mIotpxFiBZjO0UbOdYXnk2oZyIoLxB2Ho3aQ7z12DwRJh5xYsOZ_mVzIPhmNfRvbGjqlPYtkzw29_mJ6cNSmGn4NGamyd4etyO_EHz3Tyio_Qt/s1600/Loch+L..JPG" height="263" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Winter has been tough all over, but seriouslyโฆ. Virginia Beach?!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqhJTLrPbk0PpqynpUZYccpOatHb3KhEyke7UDc6BGqvM7rLpRWK4kJNazhWAxUJC1wJYlhMtDTmgtfRguaJNds5rEtPZv0wT5YIFyz3BfAaBEVq4godsc1rlOrRzJ4kOWFmTBV6BOW2Pa/s1600/IMG_5959.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqhJTLrPbk0PpqynpUZYccpOatHb3KhEyke7UDc6BGqvM7rLpRWK4kJNazhWAxUJC1wJYlhMtDTmgtfRguaJNds5rEtPZv0wT5YIFyz3BfAaBEVq4godsc1rlOrRzJ4kOWFmTBV6BOW2Pa/s1600/IMG_5959.JPG" height="320" width="286" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The kids are now attending school on Saturdays making up for all the snow days.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBdkDQtpj4_ggDccGB-pHl1Tc5-VQeEZiD0dGhQGF0iMoO-p69-wPL73o_wwT0kTNwN7-G5ANmiQzvzMxUbnUjC191r-OkGFgmd57axs6-ZPGX48G3n_a4XmKGciERF-pdskjLEN1Oa6cD/s1600/IMGP0203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBdkDQtpj4_ggDccGB-pHl1Tc5-VQeEZiD0dGhQGF0iMoO-p69-wPL73o_wwT0kTNwN7-G5ANmiQzvzMxUbnUjC191r-OkGFgmd57axs6-ZPGX48G3n_a4XmKGciERF-pdskjLEN1Oa6cD/s1600/IMGP0203.jpg" height="400" width="263" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I now have a new title:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNiZMJVczOlvNn4pY3jQURm0v7eKoO2LRWsx4sLGmJSwyV2Oy8lU3AO1FyQ6nBicO0rZHsKW7kyFOwYMcimx6chMFYm2Tv0D_lkMd9d7BYz64wT_gdT1CshdnopsZZT7ce840hbGTz2yCS/s1600/wrestling_mom_greeting_cards-r94cceb0c161941c89bb69f204306cce6_xvuak_8byvr_512.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNiZMJVczOlvNn4pY3jQURm0v7eKoO2LRWsx4sLGmJSwyV2Oy8lU3AO1FyQ6nBicO0rZHsKW7kyFOwYMcimx6chMFYm2Tv0D_lkMd9d7BYz64wT_gdT1CshdnopsZZT7ce840hbGTz2yCS/s1600/wrestling_mom_greeting_cards-r94cceb0c161941c89bb69f204306cce6_xvuak_8byvr_512.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There's a sport I never even really gave thought to. When dad left it wasn't even in Finn's mind, but not only is he on a wrestling team now, <i>he loves it</i>.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijDcUlWnH-X_nzjMOi8-M-6VmUN_DH26qg6kRaOmO3bBnch-zJyvxXfhXgfXVGpDf4bWgabADnlfvVIKx0ooyNT94p4gajoJltbR3f14YNsLgfc3WztzxG3UR47qZwsOfTDdrjUkWaCXiz/s1600/IMG_5810.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijDcUlWnH-X_nzjMOi8-M-6VmUN_DH26qg6kRaOmO3bBnch-zJyvxXfhXgfXVGpDf4bWgabADnlfvVIKx0ooyNT94p4gajoJltbR3f14YNsLgfc3WztzxG3UR47qZwsOfTDdrjUkWaCXiz/s1600/IMG_5810.jpg" height="312" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDSTlZDDKQa7wJm1K8ko0-REZrD5A4Trqxmv7D-REEjr9HWAkEJqg1jPRruOQ2byWh6TOy75ixswwzQ8SNAzTMX6CKN6jBZqH8K3BpzOADWAC2bPQaNNZMRqvUfD5dDbhSTmjl5vD5ANxk/s1600/Finn_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDSTlZDDKQa7wJm1K8ko0-REZrD5A4Trqxmv7D-REEjr9HWAkEJqg1jPRruOQ2byWh6TOy75ixswwzQ8SNAzTMX6CKN6jBZqH8K3BpzOADWAC2bPQaNNZMRqvUfD5dDbhSTmjl5vD5ANxk/s1600/Finn_edited-1.jpg" height="261" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeS75Vy_KD7Z15PZ_n_NeH9qXGZsQlyD6286qNdHN6RGJ_KWv03PH2Dg86LWBsRDX8-Ol36-H-wfz_xX7xCIY-i3E2rgJIWHvEbyq7LwYc77fVYY-Y7MOIm9_No5o7HBpiLEiX4TycE6np/s1600/Finn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeS75Vy_KD7Z15PZ_n_NeH9qXGZsQlyD6286qNdHN6RGJ_KWv03PH2Dg86LWBsRDX8-Ol36-H-wfz_xX7xCIY-i3E2rgJIWHvEbyq7LwYc77fVYY-Y7MOIm9_No5o7HBpiLEiX4TycE6np/s1600/Finn.jpg" height="252" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Of course I couldn't leave well enough alone. I rejoiced when swim team season was over and I no longer was a stroke and turn judge for every meet and could just fade into the backgroundโฆ. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">um, I decided the wrestling team needed a team photographer. Uh, huh.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">With some generous Christmas gift cards/cash from relatives, I decided to buy that dream camera and actually learn how to use it. As if my goal of "not using the auto function" wasn't lofty enough - I pick <i><b>fast moving kids in sports as my learning subject</b></i>? Clearly I am insane. But fun-insane.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The last change for today is hubby actually getting to enjoy himself a little. He had the good fortune to score a few weeks' worth of work off the ship in Saudi Arabia. Enjoying himself immensely over a platter of goat with the locals, who were very hospitable. My husband is never one to hide out and eat in a hotel room - he gets out, meets people and gets the full experience wherever he goes.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5KJUhy_wgnSM6CjoeTrqtX9nCbHoQYDINbQJ5QNk2c63kZTY3ay4_GfxwfHPvr0DLpraEOlYeu3bnc-aqXAGHWofdAbmu0bbYX9YiVIyfi7ms5tfGbseETsUh4Z-jTr-aoHYTCpwudJaV/s1600/1888623_10200768409651340_1639149450_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5KJUhy_wgnSM6CjoeTrqtX9nCbHoQYDINbQJ5QNk2c63kZTY3ay4_GfxwfHPvr0DLpraEOlYeu3bnc-aqXAGHWofdAbmu0bbYX9YiVIyfi7ms5tfGbseETsUh4Z-jTr-aoHYTCpwudJaV/s1600/1888623_10200768409651340_1639149450_n.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">one more thing ...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We have big news.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>We ARE moving.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">To Maryland.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I'm pretty excited about it in spite of the cost of living and all the issues involved with our house and kids and schools and on and on. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I can't say when deployment ends, but it won't be much longer now.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYYpDh5X8N5J2bch84ZWY5VyLzkiijlqVHNDLib7FtzjwdHZZhhwyBT6a9LwiefNoNam_Jlr83E83d-EO5E4Tbz25pF1Kjko5jiKyN8EHdvO4rVcwxkjNfP_ayiGjbxMJHqabpYpwWy91/s1600/10151414_10200877633261862_983272874_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYYpDh5X8N5J2bch84ZWY5VyLzkiijlqVHNDLib7FtzjwdHZZhhwyBT6a9LwiefNoNam_Jlr83E83d-EO5E4Tbz25pF1Kjko5jiKyN8EHdvO4rVcwxkjNfP_ayiGjbxMJHqabpYpwWy91/s1600/10151414_10200877633261862_983272874_n.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I'm still hereโฆ and thinking of the big changes to come!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I feel kind of silly with a garden blog these days with no gardening going on, but I guess that's part of the "military homestead"โฆ every now and then you gotta shut it down and carry it somewhere new and set it up all over again!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I love you all, I hope you are still there :)</span></div>
<br />Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916896512933101955noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855162440022875977.post-37092665232518188262013-11-27T22:11:00.001-05:002013-11-27T22:44:47.635-05:00Just going to jump back in with a rant...<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I know, I knowโฆ "where the hell have you been?"! I will list some excuses at the end of this post but for now I will just have to jump in here and post a rant. Things happen every now and then that are just not appropriate for my Facebook page, you know... like you want to talk about something besides cat videos and reposts of news articles, right? Lucky for me there is a place for all my drivel in the blogosphere and I have missed it so! Ranting, here we goโฆ</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">***</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So I am sick and tired of people judging me for my "couponing". Yes, I haven't posted about it much because I really don't go looking to convert people or looking for their opinions either. For about 2 years I have carried my "coupon binder" EVERYWHERE. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am not one who prints out online coupons because I don't buy enough stuff to justify the ink but I do clip newspaper coupons from the Sunday paper and only shop what's on sale. For groceries, I actually only shop at one store. So right away you can see I'm not as militant as some, but I save a respectable amount averaging about 30%. It's about the equivalent of my family's cell phone bill - and that's just on groceries.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here's the part that kills me - there's always 1 person (or 100) that feel the need to tell me that they would use coupons if it wasn't all for junk. Junk? Where exactly is my junk? I don't buy frozen dinners or SPAM or have 2000 Hot Pockets in my freezer... what I do have are things that make my life easier. Yes, I buy store bought bread, yogurt, cheese sticks, occasionally granola bars and oodles of boxes of cereal, so sue me for not being out there milking my own cow every morning or baking bread every stinking day (although if I have the time I find it therapeutic and appreciated by my kids). There are plenty of ways to save money on<i> real things that real parents need to run an actual household with busy people that live there</i>!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">None of these "comments" I get, either from strangers or from people I know, are solicited. They feel the need to justify themselves for some reason when they see me next to them with my binder, an actual pencil and paper and a calculator. (The fun part is that I usually have my kids with me so there goes their excuse #1 for not being able to do it :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Interesting thing though... I never have any meat or vegetables in my cart. That's because I actually buy my meat in bulk when it is seasonally available from a local farm, and I grow my own vegetables and freeze or can them for use in the winter. So what "appears" to be a chick who only feeds her kids cereal and yogurt and cheese sticks and lunch snacks is actually someone supplementing the quality stuff that comes from local farmers and her own hard work the best way she can at this time. <b>Anyone filling their cart with tomatoes from Mexico or oranges from South Africa has no business judging me for buying granola bars made in only-God-knows-where. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If you know me, you know that although I garden and do my part to educate myself and others about food quality and local farming - I also do not subscribe to the hipster drivel. While some people are busy dumping their whole paycheck at Whole Foods, more concerned with what kind of trendy "market bag" they have to carry at the Farmer's Market and have their noses stuck in the latest crunchy parenting magazine - I am busy. <i>I am a stay at home mom of a deployed service member on a limited budget with 2 boys. I do the best I can with what we have. </i>Haters are welcome to walk in my shoes for a monthโฆ <b>successfully</b>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Tonight, I encountered a person who commented that she would cut coupons "if it was for stuff she used", and commented "I ain't got time for that" (really).โฆ I later saw her with an assortment of crap that I would <i>never</i> use AND she was paying with an EBT card. Whoa. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am going to post a photo here of my grocery trip tonight. It was a small one, but I only bought things I had coupons for and took advantage of a sale of gift cards that I could use for Christmas shopping. <u> I seriously ask you if these are things you would never buy?</u> Be honest! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I needed to pick up just a couple of things, but ended up getting some good deals - this wouldn't happen if I didn't ALWAYS have my coupon binder with me. Of note: some of these were FREE. Eggs, 2 of the bags of pretzels, and 4 cans of potatoes. Of course I can live my life without canned potatoes but they are not junk and I repeat: <u>FREE</u>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I ask you seriously, do you not EVER buy these things? If you don't ever eat this stuff I am in awe of you, but really - you are just weird :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">See the gift cards there? Buy $100 of gift cards and get $20 off next grocery visit. The fact that I can buy them before cyber Monday? - I'm sold! That's like getting $100 of Amazon crap for $80 before I even include the sales on Amazon. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here is a closeup of an average receipt showing my coupons for the above photo, this trip was just for a short trip tonight. You should see my quarterly big trips when I'm actually trying!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I realize that there are indeed people out there who would't buy these things, but are they at sporting practices/events 5 days a week and packing lunches for kids? <i>And</i> still finding time to grow their own veggies and keep a clean house and do yard work and help with homework and do laundryโฆ ALONE with a deployed spouse? At the opposite end of the spectrum from the haters we have the awestruck "lazy people"โฆ if you are a couponer you know who I'm talking about. <i>"Oh wow! That is awesome! Let's get together and you can show me how to do that!"</i> Um...NO. Learn it yourself the same way I did, it will stick with you longer. These people usually just want to chat for an hour OR have you do their shopping for them. "Ain't nobody got time for that".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am not trying to begrudge anyone who can do better than this, I applaud you! BUT, I want to give a shout out to the other moms I see couponing who are doing the same thing I'm trying to do - work for my family the best way I can, without resorting to 2000 Hot Pockets in the cart. There is nothing wrong with what you are doing, and I stand with you! By the way this madness goes for everythingโฆ I do the rewards points at stores, coupon codes online, all of it. I even get .15 to .30 cents off per gallon of gas every time I fill up just from saving my grocery gas rewards and scanning them at the pump. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One of the reasons I do this: </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc3j2z2gknAOhaMMlB4H29otpAni_DIdLv95uz-szYuUVMUvNizeTe3uF9bcIj_oOipLlbdBtf4yvOnamtPh4Cj077nGn3ws3g9ir8wPuVc0huVo9pkRZO0OBwPvSN2BG2ojcO0gLSV2ws/s1600/IMG_5432.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc3j2z2gknAOhaMMlB4H29otpAni_DIdLv95uz-szYuUVMUvNizeTe3uF9bcIj_oOipLlbdBtf4yvOnamtPh4Cj077nGn3ws3g9ir8wPuVc0huVo9pkRZO0OBwPvSN2BG2ojcO0gLSV2ws/s400/IMG_5432.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sports teams can get expensive! But who can say no to this face?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One more good thing about stocking up on the cheap - this year I noticed that I could assemble an entire traditional Thanksgiving dinner right down to the turkey just from what I already have in food storage and in the freezer. We will be having turkey, stuffing, potatoes, gravy, green bean casserole - all the traditional trappingsโฆ right from what we already have. Another thing I noticed, this is the 2nd year in a row the hubs has missed Thanksgiving, ugh. More leftovers I guess.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Another cool score with a sale & coupon: <i>I paid $3.00 for this new release the kids want for Christmas, and got a $5 gift card to use next visit.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Soooo, I'm done with my rant for now, and that sure felt good, even if it made no sense :) Thanks for hanging in there, if you are indeed still there!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So where <i>have</i> I been? No, I haven't moved to Belize. Yet. I've been on Facebook for sure, but due to some of hubby's work/career stuff I have been laying low on the online blog presence thingโฆ in case you haven't noticed I'm kind of opinionated and that's not always a good thing so I have to know when to go away for awhile :) Also, I have just been entering a "new season" in my life where I was having some trouble figuring out how to fit everything I used to do easily into a mere day - I can't seem to do it anymore with the boys getting older and busier. Then, there's that deployment thing...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Someone needs to tell me what to do about the Reader thing... what are you all using now? I probably went from 200 followers down to zero so I should stop now until I find out if anyone is left out there in blog-land...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Happy Thanksgiving to you!</span>Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916896512933101955noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855162440022875977.post-42853205064961090712013-05-29T13:37:00.000-04:002013-11-27T22:44:11.790-05:00I got lost in the strawberry field?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Don't I wish! I haven't even been strawberry picking yet, and they are almost done! My apologies for my unexpected hiatus from blogging... I wish I had a legitimate reason for it but it was really a lot of things all bundled up together that resulted in sort of a mommy meltdown. To sum it up without sounding too dismal, I am just completely overwhelmed lately. Hubby is here, then gone, then back again and we never seem to know when until the day arrives. The garden was looking dismal for awhile due to the 6-8 weeks of rain we had, I thought it would never get planted! I wasn't prepared for the toll that early hot flashes and no sleep are taking on me either, I break out in a sweat every 15 minutes like clockwork which means no sleep, ugh! I was really hoping I had a lot more time left where those symptoms are concerned but considering my history of infertility and resulting treatments and surgeries I am really not that surprised, just annoyed! I am now leading 3 dens of Cub Scouts so that is really putting a bit of stress on as well, hubby was my co-leader but with his deployment schedule it was turning out to be a one-girl show. What update would be complete without the house carnage? Yes, we had a pipe burst which left 700 gallons of water under the house and an expensive repair - after hours of course. Our tenant also moved out so we had to find another quickly and paint the whole rental and do needed repairs there which has sucked up every weekend in May. Okay, I think that about covers it! I have kind of felt that I'm losing all the hobbies that bring me joy one by one. <i>Why is it that the stuff that brings stress relief and happiness are the first to go when life gets crazy? </i> My mental well-being I think has suffered a little more that what I let on here but you get the gist of it without 10 pages of venting :) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If my Reader is any indication of how busy running in circles I've been - I am behind 185 blog posts! That's right, I haven't even been able to read your posts and I am so sorry if I have missed any big events in your lives - I plan on starting to catch up tonight after swim team practice. I won't be commenting until I get caught up on my reading since I find myself getting overwhelmed easily these days, but I will definitely be checking in!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Our lovely azaleas are done here in Virginia Beach, but I really wanted to share...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">they are always so beautiful here.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO4m6_tbcNcq5rUKzIwgbHPaZnjmPzgNGyp2JzysO_ZXl8bf24TaVYEGNB9oCTulg5hKwx8u_TgwjC96kYtftzepj0rGQ_TR0ls4ssWiDr7sMPPB_zpHWWovVKuDIdQjrGiT8ypAIOjLYm/s1600/IMG_3435.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO4m6_tbcNcq5rUKzIwgbHPaZnjmPzgNGyp2JzysO_ZXl8bf24TaVYEGNB9oCTulg5hKwx8u_TgwjC96kYtftzepj0rGQ_TR0ls4ssWiDr7sMPPB_zpHWWovVKuDIdQjrGiT8ypAIOjLYm/s400/IMG_3435.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Loch went on his annual Math & Science Academy field trip to Washington D.C., this year they went to the National Air and Space Museum. They got to ride on the double decker busses again.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiSU6qmb7TuLqWoxbkmWntxqvMZA-amxNxJL-7R04PnP1f6w9J5XRzkhwq7tihmXkPGxjkcVoEaC4VFFinKRgYQ4RH6uoP8ev94fA5pZ13-P_YZ_GvIzeLCDejjESNXNdM8rmX-DmNz0gp/s1600/IMG_3437.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiSU6qmb7TuLqWoxbkmWntxqvMZA-amxNxJL-7R04PnP1f6w9J5XRzkhwq7tihmXkPGxjkcVoEaC4VFFinKRgYQ4RH6uoP8ev94fA5pZ13-P_YZ_GvIzeLCDejjESNXNdM8rmX-DmNz0gp/s400/IMG_3437.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I am finally starting to see some things harvested from the GARDEN!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Below, a mostly fresh picked lettuce BLT (with no T) !</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE4ePRxJDep9HXxwCp0k1iqrZZ-RoCrWGXAfIEIK9-Cqztq8IYDDAvyS6wi282UDcPV1eSO2OGqqkxUAOVCIScoh5y2MSoRH94MCKB24tGR8RpZxNgDs-ycUzcutA3f9DdYMBf8EUQLQRW/s1600/IMG_3507.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE4ePRxJDep9HXxwCp0k1iqrZZ-RoCrWGXAfIEIK9-Cqztq8IYDDAvyS6wi282UDcPV1eSO2OGqqkxUAOVCIScoh5y2MSoRH94MCKB24tGR8RpZxNgDs-ycUzcutA3f9DdYMBf8EUQLQRW/s400/IMG_3507.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Next evening was pizza night. The lettuce basil is huge this year, that's spinach on the left with the basil on the right. No tomatoes yet of course so we are using up the last of the sun dried tomatoes from last season.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Daddy passing on the pizza skills to Finn...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhthlII-EwH4xt_vhDE3u2jqzFkpaHsEHDwMa16QOr2rqjggslr3S-ReabJaA5B6mJhWJWKqf0dGnf_huTK_j__10nAlVUdS23kT97HEdopCS_g8AeGRab0kfSF0eBV3bHIyCb7ZfJSgGL9/s1600/IMG_3579.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhthlII-EwH4xt_vhDE3u2jqzFkpaHsEHDwMa16QOr2rqjggslr3S-ReabJaA5B6mJhWJWKqf0dGnf_huTK_j__10nAlVUdS23kT97HEdopCS_g8AeGRab0kfSF0eBV3bHIyCb7ZfJSgGL9/s400/IMG_3579.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Spinach and basil & sundried tomato pizza ready for the oven -</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik0TUX3mlqV5T1LLIlbZv3KrGzjmu8tiXJq1dFVYje5qqUbMPgKw3feznNf-9su2-wnEB92RIguEVpGPSZ0_F6bTrQp4iWjnVp_rBSDaxCEtPc-_hbntpD-tCq53QQAKdcEkpWT8vMoDQZ/s1600/IMG_3580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik0TUX3mlqV5T1LLIlbZv3KrGzjmu8tiXJq1dFVYje5qqUbMPgKw3feznNf-9su2-wnEB92RIguEVpGPSZ0_F6bTrQp4iWjnVp_rBSDaxCEtPc-_hbntpD-tCq53QQAKdcEkpWT8vMoDQZ/s400/IMG_3580.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hubs & I had an early anniversary dinner out at a local seafood place this past weekend - of course the kids were with us LOL.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here, Loch is explaining to us the Masonic symbols on currency and giving us a rundown on the Illuminati - huh? Yep, that was his anniversary gift to us. Who IS this kid? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Softshell Crab is in season and it doesn't last long, only a couple of weeks so here is a glimpse of East Coast tradition - nothing better than eating a sandwich that has legs sticking out of it!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1_hgMyszOMbHxmankKlloFH9DB-couI8Aug-ZsnCKwz_3QSwAHPuuCS01yN6AaSb3NiAsvnrpQRrnFn76yL8JxU8XyuSXt-2de8_kbAwVMCR6eWFqwUCbNVp0otkDDR5o2OuCYB9HB7ZV/s1600/IMG_3569.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1_hgMyszOMbHxmankKlloFH9DB-couI8Aug-ZsnCKwz_3QSwAHPuuCS01yN6AaSb3NiAsvnrpQRrnFn76yL8JxU8XyuSXt-2de8_kbAwVMCR6eWFqwUCbNVp0otkDDR5o2OuCYB9HB7ZV/s400/IMG_3569.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So TODAY is our actual anniversary, and I hope I remember to tell him tonight as we pass each other as he comes home from work and I head out to swim practice - <i>indeed 2 ships passing</i> lately!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If any of you are out there and haven't unsubscribed yet,<b> thank you</b>! :)</span></div>
<br />Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916896512933101955noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855162440022875977.post-37997486461082218092013-04-15T15:17:00.000-04:002013-04-15T15:17:51.518-04:00I held off out of respect...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> ... respect to my friends in the Midwest that is - you are certainly getting sucker punched by winter this year! Enough of that already! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> No more groundhogs, either. I'm sticking with this guy for my first sign of spring:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQHS2SytmUT0VQV2VkL6FwQbwxDVF4TofHUW2kNA5RkDhA7HKMNIKr1wJGtRGVqy-W2_NOWiNLVcHIXqcKb7LlCu_PHXcOCsiEEiJuxwS-N82t36_vjdi1JXlSSxgMGRdq8HbDyzt9MOJ-/s1600/IMG_3311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQHS2SytmUT0VQV2VkL6FwQbwxDVF4TofHUW2kNA5RkDhA7HKMNIKr1wJGtRGVqy-W2_NOWiNLVcHIXqcKb7LlCu_PHXcOCsiEEiJuxwS-N82t36_vjdi1JXlSSxgMGRdq8HbDyzt9MOJ-/s320/IMG_3311.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">think I need some new gloves?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It was 90ยบ here every day last week. Yes, I just said it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Look at that temp, just beginning to cool down to 85ยบ at 7:30 pm!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Co1csLzzQEhpSg7M-KBJoJiqUnEADux8nSWM2LL-BdTeBsXLrwZ8veuJD1Zu37UI6jGAAjU4BbBvrl3AIgUw8B5S8HMd9Ats2CC__T-ovjlAVvkWFiqpkTgH2fTFntMqiUxG5KuCph3z/s1600/IMG_3359.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Co1csLzzQEhpSg7M-KBJoJiqUnEADux8nSWM2LL-BdTeBsXLrwZ8veuJD1Zu37UI6jGAAjU4BbBvrl3AIgUw8B5S8HMd9Ats2CC__T-ovjlAVvkWFiqpkTgH2fTFntMqiUxG5KuCph3z/s400/IMG_3359.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We had a lot of work to pack into the past week. We went from cold and rain to mid-summer temps overnight and all of a sudden I was really <i>behind</i> in my chores!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The center garden was a MESS. Weeds, weeds everywhere, and grapevines, stakes, broken trellises and eyesores all of it. Every time I reached my hands into the long weeds I was convinced I was going to come up with a handful of Water Moccasins. Gardening in the south near water is not for the faint of heart!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLXtP2f_VL0gnBMQkQC-JGMPQolWTy-oTOymvgxzCaIwZ17YsX0zwk-3J0DIWtc1Jr8eK5ENlfF8HWe_8EoBnH4PYTEks52dBdy5pH28XPKJrB0RmIfApOcX5S_IzZBSrxom464bw2P5cA/s1600/IMG_8478.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLXtP2f_VL0gnBMQkQC-JGMPQolWTy-oTOymvgxzCaIwZ17YsX0zwk-3J0DIWtc1Jr8eK5ENlfF8HWe_8EoBnH4PYTEks52dBdy5pH28XPKJrB0RmIfApOcX5S_IzZBSrxom464bw2P5cA/s400/IMG_8478.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsRKVOEQA5_okNr1JTXB8VeFx7xYn0hrLK5cvNk-vX0SciUqspgvCRadcbdR1aPzr_7WSis6C42ZmMRm_NRklIEq-fyAuvq3YFnhlDURHzSSkzaSVHjcQZQd5WovzFYuZET9B5LqD8MazB/s1600/IMG_8486.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsRKVOEQA5_okNr1JTXB8VeFx7xYn0hrLK5cvNk-vX0SciUqspgvCRadcbdR1aPzr_7WSis6C42ZmMRm_NRklIEq-fyAuvq3YFnhlDURHzSSkzaSVHjcQZQd5WovzFYuZET9B5LqD8MazB/s400/IMG_8486.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I left a few weed patches for a wetter day since they were pretty stubborn. I did manage to plant out lettuces, spinach and bush beans in the center garden that day. Of course the next day we had torrential downpours so I'm pretty sure I ended up <i>planting the neighbor's garden!</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This year I am really testing the limits of the seedlings. In prior years I have always noticed that when I start 2 batches of seedlings a few weeks apart the younger ones catch up within days when planted outside, and since it is so warm already it felt a little ridiculous and a waste of time to repot them in larger pots, so into the beds they went... straight from their little peat squares with only 1 set of true leaves! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Can you see them? Tomatoes on the left, peppers on the right.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPrNEW05gvd7GFx8Vf9icvER3rCGHtuSb0amRzJ1bKZsMre3uJXkdvC6e6x3CTTbjQeHKpn-_S53-lwKkikTaLseDTwaUMKk36-HFl7_sHb5JOQ5oLyFSRSKYBKoLgpPvEz9JqX7WxqF4d/s1600/IMG_8497.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPrNEW05gvd7GFx8Vf9icvER3rCGHtuSb0amRzJ1bKZsMre3uJXkdvC6e6x3CTTbjQeHKpn-_S53-lwKkikTaLseDTwaUMKk36-HFl7_sHb5JOQ5oLyFSRSKYBKoLgpPvEz9JqX7WxqF4d/s400/IMG_8497.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Another day I attacked the "East Garden"- (sounds so stately, doesn't it?)!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3BVAz-dbRj-g8ArwJtxb-TL_HbTGUSNon8GqJl-oWE_DbO2ujI63iaWKT04GIbn188JDcwqTxDNVwUc6OkrD5jx7EEfwPkTiN133aXGhJDAUun-oDKbsafqFXp9Z2NMJoDG001Dd4BGPh/s1600/IMG_8496.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3BVAz-dbRj-g8ArwJtxb-TL_HbTGUSNon8GqJl-oWE_DbO2ujI63iaWKT04GIbn188JDcwqTxDNVwUc6OkrD5jx7EEfwPkTiN133aXGhJDAUun-oDKbsafqFXp9Z2NMJoDG001Dd4BGPh/s400/IMG_8496.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Still have a long way to go to get the Bermudagrass out that has encroached my mulched areas, but at least the beds are weed free now. Don't you just love my hodgepodge o'crap? I'm going to grow my zucchini in that "lump" of compost inside the old gazebo sides that are wired together LOL, and sweet potatoes in that big piece of drainage pipe. Functional, yes - pretty, not so much!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The hubs was working hard all week as well in his limited time off. Our fire pit was rotted (see old wood pieces discarded behind him), so he built us an identical new one in the same place. This design worked perfect for us since the old firebowl gets surrounded by big chunks of rubble and river rock that had been dug out of the ground years ago when we found an old drainage field from another project. Those rubble pieces get warm enough to rest your feet on and warm up without burning them. The kids had to remove all the rock rubble out of the way, and then pile it back in to the new one. <i> Go ahead, call CPS on me... I made my kids move rocks all day...</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The finished product:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Daddy was leaving this past weekend again so he had a "Guys Day" with the boys but couldn't resist a little fun...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">As he and the boys were headed to the rifle range and it was a little chilly Saturday morning so I said "hey guys, grab a light jacket"...</span></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here is Finn explaining to daddy that "mom said a light jacket, not a LIFE jacket"!</span></b></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAKrGl4F3I6XGuhiFUKyQYKzHeNtYh_PkBhunDyntsKIo4eCHvkdWwvrOyk0clo_7_-VQBrxhlcdPMHaBbqrvbZGb2K7quZT1IrUa6orjv1Yflkp_vlDHT0bJZLJFc2v9yBKD7JVhE87_N/s1600/IMG_3362.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAKrGl4F3I6XGuhiFUKyQYKzHeNtYh_PkBhunDyntsKIo4eCHvkdWwvrOyk0clo_7_-VQBrxhlcdPMHaBbqrvbZGb2K7quZT1IrUa6orjv1Yflkp_vlDHT0bJZLJFc2v9yBKD7JVhE87_N/s400/IMG_3362.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I love this guy :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But last night it was time for this again. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Someone has to earn the money around here!</span> </div>
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<br />Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916896512933101955noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855162440022875977.post-86979875604534258302013-04-06T20:38:00.001-04:002013-04-06T20:38:28.480-04:00The last cold day...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>I hope</i>! That is what is being promised...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I can't believe it, but this was just down the street from me, <i>one year ago today</i>. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2hYe9cVKIjJICJc8rOSmtEaa4IDeKjCxRbwy60Hob7Pu1SoiTl37zQfpT2UlnGFy3W-dhVERLHcfNiQ-eD5dfmba_q5ZSiuAee3JnqDfYkPvyIk9t7UePpvGzYB8dHfUS4H_5kRcKKZnm/s1600/jet_crash_fb_20120406130427_640_480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2hYe9cVKIjJICJc8rOSmtEaa4IDeKjCxRbwy60Hob7Pu1SoiTl37zQfpT2UlnGFy3W-dhVERLHcfNiQ-eD5dfmba_q5ZSiuAee3JnqDfYkPvyIk9t7UePpvGzYB8dHfUS4H_5kRcKKZnm/s400/jet_crash_fb_20120406130427_640_480.JPG" width="300" /></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">above and below photos from WVEC-tv</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">No fatalities, no serious injuries - it was a Good Friday miracle for sure!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">With my hopes high of being outside working in the spring warmth tomorrow, today was my day to finish up some odds and ends. I finally got my canning closet fairly squared away. During the winter I seem to just shove empty jars in there willy nilly as they are used, not paying attention until it gets a little precarious when the door is opened!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I actually managed to toss out enough weird random stuff that was in there to empty out a shelf for my non-canning food storage stuff: Food Saver, jar sealer, rolls of mylar and mylar bags, O2 absorbers - stuff like that. Before I was digging behind jars for stuff all over the place!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhELPBYdynDBOeS7XWs9lxPeX7YOObqs5WUSZZNk7UeaSfaXNFcmBee5gKaYtTKhVxtq2gc2SSpOlB5iFR7FSxgQH2wtDCkgpMF4GqFrdaZpQd77cVYVLLh4uDQHLMsYz1a6g0uXrbaF5hN/s1600/IMG_3294.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhELPBYdynDBOeS7XWs9lxPeX7YOObqs5WUSZZNk7UeaSfaXNFcmBee5gKaYtTKhVxtq2gc2SSpOlB5iFR7FSxgQH2wtDCkgpMF4GqFrdaZpQd77cVYVLLh4uDQHLMsYz1a6g0uXrbaF5hN/s400/IMG_3294.jpg" width="300" /></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I actually had the motivation to sew as well this afternoon since hubs and the boys were in the backyard (in the cold!). Here is my new layout of my crafty bedroom. Some of you may know that my bedroom also serves as an office and craft area so I have to be pretty creative. This tall stainless cart solves all my fabric and scrapbooking needs (and is also why my seedlings have been demoted to floor status this year!). I still have the "craft hallway" just on the other side of that door for all my knitting and sewing paraphernalia if you recall that.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKADxoqgLboHL7xvaTDLEPcKL3kdnBlA6aIAsgmvwlCyw1A85758Wrh3VqFgQjRN8usJwKfzXpJhStbk15rc7QnAJSdoxgubfy76B1F2yMkdLiL9sUS58-4fmpY42-CXHxiOjvd7fHaTan/s1600/IMG_3296.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKADxoqgLboHL7xvaTDLEPcKL3kdnBlA6aIAsgmvwlCyw1A85758Wrh3VqFgQjRN8usJwKfzXpJhStbk15rc7QnAJSdoxgubfy76B1F2yMkdLiL9sUS58-4fmpY42-CXHxiOjvd7fHaTan/s400/IMG_3296.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">See the white table in the upper photo? It has two leaves that fold down so it tucks nicely when not in use so the interior door can be left open. When it's time to sew a small project now, I can flip it up without wheeling it into another room as you can see below. For big projects like quilting or pattern stuff I can wheel it into the other room and open up both leaves. I wonder sometimes how the hubs feels about sleeping under a tower of fabric. Me? I'm totally cool with it - if you are a fabric junkie you'd sleep tight too! Today's project was simple though... create Bermuda shorts from Finn's old high-water pants...all 6 pairs of them!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">He is still young enough to think it's cool that mom can do that!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ta-dah!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">How's that for some mileage out of pants? First they were Loch's, then Finn's, now they are Finn's shorts - ha! Thank goodness for those side tabs kids pants have now since he outgrows the length way before the waist. Now that I'm thinking of it, some of those pants were thrifted, so that's even more <i>mileage! </i>They were all khaki-style ones kids would wear to church and nice places so I think that's why they stayed in such good shape.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I do have a mental list of at least 3 bed quilts and a few mini-quilts I really want to make, but this coming week I will just have to dream, since my presence is required in the garden!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Until then, I will use my library card to dream in the evenings!</span></div>
Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916896512933101955noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855162440022875977.post-51629100016361593822013-04-05T19:36:00.001-04:002013-04-05T19:36:05.079-04:00Rush was right...<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">HA! Made you look! I was referring to his disbelief in global warming... what the heck, where is the sun? Where are the spring temps? It's raining here and 50ยบ, the same as every day. Hmmmph.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I know that slamming you with photos is not the proper way to blog but I have simply lost my way and am trying to find something garden related to talk about but it's been too darn cold and wet to get anything done, so here comes the photos of everyday drudgery.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQM5rEf-OjNNduRMKcfInLfHCSTnrJakatr3KGzMwgYo0CYjP_HDPhshycbSBaM7hEwETcdh1SBiapt36i_H4TgoSWyF3VlBMJq9K8m8ofGdgy8XK6IgCuVjHYhTyBQLJcnz-2LnZ_7tMU/s1600/IMG_3230.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQM5rEf-OjNNduRMKcfInLfHCSTnrJakatr3KGzMwgYo0CYjP_HDPhshycbSBaM7hEwETcdh1SBiapt36i_H4TgoSWyF3VlBMJq9K8m8ofGdgy8XK6IgCuVjHYhTyBQLJcnz-2LnZ_7tMU/s400/IMG_3230.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have been very, very lax in my dinner-making responsibilities lately, and this week I am trying to accept the fact that I don't have as much time to cook as I used to and am trying to get my freezer stocked up again with ready to go meals. These enchiladas are some of our favorite, they are perfect freezer meals. I prefer the green enchilada sauce, but it's hard to find here except W@lmart, and we all know how much I enjoy shopping <i>there</i>...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Actually, I did get to Wally World the other day to pick up my new glasses and I saw something that just warmed my heart... the safest little girl in the world! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'm so glad neither of them were looking at my camera because I really respected the whole protective daddy/little girl/gun combo and would hate for them to be identified by me. This guy already has prom night mapped out for sure.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Although I prefer to be more covert, we can open carry here in Virginia and many do. It's Virginia, after all...we love our rights, forefathers, and all that jazz and are often found with pocket constitutions on our person! :) <i>Yes, it's all true.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In other news, Finnegan wears a fedora everywhere now. <i>Everywhere</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Who do you think brought this gem of a test home last week? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"They're/Their/There"... flawless!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">He is my kid for sure. I am the grammar girl, and this was a proud day for me and I know you are proud ma, you are the original grammar girl! Yes, I can talk redneck and often do now, but you better believe I got me "my papers" saying I had a clear command of the English language first - that's right, <i>I'm certifiable</i>!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Loch aka "Smarty Pants"</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1wQy-caDCuXa_lq26Mgq7jhUK1B_Ao4zxkP6lKEk2dK6ioNWjuZ8qQBqd1t2k6OBuUXxECy-L3sfLIi5Dzy7AuolOsoqySdda2UHh-U72d02bZAIt0h9wFtDwMMqYBTV63UswReH5LmfR/s1600/IMG_3236.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1wQy-caDCuXa_lq26Mgq7jhUK1B_Ao4zxkP6lKEk2dK6ioNWjuZ8qQBqd1t2k6OBuUXxECy-L3sfLIi5Dzy7AuolOsoqySdda2UHh-U72d02bZAIt0h9wFtDwMMqYBTV63UswReH5LmfR/s400/IMG_3236.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Oh look, there's me... this was fun times.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's really not as good a story as it could be, I was chasing Sprocket the Rocket to grab her so she wouldn't jump on guests that had come over and I ran into a doorknob. A big, lever style doorknob. I haven't been this bruised since hazing was legal in the Navy and I made rank many moons ago! Lesson learned here is to not attempt to chase Australian Shepherds. Especially ones named 'Sprocket the Rocket'.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Last night I fed my starter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This morning I am greeted with this:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sense a pattern here? I'm afraid to get on the road at this point!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Today was another rainy and miserable day so I went ahead with more freezer meals, and since I obviously don't know how to measure how many beans to soak for one batch, I ended up making a doomsday batch along with some sourdough rolls to have for tonight.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Considering the mess on the counter, I knew my starter was ready to go!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Chili made with 5,357,399 mixed beans :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Tomatoes were definitely the stars of this batch - 4 quarts of stewed Brandywines and 4 pints of Brandywine tomato sauce went in. I have been trying to go through my stash of remaining canning jars so I can get them cleaned and organized and ready for the season, which usually takes me by surprise every year how quickly it comes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have dried red chills and dried chipotle poblanos stored and sealed in canning jars with a FoodSaver so I just floated one of each on top of each batch and fished them out when the chili tasted just right for us. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I had already eaten mine when I remembered I needed a photo... luckily Finicky Finnegan wasn't eating anything except bread so I did get a photo!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I really need to get a grip on this bean soaking thing... at least there is plenty in the freezer now!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">These will probably disappear quickly though since the hubs works odd hours now and needs to take a couple of meals with him to work. Hence the beans, I could never afford to make meat chili for this guy to eat at work! The best chili I ever made was with elk and one other batch made with deer venison. I am embarrassed to tell this story but what the heck...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">One time we got a bunch of beautiful West Virginia whitetail venison from a friend. Frozen, wrapped beautifully, lots of it... but some was unlabeled. I had a big slab thawed out and was yapping on the phone with a friend, not paying attention... I had hacked a backstrap halfway through with little stew meat chunks for my batch of chili before I realized what I had done. In horror, I hung up the phone, managed to save 3 nice filets but ended up making chili with venison <i>filet mignon</i>! Hubs is like, this is really good! It took awhile to tell him what I had done. I still cringe thinking about the carnage, the pure idiotic lack of respect for a cut of meat that day. You better believe when we grilled those remaining filets with a nice butter and scallion sauce... we ate very, very slowly - and to this day they were the best steaks <i>ever.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Great, now I'm all upset again thinking about it...</span></div>
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<br />Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916896512933101955noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855162440022875977.post-80411199688319294622013-03-20T12:10:00.001-04:002013-03-20T12:10:32.033-04:00Seedlings are up!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, most of them.... still waiting on a few peppers to sprout. Once again, it seems I have planted too much, ooops! Looks like I will have enough to share again this year :)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">For your laughing enjoyment... that setup is in my living room right at the<i> front window... </i>I expect DEA agents knocking on my front door any day now as soon as they see the flourescent light emanating from the cracks in my shutters.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">When I say I'm strapped for space in here I'm not joking. I will be able to put them on a small vertical shelving rack in the back of the house as soon as all are sprouted but I only have one heat mat the flats have to share so this was my only option! Every year my ideas get more <strike>puzzling</strike> brilliant than the last...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Life is demanding oodles of time right now, I'm still waiting for that winter "slowdown"!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Loch did his first "marathon" last weekend. He ran the Operation Smile "Final Mile", which is the last mile of the full 26.2 annual Shamrock Marathon here in Virginia Beach. I had to meet him and the hubs down at the Oceanfront and it took me awhile to find him... there were 4500 kids from the surrounding cities there. That's a small percentage of our elementary students here but when they are all crammed onto 2 blocks of Atlantic Avenue it made finding him pretty difficult!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There he is!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here's a video of the start... he's the one jumping with his friends in the green caps and red shirts -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Loch on the sand at the finish line, not even looking winded :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Not one to let his brother hog the spotlight... Finn showing off that he was the lightest of his group and therefore could actually make it across daddy's bicycle parts invention without his feet dragging on the ground!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Now for this other matter, SPRING... it's the first day of spring on the Virginia coastline and we are forecasted to get <i>SNOW</i> tomorrow! So no, the garden is not cleaned up yet... still waiting on those warm days to arrive!</span></div>
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<br />Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916896512933101955noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855162440022875977.post-9742051189950322852013-03-06T18:17:00.000-05:002013-03-06T18:17:17.614-05:00For the Family!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is the 3rd time I have tried to publish this... our winds are being clocked here at 67 mph! Taking power hits and hoping my internet stays long enough to post. I sure hope you friends farther inland and north"er" than us are doing okay with this storm, it's just wind and rain here, no snow. Stay safe!</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I've been meaning to get these videos up for 2 weeks now. This post is mostly for the family that misses out on the kids' events, one of the reasons technology is so great for military families! Of course if swimming doesn't bore you to tears, you may enjoy it as well!</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I apologize in advance for the loud yelling... it's a pool, they aren't very quiet places :)</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We will start off how every good American sport should... with our National Anthem!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Please forgive me for straying sometimes from the lane I'm focusing on, I am also a Stroke & Turn judge so while I'm filming I'm actually having to judge 4 lanes of swimmers on technique - I actually never get to watch my own kids swim at the meets because of this, so I requested to have the lanes where they were swimming this time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Finn 25m Freestyle</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Loch - 25m Freestyle</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">(he is 2nd in from the <i>right, </i>ignore my dyslexia in the video)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Loch - 50m Backstroke - 1st Place</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">-what kills me here is look how <i>slow</i> he is, even in 1st place... imagine how fast he could be if he could swim against faster kids and not stop and do his hair and makeup at the turns LOL</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This was the last meet of the season, so they do a "Coaches Relay", the kids love seeing their coaches race! Funny thing you will notice, our team only has 3 coaches instead of 4 so for the second swimmer they subbed in an 8 year old kid! Although they were last in this video during the 6-8 year old meet, they did the same race again an hour later with the 10-12 year olds and again subbed in a kid and took 4th place.... shame, shame on the coaches in 5th and 6th LOL!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I saved the best for last... check out the oncoming lifeguard as we were leaving...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I may be showing my age here but...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguwfPmuCfXUkt9Rq-e1gdJeNlvzmwaAMedaJtCLntTthkgv8LECJAy-Df3oZOih4VpeBv2fno54Xf6JW8q1OWNrsz1-yanScPc47UUB65N8z1EA9Z36fCpyYAGg80Nm47V8CWxJyKr_X44/s1600/IMG_3055.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguwfPmuCfXUkt9Rq-e1gdJeNlvzmwaAMedaJtCLntTthkgv8LECJAy-Df3oZOih4VpeBv2fno54Xf6JW8q1OWNrsz1-yanScPc47UUB65N8z1EA9Z36fCpyYAGg80Nm47V8CWxJyKr_X44/s400/IMG_3055.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">all I could think of was...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD3jAQ-rVimbRRfyO0N5IbOEuoXUHABOKMOl1izEO_-Q0RQMQHKl7HZ8YbvNknydxJJx89_RmiG2ROXJp-SpaKKQvaZFuVt7mMvxLph0I9ndoW19u1VOS1UG48mOwUXysvkP-apbHsIsn-/s1600/Unknown.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD3jAQ-rVimbRRfyO0N5IbOEuoXUHABOKMOl1izEO_-Q0RQMQHKl7HZ8YbvNknydxJJx89_RmiG2ROXJp-SpaKKQvaZFuVt7mMvxLph0I9ndoW19u1VOS1UG48mOwUXysvkP-apbHsIsn-/s400/Unknown.jpeg" width="271" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">...Bluto!</span></div>
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<br />Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916896512933101955noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855162440022875977.post-69200311732860042832013-03-06T16:56:00.001-05:002013-03-06T16:56:27.574-05:00Quick "Deal" Alert!Right now Amazon has the Hunger Games Trilogy Kindle edition for $5... yes that's 5 bucks for all 3 books. Now is a good time if you have been holding out! These usually don't last long, 12-24 hours so get it quick!<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004XJRQUQ/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004XJRQUQ&linkCode=as2&tag=mojosavi-20" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a></span>Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916896512933101955noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855162440022875977.post-16784338017865966232013-03-05T12:11:00.002-05:002013-03-05T12:11:25.354-05:00Tick - tock!<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'm waiting on the mail to start my seeds! I did (of course) put in two seed orders, I know - I said I didn't need any, you know how that is! The first order came already but I'm waiting on my Baker Creek order and then the flats will be started. The hubs has to hang lights for me in the kitchen this year but that will only take him a few minutes. Every year those darn flats seem to migrate around and this time they are going to be right in the middle of my kitchen, ugh. Oh well, the alternative would be to not start seeds and buy plants myself and where is the fun in that?!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I have been sick, sick, sick the past 10 days. Yuck and yuck. Nothing that newsworthy but it was the worst cold I can remember, lost my voice for about 5 days and even though the sick has left, I feel like I got hit by a truck energy-wise. It's better every day though, and by the time this big storm we are supposed to get the next 3 days moves through I should be ready to get my gardening butt in gear. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I haven't gotten any yard cleanup done yet, it's been pretty cold here and every nice day we have temperature wise has been accompanied by rain and mud. Soon enough I'll be able to get out there but I feel like I have my work cut out for me more than ever this year. It's a mess.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjayKBGRnkOz8ibJcxNm95VMqfviZx4aeoQm5jT9eXA3zDt_1zHh-s5t9cBOmf2lHKfjj9c9M5cKiy2yKou5At7EjuLQPFrJgwS6aYp3_tf0KR85meFkvSDk-XjXhORpBtvbnmJm5cREBCU/s1600/IMG_3172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjayKBGRnkOz8ibJcxNm95VMqfviZx4aeoQm5jT9eXA3zDt_1zHh-s5t9cBOmf2lHKfjj9c9M5cKiy2yKou5At7EjuLQPFrJgwS6aYp3_tf0KR85meFkvSDk-XjXhORpBtvbnmJm5cREBCU/s400/IMG_3172.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">For now, just planning the garden and imagining how it will look once spring cleanup is done! Until then, I have to wear these blinders Loch made...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMd2BHZlXTRbVxO6U7ils4s95JT8il2wK-6byoHl4wbthRIIp6LwOiXPmg1H5yuGZQZRh1-E0iMnBUjhpPFFHJtTLxS6hVSxkTM-8cWHZiVCWBejl_EdA180_qu4lMngssJxIeI4Kwq6kS/s1600/IMG_2559.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMd2BHZlXTRbVxO6U7ils4s95JT8il2wK-6byoHl4wbthRIIp6LwOiXPmg1H5yuGZQZRh1-E0iMnBUjhpPFFHJtTLxS6hVSxkTM-8cWHZiVCWBejl_EdA180_qu4lMngssJxIeI4Kwq6kS/s320/IMG_2559.jpg" width="286" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And mom... I will have a post up with the boys' swimming videos soon!</span></div>
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Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916896512933101955noreply@blogger.com18