right now

right now

Aug 9, 2012

Catching Up

Time to play catch up!  I have been busy canning and putting things away still, and pretty much neglecting the chores that need to be done around here both in the garden and the house.  I'm hoping that when the weather breaks I will have a burst of energy and get those things done!  The weather here is the other extreme now, it's been soggy wet for almost two weeks and with that brings lots and lots of mosquitoes, so there is just no way to get the summer mess cleared out of the garden until things dry up and cool down.  I can only hope that the heat breaks for all of us soon, there is fall planting that needs to be done!

I finally relented and took the kids out to see a movie (I can't stand movie theaters!).  We even splurged for a little junk food beforehand:


Against my better judgement we went on opening night of a kid movie, but I was surprised to find that there were only 10 people in the theater LOL, probably wasn't a good sign...!

"Diary of a Wimpy Kid - empty!


The next day we followed that up with a trip to some farm stands and out to a local country store we love for their ice cream - I blogged awhile back about how hard it's been for this couple to get their store going and all the red tape the city has been throwing at them - they are still having a rough go (it's in the middle of nowhere), but on this particular Saturday the store was packed and I was happy to see that.

Quite a few people browsing the local handcrafts for sale:


Finn enjoying his ice cream.  The table behind him has about a dozen open jars of locally crafted jams to sample with crackers, great way to make some sales on good stuff!


One day was for the dogs...


Here's a couple of pics of the waiting room at the Army base veterinarian.  LOL this room always makes me laugh because it's so typical of old bases.  Super clean, but old linoleum, window a/c units, cinder block walls, a big room but just a couple chairs lined up close together.  It's the same for the dogs as for their human military owners -

"Open door, step in smartly to the left, sit quietly and wait for your turn.  No talking, no barking. No funny business."  

The dogs even have service records that state "dependent" hahaha.  In all seriousness, this is a great benefit we have.  The Army vets exist purely for the care of all the military working dogs headed to and returning from tours overseas and security dogs here in the states.  They allow a few days a month to see "civilian pets" for their regular vaccines and medications.  It costs us about half the amount of seeing a vet "out in town" so I'll take it, 1950's decor and all!



The next day was my day.

Here I am dropping off all the boys at the pool on base... can you hear the tires screeching as I pulled away?


So what did I do?


The birds left me almost nil in the way of grapes (my fault, I forgot to harvest them!), so I braved mockers dive bombing my head to gather what was left and made some grape jam from the juice I had extracted the night before...

...and then proceeded to do just about nothing for the next two hours!  Haha, I spent two hours playing with my craft supplies and making these dumb little tags for all my jam jars teehee!  Playing with scissors, stamps, yarn, arranging my little jam photo shoot... yes it was divine doing nothing but this all alone in the house!  I definitely needed this little time out to play arts and crafts :)


now the problem is that I want to make them for all my jars but don't have the time!

then it was time to head back to the base and pick up the boys...


"aw, mom - do I have to go?"










20 comments:

  1. Our vet (also on post) looks pretty much the same. Except the fact that they raised their prices to be "competitive" with all the vets off post. Not much of an incentive to drive all the way on post to be seen anymore...

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    1. Anke, shush... don't tell these vets up here LOL they will probably raise the prices! They have already started consolidating with another base here, last year the vet was only seeing dogs ONE day a month so I had to go pick up their "service records" haha then drive across the tunnel about 45 mins to another one to be seen, but my $250 bill there would have been about $375 at our old civilian vet.. usb!

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  2. I'm loving what you did with your free time. Sometimes it's great fun to be able to take the time and indulge your whims. Are you going to be selling those jars of jam? That pic looks good enough for advertising. I get it, hand made!

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    1. Sparkless, exactly, "handmade" LOL! I went digging around for a stamp of a vegetable or some other thing and all I came up with was either a Christmas Tree, a butterfly or a hand hahaha...

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  3. Hahahhahah---I love it! I do goofy stuff like organize too when I have the house to myself. Uh, is there something wrong with us/that???? LOL!

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  4. Sue, I cannot stand cleaning or organizing with anyone underfoot, but if I'm alone it's my favorite thing to do... other than read a good book, but I can't enjoy that if it's not organized first :)

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  5. WHAT A MIN,YOU TOOK THE KIDS TO THE VETERINARIAN AND YOU CAN GROW YOUR OWN GREEN GRAPES? JUST KIDDING ,I AM ALWAYS IN A HURRY AND I FLIPPED THREW THE PIC FIRST ,DUMB,CAN'T GET THE STORY STRAIGHT THAT WAY?CLEANING AND WHAT WAS THAT WORD--ORGANIZATION?I THINK I HAVE TO HIRE SOMEONE--HAHA THE HOME HEALTH NURSE WAS HERE AS USUAL,EVERY THURSDAY AND I HAD A QUESTION FOR HER ON THE "EMERGENCY HYPODERMIC NEEDLE I HAVE TO KEEP NEAR SO I DON'T NEED A AMBULANCE TO REVIVE MY HUSBAND FROM A LOW BLOOD SUGAR ATTACK ( WELL-HE WAS UNCONSCIOUS)MY QUESTION FOR THE NURSE,SHE SAYS "GO FIND IT AND I'LL RUN THROUGH IT AGAIN HOW TO USE IT" SO I'M TOSSING THE BEDROOM ,COME OUT"I CAN'T FIND IT""GO LOOK AGAIN" SHE SAYS--OK I FIND ,RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY EYES,THE NURSE SAYS HANG IT ON A NAIL OVER HIS BED,PHEW (AS I'M WIPING MY BROW)

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  6. Judy, you definitely need to keep track of that thing! I'd be broke if I had to take the kids to the vet, no insurance coverage there LOL...

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  7. Wow. Free time! Amazing what things you can do without little peoples underfoot. Cute jars & photo shoot, btw.

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    1. CR, funny about the little people - I just tripped and fell over one of the DOGS, apparently they have to go next time too LOL

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  8. How fun. I haven't brought out my craft stuff in years. Sounds like a nice way to spend an afternoon.

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    1. Anywhere Eden, I was feeling guilty about buying all that craft stuff and never using it :)

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  9. Isn't it always the way? You scrimp and save to get some time to yourself, and they don't really want you to have it, but then they're having a great time without you? Glad you got some time.

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    1. Stefaneener, I'm not much for water parks so they can have it!

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  10. You did a great job on the jelly jars! Glad you got in a little Erin time too. :)

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  11. Hey Erin! I've been following your blog for over a year now. I feel kinda guilty about lurking but your blog is so much fun and I love so many of your ideas but I'm super busy w/ 2 kids, a garden, aging parents, yada yada so I've never left you a message. Until now. I see you haven't posted in weeks and I'm a bit concerned. I just want you to know that I have added you and my family to my prayer list. It's none of my business why you haven't posted lately. I just want to tell you that I feel like I know you and I'm hoping everything is great for you! Best regards, Carolyne

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    1. Hi Carolyne! Thanks for asking, we are all fine here, just have been busy and needing a break from the blog in order to actually get some things done to blog about LOL! Thank you for the prayers, there's been days lately where we certainly needed them, but not for ourselves, I also had a friend in the hospital with spinal meningitis and she had an infant at home so she has had to have some extra care :) She is home now thankfully, so that's one less thing for me to stress about. I'm thinking I better get busy and get a post up over the next day or so :) Stay tuned for a real & honest garden post, I actually snapped picture of the (horrors!) 3 ft tall weeds and overgrown mess I'm getting up the courage to post, haha!

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  12. Looks like a lovely day to yourself! Your jars of jam look lovely, and very professionally laid out. You seem ready for the farmer's market! I haven't made jam for a long time, but I really should think more about it.

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    1. Patty, funny that I don't eat jam myself, so I sometimes forget to make it! Then if I do hubby and the kids descend upon it like crazy and it doesn't last lone :)

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