Leisure

The not-so-glamorous life of a working woman with four kids requires at least a few days of R&R.

This being Labor Day weekend, I would have usually cram packed it full of fun activities for the kids, like a trip to a theme park or camping. However, this mom is wore out. I did manage to clean a little today, but I started this day by sleeping in until 8am!!! I spent a few hours in the pool, lounging and reading, then took a short nap, and read some more.

Currently, I've been on a kick of finding authors who can write with humor.  Janet Evanovich started it, however I have found a few others. Currently I am enjoying my fourth book by Susan Elizabeth Phillips.

Today, she made me cry. I don't usually cry while reading sad books, much less humorous ones, but even her witty southern drama was enough to make me weep. Perhaps I just needed a good soul cleansing cry.

I think it's important to find a day here and there to just relax, let the responsibilities lie, and rest your mind, body and soul for a day.

Haulin Hay

Hay season means different things to different people. Our family has no hay fields, so we have to buy hay, which is cheaper straight out of the field. It's always a last minute call that they are baling and we spend the evening tossing 100+ square bales onto our 16' trailer.

After weeks of mild 70 degree weather, the last few days have been nearly 90. Of course this means we get the call for the last cutting of the season. We have been expecting a pretty harsh winter this year, so we've decided to stock up and answer the call.

Every life event has a lesson.

 My kids have learned to drive the truck slowly through a hay field by the age of 10.
They have learned how to throw bales of hay that weigh half as much as they do.
They have learned the valuable lesson of hard work, and how good it feels when the job is done.
They have also learned this is necessary for them to be able to continue to raise their animals.

So after a long day and work, and school for the kids, we all change into our jeans and boots and go haul hay in 90 degree heat. We sweat, we grunt, we work as a team, and we don't die.


I guess, to us, hay season is a blessing.

Neighbors

       Even though we live 6 miles from town, we have neighbors. Our neighbors are pretty important to us because they are the first people available to help in a crisis. Country neighbors usually tend to keep to themselves except for a few times a year when we exchange plates of goodies or talk across the fence. But not all neighbors are people.

      Currently we also have for neighbors a pig and a fat little chihuahua named Booker. Booker's family loves him and takes very good care of him, but he still manages to come on our porch and eat any dog food that has been left out for our dogs. No, we don't shoot him, but we do wonder about his diet and if we are enabling his obvious food addiction.

       Every morning as my children are waiting outside for the bus, Booker comes and pays them a visit. This morning I watched as he trotted over, tongue lagging out and a smile on his face. Before he even got within arms reach of Spunky, he rolled onto his back. I laughed as I watched my children all bend over and give him a belly rub. Then it occurred to me that Booker is just like a neighbor kid. He comes over to play, he loves my kids, and he sometimes likes to have a snack. Isn't that what neighbors are for?