New View

 For 4 months, when we looked out the

patio doors, all we could see 

was a big white truck up on blocks.

And then Rod got it FINISHED!

(He's actually driving it today!)

We drove it to church yesterday.

NICE TRUCK!

It was wonderful to look out the 

patio doors and see the garden.

For a minute.

Then Kyle used his Cat and started stacking his house.

(See him in the background...)

He lifts it with the foks, but also has it strapped

to his Cat with serious yellow straps.

Of course, now the arms are still up in the air

because the straps are hooked to them.

So I got to come out and unhook him so he

could get his front door open and get out!

We have had a LOT of rain this month,

so his wood is looking a little weathered.

He brought out the shopvac and sucked out

all the water. Left it in the sun for a day

(fingers crossed for no rain)

and then tarped it all.

He'll spray it all good with a bleach solution

when he moves it to the ranch and kill

all the mildew spores.

No point in doing it yet though...

And this is our current view.

Likely for a month.

Or so.

That's a LOT of house!

Once he gets it all piled on the trailer it will

be about 12 feet tall (including the trailer)

but will still fit under the bridges on the highway.

Oh! And Rod got an amazing deal (free!) on a new

topper for the new white truck.

That will keep the dogs (etc) safe and dry 

on the trip.

(And be good for trips into the "big" city in the future...)

Things are moving forward!

What a Week!

 I can't even.

It's been a BUSY week.

Between teaching in Tampa

and doing RS stuff 

and working at the town a billion extra hours

and working at the storehouse...

it's been a BUSY week.

Oh wait, I already said that.

Speaking of working at the storehouse...

they tasked us with cleaning the floor

in the walk-in fridge.

Before and mid-way.

I think we did a fine job!

We used some spray de-greaser and 

long-handled scrub brushes.

(My arms are just today un-stiff enough that

I can do stuff with them... lol)

Everyone was duly impressed when we were done.

It was a lot of work - a little over 2 hours.

But worth it.

It looked really good.

And it was fun!

(Although cold... we were in training

for winter in Kansas...)

It was 34 degrees in there.

And we did fine, until the giant compressor

above our heads kicked in and then it

blew cold air all over the place.

But other than that, we did fine.

(We had coats...)

You can't really see the dirt for all the foam,

but trust me, there was a LOT of dirt.

It was the first afternoon in quite awhile we didn't

get a thunder storm, so we headed to the beach

to thaw out and collect some shells.

We need to take some Florida beach sand

and shells with us to Kansas!

The rest of the week has been a blur.

Lots to do.

But we're getting it done.

Got the tag for the new truck today, so Rod

should be able to start driving it tomorrow.

He got a replacement driver's seat so he'll

put that in tomorrow (if it isn't pouring rain...)

and the guys that did the alignment today said

there is one more part he should order and fix...

but it's ok to drive in the meantime.

We bought it in March while I was in Tucson,

so it has been a long road with a LOT of work.

But it's basically a new truck now, so it

should last us for EVER.

GOOD JOB ROD!

(I would take a picture, but its raining.

Again.)

Just Another Manic Wednesday!

 I got up this morning and did another workout

with Pahla B on YouTube (using weights...)

and then jumped on Zoom.

Subbing for Coach Beth this morning while

she set up her equipment (she is a massage therapist)

at her Mom's Assisted Living Facility and

did massages for all the residents!

Taught until 1:00, had some lunch and then

Kyle and I headed over town to Tractor

Supply to get horse feed, then to the mall

to buy him some new shoes and look for

some new shorts for him.

(It's summer in Florida. You would think

you could buy shorts... but NOPE!)

Anyhow, then to Sam's to get some groceries

and home.

Rod's new tires FINALLY came in this morning

so he took the old ones to the tire place and

they mounted the new ones on the old wheels

and then Kyle went and picked them up and

put them on the truck.

And then he DROVE IT OFF THE PATIO!

YEA!!!

There is NO truck on the patio.

It's been there since March!

(There was a LOT more work that needed to

be done than we had anticipated and every time

Rod opened up a new thing it opened up 

a NEW THING... He and I are both thrilled

to have it FINALLY done and drivable!)

Anyhow.

Now that the patio is free and I can see into

the back yard, Kyle is going to pile up his

house on the patio.

He anticipates the pile will be 7.5 feet tall.

So, yeah.

Bye yard.

Hahahaha.

Whatever.

Just glad we have the room for them to be

able to do the projects that need doing.

And then when Rod got home from work

(9:00) he and Kyle took the new truck

for a test drive.

And I got a panic call from the night instructor.

Her computer was going crazy and could

I hop on for the final hour and teach?

Of course.

So I just finished teaching the night session.

And now it's time for dinner and then off to 

bed because in the morning I have to go pick

up a rental and head over to Tampa for 

my 4-day class.

Whew!

It's been a week.

Typical.

But busy.

Aren't they all these days???

You can hardly see him, because as soon as I got

my camera ready he flew across to the other fence,

but there is a big ol' hawk on the fence post,

carrying a big ol' SNAKE in his talons.

GO HAWK!!!!

Thanks!

(Kyle's not a big fan of snakes...)

Monday, Monday....

I'm keeping busy, even though this is my "light" week.

I'm not zooming this week.

This is a Tampa weekend.

So the END of the week is intense,

but we start off "quiet".

(HA!)

We have had several new families move into

our ward this month, so that means re-visiting

our ministering assignments.

And doing food orders.

And setting up rides.

And lots of other stuff that kept me busy

both yesterday and today.

Plus this morning I cleaned the kitchen and

washed the kitchen and living room floors,

did 2 loads of laundry,

went to Lowe's with Kyle to get more wood

for his house walls,

made some food for them to eat this weekend,

and got a TERRIBLE haircut.

I will be in a ponytail 24/7 for a few weeks.

And my bangs look like they were cut by a 6 year old.

Sheesh.

Whatever, as long as I don't look in a mirror,

I'll be just fine.

(As soon as Kyle stops snickering every time 

he looks at me...)

Also I got a load of zucchini, yellow squash and

cucumber chips into the freezer to go into

the freeze dryer tomorrow.

That's all everybody on the freeze dryer pages

on Facebook are talking about these days.

So I thought I'd give it a try.

My freeze dryer has been busy lately!

We've got mango, banana (from our own tree!)

I found a couple of bags of peaches in the freezer

from last year's The Peach Truck order.

Lucky, since there isn't any this year.

They were projecting a bumper crop and then

they got a late frost and wiped most of them out.

Poor guys!

And then a small jar of cowboy caviar.

Just a bean mixture that is really yummy on 

tortilla chips.

Beautiful Day!

 This afternoon when I got home from work,

Kyle and I headed to the beach.

This week it has been phenomenal at the beach!

Just look at that!

It looks like a postcard.

From Jamaica!

But nope, it's just our little local beach.

The ocean was practically flat.

And such an amazing color.

Kyle found an intact shell.

Fairly rare.

Look!

It's butterfly wings!

No wait, it's angel wings!

Either way, they were really pretty.

And then a rogue wave came and stole them.

Welcome Home!

 Mom and Dad moved into a new home today!

I'm excited for them and hope this will

be a happy move where they will meet

lots of new friends and fill their days

with light and laughter.

FRUIT

 As always, there is lots to do this week...

We went to the store the other day and they had

mangos on sale! So I bought 3 boxes. (30 mangoes)

(in the background...)

And Kyle harvested the bananas from his tree.

(The 2nd batch! There's a third growing but they

take several months...)

When he cut it, they were all green.

This was Friday or Saturday.

By yesterday they were all yellow, but I was busy.

This morning I processed all the mangos

and about half the bananas.

I still have several more to do, but I needed

a nap before I needed to teach tonight.

I'll get up early(ish) and finish them

in the morning before I have to go to the town

to work for the day.

The freeze dryer is going to be BUSY!

I Win!!!!!

 I got a fun little package in the mail today!

I got DILLY BREAD!

And Blueberry muffins! (YUM)

Mom's famous pop-eye pancakes

and cream puffs!

AND a waffle recipe in DAD'S HANDWRITING!!!

Possibly the ONLY recipe card in his writing in existance!

(But I'd be happy to share... a photo... lol)

Thanks Mom!

That was so cool!

I got Grandma Hanna's recipe card holder so I have

some of her recipes in her handwriting as well.

Love adding this to my collection!

Happy Canada Day!

 Happy Canada Day!!!

Not that any of us live there anymore,

but we are still Canadian at heart.

Hopefully everybody is enjoying their day.

Kyle worked on his house for a bit.

Rod worked at the airport and is now working

on his truck.

I worked around the house for a bit.

And tonight we are having rootbeer pork tenderloin

(a pork tenderloin in the crockpot with a bunch of rootbeer...)

and corn on the cob.

Yum.

HAPPY CANADA DAY!