This paragraph especially for the curious friend Rebecca:
Enter numbers 5 and 6...
Welcome to Audra and Amanda, their Papa's little Jewels! (The sweet girls share that middle name for that very reason.) They weighed 5 lb., 10 oz., and 5 lb., 11 oz. This is impressive considering they were two weeks early, and Becky, excepting her big belly, was still a twiggy twig. According to the phoneselves of Becky and my Mopsy, they are healthy and hungry and the sweetest babies ever, and I am dying to meet them! Becky's recovering well but isn't supposed to be doing much at all apart from feeding her wee-est ones, so my mom's staying with them for a bit to help out with homeschooling, cleaning, and such. Um. That's it for now, I suppose.
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In other, rather drab news, this house has sold. We move in the nick of time because the new owner plans to live in one of the lower apartments, and I can't imagine he would have allowed us to continue living in this small space. I sure will miss those neighborly chats with Mr. Realtor Man, though.
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We drive on next Wednesday morning. We don't have a whole lot left to pack, and we're planning to move absolutely everything except blankets for floor sleeping, paper plates for easy cleanup, and a few outfits into the garage by Sunday night. That way, I can scrub the entire place on Monday morning, and then we can hang out and have fun until we pack the truck Tuesday night in preparation for Wednesday's departure. Smooth sailin'.
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Not only is the garden plot already tilled for us, but Mopsy and the kids found some rhubarb growing, nearly choked, next to the fence. Hurrah! With a bit of love and some aged manure, I hope to have a bumper crop next spring. I invite each and every last one of you over for pie and crisp with cold vanilla cream.
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Two bedrooms will be strange. Millie told me today that she and Annika will be lonely. I think we will be, too. Maybe we'll just use the second bedroom as a library.
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I had no plans to post words today, but my heart softened at Rebecca's plea for baby news. I have to make potato salad for dinner at the Eckley's tomorrow. I can't wait to show off Susannah. Her rolls have my potato salad beaten fair and square.
Hooray for smooth sailing!
ReplyDeleteAnd hooray for rhubarb! I think I'm going to try and get to making some rhubarb jam (butter?) next week.
Abby,
ReplyDeleteIf you and John need some help getting all your boxes moved in please let us know! We'd be more than happy to help you! ANd then I could see Becky's sweet baby girls! ;)
I'm a little confused. Is the rhubarb where you are going to live presently, or where you're going to eventually build your house near your parents?
ReplyDelete(And then we ask, "Why does it matter?")
Thanks for the update-if I sounded desperate, I was! Maybe when you move down there, you can post a picture of the gems and their mama. I would love to see one!
ReplyDeleteRhubarb! That is exciting stuff-and I am going to accept that invitation, regardless of whether or not you were sincere.
Are you renting a truck or are people coming down with their vehicles? A new chapter of your life begins and all the adventures that come with it. Smooth sailing it is!
The rhubarb grows where we will start to live next week. My mom has a big patch, though, so when we move there, I'll transplant some rhubarb, too.
ReplyDeleteThe dessert invitation stands in its sincerity for anyone who wants to trek to see us. For real.
We are renting a huge truck, and John will tow our unhealthy silver car behind it while I drive the white car. (With John driving the truck, there's just enough room for the rest of us to fit in the white one.) We have mountains of belongings.
I think Becky's going to send out pictures sometime, and, Leah, we welcome any unloading help if anyone's got the time or energy. Come see the babies, though, even if unloading's not the reason!
If you can get chicken manure, you don't even have to wait for it to age. It's probably too late to put it on--I imagine you'd burn the plants--but rhubarb goes crazy for chicken droppings.
ReplyDeleteAh, rhubarb. It must have been holding out just for you! That stuff makes great pies. (and if I lived within three hundred miles, I'd come just for the pie. :o)
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear everything's squared away so neatly! I must away, to see all those pictures down below...
~Annie
Tis very true about the chicken manure. It's my little trick. I spread it every spring, scattering it in moderation (best before the rhubarb sprouts, but I usally don't manage it before the first bits start showing up). People swear that chicken manure burns plants, and I'm sure it does in large amounts. But I spread it straight out of the chicken house and my rhubarb has never suffered ill effects. In fact, it is huge.
ReplyDeleteWell aged manure is great too. But once it is planted sprinkling a yearly dose of fresh chicken manure is a good pick-me-up.
I actually use fresh chicken manure for a lot of things that you're not "supposed" too. I have never suffered ill because of it, so I wonder if the burning effects of chicken manure have been exaggerated.
I don't know where you and John stand on the whole "arranged marriage" thing, but Sarah and I are enthusiastic advocates. Bowden appears fairly close in age to at least one of your girls (He turns 3 on June 10th).
ReplyDeleteWhat do you say? Judging by the way that he excitedly checks every coin return for change on our walks I feel fairly confident in saying that he will be a good provider.
Arlan and Rundy,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tips! When we've got the chickens, I'll certainly try it out (cautiously to avoid scorching the plants).
Annie,
The offer will stand in any season for season-appropriate desserts. If you ever find yourself in the Northeast, please stop by!
Josh,
YES, SIR!
John is such an enthusiastic advocate that I sometimes think he invented the idea. (With three girls so far, he's got his work cut out for him.) Millie will be four in mid-August; Annie just turned two on April Fool's Day. Which shall it be? It's almost a shame that we're not as enthusiastic about polygamy, because Bowden's a brave and true boy, but there's only one of him.