Red Tent

You know it’s funny how I have so many friends that are writers – I seem to collect them like the books they write.  I’m not full of stories like these folks are but every once in a while I get inspired.  I watched “The Red Tent” last night and that is a powerful story.  I laughed and cried and felt for Dena.  I read the book once long ago and it still sits on my bookshelf because it was a book that I wanted to read again… I’ve just not gotten to it… I probably will now.

I miss having a group of women friends that share like they did in that red tent.  I have belonged to groups like this in the past but for one reason or another they have all broken apart and gone separate ways.  Maybe it was the blood bond that kept those women together in the red tent or maybe it was the shared circumstance, the only safe place they had.  Whatever the reason we need more red tents.

Getting the cart before the horse - maybe

I posted that they were engaged before but I never posted a pic of the ring:

Sunday, December 7, 2014 - A Big Day!

I should back up to Thursday night about 11:00pm. I got a text from Erik asking if I was still awake. "yes" I replied and then waited.... and waited... and waited.. finally I texted back "Why" I got a phone call (at this point in time I'm now worried about what is so important to call me at 11 at night!) it's Erik asking what I had planned for the weekend. "Nothing in particular." "Well don't make any plans for Sunday - Meghan and I are going to get married. "

At this point I think I must have stuttered or something - "Uh, ok. Sunday? This Sunday?" 
"Yes, mom, this Sunday - I'll call you tomorrow and let you know more about it."

I then received a text that Meghan sent out to all of her relatives and Erik's announcing the happy news. Of course this is followed by several replies (people just type and hit send not realizing everyone gets the text!) So I was still up till well after midnight.

So Friday, they went to get their marriage license and Erik needed his Social Security Card which was in the safe in his hold room at my house. So I got a call from Miss Meghan asking if I would bring it over to where she works over lunch so that she can run it back up to city hall. We get the license taken care of and that evening they both come over to talk about the plans.

They had originally planned to go to the Art Museum in Forest Park (St. Louis) but found out that they would not be allowed to without permits and it was too late to get one. So they moved it to St. Charles Frontier park which is right along the Missouri River. They used the old train station which was decorated for Christmas so it was pretty.

Saturday night Meghan came over and we put together the decorations for the tables and little bags of Hershey Kisses for the guests (“Hugs and Kisses from the Mr. and Mrs”). There was glitter and spray paint and lots of giggling involved. Erik’s brothers took him out for dinner and to play pool and of course there was alcohol involved. They brought him back after a few hours (he’s a lightweight) and they left, Meghan saying she would be back in the morning to finish. 





Sunday morning bright and early (7:00 am) Meghan and her Maid of Honor Tiffany were back at my house to finish the decorations and pull rose petals for showering the bride and groom once the ceremony was concluded. Austen was Erik’s Best Man so we had to find him something to wear as well.

We left for the park at 1:00 but found that there was a parade down Main Street which was blocking all traffic to the park! We finally found a way around but there were several guests in the same predicament so the ceremony was delayed a bit. Finally they wedding began and when they were pronounced Man and Wife - Erik dipped Meghan while the rose petals showered down on them. It was very romantic!














We then all when to a local restaurant for dinner and cake. 








We made it back home about 6:30 or 7:00. Exhausted but very happy for the newly married couple. They are planning a honeymoon in the spring next year along with a bigger party.

And that is how I spent my weekend.

Rainy election Day

I'm working from the country house today because I have registed to vote down here.  When I changed my name and address on my drivers license this summer they asked if I wanted to transfer my voter registeration.  I didn't think about it just said yes.  Well, I can't very well work in the city and vote down here so I'm working from home today.

I woke up this morning to hear rain on the roof of the camper.  I love to sleep while it's raining and really just wanted to curl up next to Bill and go back to sleep.  Unfortunately, he had things to do this morning as well and got up!  :(

So now I'm sitting at my desk/table upstairs in the 'barn' with my computer listeing to it rain on the metal roof.  It sounds like a downpour in here but I know it's just a gentle rain.  Once we have the insulation and wall board up it won't be as loud but I'm hoping that I will still hear it.  I've always loved a rainy day (I probably should live in the Pacifc Northwest or England! LOL).

Engaged Grandma

I had so much good news yesterday I could hardly contain myself. First this:



My oldest son is having a baby (well, actually his fiancee is but, well you know).


Then is:



My youngest son is engaged! So next year I'll be a grandma and have two new daughters! We went out for a celebratory dinner and then stopped by Target on the way home and I found a few Christmas presents for the existing grandkids (Bill's and Tom's finacee's daughter). Next year I'll need one more little thing for the grandkids!


(Can you tell I'm excited!)


Oh, the pic of my youngest son is him and his finacee and one of the little boys that they both worked with at Vacation Station named Chris. They work with special needs kids and Chris has Autism. He's a sweet kid and as you can tell, both Erik and Meghan love him. Erik had it all worked out with Chris's mother so that he took the sign to Meghan and then handed her the ring. Erik then knelt down on one knee and put the ring on her finger.

Austen spun fire the evening of our wedding.

I tried to upload another pic of him with the full moon behind him - it is awesome but Blogger wont load it.  :(

More wedding pics

I have more pics but LJ won't let me upload more than this. Maybe they are too big. Not sure.

Good Morning Sunshine!

I am privilaged to be able to work from home two days a week. Recently I have actually been able to work from our soon to be new home at the property. We are living in the camper right now when I'm down here so it's a little cramped but we don't mind too much. We obviously are looking forward to the day that we can move in to the "barn" and have a big kitchen to cook in! Cooking on a two burner stove and having a tiny fridge is challenging!

Today I woke before the sun from a sound rain induced sleep and as usual really wanted to just crawl back into bed. But the thing is working from here I get to sit in front of a window and watch the world wake. The cows across the road moo softly in the mornings. The birds wake slowly and the crickets go to sleep.

It's quiet up here at my table that I use as a desk for now. The space heater hums softly and the table lamp I use for light is one that my mother had in her house for ages. I kinda like this now that I'm up. I can hardly wait till it's all done but it's coming along and soon, soon we will live here.

(Sorry no pics. Most of the work going on right now is kinda behind the scenes - wiring, plumbing, insulation. We will hopfully get the insulation done this week so that we can get the furnace fired up before it gets too cold to stay in the camper.)

I got hitched!

Just a quick note to let you all know that I got married August 9th. I don't have my pictures back yet but here are a few that some of my friends took:





Once I get the rest of them, I'll post them here.

The mind is always the first to go!

I take pictures all the time thinking... I need to put this is a post, and then I forget all about the posting part! So, here are a bunch of pics that I have acquired for posting but never gotten around to it:

Erik and I at a St. Louis Cardinals game this spring


Bill and I


Aubri's graduation





Henna from Pagan Picnic


Our campsite at PSG


Bill and I at Picnic


Bill and I at PSG


Marble Creek



Aubri and Monster


Erik being all proffesional!


Austen's 24th Birthday!

Out of touch but not out of mind.

I may be limited in my on-line time for the next 2 weeks.  We are leaving tomorrow for some friends house then on to our annual camping vacation.  I'm not sure if I'll have cell signal so if you don't hear from me for a while - I'm just out of signal range.  And dancing under the moon!

Memorial Day Weekend

In the grand sceme of things 'I' didn't do much this weekend but Bill certainly did! On Sunday he washed, waxed and cleaned the inside of Aubri's car and started on mine. He finished my car last night just before the rain hit. This doesn't sound like a big deal but it took him just about 5-6 hours to do Aubri's car since he is a detail fanatic! I sat and read a book while he did this. :)

Also on Sunday since it would have been Randy's 60th birthday, I made a huge cheesecake (his favorite) and all the kids (and girlfriends) came over for grilled brats and dogs followed by dessert. I had to try to keep Erik out of the cheese cake after his second helping! He and Miss Meghan came over last night and finished it off.

Yesterday Austen, Holly, Bill and I all went to the St. Louis Ren Faire. We met up with some friends of ours while there and I saw some other folks I had not seen in a while. A good day was had despite the heat. A nice thunderstorm rolled through in the middle of the afternoon that brought a bit of rain but we sat under a tree on a bench and were quite fine. The great thing is, it cooled the place down! Here we are:



When we got home, Bill was finishing my car when he came in to tell me that a rabbit was digging under my tree. I went out to investigate and said rabbit just sat about 6 feet away while I checked out her progress. I believe she was digging a burrow. We may have baby rabbits sometime soon! I just hope the feral cats in the neighborhood dont find them!

Poison Ivy

GAH!  I went 50 years without ever getting poison ivy and then one really horrendous case of it a few years ago and now I seem to be allergic.  Dr. gave me Methylprednisolone - yeah, it's gonna be like that.  This stuff makes me mean!

Itchy, Itchy, Itchy!

Well, I think I did it again. I got into whatever lives in my woods that the Dr says is not poisen ivy but sure as heck looks and FEELS like it to me. Bill did not however get this particular affliction and he generally gets it if it looks at him! So, whatever it is - it's back.

I stopped by the store on the way into work to pick up some Ivy Dry since my bottle at home is expired in 2012. I used it last night anyway and it did help. But I'm thinking I may need some at work and some at home to kick this stuff! I also picked up some benadryl.

Work Weekend

This past weekend was supposed to be Work Weekend for our upcoming Beltain celebration in a few weeks. No one but us showed. So, we actually got a lot more done by ourselves than we probably would have! Here are some highlights:


Bill finally got that stump pulled where the new driveway is going to be. We also moved several iris bulbs, daffodils and lily of the valley out to the woods.


The lilacs are blooming!


Can you find the black and yellow butterfly?


Look what we found in the campground! I take this as a sign that the fairies like us. :)


Found along the new trail from the campground to the east fence.


Planted pansies this year around the four quarters. I couldn't find a single pansy last year but this year I found all four colors!


Took a little lunch break.

We also squared up the shower house which had leaned a bit over the winter. We split several loads of wood, hauled it and stacked it in the campground. I got my middle finger smashed in the log splitter - not bad but the nail is bruised and it's still a little sore.

We managed to clean up the last of the shelter that we lost over winter and haul it all up to the house for disposal. I planted a BUNCH of flowers and bulbs in the campground and along the road so next year we will have more spring color than this year.

We got sprinkled on a few times but not enough to actually go inside on Saturday. On Sunday we managed to finish up a few things before the rain came. The afternoon was pretty much a wash (no pun intended) as storms came through all afternoon and evening. Woke up this morning to a much greener and cleanly washed world!

Cell signal is wonky down here today - we can send and receive texts but no calls. Oh well, I'm working today anyway.