Living the Pantry Lifestyle - A much needed family time and rest

My neighbor's barn in winter, a scene to cool us down!

Today (Saturday) is my first day back on the computer.  I've been viewing some YouTube videos and responding to only a few emails on the Amazon Fire tablet.  After a month of busy outdoor work and appointments "in town", I was exhausted.  It was time to rest.  I couldn't even come up with the words to write a thank you note to a dear friend, much less put together blog posts.  

I can handle everything that must be accomplished a little at a time, in spite of two auto immune diseases.  But sometimes there is a bottle neck of the "must do's" and I had been experiencing one of those seasons.  It coincided with one of those rare times that there were extra doctor and dentist appointments.  I needed a long rest.  It is still necessary to move a little slower than usual but I am much better.

There is nothing like realizing how quickly time passes when you see your grandchildren only once a year, sometimes once every two years.  In spite of a heat wave which broke records a couple of days, we had a lot of fun together with the entire family in one place.  They are such a blessing.  

I think of all the precept by precept teaching and training that went into my children and see their Christ honoring families now, it makes me want to cry thinking of how the decisions my husband and I (and the parents of my daughter-in-law and son-in-law) made many decades ago are now bringing fruit into a third generation.  

I pray for dear friends who are still praying for their children who have "gone prodigal".  Although we have had many challenges in life, that is not one of them that we had to carry.  Adam and Eve had a perfect "parent" and still they rebelled.  One does everything right and then they have to depend on God to bring His promises to fruition.

The heat made it necessary to change our plans that would take us out of doors all day but we enjoyed eating out (now that the restaurants are at 100% capacity) and my daughter and I went to my favorite store that sells primitive and early American items, where she purchased not one but three early birthday gifts for me (and two issues of A Primitive Place magazine!).  I am spoiled with the gifts and the restaurant meals for her dad and me.  I am also thankful for a son-in-law who doesn't stop her from spoiling her parents.

Since the New England family stayed with Mr. and Mrs. Christopher, it made it easier for all of us to be together at times and then their two families could enjoy time together while the "older members of the family" stayed home and rested. It is fun to see how the older grandchildren adore their little cousins and the feeling is very mutual.

Mr. and Mrs. Christopher announced they were expecting another baby.  I had wondered as the last couple of times I had seen my daughter-in-law, she wasn't her usual perky self.  They have always come up with creative announcements and this time, we were shown a photo of Oliver with the words "Middle Child" on the t-shirt.  :)

We missed our daughter, son-in-law, and the grandchildren when they returned to their home on Monday but the latter part of the week was busy with two days being taken up with more doctor's appointments "in town".  Except for my usual eye injection each month, I think I'm done for awhile!  

We had a nice respite from the heat until yesterday when there was a heat index between 105 and 110.  That is unheard of in June.  We are looking forward to another short respite next week.  A few herbs are showing the strain of the unusually hot days but I think they will make it with plenty of watering.

There will be a mid-week announcement of the replacement for Feed Burner for anyone who has been following the blog by email (or wants to sign up to receive it through email).  

Next Saturday, I'll be back to pondering the pantry lifestyle.  I'm sure most, if not all of you, are seeing rising prices.  Not only did chicken go up a lot but I noticed one pound of 80/20 ground beef was now $7.00 a pound at the grocery store.  We need to seek wisdom and do whatever we feel God is nudging us to do in these challenging times.