Packed

This morning I got my bags packed and they are now ready to go with only the essentials to put in tomorrow morning. I just now remembered I better put in a little sewing kit.

We picked up a few more items at the store so that we would have some food along to keep the neighbor happy.

We visited Ben Sutton in the hospital for a little while this afternoon.

Spent the evening trying to type up two documents that were much over due to be done. Sometimes I just miss the old style type writer as I find it hard to set some things up on Microsoft Word.

We had some rain this morning and it was enough to really freshen things up nicely. It looks more and more like spring every day. The trees are slowly getting green. Some of the blooming trees are starting to show a little color now.

Packing Day

This afternoon we started packing for this much anticipated trip to Germany. Helmut is almost done all of his packing but Jean is a little behind and will have to pack the big piece of luggage in the morning. My carry-on is packed except for the things that must be used before we leave. It feels like it weighs a ton but on the scale it is officially 8 pounds which is well under the limit of 20 pounds for carry-on.

We are trying to consider all the good advise that various globe trotters are giving out and doing what we think best. Today, the neighbor across the street left a message on the answering machine to tell me to be sure to take some snacks with me just in case if we end up in places where it isn't possible to buy any food for several hours. She is worried about my diabetic situation. Just the way she said all of this on the recorder I just had to laugh when I listened to it. (Thankfully she couldn't hear me laughing) In the morning I'll have to go buy some granola bars - I sure hope they give us plenty to drink (not spirits) on the plane as you aren't allowed to carry any on. Reminded of that by another sister at the meeting.

I better get to bed and get some extra sleep ahead of time to make up for what will be lost in transit.

Good night all. It really is 12:05 am Apr. 30 not the time the blog is saying that this is posted

The Count Down

In about 61 hours (it is 11:15pm Sat. at the present time) we will be putting the final things in our bags, and probably having lunch here at home. We need to be at the air port by 1:30pm. on Tues.

Today we did what we hope is our final shopping trip to prepare for the trip. we fond a few more items and we couldn't find something that was wanted ( the later wasn't for the trip but needed before we leave) I got the little bag that I wanted for some of my diabetic care things at the neighbors garage sale - after having looked in many stores last week unsuccessfully.

It has been a very warm day here and feels quite stuffy here in the house because it was all shut up all evening while we were out. Some friends of ours who are immigrants from Guyana invited us over for super. They served traditional Guyana dishes which are quite a bit spicier than how I cook. We enjoyed a good visit with them and their three little children and the Grandmother. Four other friends of ours were also invited so we were a good size group.

Somehow, in the next 61 hours we both have to pack, as well as do the routine things of the days- I think sleep is the first thing on the list.

My first bunch of tulips are blooming. I have also seen daffodils blooming in various yards around the city. Mine are a bit slower this year. A friend of ours went searching for wild crocuses on Thurs. and found some to photograph near one of the lakes - he thinks that they are about two weeks later than usual. The bushes and some of the trees are begining to show a greeness because the buds are coming out.

House Plants

This is the Hoya plant in bloom - I laid the long vine on which the bloom is clustered across the plant in order to get the best picture. The blooms hang down so the only other ways I could get a good picture would be to lie on the floor or hang the plant way up high. Pat, a while back you were asking what this plant is like. Sometimes little sticky drops of liquid fall off the blossoms. Because of this "bad" habit I recently had to move the one that was hanging above the computer as it is starting to bloom.

I spent some time late last night trying to upload this picture to the blog but couldn't get it accomplished so as I was trying again this morning Andrew came along and showed me how - unfortunately he goes through the process so fast I miss some of the steps so I don't know if I can do it again or not.

I took some pics Sat. to try to show the mess on our front lawn left from the winter dumpings by the snow plows but they just didn't turn out very nice. Helmut cleaned the mess all up with a scoop shovel and got the garbage can so heavy that he can't lift it. He says he'll have to divide the load so the garbage collectors can lift it. For those who don't know - we live on a corner and get lots of snow dumped on or side by the snow plows and of course the sand the city puts down for traction eventually ends up on the lawn. May be we should ask the city to come back and collect the sand for recycling, HA!

Since today is my birthday my dear husband is taking me shopping so we will be leaving soon .

Answers

I seem to have two dragons in respect to the previous post.

1. Strongly disliking house cleaning at any time (regular or seasonal). Thus the great need for the first "weapon" WILL POWER.

2. The three horned dragon - clutter, grime & dust. All the other "weapons" are for the eradication of this beast.

All that talk was about what I did on Wed. when I cleaned our bedroom . The washing machine & dryer were to launder the sheets ( which I do faithfully about once a week).

On Thurs. it was such a beautiful day that I spent quite a bit of it raking the lawn to get rid of the winter grime & stir up the grass. We could sure use a nice steady rain for a day.

Today has been beautiful again - very windy. However, my duties required that I do the grocery shopping and then tend to some typing business this afternoon. This latter project is not finished so I'll have to get back at it soon.

In the mean time I am trying to gather together items that are needed for the up coming trip. Everyday I get one or two things done or found. Soon we will have to tie up the loose ends. Also I'd like to find some time to concentrate on the camera a little more.

Slaying a Dragon

I will leave it up to you to decide what the dragon is after you read the types of weapons that were used in the process of elimination of said beast.

Arsenal:
WILL POWER ( not the cute, noisy, canine neighbor next door named Willie)
OLD RAGS
VACUUM CLEANER
WATER
ELBOW GREASE
WINDEX
TIDE
WASHING & DRYER
SEVERAL HOURS

Now you may make a guess. Answer on the next post. ( I hope the use of certain vocabulary does not bring down the wrath of certain watch dogs of the blog.)

More Signs of Spring

Over a week ago while it was still quite cold and there were patches of snow and ice in many places we observed four very hardy golfers out on one of the local golf courses - now I call that a harbinger of spring. The last few days we have noticed that the slate colored juncos have returned and more and more geese can be seen flying overhead.

The beautiful warm days on the weekend brought out another "sign"-the neighbors eating out on their open deck. Since we don't have a deck and the yard is still pretty messy we haven't eaten out doors yet'

Oh, yes - we heard the frogs sounding off in the ditch across the street from us. Some insects have been noticed also.

I noticed -just by the way- that the spell check for blogger works in American English rather than Canadian English. Our micro-soft program wants to spell Canadian and rejects Am. spelling. For a lousy speller like me this is confusing.

"April showers bring May flowers" so we are right in line today as we had a small shower.

Getting Ready

Up until now most of the planning and preparation for our far flung travel has been in our heads and conversations. Today we are getting more into the actual doing something. This morning U. Helmut wrote some emails to various folks that we are thinking of visiting. Then we went to the insurance co. to take care of our medical travel ins.

Soon we have to do a dry-run packing to see which pieces of luggage will work the best for us and how to fit in what we want. U. Helmut's sisters advise travelling light - one of them usually travels with only a medium size back pack. I don't think I want to wear the same two outfits for a whole month so I think I'll need a bag beside the back pack. Also I want my back pack to be reasonably light for day trips, etc.

One of U. Helmut's cousins will meet us at the airport in Duesseldorf and let us stay at her apartment while we are in that city. We are thinking of staying in that area about a week and then starting to travel - perhaps to Belgium to visit some missionaries - then south in Germany and perhaps into Switzerland and Austria. We shall see how it all goes.

There are 18 more days to get ready and on the 19th. day it will be departure time.

Also have to take all our boxes for Zambia to Portage la Prairie on the 27th. or the 28th.

Aunt Mabel's Choco Chip Crunchy Bars

This has been a baking morning. As I was putting together the dough for Aunt Mabel's Crunchy Bars I was mulling over in my mind the title and ideas for a future series of posts on this blog. (Blogging is really additive with me). I have in mind to write about incidents of funny mistakes that have happened to me or others during the years of my camp cooking experience. So wouldn't you know I up and did something dumb with the bars. Instead of spreading the dough in the cake pan and placing the chips on the top I up and spooned the bough without the chips onto the cookie sheets and started baking the first 2 dozen. After realizing the mistake I put the rest of the dough in the cake pan with the chips on top and we now have one small pan of bars and two dozen plain oatmeal cookies.

I received this recipe from Aunt Mabel Rockhold 35 or more years ago. It has been a real hit with this family as well as many other folks. I don't know if A. Mabel developed it or received it from someone else.

Chocolate Chip Crunchy Bars

Cream together:
1 stick (1/2 C.) margarine
6 TBS. brown sugar
6 TBS. white sugar

Blend in :
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla

Add:
3/4 C. flour
1/2 tsp. soda
1/8 tsp. salt (optional)
1 C. uncooked oatmeal (any variety)

Spread this dough in an 8"x8" pan, cover with 6 oz. of chocolate chips.
Bake at 375 degrees F. for 2 to 3 minutes then cut through the melted chips and dough with a knife to marbleize (is this a new word?) bars and continue baking for 10 - 12 minutes. Let cool in pan then cut into squares. Watch them disappear!

I usually double the recipe and bake it in a 9"x13" pan.


I have a very special "vacuum cleaner" son who demolishes fresh baking.

Keep your eyes opoen for more "dumb" incidents.

This is the indoor sign of spring mentioned last week and " me, myself & I". Unfortunately I am not as cute to look at as my great nephew Timmy. Neither is this the perfect pose of the flower.

This has been a pleasant spring day with lots of sun and a bit warmer weather than previously. My grandson and I enjoyed a good play time out doors this morning. He managed to keep warm fingers without mittens even when Oma's (my) hands were cold with gloves on. A two year old can find lots of things to do either in side or out side so the morning went along fairly well. After lunch he had a three hour nap, I did some hand work and reading and slipped in a cat nap too. Opa & A. Ruth arrived to play for a little while before Mark & Cammie got home.

Finally I get a chance to use the computer. A. & H. spent hours rearranging the set-up of the computer desk and printers. Now we have two printers - one for B&W real speedy and one for colour fairly slow. However, since it is so far to Office Depot and colour copies are $.70 each H. thought it might be eventually a savings to have a colour printer/ copier /fax (if in when it is attached). So here I thought I was just getting some things learned and a whole new machine comes on the scene. I still have to learn about the picture transfer -A. said that is for another day.

Spring is still very elusive. Lots of hours of sunshine every day. apparently the Robins have arrived, I personally haven't seen any.

Signs of Spring

Most of my readers have been enjoying spring for several weeks now. Here in the north we are still looking for signs of spring.

The prettiest sign is inside my house - most would not consider it a sign of spring. My amaryllis is blooming fabulously in a beautiful dark red shade.

Other signs - a few Canada geese have been sighted flying around the area. Most of the snow is melted so last years grass is showing through.

Yesterday we enjoyed snow flurries all day long. It never got above freezing. Today is much colder and is not likely to get above freezing either. So much for global warming that we hear so much about.

Scripture for the day -
"The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God." Psalms 53:1

This is April Fools Day - many jokes have been played and silly things have been said today.

Let us take God seriously today and always.