Spring Projects

After enjoying warm weather on vacation and an unusual heat wave earlier this month, the girls didn’t like having to go back to long sleeves and long pants.   Every morning they ask if they can wear short sleeves and shorts, and every evening if they can wear their sleeveless pajamas.  They want to run around in the backyard in their bathing suits and play on the slip-n-slide.  Unfortunately, I keep having to tell them that it’s too cold and we’ll have to wait for the weather to warm up again.  Here’s hoping that summer weather arrives sooner rather than later this year! 

 

We’ve taken advantage of the season to check several items off the “to do” list.   When the weather warmed up to the 60’s we began painting a different room in the house every few days.   It’s been four years since we moved in the walls and baseboards have their fair share of scuffs, pen marks and other signs of wear and tear.   The house is already looking much fresher and brighter, and clearing out every room to paint has given me a natural opportunity to purge and spring clean.   When the winter weather drives us back indoors, it will hopefully be a lot more cozy.  

 

In addition to our garden, this year we added a cherry, apricot and plum tree, and two apple trees (to cross-pollinate).   We also planted four blueberry bushes out front that fruit at different stages in the season, so we’ll have fresh blueberries all summer.  

 

A lot of our friends and family have been trying out different ways to cut costs and become more self-sufficient, such as raising rabbits or chickens, making their own household cleaners or herbal remedies.   We’ve become more conscious of emergency preparedness and have been slowly building a cushion for our families in case of job loss, severe inflation or other unexpected disaster.   It’s amazing to think of how many basic skills we’ve lost in a modern world that has become largely dependent on being able to flip a light switch or drive down to the grocery store and find exactly what you need always in stock.   

 

Several of Dave’s friends hunt and shoot, and he likes to go to the shooting ranges with them every once in awhile for some guy time.   The son of one of his residents is a police officer, and when he heard Dave had been learning to shoot, he brought over half a dozen different guns to teach Dave all about their features and safety requirements.   Dave said, “It’s like having my own personal gun coach!”   He decided to invest in a safe, a range membership and a revolver to start.   It’s his new favorite hobby and he can’t wait to take me to the range for a date night and have me try it out.