prairie life

We have made our preparations for the storm, and it is looking to be a real doozy. The firewood is stacked, buckets of water ready, drinking water in the house, kindling in a bucket, propane, and camp stove ready, and food in the pantry.

I know our preparations sound excessive, but we have been iced in at times for over a week. Without electricity and water. They had to bring massive portable generators in to run the pumps on the tower a few years ago, which shut everything down.

Our water is still not safe for personal use, or drinking, they don't know what kind of bacteria may be lurking in it, and until the EPA, gives the green light, we have to collect bottled water at City Hall every few days, for our use. I am very grateful to the Chicaksaw, Seminole, and Pottawatomie Nations for providing our drinking water. You see, while I am technically a citizen of the U.S. of A. , I live in the heart of the Seminole Nation, and the Nations, take care of the Nations...

Ashley is seriously ill, she is down with bronchiitis, and with her, it can turn to pneumonia at any time, this is really not a good time to be iced in. Alexandra, and Christian are also ill, and irritable. They take turns coughing, crying and keeping me up most of the night. it is so hard on little ones to be ill. They really don't know what to do, but cling and cry...

I am watching for the school bus. I expect them to turn school out any time now, and there will be no school tomorrow. I-40, is already a skating rink in places, and I am praying Ben will be able to get home from work, and Andrew into work safely. I am hoping my family will all be safely around me soon.

About that time of course, the noise level with hit nerve shattering pitch, and i will have to be sent to my room for a time out...i may have to call Ben and tell him to bring Dr. Pepper and chocolate while he is in town...i don't know what i was thinking not getting a supply of the true necessities of an ice storm...

They are expecting 2 inches of ice and about 4 inches of snow in our area, it is supposed to last through Monday, I really hope they are wrong, but Ok forecasters usually aren't...

I was sitting in bed this morning with my 2 sleeping sickies, trying to keep my eyes open drinking a cup of coffee, when Little House on the Praire came on, and i just turned them off...life wasn't really simple and sweet then, it was just plain hard. you didn't have time to do outside things, because all your time was consumed with trying to survive...

Light,heat, water, laundry , food all would take every moment of every day, i can imagine on a small scale,how difficult this must have been. I wonder if you didn't know any difference, if that made it easier...

Light switches that don't turn anything, taps with air, and no water, washing machines that don't do anything, toliets that don't refill...these are the realites of modern life, when the things we take for granted like electricity and water aren't available....

I am praying the lines don't ice, the power stays on, and even our limited water supply continues to flow...and i remember, my strength is in the Lord, and these things are temorary and temporal, and will hopefully someday soon be just a memory

crazy house on the prairie

We have been having such an adventure lately with no water. Hauling water to wash dishes, flush toliets, bathe children, it is very time consuming and difficult.

Ashley has to drive to city hall regularly to get us a supply of drinking water. We spent an interseting Sat. afternoon, with buckets of water, and washboards, in about 40 degree weather, with a freezing north wind...loads of fun...

Ashley is so tired of having to haul and boil water to wash dishes...we are using paper plates, and plastic stuff as much as possible, but we stilll have dishes, bowls and pots and pans....

Alexandra and Christian had a great time sitting in the shower in my industrial size stock pot, they thought they were taking a bath. We just stood them up to wash their hair and soap them up, and then they sat in my pot...I wish it was that easy for the rest of us...but, alas we don't fit in the pot.

We have limited water right now, and i don't know when it will return to normal, but i am praying it is very soon. We still can't use it for eating, drinking, cooking, or teeth brushing. We aren't supposed to bathe the babies in it because they might drink it, so they all had to take a shower...Alexandra protested...but she eventually lined all her ducks up ;in the shower...

Ashley didn't attack the kitchen today, and it is the biggest mess imaginable...Oh well, theres' always tomorrow, thats if we still have water...

Wednesday, we have to collect as much water as possible, and kindling. Andrews' friend is supposed to deliver us a load of firewood. A huge snow storm is supposed to hit on Thursday, one that is supposed to bring ice and high winds, which could mean power outages, which has in the past meant no power, and no water... we have to prepare for the possibilities.

Maybe it will all just go away, no ice, no more snow, no power outages, no more school closings. I am frankly sick of winter, and looking forward to spring....

Nicole and I have decided we are not cut out for the little house on the prairie, we don't like hauling water, we don't like camp bathing, and we absolutely hate doing laundry on washboards...

woe is me

My neighbor Debbie called this morning, to give me a water update. We have had water since Sat. , but it can't be used for dishes, drinking, etc. it has to be boiled first. Many of my neighbors are still without water, and they are on day 11 of no water.

The tower can't keep up with the drain on the system, so they are turning off the limited water until Sun. or Mon.

I will admit my first inclination was to sit down and have a good cry, but not knowing when Abe would shut it down, the Mama in me began collecting water in anything and everything available in order to flush toliets, wash dishes, and camp bathe my household.

I wanted to be depressed, but i am not, i was irritated, but quickly offered a prayer for Abe who is working around the clock almost single handed now that everyone has left him, and for Debbie who is receiving a lot of angry calls. Most people out here are pragmatic, and go with the flow. We are what you would call country folk...people who deal with what needs to be done...

I have floors that desperately need mopping, if you added water to them, you just might get mud, and then i thought of the poor people that only have mud for floors, no walls, no ceiling, no end in sight...how ungrateful i am ....i really love turning on the taps, and having lots of hot water whoosh out, how disheartening it is to turn on your taps, and nothing happen...

It was while i was franticallly filling buckets, and pots, and things, my mother called. She is still dealing with the mess left by the robbers, that stole her earthly possessions, trashed her home, and left her nervous and unsettled...she told me my 30 year old nephew is still in critical condition, and the Dr.s have declared his colon cancer to have invaded his liver and be stage 4...My sister Anita is beside herself with grief....she can't speak, sleep, eat...

I ask your prayers, for Matthew, his wife, My sister Anita and her husband Steve, and the rest of the family...

After speaking to my Mother, the inconvenience of my water situation seemed so small, so minor, we will cope, and move on...the little challenges of life, God give them your strength to face the big ones...

Give your comfort to my sister who's heart is breaking, help her to face what she can't...help me too...words offer no comfort at a time like this, so i will offer up my sacrifices, and hope she finds comfort in your love...

Christmas Time.

Homecoming 2010

life is a rhyme

I think I read too much Dr. Seuss as a child. My brain rhymes things all the time. I usually don't tell people because it's weird. Very weird.

I haven't been able to sleep lately. I have had so much on my mind, and i stay so busy during the day. It seems my brain needs extra time to tell me what is going on. I lay there in bed with my brain twirling and whirling around...no rest, no peace, no resolution.

I have tried journaling like my Dr. suggests. It seems this is very common in people with fibromialgia. Last night around 12:30, I gave up, and started writing in my journal. Ben opened one tired eye, and said what in the heck are you doing?

I am writing to do lists, and schedules, and menus, and chore lists, I am writing down who I am mad at and why, what i am scared about,where i am supposed to be and when...what hurts, and what i should do about it...the worst of it is, it is all in rhyme...

Theres' too much, theres' too many thoughts in my head, too many things to do, too many lists, too many rhymes. Never a moment, never enough time-

I'm all about work, I have no time to play, i forget about reading, I struggle to pray-

I am stressed out and tapped out, exhausted and weary, my head is so foggy, my eyes oh so bleary-

I wrote my lists like this, and everything on my mind. I finally turned out the light and went to sleep.

It has finally happened, i have joined the wrapped too tight club...p.s. I just checked my list, and i am supposed to be getting dressed and doing laundry...time to get to work...drats

Waiting on the lord

I haven't had a scripture for the year yet. I knew it would come to me, it would arrive. And so, I waited. I waited, and waited, i knew i was just waiting on the lord, and his timing.

A few days ago it dawned on me, the lord had spoken to my heart, i was just a little slow in responding.

Isaiah 40-31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;they shall mouny up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint.