Kevin and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

With apologies to Alexander :), and in reference to yesterday.

Having already been held up overnight due to weather in Cambridge (and the storm that hit most of southern Ontario) he and Iain arose at 4:30, packed the car and set out for home, hoping that he could still make it to his course in Kingston. They made it as far as the end of his sister's (very short) street, only to find a downed tree and electrical wires. Back to unload again.

At 8:30 they tried a second time; the tree and wires were removed. Cambridge roads were nasty but the 401 was in fair shape so they had a decent drive through Toronto. Then "odd" things started happening with the Honda; the spedometer quit working ... the odometer ... eventually even the tape player. You mechanics are nodding your heads knowingly, but trust me, there are no mechanics in this household! They pulled in to a service station at Port Hope for a washroom break, and the Honda wouldn't start again. Kev called me, already frustrated since he'd been up since 4:30, called CAA, then went back out and managed to start the car. They piled in, cancelled CAA, and made it to Coburg before the obviously overwrought car started shuddering and gave signs that it was done! Kev managed to exit off the 401 and came to a complete stop in Cobourg, JUST over the rise of a hill, with no working four-ways. They spent a harrowing XXXXXXXX minutes waiting for CAA, being sworn at by other drivers furious with the lack of four-ways and fearing for their lives. CAA arived, diagnosed a sick alternator, and informed Kev that he and Iain would be entering the County by tow truck as the car was towed to Picton. At least they were within the 200 km tow limit!

When asked whether he's had fun riding in a tow truck, Iain simply stated "No." (Remembering, of course that he had been up since 4:30 a.m.!)

I popped into the van to meet them at Stormy's to finally bring them home. Coming over the crest of a hill on my way into Picton, a small problem that had started with the van suddenly magnified ... I lost a cylinder, the van started shuddering and shaking and the only way I could keep the engine running was to slip it into neutral and step on the accelerator. I managed to limp to Stormy's (how great was it that I was heading to a garage anyway???) and eke into the driveway.

So there we were, at the garage, with two "troubled" vehicles. At this point all Kev wanted to do was get home. The car was already booked for Monday (heh, heh) and they fixed the van for us right there and then. Neither the Stenhouses nor the Girls' home were really in a position to fix a car at this point, BUT ...

While all this was going on, the girls at home were dealing with a power-outage that started at 7:30 a.m. and did not get resolved until about 1:30 (after being told the power would be out until 11:30 that night!). I spent all morning on the phone with Hydro, neighbours, electricians, Kevin, and various others. First thing in the morning I thought I should fill the bathtub "just in case", then completely forgot about this until the power went off. Because of course, in the country, once your water lines are empty, you can't flush your toilets without dumping water in :).

Anyway, the day ended eventually. Kev and Iain made it home. Kev "There's-nothing-I-like-better-than-a-nice-bowl-of- soup" Stenhouse had homemade tomato-beef soup, Iain slept for 12 solid hours and all is well. The van is purring, and with a new part it will hopefully last longer than the 15 months it survived with the rebuilt part we put in last time. And, after giving up any hope of making the course, Kev discovered that the teacher is planning to re-teach the course on another weekend due to the high incidence of storm-induced absenteeism.

This one is high up there on Kevin's list of "days-never-to-be-repeated" (likely second only to his move home from NJ!).

Peace, and a better day to you :)!

Karen

Photographs of Iain's aquarium

Iain is an amateur aquarist. He has worked very hard at building this tank up. He received the 20-gallon tank for Christmas 2005 to replace an old small purple kid's tank that had originally belonged to Alison. When he needs fish food, or wants to buy a new fish, he works VERY hard around the house (we don't start allowance until age 10, so he's still at the "extra chores for extra money" stage). He's a hard working boy and stacked a cord of wood by himself this winter!

The first photograph is an overview of the tank. The black and silver striped fish are black neon tetras; in front of the castle is a female cherry barb, and to the right are guppies and Iain's male Dwarf Gourami.

The second photograph is a close-up of the male Dwarf Gourami (the female was elusive during our photography session; she is plain silver in colour). The two deep red fish are the male cherry barbs, and there is a flash of blurry male guppy above the gourami.

For those who would like more detail, you can double-click on the photos to expand them.

This just made me laugh!

(If you double-click on the image, it will come up into a new window and be somewhat easier to read.)

This cartoon is rather appropriate, since we are expecting snow yet again. Kevin and Iain headed out yesterday to Kev's uncle's funeral; I'm hoping that the snow called for today doesn't materialize before they arrive home. Right now, in beautiful Prince Edward County, it's a glorious, sunny day, so it's hard to imagine. The lake-effect snow squalls do blow in quickly though, and we've had plenty this winter (a positive change, in my opinion) ... hmmm, something like if one lived in a snow globe! We even have our own little earth tremors; barely noticeable, they occur daily around 2:00 p.m. when the local cement plant blasts another section of the quarry!

Woo hoo! Pregnancy Announcement!

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Okay, really, did any of you think I was referring to me? Kev, are you okay :cD?


Alison and I haltered The Ladies yesterday and did a quick check of their external baby-making apparatus (udder and other unmentionables :c) ...). To my extremely inexperienced eye, I am 90% confident that both of the girls are in the family way.

We also found out last week that they were exposed to two rams; one high percentage Texel white ram, and one high percentage Texel black ram. We are quite hopeful that at least one of the ladies was covered by the black ram. Both the girls have colour genetics so if that is the case, we are quite likely to have at least one coloured lamb.

I was searching the 'net yesterday and discovered that my perfect breed does exist. I like the "meat machine" qualities of the Texel but prefer to have natural coloured fleece. And here they are ... the Blue Texel! That beautiful variegated fleece could be a spinner and weaver's dream. Not sure of the fibre size, but I'm pretty sure they don't exist as a breed yet in Canada so it's likely a moot point :).

Our hobbit house shelter will be a bit small for more than two sheep; for lambing we'll bring in straw bales and make small sheltered areas for lambing and the first couple of days, then spread out the straw over the whole pen as a nursery until the land has dried somewhat. We will then do pasture rotation across the north-east portion of our property using Electranet fencing. The fencing was graciously lent to us by Linda Swaine at Rosehaven Farm Store since she has disbanded her flock. I'm very interested in sustainable agriculture, and I know our teeny tiny farmette isn't the real thing, but our land is shot ... it's not fertile after years of continual grazing prior to the house being built. The sheep will be giving back more than they are taking, which will only improve the property. Better than dumping bag after bag of purchased manure, or man-made chemicals on it. I prefer our fertilizer delivered in a fluffy way :).

Family stuff ... news this week:

Alison is presently getting used to her head gear and braces. She went to bed with the headgear on last night, then removed them at midnight. And 4H has started with a vengeance ... the girls are doing an awesome art club run by a local artist where they're learning self-portraiture, block printing and other media, plus having a blast with friends. Claire has decided she should jump on the knitting bandwagon, and has started to make a felted purse in funky blue wool. I'll post photos of it as she makes it ... it's a very cool project! The girls are also in the Sheep and Goat Clubs, as well as having a really good time Square Dancing every other Thursday. Kev is juggling a couple of extra Eagles' Flight jobs (thank you, Lord!!!) and this coming week is on course with the Free Methodist Church of Canada in Kingston.

Think that's all for now!

What is Great Church?

This is a copy of a post I submitted at a favourite message board. I decided to post it here as well! This was in response to someone wondering about trying a smaller church nearby, OR moving to the community their large church is in.

Chiming in a bit late here ... great church

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When we moved to our community, we went to quite a few churches and "committed" to one 30 minutes drive away. It was (and still is!) a great church; met all our needs. By our sixth week, God was convicting us big time as we drove home (very funny ... both dh and I were silent most of the way home thinking all the same thoughts).

Church is ALL about community. Great worship is wonderful; fun Sunday school programs are icing on the cake. But great church is being close enough that if one of your church friends is in labour you can pop over at 1:30 a.m. to watch their kids. Or when someone who is upset can drop in and you guys can drink tea together and pray. Great church is getting to know your unsaved neighbour and being close enough that your church friends can help you help them out and let them see Christ in action and feel what it's like to be enveloped the love of community, which is sadly lacking for many. Great church means not escaping on Sunday, but working out issues before they fester because you see these people all week, and have no choice but to resolve things (and truly, how many of us LIKE to resolve things?). Great church (for our family, anyway) is church where we are overly-involved , and from a stewardship perspective, driving long distances is not wise (now we have a tight budget so this may not apply for many people).

We knew FIRST visit that our little rural church was the one for us. We weren't comfortable with the worship style, there were not many children. But it was warm and welcoming, and God spoke to both of us withing three minutes of entering the building that this was it.

God has dealt with any areas of "concern" I might have had, either by using us with our gifts, or in His wisdom making changes, or by changing us. One thing that so far hasn't changed much is the number of children the age of my own, but I see now that when my children aren't part of a "herd", the adults are way more able to love on them and encourage them as individuals. I love these networks building in our community; I love that other people love our children. And numbers are slowly increasing as my children make friends and we include them.

Anyway, I'm so glad you decided to give the local church a chance. I'm praying that your dh is able to meet good, godly men and find real connection there.

Karen

Finally ... Claire's socks are done!

Here are Claire's very pink, funky new socks. She loves wearing skirts, but despises tights or stockings. So she wanted high socks for wearing under denim skirts! These were much easier socks to knit than the last two pairs; I ditched the Paton's Kroy yarn and used an Italian-made yarn called "Super Socks Color". It was quite inexpensive and I picked it up at our LYS, Rosehaven Farm Store. The yarn is harsher than the Kroy, but there were NO tangles within the ball and the end was easy to find (I spent at least an hour per previous pair of socks untangling the ball!) And now that the socks have been washed they are softening nicely.

Interestingly, I started both balls of yarn from the inside, laid out and began at the same point in the pattern; and the stocks are still somewhat differently patterned! The pattern on Claire's right sock is a steady spiral over the foot and up the leg; for some reason on the left sock, the spiral didn't start until up the leg and there is more of a wavy pattern on the instep and heel side. We decided that this gives the socks "homemade charm" :).

Iain is now eagerly awaiting *his* socks; we went in to town this morning and picked out red, blue, green and white-striped washable wool made by the same company. And last night Kevin strongly encouraged me to get going with them so I can make him a second pair! I have not yet made a pair for Alison, however; she would like to knit her own. Her gauge is quite loose, though, and we must find a size US 1 circular needle before she can start. It pays to purchase decent needles; the cheapie bamboo needles that I bought snap like toothpicks under stress. The size 1's are now history.

There is an upcoming knitting class at Rosehaven Farm stores for an 8-hour sweater that I REALLY want to try. I've not yet had the courage to try a sweater, and this one looks not too scary!

Happy knitting :)!

Claire scales the heights!

And here are photographs of Claire. She also successfully climbed "The Chimney"; alas by then both available cameras had dead batteries :). Here she is climbing up to the window to check out the scenery!

It was a great outing all in all! I already have two requests for "Boiler Room" birthday parties; those of you who know the children will be able to guess who :) !

Woo hoo! Rock climbing at the Boiler Room in Kingston!

Our Junior Youth group went to the Boiler Room in Kingston on Sunday afternoon! What a great time, and so awesome to see fear transformed to success. We had two boys afraid of heights who ended up reaching the top of the 30 foot walls, and four kids (including Alison and Claire) who conquered "The Chimney", which is the highest indoor climbing wall in Canada at 100 feet. As its name suggests, it's the interior of the main chimney for the old mill in which The Boiler Room is built. Kevin and I and two other adults belay'd (must learn how to spell this and edit later) for the 9 kids. We had such a great time! Photograph 1 is the whole group. Iain was able to come along, even though he's not quite junior youth age, 'cause mom is a leader and we needed Kevin for his experience.













Left: Here is Iain knotting himself in to get ready for a climb.
Right: Alison looking like a pro!













Left: Iain made it to the window at 25 feet (and actually climbed beyond). He had excellent coaching from one of the staff who helped him reach beyond what he felt capable of doing!

Right: Alison starting her ascent into "The Chimney". You couldn't have paid me enough to do this!

Continued in next post :).

Great photograph of Kevin, to go with my previous post "all about him"

Our pastor, Steve, and his wife had a beautiful baby girl last night! Here is a photo of Kev holding baby Mary.

Steve and Janna now have a beautiful family of five, including eldest Ben who is almost 4 and Eli, who is almost 2.

(Never mind the baby; isn't he handsome?)

Karen

Week in Review - Feb. 2nd and "What is Kev doing with his life?"

Kev was home for a real vacation this week. Over Christmas, he had so many duties and interruptions that he went back to work feeling less than refreshed. He's juggling a lot, as per usual. As well as the usual "hat" (executive director of New Life Girls' Home), he announces part-time at UCB Canada 102.3, which is our local Christian Radio Station. Right now he's only on Saturday afternoons from 1-3, although he enjoyed a live morning show stint between Christmas and New Years. Anyone who is interested can tune in via the link on our sidebar.

He's directing an Easter play at our church called "Cross Purposes". Last year at this time he and the girls were right in the middle of mega-practices for the play "Jesus Christ Superstar" put on by the County Theatre Group. They had an awesome, but exhausting, time, that culminated with four sold-out performances. So this time he's giving directing a try.

Kev has also prayerfully decided to pursue ordination within the Free Methodist Church. It is a very good fit for him, but this decision has put him back in school (at least part-time). He has assigned reading ranging from huge, scholarly, dry-as-driftwood treatises to more culture current material, and I think he's (mostly) having a lot of fun with this new endeavour. (Don't mention "last assignment" and "procrastination" to him, please!)

He is the director of the worship committee at our church, Prince Edward County Free Methodist Church. And, in his "free time", he is going to Prince Edward Fitness and Aquatic Club a few mornings a week to work out. Oh, yes, and he still does contract work with his previous employer "Eagles Flight of Canada" which we are so grateful for because it allow him to work in the ministry. Most of his facilitations are in Montreal, Quebec City or the Laurentians, so he is becoming more and more fluent again en Francais (can't figure out how to do the cedille here?) Generally after a session he comes home and is either speaking in French, or has a lovely French accent for a few days :c) !

Back to our week ... we continued with school this week despite Kev's vacation, but it was school-lite. I had all three kids with an area of challenge in math (very frustrating for my eldest who tends to acquire math concepts with ease and always has done so! I told her this was good preparation should she ever decide to teach :c) !) So we spent lots of time one-on-one teaching in these areas, as well as covering the essentials.

We also did a major overhaul of the school toom (okay, truthfully, that one is still in process!), had a homeschool family skating party at the Wellington arena, swim lessons in Belleville, and last night went to the first 4H meeting of 2007. IT. STARTS. The girls have signed up for the 4H Square Dance club, which is a brand new club in the County this year. Claire is not sure what she thinks, but Alison enjoyed it. And I loved it, since they didn't have enough kids to make three full sets and some of the parents had to fill in. Having gone to University of Guelph, I did indeed learn to square dance, and in fact "almost" entered a competition once at College Royal. So skills were rusty but enthusiasm was high!

Lastly, we got quite a few niggling chores finally done; one in particular that's been driving me crazy since our first summer in this house. Our house was built sturdily, but the family who built it ran out of money by the end. Quite a few of the "final" touches either didn't get done (for example closet doors), or were done quickly and cheaply (the doors). Anyway, the doors to all the rooms had never actually been painted when we arrived. We attended to that when we painted the rooms, but didn't think to take the doors off. Each summer, the humidity builds and swells the doors because no one ever sealed the bottoms. It's worse in the basement, so for a period EVERY summer we've lived here, the girls have been unable to shut their bedroom doors. Every summer I've said "I MUST get those doors painted" and every winter I procrastinate until it's too late and the doors are sticking again.

But this year, I did it! The house is nice and dry; the wood stove has been going for a few weeks. The doors slip in perfectly. Alison and I took every door off, sealed the bottoms, painted them, and then of course, because the rest of the door then looked shabby, painted them in their entirety. It took me all day, but doesn't it feel great when you FINALLY get something like this completed?

Anyway, must head out ... I'm in process of turning a heel and would like to get it done today. My current knitting project is a pair of VERY bright pink/turquoise/purple funky socks for Claire. I'm on sock two, so the end is near.

Peace to you all!

Karen