This Weekend...was just as busy as always. On Friday, Bret had to pick up paint in Bowling Green for a job he has this week, so we all went along to go to Hobby Lobby and Wal-Mart. Hobby Lobby was actually a bit disappointing. I couldn't find any decent trim for the skirt I want to make for Gemma, not even a simple, half-inch, brown rick-rack. I couldn't find any decent trim for Una's sewing project. I didn't like the yarn selection, nor the fabric selection. I walked out with very little, which was a good thing, I suppose. Wal-Mart was as annoying as ever, but at least we got a new gas grill! Couldn't try it out that evening, however, since it was Friday...
On Saturday, we brought Una and Sebastian to their art class, dropped Gabriel and Adrian off at my sister's to play with their cousins, and then took Dominic and Gemma to the Mennonite community. We had five roosters in a cage on the back of the van, and our goal was to sell them. On the way in, we saw about thirty black buggies all parked near their church, and we wondered if there was a funeral.
We were thinking that we might not be able to find anyone to buy the roosters. So we stopped at Habeggars, the general store out there. Apparently it was not a funeral, but a special church event of sorts. I loaded up with two giant tubs of natural peanut butter, ten pounds of Prairie Gold (non-GMO) whole wheat flour, unsweetened shredded coconut, veggie chips, wasabi peas (those are so good--but I have trouble imagining the Mennonites eating such things!) and some dried fruit for Dominic.
We went to the farm where we've purchased honey, and a couple of pigs in the past, and even without the man of the house home, it was pretty busy there. There were Moslem men there slaughtering sheep, and we arrived in time to witness one being gutted, another skinned, and a third killed. It was not pretty, and the smell was appalling. If that is what an abattoir smells like, I can't imagine how anyone could work at one. I like my meat, and I would kill to keep my kids from starving, but honestly, if I had to do it myself, I wouldn't have the stomach for it, however much I have overcome my city-bred sensibilities.
We left the roosters there and went to pick up the kids, taking time to pick up some books at the library. Seven were over-due and unaccounted for. All of them Una's. She insisted that they had been returned, and I backed her, since I had combed over the house for stray volumes. At home, later on, she found all seven of them under her bed, otherwise known as "The Black Hole of Sumner County."
Anyway, when we got back to the Mennonite farm to discuss our roosters, we were told they'd been sold. And no wonder; there were more Moslem folks about, chasing chickens, buying the last of the tomatoes, and sitting around waiting for family members to conduct business. It was rather interesting, these two cultures mixing thus. At home, we fired up the new grill and threw on some ham steaks. And we watched the rest of Frontier House, which was a lot of fun.
Sunday we went to an early Mass. Had to leave the house at 7:20, so it was Wake Up, Dress, Eat, Brush Teeth and Leave. But getting home early is so nice. Too bad I had to spend 4 hours of this lovely day making up lesson plans for the next six weeks. Too bad, too, that the kids spent too much time sulking and bickering, so that I sent them to bed early. Oh well--their loss was my gain, as the house was lovely and quiet after 8:30.
Some plans for the week...I need to finish preparations for Halloween. That means the bat ornaments, the clues for the treasure hunt, and whatever details the kids still need for their costumes. And I want to do the earflaps for Gemma's Aviatrix and get it done so that I can start another project. And the boys reeeeally need haircuts again.
If I find some time for myself, I want to...work on some ATCs for Kimberlee's swap. Una has two done already.
Special prayer intentions...that I might grow in holiness. I know, this is a dangerous prayer that often entails some degree of suffering, sacrifice and humiliation. But I trust the Lord to be gentle with me and ask only small things of me. He knows I'm a real wimp. Also, for Gemma to go back to being the docile, complacent baby she was two weeks ago! Suddenly she is into everything, shrieking for any reason, and throwing little hissy-fits left and right! Ack! I want the other baby back!!!
Something that makes me smile...
If you would like to join in and tell everyone about your weekend and plans for the week ahead, just grab the header image and leave a link to your post below. Have a blessed week!
We have a small Amish/Mennonite community here (largest west of the Mississippi). There is an Amish store where they sell lots of bulk items similar to what you described.
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