MInistry of Reality

Alternate Title: "Why Does it Smell so Bad in Here?"

A friend of mine came up with a great idea for blog posts. She writes about things without sugar coating. Reality, many times, is not for the fainthearted!

I immediately thought of this quick blog entry when the event of the morning subsided. Let me start from the beginning.

It all began two days ago, Wednesday, when I started noticing a faint odor. I only noticed it when I sat in my husband's seat at the table. Well, I forgot about it and went about daily tasks.

Yesterday, I noticed the smell again. I actually thought that something possibly had died and the smell was carrying in from outside. Our table is next to the door to the deck. I spent a little time looking around the immediate area of the seat and table.

I also thought that maybe the dogs had left a little scrap of food around or a large bug was decomposing somewhere that I could not see. I mean, the smell was bad; but it was not like a dead deer was laying nearby. The odor was enough to bother me but not anyone
else in the house. For the record, I have experienced dead animal smells; as I've gone running along many a country road.

So, today as the kids were finishing breakfast, I still noticed the smell! It was not getting better! I do not like bad smells! More action was needed. First, I needed to track down a flashlight for looking under furniture. Second, I needed to find another flashlight because the first one seems to have the lens broken. Third, I needed to find another flashlight because the second flashlight was out of battery power. "Properly" armed (the third flashlight was only the size of half a pencil) I was now ready to look under the cabinet and the bureau we use for linen storage.

Well, I looked under the bureau. I found from whence the smell cometh. I guess we had left a baited mousetrap under there. I say I guess because it has been several weeks if not months since we did this. Well, you guessed it, there was a little mouse trapped under there. I then used a couple plastic grocery bags to cover my hand to slide out the mouse and trap and dispose of everything.

I called my husband and asked how he could not have noticed that smell. His response? "Well, your dinners smell so good. I haven't smelled anything else." Hmpf. Nice save.

Moral of the story: do not forget about baited mouse traps.

"Quiet" Day at Home

The kids and I are enjoying some homemade granola for breakfast today. I only wish that I had more honey on hand to make granola bars. Both are such money savers as well as yummy snacks!

We're thankful for a day at home, but we (namely, mama) have quite the to-do list! I'm sure you're all dying to know what it is:

1. Finish breakfast and clear the dishes.

2. Make toffee for book discussion group tonight. Dig out candy thermometer to make said toffee.

3. Fold a load of laundry and put another load in the dryer. We try to wash one load a day. We (mama, again) does well with the washing, but the folding and putting away cannot seem to cooperate with me as quickly. The kids are starting to be wonderful helpers with transferring the clothes into the machines and pressing the buttons!

4. Try not to torment Omma's dog too much. Omma has officially moved in last week, as she prepares to put a house in on the lot next door.

5. Make bread dough for tomorrow's dinner. We'll hopefully be having grilled pizzas!

6. Put chicken in crockpot for tonight's dinner. You can never go wrong with white wine and garlic.

7. Write a letter/color some pictures for Uncle in Africa.

8. Work on secret knitting and sewing projects - both are gifts for September birthdays.

9. Prepare peach cobbler to go in the oven while the potatoes are baking for tonight's dinner.

10. Water plants on the back deck. I'm surprised these plants are so forgiving because of how long it takes me to water them.

11. Check garden for the handful of cukes and tomatoes we get every day.

Well, that's the rough draft! We'll see what happens today. Hope your day is full of good things!

We Have to Start Somewhere!

I noticed that the official first tomato of the season is ready to pick! It's a cherry tomato, so it will be interesting to cut it into three sections for our lunch - wink! It's funny how excited we are to see those green tomatoes turn to orange and then red. In a few weeks we'll be knocking on the neighbors' doors to hand them tomatoes, but today we'll savor the first-fruits from the garden.

By the way, does anyone want a cucumber?