July 15, 2013 A review of yesterday's reunion.

     Good morning. Yesterday was my Dad's side of the family reunion. It was such a good day. It got hot but not as hot as it was last year for the reunion. I believe there was around 50 people there, which is less than usual. Several people just couldn't make it. But we understand that not everyone can travel here every year. We have many family members that live in other states and with jobs and the economy it is difficult to return home every year. But we had a lot of food, and very good food at that. We all ate way to much and set around and talked. My family is very close and there are lots of ornery funny people. A lot of jokes were told. A lot of memories were made and shared. After eating one of our main activities is shooting guns. We have been doing this for as long as I can remember. Skeet shooting is a highlight for all. Everyone shoots at least once, most shoot several times. It is a time for the adult males to show off there guns and for the children to be educated on gun safety. And I can tell you that we all in this family have inherited the ability to be a good shot, evident by the little ones that can hit the skeet that are flying through the air on their first shot. A lot of children never have been around guns before and have not idea how to be around guns safely, this activity is such a learning event. The kids think it is fun but what they don't realize is that they are being taught many lessons with the adults by there side. This is where I have learned most of my gun respect and lessons as a child and I am proud that the future generations of this family are learning the same.
    After the skeet shooting comes the time to eat homemade ice cream. Even though we are all still to full to eat anything, everyone somehow finds a way to eat at least a cup full. Plus it is very cooling during a hot day. This is also a tradition that we do every year.
     After the eating and skeet shooting and eating ice cream comes the time to just sit around and talk. Many people leave during this time and there are only a few that are left, well maybe 20 or more stick around to just hang out and be together, its like we just don't want the day to end. Then someone, my niece, says that she is hungry again. I don't know how she could possible be hungry after all that eating. But then we know it is time to set out all the left over food again and start to eat again. Like I said we are very good eaters. Even though we all are saying there is no way we could eat another bite, we all go back through the line and get at least get one more plate full. Then we are really done. We can hardly move but then it is time to clean up, putting up the tables and chairs, cleaning up all the food and dividing up what is left. Many hands make light work and it all gets done quickly. By the time we get home it is around 8pm and all we can do is lay down and go to sleep.
     Mom had such a good day. Everyone in this family seems to love her and respect her. They all care for her and look out for her. Everyone is willing to offer a helping hand with her. It makes me so happy to see the respect they give her. It is hard to pick a favorite moment concerning the family's treatment of Mom but this morning what sticks in my head is when we all were watching and shooting the pistols, my cousin well actually he would be my 1st cousin's husband, he offered her a chair to sit in and pulled up a chair and set beside her and they just talked and watched the shooting. This may not seem to be a big deal to anyone else but he is a very quiet type and to me seems not very social. But he took a special step and offered her a seat and offered to spend time with her. Something so small seems so huge to me.
      I had such an enjoyable day and can't wait till we do it again next year.
     Have a good day.

                                                              April Whitehair 

July 14, 2013 Reunion #2

     Good morning. Yesterday was a long day and I am very tired this morning. We had a wonderful time at Moms reunion and ate way to much. We did a lot of setting around talking, reminiscing about Grandma and Grandpa, catching up with family we hadn't seen in a long time and definitely eating. It was nice to see Mom hugging all her brothers and sisters. She remembered all of them, I think, but I don't think she really remembered anyone else. She definitely remembers her twin sister, she loves her so much. It was nice to see all the love and caring showed to her by her brothers and sisters. It touched my heart when one of her sisters sat with her while eating and helped her by getting her drinks and coffee and extra deserts and just talking with her like she was her old self. Something so little is so meaningful to my Mom, so meaningful to me. It is very interesting to see those who approached her with love and caring and those who avoided her. She is the oldest of that family, the big sister.
     The auction went well. My husband bid and won a gift for me, it was a snowman candle holder with a candle in it. A good prepper item. I bid on and won food storage containers, I paid 13 dollars for them, you can't see what is in the boxes till you win the bid and open the box. But I am always glad to get storage containers, I seem to never find a bottom and a lid that match when needed. I also won a blanket in the raffle. The kind where you have to cut and tie the two pieces together. So it is more like a project than a prize. But it will be a good blanket for Mom.
     Something else I observed at the reunion was my niece, 17, and nephew, 14. They are such good and caring young adults. They love and care for each other like no other brother and sister I have seen before. I am sure they fight at home like all siblings do but yesterday they showed so much maturity. My niece got a gift from the drawling then when it was her brothers turn and there was nothing left that a young man would want, she gave him her gift and chose something else for her self, even though it wasn't what she really wanted. That is the definition of unselfishness if I have ever seen one. My sister and brother-in-law have done an excellent job in raising two fine young adults.      
     Today is Dad's side of the family reunion. Last night after the other reunion we went up to my uncle's house to get things set up for today's reunion. Even when working we have a good time together. It is nice to see all the children and young men working. The children working hard side by side with there cousins and the young men working side by side with the older men. All learning irreplaceable lessons.
     Today is church then the reunion. I have so much to do. Have a good day.

                                                                 April Whitehair

July 13, 2013 Reunion #1

     Good morning. This is to be a long weekend. Today is Mom's side of the family reunion and tomorrow is Dad's side of the family reunion. I have lucked in to inheriting the dish that Mom has always made but now is unable to make due to her Alzheimer's. Probably the easiest thing to make, cheesecake. So I have made two, well actually it is four boxes, two in each pan. Everyone loves them and the pans come home empty or almost empty every time. Mom, before she got Alzheimer's, shared her secret on how to make them so good and I hope I do them justice. Everyone seems to like them whether Mom makes them or me so I must be doing it right.
     I come from families that are both great cooks. We really can do some eating. We all eat till we just can't eat anymore than we eat some more. Yes we are that good of cooks and maybe even better  eaters. Definitely no dieting this weekend.
     The reunion today is so much fun. Mom gets to see her brothers and sisters that she doesn't get to see much. Then after all the eating they have a auction, were we all bring a wrapped gift of some sort and everyone bids on them. The money goes for the things needed to put on the reunion the next year. The wrapped gifts could be anything. And with some of my Uncles it is hard to tell what kind of gag gifts they would bring. It is always exciting to see what you bought. Some gifts sell for a dollar and sometimes I have seen them sell for twenty. It just depends how ornery my family feels. Last year my husband got a nice set of storage containers of all sizes, I think he spent 16 dollars for them, but it was fun and I will always have a gift that my Uncle gave, he now has cancer and is fighting it very hard. That same Uncle the year before bid on something and won and he gave it to me,  Which he does often, he will win and say give it to her, which could be anyone of his nieces, or sisters or anyone else in the crowd. I just love that man. I so hope he wins his battle against cancer. Well the gift he won and gave me the other year that I was speaking of was food canisters that has bears and fall leaves and cabins on them, not something I would pick for myself, but sense it was from him I will treasure them for ever, actually they sit on my dresser in my bedroom, collecting spare change and batteries and the like. They will always have a special place in my heart and my home.
     Well today is going to be a long one and I need to get it started. Have a good day.

                                                                        April Whitehair

July 12, 2013 The Power Outage

     Good morning. I was unable to post yesterday because of a power outage. To most people loosing electrical power is a major disadvantage but for a prepper it is a blessing. Yes a blessing, a chance to try out your preps and see the areas that you have forgotten to prepare for. New areas of concern have come to mind and new ideas are forming.
     The power went out the night before last and lasted about 19 hours. During the first hour of the power outage I set down and by candle light I wrote the 'old fashion way' by pen and paper, my thoughts. And I think I would like to share them with you. So below will be what I wrote.

7-10-2013                  8:30pm
     Well the electric went out about 40 minutes ago and I already am bored and mad at myself for not being better prepared. I call myself a prepper but really I think I am just a want a be. Mostly I am mad that I can't watch Big Brother on tv. It's suppose to be on right now and it's driving me crazy. What does that say about my priorities?
     A couple of minutes before the storm hit we all were standing outside talking to my sister/neighbor and she said we were going to get a big storm. Well I had not watched the news or the weather all day. And for the last several weeks we have been having bad storms with only a flicker of power outage. So I was not to worried. Then my husband said we have been lucky so far. When he said that I knew he just cursed us so I jumped up and went to run water. We live in the country so when the power is out so is the water. I was able to fill the kitchen sink, the tub, the washer, and two totes. Then the storm stopped and I was glad it had not effected the power but only a few minutes later poof the power was out. Now I'm glad I got all that water ready. It is hard to tell how long we will be without power. But this lack makes me think of other things that I wish I would have done. Like make more ice, stacked the freezer better to hold in more cold, made my husband one more gallon of tea. But over all the thing I wish I had done while prepping for who knows what is bought a generator. At least with one I could be watching Big Brother!
     Also being a prepper in thought makes me wonder if this power outage is only because of the storm or if SHTF has actually happened. I don't even have a radio that I can use to hear the news. I have two cd/radios but both take more batteries than I have. Guess I should have thought about that before...
     The list is endless of what I would have done differently or better or more of.
     How would we as a people know if SHTF happened. How much in the dark 'so to speak' would we be? Would the information come word of mouth from person to person. Would there be even  radio news to listen to if we had that ability.
     I am poorly prepared for any and all instances. This I have come to strongly realize. Though I am not afraid, maybe naively so. I don't expect others or our country to support me and mine during our countries time of need. I have faith of God that He sees all His children through.
     I may go wash dishes in the water I ran before it slowly slips away. Something to do to keep me active and hopeful to the future. God bless and keep moving. May God guide your steps.
                                                                         April Whitehair


     So that is what I wrote. I wrote it and put it away and did not think about it again till I started writing this post today. So I pulled it back out and read it for the first time. I think it is so telling of what my thought and feelings were at that moment. I think that if you want to be better prepared for power outages or other difficulties you should set your self down during a temporary power outage and write how you feel and what your actually thinking about. Then when your mini crisis is over and life goes back to normal you can read what you wrote and see the things that you need to work on.
     I woke up yesterday morning with the power still off and decided to try out some ideas that I had been thinking on. One of my main concerns was dealing with the lack of water. So I got up early and got dressed and gathered three 2liter soda pop bottles and set out for the natural water source I had scouted out months ago. I collected the water and carried them home. I set the water to boil like I had read to do and set down to rest and read through a survival book that my husband had bought. I read over the pages that concerned finding and purifying water. Well first I should have read the book first, secondly I should have filtered it first before boiling it. Well I let it boil for about 30 minutes the filtered it through a coffee filter. But to my surprise the water was slightly yellow. Not sure the reason for that. It will be one of the things I will research before I would have to actually need to use the water. But over all it was a good experiment to see if I could do it and what I need to change to fix the problems.
      Well as I said the electric came back on and all is well again. I am off to do what needs done. Have a good day.
         
                                                                                April Whitehair
                                                                        

July 10, 2013

     Good morning. Yes it is raining again. My poor tomato plants are starting to look bad due to all the rain. Everything else seems to be enjoying all the rain. We were able to pick and eat more fried green tomatoes yesterday. Mom loves them so much and so does my husband and I. I have yet been able to let any tomatoes get red before picking and frying them. But with all the smaller ones on the plants there will be plenty to get ripe.
     Yesterday I worked on sorting and organizing some of the stuff that will go into the new storage building. I completed all the clothes. Well to be truthful all I really did was transfer all the winter clothes from boxes and bags into totes. I didn't do much sorting but in my defense it was to hot to try on and decide if warm winter clothes still fit and needed to be kept so I decided that is better to be done when it gets cold out, like next winter. And now I am out of totes. I need to buy more but those things cost money and I think I will have to wait before I can purchase anymore. By standing in the old house and scanning and doing a basic estimated count of how many totes I will need it appears that I will need a total of 23 smaller sized ones. That will be a lot of money whether I buy the smaller ones or the larger ones. Keeping clothes to me is not a hoarder issue in my opinion. You never know when you might need other clothes whether they are to small or large or just not your style anymore they might come in handy sometime in the future. You might know someone who is going through a difficult time and need clothes and you could be able to help. You could use old clothes for fabric to make other things. Or some day you may just need to wear what ever you have even if it is stained or out of style. Clothes are expensive and when I buy something I try to take care of it so it will last a long time and I have a hard time parting with it. But usually when I do decide to get rid of clothes I first think if I can use it for other things but if it is good and no holes or stains I will donate it to the church rummage sale.
     Mom just woke up and asked how she got here. She has lived here for over 40 years. She is getting harder to reorient. Not much to do about that. She looks at me now like she has no idea who I am. Like I am a stranger. And like she is in a strange place. I don't know how to help her, I don't think there is anyway to help except to be here and try to be as compassionate and supportive as I can.
     I must go and see if she needs anything. Have a good day.

                                                                         April Whitehair

July 9, 2013 Garden

     Good morning. A quick and rainy walk through the garden this morning showed some good progress. I have some blooms finally on the bean plants, I was beginning to think that they were going to be all leaves and very tall. Our tomato plants are over full of tomatoes, what ever will I do with all these tomatoes? The banana pepper plants are doing wonderful, we had fried potatoes with sweet banana peppers in them last night for dinner and they were very good. The sunflower plants that I planted from seed that I collected from last years dwarf sunflower plants have now grown so tall that they are taller than I am. And there are lots of them. I will have lots of seeds this harvest and with any luck lots of sunflowers next year. I have lots of cucumber plants that are growing like crazy but only one cucumber that I can see. Not sure why but there are lots of blooms so there should be more cucumbers soon. The pumpkin and gourd plants are growing also.
     I went to the Dollar Store last night in the search of some totes that I need to repack our stuff to be placed in the new storage building that we are close to completing. Well the Dollar store was out of totes, can you believe that? But luckily the Family Dollar had plenty to chose from and I was able to buy six of them to get me started with the sort and packing. How did I accumulate so much junk? I do have a hoarder gene in my DNA, which I am actively fighting. But there are some things like childhood things that hold many good memories that I just cant part with. Those things I will keep, I just can't part with them. But I do hope I can cut down everything to about half. We shall see. Now with all this talk about it I want to get started. So I shall go and get to it.
     Have a good day.

                                                                 April Whitehair

July 8, 2013 Storage Building Part 2

     Good morning. Yesterday we completed the storage building except for the plywood floor. We will need to wait for a dry day and the use of my sister and her husband's truck. Which she is probably reading this before I even have a chance to ask, so hey sissy can I borrow your truck sometime? Hopefully her response is yes, then we can get the building finished. But then the real hard work is on me to do. I must go through all the stuff we had packed away and stored in the old house next door, that is now falling in, when we moved from our house to live here with my Mom when she started needing help due to her Alzheimer's. We had to move all our stuff from a two bedroom house into our bedroom that my wonderful brother-in-law attached to Mom's house. Which was impossible so thankfully the owners of the old house next door allowed us to use it as a storage place for all our extra stuff. That is what is great about living in a community of caring family members, when someone needs help there is always someone who is willing and able to help. I did go through the stuff last summer and get rid of about half but I want to resort all of it and hopefully get rid of about half of it again. Then I will pack what I want to keep in plastic totes and label it all before putting it in the new storage building. I am so excited about this building, I have been wanting and planning for it since we moved in here.
     Well with a few things to do around the house and a lot of sorting to do I must go and get things started. Have a good day.

                                                                         April Whitehair