Not sold

After the mop conversation last week, I became intrigued by the steam mops mentioned by several commenters. They sounded like a great deal. They used only water and killed germs with their heat. The water was internal, so no buckets for the toddler to splash around in. They were mops, so no hands-and-knees cleaning. I went to Amazon, which offers customer reviews, and looked at several models. It doesn't matter which one I picked, because I think my thoughts will be the same.

My new steam mop came yesterday. I immediately stopped everything to assemble it and try it out. Yes, it mopped the floor. I am sold on the idea of using a mop to clean. I definitely covered the large area I need to cover in a short period of time. In fact, I mopped and re-mopped and kept mopping until the water/steam ran out and probably did the floor about three times in the time it would normally take me to do it once by hand. Nice.

Yes, the steam mop got hot. But. In order for the tiles to get hot, in order for the germ-killing steam to be effective, you need to keep the mop in the same place for about 10 seconds. The directions even suggest only doing this in very germy places like near the toilet. Otherwise, you spend way too much time mopping your floor, bit by bit.

I am definitely not going to stand around waiting for the steam to kill off germs when I can use a cleaning solution to kill them faster. I know some people do not prefer harsh chemicals, so the steam mop may be right for them. But I'm the sort of person who thinks bleach is a wonderful thing (bring it on, I say). Since for me, the biggest draw to the steam mop was the killing of germs, but the killing of germs is time-consuming with a steam mop, the steam mop loses out when compared to an ordinary mop and a bucket of Lysol floor cleaner.

One other major drawback was the electric cord. In order to do the areas I have, I needed to use at least 3 different outlets. That is extremely inconvenient and annoying.

Also, some people raved about the steam mop cleaning up sticky things. I tried several different areas. Just going back and forth over an area (scrubbing) didn't do it. But holding the steam mop over the area for it to get hot enough, and it did do a great job of cleaning stickiness. So I will grant you that convenience.

I'm not saying that steam mops are bad. But they cost a lot of money and their benefits, for me, are not worth it. I'll be sending mine back today and heading out to buy some other kind.

Involving Children in the Way of the Cross (Part I)

Last Friday I posted a Stations of the Cross for Children. That's the "what" of doing stations. I also want to address the "how" and the "why". Today, a bit on the "how."

You really can't do the Stations without stations. Traditionally, there are 14 stations, each representing a step on the road to Calvary: Jesus Falls the First Time, Jesus is Stripped, Jesus is taken down from the Cross. When praying with children, I like to include a 15th station: Jesus Rises from the Dead. It's nice to end on a definitively optimistic note (grown ups can handle an implied hope). Your "stations" or stops can be as simple as the number, but children really need something more vivid.

I have these prints, which Bill says he had in his classroom when he went to Catholic school way back when. They are colorful, and not too violently graphic. A friend of mine has the same ones, and she has them on the walls of her home year round. I prop mine on chairs on Friday evenings.

Buying a set of stations is nice, but this is also a wonderful opportunity for your children to be creative. My old homeschool group does a stations one Friday every Lent and families pick a station for which they are responsible. Last year, the stations were dioramas with various mediums. LEGOs were popular. Dolls. Clay models. Some were quite large. Several years ago, I used shoe boxes (post new Easter shoe shopping) and had the kids make shadow box dioramas.

This year, I think that homeschool group is doing "live" stations. The students will dress up for the different scenes. The youth group at another parish I belonged to did that for the community stations as well. It's very nice, and definitely keeps the attention of even young children. Of course, that's not very practical for a single family.

Two-dimension art is excellent too. Iconography is meant to be done prayerfully. My children enjoy drawing their own stations while listening to Gregorian chant. I enjoy the hour of peace and quiet. I planned to upload a few of the drawings my children have done, but my scanner refuses to cooperate. As soon as I get that fixed, I will update this page.

Whether you have the children create their own 2D or 3D stations or have them act them out, they can not help but think about the sufferings of Christ. And if you use their dioramas or drawings as you pray them in your home, they will have a sense of ownership that will connect them more closely to the meditation.

Another day, another milestone

Ten years ago, I was an exhausted new mother, again. We're feeling very celebratory here today and are doing Homeschool Light.
















Last year, Billy's birthday was on Ash Wednesday, so Mardi Gras partying was all for him. This year, Bill won't be able to be home tonight, so we had cupcakes last weekend. You know you have a Lenten birthday when your mom puts out exactly enough cupcakes for the members of your family. Leftovers went into the freezer and are right now awaiting frosting. Conveniently, there are exactly enough for our family and a friend's family to share.




Happy birthday, Billy. I hope you have a GREAT day.

No man (or little boy) left behind

I don't know how the little boys (two 4 year olds and a 2 year old) got into the trampoline without a stool or chair, but they did. And they bounced and bounced and bounced and had fun.

Then Mary came along and wanted in. The 2 year old lay on his stomach and stretched down his hand. His brother got out (with help from Peter) and knelt down so she could climb on his back. It was adorable, although somewhat alarming from my vantage at the kitchen window. Fortunately, Mary was distracted by some dirt on her foot and everybody gave up. I turned away before I saw how the boy got back in. I assume Peter helped him.

The boys bounced and bounced and bounced, and I thought, "Wow, they must really like that trampoline!" About a half hour later, the other boys' mother returned and we went out to where they were still jumping. As soon as they saw us all three said, "Mommy, help us out!" I guess they stayed in because they couldn't figure out how to get everybody out. Ooops. But great sticking together, boys!

Wanted: effective and efficient floor mopping device

Do you use a mop? I have always washed my bathroom and kitchen floors the way my mom did: on hands and knees. I think this is a superior method, especially at detecting and cleaning random sticky spots or the debris that collects along cabinet bottoms.

However, this new house has a lovely stone tile that goes from the front entrance, down a hall, into a bathroom and a laundry room, and then covers my generously sized kitchen, eating area and family room. I think there is more square feet of tile in this house than there is total living space in my house in New Jersey. I have washed this floor on my hands and knees, because I do not own a mop. And I have concluded: I need to own a mop.

But the choices are overwhelming. Do I go retro and use a cloth string mop that needs be be hand wrung? Do I use a modern version of the same with a built in wringer? Do I use a sponge mop? How about these disposable swifter mops?

I'm all about learning from other people's experiences. I don't want to waste my money only to be disappointed. If you mop, tell me what you like and what works well.

Research I like

BBC News - Peanut allergies tackled in largest ever trial: "Twenty out of 23 sufferers in an earlier study became able to eat more than 30 peanuts safely."

I think, as a mom, to not have that fear lurking whenever you try a new food or eat at a restaurant or party would be worth using my child as a guinea pig. Imagine if in 5 or 10 years most children entering kindergarten were "cured" of peanut allergies? What a wonderful thing.

You say po-TAY-to

For breakfast, I had a parsley, tomato and cheese omelet.

Mary had an egg taco.

Hm. Perhaps next time, I'll add a bit of sour cream and salsa. Might be yummy.

In the news

This article about where we were on Thursday has an erroneously labeled photo.

But this one has a really nice profile shot of hubby. What a good-lookin' guy.

We are really excited to be serving with wounded warriors. Some hard jobs come with tremendous job satisfaction, and this is sure to be one of them.

And another one down

Fritz joins Peter and Mary in the double ear infection club. I can't recall EVER taking three kids to the doctor (separately) in one week. Fritz was prescribed pills instead of liquid and is not happy about it. In fact, I had to open it up and put it in applesauce for him to swallow. I'm recalling that he had a delayed gag reflex as a baby and wondering when he'll grow out of it.

I'm also wondering if I should have just dragged the other three into the clinic for a look-see. I know they aren't contagious, but...

Stations of the Cross for Children

If you are interested in a Way of the Cross for Children, I have one here. I wrote it, so please give me credit if you share with others. If that link doesn't work (I'm new to this file sharing technology), email me and I will send it to you directly.

I love the stations of the cross, and we do them every Friday during Lent. If you have never tried it, maybe this is the year to start.

I've been trying to put together a booklet with these stations plus tips and suggestions for doing them at home or in a group setting. If you have any questions about the stations or comments on how your family does them, please leave them here so I can be sure to address them or incorporate them in this future work of mine.

My stations are intended to be flexible for different ages. I do not think that a family with all children under the age of 5 should read every single word in the document and say every single prayer. But most children are fascinated by the movement from station to station and the genuflecting. And many 3 and 4 year olds are quick to pick up the line "Because by Your Holy Cross, You have redeemed the world." I have lots of other ideas about doing the stations with children, so perhaps I will do a special post every Friday this Lent to hopefully inspire you.

Well Below Average

Several times this past week, my husband had to attend rehearsal for his change of command ceremony. Day One, he told me how he forgot his "snivel gear." Snivel gear is that which you wear to keep from sniveling at the weather: long underwear, ear muffs, rabbit-fur lined hats, battery-heated socks. Day Two, he told me how the snivel gear he wore was insufficient and he needed to wear more (ear muffs are not Army-approved, just so you know).

This information churned in my head for several hours before something finally occurred to me:

"Hey, are you saying that the change of command is outside?"

Apparently, changes of command are almost always outside. My husband sometimes forgets that I'm not in the Army, too.

Yesterday, I dug out gloves and hats for all the kids (OK, honestly, I had Fritz do this while I patiently and calmly removed tangles from my daughters' hair...OK, honestly, I had Fritz do this while I not so patiently and calmly removed tangles from my daughters' hair). I made sure everybody had their winter coats ready. One argumentative child felt that his fleece jacket was sufficient.

"I'll be fine, Mom," he said. "It's nice outside." And it was nice: nearly 50 degrees and sunny.

"Yes, it's nice for running around and playing. It's not so nice for sitting still on metal bleachers for an hour. Wear your coat, ditch the ball cap, and bring your gloves and knit hat."

He argued; I insisted. He argued, and I said he wasn't coming if he didn't dress the way I told him to, end of story. I'm all for having children learn life's lessons naturally, but this was not an occasion to deal with a sniveling child. Snivel gear (anti-snivel gear?) was mandatory. I even brought a blanket for Mary.

I left early to make sure we were early, and I had enough time to run into the grocery store for a few things. As I dashed in the warm sunshine, I thought surely we were overdressed. It was so pleasant in that parking lot. The sun was bright, and there was no wind. It was a beautiful day.

Fifteen minutes later, we arrived at the field for the ceremony. I left my own gloves in the car, because it was so nice. We walked around the covered seating area to find my husband, and then IT hit me: the wind.

I swear there was a special wind making machine facing the bleachers. The windless parking lot of the grocery store felt wonderful. But this place was frigid. I couldn't believe we were in the same zip code (and we were perhaps 4 blocks away). I immediately sent Fritz back to the car for my gloves (I guess he was glove boy yesterday, poor thing). Oh, and the bleachers were in the shade, too.

And that argumentative son? Right away, he said, "You were right, Mom." But not totally right. "You should have had me wear BOTH the fleece and the coat." He was right about that.

Average temperatures for this area in February are in the mid-sixties. So far, we've not been anywhere near that. I'm not complaining, really, I'm not. I'm just thankful I don't have to sit in shady, windy bleachers every day. Keep me on the leeward side of buildings in the sun.

Learning New Tricks

I'm reading the local, quarterly magazine for this small town in which I live. I think the content is interesting, and I'm happy to see the ads of local businesses because I like to support local businesses. But I'm not impressed with the writing. Every article has exclamation points. Wow! I didn't know how exciting the material was! I'm so glad they are helping me!

*****

Although I like to shop locally, I've made a few trips to the shopping centers that are a half hour or more away. Have you ever been to a World Market? Please don't tell me that this stuff is made with slave labor.

A few days ago, I combined a trip there to buy a coffee table with a drop off at the Salvation Army. Now, if you were to guess which part of a small city had a Salvation Army, would you think it would be in the ritzy section? Of course not. I found myself locking the doors and being thankful it was a sunny day. The kids kept asking me questions and I kept thinking, "Please stop distracting me. I don't want to get lost!" (Exclamation point added so you know how urgent my thoughts were.)

Later I told Bill if we had any more drops offs, he could do the errand. But this morning I saw an ad in the poorly written local magazine that a thrift store was coming soon. Thank goodness.

*****

Last weekend, Bill was driving us on one of the long stretches of straight, flat roads with a strictly maintained speed limit. We are so used to areas where the speed limits are considered "guidelines." Here, though, either the people are very obedient, or the police are very active. Either way, we are driving much slower than normal.

"It's a good thing we have cruise control," said my husband.

"My car has cruise control?" I asked. We have owned this van for four years.

"You mean you drove all the way to Georgia without using the cruise control?!" (Exclamation point included so you know how incredulous he was.)

Georgia? GEORGIA? How about: New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida, KANSAS...

"My car has cruise control, too," he added.

"Really?" We've owned that car since 1997.

So I've been learning how to drive, again. It's fun to learn new stuff! (Really!)

Urgent Care, here we come, again

Is it possible that the toddler who...

...at 8 PM is begging to have some of her brother's liquid children's ibuprofen and liquid antibiotic for an ear infection and who is sucking the last little drops out of the dispensers is the same toddler who...

...at 11 PM is screaming that her ear hurts but is refusing all medicine and who is even gagging and spitting out the little amounts her mother attempts to sneak into her mouth?


I think this week is a good week to sign up for a new pediatrician.

What do small families do when they entertain?

Bill and I were browsing online different outdoor dining sets. The vast majority seat a maximum of 6 people. The ones that seat 8 are pretty expensive.

"Here's the cheap solution," says Bill, pointing to an inexpensive wooden table with two benches meant for two people per bench. "Buy two: 2, 4, 6, 8...then you and I can sit at the ends."

"OK," I said. "But we only have 6 kids..."

He keeps telling me that we don't have to fill completely that 12 passenger van. But vans, dining room sets and houses all seem similar in that you expand to fill the space you have. We like to save room for friends, and families of 8 tend to hang out with families of 6 or 8 or 10...

So, I'm proposing this expanding Amish table. It seats 22. It should accommodate us for a while.

Valentine's Day

My sister's children sent us inexpensive pre-done valentines - the kind you get at any drug store. One of them came with a small tattoo. My girls have placed their tattoos on their ankles.

Oh, how I long for the days of my youth when the only tattoos I knew about were on the biceps of brawny sailors or scary motorcycle men, and my knowledge of them was gained through TV and movies and not real life.

*****

For the first time ever, my husband took the early shift with Mary and let me stay in bed. She was most unhappy. "Daddy, go back to bed," she ordered. In his defense, he was deployed for 6 months and our last house had a master bedroom right off the living area. Since I'm naturally an early riser, sleeping while people are talking (or babies are screaming) right outside my door is impossible. Last night I made sure my iTouch was charged and in my room. Not only did I get an extra 90 minutes of sleep, I got to check email and headlines without interruption. That's a lovely Valentine's Day gift.

*****

Yesterday, my husband anchored our living room bookcases to the wall, and we unpacked the boxes of books and the knick-knacks that were on the bookshelves. When I saw that the packer had wrapped a small porcelain rose in a single piece of paper, I knew things didn't look good for my larger porcelain rose grouping. Sure enough, a single piece of paper was used to protect this one as well. The small rose survived; the larger grouping was destroyed.

Other victims included my statue of St. Nicholas, now with an amputated arm, and my favorite statue of Mary, armless, handless, and decapitated. I've googled and been unable to find statues like these, so if you have any clues, let me know. The bodies are wood, the capes are metal and the arms and head are porcelain. Not only do I want to replace them, I want to claim their cost with the moving company.

While every move incurs some damage, this is over the top. I had more paper around inexpensive drinking glasses than I did around those flowers. It makes me mad. It's not the attachment to the things as much as it is the complete disregard for my belongings. The flowers are irreplaceable. Bill gave them to me in the early 90's when we were dating, and they aren't made any more. I don't want to replace them anyway. Bill has learned: you don't give knick-knacks to an Army wife, especially not ones that break. I'll take the money we get for them and buy a cookbook. Hardback. Useful and sturdy.

*****

Speaking of cookbooks, with Lent approaching, I'm planning a menu and heading to the grocery store today. I like to go meatless for Lent, which doesn't really fly in this house. I tend to make meals like tacos where everyone can have meat, but I use beans. This year, though, I'm determined to subject them to more meatless meals. I don't know why, but they don't like soup. Too bad. I'll make bread or rolls, so they can fill up on that if they don't want what I'm serving. For inspiration, I'm digging into two of Brother Victor-Antoine d'Avila-Latourrette's books: From a Monastery Kitchen: The Classic Natural Foods Cookbook and Simplicity from a Monastery Kitchen. I do not own his Twelve Months of Monastery Soups, but maybe I'll take the St. Nicholas and Blessed Virgin blood money and buy it. Most of the recipes in these books are simple. All are meatless.

A cold day at the beach...

...is still a fun day at the beach.



Digging.













Building.













Digging.


















Building.















Digging.

Building.

Getting covered in sand.

Learning that sand has more friction than pavement.

The kids all wanted to take off their shoes and socks. The air temperature was about 50 degrees; I have no idea what the water was. I warned them that frostbitten toes would require amputation, but they were undeterred. The girls quickly changed their minds about wading in. My boys are not as smart. I let them play ankle deep in the frigid Atlantic for about 10 minutes before ordering them to get out. Later, I took Mary back for a nap, and they returned to their foolishness, this time going even deeper. When Bill finally made them get out to come home, Billy reluctantly complied despite being wet to his waist. Of course, as soon as the cold air hit him, he was moaning. I'd like to think the the half mile walk home cured them all of future polar dips, but I doubt it. Bill called ahead and I had readied a steaming shower for Billy and a hot bath for Jenny who had tripped and fallen in. The fifteen minutes of discomfort were long forgotten by the time lunch was finished.

Catholic Tea Party

Is It Time for a Catholic Tea Party?

I really like Deal Hudson.

Today's forecast: an afternoon nap

My husband, my hero. I'm using my computer again!

*******

Mary still craves skin-to-skin contact with me, particularly between the hours of 1 and 5 AM. She was unhappy with weaning, especially that early morning session. To compensate, she would try to snuggle on my chest and seemed content with my summer weight pajamas and nightgowns. Once I switched to winter wear, she revolted. She especially despised my fleece bathrobe and would pry apart the front to place her sleepy head on my chest.

Eventually she figured out she could lift my pajama top to access my flabby soft, warm abdomen. She likes to put her feet and hands on my stomach while she falls back asleep in her other bed, which would be my bed. Most of the time, I don't mind this. She's getting bigger, and this is temporary. As long as I can get back to sleep and she's not kicking her dad, it's fine. And now that she is out of the crib and can get herself over to my bed, I might barely notice her presence.

Then there are mornings, like today, where she was wide awake at 4 AM and wanted a drink. We went downstairs to get a drink, and went back upstairs to return to sleep. But she was wide awake and not settling down. Hands and feet were not enough, and she tried sleeping with her head on my stomach. Round and round she went, like a dog trying to find a comfortable spot on a rug. When she started trying to push my shirt all the way off, I decided it was time to get up.

430 AM and I'm brewing coffee. While I waited, I tried sleeping on the sofa. Leather sofas are very cold in the winter time, but they do warm up after a few minutes. Just don't change position. Mary snuggled next to me with her sippy cup, and I had a glimmer of hope that perhaps we may get a little more snooze time this morning.

Then she started grinding her teeth.

It's a good thing I like these early morning hours.

*******

Now that my computer is up and running I have two weeks worth of receipts and bills to enter and pay. The two lampshades are officially lost, and we worry that a box or two of books might be with them. If you could ask St. Anthony to inspire someone to be proactive and attempt to return those boxes to us, I would appreciate it. Our name is on the boxes and they have to be somewhere. Somebody just needs to notice that they have boxes that aren't theirs and call the trucking company who has to call us and redeliver. I know that's asking a lot of the common man, but I have hope. Surely there are people who will do the right thing, right?

Are we done yet?

We made it until February before getting sick this winter, so I can't complain. Everybody seems to have stuffy noses and scratchy throats today. And we're cranky. And tired. I lay down with Mary to take a nap and only got up because the older kids were fighting over who got to pick the next video. I've been trying hard to get the house in order this week, so we can get back to school next week. Lack of routine generates bickering and complaints of boredom.

We've been here less than a week and we've already attended baseball tryouts for the boys, Little Flowers for the girls, and hosted friends returning home to Virginia from vacationing in Florida. No, the friends were not too eager to head into the Snow Capital. I think what I miss most about our own vacation is the lack of commitments. But then again, that simple lifestyle might get old after a while, too. We do enjoy doing things.

My hope is that hubby can set up my computer for me soon (today?). It's unpacked, and I suppose I could hook it up myself. But I enjoy letting him spoil me. Besides, I have a garage to sort and two missing lampshades to locate. And I have to figure out what to do about storing all these toys. I think the Salvation Army may have room...

Back to work

There is currently a 69 degree difference in temperature between where I live in GA and where my sister lives in AK. Of course, she will be comfortable this summer while I am wilting.

Northern VA is expecting another 10 to 20 inches on top of the 30 they got last weekend. I can not claim sadness at missing out on that disaster.

Unpacking is my life right now. The kitchen is almost done, although I cannot find a few key items, and I am waiting for a door mounted spice rack I ordered from The Container Store.

The school books are still boxed, as is my computer. Today I must focus on my bedroom and unpacking clothes. The recycling center is open today, so I can unload one huge stack of cardboard. I have about 8 loads in my garage after that, plus what I add today. Once I empty the garage of flattened boxes I can try to sort the garage which is one huge dumping ground.

Unpacking is the hardest part of moving.

Amazingly, nothing from the kitchen was broken, but the packer did not tape items shut, so I had things like cornstarch everywhere. They did break one table, which was broken on our move to Kansas as well. I need to Google furniture restoration. The restorers in KS did a great job, so I only moan over the inconvenience of doing it and the hassle of getting reimbursed.

All in all, things are going well. Bill has started work, so we missed having him around. Jenny fell off her scooter twice yesterday and scraped herself pretty badly. She was crying for Daddy. I am now chopped liver.

You've come a long way, babies

Six years ago this month, Bill returned from a year long deployment to Kosovo. He took off for about a month, and we went on a vacation to Disney World, which is just about the stupidest thing to do. The stress of his return and the stress of traveling with 4 children under the age of 6 combined to make for a terrible time.

If you ask the kids, it was the best trip ever. They don't know that I called about an early return every day, but the additional cost kept me from doing it.

One thing we learned was that our children were incapable of behaving in restaurants. This is not a good thing to discover when you are spending a week in a hotel room with no kitchen.

Upon our return home, we instituted a no-restaurant policy for at least 6 months. It might even have been a year. I know we moved a year later, and I know we ate out. That may have been when we finally let them see the inside of a McDonald's. Then we tried a place like Denny's. They liked eating in restaurants, so they were motivated to be good.

Fast forward to this vacation, which intentionally was low-key and in a cottage with a kitchen. Eating out is now pretty expensive for our crew, and in this resort town we've noticed that restaurants automatically add 18% gratuity for parties of 8 or more. I have enjoyed our quiet and simple meals in this cottage, but we did budget for a few meals out, mostly at the beginning of our trip, but also last night, our final evening here.

Every time we have eaten out this trip, the children have been very well behaved. Mary, of course, stands on her seat and squirms around. And we do have to remind them all to talk quietly, even though adults in restaurants can be pretty loud. But they've been good. And they've been noticed. Every single time we have eaten out, at least one elderly person has stopped by our table to praise them. Last night, we had two.

I reminded Bill about our no eating out policy of 6 years ago. And before bed, I gathered the children to tell them how wonderful they've been. They've come a long way.

Cheap thrills

Attention military folks: there are huge savings at Ripley's Aquarium in Myrtle Beach. My family of 8 would normally have spent nearly $88 to get in the door. With the military discount, it cost us just over $23. Yes, that's correct. We SAVED over $64 with our military IDs.

Now THAT makes a 6 month deployment totally worth it.

Yes, that is sarcasm.

Ripley's Aquarium is definitely worth $23 and an hour or two of your day. We loved the glass tunnel that makes it look like you are walking underwater. Nice as the place is, though, I do not think I would have enjoyed it so much if I had to pay full price.

Snowbird Central

My children, despite their youth, are hardly affecting the average age of the local population. At Mass on Sunday, standing room only, I asked the octogenarian next to me how they managed in the summer with all the vacationers. "Oh, the snowbirds are gone by then. It's actually less crowded."

This has me pondering the transient lifestyles of the retired. How do I sign up for that?

It's not that I don't want to settle down and stop moving. There are plenty of advantages to that. It's just that I haven't figured out WHERE. I like plenty of places. But I haven't found The Place. It. Where I would want to build a dream home and plant a vegetable garden and blackberry bushes and maybe own some chickens. Animals, though, are such a hassle if you want to run off and spend a month with your daughter and her newborn. Maybe I just need to live next door to a friendly farmer.

I suppose, if I hopped around from one resort cottage to another, I would miss my things and my style of decorating. Of course, that lifestyle would enable me to practice detachment. All I would truly own would be in the trunk of some two seater sportster. Can one be detached and own a BMW?

I guess most snowbirds own the homes they go between. That would mean picking TWO places to build a dream home and plant berries and two friendly farmers to live next door to. I don't think finding two perfect places is any easier than finding one.

I guess right now it's a good thing Uncle Sam is funding my quest to find paradise on earth. I suspect, in the end, I will conclude that such a place does not exist, and I will have to make do with whatever is before me.

I'm not a beach person, but...

I take an odd joy in that my winter wool pea coat with Thinsulate lining has sea shells in its pockets and is covered with sand.

On vacation

A few weeks ago, I learned the hard way that if I type a blog post on my iTouch I better post it before switching to another app. I didn't do this, and lost the post. Hence, my post from earlier today which I did not have the time to proofread. I hope there are no errors.

Last Thursday, Bill took the older girls and the dog down to GA to get the keys to the house. I spent two days feeling like I was missing my left arm. Bill put the dog in a kennel and drove up here on Saturday with the girls. He left again last night. I miss him, of course, but there isn't the same ominous absence as there is when one of the children is away.

After Bill left last night, I went to the bathroom. I was in there for 3 or 4 minutes and the whole time the kids were running around like lunatics. My only thought was gratitude that we weren't in a hotel room, but rather a stand alone cottage.

When I came out, I headed in their direction to yell at them, but was stopped by the ringing of the cottage phone. I thought it was odd. It was the front desk wanting to be sure everything was ok. Seems they had received 4 phone calls in 2 minutes from our cottage with only screaming at our end.

Nice.

Back in August, I made reservations for us to vacation at Myrtle Beach this week. I did not know at the time that we would be in the middle of a PCS. Thank goodness SC is between VA and GA.

We are staying in a 3 bedroom cottage that is owned by Wyndham resorts. It is gorgeous. After a week of eating leftovers, take out, drive thru, or sponging off generous friends, I was thrilled to go to the grocery store last night for food for the week to cook in a real kitchen and to eat off real dinnerware.

I made the arrangements for the cottage via the Armed Forces Vacation Club. If you are military, I highly recommend it. I think the place was $400 for the week, and they routinely offer $300 per week specials if you have flexibility. I paid for it when I made the reservation, so it feels like we're staying for free.

This place would be fabulous in the summer, but the quiet, low-key atmosphere is perfect for us right now. The only thing missing is my husband who is in GA waiting for the truck to show up. He should return tomorrow.