End of summer already?

Wow, the summer is slipping right past me. The kids go back to school Friday and Ellen had her open house last night. Marci's is tonight. Such a busy week with schedule pick-ups, last minute supply lists from teachers, open houses, regular work and errands - sheesh! Makes me worn out just to type it.

This time of year always seems so ripe with possibilities - the new school year is like a second chance at a clean slate. By now all remenants of New Year's resolutions are long gone, so it is a good time to try again. And the school year always makes me think of structure and organization anyway, so it's the perfect time to attempt to make new routines and big changes. I'm thrilled to say that the chore list we started using at the end of last year is still working. It fell by the wayside for a few busy weeks in the summer, but is back and going as strong as ever! It takes a lot more work on my part, but the results are worth it. Max even did his chores yesterday and today on his own. He called me early at work both days to confirm his choices from the list and make sure he was doing what was needed -- WOW!

He got his school schedule early this week and has only 4 classes. He plans to see his couselor early Friday to add History which is missing, and to fill in some blanks with another class or two. WOW again! I didn't even get a chance to tell him what to do . . . . . . could it be the beginning of some responsibility?? I'm so excited!!!

Ellen is sad that her two best friends aren't in her classes, on her team or sharing her lunch hour. Maybe she'll discover that old fashioned thing hanging on the wall at home . . . . .the real telephone! Of course, if she does, then we'll have to set a timer, LOL.

At her open house we discovered that she has the same teacher for Language arts that I had in 7th grade! He was also our Drama Club leader. That year we did "The Canterville Ghost" and it was my first play to try out for. We did a musical too, but I don't remember the name, I'm sure it'll come to me later! The funny thing is that 28 years ago, Mr. Johnson was slim, energetic and really had fun interacting with the students. This guy last night was stern, chubby, very white haired and seems to have misplaced any sense of humor or fun. Guess 28 years of Jr. High teaching might do that to ya!

On the homefront I have been doing lots of canning. I took an inventory last night and we're up to 20 quarts of corn in the freezer; 9 quarts of canned beans; 11 pints of canned beans; 2 quarts and 1 pint of canned V8 juice; 5 quarts of canned tomato juice; 10 pints of canned zuchinnin relish (plus 12 more pints that didn't set up, I'm thinking we'll experiment with some sort of soup or cassarole to put them in); and 3 half-pints of peach butter -- not bad for a first time canner! Carol and I still have peach juice and blackberry juice in the freezer to make jelly too. I'd like to put up 20 more quarts of corn, 20 quarts of beans, 40 or 50 pints of salsa, and maybe some fruits (peaches, apples, and maybe berries). And I have to find some more recipes to use up the huge pepper crop that Tim planted!

I'm pondering planting some fall veggies (peas, broccoli, spinich?) and already thinking ahead to what we'll plant next year. It's been really fun, time consuming, but really fun!

The herd is all doing well. If you saw Maggie, you'd swear we'd had a dog forever! It's funny really. I will even go so far as to say, I honestly beleive that even my dad would have liked her - she's just that sweet and wonderful!! The two youngest chickens should start laying eggs in the next month or so -- can't wait to see what color ;) We do have a new puppy in the neighborhood - Jack, an energetic (read: likes to get into puppy mischief!) beagle. He chased the chickens last night while I had them out free-ranging and it was close to bedtime. Four scampered back to the run, but Hazel was no where to be found. She wouldn't come out of hiding so I figured she settled in to roost somewhere & left the door to the run open, but closed the coop up good and snug like usual. Sure enough, when Max went out to open the coop this morning, Hazel was in the run. Apparently she was standing about a foot from the coop door, just staring at it. The door is never closed, poor thing didn't know what to do, LOL!

Four of the cats are great, the black long-haired one, Inky, isn't so good. He's rail thin and I caught him wheeezing a few days ago. He almost sounded like Mittens when he had that pariacartal (??) infection. So, I imagine He'll be joining the angel herd around the apple tree before Halloween. He's never been all that healthy, and as a stray, you just never know. I had planned to take him and Little Bitty to be fixed once school started so maybe when we do that the Dr. can tell me more.

Secretery work is fine, same as usual. The church's budget continues to be tight and I imagine there will be yet another cut in my hours at the first of the year. The picnic is this Sunday and it will be nice to hang out with everyone and catch up!

Quilting work has stopped this summer. I finished the last quilt at the end of May and had only one customer quilt in house when Grandma came to stay. I let that customer know it might be awhile and she was fine with it. Then I painted, put in some new shelves and rearranged some. I still need to finish a patch of ceiling, paint the crown molding at the ceiling and some trim down low -- oh, and the fireplace bump out. The new color is nice though, and not seeing the stained, dingy walls is wonderful! I did do a quilt for the fair and what I got done of it was nice. I'd like to make it again, but this time finish the outer 6 inches of McTavishing. It will set it off much better and make for a smoother binding. Also, since the LQS closed, I need to get down to the Seymour shop and see if they'll set out my cards. They have one gal who works there and LA's, but maybe she's busy enough to share customers ;0) Also, I need to get going on next year's quilt show - already things to do, even though it's a year and some months away!

So, as summer ends, fall rolls in and the busy-ness just keeps going!