We're Still Here!

We planned on leaving San Angelo yesterday, but have now postponed it for possibly another week. There is always something, and again it's the solar. It hasn't been working just right, still. So our Solar guy back in Troy, NY is having another controller shipped to us. This will be the 3rd one.

Well, it's not so bad! We have been having fun here and have really enjoyed our stay here. The 5 E's have been fun to be around. They actually come to our camper and sit down and talk to us. Erik, 11 even came over the other day and helped me clean. He vacuumed, swept and even mopped my laminate floors. He was bored he said and he likes helping old people. (I loved that comment) We are happy the kids always find time in their day for us old people.

When they're not doing chores at home, they actually play outside! I didn't think kids did that anymore! What is the secret? No video games! My son and daughter-in-law have seen what kids are like when they become addicted to them, so they don't have them. I guess that's one reason we get to sit and visit with them. They are allowed limited use of the computer and I'm sure that is carefully monitored.

It is a totally different lifestyle here. This family gets down to the basics. The kids are home schooled, but they do network with other home schooling families and are involved in the community. They do team sports, musical instruments and the girls do ballet. They go to church every Sunday together as a family. They are expected to do chores. Everything from dishes, laundry, vacuuming and picking up around the house is shared. They even help with the cooking. One of the kids favorite TV channels is "Food Network".

Mom, Deja, never sits down during the day. She cooks mostly from scratch. She even grinds her own whole wheat flour and bakes her own bread. (Emma can bake bread too). A lot of what she has to do as far as cooking, is to provide tasty meals for Erik, who has severe food allergies. He is allergic to so many things that are in processed foods, that this is a better way to go for the whole family. She runs a produce co-op on Fridays and the kids help with that. They have a vegetable garden in summer and she does a lot of canning. We all do composting. That seems to be pretty easy and it really does make a lot of sense.

In many ways, it's a simpler life, but also a healthier lifestyle. I just bought a bread machine and at least I can now make some homemade bread instead of buying that expensive kind that doesn't taste all that good anyway. I'll still use some convenience foods in this small space I have to cook in, but boy that homemade bread tastes good!!!