Truck life.

Yes, I am doing laundry again.
Poor Terry has had to put up with a lot from my over sensative nose.
Now the laundry gets put into a garbage bag
and stored under the truck in an outside tool compartment.
I commented that sometimes, after I have been working in the yard,
that I offend myself and hop into the shower directly.
He told me that other people would surely not be offended,
I just have a weird nose.

We have delivered our two loads in Dawson's Creek
and have made it back to Edmonton, five hours back to where we started.
We will load out of Edmonton on Monday heading to somewhere
in Washington State...near the Idaho Canada border.

We have been greatly blessed by this, as these were good paying loads,
and for once, or so I'm told, Tyler, the driver manager who doles out loads,
was kind enough to preload us with this next load.
I sent flowery thank you's to him complete with smiley faces.
Terry made sure that I signed my name and not his....
leaving no doubt whatsoever who sent the message!

I have been enjoying the trip very much.
I have gotten lots of knitting done.
(V, you may get your birthday gift afterall!)

The North Western part of Canada is very flat, mostly agriculteral,
and lots of wet lands. 
We saw a bit of snow still on the ground.
I have never seen so many Mallard ducks, and many other varieties,
with their butts up, bobbing for things.....
Literally, hundreds in the spring thaw puddles along side the highway.


I have seen four deer, a small heard of antelope,
one huge female moose and two large grey foxes.
However, I have not had time to take photos of these, as the truck is way too bouncey.

I have taken photos of funny street signs tho....of which I will post when I get home.
Signs like......Important intersection ahead   ie:  dangerous intersection ahead
                      Squeeze left    ie:  merge left
I love to hear Canadians talk! 
It sounds just like the folks from Fargo!  EH?
Everyone has been so nice!
Those that we see anyway....really an isolated area on this side of the country.

I told Terry that it seemed like I was at Disney World, or in a foreign country...
(I was so excited and wanted to know everything about Canada.)
To which he said...honey you are in a foreign country.

I have at least two more blogs on Canada, but my laundry is done and I need to get back to work!

So very blessed here up in the endless sky country!

On the Road Again

It has been two years since I came out on the road with hubby.
Mainly two years, because he has had the same truck that long.
The last time I came out on the road was when he got this last truck.
I go to help him set up the new truck and ride around for a week or two
in a fresh, clean environment.
This wasn't the case in the second year.
This time around, he got a 2012 Freightliner Coronado....black not yellow!
Not exactly what he wanted on the inside,
it has bunks and no cabinetry, refrigerator or room for much else.
It only has 2900 miles on it tho,
as his old truck has over 500,000.

When I say getting a new truck, I mean that he is leasing a new truck with the same company.
He is considered an owner operator and not a company driver.

Last time I came on the road, I helped switch trucks out.
Dirty nasty work.
This time, I have done five hours of laundry at the ATS drivers' lounge,
knit quite a bit, and read almost a complete book.

I am freshly showered, legs shaved, make up and hair done.
(this was quite the experience, as I am the only woman around for miles
surrounded by swearing, dirty, very smelly men!
The small door knob lock was all the kept me safe
in this not so ventilated shower area for women only!)

Yes, I am a little miffed about this turn of events.
Apparently, my husband has forgotten that I live on my own,
and tackle most things around the house by myself.
Either he is being considerate, or obstinate, and I believe the latter.

No worries though.
I am very happy to play the lady role.
I do have a VERY sensitive nose.
Really overly sensitive to ALL smells!
Afraid hubby will be showering alot more than he is used to!

We are taking some large farm equipment in to Canada.
Delivering in Dawson's Creek British Columbia at the end of the week.
Looking forward to this trip as I have not been this far north west into the continent before!
Hopefully we will also get down into Seattle for a day as well,
if the load gods are kind to us!

Back to knitting!

Random

Mema to school Today instead of walking with the walker, she sat down on it like it was a wheelchair. I told her she was backward and she turned around and went into the building.

Took Chuck for a haircut. I took a picture of my mom's dog, Trixie, cause she just looks so darn cute.

I asked the groomer not to go as short as that though. When I cam back two hours later, Chuck was embarrassed.

I don't believe she knew how to trim a schnauzer beard. That will be the last time Chuck has his mustache and beard trimmed.

Stopped by Barnes and Noble while Chuck was at the hairdresser.
Looked through a few new magazines, has a bagel and coffee.
I don't get here as often as I used to, since Mema goes to school five days a week now.
No time to take her to see the little kids playing.

Came home in the cold rain to discover the water heater is on the fritz again.
Poor Hil and I have had two cold showers in a row.
Not pleasant!
Even if Dr. Oz says a cold shower will boost your metabolism... not for this girl.
That call was over five hours ago.
We are still on the work order, so I'll be house bound for a bit.

I lit some candles, made some orchard apricot hot tea with honey,
am knitting on V's birthday present... I have until June 12 to finish the difficult lace.

In between rows, I am surfing the net, exploring others' blogs....
and shooting at the crows eating all of the peanuts in the bird feeder.
I am getting to be a pretty good shot with the bb gun!
I only aim at the squirrel can on the feeder tho.
Don't know what I would do if I hit a bird, crow or not!

Hubby will be in San Diago this weekend, and Ft Worth by Tuesday.
I am hoping he gets back to St Cloud so I can drive up and help him set up his new truck.
It's time to travel a bit and see the country.
I didn't go last year as he didn't get a new truck, and I refuse to travel in the old one!

SO as I wait, I'll get my hair colored tomorrow,
be excited for my youngest to get her first single apartment!
Really really excited not to have bobby pins EVERYWHERE!
This new home is the PERFECT distraction for all of us!

And get ready for my master spinner class in July!
I must spin 150 yards of white wool do dye with.

I am blessed!

Mourning

We are a bit sad in the Ballard home now.
My youngest ended her relationship after almost 5 years.
I really tried not to like this fella.

But I ended up adoring him.
Yes, they had some problems,
but overall he is a great guy.
Thoughts of the future were not lining up for them.
They both need to grow up a bit,
and figure out who they are first.
And boys will be boys.
We are not only mourning the loss of relationship,
but for the past five years, her life has revolved around him
and his friends and their activities.
It is daunting now to try to find new friends, activities,
and decipher if some of those activities can happen again....
such as camping and musical interests.
Please pray for these two young people.
Whatever their paths may be.
Pray that the fella discovers a wonderful relationship with the Lord!
Please pray that my own attachments are tabled,
and that God leads me with wisdom and patience
as life changes drastically over here.

I am blessed but sad.

Choices...or how can there be so many cliches in one blog?!

In everyone's life there definitely come times of
choices....both easy and difficult.

Some are not situations of our own making,
but many, especially the most hard, are.

I have decided that I need a lifestyle change.
I eat better, not much sugar,
exercise regularly and sweat alot,
and even changed my make up....
too many tiny lines creeping up,
and eyelids moving down.

Although I have known about these changes for years,
I have finally reached the point where I cannot put them off any longer.

There are some situations, however, that are like being on the Titanic.
If you don't make a decision one way or another,
you will sink, while enjoying the violins playing on deck.


Or you will find that one life boat, get in,
and make sure no one else pushes you into the freezing water.

Sometimes we go along in our lives,
happy and content.
Happy and content never last.
EVER.
You can have peace and joy in the midst of terrible tragedy.
But status quo should never be an option.
Mainly because the longer we live in the quo,
the more heart wrenching it will be when life falls out from below you.

My advice is to take the bull by the horns and look seriously at your life.
Your daily activities.
Who do you surround yourself with?
Your quiet time, and your play time.
Is God in there somewhere?

Do you find yourself slipping back into old habits because, you just occasionally slip?
We all do that.
But, when we find ourselves constantly making excuses for ourselves or others,
taking two steps forward, two steps back...or even three steps back...
living in a fantasy land of rose colored glasses,
gingerbread houses and friendly wildlife,
we find the next thing to happen is that our world shatters around us.

We all need to make the hard choices.
Eat better and exercise or it may be too late next time.
Pray about friends and lovers who may not really be the best for us.
Love is very powerful and makes us do silly, stupid things.
Sometimes we get lucky, but not often.

In my own life, looking back many years,
it may have been better for my family if hubby and I did indeed divorce.
Lots of strife and screwed up lives because of our silliness.
However, we did not.
God has blessed our commitment to each other and to Him.
A lot of hard work, relearning how to communicate, struggles, tears and joys
are rolled up in the past 27 years.
I am sure there are a few more struggles on the horizon too.
We can talk to each other now.
We do listen to each other now.
Most times we put each other first and have each one's back in good and bad times.
God guides us now instead of us running to Him after the fact.
That makes all the difference.

SO....really look at your life.
Keep the beneficial and lovely.
Throw out the garbage...as nicely as possible.
Don't let the boat sink around you when you had the opportunity to bail!
Hang on to your dreams. 
They will all change, but a few will overpass your expectations.
Moments are only that, even if they seem to last forever.
Be brave and tell your friend you care, and that they are moving in a bad direction.
Better to have an angry ex friend who thinks about what you said in love,
than no friend at all, and so many regrets for keeping your mouth shut.
Tell loved ones you do love them.

I am blessed because I am changing!
Only by the grace of God!

Musings of a Mama

These past few days
I have wished for grandchildren.
(Not for my own selfish reasons,
which I have plenty)
but for the joy it would bring, knowing that my own two daughters
would feel the wracking of the soul they cause to me!

( I realize now that I have caused my own mother such grief...sorry mommy)

Life changes so often and many things are so short lived.
I have a friend who has a new baby.
Her recent post listed many things she one day will do again...
such as use cloth napkins, do laundry and entertain!
I remember those days.
I remember trying to entertain some friends when my first daughter was under a year.
She went to bed well, but the habit was to wake three times
for mommy and me cuddle time.
I had to pull myself away from adult time and
learned to enjoy those quiet, precious times.
Something about those sweet little eyes looking up at you with so much love.
At that moment in time,
no friendship ever came close.

There are so many mistakes I made over the past 25 years.
And I am sure I will make many more.

If I could offer any advice at all:
Know who your children really are as best you can.
Know who your children's friends are.
Pick and choose their friends until they are in high school.

And ALWAYS check up on your children
by physically going to where they are supposed to be!
Do this at least three times, so your kids are so freaked out at getting caught,
that they think twice about doing something they should not.
Offering advice and wisdom when your offspring are in their twenties however,
is more difficult.
I keep reminding my husband and myself, that we were the same way at the same age.
Twenty somethings know everything, no harm can ever come to them
and everyone else is always wrong.

SO, these days, when I can see around the corner of their lives,
my opinions of their life choices are mostly known to them,
even without being spoken aloud by me all of  the time.
Most times I feel really stupid offering advice because of the looks I get from my girls.
I have learned to just listen and not offer advice unless asked.
Even when asked, I am usually scoffed at, and a week of isolation is the end result.
One mistake I made early on was to trust and keep quiet.
It is hard to do the same now, even though this is what my heart is telling me to do.
I believe my girls know that I am always here for them no matter what.

I am trusting in God, that He has it all under control.
Even if I am so fearful of their decisions at times,
I can barely move.

They are  both adults now.
They get to make the life mistakes that I did.
Hopefully they learn more quickly.

I pray that their consequences are not heartbreaking nor devastating,
although I know that is bound to happen.
I pray that their first reactions are to go to the Lord.
And then to me.
Maybe.
Let them go, Parents.
It's the only way they will come back.
Or so I am told.
And this is also a very short time in the scheme of things,
even though it is seeming to take centuries.

Blessed with wonderful daughters and a very supportive hubby!

COOKIES!

Chocolate chocolate chip

so good, you need a swig of milk with each bite!

Orange cookies....

a Ballard family favorite

I lead a team at my church.
The CARE ministry makes meals for
new mommies,
folks just out of the hospital,
new adoptive or foster families,
folks getting sucker punched.

However, not many members know that we offer this service.
It used to be that the church was the first place
you went for announcements, help and information.
Everyone jumped right in to make a meal,
send a card or offer services
like sitting with a member before surgery,
visiting a shut in,
inviting someone who was far from home
to share a holiday dinner with your family.

I remember very well,
when I lived in Alabama and the girls were small,
James Tilley, one of our elders at church
would bring us a watermelon, or offer to fix plumbing
basically help with anything I needed.
I suppose, because my husband worked in New York,
I was considered a widow with orphans....!
Whatever the motivation,
I will always be so thankful to James and Doris Tilley.

This old timey custom is what the CARE ministry is trying to uphold.
I have an AWESOME team, and many ladies I can call upon
in a moment's notice for a meal delivered, or card sent.

This Sunday...the day after tomorrow,
my team will be stuffing 500 bags with 1000 cookies
to give to our members at the end of every service.
We will include a card stating the purpose
and explaining our ministry.
I expect to get a bit busier...not that folks need to
get busier on the baby front...
and we don't want anyone in the hospital!
Just a little more aware, and to again, know that
the church family is the first place to go!

So today I am baking and making
taco soup and fruit salad for my team.
I am so very blessed.

Girly Girl Batchelorette Party

Julie is getting married!

I have known these and a few who couldn't be here

for over ten years.

The Bestest friends anyone could ever have!

Celebrating Julie and Dale's engagement at Hana Yori

Dave the Chef Extraordinaire

He put up with a lot that night!

Julie - bride to be

Karen a few umbrellas in!

Kimberly...who knew?

Ingrid...the next party is for her

Betty - she may be quiet on the outside...

Dave's tribute, thump thump

After dinner, before the party!

What happened at the batchelorette party

stays at the batchelorette party!

October 8?

Cheers with ice wine and champagne

Dale is one lucky fella!

Love you Julie!

Good luck!

Just keep spinning, spinning, spinning!

Chilly, but very sunny day today.

Had way too much fun yesterday:

Celebration lunch with K....hooo boy!

Way too much good food,

Way too much laughter,

a nap in between,

Closed down Aladdins with the church ladies,

with more laughter and growing friendships!

So today I am spinning.

Miles and miles of Polworth wool roving

auto wrapped with shiny multicolored thread.

First time trying this and so far, I love it.

Maybe a pair of socks

or a lightweight sweater for Spring.

Earlier in the week I spun some singles with trash batts

made from left overs off of the carder,

and singles of the same above mentioned Polworth.

Then auto wrapped with thread

while plying the two together.

I like the barber shop ply.

Looking forward to knitting that up too!

and Chuck keeping an eye on the garden and squirrels!

frilly farms

http://www.thefancyfarmgirl.com/heres-the-coop/
http://www.thefancyfarmgirl.com/silly-boys-trucks-are-for-girls-2/

Just some frilly, pastel, cotton candy kind of dreaming today.
Found this site while looking for fancy chicken coop designs.
Then surfed her site a bit more.
Really very girly, but some of you may like her.

Somedays seem too far away today,
but dreaming always picks me up!
Not that I'm down,
just really dreaming of a small farm,
some Maya Angelo chickens,
and a few sheep and angora goats to keep me in fiber!

Spinning spinning spinning today!  Trying some thread hurricanes today!
Then out with the church girls!

Thanks God.
I am blessed.....
even without a chandelier in the chicken house!