I Haven't Blogged In Six Years!

My life has changed tremendously in the last six years, since my last blog post.  I'm now 46, with an eight-year-old daughter, homeschooling, working from home, raising chickens, a Kune Kune pig, Turkish Kangals, and the list goes on.  I'm a jack of all trades, and master of none!

I decided to stay at home with my daughter, and the plan was to let her go through elementary school, then start homeschooling.  Then my husband had several health issues/surgeries, Covid hit, shootings all over the place.  AHHHHHH!!!!

My two years of homeschooling have made me have the biggest respect for teachers.  A lot of bloggers make homeschooling sound great, loving and wonderful.  It can be, other days I'm ready to run away.  We are off for the summer now, but I'm already gearing up for 3rd grade curriculum.

I'm an eBay, Etsy, and Poshmark seller.  I refurbish watches, deal in vintage/antique items of all kinds.  My home looks like an antique/vintage store.  Poppin' tags as they say, if the kids still say that.  I quit my work at home job with a major window manufacturer, after they decided to scale down.  

That's when my eBay side hustle turned into go or blow time.  I had to; my husband went into early retirement.  Two hip replacements, a heart valve surgery, back issues, needing shoulder surgery.  Every day is a struggle for him, and he's only 53 years old.  That's what being a race car driver and working on a pit crew for NASCAR will do to your body.  

Blogging may not be another hobby I need to take on right now, but I'm one of those people who always needs something to do.  Maybe I can give a little hope to someone who wants to be an online seller, or a beginning homeschool parent, or collecting Pyrex, crocheting, art, watch repair. 

That's one thing I have to say is wrong with society these days, is making life look so easy and great on social media.   Life is hard some days, but that makes you appreciate the good days.   I had days recently where I didn't know if I'm cut out for homeschooling, then Texas happened.  I decided then I may be crazy by the time she graduates, but that's the sacrifice I'm going to make to keep her safe.  I don't sugar coat anything with her, and paint pictures that won't happen in life.  

Peacock Brooch

Monet Brooch

Ecclissi Sterling Silver Watch

Antique Butter Press

Kune Kune Pig, aka Heavy D

New Jersey Black Giant Chickens | Farm Raised With P. Allen Smith

Pulling Weeds

This morning as I pulled weeds out of my garden and was cursing the devil grass growing in it, I remembered when I was young pulling weeds out of my Dad's garden and how bad I hated it. It would be the middle of summer, and to me at the time it was like child abuse!
Now it's like therapy to me to be out early in the morning taking care of my own garden, and wondering how long I have with my own child before she is cursing me for ruining her day.

Our nephew is just 12 and is already so lazy it's not even funny.  Video games are not good for a child's well being.

Now that I'm at home, these seemingly menial tasks are now what keeps me going.  There is something about getting outside and getting dirty that is good for my mind.  Pulling weeds reminds me to keep the weeds pulled out of my life and do my best for my family and most of all God.   He gave His life for us that we can live a better life.

Where Have I Been?

Funny, but I just realized it's been two years since I have posted to this blog.  I guess I'd been in a bit of a funk with a lot of in-law problems and wasn't feeling very cheerful about life.  I was in a very bad movie with even worse actors.
In a funny twist of fate, God decided to bless us with a beautiful little girl last July.  Now I'm a stay at home mom, at the ripe old age of 39.  With about 45 chickens, a ewe sheep, three large dogs, and a cat.
I waited a very long time to have a child.  We decided to just see if it would happen, and it did.   That was one of the best times of my life, especially after the bomb going off with the in-lords (husband coined that term).  Then guess what, more in-lords showed up, and I started my battle with postpartum depression.  There, I said it.
With all the new people around to take care of, the animals, a garden, home, breast feeding issues, I found myself just going deeper and deeper.  Your husband can't understand why you're not happy when he's taking care of you.  I'm not a fan of pharmaceuticals, but I had to get help.   I felt ashamed with my Bible belt upbringing I couldn't just pray it away, and try everything but what's going to start helping make it go away.
Some hard to face facts about having a baby I wasn't prepared for:

1. Sleep deprivation
2. Being at home all the time
3. Loss of freedom
4. Flabbiness and your family's ability to point it out after only 6 weeks of having the baby.
5. Breastfeeding hurt like a mother!

I'm not trying to scare anyone, but they're a reality.  And all the reading I'd done couldn't prepare me for the fact all babies are individuals, they don't come with a book.  I wish some people would have prepared me a little, but they will tell you later they didn't want to scare you.

I guess I need to write these things down for myself, and maybe it will even help my daughter one day to know to speak up for herself.  I'm not very good at that.  Postpartum depression is a serious matter I wish wasn't happening to me.

The First Columbine Plant!

This is my first successful attempt at growing a columbine plant!

The Way of Life

Recently a dear family friend of ours passed away.  It reminded me once again how people in your life are placed there for a reason, and you do not see the reason immediately.

Sometimes there are people who come into your life, and wonder why is God allowing them to be in our lives.  All you can do is ask for strength and not be in a hurry, and not let the ill will of others change us into the same thing we hate. We all need to appreciate everyday we have, and enjoy the people we love. 

Our friend lost her best friend and husband of 50 years.  I hope I get that and forever.

Louis Vuitton .....or is it?

It appears I've been had on a used Louis Vuitton. I found it at the local Salvation Army, and even found one on eBay like it. So I posted it, and eBay took the listing down, with no real clear reason.
Guess it's mine now, and if it is a fake, oh well. Lessons learned. But it's a good fake, even if its a little used.