Enlisting Fun

Two days ago Geek Guy greeted me "Good morning" and said, "Fun is joining the Reserves."
"Pardon me?"
"I said, Fun, is joining the Reserves."
"He's not done college. They'll send him somewhere. And he'll get shot!"
"He's joining the Navy Reserves."
"That's better?"
"Yes. He'll be on a boat, with money to spend and nowhere to spend it."


Yesterday, I was greeted "Good morning" by Fun and, "I'm signing up with the Reserves."
"You'll get sent somewhere and get shot."
"No, no, this is the Navy Reserves."
"You can't swim."
"It's okay. We only go to somewhere in Alberta or Nova Scotia."
"Alberta? The Navy is stationed in Alberta? Wouldn't you mean B.C?"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Something like that, but there's no ocean."
"How can you be in the Navy and not be on an ocean somewhere? And you haven't finished school!"


"No, no, Mom, this is only seasonal. I'm still in college."
"This is crazy. The army is not seasonal. Join them and they own you!"
"It's not the army, it's the navy and it's the reserves and we can work when we want."
"Read the fine print. Did you read the fine print?"
"There's no contract."
"Always read the fine print. I knew somebody who thought he was signing up temporarily. Surprise, surprise."
"Yeah, yeah, and I'll be out of the hole and be able to pay you guys back."
"Joining the navy means you'll be in the hole, in a ship, on an ocean somewhere, but not in Alberta."


Last month Speedy and Fun wrote RCMP entrance exams. That's the Mounties.
I've seen this coming forever with Fun but still cried myself to sleep the last two days.
My Fun.

(Photos: Last week in the cherry orchard at The Farm.)

Pie in the Sky

Saucey Chef and Her Beloved popped by on the weekend bringing Anzac cookies which Saucey's Beloved made. I've been experimenting making these chewy delights after enjoying the ones they brought. And that is saying something since I really, really - really - dislike baking cookies. A pie or cake is so much quicker. Poor Geek Guy has pretty much always had to make the cookies here. Bad housewife.

Lakeland Jo

Lakeland Jo is a blogger living in the lakes district of England - intelligent, fun-loving. Upon finding, Life in Windermere, Jo's blog some time ago, I was immediately taken by her wit, zest and unpretentiousness. She is young with a husband and teen son - busy with work and studies. Today, Lakeland Jo is facing some heavy duty stuff. Cancer. She fought it a few years ago but now - it is back - probably the worst words a cancer survivor can hear.

Jo has started chemo again. She has one cycle completed with five more to finish, each cycle comprising two days drug infusion with a three week space before the next infusion/cycle. The further into treatment one goes, the more the chemicals take a toll. Along the way there usually are hurdles. If you would, please remember in prayer Lakeland Jo and her family through this time.

Spring in the Cherry Orchard

It needs a poem.

It needs a paintbrush.

The fragrance.
The, fragrance.

If I could catch it,
cradled in dancing crystal
and send it to you,

you would fall, fall, fall,
into bliss.

Sunny Days Here Again

A bit of snow, cold, rain and heavy skies pushed through last week. On that account I've been hanging back putting out the geraniums - the mother plants and rooted cuttings taken back in February. Saturday, GG on the way out to Violinist's, to help build a house for Arfy said, "Tell Buff to cut the grass." I texted an hour later, "Buff says will cut grass when stops snowing."

During weather respites, I've been cleaning up and digging a bit in the garden - cutting back roses, pruning raspberries. Stumps used to perch a washtub of petunias, cats and sundial have finally rotten down. A sunny place has become shady and the American Beauty and old moss roses need moving. The floribunda look tired - just may dig them up altogether. One peony needs moving too but I'll wait until August to do that. Herbs are waiting to go into the potash kettle. It's April, it can still snow.


There is a mystery as to why tall prolific lilies I dug up from my mother's garden have all but disappeared this year. They may have gotten smushed when someone restained the deck and didn't watch where they were standing. That would be the same person who once mowed over lilies thinking they were weeds. Decadent Housewife is technologically challenged. Geek Guy is botanically challenged.

I see the cats have worn a little path through the peonies to a spot beneath the deck. And they knocked over a teapot and cups set out on a stump in the fern garden. Elderly Cousin gave the teapot to me when I told her my Brown Betty needed replacing. But it had a crack and leaked so I thought it would work better as a flower pot. They've been confused - the cats - huddling on the boot mat chilly mornings, then slovenly lounging beneath the deck steps through mid-day heat to return several hours later complaining at the door that it's cold again.


I prefer shade, but this spring it sure has been nice to feel that sun again. Toss the vitamin D back into the drawer. Last week we heard this airplane overhead - its engine revving pulling stunts. We ran around to the front of the property to get a better look. Fun and GG jumped into the car and got these photos over from the next concession.
Doesn't that look like fun?

Easy to Make Play Dough

Homemade play dough was a staple in the fridge when my boys were little. I recently made up this batch for my Kid's Bible Group. The kids squealed with excitement when they saw me pull the fat little bags of coloured dough from my tote and within a few minutes, a parrot, ferris wheel, stars and charm bracelet began to appear.

Play Dough

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup salt
• 4 Tbsps. Cream of Tartar
• 2 cups water
• 2 Tbsps. vegetable oil
• food colour

Measure out the flour and salt and sift in or push the cream of tartar through a sieve to break up any lumps. Whisk together.

Pour the dry ingredients in a non-stick fry pan.
Mix the wet ingredients and pour into the dry ingredients in the fry pan.

Mix together very well.
Turn onto low heat.

Stir continuously - about three minutes is all it should take.

The mixture will begin to cling together into a ball.

When it does this - it's done.

Take the dough off the heat and roll into a log, deciding how many pieces and what colours you want to make this into.

I divided this recipe into four equal sized balls and those each were divided evenly between eight children. There was plenty.

I used this liquid food colouring from Club House, found in the baking aisle, and just squeezed a bunch into a flattened ball and then kneaded in the colour.

Colours could be pre-mixed for more variations. But I never did that- other stuff to do.

Store the dough in air-tight containers - I used zip-loc bags. The play dough keeps in the refrigerator but I can't remember just how long - but I know it is quite a while.

Violinist and Handel's Messiah

Violinist invited us to an Easter presentation of Handel's Messiah in which he participated. I'm thinking of joining this choir again - Laudate Dominum.


I Know That My Redeemer Liveth.


The ensemble during pre-performance rehearsal - Violinist is second from left, beside the gentleman behind the potted plant.


There he is, the young man to the right. I'd like to upload a video too, except it's playing at half speed and someone didn't focus.


Post performance discussion.


This was actually pre-performance.
"Hi Mom, How are you? Have you had a nice day?"
He's gotten fatter since I last saw him. Marriage seems to agree.

The Easter Bunny Arrivith Late

So, like it's been busy, okay? We were in GTO - Greater Toronto region. Saucey Chef had an important birthday party. I almost had GG fooled into thinking capon is actually duck. Saucey's Beloved still drives on the wrong side of the road and I discovered we both like Gewurztraminer. There was a bridal shower too. And then a wedding where the bride wore black. We attended a performance of The Messiah which Violinist was in, babysat Arfy while Violinist went to rehearsals and I've been turning the house upside down getting rid of stuff when this drawing showed up amongst Violinist's circa pre-kindergarten music papers. I've been commissioned to tackle another prom vest - gold - brave lad, after what happened last time and have resigned from Kid's Bible Group on account of transportation logistics.
Last night was my last night.

And my goodness. What a night it was - perhaps Easter candy to blame this time. It seemed a good idea to cut out big paper flowers, attach to styrofoam sticks and decorate with glitter - ten, six-year olds with glitter and glue. Glitter, glitter everywhere. After a few comments between myself and the other teacher about how maybe this wasn't such a good idea, Riley piped up, "It looks like a big DNA experiment."
I am going to miss the chatter.