Showing posts with label history. Show all posts
Showing posts with label history. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
When I feel like I've got it rough
I've been reading a blog called a little history. It tells a story about a homesteader's family and some of the interesting ways that they solved problems back then. It is a great kick in the pants for me when I'm moaning about doing laundry at a laundry mat, and living in a comfortable home & travel trailer. I guess I need to toughen up a bit, or "suck it up" as they say? More than that I need to go to bed and wake up counting my blessings.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Take a peek in to my memories
I was just thinking back on some of our past summer adventures as carnies.
We've had some interesting experiences and learned how to deal with stressful circumstances as a result.
This one time...
We had a 11/2 year old and an 8 month old. We were driving from a northern town to a southern town about 7 hours from each other. We sell 80 flavors of hard ice cream from our concession stand. The plan was to stop in the City and pick up some ice cream then keep on driving to our destination. I was driving the kids in our 97 Golf and Mike was driving the Freightliner with concession towing the travel trailer. Once we were pretty much in the middle of no where the Freightliner engine blew! We stopped at Smalltownville and Mike muttered and tinkered and hammered and made some phone calls. He ended up leaving us to nap, play and hang out at the travel trailer while he drove to the City for engine parts. Hours later he returned with the parts and continued to mutter, hammer, grunt and fix. Somehow he patched up that engine over night, at least we drove it the next day. The short stop put us behind schedule and we were late getting to our fair (which had already set up and started). In order to save time, I was sent ahead to pick up our ice cream order. Yes I picked up about twenty 11.5L pails of ice cream plus 3 large boxes of ice cream cones in our Golf. Yes the kids were with me. I think I even stacked a box of cones right above my son's head. Let's just say visibility was limited. You'd think with that load and crying kids and a stressed out me, that it would have been us to have the catastrophe. We didn't. We made it to our meeting point and axiously waited for Daddy while eating burgers and hoping the ice cream wasn't melting too fast. We had a great view of the road that Mike was to arrive from. I just about choked on my burger when I looked up and saw Mike standing beside the road attempting to remove what looked like our trailer's wheels (but no trailer) from a very busy freeway! It turned out that it was our trailer's wheels, and it's axle! No problem. With the help of a kind Samaritan we loaded up the axle into the concession, prayed and kept driving. The trailer had two axles, that one must have been extra! Mike told me that the axle falling off the trailer happened just shortly after our generator took a tumble out of the back of our concession which had accidentally been left open. Ya, the generator that keeps our ice cream frozen when we have no power to hook up to. Luckily it is a high quality, tough piece of equipment and only suffered some scratches to it's dignity. The remainder of the trip consisted of stopping on the side of the road and changing oil every hour, due to issues with the quick engine patch job & of course checking to make sure our trailer wasn't being dragged along on it's back bumper (considering the strain the remaining axle was under)! All in all, what should have been a 7 hour drive took us about 36 hours. Fun times!
Looking back we laugh and shake our heads! Mike said today, " I can't believe we drove all that way with a blown engine and a missing axle!" "ya", I added, "and 2 small kids and a load of melting ice cream". I'd like to say that we smiled through it all, prayed and encouraged one another with kind words and scripture! ha ha ahahahahaha! We did persevere. We did not give up. We asked forgiveness for, and forgave harsh words and impatient looks. We did pray, and found that we don't always get what we ask for. Some things we got that we didn't ask for were: helpful bystanders, enough money to pay for the repairs, a profit from our spot at the fair (making it all worth while), a convenient campsite, first hand experience that things work if you worry or not. Ironically it seems that these situations of panic or mayhem are what I look back on as defining moments in our marriage. Times where I've learned to be flexible, patient, positive, understanding, hopeful, and encouraging were times when I've felt the most anxious, confused, discouraged and rigid. It turns out what doesn't kill you DOES make you stronger.
I plan to post more memories from past summer excitement. My hope for this summer that we will have less to learn and more remember.
We've had some interesting experiences and learned how to deal with stressful circumstances as a result.
This one time...
We had a 11/2 year old and an 8 month old. We were driving from a northern town to a southern town about 7 hours from each other. We sell 80 flavors of hard ice cream from our concession stand. The plan was to stop in the City and pick up some ice cream then keep on driving to our destination. I was driving the kids in our 97 Golf and Mike was driving the Freightliner with concession towing the travel trailer. Once we were pretty much in the middle of no where the Freightliner engine blew! We stopped at Smalltownville and Mike muttered and tinkered and hammered and made some phone calls. He ended up leaving us to nap, play and hang out at the travel trailer while he drove to the City for engine parts. Hours later he returned with the parts and continued to mutter, hammer, grunt and fix. Somehow he patched up that engine over night, at least we drove it the next day. The short stop put us behind schedule and we were late getting to our fair (which had already set up and started). In order to save time, I was sent ahead to pick up our ice cream order. Yes I picked up about twenty 11.5L pails of ice cream plus 3 large boxes of ice cream cones in our Golf. Yes the kids were with me. I think I even stacked a box of cones right above my son's head. Let's just say visibility was limited. You'd think with that load and crying kids and a stressed out me, that it would have been us to have the catastrophe. We didn't. We made it to our meeting point and axiously waited for Daddy while eating burgers and hoping the ice cream wasn't melting too fast. We had a great view of the road that Mike was to arrive from. I just about choked on my burger when I looked up and saw Mike standing beside the road attempting to remove what looked like our trailer's wheels (but no trailer) from a very busy freeway! It turned out that it was our trailer's wheels, and it's axle! No problem. With the help of a kind Samaritan we loaded up the axle into the concession, prayed and kept driving. The trailer had two axles, that one must have been extra! Mike told me that the axle falling off the trailer happened just shortly after our generator took a tumble out of the back of our concession which had accidentally been left open. Ya, the generator that keeps our ice cream frozen when we have no power to hook up to. Luckily it is a high quality, tough piece of equipment and only suffered some scratches to it's dignity. The remainder of the trip consisted of stopping on the side of the road and changing oil every hour, due to issues with the quick engine patch job & of course checking to make sure our trailer wasn't being dragged along on it's back bumper (considering the strain the remaining axle was under)! All in all, what should have been a 7 hour drive took us about 36 hours. Fun times!
Looking back we laugh and shake our heads! Mike said today, " I can't believe we drove all that way with a blown engine and a missing axle!" "ya", I added, "and 2 small kids and a load of melting ice cream". I'd like to say that we smiled through it all, prayed and encouraged one another with kind words and scripture! ha ha ahahahahaha! We did persevere. We did not give up. We asked forgiveness for, and forgave harsh words and impatient looks. We did pray, and found that we don't always get what we ask for. Some things we got that we didn't ask for were: helpful bystanders, enough money to pay for the repairs, a profit from our spot at the fair (making it all worth while), a convenient campsite, first hand experience that things work if you worry or not. Ironically it seems that these situations of panic or mayhem are what I look back on as defining moments in our marriage. Times where I've learned to be flexible, patient, positive, understanding, hopeful, and encouraging were times when I've felt the most anxious, confused, discouraged and rigid. It turns out what doesn't kill you DOES make you stronger.
I plan to post more memories from past summer excitement. My hope for this summer that we will have less to learn and more remember.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Echos
Our house is starting to get empty.
The moving process is starting to roll along, picking up speed the closer we get to our deadline (June 22). It is interesting how moving out of a house reminds me of when we moved in. Three years ago we found this place after living with my parents (who were graciously hospitable to us and our 2 dogs and my pregnant hormones!) for three months. A friend of a friend heard we were looking for a place and gave us the phone number for our landlords (nothing like living in a small town, everyone looks out for each other). It was exactly what we needed, a place that allowed us to have our dogs, that had a shop for Mike to build his business ideas in and it was within a reasonable distance to town for me to drive in to substitute teach.
This house that we're leaving has been the house that we've lived in the longest as a couple and as a family. It has seen us through...
- Building our ice cream concession
- Bringing home our first baby boy
- Saying good bye to our oldest dog
- 3 Pumpkin Carving Parties
- Bringing home our first baby girl
- A summer with Mike's cousins
- Rousing games of Poker, Cash Flow and Settlers of Catan
- One Christmas Day when we couldn't quite make it to Saskatchewan in time
- Birthday parties
- Movie nights
- Flus & fevers
- 2 Baby Dedications
- floods & spiders & frozen pipes oh my!
- Fights and make ups
- Many family & friends gathering for fun & fellowship
We are definitely heading into a new chapter of our lives as land/home owners. I am excited and fearful at the same time. I want to relax and go with the flow and try to enjoy even this stressful period of moving, cause these moments will never come back (thank goodness regarding some of the moments!). I'll feel better once our stuff is in storage and we can just look forward to a hot and busy summer in our wonderful transition home; our travel trailer. More on that in the next blog.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
10 years in a very large nut shell
97 /98~ 2nd and last year at bible college. Met the man of my dreams, started dating.Worked as a summer student for a natural gas company for the summer. Did the long distance thing with Mike, broke up in the summer, got back together in the fall. Continued Ed Degree at the University. Got an apt. with a friend from home in the best of the worst area of the city. Worked at a dollar store to keep food on the table. It was a blast, ahh the simple worries of college days. Mike bought a house, I helped him with renos (new siding), ahhh young love, you'll do anything to spend time together.
98/99~Worked as Summer Program Coordinator for my home town (basically played with kids all summer) Best job ever! My dream man proposed, I said yes. We set the date for the following summer. Moved back to the city and in with my best friend for one last year of single girl shenanagans; we lived down town and saw many strange and interesting things pass by each day, continued B.Ed studies, continued working at the dollar store.
99/2000~Worked for my parents for the summer (they owned a grocery store back then). Acquired a stray toy poodle days before the wedding (Mike found her and fell in love! Kept her, called her Buzz) Got married on Aug 5th, lived happily ever after...
Ha ha!
2000/2001~continued last year of Ed Degree. the practicum was soul killing, I hated it, I quit! Enjoyed playing house with Mike, most of the time (except the cooking and cleaning part), got a job working at a group home for people with developmental delays. Mike quit at car audio store, painted pipe around my home town for the summer (yes we did the long distance thing again) and then got a job with the local cable company. Got another dog to keep Buzz company. An American Eskimo this time, named Sebastian, enjoyed being D.I.N.Ks.(double income no kids)
2001/2002~Decided to sell house, pay off credit cards, buy a vw golf desiel and a 15' Boler trailer and go on a road trip. Spent 1 month fishing on Vancouver Island, ambled up to NWT for a few misquito swatting days, headed to AB & SK for some R&R with friends and family. Returned to home in the fall for our good friends M & B's wedding. No idea what to do with ourselves upon return. Moved to my home town, lived in a shop. Mike was going to flip vehicles (fix up good deals & sell them), I waitressed then completed my Ed Degree by doing my practicum at my old Jr. High with my former teacher. It was great, I didn't hate it and I didn't quit this time. After I finished my practicum we decided to move back to the city, but I worked for my parents for the summer(long distance AGAIN!) no grocery store, this time I worked their campground concession. Mike moved back to the city to work for a car audio store again, this time in sales. Once summer was over I joined Mike in the city and waitressed at a pizza joint(it sucked) then a pasta place (it didn't suck quite as much, but still sucked).
2002/2003~ I graduated with B.Ed Degree, continued to waitress, Mike was doing great in car audio he was consistently top in sales, but he also hated working for a boss and dreamed of owning his own business, I got a job at an insurance company doing data entry and claims adjustments. I grew up doing retail, so I LOVED having an office job (something different), I LOVED working downtown, I didn't even mind taking the bus (except on crappy cold days). Went bear hunting that spring, talk about crazy! I'll never do that again, ask me about it next time you want to hear another long story.
2003/2004~ continued to enjoy being DINKS. Our favorite activities included: shopping at Ikea (me), wake boarding (both), going to movies (both), Lattes at Chapters (me), hunting (Mike), camping (both), drop in Volleyball with friends (both), being general all around city slickers (me).
2004/2005~decided to quit our jobs, move in with my parents back in my home town to pursue the dream of starting our own business, a Mobile Ice cream concession, only to find out once we were homeless and jobless that we were expecting baby #1!!!!!!!!!!!!! Recovered from shock, I began subbing at the local School Div, found a place to rent, built an ice cream concession out of an old moving truck, went on the road as carnies! Whoo Hooo! After working our final spot of the summer, and while hanging around visiting Mike's sister & family, and trying to decide if we should sell ice cream at the up coming home show, our son Dade was born. That was the best day of my life!
2005/2006~took the fall off to enjoy being parents and to celebrate the success of our concession that summer. Returned to Subbing after Christmas (agony to leave baby boy at first). Decided to go ice cream pedaling again, found out we were expecting again! Another summer on the road and prego!
2006/2007~Took the fall off once again. After the hectic summers we need the down time. We start working again after Christmas. Jan 2007 we just got home from Christmas with Mike's family and 4 days later our daughter, Matia was born. That was the next best day of my life! I love being a Mom more than anything else in the world. In spite of how hectic and messy and sticky and poopy it can be, it is also full of smiles and kisses and hugs and giggles and I wouldn't change it for the world!
2007/2008~ Enjoyed a mat leave this time, started subbing again in Feb. We're gearing up for another summer on the road. In addition we have just purchased property near the city. We will be moving there between mid may and end of June. We will need to develop the property (utilities, road, well) and also renovate an old 1979 mobile home we acquired this year. We will subdivide our property and sell the mobile & one parcel and move on to either build or acquire another mobile for the other part of the subdivision and live in that till we can sell it too. It is going to be a CRAZY summer, crazier than all the other summers combined! But it will be great too.
We are living very blessed and unusual lives. We look forward to new adventures each year and hold onto each other tight and try to enjoy the ride. We hope to have more kids in the future, but we're take a little break for now. God has great things in store for us, we just have to be willing to step out in faith.
98/99~Worked as Summer Program Coordinator for my home town (basically played with kids all summer) Best job ever! My dream man proposed, I said yes. We set the date for the following summer. Moved back to the city and in with my best friend for one last year of single girl shenanagans; we lived down town and saw many strange and interesting things pass by each day, continued B.Ed studies, continued working at the dollar store.
99/2000~Worked for my parents for the summer (they owned a grocery store back then). Acquired a stray toy poodle days before the wedding (Mike found her and fell in love! Kept her, called her Buzz) Got married on Aug 5th, lived happily ever after...
Ha ha!
2000/2001~continued last year of Ed Degree. the practicum was soul killing, I hated it, I quit! Enjoyed playing house with Mike, most of the time (except the cooking and cleaning part), got a job working at a group home for people with developmental delays. Mike quit at car audio store, painted pipe around my home town for the summer (yes we did the long distance thing again) and then got a job with the local cable company. Got another dog to keep Buzz company. An American Eskimo this time, named Sebastian, enjoyed being D.I.N.Ks.(double income no kids)
2001/2002~Decided to sell house, pay off credit cards, buy a vw golf desiel and a 15' Boler trailer and go on a road trip. Spent 1 month fishing on Vancouver Island, ambled up to NWT for a few misquito swatting days, headed to AB & SK for some R&R with friends and family. Returned to home in the fall for our good friends M & B's wedding. No idea what to do with ourselves upon return. Moved to my home town, lived in a shop. Mike was going to flip vehicles (fix up good deals & sell them), I waitressed then completed my Ed Degree by doing my practicum at my old Jr. High with my former teacher. It was great, I didn't hate it and I didn't quit this time. After I finished my practicum we decided to move back to the city, but I worked for my parents for the summer(long distance AGAIN!) no grocery store, this time I worked their campground concession. Mike moved back to the city to work for a car audio store again, this time in sales. Once summer was over I joined Mike in the city and waitressed at a pizza joint(it sucked) then a pasta place (it didn't suck quite as much, but still sucked).
2002/2003~ I graduated with B.Ed Degree, continued to waitress, Mike was doing great in car audio he was consistently top in sales, but he also hated working for a boss and dreamed of owning his own business, I got a job at an insurance company doing data entry and claims adjustments. I grew up doing retail, so I LOVED having an office job (something different), I LOVED working downtown, I didn't even mind taking the bus (except on crappy cold days). Went bear hunting that spring, talk about crazy! I'll never do that again, ask me about it next time you want to hear another long story.
2003/2004~ continued to enjoy being DINKS. Our favorite activities included: shopping at Ikea (me), wake boarding (both), going to movies (both), Lattes at Chapters (me), hunting (Mike), camping (both), drop in Volleyball with friends (both), being general all around city slickers (me).
2004/2005~decided to quit our jobs, move in with my parents back in my home town to pursue the dream of starting our own business, a Mobile Ice cream concession, only to find out once we were homeless and jobless that we were expecting baby #1!!!!!!!!!!!!! Recovered from shock, I began subbing at the local School Div, found a place to rent, built an ice cream concession out of an old moving truck, went on the road as carnies! Whoo Hooo! After working our final spot of the summer, and while hanging around visiting Mike's sister & family, and trying to decide if we should sell ice cream at the up coming home show, our son Dade was born. That was the best day of my life!
2005/2006~took the fall off to enjoy being parents and to celebrate the success of our concession that summer. Returned to Subbing after Christmas (agony to leave baby boy at first). Decided to go ice cream pedaling again, found out we were expecting again! Another summer on the road and prego!
2006/2007~Took the fall off once again. After the hectic summers we need the down time. We start working again after Christmas. Jan 2007 we just got home from Christmas with Mike's family and 4 days later our daughter, Matia was born. That was the next best day of my life! I love being a Mom more than anything else in the world. In spite of how hectic and messy and sticky and poopy it can be, it is also full of smiles and kisses and hugs and giggles and I wouldn't change it for the world!
2007/2008~ Enjoyed a mat leave this time, started subbing again in Feb. We're gearing up for another summer on the road. In addition we have just purchased property near the city. We will be moving there between mid may and end of June. We will need to develop the property (utilities, road, well) and also renovate an old 1979 mobile home we acquired this year. We will subdivide our property and sell the mobile & one parcel and move on to either build or acquire another mobile for the other part of the subdivision and live in that till we can sell it too. It is going to be a CRAZY summer, crazier than all the other summers combined! But it will be great too.
We are living very blessed and unusual lives. We look forward to new adventures each year and hold onto each other tight and try to enjoy the ride. We hope to have more kids in the future, but we're take a little break for now. God has great things in store for us, we just have to be willing to step out in faith.
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