A septic system for our new home

It started with a small hole, that eventually measured 6'x6'x9'.

Despite our hard year, the boys and I really are being blessed and protected by God. This weekend four or five men from our church came over to the trailer and installed a septic system! Even doing the installation themselves, the tank and lines still cost $1,000. Half of that money was paid for by the church's Salkehatchie fund and the other half came from the men's club and out of the pockets of some of the men. You cannot imagine how grateful I feel.

The 7,000 pound septic tank is lowered into the hole.

The lowest quote I had got for the system and installation was $1,900. This, along with taping into the county water system, which I still need to do, was the most expensive thing on my list that had to be done before we can move in.

We put the septic tank in the night before we dug the lines. Water seeped up from the ground into the hole.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel now! We are one big step closer to having a home again.

We made our sewer lines out of black, plastic, dome-shaped pieces.

Besides the men who worked all day, their wives worked to fix both lunch and dinner for the entire crew. These women are experienced at cooking for a crowd!

Ronnie and Preacher Jerry mark the ground for the next drain line.

And because this is a small town, we were able to get the inspector to come out and inspect the system the same day - even though it was a Saturday. Now the septic system is legal and ready to go. The homestead is slowly but surely coming to life!

The men check out the trench before putting the drain lines in.

Giveaway: $25 gift card to Sam's Club

It's that time of year again. By now, if you have kids, they are probably back in school. And that means it's time to start collecting box tops again. Many homeschool associations and most of the schools I know collect Box Tops for Education. You can check out the box tops Web site for more information on the program.

Sam's Club makes it easy to collect Box Tops for Education. They are having a back-to-school event that allows you to collect six box tops on one item purchased! When you purchase participating General Mills products, you can stock up on box tops and give your child a head start on collecting them for the year.

Some of the box top items you could buy include:

Honey Nut Cheerios
Nature Valley Oats 'N Honey Crunchy Granola Bars
Totino´s Pizza Rolls
Hershey's Ultimate Chocolate Brownie mix
Lucky Charms cereal
Fruit Roll-Ups

Guess what? Sam's Club gave me a $25 gift card so I could tell you about their back-to-school event, and they are offering the same to one of my readers! Could you use a free $25 gift card to Sam's Club?

All you have to do is leave a comment on this post! Yes, it is that simple!!!

I will use a computerized random number generator to choose the winner on Sept. 4.

You can check out Sam's Club's Facebook page and Twitter page, too!

Disclosure: The Sam´s Club gift card, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

Pitt bulls = prejudice and stereotypes

My brother and his dog.

I've never liked stereotyping but, let's face it, we all do it sometimes (including myself, I'm sorry to say). We stereotype people because of their economic situation, the way they look, the family they grew up in, the location they live/grew up in, the job they hold (or don't hold)... let's face it - this list can go on and on.

But never did I think people would stereotype because of an animal. But we do, don't we? What pops into your mind when you think of someone who has livestock? What about someone who has a snake or pet rat? What about the lady who has a gazillion cats?

Recently, my brother has felt the brunt of people's stereotyping, and it wasn't a good experience for him. Apparently, there are a couple of stray dogs - pit bull mixes - running around his neighborhood. Somebody in his neighborhood keeps calling animal control and even the police department, saying the dogs are a nuisance, dangerous, and may even have killed their cat. That's fine. Perhaps they should call animal control. What they should not have done is to blame my brother, citing him as being responsible for the loose pit bulls. Why did they do this? Because he is the owner of some pit bulls. 

My brother's dog, Baby Girl

Let me say that my brother's dogs are very well taken care of - spoiled actually. And they have never run loose around the neighborhood. He has two in the back yard and one very fat pit bull girl in the house. Never once have any of the dogs been off leash outside of their own fence or home.

But the other night - late at night - the police showed up at his door looking for the loose pit bulls, which they were told belonged to him. My brother manged to convince them the strays were not his, only to find an animal control officer at his door a couple of days later. The officer had to physically inspect his dogs to make sure they didn't fit the description of the strays. Then he wanted to leave a trap in my brother's yard. My brother told him to do whatever he wanted to until the officer tried to make him sign a paper saying not only that he would be responsible for baiting and setting the trap, but that if the trap was stolen or damaged, he would pay $150. "No way," my brother said. He told the officer he respected that he was doing his job but that he resented the fact that he was being stereotyped and profiled.

Bishop gets a tummy rub

Over the years, my brother has taken a liking to the breed - mostly because he felt that people were unfairly prejudiced against the breed. My brother doesn't take in strays, but he wouldn't call animal control on a loose pit bull unless he knew it was hurting someone/something. Why? Because a lot of animal control organizations, including the one where he lives, automatically kill any pit bull they pick up. They don't give them a chance to be adopted out or anything.

Now I'm not particularly a fan of the breed, but I don't agree with prejudice of any kind. Every decade or so, the public, mainly through outrageous media reports, picks a breed of dog to hate and fear. I can remember in the 80s when it was the doberman. Then in the 90s, it became the rottweiler. The pit bull has carried on through the 2000s, but who knows what the next breed will be?

My brother's dog, Gage

I'm not saying that pit bulls don't bite. I'm just saying they don't bite more than other "biting" breeds. Do you know one of the dogs most likely to bite is a Labrador?

That being said, I should probably point out that there are no truly reliable bite statistics for the U.S. Why? Because there is not one central agency to report bites to, because most dog bites go unreported, because there is no way to truly know a dog's breed unless it has a pedigree, and because statistics don't take into account things like neglect, abuse, or lack of socialization.

So please, don't discriminate. I'm not saying you should run out and adopt a pit bull. I'm not. But don't be prejudiced against an entire breed of dog, and please... don't point law enforcement to a neighbor down the street just because they have pit bulls.

Happy birthday to all my friends and family!

August is one of those months where a lot of people I know are having birthdays. I thought I would use this post to say happy birthday to all of them at once!

Nancy's son, Hunter, age 4 on Aug. 6

My son, Justin, age 16 on Aug. 21

My friend, Nancy, age 41 on Aug. 24

My brother Tim, age 33 on Aug. 26 - today!

My baby is 16!

 

Last weekend my baby turned 16. I guess he's not so much of a baby anymore. We invited various family members and friends down and held a get-together in the church fellowship hall. Notice I said "get-together" and not "party." Justin informed me that he was much too old to have a theme or an actual birthday party. 

His gifts made his age obvious, too. The only things he received were video games and cash, which he promptly spent to buy more video games. Oh, what I would do for the days when I bought him action figures and building blocks....

We had hot dogs and fixings, as well as chicken casserole - and of course, cake and ice cream - at the "get-together."

 I felt really blessed to have so much of my family willing to make the hour or two hour trip (depending on where they live) to our new location. Some of our friends and "family" from our new little town came, too. Justin had a great time and we all felt really loved. That's my kind of get-together!

Cough, sneeze, wipe nose and eyes

That's what I've been doing for the past two days. Over, and over, and over. I haven't been sick in forever, but I work at a hospital now, so I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later. The good thing is that the hospital has hand sanitizer in a container mounted on the wall by nearly every door - even my office. I did my best to keep anyone else from catching my germs, including wiping down everything I touched with disinfectant. Luckily, I don't work directly with patients - but patients ride in the same elevator and such that I do, so I tried to be cognizant of the fact that I could spread germs. I would sanitize my hands before touching anything outside the office and made sure I didn't touch my face at all until I was back in the office. I might should have stayed home, but I really need the money, it's just a bad cold - and like I said, I don't work directly with patients.

Unfortunately, it's hard to be that diligent at home, so I have a sneaking suspicion that someone else in the house will catch my bad cold.

Today I came home from work, took some medicine, and went outside and mowed. That probably wasn't a good idea - I felt sick as a dog when I came back in. But I have a busy week planned, folks! I can't stop my life just because I don't feel good.

All I can do is arm myself with an arsenal of immune boosting herbs. I used to take these on a daily basis but got too busy to remember. Big mistake. Now I'm taking echinacea, vitamin C, bee pollen, and my daily vitamins all in the hope of making it through the day. I hope I won't make that mistake again!

Book review: Ransome's Quest

Ransome’s Quest Harvest House Publishers (August 1, 2011) by Kaye Dacus

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Humor, Hope, and Happily Ever Afters! Kaye Dacus is the author of humorous, hope-filled contemporary and historical romances with Barbour Publishing and Harvest House Publishers.

Kaye Dacus (KAY DAY-cuss) is an author and editor who has been writing fiction for more than twenty years. A former Vice President of American Christian Fiction Writers, Kaye enjoys being an active ACFW member and the fellowship and community of hundreds of other writers from across the country and around the world that she finds there. She currently serves as President of Middle Tennessee Christian Writers, which she co-founded in 2003 with three other writers. Each month, she teaches a two-hour workshop on an aspect of the craft of writing at the MTCW monthly meeting. But her greatest joy comes from mentoring new writers through her blog and seeing them experience those “aha” moments when a tricky concept becomes clear.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

The pirate El Salvador has haunted the waters of the Caribbean for almost ten years. When he snatched Charlotte Ransome, it was a case of mistaken identity. Now Charlotte's brother, whose reputation in battle is the stuff of legend, is searching for him with a dogged determination. But another rumor has reached El Salvador's ears: Julia Ransome has been kidnapped by the man feared by all other pirates--the pirate known only as Shaw. The violent and blood-thirsty savage from whom El Salvador was trying to protect her.

When word reaches William of Julia's disappearance, his heart is torn--he cannot abandon the search for his sister, yet he must also rescue Julia. Ned Cochrane offers a solution: Ned will continue the search for Charlotte while William goes after Julia. William's quest will lead him to a greater understanding of faith and love as he must accept help from sworn enemy and have faith that Julia's life is in God's hands.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Ransome’s Quest, go HERE.

Yard equipment equals frustration

My must-haves for mowing include sunglasses, a hat, and socks and sneakers.

One of the hardest things I've had to learn as a "single" mom is yard work. It's not that it's hard, really. It's just very frustrating. That's me above, on our old Murray riding mower. Mowing with the riding mower is easy. But I also had to learn to use our Toro push mower and our Craftsman weedeater/trimmer. If you've been following me long, you may remember that I learned lessons such as "don't use the weedeater on a gravel walkway in shorts unless you want hundreds of tiny cuts on your legs."

Justin carries the dog house out of the dog pen so he can mow.

But more than learning how to use the items is dealing with maintaining the equipment. I am blessed to have Nancy's husband, Ronnie, to work on my equipment when it breaks down - although not always when I want him to ;)  I'm very blessed to have him available, though.

I buy the parts, and Ronnie puts them on for me, which has saved me a lot in maintenance fees. But really. Sometimes there are just... so... many... parts... to buy. This spring/summer alone, we have had to replace more than one part on the push mower and the riding mower. From ignitions to cables, everything that can break has - or so it seems. But there is always something else that can break.


This week, it was yet a different cable on the push mower. And the weedeater is now running for only about two minutes before it shuts off and you have to restart it. And the riding mower needs new blades. And the riding mower won't shut off on its own. The only way to turn it off is to flood the carburetor, so once you start mowing you better finish before you turn the thing off, or you'll be waiting 30 minutes for the gas to go through the carburetor so it will start again.

Nancy's son Hunter watches as Justin begins to mow the dog pen.

There just always seems to be at least one of the three, sometimes more, that we cannot use. And yes, we need all three. Although we can't move into the trailer yet (still awaiting repairs), I have nearly two acres to mow (riding mower). And there are several places, such as the dog pen and around the ditch, that a riding mower simply can't go - hence the push mower.

Ladies, if you have never had to deal with yard equipment, count yourselves lucky. Sometimes we just don't realize how much our husbands do until they are gone.

That's a lot of yard to mow - and that's just a portion of it!

All my complaining aside.... I actually kind of enjoy yard work. There's just something very satisfying about making all the grass neat and even and pretty. It's the same feeling I get from a good house cleaning, I guess. That feeling that, even though I may be exhausted and sweating like a pig (that's a pretty picture, huh?) from mowing in that 100 degree southern heat and humidity, I accomplished something. And something in my life - even if it's just my yard - is neat and orderly.

Book review: A Most Unsuitable Match

A Most Unsuitable Match Bethany House; Original edition (August 1, 2011) by Stephanie Grace Whitson


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A native of southern Illinois, Stephanie Grace Whitson has lived in Nebraska since 1975. She began what she calls "playing with imaginary friends" (writing fiction) when, as a result of teaching her four homeschooled children Nebraska history, she was personally encouraged and challenged by the lives of pioneer women in the West. Since her first book, Walks the Fire, was published in 1995, Stephanie's fiction titles have appeared on the ECPA bestseller list numerous times and been finalists for the Christy Award, the Inspirational Reader's Choice Award, and ForeWord Magazine's Book of the Year.


Her first nonfiction work, How to Help a Grieving Friend, was released in 2005. In addition to serving in her local church and keeping up with two married children, two college students, and a high school senior, Stephanie enjoys motorcycle trips with her family and church friends. Her passionate interests in pioneer women's history, antique quilts, and French, Italian, and Hawaiian language and culture provide endless story-telling possibilities.



ABOUT THE BOOK:

An unlikely attraction occurs between two passengers on a steamboat journey up the Missouri River to Montana...


She is a self-centered young woman from a privileged family who fears the outdoors and avoids anything rustic. He is a preacher living under a sense of duty and obligation to love the unlovable people in the world. She isn't letting anything deter her from solving a family mystery that surfaced after her mother's death. He is on a mission to reach the rejects of society in the remote wilderness regions of Montana. Miss Fannie Rousseau and Reverend Samuel Beck are opposites in every way... except in how they both keep wondering if their paths will ever cross again.


If you would like to read the first chapter of A Most Unsuitable Match, go HERE.

Encouragment for single parents

I recently found this poem on Janet's Country Home. She has a section dedicated to single, homeschooling parents and I thought this was a great poem.

Never Walk Alone
A Psalm for Single Parents
author unknown

When God blessed me with children,
a gift beyond all wealth,
I never thought I'd face the job
of raising them myself.
That's why each day and night
I ask for guidance from above;
for patience, faith, a gentle push,
so I may act with Love.
I'll show my children right from wrong,
encourage dreams and hope;
Explain respect for others,
while teaching them to cope
With outside pressures, inside fears,
a world that's less than whole;
And through it all I'll nurture
my children's most precious soul!
Though oftentimes a struggle,
this job I'll never trade;
For in my hand tomorrow lives...
a future God has made.

Nobody takes the bone!

 

My normally sweet Catahoula Leopard dog, Zoe, becomes quite fierce when if someone reaches to take her meaty bone. Nobody takes the bone!

Book review: A River to Cross

A River to Cross Bethany House; Original edition (August 1, 2011)

by Yvonne Harris


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Yvonne Harris earned a BS in Education from the University of Hartford and has taught throughout New England and the mid-Atlantic. Unofficially retired from teaching, she teaches writing at Burlington County College in southern New Jersey, where she resides. She is a winner and three-time finalist for the Golden Heart, once for The Vigilante's Bride, which was her debut novel.





ABOUT THE BOOK:

Texas Ranger Jake Nelson patrols the U.S.-Mexico border, protecting the settlers from cattle rustlers, outlaws, and bandits. Sparks fly when Manuel Diego stirs up a revolt against the government, which leads to the murder of a newspaperman, who is the son of a U.S. senator, and the kidnapping of his sister, Elizabeth Madison, a journalist in the making.


With Elizabeth's photograph in hand--a dark-haired beauty with smiling eyes--Jake rides over the border to find her. After the Rangers defeat the marauders and rescue Elizabeth, Jake is surprised to learn she's not the spoiled daughter of a senator that he was expecting. In fact, he finds himself taken by her. And she by him.


But the Mexicans won't give up that easily, as Elizabeth becomes the target of an all-out hunt. Leaving Elizabeth back at Fort Williams, Jake and his men set off again, this time to go after Diego himself--to apprehend him and his renegades and bring them all to justice.


Meanwhile, Jake knows what's begun between him and Elizabeth is undeniable. Amid all the turmoil, Jake finally admits how much he loves her. She tells him the same. Until now, they've lived in different worlds, yet it is those differences that drew them together.


If you would like to read the first chapter of A River to Cross, go HERE.