One Month

We arrived the first day of September.
It is now the last day.

We have "stuck it out" for one whole month.

Hind sight says we should have kept a daily diary of what we did each day.
Maybe it's not too late to start.......
I suggested it a couple days ago and was voted down. Enough to do already, don't need something more added to the list, everyone complained.  I thought that sounded true enough. But then again...we'll start to forget how long it's been since......or when did.......happen?

And some days I think I need it to help me see that stuff did get done, because some days it doesn't feel like we got anywhere.

Some days it seems I spend more time in the tiny kitchen cooking than in the house working.
But I guess someone has to feed the troops, affordably.
And someone still has to keep the clothes clean.
Sure there may be a house needing a complete over-haul, but dishes still need washing after every meal.   Especially when there are only four plates!

I do delegate.

And then some days have headaches and that awkward dance where the moves are
two steps forward and then
three steps back.
Recover and then repeat. Until you start to wonder why you got out of bed that morning?!
Always glad to get through those days with everyone intact.

But although today was "one of those days" two neat things came from the bumbling dance moves....we met and exchanged phone numbers with another home schooling mom, who says she has a fourteen year old daughter who likes to knit, crochet, LOVES animals and since they live on a farm, raises chickens.

Hummmmm......that doesn't sound like I took a miss-step there to me!

Then when I asked about a church we want to check out but can't connect with anyone to get hours and the building has no sign, she sent me to talk to "Chris, in the lumber section at the Home Hardware, he is very involved at that church"

This is how it went.

I and my side-kick enter said lumber building.
Fellow leaves desk and as he walks towards me and The Youngest, I say. "I am looking for Chris"
He says "Well, you are looking at him"
Cool! I introduce myself and my youngest (he's probably thinking, Why?)
Then say I was sent here by the librarian, who says you are involved at the Such and Such Church.

BLANK look staring back at us.

"Ahhh, that's not me" he finally says.

I laugh. And ask, "Well, any other Chris work here?"
"Not except the store owner, whose name is Chris, but he isn't here right now"

I start to thank him when he asks me "Which church again?"
I repeat it.
"Where is that? he wonders.
I tumble out the best possible description of roads I've only driven for four weeks, about a location I have only driven past once, wondering how it is that he doesn't already know since the sign is visible when you drive out of the village.

"Just a minute" he says.
Goes to back room,  we hear chatting.

Chris comes back, logs onto the computer, says he has a number for us.
Brings up a name of a customer, writes down both and passes me the paper.

"This fellow, he runs that church, he'll be able to answer your questions"

"Thanks, says I, you were a helpful "Chris" after all!!"

He grins, "You're welcome!"

And this, Ladies and Gentlemen, is what it means to live in a village! You may as "the newbie" have some strange dance steps, but everyone is so neighbourly, they kinda just step in and do the awkward dance with ya.