Today it just seemed like the thing to do: take advantage of the 30 plus degree weather this morning. I wiped off some of the clothesline from grim that may have settled. Out went the quilts for a freshening up. At noon lunch Dennis reminded me of weather that was coming in. When Dennis handed the quilts to me, I buried my nose in them and just took in all that wonderful fresh air aroma. Now, hours later, the entire home is still basking in the real deal of fresh air.
I do believe that little exercise of what Mom taught me, kept me in the kitchen for the greater portion of the day. I am dyed in the wool a farm girl, farm wife, though it has been decades since I pitched manure or silage. There may still be the heel marks on the county road past the Boon Lake farm where I felt I was dragged off to be a residential dweller. Too funny. I do know that the farm life Orlin and I had in those years was the best
place for Carrie and Kevin to have gotten their start in life.
Some memories of what those little twerps pulled when I was out in the barns will never dull for me. At that time, I think I wept in frustration thinking of the best way to pull through. Today, I would do it all over again. After all, it’s not that hard cleaning Garden Guard out of shoes and boots after Kevin thought he was really going to help while I was in the barns. Poor Snoopy, our sweet ole dog. I swear he sneezed for weeks as he was in the entry way on his favorite rug until the dust from the cleaning product got to be too thick.
I think the A-Jax on the hardwood floors in the dining room and living room were the worst to clean up. It didn’t vacuum up worth a hoot and I didn’t dare use anything damp or wet. Carrie was on the end of that can shaking. Needless to say, they spent a lot of time in the basement television room until I gave them the all clear.
The two munchkins were no strangers to being out in the barns. During a bad snow storm all four of us bundled up. Orlin had Carrie and I had Kevin in a death grip to my chest as we walked out to the edge of the building site where the hog barn was popping out babies. Of all times. Sows could care less. When they are ready the babies are coming and during that process they don’t really watch out for the four legged little ones. We didn’t have farrowing crates at that time so it was watch and wait to keep as many little ones safe as possible. Our little ones were safe as well in a pile of straw. It was enjoyable to see the kids reactions as Orlin would hold up the little piglets for them to have a look-see. Hog barns and cow barns the kids would be okay in, but not the chicken barn. The chickens moved too fast and the fluttering of the wings would find the kids with their hands over their faces.
The barn experiences changed when Kevin was diagnosed with asthma. Cow dander was the worst culprit. Come to think of it . . . the barn experiences were pre-asthma and that is when the surprises started in the house. When the kids had to be left alone in the house for a bit we could have done a series of “Home Alone.” Mom and Dad lived just two sections to the southwest and we would make arrangements for their barn chores schedule and our barn chores to be balanced so they could come over and stay with the kids if I was out of the house for more than a short time. What exactly is a short time when two little blonde kids were in the house alone? Snoopy was no help at all other than cleaning up the floor if their mischief included spilling something that was liquid or if it made crumbs. My brother, Michael, was in the Army at that time and Mom and Dad were actively taking care of their own livestock. 
Of course Mom would be in the house with the kids and 
Dad would be pitching in with me. This would have been around the time that Orlin was working at 3M in Hutchinson and we still had barns full of animals. Somehow it all worked out. When Spring came, the kids were in my eyesight or could be by me just going to the barn door for a look-see. Carrie was great either tattling on Kevin if he was straying into trouble or keeping him occupied with play.
Needless to say, there is no shortage of memories as I go about being in the kitchen today. I just looked out and sure enough, Dennis was right, the concrete is showing signs of something making the surface wet. It was a good thing I ran and picked up my blood pressure meds this morning. Can you believe it, $1.00 for a months supply of one pill a day? Makes me wonder what it will be next month. I am so grateful to God that I only have one prescription to keep me up and going.
Something about today is bound to be a day for more memories to be created. Memories that I have are always welcomed in my day, and who knows, perhaps something in my today’s events will be a memory that my kids will pull out some day. When I think of how blessed I am for the two little blondes that now have families of their own 
. . . it isn’t just a life, it’s a great life. Having the time in my retirement to build memories for Carrie and Kevin: leaving some of myself behind in conversations, visits, doing something to bring on the “eye rolls,” stitched items, quilted items and special greeting cards that I have made for the kids, it is all what is in the chain of life. I like it and I want more of it.
Dennis to play Santa Clause – and who has more fun? This year he took it upon himself to use some of my crafting papers to make the envelopes for the stashes. He did a great job of making it special. While I was working on granddaughter Cheyenne’s t-shirt quilt, Dennis set up shop to do his elfing. I so enjoyed watching him being so diligent with the counting. 
