amtolle

Waffle Day

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August 24 is National Waffle Day. Waffles, everyone seems to like waffles. Waffles have been around for ages it seems. In 1869 on August 24, Cornelius Swarthout of New York was the first to patent the waffle iron, enabling anyone to make waffles.

National Waffle Day is observed on August 24 as that was the day in 1869 when Cornelius Swarthout of New York first patented the waffle iron. Belgium waffles were introduced into the United States during the World Fair of 1964. And for those of us who enjoy waffles but not the work or clean up of creating waffles, Eggo created a frozen waffle in 1953, later in the 1970’s Kellogg’s purchased Eggo and coined the phrase “Leggo my Eggo” for advertising.

I remember the commercials of Eggo waffles and the people waiting for the toaster, grabbing the heated waffle and saying “Leggo my Eggo”. While the frozen Eggo waffles were good, I prefer the homemade from scratch cooked on a waffle iron.

Every person has their favorite toppings to put on their waffle. Personally, I love butter, maple syrup, topped with fresh strawberries and banana slice covered with whip topping. When I fixed waffles for my husband the first time, I learned people put peanut butter on their waffles and pancakes. There are many types of toppings and ways to eat waffles. After moving to Texas I discovered another way of eating waffles, with fried chicken or chicken tenders. This is very popular in Texas. Instead of toppings, the popular choice is alongside fried chicken.

Every Christmas morning, I make waffles and french toast. I set out an abundance of toppings, fresh sliced strawberries, sliced bananas, blueberries, peanut butter, maple syrup, a shaker of cinnamon, and whipped topping. An early morning feast to start the day of celebration and feasting.

Regardless of how you like your waffles, enjoy National Waffle day.

amtolle

A Little Bit of Rain

Last night and today, we have been receiving some much needed and prayed for rain. The area I am in has been in a drought all summer, no rain. Rain is what we depend on to water our pastures as there is no irrigation type systems in this area. No one irrigates or uses farm sprinklers to water their fields and pastures. Rainfall is very important.

I am many things, but my main occupation is being a sheep farmer. I raise Dorper sheep for market lamb. I enjoy this occupation of caring for the sheep. Being a sheep farmer is more than just taking care of sheep. I have to manage the pasture and other resources in order to care the sheep and make a profit.

One of those resources is my pasture. When we first purchased our small homestead, the pasture had been overgrazed. There was way more weeds than grass, and large bare areas of dirt. Not much feed for the horses we were raising at the time. Building up a pasture that has been overgrazed takes time, there is no quick fix.

Our lives took a change, we sold the horses and I became a sheep farmer. In the beginning as a sheep farmer, I did not have very many sheep, five to seven. Sheep love to eat weeds, 70 % of their preferred diet is weeds and brush. I had plenty of both when I started raising sheep. As the sheep grazed the weeds, not allowing the weeds to produce seeds and replant, my pasture starting changing. The weeds being controlled by the sheep allowing more moisture and sunlight for grass, the grass started growing and spreading. Today, my pasture is mostly grass, the few weeds I do have are weeds sheep and other livestock do not eat.

This spring we did not get the usual amount o rainfall. The summer was dry, no rainfall and heat. The grass in the pasture became tan, short, dry and had stopped growing. In July, I stopped grazing the sheep on the pasture, and kept them in pens with limited grazing around the sheds and house. I did not want to overgraze the pasture and stress or kill the grass I had managed to build up. I was able to water the grass around the sheds and house using the water from our well. This week, I stopped grazing the sheep totally. The grass around the sheds and house were not able to keep up with the sheep. I did not want to overgraze this area either.

Being a sheep farmer is more than just taking care of the sheep, it is managing the resources needed to care for the sheep. My sheep pens are placed on a hillside above the pasture. When we do receive rain, the water naturally sheds to the pasture. As the water moves through the pens, it becomes a manure tea, fertilizing the grass in the pasture. The past few years, there has developed a darker green and more lush grass nearer the sheep pens than in the back of the pasture. The darker green grass area has been growing large each year.

When I clean out my sheep pens, I compost the manure for more than 30 days, usually a few months, before applying it to the pasture. Letting the manure compost helps with internal parasite in the sheep, not allowing the larva to infect the sheep. After thirty days, if the larva have not been introduced into a sheep’s system, the larva dies.

Having the sheep pens on a hillside allows for faster draining and drying of the sheep pens, than the rest of the property. Keeping the sheep pens drained helps to prevent footrot, a bacterial infection of the sheep hoof that destroys the hoof. The placement of pens and shelters is also a management decision for a sheep farmer.

Yes, we have received a little bit of rain, but this will not break the drought. This little bit of rain will give the grass a breath of life. The pasture will take more rain, and time to rebuild from the stress of the drought before I can have the sheep graze it once more. I will continue to feed the sheep hay in their pens until spring arrives. I am managing my pasture to feed the ewes and lambs this spring and next year. If I overgraze or let the sheep graze too soon, I will hinder and possible destroy the work of the past few years to build up and improve my pasture.

amtolle

Happy Senior Citizens Day

August 21 is a celebration of Seniors. Recognizing seniors as a vital part of family and community. This year I entered this group of people, not by choice, it was forced upon me by “Father Time”.

Do I feel like a Senior Citizen? I am not sure, how does a Senior Citizen feel?

The only thing I do not like about getting a year older is my body will not cooperate with my mind. My mind and heart are still 25 years young, wanting to do the things I have always done. My body says different with stiff muscles the next morning. Looking in the mirror each morning, I have a few wrinkles I believe are caused by thousands of hours in the sun working and enjoying life. These few wrinkles show I lived outdoors. I have some grey hair, I have been waiting several years for them to show up. I believe grey hair is a sign of wisdom, not age, and I earned these grey hairs years ago raising my children. There are not many grey hairs, perhaps I have more lessons to learn.

How do Senior Citizens behave? I do not know, as I do not behave as one. There is a reason my grandchildren call me Crazy Granny. I am not afraid or slow to join in softball practice, catch rolly pollies to play marbles, go fishing, climb a tree or try something new. I have even learned how to play different video games.

This weekend, a good friend of mine was invited to go kayaking. She had never been. When asked, she jumped at the opportunity to go and learn. She had a blast this weekend on the lake with a new friend and a kayak.

I believe the secret to staying “young” is to stay active. Keep that body moving, and moving in different ways. During Covid, I started doing Yoga from a youtube channel. I enjoyed it, for me it was a relaxing way to exercise. I still ride my horses, although I am not allowed to get on a young horse for the horse’s first ride (that may happen in two years anyway), I enjoy working with the horse to teach them new things.

Another secret I believe to staying “young”, is not to be afraid to try new things. Just like my friend going kayaking for the first time, and she is a few years older than I am. I have gone kayaking with my granddaughters three years ago. It was fun, we had a blast on the water.

This past decade, I have been in the emergency room for injuries, most were horse related. I had doctors tell me “for a person your age” you are in good health. When I went for a bone scan, again “for a person your age” your bones are very strong, like a 25 year old woman, no worries about osteoporosis. And I ask the doctor, what does my age have to do with my health? I work at eating healthy, I exercise everyday regardless if I want to or not (animals have to be fed and taken care of).

A driving force to staying young and motivating you to exercise and eat healthy is to keep on dreaming. Dreams keep us going, striving to reach a goal, have a new experience. We need to participate in life, not be a spectator of life. We may have some years on us as senior citizens, but we can still live life.

We do have to take care of our bodies and ourselves in order to keep going strong, and feeling younger than what others think we should at “our age”. I am a year old, a little wiser, but I am far from dead.

“The Box”

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A red Budweiser case box sits on a shelf in a closet. The box shows wear from many moves the past two decades. On the front is an index card labeling what is inside, “Research Paper”. This box is special, a trophy. Not stylish or fancy to put on a shelf and admire for its beauty, but a trophy nonetheless.

Recently, when my oldest daughter, Mrs. J, was visiting with me and her younger sister, Mrs. E, she asked,”Mom do you still have your research paper?”

Mrs. E instantly responded, “Mom is never going to get rid of that, it is too special.” She was not joking or being sarcastic, but serious about the value of the box. A value I did not know they had for an old worn box full of papers.

Mrs. J asked, “Can I see it sometime Mom?”

“Yes, when you come down next time for a visit, I will get out the research paper.”

This research paper is from college, a class required for graduation with an associates degree.

Colleges have stories about teacher and classes, this class was tough, grueling and not fun. Mrs. Ackrey taught the class, and it was a challenge. She was very particular on the steps, resources and how this research thesis was presented. Mrs. Ackrey had four Phds and was working on another, she was qualified on teaching students how to write a research paper that taught the skills to write a masters or doctorate thesis, the purpose of the class. The research paper written and presented to her was the total grade for the class. Because of the importance and amount of work required, I did not load up with the 18 to 21 credit hours I usually carried a combination from three colleges. I took a bare minimum of credit hours to get government financing to assist with the cost, 12 credit hours.

The first day, we were handed the syllabus and given a list of supplies needed, including 5 legal type notebooks, index cards, and post it notes. She went through the syllabus with us word by word. Everyone was to understand and be aware of the requirements for the class. For homework we were instructed to think about a subject for the research paper that had to be at least 25 pages in length. Leaving class that night, I knew what my topic would be – horses. I had a lot of books, magazines and personal experience with horses, as a topic, my research paper would not be so difficult.

Second class meeting opened with us voicing ideas for a subject. Mrs Ackery was quick to shoot some down due to not being a large enough topic to meet the required number of resources and pages. She stated some topics that were common for research papers in her class, and others that would meet the requirements if a person choose to do the research. Before class was over she looked at me, said my name, “You can not do a research paper on horses. In this area, you are known as an expert, and choosing the subject would not require you to learn the process sufficiently. And I will not accept you doing a paper on any animal.” My topic shot out of the water before I even started. Ok, now the work of picking a topic as we were to have a topic chosen before the next class.

Choosing the topic to do research on was difficult. The minimum of 25 resources from the following required: 1-5 books read cover to cover, 10 or more magazine and newspaper publications, at least one video interviews or movies or documentaries, 1-5 person to person interviews, and limit of 10 internet sources. What was I going to choose?

The movie, “A Beautiful Mind”, about John Forbes Nash Jr., a famous mathematician, was just released to VHS video. I had heard it was very good to watch. One of the topics Mrs. Ackrey mentioned was schizophrenia, a hard topic she said to compose, but a lot of resources. I would combine school and a movie night with the family.

My topic chosen I was ready to begin work. I had one semester to do research, work two jobs and care for four children and their various activities, and get this paper written and bound to present for a grade.

Remember the five legal size notebooks, one notebook for each chapter. Index cards were for quotes. We were to have a introduction quote, table of contents, an introduction, five chapters and a conclusion, resource appendix. We could not do research in the class meetings, that was for instructions on how to write our rough draughts, chapter by chapter, and typing of the final research paper.

In one semester, for one class I read four books, cover to cover. I was at the library with my children, me in the reference area, them in the children’s area. I read at work between waiting on tables, read and took notes while my children did their homework. My children experienced with me the research and writing of this paper. We watched the movie three times, then I read the book, “A Beautiful Mind” written by Sylvia Nasar. I had the resources and was putting the information together chapter by chapter. In total I had over 35 resources listed and quoted in the research paper. My hand written chapters were turned into the teacher on time, and I went over her notes in detail.

Now to type it all together. Christmas was fast approaching, and I had cut my hours at work in order to do this research paper. I am very proficient at typing and understood how to type the research paper in the format instructed. There were three fellow students who paid me to type their research papers. This was allowed, you could have someone else type your research paper as long as they were noted on the title page as being the typist. I did not get my research paper typed and bond on time. I was late in presenting it the teacher. Those that I had typed their research papers for, were on time and presented on time. I had to travel to the school where she taught to turn my paper on the last day of acceptance. This translated to I needed to make an “A” on the research paper because I was so late in turning it in, I would just get a passing grade.

Two weeks after turning the research papers we would have our grades. For the first and probably only time in her life, Mrs. Ackrey was not ready to hand back the research papers with the grades. She told the class she would need an extra week due to a situation she had to deal with. We would continue with moving the last week up one week.

The day arrived, we were to get back our research papers with the class grade. I had been praying for a passing grade, not wanting to have to take this class again and put off graduation.

She started the class saying our grades were late in being given due to having sent a student’s research paper to the board of directors to review and later meeting with them to discuss the paper and action. In my mind I thought someone had plagiarize another’s work, which meant expulsion from the college.

She continued tell the class a student had turned their work in late. When I read their work, it was beyond excellent, beyond excellent. I had my husband read it, and the director of this campus. They concurred with me to send it to the Board of Directors. I also sent a few copies to colleagues at other colleges and university who teach on the subject. All came back with the same conclusion – the paper is definitely a master’s thesis and could be a doctorate thesis.

The students and I were puzzled, if this paper is so great, just give it an “A”, why take it to the Board of Directors.

In conclusion, she stated anytime an exception is made in a course syllabus it must be made by the Board of Directors, she could not do it on her own. By the syllabus, the student would be entitled to a “D”, but this thesis is way above a “D”. I must make every student aware that an exception has been made and why. Putting the research thesis that she was holding on the table, he looks at me, state my name “has written a doctorate quality thesis without any format mistakes and it should be published. The Board of Directors and I agree that she should receive a B grade for this amazing work. This thesis has been scrutinized by people in the top of that field on information and presentation and all were amazed that a student, who is in their second year of college wrote the thesis. She has over 35 references, She read four books, I saw her read them at work between waiting on tables. She has a family to take care of and works I know of two jobs. Some of you did not put any effort into your papers. And those of you who had her type your paper, the format was flawless, I hope you paid her well.” Then she laid three more research thesis on the table, those that I had typed. “You can come up and get your papers from the table.” and she started laying others on the table. When I went to pick up mine, she told me “I hope you publish this, it is truly that good.”

I had never been praised for my work as I was that night in the classroom. Within the box is a copy of the research thesis, all my notes, all my note cards, the seven legal notebooks, and a couple of letters from the people she sent the thesis to for review. I never published it, as I thought I would use it in another class if needed.

The box sits on a shelf in my closet, a story within itself.

amtolle

Measure of Success

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At times I think about my life adventures and wonder have I succeeded. I am not monetary wealthy, or famous, or recorded in history for some great deed or discovery.

1. Outcome, Results

The first definition does not define or describe success very clearly. If the outcome and results are what you wanted then you would have success. So I read on, definition number 2:

2. A favorable termination of a venture.

The second definition is a clearer description. This definition can also be trap. The trap of if things do not turn out the way I wanted, then it is a failure, and not a success. I do not believe that is true. There are several ventures or goals I have set and did not get the results I was desiring, but were not necessarily a failure.

I think how we determine a favorable outcome of our venture determines our success. When I was in high school and a few years after, I wanted to become a veterinarian. I married, had a child, then was divorced. Working and parenting took up all my time as a single parent. I could not go to college, but I wanted to. During those years I was surviving. Almost two decades later I was able to attend college, I had remarried, had three more children who were in school, and I decided to become a school teacher. Finally I was attending college working towards a degree. Then life happened again, I was getting divorced, single parent with two teenagers at home, not enough hours in the day to finish college with a bachelors degree to teach. BUT, I did graduate with two associate degrees: associates of liberal arts (the planned degree) and associates of science (surprise degree). One of my happiest memories was graduation and seeing how proud my children were about me graduating.

Some may consider this to be a failure as I did not graduate with a bachelors degree for teaching. I consider it a success: I attended college, worked hard and GRADUATED. My degrees have opened doors for employment and a better wage than minimum wage. My attending college and doing homework with my young children when they were doing homework, has given them the desire to strive for a college education. All my children have attended college, three have graduated and one is still working on their degree. My small success has inspired their success. When they graduated I was happy and proud of their accomplishments as they were of mine.

I do not believe success can be measured by the bank account, assets or the size of house we live in. I believe the measure of success is the happiness we receive with ourselves at what we have done. You are successful in life when you are happy with your life. I know some very wealthy people who are not happy. They are on a constant search to find happiness in some activity. Others who do not have much of anything are some of the happiest people I know.

It is the things we accomplish that bring us success.

amtolle

Searching a Path

When I lived in Colorado and rode horses in the mountains, we would start out on a path or trail. Later in our ride, we would leave the path in search of a way to reach a certain peak or area.

In life, we start out on a path of our parents’ choosing. As children we do not make the decisions that affect our lives, our parents to. As we mature, leave home and beg the searching for our way to reach a certain dream. We begin making the decisions on what we should do or not do. Now the responsibility of where our path leads us is our own choosing.

I have shared stories of my past and learning as an adult I was adopted. Then a family relative learned they were adopted as well. I was asked not to share my family past history as the family relatives did not want someone to learn who they were and what may have been said. So I stopped writing my past stories.

I feel I should share my life history with others. I know I have gained encouragement and hope by reading or listening to someone else, and that they have overcome the unpleasant or traumatic event in their life. So, there maybe someone, somewhere that needs to see a full story of how a person overcame the challenging events in their lives.

I know I am not the only person to be molested as a child, but for years I felt I was, alone and no one else had ever been treated that way. Learning that I was not the only person to be molested, helped me to not be ashamed and to speak out.

When you think you are the only one that has had something bad happen to you, you blame yourself. “I must be bad or something is wrong with me and that is why bad things happen” are the thoughts that go through the mind.

By sharing my life story, I hope to reach others and let them know they are not alone. I want those around me to maybe have some understanding as to why I think or behave the way I do. Sharing also helps with my healing. I am no longer hiding those things in my mind and heart, I am getting them out into the light so I can continued to be healed.

There are still things that I am working through from my childhood. How do I overcome the bad situations that have happened to me, with an inward strength from above. I do not do it all by myself, I have a God who cares and helps. Sometimes that help is in a message from another person. The important thing is you are not alone.

We are quick to share the joys of our lives with others. We should not feel like we are alone when the bad things happen. Good or bad, we need others to share it with.

Thank you for stopping and reading.

amtolle

“Hump Day”

When I worked a Monday thru Friday, 8-5 job, everyone was happy for “hump day”. “Hump Day” was Wednesday, the work week is half over, it is downhill to the weekend and fun.

Today, I barely keep track of which day of the week it is. But I still recognize when a project is reaches the halfway mark of completion. I get excited that soon I will be able to use, display or give what I have been working on.

Recently it was refinishing and repairing an old dresser for my daughter to use in her nursery. The dresser was gaining new life and looking good. I was impatient in wanting to share my work with my daughter and her family.

This week is also week 30 of gestation for the triplets my daughter is pregnant with. We are almost there to delivery. I will not say I have not been nervous with my daughter having triplets as there are medical complications that can occur.

My son and his wife had twins, and due to twin to twin transfusion, they lost one of the twins a few hours after birth. This loss occurred 18 months before my daughter became pregnant. And there is still grieving of the loss of a child and grandchild.

When I learned my daughter was pregnant with triplets, this granny hit her knees with prayers. I was not too proud to ask for prayers. For with any pregnancy there needs to be prayer for mother and child. For a woman carrying triplets I figured there needs to be three times the amount of prayer.

One of the major risks of with triplets is premature labor. I am thankful to say, my daughter has had no contractions to date. Her and the babies are doing well, they are very active and growing. We are know that it is with God’s help that my daughter and the babies are doing well.

We are counting down the days to their delivery: 27 days until September 14.

The nursery is prepared. The things they need to bring home and take care of three little boys is in place. We are thankful for those who have helped this to happen.

I want to thank everyone for their prayers, positive thoughts and energy. We have truly been blessed. Please continue.

amtolle

A Gift

The post “The Calculator” brought back some memories, some not so pleasant but also awakened a realization. As we travel forward we see our life in a fog, but looking backwards things are clearer and at times we have eagle vision. I realized after writing the post and reading the comments made, I do have something to be proud of, a gift from the Creator.

We are all given gifts. Some people recognize these gifts from the Creator, and excel in life using the gifts. There are a few who never see the gift they possess from the Creator. It has taken me almost a lifetime to see the gifts the Creator has given me when He created me.

The majority of my life, I have considered the gift the Creator gave me to be a hindrance and sometimes a curse. From an early age I showed that I was smart, learned quickly and could put what I learned into practice and expand on what I had learned.

My love for mathematics started before I was in school. I remember watching my dad at the dining table using a ruler to measure lines on a blueprint of some building, writing those numbers down on a legal pad, and adding them up. I would watch, more entranced with what he was doing than any television show or cartoon. I learned my numbers and how to add sums at the dining table, with little answers to my questions from my dad.

When the time came for me to be in school I could count to a hundred, as double digit sums, say my ABC’s and read small words. I remember the trip to the school with my dad. It was almost Thanksgiving when we went to visit and put me in school. Why I was taken after the school year started, I do not know. We went to the office, dad filled out some papers while I watched. Then the lady showed us the kindergarten room. The room was round, apart from the main building. When we entered the room, it was dark as some of the kids were watching a movie, some were playing and talking, a few were literally running around the room. Dad talked to the teacher and then we left. I was to start school the next week, on a Monday.

My first day of school, I remember it so well. My dad was proud to take his daughter to school. I was dressed in a new dress we had purchased that weekend. The dress was white with yellow and blue stripes forming a plaid pattern, new shoes that were white with black, and new socks. I thought we were going to the kindergarten room, and I remember where it was, when I started heading that direction, dad said we needed to go to the office first as the principal wanted to talk to us.

My first trip to the principal’s office, one of three visits I made in my school years. We went the office, the lady my dad spoke with and filled out papers showed us a room near her desk. Inside was the principal she stood and shook both our hands. For the first time, an adult was acknowledging me. She asked us to sit down and she sat down.

” I hear you are a smart young girl.” started the Principal. I just nodded my head yes. In the following minutes she asked me to say my ABC’s, count, do some sums, and read from a small book about a bunny. I only read two pages before she said “that was enough for now.”Looking to my dad, “Mr. Varbel, you do have a very smart young girl. She knows too much for kindergarten as most of the children do not know their letters or numbers yet. I think we need to put her in first grade instead of kindergarten.”

My dad’s response, “Ok, that is fine.” Looking at me with a smile and pride in his eyes, “You are going to be in first grade, a first grader because you are so smart.”

The principal stood up, “We let’s walk her to class, I am sure she is ready to start going to school.” She lead us to the first grade classroom, knocked on the door then went in. We waited at the door for the teacher to meet us. There were children sitting in desks, they were all looking at us, at me. The principal spoke quietly to the teacher and gave her a piece of paper. Then the teacher bent down to say hello, and her name. ” I guess we need to find you a desk. I think I will have you sit at the front of the class in case you need help.” Before leaving with the teacher, dad said good-bye and do your best, then handed me a pencil from his pocket, “I think you are going to need this.” Speaking to the teacher, “Let me know what she needs for supplies and she will have them tomorrow.”

The teacher asked a boy to move to another desk, and said “this will be your desk.” Then she introduced me to the class, and the math lesson continued. A girl sitting across the isle next to me, gave me a piece of paper with a smile.

I began first grade at the age of five years. A year to two years younger than the students in my classroom.

The gift of being able to learn, my brain as I call it, has enabled me to learn facts and knowledge with relative ease. I was a straight A student in school and did very well in college. But it was also something my mom and other students made fun of and put down. One very often heard phase from my mother was “You think you are so smart because you get A’s, but you know nothing.” I grew up learning that A’s did not mean you were smart, it only meant that you got A’s in school, nothing more. Yet, I worked very hard to have A’s on my report card, my dad was proud of my A’s and my hard work, every report card was a time I could make my dad proud, and see his eyes twinkle.

Today, I still fight a low self-esteem put there by the negativity of my mother. But I am finally proud of the gift the Creator has given me. Like my dad, I see this gift with pride. Because I am able to learn, I have been able to make decisions, face life’s challenges with an answer and instill in my children and grandchildren a love of learning. I am no longer embarrassed or ashamed of having a high IQ, or having knowledge, but instead will share the knowledge to help others better themselves or find a solution to a problem.

I do have other gifts the Creator has given me. What gifts have you received? Are you proud or ashamed of the gifts the Creator has given you?

amtolle

The Calculator

This coming week many young people will be heading back to school. The beginning of a new educational year. Their parents have been busy getting school supplies, school clothes, and other necessary items for their children.

I remember always looking forward to returning to school. I love learning. I enjoyed the classroom where I excelled. The classroom was a place where I could be myself, not worry about upsetting my mother. I may not do things right at home for my mother, but in school I was free from her constant disapproval. My father was always proud of my academic achievements.

I did not have many friends in school, actually only one or two the entire time in high school, and they graduated before I did. My last two years of high school, I was alone during lunch time. But it did not matter if I had friends or not, I had books, knowledge and learning.

The purchase of school clothes was simple, three pants, four shirts, undergarment, and a package of socks. When I started junior high, a P.E. uniform was required. These clothes had to last all year long. I would not get any other clothes until the following school year, with the exception of Christmas. At Christmas we all got a new package of socks, and if I was blessed a new shirt.

School supplies were the bare minimum for the year. The first day of school was just a pencil and notebook. I was to write down all the required notebooks and supplies from each class. The following weekend we would go shopping for the supplies. I remember my sophomore year, I was required to have a certain calculator to use in chemistry and geometry. My mother said “no, that is too expensive.” (Later I learned this was a lie.) So, for chemistry and geometry, I took scratch paper from home to solve complex mathematical equations with a pencil and my mind. Just before Christmas, I received a letter from my chemistry teacher to give to my parents. All school correspondence to my parents was seen first by my father. The letter stated that I need the calculator for class, it was required. I was called into the room my father used as a home office, door closed with my father and mother inside.

Now what is a child supposed to do? My father would not tolerate any untruth from me, and I am a terrible liar and poker player. My mother would be mad at me if I told the truth. I also knew that the truth would cause an argument between my parents. My father asked the question I knew was going to be said, “Why did you not tell us you needed this calculator?” Looking at the ground, not daring to look at either parent, I replied my mother’s words that it was too expensive. “How much does it cost?” my father asked. Keeping my eyes staring at the floor I replied with the cost. My father dismissed me, after I closed the door the argument began. That Christmas, in my stocking was the calculator, the only gift I received that Christmas.

Home was a difficult place. While I got along great with my father, I was always in turmoil with my mother. School was the place to get away from my mother.

Every year when school is beginning to start and I see children and parents purchasing school supplies, this memory comes forward. Yes, I became very good at chemical equations rounding the answer to five places behind the decimal. I was able to do the calculations as fast as the older students with their calculators. I used a lot of scratch paper, a forest worth. And every year, as I watch children and parents get school supplies, I hope a child does not have to go through what I did for a calculator.

amtolle

Inspiration for the Coming Week

He lays me down beside the still waters. Psalm 23

On Sundays I try to have a day of rest and relaxations. I still have to feed and water the livestock and care for my small garden. There are daily responsibilities such as cooking dinner for my husband. I try hard to not plan any projects or work on Sunday.

I read, relax and recharge for the next six days. One way I recharge is to read some quotes that have and do inspire me to continue forward.

“All great things have small beginnings.” by Peter Senge.

As a sheep farmer, I started with a few bottom of the market sheep. I have worked, learned and made decisions that have improved my flock. Sometimes, I feel like I am not going to achieve my goal of being a seed stock producer for Dorper Sheep. This Peter Senge’s quote helps to encourage me to continue with my goals and plans.

Perhaps your first car is not what you really wanted to purchase, but you did purchase a car. As you work at making good financial decisions and improving yourself, you will be able to purchase the car you desire.

The secret of getting ahead is getting started.
Mark Twain

Before we can move forward, we have to be moving. Getting started is the hardest part for most people. We question if what we are about to start is a wise choice. It is hard to steer a vehicle that is not moving. Regardless of the direction you are steering the vehicle, if it is not moving you are not going anywhere. Get started, and you choices will steer the direction of your dream and obtaining that dream.

Tomorrow we begin another week of work, striving and reaching for our goals. Today, we rest, relax and recharge.

amtolle