Updates

 I think it snowed four consecutive Thursdays.  I hope the snow is over for the year and spring takes winter's place soon.  We've had some nice days, but it sounds like this weekend will be cold again.  I pulled the taps out of my walnut trees last week and finished boiling.  I ended up with a quart of syrup and a quart of "jelly" from about 16 gallons of sap.  I've decided that walnut syrup tastes like the filling in pecan pie.  Next year I might try to find some Maple trees to tap.

A couple weeks ago the truck that delivers our feed had a new graphic on the side.  Jack and Logan were impressed!

Last Saturday we went out to Iowa for our granddaughter's first birthday party.  We had a good meal, party, and fellowship.  Jake and I then headed out to the woods to do some shed hunting.  We didn't have a lot of time, so I didn't find any.  But, it is always good to be tromping around in nature.  The weather was nicer across the river than it was at home.  We filled up with gas in Iowa ($.50 cheaper!) and then headed for home late afternoon.  I wasn't paying any attention to my speed driving through Western Illinois until I passed an oncoming patrol car and watched in my rear view mirror as he turned around.  I knew I was in trouble!  He followed me for awhile and then turned his lights on.  He was very nice and just gave me a warning ticket.  I don't think that I have had a ticket in over 30 years, and I think I've only had two total.

Sunday we served lunch for the first time since Covid hit.  And it was the first Sunday that we could switch back to serving at the tables instead of cafeteria style.  It went well, and I was told that the Sunday school kids cheered when they heard the serving switch!  Our fridge and freezers are stocked with some of the leftovers, so I should have plenty to eat for awhile.

Our refrigerator started acting up about three weeks ago. First the old farmers wife found everything melted in the freezer, then when I cranked up the dial we froze everything in the refrigerator section.  Then it would warm up again and I couldn't stabilize the temp at all.  Finally it stabilized at 30 degrees in the freezer and 50 degrees in the fridge.  Not safe for food for very long.  We purchased this one the week of our wedding almost 39 years ago!  We did some online shopping to see what was available in new ones, but because of the supply chain issues, we probably would have to wait a couple months to get a new one that we liked.  The other problem is that they make refrigerators taller than they used to.  To get the same cubic foot capacity that we had (or even a couple cubic feet smaller), the new fridge would not fit in the space we have.  We would have had to tear out a cabinet to make a new one fit.  We called the repairman, and after I talked him through all that was happening, he finally discovered that the fan that cools the compressor was not always starting. The compressor would run a few minutes, then overheat and shut down .  A new fan motor was available for our old model, so he ordered it for us.  Today he came and installed it and we have cold food again!

I have been asked to serve on the Eureka Home board.  I served on the board once before, but it has been twenty years since.  I enjoyed it then, but I clearly learned and gained more than I contributed.  I am unsure about the time commitment, but I am looking forward to working with a new board and administrator.

  And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine.          Genesis 41:36