Experiment

Here in the Morgan household we have been running an experiment since March 24th. Yep, for an entire month now!! So, you're wondering what the experiment is, right? Well, I hope so since you are still reading. lol  Anyway, we have been experimenting with washing all of our dishes by hand. I know!! Crazy! But the reality was I was washing many of our things by hand anyway: pots, pans, Disney cups and whatever would not fit into the dishwasher.

This led us to a question. The dishwasher manufacturers keep telling us that their dishwashers are more eco-friendly than hand washing. Well. What kind of hand washing? Did they leave the water running the entire time they were washing? Did they fill a sink, with water, then wash? Just how did they determine this? I don't do any of the above. I only have the water on to rinse the dishes once they are soapy.

Also, the dishwasher runs for three hours!! Three hours?! That seems excessive. Surely, I was not washing dishes for three hours! I wasn't. I assure you. I tend to wash them after each meal, though in the morning there are more from snacks after dinner. So, while my oatmeal is heating in the microwave I wash those few snack dishes. Then after breakfast I was those dishes.

I haven't found it difficult or time consuming. Now, there are days, when after dinner, there are quite a few dishes needing to be washed because I cannot always get to them after each and every meal. But overall, I have found it easy and not really any different from any other day.

John is now, half joking and half not, talking about selling the dishwasher and using the space as a pantry for our canned items. Wow! That would be wonderful. :)

Another first

I admit we did not spend our anniversary the way I had hoped. But Friday, we made up for it a bit.

We started our day at one of our favorite places, Columbia Children's Theatre, seeing Rumplestilzskin. It was a great show! Of course, they always put on a great show!

After the show, we ran some errands. We found ourselves at Wal-Mart purchasing the girls new fishing rods. We discovered, when we got our new fishing license, that we have not been fishing in almost four years! No wonder they've been bugging John to go again. LOL

So, Friday afternoon we wound up going to Sesqui for the very first time. None of my local friends can believe we had never gone before. We've talked about going so many times, but never drove through the gate. I have to say, while we only went to the lake, what we saw was beautiful! And there were moments that were so peaceful (there was party with small children on the playground behind us). We all loved it. Chloe even caught her first fish! Okay, a three-inch bream that was tossed back but she caught it. ;)

It was a wonderful day!

Yet another loss

This afternoon my cousin Yana lost her long-time battle with breast cancer.

Yana and one of her brothers, Kevin, at the Threatt Family Reunion in 2011.

A country road

Yesterday, the girls and I loaded ourselves into the car for a last minute trip to Charlotte. My Mom wanted mulch for the front yard and we went up to help spread it all out. In the end, she purchased two truck loads and, thanks to my cousin Alan, we had all of it done by 2pm, including lunch.

I decided to take the back roads back home. I often want to take the back roads home, but often we need to get back quick and sometimes the back roads take longer. But I always here the roads whispering to me, "Marsha. Marsha. This way, Marsha."

I was half way home yesterday, in Union County, when it dawned on me that I was feeling no stress. I was happy. It seems like I've lost that feeling a lot these days, even John comments on the fact I don't often seem happy. I am happy, but rarely is there nothing in my mind causing some sort of stress. But yesterday afternoon, while driving those winding, curvy roads I was beyond content. I was happy.

Then to make it even better my new favorite song came on the radio: "Take a back road". This is one of those songs I hear that just makes me smile and start singing (no, I cannot sing), which embarrasses the girls. In other words, one of those memories they will have of me long after I'm gone. ;)

I love looking out over the open fields just outside of Monroe. Then surrounded by woods as I venture past Pageland. So many beautiful scenes you get to pass through. I don't understand why so many people just fly through those roads not seeing the beauty surrounding them. I am looking forward to the day I look at my own yard and feel that way.

A loss

My family incurred another loss last week. My mother's first cousin, Enman, was killed in a car accident in Augusta. I am not even sure what to say about him. I enjoyed talking to him at the reunions. He and his wife, Lorena, came to Jesse's first birthday party and he always talked to John about the Guard.

Enman knew several of the mechanics in Edgefield and liked to keep up with John through them. The two of them often talked, about what I'm not sure, but you would see them together at the reunions both smiling and nodding. I'm sure it was Guard talk. :)

I found out today Enman had been out mowing lawns. He mowed the lawn of his church and for friends.  He did manage to call his wife just after the accident, but all she heard was heavy breathing. She called his phone back and someone else answered and told her there had been a "bad accident". He was pronounced dead at the scene.

I just cannot believe he is gone. He was loved so and will be missed.

A little homeschool, a little Easter

Last Thursday, we went with one of our homeschool groups to Columbia's Marionette Theater. I have been wanting to take the girls there since we moved here. We saw "The Wizard of Oz". We loved it; we even had a backstage tour after the performance. I was in shock a bit (along with a couple of other Moms) at how small the actual marionettes were in person. They looked so large on stage!

Friday we gathered with our Book Buddies crew for "video" Buddies. Friday was the last time we were going to be able to get together this school year. And with all of our lives a little crazy lately, the decision was made to do Shaun the Sheep as the theme. They made cupcakes that looked like Shaun, and another that was a flower. Then they watched an episode, or two, of Shaun the Sheep. Then to tie it into Easter, they colored Shaun popping out of an Easter egg. Too cute!!!

For Easter we went to see my parents. Since Dad can no longer go out without a mask, we kept it simple this year staying at the house rather than going to the BIG family gathering. My Mom was kind of elusive about what we were going to eat. But when we got there we knew. Something was being smoked! Dad made St. Louis style ribs. So good!! And John and I (mostly John) repaid him by fixing his recliner.

After lunch settled, Dad took the girls outside to pot a new plant (like the one I found growing on the steps). Now, each one has there own. Fingers crossed theirs will do as well as mine is right now.

I am very happy to be wrong

I reported last week that none of our lilies returned this year. Well, a couple of days later John pointed out a few. I started counting. Twelve lilies are coming up. I had given up on them; my Dad's are about to bloom and mine are just coming out of the ground, but I'm glad they are there.


I had another discovery over the weekend, while planting the Mexican Heather. Last summer, my Dad gave a plant he had grown from me from one of his plants. Please do not ask me its name, because I really have no clue. What I can tell you is my Dad starting growing his summer before last and I loved it. It has tiny, thick leaves than drape over pots. I thought one would be perfect on our front porch. Last summer it was on my porch and it flourished! Well, it did flourish.

What I did not anticipate was our cat, Oreo, loved that plant too. She thought it was a wonderfully, comfy spot for her afternoon naps. In other words, by last autumn the plant was toast. I was heartbroken. Then, while taking a little rest, sitting on the front steps something caught my attention. There in the rise of the top step was something familiar. Several small plants. It was my plant! Growing right there on top of the mortar. John carefully pulled them up for me. There were two pieces. One plant growing tall by itself and another on a runner that had five or six small plants. Both pieces have been in a pot on my kitchen counter since Sunday. They have grown so much in less than a week. And this pot will stay in the house. No more nappy time for Oreo!