Friday June 14, 2024
Dear Diary,
I woke up at 5 am and drifted back to sleep until 7 am. I had slept really good even though the cot I was sleeping on wasn’t that comfortable. I got up and the kids got up at the same time. I started packing up our camp. Angel took down her tent and rolled it up all by herself and was very helpful in packing everything. We got it all packed and hearted (instead of headed) home at around 8:30 am. It was a nice drive. I took a different route so I could enjoy new scenery.
Before going home, I dropped Finn off and went to check on the dogs and goat I pet sit for. I was glad I stopped by even though I’m not officially scheduled to check on them until next week. The dog feeder was almost completely empty. I filled it up with a 50lb. bag of dog food and gave the dogs some treats. The mean goat stayed way out in the field and didn’t come to say hi. I went in search of Sissy’s puppies. I figured they were old enough to be walking now. I asked Sissy to show me where they were and she did. She ran underneath an old car out in the field and came out with the puppies. There were 9 of them and they were so cute. Angel held some of them but most of them were shy and ran back under the car.
I gave Sissy and Blue a flea and tick treatment that I had put in the truck for them last week. It’s the kind you put out n their back between their shoulder blades. Sissy was mad about me putting that on her. She ran off and hid and I couldn’t find her to get a picture to send to her owner. I called the owner and told him I had stopped by and that the food was almost gone. There was one bag of dog food left for next week. I told him that I had found the puppies and would send him pictures. He said he would be home for a long time by the end of next week or the week after. That was great news! Even though I would be out of a pet sitting opportunity, I was glad he would be home with his dogs. He said to come by when he got back and he would compensate me for all the extra things I had done. I knew that by doing the right thing all would work out. He told me that he was going to be moving to Oklahoma in a few months and wanted to know if I knew anyone who would want to buy his land. I said that I wanted to buy it. He said we could write up a contract and get it notarized and he would finance it for me. Ok!! That’s awesome!! It’s 2.5 acres. I asked him if he would be taking all his junk/stuff with him. He said he was. Even better!! I was thrilled with the opportunity to own the land.
We arrived home around noon. I started unpacking and Christopher came home shortly after. He seemed like he wasn’t feeling very good. I greeted him and cheerily told him about some of our adventures and about the opportunity to get that land. He started accusing me of things which I had not been expecting. I went outside to collect myself. I prayed for guidance and took a few deep breaths. I went inside again, I did not react to his accusations and spoke kindly to him. I shared one of the songs I’d been listening to that I found inspiring and continued unpacking. The Holy Spirit came over me and I felt content to let him be how he needed to be and not make it about me.
Angel laid down in the couch and wasn’t feeling good again. Her slight fever had come back. I went outside and fixed the fountains. They had gotten clogged while I was gone. Angel followed me outside and she sat on my lap in front of one of the fountains while I read her part of a book called My First Book of Why’s. I read to her for 45 minutes then she went in the house and fell asleep on the couch. I got up and hung laundry on the line and put the clean clothes away.
I needed more watermelon and wanted to get it from Farm Patch in Bryan. The melons from there are really yummy. I messaged my friend Tracey telling him I was going and invited him to go with me. He said yes. I picked him up and showed him the land I would be buying on the way there. We had great conversations on the drive there and back. He gave me a lot of wonderful insights on my perspectives and I appreciate his ability to gently point out my delusions.
At Farm Patch, I bought 3 watermelon, 2 dino melons, 2 honeydew melons, 6 peaches, 14 mangos and a bag of red grapes. After dropping Tracey off at his house, I went home. There was a strange dog in the driveway when I pulled up. A friendly pit bull with Toby scratched into his rabies tag. He followed me to the house and was playing with our dogs. Christopher came outside and said the dog had showed up earlier and he had chased it off. I told it had been in the driveway. I called the vet on Toby’s rabies tag but it was after hours and no one was there. Christopher helped me unload the fruit from the truck. I told him there were some wasps that had been charging me behind the dune buggy and to watch out. He went out to bring in the last time for the fruit and one of the wasps stung him on the head.
I put all the fruit away and called one of the neighbors about Toby. He didn’t know who he belonged to. I posted pictures of Toby on Facebook and instagram. Christopher asked if I had called another one of our neighbors. I told him I didn’t have their number. He gave it to me and I called. They didn’t know who he was either but said they would call some of their relatives who might know.
I took a shower and went to bed early in the banana hut with Angel. I read her a couple of chapters from The National Park Mystery Series book 4. The she played with PBS kids on her phone while I wrote my blog. One of the neighbors relatives contacted me on Facebook messenger about the person whose dog Toby was. She gave me a phone number and I called it. It was their dog! Yay! It’s one of our other neighbors. The guy said he worked nights and wouldn’t be home until 4:30 am but he would see if he could get someone to come get him. Christopher had tied Toby up because he was chasing our kittens and chickens. By then it was getting dark so Angel and I put the birds and kittens away for the night. I could hear someone calling for Toby down at the gate. I him go and he ran down the driveway. I didn’t have clothes on so I didn’t follow him but if he came back I now knew where he belonged.
I got settled back into the banana hut and Angel wanted me to read to her some more. I read her 2 more chapters from The National Park Mystery Series book 4. Then we fell asleep at around 9:30 pm listening to a unicorn bedtime meditation.
Saturday June 15, 2024
Dear Diary,
I woke at 5 am. Angel had been coughing all night and had a slight fever again. I canceled going to work so I could be home to take care of her and to make sure whatever she has doesn’t get spread around. I wrote my blog until 6 am. The birds were making all kinds of racket wanted to be let out. I got up and let all the birds out and the kittens. Another one of our kittens disappeared while we were gone camping and now we are down to 2.
I went into the house and greeted Christopher. I fed Bits and made tea. Christopher and I had a talk about our relationship. During our discussion Angel had woken up and came into the house from the banana hut. She said she wanted to take a shower. I said I would start it for her but she said she knew how to do it and wanted to do it herself. Ok great! Christopher and I were still having our discussion when she came back in. She said she still wasn’t feeling good and laid on the couch and wanted a watermelon smoothie. I made her one and brought it to her. I felt her head and she had a slight fever again.
Christopher and I ended our talk and it seemed as if nothing had been resolved. I went in the banana hut and prayed for clarity. I felt at peace and knew that whatever happened between us, it would all be ok as long as I followed the Holy Spirits guidance. No matter what, Angel and I would continue to thrive. While I was praying I received a text from my friend Tracey that said, “It is very helpful for me to keep in mind that I am a grateful and cooperative part of a master plan and my perception of my own little world is required to stay focused, non judgemental, kind, compassionate, and loving.” His words were definitely a gift from the Holy Spirit in answer to my prayer and I felt grateful.
Angel came into the banana hut with me and rested in her trundle bed. She got out her weaving kit and started making some hot pads for me to put in our camping supplies. I laid down and took a half hour morning nap and it was refreshing. When I woke up, I wrote my blog for a while until I felt hungry. I went in the house and cut up a mango. Just as I was starting to eat it, Christopher came home from the grocery store. I chatted with him a few minutes, then I sat outside by the fountain and wrote my blog. Angel came out and sat next to me and worked on making more hot pads while listening to a Bobbsey Twins audiobook. Christopher joined us outside and watched motorcycle racing on his phone. I told him about our camping adventures and continued to write my blog.
Angel seemed to be feeling better but had low energy, a runny nose and watery eyes. I took a break from writing my blog and started a load of laundry. I took out the compost and fed it to the birds. I cleaned out their pools and put fresh water in them. Then I gathered eggs and fed the dogs and kittens. Angel walked past where the wasp stung Christopher yesterday and got stung on the arm and hand. Both Christopher and I came running and brought her into the house. Christopher put apple cider vinegar on a couple of paper towels and I held them onto her wasp bites. I had meant to get those wasps out of that area last night when it got dark but I hadn’t remembered. Christopher said he would get some wasp spray tomorrow and would get them out of there. We sat by the fountain again and Angel sat on my lap and I talked with her until the stings stopped hurting. Then she got up and I finished writing my blog and posted it.
Christopher harvested some mustang grapes. I ran them through the juicer and Christopher cooked the juice on the stove with some honey. The juice has to be cooked or the acidity in them will burn your mouth. If you’re not careful they will burn your hands too.
Since we were harvesting wild grapes, I chose which wild edibles I would talk about during my presentation July 7. My friend that invited me to do presentation asked if I would email her telling her which plants I am going to talk about and give her a little bit of information about them so she can make a poster. I chose mustang grapes, lambsquarters, horsemint, loblolly pine, yaupon holly and spiderwort. It was a lot of fun researching all their nutritional values and medicinal uses. Some of the information that I found, I already knew but there was a lot more that I didn’t know. I was exciting!
I had half of my research completed when I called Tracey to share some of what I had learned with him. We talked a few minutes until Christopher said that dinner was ready. I got off the phone and went in the house. Christopher had made a fruit “pie” for Angel. She has only been wanting fruit to eat since she’s still not feeling well. I have also been eating only fruit because I received a knowing from the Holy Spirit to eat only fruit and drink tea until I am called to do otherwise. I drank my smoothie and juiced pineapples while Christopher and Angel ate at the table. Angel seemed to be feeling better again. We all shared what we were grateful for. Mine was:
- I am grateful for pineapples.
- I am grateful for wild edibles.
- I am grateful for my family.
Angel finished eating and helped me juice. When we finished, I washed the dishes, took out the compost and walked to the mailbox to check the mail. Then I sat at the kitchen table and continued researching the rest of the wild edibles for my presentation. Angel’s fever was back and she laid on the couch watching a movie on her phone.
I had a great feeling of accomplishment when I finished writing out my presentation notes. With a flourish, I emailed it to my friend. Success! I made tea and went in the banana hut. Angel was already in there lying down. Christopher came in and I read some of Bill Peet an autobiography. Christopher was tired and nodding off. He said goodnight and went into the house. I realized that I hadn’t had my nightly bath and I like to go to bed clean. I took a shower and laid in the banana hut with Angel. I wrote my blog while she listened to an audiobook. When it got dark, Angel put the kittens away and I put the birds away. Then I read to Angel, 3 chapters from The National Park Mystery Series book 4. I put on random children’s stories read aloud on YouTube for Angel to listen to while I wrote my blog some more. At 9:30 pm, I turned out the light and we fell asleep.
Sunday June 16, 2024
Dear Diary,
I woke up at 1 am and had to go to the bathroom. Angel woke up and still had a slight fever. We cuddled in bed and talked until almost 4 am. I put on a sleep meditation and we fell asleep.
I woke again at 6:20 am. This is my 3rd day on only fruit and all the inflammation is out of my body. It’s so wonderful to wake up feeling young and vibrant again. I let out the ducks, chickens, geese and kittens. I went in the house and greeted Christopher. I gave him his Father’s Day gift which was a new atlas. I started laundry and fed the outside dogs and kittens. I made tea and packed up 64 oz. of watermelon juice I had in the refrigerator from yesterday. I was just getting ready to leave when Angel came in from the banana hut. She seemed to be feeling better and wanted to go with me. I had an office building to clean that I didn’t do yesterday since I stayed home with Angel. I said she could come with me and we went to town.
I filled up on gas and stopped at the store. I got some fruit for Angel to eat for breakfast and some wasp spray to clear out the wasp nests around where we walk. Angel listened to children’s songs and played on her phone while I cleaned. I enjoyed cleaning at a slow pace and spent the entire 4 hours in prayer and meditation. I realized that cleaning is a form of prayer for me and its cleansing. When I am not overbooked on cleaning opportunities, I can take my time. Then I am able to receive the benefits from it rather than wearing my body out.
When I finished cleaning, I went through the car wash and headed home. I finished drinking my watermelon juice on the drive and I had taken the last drink when I literally felt something break free inside my intestines. I immediately had to go to the bathroom (#2). I was halfway home and I wasn’t sure if I could make it there without having an accident. I did not want a repeat of the other day and besides there was nowhere to stop except the side of the road.
I made it home, opened the gate, drove up to the house, ran inside and made it to the bathroom. Yay 😂! When I came out of the bathroom I felt cleansed. Christopher was in the kitchen juicing mustang grapes that he had harvested. He is going to attempt to make jelly and I enjoyed seeing his excitement about it. I went outside to find Angel and she was in the banana hut crying. Her fever was back and she said her sinuses were hurting. I made her some horsemint/loblolly/dewberry leaf tea to fight off any infections that might be starting up. She drank some of it and fell asleep on her trundle bed.
I fed the goats and chickens and collected eggs. Then I sat by the fountain and wrote my blog. I noticed the dogs kept itching. They had all gotten a flea pill last week and I wasn’t sure why they kept itching. I decided to give them all a bath with anti-parasite soap and then sprayed them down with diluted apple cider vinegar. When they were completely dry, I dusted them with food grade diatomaceous earth. I also dusted the kittens with it.
I sat and wrote my blog some more and was just going to check on Angel when she woke up and came out of the banana hut. She said she was feeling much better and sat on my lap for a while. Then she laid down in the banana hut again and asked to listen to a Nancy Drew mystery on audio. I started one for her and made a smoothie. I drank some of the smoothie and floated on my back in Angel’s pool for a while, stretching and fully relaxing my body. I collected more eggs and while I was doing that I found a small metal shelf that I had forgotten about. I set it up in the banana hut and put books on it that were stacked on the floor. It looked really nice when I was done.
I sat outside some more and called my sons and my sister Trish. Then I put away the laundry from off of the line and started a bath for Angel in the outdoor bathtub. I ate half of an avocado and immediately knew that it was too heavy on my stomach. It was a clear message that I needed to stick with more watery fruit while my body is detoxing. I sat at the table with Christopher and we looked at his new atlas together. Angel got out of the bath and I made tea. I went out to the banana hut and Angel came around the corner with her bicycle. She said she was going for a bicycle ride. I informed her that it was bedtime and that she was still recovering from being sick. She put her bicycle back and we all gathered in the banana hut. I read some of Bill Peet an autobiography. Christopher went to bed in the house and I read the last three chapters of The National Park Mystery Series book 4 to Angel. We went outside and put away the birds and kittens for the night. I called my friend Tracey to see how his Father’s Day went. Then I played snakes and ladders with Angel. She won. Angel read to me Hop on Pop. I put on kids stories for her to listen to and I wrote my blog. We went to sleep at around 9:30 pm.
Thank you for reading my blog and being a part of my life. I appreciate you.
Love,
Victoria
P. S. This blog post was inspired by the Holy Spirit.