An update from the Princess

Well things were busy at the Kroskes this weekend. Cleaned house on Sat, made the video for the church. The plan was to do the video and make beef stew over the fire. Well Dave and his cousins husband were drilling holes in order to plant more grapes. The yard needed mowed, the house needed cleaned and I needed to make dinner. Well as I grow older, I do not multi task very well. I started to clean house and videographer came over, Dave gave him the tour of the "Kroske Estate" inside and out. I had to make sure that he didn't trip over anything. The house can be great until I start to clean, then it looks like a tornado went thru and it's worse than when I started. I got things under control in the house and decided to mow. I was like a little kid. I just didn't know which way to go. I would start on the west side on the yard, then all of a sudden I was on the east side of the house and not sure what I had mowed or how I ended up there. Good thing I was just mowing down the buck horn. If the grass were long, It would have looked like a maze! I then needed to start dinner so I put Dave on the mower. I browned the meat in the house, added the spices and tried to follow the recipe. I really thought I was doing great. I put it over the fire out back and went back in the house and left Dave on the mower. I set the timer so I would not forget about the stew. Now I am really feeling like I have it all under control. Multi-tasking again, I started laundry and decided that I needed to bake a pie for dessert. Now I really don't care what the pie tastes like, I just want it to look like the picture in the cook book. I have yet to make a "pretty pie" so I was really trying hard. I think I got it almost picture perfect this time. I was sooooo proud of the way it looked. After about 30-45 mins. of slaving over this pie, I had flour all over my black dress, face and floor, it went into the oven. I put laundry in the dryer and decided that I would go out and add the veggies to the stew.
Well when I got there, all the liquid had boiled out and the meat was charred black. I guess I waited too long. Now what? It's 3:30 and I have to start again. I really don't want to disappoint Dave and have the dinner with our guests be a bust, so he runs to the store and gets more meat. I knew that I would not have enough time to finish everything on the fire, so I sadly turned on the stove top. It will not have the open flame taste to it, but Oh Well. Remember the timer I set for the meat? Well it finally went off. I guess I must have set it for hours instead of minutes! Now I have to get in the shower and suddenly realize that I can hardly move. I really don't know what I did, but feet ankles and legs were aching. Time for the Aleve. I got in the shower and realized that amongst the other pain, my right arm is painful to lift. Well after thinking about this for awhile, I remember throwing apples, apples, apples and more apples into the field so I can mow under the trees. WOW I am so out of shape and old! Well, the pie is out of the oven, (it looks so beautiful if I do say so myself) the charred meat is gone and the guests are expected at 5:30. Well thank God they were late, because I did laundry, bedding and clothes) but did not have time to fold it. Nor did I take time to make the bed. I just threw it on top of the bed and closed the door. Well that is one mess I will deal with later! Guess where the baby needed to go! Well that's right! He is a tummy sleeper and mom wanted to lay him on the bed. I still have the laundry sorted on the floor and the drying rack set up with damp clothes! Aharg!!! Well I just told her that I would lay the nice clean bedspread over the mattress and he could sleep there all he wants. So much for making a good impression! MARTHA NEEDS TO MOVE BACK IN.

Well, by the time the evening was over, The video was shot, the dinner was eaten, the pie was good and the blondies our guests bought over were to die for. The kids and adults were tired and all were smiling at the end of the night. However, I think Ely is still having withdrawal from having all the people and kids to play with, but he will get over it. I am glad that all weekends are not as crazy as this one, but I will say that any time we can be blessed with good friends, good times and good food is worth a little bit of crazy. Bring on the good times!!!!

Sunday, Dave and I (well in all honesty it was Dave) cut down a tree. Then we were blessed with the company of another friend. We had chili over the fire, enjoyed conversation, a few laughs as well as a few tears.

What is important is the fellowship that we enjoyed with all the people we spent time with. Soon, we will have a very large fellowship at the farm with The Praise team, techs and the Encounter groups and their families from church. I only hope that it is blessed by God so that we will all have a stronger union and we can become friends with each other as well as better brothers and sisters in Christ.

I hope all who read this can be blessed with the same fun that Dave and I have on the weekends.

Check back soon (and often)

The Princess (Julie) and her favorite farm animal (Dave)