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I've been away from the forum here for a while. Yes, it's February and it's getting colder here instead of warmer. Today it's snowing, and blowing hard. I have noticed a slight depression of spirit in myself lately since I have been so sick with this pregnancy and I can't just go take a walk in the fresh air whenever I want! The long absence of warm sunshine has its effect on the human psyche; I think all of us are more than ready for spring.

Today I took my children to a homeschool skate. They have it every Tuesday morning, but since it takes us 30-45 minutes to get there, this is the first time I have gone. Now that I've been once, I have determined to get myself some skates (haven't had any since I was a kid) and get out there with the children next week. Nathanael and Sarah really skate well, and Sarah has enjoyed meeting other girls. She is surrounded by boys both at home and at church.

I am not as sick now as I was a month ago. I am able to enjoy food again, though I am still drinking a lot of ice water. I have my first appointment with a midwife this Thursday. I am really looking forward to it. At first, they said that they were full, with a long waiting list. But when they heard that this is my seventh baby and that I have used midwives five times before, they bumped me way up to number one on the waiting list. Today they called and said that they had an opening for me! I was really rejoicing.

Josiah broke his glasses last week so we went ahead and got him a whole new eye exam and ordered new glasses. I took the children to Wal-mart and stood them up before the eye chart they have in the pharmacy department. This informal test shows that Sarah will be the next one for an eye exam, and probably glasses. She does not like the idea at all, but she couldn't even read the second line of the chart. One of the "problems" of home schooling is that the children do not look at a chalkboard at the other end of the room. Thus, we don't notice right away when someone's vision needs help. My sister was the one who brought Sarah's problem to my attention at a family reunion. Apparantly Sarah couldn't tell which cousin was which from a distance of under 50 feet.

As I said, it's snowing today. We have had more blustery weather in the last 2-3 weeks than we have had all winter, which is not normal for the time (Jan-Feb) and place (eastern Ontario). We have had a rather mild winter; nice for the heating bills:o)

I got a note from my sister-in-law saying that her boys (raised in the tropical jungles of Papua New Guinea), aged 8 and 11, have enjoyed their first ski vacation in the Poconos. They especially enjoyed alternating between rolling in the snow--in swimsuits--and jumping into a hot tub. Doesn't surprise me; at Christmas they were outside without coats while the rest of us stayed nicely bundled up!

A few of our hens are still laying, but the eggs usually freeze and crack before we find them. If the membrane is still intact, I will wash them in cold water and keep them for baking. Otherwise, I won't keep them at all. Sarah cleaned out the rabbit hutch the other day, dumping all the litter in a pile by the chicken coop. The chickens really loved it, being warmer than the snow. The chickens can't seem to make up their minds whether to brave the snow/ice covered yard for a little sun, or to stay in the coop where their feet stay warm. It was funny to see them sitting in the rabbit litter enjoying the sun the other day.

We keep plugging away at home school work; hope to be done by May 17th. Then we will start the garden and enjoy a visit from my parents. Also, to keep on the good side of the non-farming members of my family (my hubby and two oldest sons), we are going to fence in a large chicken yard instead of letting them free range. I plan to fence in one large plot, and put a divider down the middle, so that they can graze one side while the other side "recovers". I am also planning my herb garden and vegetable garden. I made a little flower plot last fall, so I am thinking of what to put there, as well. I am really looking forward to getting my hands into the dirt!

Sarah is wanting to start horseback riding lessons; we are going to look into the cost. It is $18 a day just to come and ride; I don't know about regular lessons. I want her to get around horses, working with them, cleaning up after them, etc., so she can get a feel for the work and time involved. Then we'll see if she really wants her own horse.

I want my own house. I have been looking around for empty houses that are not listed with any realty. I have found several; one I really like is stone and brick with brushy land around it and several outbuildings. Another, wood frame one, is surrounded by cultivated fields and has a barn. It looks like the barn is being used but not the house, so it is probably the remains of a farm that was bought out for the land. Those are the best looking ones, and they will need work to be liveable. Others I've seen are more run down, and maybe not worth it.

We are still waiting to hear from immigration. Last August, they said we would be called in in another month or so. Then September happened, and there our paperwork sits, in some office in Rockefellar Center, Manhattan Island. So we wait. And wait. And wait. And we think, maybe tomorrow the notice will come. Meanwhile, we hear of others denied visas in Canada for this, that, or the other reason. If we have to, we will move back across the border to New York, but that would mean a lot of border crossings for Tom during the week, plus coming over for church Sundays and Wednesdays. And I do NOT want to go back to homeschooling in New York!!! The baby is due less than a month before our temporary visitor's permit is up, so maybe having a new little Canadian in the family will speed things up:o)

Well, that's about it around here. I know I need to get back to my "How we homeschool" series, but right now I need to get supper going. Have a good evening!

-- Cathy N. (homekeeper86@sympatico.ca), February 12, 2002

Answers

Hi Cathy, So very good to hear from you!!! Like a breath of fresh Canadian air blowing in... Be careful on those skates. I tried to use roller blades last summer,and it was not a good thing. Pretty funny in fact. I have to go finish up supper, but I will talk to you more later!

-- Melissa in SE Ohio (me@home.net), February 12, 2002.

Wow, sounds like you all have been busy! You be careful on those skates, young lady, we don't want you hurting yourself!

Okay, if I get it right, you are American, but living in Canada and hoping to be able to stay permanently? You also must be renting, but in a more rural area if you have room and are allowed to have chickens, rabbits, etc.

Sorry if these seem silly questions, but I missed the first few weeks of the forum, and think I must have missed out on a few facts. Maybe we should start a "get to know the gang" thread for interesting trivia bits about ourselves!

Anywho, glad to see you are feeling better, and hope everything works out for you with the "authorities"!

-- Christine in OK (cljford@mmcable.com), February 12, 2002.


Christine, if you go to the older messages, you can click on the category "About Us" to get a feel for who some of us are. To give a short history of me: We moved to Canada in Sept. of 2000 when my husband became pastor of a church here. We are applying for permanent visas, and retaining our US citizenship. We are renting an old farmhouse on an acre of land; our neighbours, who are also our landlords, attended the church years ago. They heard of our need for housing and offered to rent to us at a discounted rate. They have graciously allowed us to keep rabbits and chickens, and they gave us two cats. I have not felt free to ask for anything more, although I would like to have a couple of goats. We are surrounded on all sides by farmland, and are about a mile from a little village with country general store, ice cream shop, diner, gas station, and part-time library. The city where our church is, is about 20-25 miles away.

-- Cathy N. (homekeeper86@sympatico.ca), February 12, 2002.

Cathy~ Glad to hear from you. I was going to email and make sure ya'll weren't terribly sick. Glad you are doing better with the pregnancy.

You had better check with the midwife about skating. It is good exercise for those inside thighs. I keep saying I am going to start taking the boys every week, but we always seem to be doing other things. Basketball ends next Saturday, so maybe we will start then.

I pray your visa work gets finished, I'm sure that is a worry you would like to be done with. I'm sure you are very ready for your own house. The stone one sounds lovely. I love my old farmhouse(108 yrs old), but it is CONSTANT upkeep. Sometimes I wish for a brand new house. But, can't afford to buy 30 acres around here anymore, as it goes for $10,000/acre and up!!

Enjoy the cold. Down in Arkansas we have been having days in the 40's to 50's. The boys and I would love a good snow, that would last more than 24 hours. They usually don't come here until end of Feb or March though.

Hoping good health and blessing on you and yours, Kelly

-- Ivy in NW AR (balch84@cox-internet.com), February 12, 2002.


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