Lately...

Life over the past few months has been, well, exhausting.  Between all of our efforts dealing with getting better have added a lot to the wife's plate, and mine as well. 

Bone Broth

Every other day we are putting a new batch of cow/chicken bones into a turkey cooker with some apple cider vinegar and 2 gallons of water... we drink a few cups of this daily... but cleanup is the hardest part!  Yea, there's a good bit of fat in that stuff... and when the kids don't drink it all, the fat solidifies and we have to figure out how to clean the dishes without plugging up the pipes going out to the septic tank... so far it's involved a lot of dawn dish detergent, really hot water and a lot of work.  We try to put as much in the trash as we can, but I fear a good bit still goes down the drain...

The Rash

Anyone who has done any brewing of alcohol knows that yeast feeds on sugar.  Unfortunately, when the yeast is living inside of you... it's not a good thing!  We are slowly working our way through the process of removing the excess yeast from the kids gut.  It seems whenever they eat fruit, their faces get this nice red rash on them... almost like they've been out playing in the cold, only they haven't.  The worst part is, their behavior takes a nose dive.  I don't know really how to explain it... but it's exhausting!  We are outnumbered and out gunned! 

Grrrr....

For me, the frustrating thing is that some mysterious substance seems to be affecting me.  Was it the 1/4 cup of applesauce we canned last Sept that set it off... what was it?  I can assure you, I don't know... but whatever it is, I get grumpy and frustrated over, well, everything?  Sunday was that way for me... the last time it happened, it was after I ate some ribs at the company Christmas lunch.  The four days after were pretty rough for me and the family...

Last night

Last night was a blessing!  I felt good, the kids felt good and my wonderful wife felt good too!  I got to read to the boys as they were soaking in the tub... until one of them pooped... again!  The last 3 times I've given them a bath, he's pooped in the tub... I even had him sit on the pot before and after!  Seriously?  I digress...  Anyway, we are going through the normal things... "Stop eating like a cow, nobody wants to hear you chew up your food."  "Stop using your fingers to eat your food.  Use your fork!"  "No!  Don't put the food in your hair!"  Etc... you get the gist.  Anyway, after bath time I got to read a book to the boys before bed... they didn't pay attention till I laid on the floor... then they both came down and laid next to me till I was done... I' better cherish those moments!

Deer Hunting

Every year for the past four years now I've been able to harvest at least one deer.  This year, not the case.  I figured it out too late... I sighted in my bow with the broad-heads, then later on while practicing with field points I adjusted my sights to match the field points.  This year I put two arrows through two shoulder blades and, despite my efforts to track them, never found either of them.  Well I guess that was my chance... I blew it.  Technically I still have till Feb. 7th, so I'll be out there... but I'm running out of hope.  I did get a trail camera for Christmas... which is neat... unfortunately I've figured out that the deer only come through one area of a property on Thursdays from 1pm to 3pm... while I'm at work!  <Sigh> 

Fermenting for Sale?

Well the health department seems to have stopped responding to my e-mails... there is a slim chance they are diligently working on researching the answers to my questions... but I'm not going to hold my breath on it... bummer, because we made some pretty good pickles that will never be able to buy from us!

Conclusion

Life has been like living on a swinging pendulum... it's hard to tell if it will be a good day or a bad day... but I'm learning to be grateful for every day.  At this point, I don't think anybody in my family has cancer, nobody is in the hospital, I'm employed, the propane tank just got topped off... we are blessed! 

That said, prayers are always appreciated!

Take care,
Clinton