September - school’s back in session
Well friends I had to look at the date on my computer screen tonight and was floored that we’re already a week and a day into September. I know we’re here, but it’s crazy is it not?
One minute were chillaxin with the kids having a bonfire or reading a book, then the next minute we’re getting everyone on the road to school and getting a load of laundry before I head out to sub for a different school with a literal jug of coffee. Oh and Ron is out working or doing something for our farm.
September is like Christmas. You know it’s coming with all the commitments and everything but until it’s a week before its hitting, you’re just hanging out and BAM! It hits you like a bus.
A school bus. This year, we have a senior, a junior, a sophomore, a freshman and a sixth grader. We just sent Grace back for her second year of college.
Right now, we’re knee deep in watching the boys play football, going to Tedd’s practices, I’m subbing for Deuel, CCD starts this month in Clear Lake for us, and Ron’s getting ready to help in harvest. I’m also gearing up for a monster of a fourth quarter in my business. And would you believe we entertained the idea of another foreign exchange student? My kids want another one, and I kind of did for a hot minute. Then the first week of school hit and I now know better. Not with my schedule…maybe next year.
Also, I’m hitting the Minnesota public library system pretty hard with my needle felting classes. Shout out to the Worthington Library where we had a full class and some fun ladies had joined who read this column. What a ball! This month I only have one library (Lamberton) but then I have ten in October. So much fun! I sure have met some wonderful people. If you’d like to have a class for a library, a group you belong to or a work team building/fun day, get a hold of me. We have fun.
Other than that, we’re trying to get the summer/fall work done around the house and farm. This past weekend we scraped paint on the porch and balcony and finished painting the first level porch. If you’re familiar with an “American Foursquare,” then you know our house. It’s a big one with an upper balcony that sits over a large porch. It’s neat upstairs on the balcony because there’s a great view of the farm, but as I was scraping the ceiling of it, I have to say the thought crossed my mind about having someone else paint it. It’s scary up there and I’m not a heights person and neither are four of the six kids that are here. Levi being the natural born dare devil, was finally offered $150 to paint it.
He was interested, but we’re still in the scraping phase however and that kid...he was sitting on the railing, hanging out trying to scrape the outer edge of the roof that’s painted. I couldn’t look anymore, so I went downstairs to make dinner. I also reminded him that the ground doesn’t forgive if he fell. In my mind I see someone else doing it, you know, a professional that has a harness or something other than the luck that my kid thinks he has an endless supply of.
One more exciting thing, they should be finishing up my wool at the mill so I can FINALLY get some dryer balls, and kits in bulk made. The most wool I’ve ever sent out is about 200 pounds and got 150 pounds back. But now this, twelve hundred pounds plus or minus went to the scouring plant in May. Five hundred ninety-two pounds got sent from the plant in Texas to mill in Wisconsin. I’m super curious to see the pounds I get back and just to see all that wool into roving is going to be crazy. Also…I need to figure out how it’s getting back here. Ron is hinting about going to pick it up…that may be another story for you next month. Stay tuned!
Until next time,
Fairchild “that’ll be a lotta dryerballs, you betchya!” Farmgirl
Suzanne Fairchild is a freelance writer who lives on a farm in southwest Minnesota with her husband and children. She can be reached at rmf@itctel.com.
One minute were chillaxin with the kids having a bonfire or reading a book, then the next minute we’re getting everyone on the road to school and getting a load of laundry before I head out to sub for a different school with a literal jug of coffee. Oh and Ron is out working or doing something for our farm.
September is like Christmas. You know it’s coming with all the commitments and everything but until it’s a week before its hitting, you’re just hanging out and BAM! It hits you like a bus.
A school bus. This year, we have a senior, a junior, a sophomore, a freshman and a sixth grader. We just sent Grace back for her second year of college.
Right now, we’re knee deep in watching the boys play football, going to Tedd’s practices, I’m subbing for Deuel, CCD starts this month in Clear Lake for us, and Ron’s getting ready to help in harvest. I’m also gearing up for a monster of a fourth quarter in my business. And would you believe we entertained the idea of another foreign exchange student? My kids want another one, and I kind of did for a hot minute. Then the first week of school hit and I now know better. Not with my schedule…maybe next year.
Also, I’m hitting the Minnesota public library system pretty hard with my needle felting classes. Shout out to the Worthington Library where we had a full class and some fun ladies had joined who read this column. What a ball! This month I only have one library (Lamberton) but then I have ten in October. So much fun! I sure have met some wonderful people. If you’d like to have a class for a library, a group you belong to or a work team building/fun day, get a hold of me. We have fun.
Other than that, we’re trying to get the summer/fall work done around the house and farm. This past weekend we scraped paint on the porch and balcony and finished painting the first level porch. If you’re familiar with an “American Foursquare,” then you know our house. It’s a big one with an upper balcony that sits over a large porch. It’s neat upstairs on the balcony because there’s a great view of the farm, but as I was scraping the ceiling of it, I have to say the thought crossed my mind about having someone else paint it. It’s scary up there and I’m not a heights person and neither are four of the six kids that are here. Levi being the natural born dare devil, was finally offered $150 to paint it.
He was interested, but we’re still in the scraping phase however and that kid...he was sitting on the railing, hanging out trying to scrape the outer edge of the roof that’s painted. I couldn’t look anymore, so I went downstairs to make dinner. I also reminded him that the ground doesn’t forgive if he fell. In my mind I see someone else doing it, you know, a professional that has a harness or something other than the luck that my kid thinks he has an endless supply of.
One more exciting thing, they should be finishing up my wool at the mill so I can FINALLY get some dryer balls, and kits in bulk made. The most wool I’ve ever sent out is about 200 pounds and got 150 pounds back. But now this, twelve hundred pounds plus or minus went to the scouring plant in May. Five hundred ninety-two pounds got sent from the plant in Texas to mill in Wisconsin. I’m super curious to see the pounds I get back and just to see all that wool into roving is going to be crazy. Also…I need to figure out how it’s getting back here. Ron is hinting about going to pick it up…that may be another story for you next month. Stay tuned!
Until next time,
Fairchild “that’ll be a lotta dryerballs, you betchya!” Farmgirl
Suzanne Fairchild is a freelance writer who lives on a farm in southwest Minnesota with her husband and children. She can be reached at rmf@itctel.com.