GrableWorks: Stuck in Molasses

Everything is moving forward at the Grable house but it sometimes seems like a snails pace. Juanita sometimes wonders if we're stuck in Molasses to which Jon's respose is, "We got all the time there is Caroline." :)

Jon came home with some baby chicks a little while back and suprised all the kids. It has been fun for all of us to watch them grow. Jon is firm on the fact that these are not pets, these are farm animals, and someday they will be dinner. Still, the children found delight in assigning names to our large flock of three. By the order of the peck they are, Lilly, Joanna and Michaeleen.

Alana holding Lilly

We got so excited about Spring that we decided to put in a garden. Juanita is in charge, of course, and is struggling to recall everything her students taught her back when she was teaching at the Baldwin Park Community Garden. The kids all have their own little piece of real estate wherein they planted the various seeds and plants that they picked out at the store. Oh what fun!

Juanita preparing the soil for the garden

Jon's primary responsabilities include bringing home the bacon and making sure that we have a home to bring the bacon home to. Jon has been unusually busy with his day job as his company is shortstaffed in their Kansas City office. Gratefully, the company just hired on a new guy which should put everything back in balance.

Jon continues to work on our home renovation project in the evenings and on Saturdays. We had to square away some plumbing and electrical problems and now we are working on drywall. We also decided to extend the oak floor into the kitchen and have installed much of it with some help from a friend. We hope to be painting soon.

Small fix turned into big project due to water damage.

Replacing joist hanger board and siding

Jon got sidetracked with making a home for the chickens. We decided that they have to have a home of their own as they were making a mess of our house not to mention the fact that they stink. If you've ever had chickens then you know that these little beasts grow up quick. Jon went out of his way to make sure the chickens have a happy home. His explanation, Happy chickens are tasty chickens."

Kids love animals

Chickens grow fast and so do children. They heal fast too as is evidenced by our little Bridger who is back to bouncing and running around with nothing but a memory of the time when he had a broken leg. His cast was on for six weeks though he was back up walking even before that.