Amishway Homesteaders

after checking our supplies, all we really need is more T paper? But no need for one of us taking up a seat for just 1 item so if there is any room in the taxi can somebody just grab us a few rolls. ~Lori~

Hey ! says Lori, I was just cecking to see how our supplies are doing seeing you planed a trip into town and now I guess I have to add a new Heart for myself, you all just about scrared the crap out of it. Give me a minute to find what I was looking for and I will be right out. Mother, Didn't you get the note Michael left for you? He's been up since 4 am this morning. While checking the animals and the area arond the wagons one of the guards noticed a wagon wheel was sitting kindy funny on the Library wagon? So he came and got Michael and the wagon jack so they could check it out. After waking Bill Armstrong ,our Library Wagon Driver, up out of a very good dream (that was what he told them). It took a bit of work ,seeing they didn't want to empty the books out, but they were able to get the jack to make a good purchase and the wheel went up just a bit. Michael had to go ang get a shovel and dig a small place under the wheel to help so they could get it off. First thing the guy (guard) askes Bill is had he been greasing the wheels on the wagon. Bill just holds up his hands to show him that yes the wheel is well greased. But as they check it out they find a small stone has gotten caught in the axle where it goes though the wheel and has cut a grove in the wheel. Lucky for us we had a spare packed in the wagon so they changed it and put the used one back in the wagon, Michael thinks he can fix it as a backup wheel but that will have to wait until tonight when we have the time to work on it. Everything is back together and seeing bill is going to hitch up the team Michael heads back to check on how Lori is doing packing up for the day? She told him what happened went you all came by, But all Michael did was laugh and as he went on hitching up our oxen he was muttering something to himself about the early bird that got some worm and he was smiling?

Update form the leaders - It seems the two days off we took has helped our health but not our animals. Even after a week on the trail they are moving slower today after that rest. Mt_Rider said we will have to find another place to camp because at this rate we will never get to our place that was set aside for us tinight. So we asked a few of the members with horses to go up ahead and see if they can find a spot that we can stop at for the night in the next hour or two. When they got back and after talking it over with a few of the drives we are now going to 'camp' in about 2 hours in a little clearing by a large woods. There is a sream nearby but they didn't take the time to check it out so we will have to do that when we get there. Here is the problem with this site- It is a bit out of the way but still close to town. We don't know how things are in town as they wanted to stay away from it as much as possible seeing it was just the 3 of them doing the scouting. But if we can get to the woods, and not be seen, we should be OK. Just hope with enough farmland around us any animal sounds from our group during the night will not alarm anybody. So the good news is we found a spot but we will have to be on our toes until we can get back on the trail on Tuesday moring.

Seeing that Mt_Rider is still a bit out of it and 'resting' in her wagon, Michael went over to find out if she knew where we were to camp for the night. Acording to what she had planned for todays trip we are falling behind - so we will need to step it up a bit if we are to reach 'camp' on time. Michael reported this to Mother and the other drives as we took a short break in our travels for a noon meal and to rest the aminals.

Goos Morning everyone- Glad to see most of you up and packing. Seeing we were here for a few days lets do our best to make sure we don't leave anything behind. Someone better go check where some were fishing, and make sure all the clothes lines are down from the trees. Did you pull up any stakes you had your animal tethertoo? Lets leave this beautiful place as good as we found it. Also thanks to the few men that got up early today to help Lori and Bill Armstrong (the driver) get things packed away in the library Wagon - that was a big help! As we head out this morning it might be a good idea if everyone gave a short post about how they are doing. When you are all packed and ready to go let Mt_Rider or Mother know so we can get started on the trail as soon as possible.

Stephanie I have a plan that I think will work for you so you cn leave and then come back. So I don't 'spill the beans' for others I am going to PM you the 'plan'

just time for a quick note: Sorry for not posting but we are on a planned 'pioneer weekend' Staying at Tina's (Amish House) where we work in the summer. She is away and we are there to keep the fires going in the greenhouse stoves, watch the dog and well just be there and she has NO COMPUTER! Did get to cook steaks over a real outside fire pit for Dinner today so we did our part. Well in that case we are also are using the outhouse as well (seeing they have no indoor bathrooms). LOL see ya all on Monday ~US~ P.S.just home to get more stampers we forgot to bring - time to start making Christmas Cards.

So after being gone for over 5 hours with a buggy full of our sick we are back. Took longer then we had planned but he took very good care of each and every one of them. Seems there used to be a town around these parts but with the mine shutting down a few years back everyone but a few old timers have left the area. Mr. Andrews and his wife used to have a clinic but now they are retired, so he was glad to be able to put back on his stethoscope and help out. As we are unloading the buggy and getting everyone back to the right wagons Mother looks in the back of the buggy. Under the 2 side seats are boxes that she knows was not in there when we left. Well, says Michael you all are going to be very happy when we get them out. It seems that one of the people still living by the doc’s place has a son who lives in Florida. Every month he sends them a big box and seeing they are still working on the last box they thought we might be able to use what they just got from him. With that Michael opens the first box to show everyone the ORANGES! WOW, what a gift indeed there are plenty for all. It is like Christmas Morning as they are handed out to the kids (and adults too). But wait, does anybody want to make apple pie? Michael asks as he pulls out another box – full of apples! The Doc also sent some extra medicine they had on hand (left over from the mine) that we are to give to anyone that is sick. Turns out it is nothing more then the plain old everyday cold that everyone has. Doc Andrews says he is not surprised that we are all getting sick seeing the way we are traveling. Most of it can be stopped if we wash dishes and glasses in hot water and drink lots of water during the day so we don’t get dehydrated. Things will get better as our bodies get used to the day to day life of being on the road, he said. We were there long enough that his wife had time to make up a big pot of her famous- (this will get you better)- Chicken Soup as she called it. So we all had a very good meal at Lunchtime of soup and homemade bread. As we left I got a chance to see his mailbox so we have an address if we ever get to a place where we can send a thank you note back. While looking at our sick he told us all about what was going on all over the Country and was thankful he could do his part and help us out. We told him how THANKFULL we were that he did. Lets all remember him and his wife in our prayers tonight.

"Oh, What a beautiful mornin’, Oh, What a beautiful day. I got a beautiful feelin’ Ev’erything’s goin’ my way. All the cattle are standin’ like statues, All the cattle are standin’ like statues, They don’t turn their heads as they see me ride by, But a little brown mav’rick is winkin’her eye." Oh, Good morning, sorry - I didn't see you there - did I wake you with my singing? Isn't this just a beautiful day? I just could not sleep so I got up and started making real bread in our perfection oven. Made the dough at 4 am and let it rise and now I have 3 loaves done and ready to slice for breakfast. Lori just got up and found 4 eggs with our chickens so they must know today is a rest day too. Anybody want to swap a loaf of bread for some bacon? Then we can have a real homecooked meal for breakfast, -->Bacon, eggs and toast, not like all the other days when we have to hurry and make what we can and start packing right away. Good Morning neighbor glad to see you up and at 'em this morning - cup of coffee? Did the smell of coffee get you up or was it the bread I had baking? Yes the bathrooms are over that way just look for the sheets and call out in case someone is in there but I think they will let your little girl go in ahead of them seeing the way she is walking. ~Michael~

Good morning- We just got the word that we are here for at least 2 days of rest and recuperation. Picked a good spot to do it as we have just about all we need right here. There is good news and bad news about that for the Ladies. The good news is you can take care of Family, seeing we can now cook a big meal and maybe that will help the ones that are sick as well as those that are not yet feeling poorly. The bad news is it is time to drag out your wash tubs and do some laundry. Also you can spend some time getting all the pots and pans washed real good- get rid of any germs and all that fire black on them. Time to give the kids (and adults too) a bath using the stream or a wash tub. We have plenty of firewood as well so let's all heat up some water and get things cleaned. Just be careful as we don't want to burn our little camp down! A central firepit has been set up in the middle of 'camp' (Thanks kids for gathering all those rocks for us) because a few of the families haven't seen much of each other lately with all the traveling and the rain they must have had to stay close to the wagons most of the day and then have just about enough energy to crawl into bed at night. As of now we will be making a buggy ride on Saturday afternoon (with our sick) , we just got word that there is a retired Doctor living within 15 miles of here. He has agreed to look at a few of us but he can not drive out this far, so we are going to him. I have agreed to move things out of our buggy for this trip and I will be driving so we have room for 6 or 7 people but I will need one other person along to help in case we have a problem on the way. So here is the plan for camp, we will be setting up a safe area down by the stream for gathering water to drink and do dishes and things like that. An Area downstream has been posted (look for the red bandanas) for washing, laundry and bathing. Some of the men, with the help of a few of the older boys have built 2 latrines off to the west of the main camp and hung a few sheets so we have a private area for the bathrooms. They are marked which is for the guys and which is for the ladies. Thanks Stephanie for the 'donation' of the t paper for each, and to CrabGrassAcres clan for making those great signs. If a few of the kids would like, some of us will lend out our fishing gear if they want to go 'catch dinner' for us? There is a spot down the stream a bit that seems like a good place to fish. We also will need to send a few Adults as safety patrol So have a good day, relax, and enjoy visiting each others campsite. By the way Lori has set up a small table over by the Library Wagon with a few books for the kids to borrow (Yes and some for the guys that are reading as well). There are also a few cookbooks if you ladies want to try and cook something different for todays meal, and she did not put out any that have cornbread or pancake recipes in them.

This is a very nice place we stoped at tonight- I think we will be save here. By the way that 'little ditch' did a number on a few wagons but we will have them all back in working order before we head out again. Did any of you see the bats coming off the rock cliffs in the moonlight before heading in to sleep for the night. Was such a sight to see that many around here at this time of year must be a cave or two somewhere nearby? we were able to find enough rocks to make a small firepit so we had the homemade chili and beans that Lori and I had canned for the trip. By the way seeing there are lots of fallen branchs in this area you might want to pack a few away in case we get to a place that there are none in the next few days and you need some for a fire. The night sounds coming from the woods are music to go to sleep by. It is also a sign that all is well in the area because if anybody or anything where out there it would be very quite instead. Good night , sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite. See everyone in the morning.

had to stop what we were doing ( lori getting thing packed better in the wagon as I walked around checking things out - wagon , animals, etc. Anyway found one of the ox limping so I had to stop drinking my coffee I just poured and try and get him to lift his leg. OH GROSS!!! he must have stepped on a mouse and it is all up in the hoof. I will have to dig it out and hose off the hoof before we can go on. OK thats done and Lori said she is all set too so off we go.................. now wait a minute? Didn't I set my coffee cup here on the stump?....... I know I did , and now it is not there? OK folks I guess I am just a bit tired from all this rideing in the rain the last few days because my mind is just about gone. Anybody see a cup of coffee? I hate to leave it behind. LOL ~Rusty~

Here are a few things I was thinking of while milking the cow (she is so good -just stands there eating while I 'work') 1) some said she went to the showers and walked by a guard she didn't know? Did he KNOW you? I think we may need code words so when one of us id off 'using a tree' or something they will know if is one of us and not some stranger who have come into the camp. (like they did in the old days). 2) good idea about the bandanas - that way we wil KNOW who they are too. See we can think on our feet! 3) about moving people back , they also did that in the olden days when people were feeling poorly - so good thinking again people. 4) having prayer - Haven't we been doing that all along? just that nobody said anything about it 'curse we all do it without thinking. Why I remeber just the other night as we were all sitting by the camp fire talking about people on the Train and back home. what about when we were singing all those old great songs from Church. God knows what we were doing - praying! Even at the end when we all bowed our heads and some lead a prayer out load and then we all had our own little silent prayer before we all hugged and shook hands befroe turning in for the night. 5)another thing we are most likely doing and not talking about is drinking LOTS of water each day so we stay healthy and don't dehydrate. If you have sick one make sure they are drinking. Also the one with the headacke - did you know most time if you just drink a few glasses of water it will go away? it is your body telling you to rehydrate. Lori and I stay healthy by drinking lots of tea each day and now we are drinking more of the special teas we have for colds and fue (1 of our Amish friends makes it for us each year) 6) keep posting (talking)) about your day -we all are learning so muck from hearing what others are doing (yes even if it is just cornbread, cornbread, cornbread) ~Michael~ Lori is worKing ( I think she is in the Library Wagon getting some good books for the men to read)

OK, now I didn't plan on this happening but then again we are facing a lot we didn't plan on. For the team ( I mean the Wagon Train) I will do whatever I can to help out. If that means moving my stuff out of the buggy until we get back, That is what I will do. I will drive as my horse is used to me and I have driven the buggy before so I know how to handle it on rough roads/ trails. All I ask is some we know be with Lori in case the Ox act up on her.

GREAT! Now I have to deside........ drive our wagon or come over and play LEGOS? We have a 3 gal. pail filled with all kinds (got most of them at yeard sales) but had to leave them behind so we had room for other things. But I have to stay here and drive. Wait I can tell Lori what is going on in your Wagon? Maybe she will drive for a bit? Sure Honey, just give me a minute to check on someing in the back of the wagon and then I will take over for you. Lori crawls into the back of the wagon as Michael drives. Lori is moving this and that in back of the wagon as Michael drives. Lori opens the back flap and runs over to PLAY legos! while Michael drives #$&$#*! HEY not fare! Michael forgot, LORI likes to play with them JUST as much as he does!

SIDEBAR - . . . . . WE QUIT! Lori and Michael are leaving the Wagon Train! . . . . . You see we HAVE too - Michael can't take it any longer. The other day onthe Wagon Train someone got kicked by a cow and the next day in real life the neighbor called. She had fallen and hurt her ankle. Well it turned out to be a compound fracture - blood everywhere as she crawled from one room to another to get to the phone (which we cleaned up after Ambeulance came and took her to the Hospital). Michael had to help them as they were short handed and seeing he was first on the scene. Then someone posted about the sheep / goats? getting loose and today when we went to visit an Amish friend as we pull in the driveway here come a bunch of sheep running down the road passed the van. HELP! they call out to us we need help getting them back into the pen. SO we get out (in the rain) and help get them back where they belong. Not a easy thing to do when they are wet and DON'T want to go back. SO we are quiting before anything real bad happens on the trail and then to poor Michael in real life. . . . . . No we will never quit! It just seems so funny how things are happening here that follows what we are doing on the Wagon Train.

Michael goes from Wagon to Wagon with the news: Hey………. Hey, it’s Michael You have to get up quickly and quietly! Yes, I know it is 5 O'clock in the morning but we have a situation. We just got word that at about 8 am there is going to be a gang of men going all around town looking for trouble – seems they are going to be trying to keep people out of their town so they can control what is left of the food and gas supplies. The person that came out to warn us said he heard one of them say he knew where we were camped. Luckily for us they are waiting until morning to come out this way. Some of our men will be bring over your animals, you need to hitch up your wagon (s) as fast as you can and drive over to the other side of the warehouse. Once everyone is there we will be moving out. No need to wake everybody up in your group just the drives and helpers for now. Sorry no time for making breakfast or potty runs. We will deal with that after we are on the road for a few hours. And no fires! If some of them are in the area we don’t want to show them our location. I did get a small fire going in one corner of the warehouse to make coffee and some hot water for tea or cocoa for those that want / need some, I will be right back with that as soon as I tell the rest what is going on. Keep your voices down but if you need help send someone over to one of the other wagons and if they can’t help you out then come get one of us over by the warehouse. This is what it is all about people, and this is why we are a team – let prove to everyone (and ourselves) that we can do this. With a handshake Michael moves off to the next wagon to alert them.

Amen.

Funny as I thought I was typing that list? Oh and about the wish this were a "reality" instead of "un-reality"! Have I got a story for you! I did LIVE a bit of the trail life today - don't want to scare people so I will not post it. but I did PM you.

well it is good to see that members are 'role playing' real well on this trip. Also good to see and hear that people are 'making do' and also as you post others can learn how to 'get by'. So Why not take it one more step? Try and eat what we all are 'saying' we are cooking/eating for a few meals (or like us all the time we are 'on the trail' (we hope). That means no eating at McD's or ordering pizza (sorry). Cook at home -try making something from scratch - NOW you don't have to build a fire in your back yard but eat together maybe by candle / lantern light. Wash the dishs by hand (it will be easy as you should be using very few plates for these meals. How about 1 night sleep on the floor (not on a work day for some) using blankets and quilts for 'pading'. Go for a walk and 'talk' about what would have happened today if you were on the trail. DARE I SAY IT ............................ No TV or Video games - play a board game, READ a book, or just talk and sing songs -anything that you would be doing if you really were out there on the wagon train. Now somehow (I don't get it ) but even without power here the compute still works so I can post and also see what others are doing? Watchout because You may just have a bit of fun and also learn a thing or two.

day 3 and we are up and ready to go- Lori woke up early so she made breakfast whilt michael cleaned up the wagon a bit and ckecked everything over. Greased all the wheels and filled our water jugs from the well. speaking of songs we have a tradition whenever we are on the road going somewhere. As we start out we play 'On the road again' by Willie Nelson ( and we have to start it within 1 mile or else). If we are traveling at night when we first see daylight its 'Here comes the sun' by the beatles. Any time very early in the morning if you listen you may hear Michael sing ' OH what a beautiful morning' from the play Oklahoma, and that was what you heard if you were up early today. Dishes washed and put away, fire out, Farmer thanked and we are set to go. ~US~

I go believe the cow Kicked somebody when a shot went off! Scared the *&%#&% out of most of us. THAT will go over big with us tring to let people know we are NOT hostel. See the dogs were able to keep the outsider under control I think THAT was a bit much - seeing there was a crowd all around plus the kids and animals.

Michael hands off the reigns to Lori and jumps down to go over and help Mother. "I watch your Horses go check on your family" , we are OK as our horse and ox are used to being around people and cars seeing they all came form Amish Farms. Michael talks softly to the horse and hums a old tune to settle them down. When we got to 'camp' we checked everything over and things are all OK. Annarchy want to borrow my ax for the wood? Or just leave it and I'll do it in a minute - Love chopping wood ( it warms you twice ya know). Gather the kids over by the fire after Supper as Lori and Michael will be having story hour ( need to calm a few after today) using books form the Library wagon and Michael has a real good story to tell as well. Then it is off to bed for most of us.

1) Lori says - wait a minute a 6 year old wanting to leave? Michael was doing that at 6 am and he's 59 (well most of the time - so maybe you WERE right about that 6 year old - LOL) 2) YES - I got it all redone so it is much easier to repack after each stop. Now the Colman Kitchen is in the back on top of 2 barrels so now we don't have to take it out each time to use. Just drop the front lid (makes a shelve) and pull things out (like everyday dishes, spoons & folks. drinking glasses, coffe cups, etc. When we are ready to go all Ihave to do is drop the lid, put stuff away and close it back up - Cool!

cock-a-doodle-doo! (somehow my triangle got missplaced) so I have to use what I wake Lori up with - 1 stuffed chicken that crows when you squeeze its belly. Time to get up everyone! I know you just want to sleep in this morning but..... *some have milking to do before we leave. *some have to feed and water the animals so we can leave on time this morning. *those who need to eat or feed the kids better get a fire going. *I see someone walking over to the bathrooms (see a flashlight) - so a line should be forming there soon. *some need to pack away the things they left out last night. ***And you ladies MIGHT want to get dressed before our friendly cops show up to lead us though/out of town. and THEN we can get on the road - long ways to go today and the sooner we start the better in case we have a problem with any of the wagons. I Milked the cow last night and let the cream rise to the top overnight. So this morning I got the cream out and put it into a small pail we have with a tight fitting lid. Plan is to hang it from the wagon so it swings. That way come Suppertime we will have fresh butter to go with the meal.